Chapter 141: The Royal Bell Tolls!

"Get lost, and tell your City Lord to come out."

Standing atop the city walls, Lin Qiu spoke loudly and bluntly, showing no respect for the self-proclaimed representative of the Mermaid Royal City.

"..."

Shen Jian hesitated slightly. Clearly, he had not expected Lin Qiu to disregard the standard social protocols. By all rights, Lin Qiu should have come out to greet him, especially since he was representing the Mermaid Royal City. Even as the Lord of the Other Shore Royal City, surely Lin Qiu should not be treating him with such disdain?

A wave of resentment rose in Shen Jian. He spoke again, his voice dripping with condescension: "I respected you as a City Lord, but it seems the Lord of the Other Shore Royal City is nothing more than this—lacking even the slightest bit of grace. Truly disappointing!"

His words were filled with contempt, clearly intended to goad Lin Qiu into an outburst. Shen Jian knew full well that if Lin Qiu remained within the protection of the Royal City, he would have no chance of taking Biqi away. His mission was to retrieve her, not to trade barbs here.

Lin Qiu saw right through him. A cold sneer flashed across his face as he replied, "Drop the petty schemes. You just want to lure me out of the city, don't you? Very well, I shall grant your wish."

It was the perfect opportunity to kill the chicken to scare the monkey, to show the inhabitants of the East Sea who truly reigned here. He, Lin Qiu, was the master of this place, and even the noble ocean clans would have to bow. If only his strength were greater—if he were powerful enough, everyone in the ocean would be forced to kneel and submit.

Soon, Lin Qiu stepped out of the Royal City, a mocking smile on his face. Seeing this, Shen Jian spun his long spear, stirring up waves that surged toward Lin Qiu—a clear attempt to test his strength.

"Child's play."

Lin Qiu stood unmoved. The waves dissipated the moment they reached him, causing Shen Jian’s expression to turn serious. He realized instantly that Lin Qiu’s cultivation was far from trivial.

"Let me see what you’re actually capable of."

Lin Qiu didn't waste time. A blade of water condensed in his hand as he spoke with effortless calm. Honestly, he didn't hold Shen Jian in high regard. Though they were both at the Fifth Order, Shen Jian appeared to be merely a mid-level Fifth Order. Lin Qiu, however, possessed enough treasures that his true combat power could not be measured by cultivation level alone; even a one-level disadvantage would not hinder him.

"Spear Thrust!"

Shen Jian was swift. Without further chatter, he lunged, his spear striking out like a dragon. Spiritual energy surged along the shaft, causing the surrounding waters to dance violently. Once a practitioner reached the Fifth Order, the most significant change was the ability to manipulate the elements of the world with every motion. This was the origin of the saying: "Below the Fifth Order, all are ants." No matter how many Fourth Order fighters there were, they could never defeat a Fifth Order, purely because of that influence over the natural world.

"Playing with water in front of me? You aren't qualified."

Lin Qiu chuckled, as if hearing a grand joke, and channeled the power of his Water-Splitting Technique. A strange, resonant force emanated from him. In an instant, the churning waves controlled by Shen Jian froze, then turned and crashed back toward their master. Shen Jian was forced to retreat several steps to dissipate the force of the impact, his eyes wide with shock. He had never expected Lin Qiu to be able to seize control of his own water manipulation.

"If that is the extent of your ability, you will pay the price for your arrogance."

Lin Qiu knew that although the surroundings seemed empty, many eyes were watching this battle from the shadows. The outcome would determine how many challengers would dare to come to the Royal City in the future. He had set the rule that he would accept all challenges from the East Sea for the next month, and he had to be firm.

"Hmph!"

After shaking off his shock, Shen Jian steadied his energy and attacked again. Simultaneously, the elite squad he brought with him moved into formation.

"Formations are merely the death throes of the weak."

Trapped within the spear array, Lin Qiu felt no fear. His water blade dissipated, replaced by the manifestation of the Sea Dragon’s Claw. The East Sea churned once more as countless currents converged into his hand, a destructive aura rapidly taking shape.

Shen Jian felt a surge of dread, but he had no choice; he pressed forward into the heart of the formation. His aura climbed steadily. This was his most prized technique, and as the core of the array, he gained a terrifying boost, briefly touching the very peak of the Fifth Order. The cost, however, would be a period of extreme weakness after a quarter of an hour. He had come ostensibly to retrieve Biqi, but his hidden goal was to probe Lin Qiu’s true depth.

After all, no one knew where Lin Qiu’s limits lay. Officially, he was a fresh Fifth Order, but everyone knew his true power far exceeded that. Lin Qiu understood this, so he had no intention of holding back. He had to display overwhelming power to suppress the petty schemers and prevent people from causing trouble in his city every other day.

"Sea Dragon’s Claw!"

As time passed, both fighters reached their peak. Behind Lin Qiu, the phantom of a colossal sea dragon manifested, holding a deep blue dragon pearl in its mouth. It was as if the ancient sovereign of the ocean had returned. The overwhelming pressure was so immense that the aquatic life in the sea felt a primal urge to kneel.

"Damn... it!"

Shen Jian, standing at the center of the pressure, found his formation collapsing. He sank to one knee, drenched in cold sweat. This was the majesty of the Dragon Race. When Lin Qiu had first used the Sea Dragon’s Claw, he hadn't had time to build up such momentum, which was why the effect had been less pronounced.

On the surface of the ocean, wave after wave rose as if the apocalypse were at hand. The phantom dragon, fueled by the currents, stared toward the lands of humanity. At that moment, all eyes turned toward the sea.

Then, a bell tolled.

The Royal Bell!

It signified that a member of the Royal Clan had awakened from their seal. The ocean was about to welcome back its former emperors.

Time was running out for humanity. After the sea dragon faded, the human race convened a top-level emergency meeting. The most powerful leaders on land and the heads of mysterious factions realized that if humanity did not unite, they would be eliminated in this new era of evolution. Xu Bancheng, the architect of the Steel Great Wall project, attended this meeting, as the discussion involved whether to abandon the Steel Great Wall in favor of fully committing to the Noah’s Ark project.