The Eternal Giant Turtle let out a victorious roar. It hadn’t forgotten its pact with Raylo. Moving on all fours, it charged along the lakebed in hot pursuit.

In the sky, the Golden Dragon Sun also followed closely, periodically unleashing a blast of Dragon Breath to ensure this "lamb" didn’t stray off course.

The Abyssal Snake-necked Dragon fled upstream along the Black Water River, churning the water and sending fish and shrimp scattering in its wake.

Behind it, a turtle and a dragon—one chasing through the water, the other herding from the sky—created a massive commotion, giving it no chance to stop and catch its breath.

Meanwhile, Raylo rode Baofeng, following at a leisurely pace from high above.

The chase continued like this for over a hundred kilometers.

The river channel ahead began to narrow, flanked by towering, precipitous cliffs that scraped the clouds. The concentration of Water Elements in the air spiked, making it feel damp and thick.

They had reached the upper reaches of the Black Water River—the territory of the Water Elemental Lord.

The Abyssal Snake-necked Dragon plunged into the new waters, perhaps hoping to use the complex terrain to shake off its pursuers.

But the moment it trespassed, an equally immense and tyrannical Domain Power erupted from the depths of the canyon!

A deep, furious roar, sounding as if it were born from the grinding of countless currents, echoed throughout the canyon.

’Here it comes!’

A triumphant smile touched the corners of Raylo’s lips.

He saw the river below begin to churn violently. A massive head formed of pure liquid water slowly rose from the depths, its two eyes—whirling vortexes—staring coldly at the intruder.

From the depths of the canyon, the Water Elemental Lord’s furious roar materialized into a physical shockwave, shaking loose stones from the cliff faces on either side.

The murky river water shot skyward, coalescing into dozens of thick spears of water that flew toward the uninvited guest like bolts from giant siege crossbows.

Each spear of water contained a ferocious and pure Power of Water Elements, enough to easily pierce through steel.

The Abyssal Snake-necked Dragon, exhausted and filled with pent-up frustration from the desperate chase, now faced a new enemy. Its repressed savagery erupted completely.

It stopped fleeing. Its long, slender neck snapped upward, its cavernous maw opened, and it spat out a dark green energy beam, precisely shattering several of the incoming water spears.

Face an indestructible turtle, a Knight taking potshots from the sky, and a relentlessly harassing Golden Dragon, or face the Water Elemental Lord before it, another overlord of this region?

The choice was not a difficult one.

The Abyssal Snake-necked Dragon chose the latter without hesitation.

Its massive body churned the river, kicking up monstrous waves as it charged to meet the giant head made of pure liquid water.

A new war erupted in the canyons of the upper Black Water River.

Deafening roars and the thunder of colliding Elements filled the air, transforming the entire canyon into a vast, chaotic battlefield.

The river was dyed a grotesque, swirling mixture of dark green and murky yellow. The thick stench of blood mixed with the damp air, creating a nauseating miasma.

High in the sky, Raylo calmly observed the chaotic battlefield below.

"Sun, it’s time for us to head back,"

Raylo said.

"ROAR! Is that it? Aren’t we going to join the fight?"

Sun’s enormous golden eyes were filled with disappointment.

Raylo chuckled and patted Baofeng’s neck.

"We’ve accomplished our goal."

"The fight down there won’t be over anytime soon."

He glanced down at the entrance to the canyon, where the Eternal Giant Turtle’s massive form remained, also observing the battle.

Sensing Raylo’s gaze, the Eternal Giant Turtle slowly raised its head.

It let out a deep, drawn-out roar in Raylo’s direction, as if bidding him farewell.

Raylo gave a slight nod in response.

"Let’s go, Baofeng."

The Storm Griffin King let out a clear, piercing cry. With a beat of its wings, it changed direction and became a tawny streak of light, flying toward Amber Castle.

The Golden Dragon Sun’s massive body followed close behind, casting a vast shadow through the clouds.

As the afterglow of the setting sun painted the walls of Amber Castle a warm, golden hue, two giant figures descended from the sky, landing smoothly in the central courtyard.

Lillian was already waiting in the courtyard.

She was dressed in a fiery red Mage Robe, her long hair fluttering gently in the evening breeze.

She didn’t run to him like a little girl, but simply stood there quietly. Yet the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her inner joy and anticipation.

"I was starting to think you planned on spending the night at the lake."

Lillian said. Seeing Raylo return safely, she finally felt a sense of relief and couldn’t help but tease him.

"That was the plan, but then I heard the head chef at Amber Castle was making his famous roasted lamb chops. I couldn’t possibly miss that," Raylo said with a smile as he walked toward her.

In the dining hall, warm light dispelled the chill of the night.

A lavish dinner was laid out on the long table: sizzling lamb chops, glistening with fat, served with a fresh vegetable salad and newly baked bread. The aroma was intoxicating.

"Brother, you have to tell me what happened," Lillian said, finally unable to contain her curiosity as she cut into the lamb chop on her plate.

"That... that monster... it was really hiding in Amber Lake all this time?"

A wave of fear washed over Lillian at the thought that such a terrifying creature had been lurking in the lake right next to her territory.

A Tier Five Magical Beast that possessed Domain Level Power was also known as Destruction Level—meaning it wielded enough destructive power to easily annihilate a human castle.

Raylo took a sip of his fruit wine and began to recount the thrilling hunt from that afternoon.

He told her everything: how he had been searching for underwater ruins, how his discovery had awakened the slumbering Abyssal Snake-necked Dragon, how he had then allied with the Eternal Giant Turtle, and how they had ultimately lured the beast away, driving it straight into the territory of the Water Elemental Lord.

He recounted the events calmly, but Lillian’s heart pounded with fear as she listened.

She could imagine the battle that had churned the entire lake, and the peril her brother faced, circling above the monster’s head on his Griffin.

"You... you seriously wounded it with a single sword strike?"

Lillian’s attention ultimately settled on that decisive blow.

A glint flashed in Raylo’s eyes.

He set down his knife and fork. With a flick of his wrist, an archaic-looking Long Sword appeared in his hand.

VMM!

The moment "Broken Flow" appeared, the very air in the dining hall seemed to stagnate, and even the flickering of the candles slowed.

The wave-like patterns on the blade seemed to flow slowly, exuding an aura of pure sharpness, as if it could sever anything.

"A Divine Weapon!"

Lillian exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

As a Mage, she was extremely sensitive to the flow of the Elements. She could clearly perceive that the sword had formed a peculiar Domain around itself, one that severed the normal flow of the Elements.

"It’s called Broken Flow."

Raylo gripped the hilt, feeling a sense of kinship and eagerness radiating from the blade. The resonance of its power made his own heart surge.