"If my divine power of the Sun still held the same strength as when I first fought in the 'Five Elements Chaos' instance, I would have charged straight to the lower deck and fought the boss hand-to-hand," Zhang Yuanqing sighed with regret. His Pure Yang Washing Record had nearly reached its small perfection. During that instance, his pure and powerful Sun divine energy even briefly surpassed the willpower of a master-level opponent, strong enough to scorch the master—despite the fact that the master-level enemy at the time was a spirit of resentment, naturally vulnerable to Sun energy. However, Sun divine energy differs from the Yin and Star energies. The latter two can be continuously replenished through character cards, as the cards are connected to the spiritual realm, which offers an inexhaustible supply of spiritual energy. In contrast, Zhang Yuanqing, who had not yet reached master-level, could not replenish his Sun divine energy through character cards. In the real world, his spiritual energy dwindled, and he lacked the ability to breathe and restore it through inhalation and exhalation. Thus, each time he used his Sun divine energy, it diminished slightly. "I don't know whether the first major region's spiritual realm contains the power of the Sun God—most likely it doesn't..." Though he thought this, he still decided to try. So he sat cross-legged on the bed, practicing the "Pure Yang Bathing Record," inhaling and exhaling his spiritual energy. After a few minutes, the breath he exhaled gradually warmed up, distorting the surrounding air, and a faint golden glow appeared on his face. Beneath his navy uniform, the golden hue spread to his lungs, making the flesh and skin appear almost translucent. This went on for three hours, until noon arrived and the sun rose higher and higher. Inside the cabin, his skin turned a fresh, shrimp-like red, with blood vessels visibly pulsing through his pores. The sun's energy proved too intense, and he had to pause—should he continue, the Sun God's power would scorch his organs and meridians, boil away his blood, and seriously injure him. Staggering to his feet, he rushed to the table, picked up the hot water kettle, and drank deeply from the steaming hot water, regardless of its temperature. Not enough, not enough… Holding the water pitcher, he rushed out of his dormitory, hurried down the corridor, and burst into the hot water room at the stairwell. Turning on the tap, he ignored the scalding stream, his throat rolling as he gulped down the life-giving water in long, steady draughts. He kept drinking until his abdomen swelled and hot water gurgled back up, then he leaned over, satisfied, and made his way back to his dormitory. "Finally, I understand the feeling of Kuafu chasing the sun—good thing, or I'd have burned myself to a cinder!" Upon returning, Zhang Yuanqing lay down on the bed and felt the power of the Sun God within him. To his delight, he found the Sun God's energy had recovered to 40% of its peak level. With another two hours of breathing exercises in the afternoon, it should reach 60%. He would need to patrol during the evening; otherwise, the captain would surely take notice. He would then begin his practice again tomorrow morning, aiming to restore the Sun God's energy as soon as possible. Yet, why could the First District master the pure yang technique, *The Pure Yang Bathing It is well known that the First and Second Regions are inherently incompatible, operating on separate servers and managed by different administrators. The professional spiritual energies should likewise be non-interchangeable—by principle, a Spiritual Voyager from the Second Region should not be able to inhale or exhale spiritual energy within the spiritual realm of the First Region. "Could this be the unique characteristic of Ye You Shen? Is Ye You Shen the supreme administrator, capable of practicing across server boundaries? Or perhaps both the First and Second Regions fall under Ye You Shen's administrative jurisdiction?" Zhang Yuanqing opened the door to the room, dispersing the accumulated heat. At this time, the crew members were enjoying lunch in the cabins, with no one at the lower levels, so no one noticed any anomaly. Once the heat had dissipated, he closed the dormitory door and took a nap, which helped restore his condition more quickly. At 3:30 p.m., as the sun set in the west, Zhang Yuanqing began to inhale and exhale the power of the Sun God. The room temperature rose sharply, and plastic and cotton items began to show signs of partial melting. By six o'clock, when the sun had dipped below the horizon, he finished his breathing exercises, his eyes radiating two brilliant golden beams. Zhang Yuanqing hurried to the table, picked up the hot water kettle, drank the warm water, then went to the hot water room and downed two full pitchers, returning to his room with his round belly once again. He patiently waited. Soon, footsteps echoed down the corridor. A soldier, armed and ready, arrived at the door, straightened his posture, and announced with a steady voice: "Lieutenant Has, it's time to change shifts!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded once, remained expressionless, and left his desk, then stepped out of the dormitory. Under the soldier's guidance, he went to the weapons store and retrieved an automatic rifle, then proceeded to the deck. The patrol team consisted of twenty personnel, working in pairs, primarily on watch for creatures in the ocean. Although the magical species had been recovered and could no longer contaminate marine life, the threat remained. Yet during its time at sea, an incalculable number of organisms were contaminated, with some exhibiting deformities—partly eradicated, others scattered throughout. Throughout the return journey, whether day or night, small groups of these deformed creatures would periodically launch attacks on the cruise ship. The Cardinal of the Church declared that this was the magic seed calling forth the magical beings. These beings were flesh-and-blood, though immensely strong, yet human-made weapons such as rifles, hand grenades, and mortars remained effective in eliminating them. On deck, Lieutenant Zhang Yuanqing scanned the twenty naval officers arrayed in formation, as well as a woman dressed in a white nun's habit. She was in her thirties, with a full, vibrant figure—her ample chest and rounded hips clearly visible beneath the loose habit, the cotton robe gently covering her curves. She possessed a mature, beautiful face with well-defined features, brown hair and brown eyes, and a few light spots on her complexion that added to her charm. This is Pakki, the sea nymph of the papal spiritual expeditionary team! Indeed, as Stephen's journal described her with "the figure of a devil," she is a stunning woman who instantly stimulates a man's hormones—every naval officer stationed in formation is secretly admiring her. Noticing Captain Hase's appraisal, Pakki arched her brows, her gaze sharp with hostility, and coldly replied, "Your eyes are all keen. Keep them fixed—should any aberrant creature scale the deck, I'll crush your heads flat." "Yes, sir!" The naval officers were startled, immediately straightening up and maintaining steady focus. "Patrol," Pakki ordered, her tone as detached as if she were the highest-ranking officer. The naval officers dispersed, forming lines and setting off for their respective patrols. Pakki, meanwhile, walked along the deck's edge, her eyes sharply scanning the sea. Zhang Yuanqing carried his rifle, walking steadily along the edge of the deck, quietly pondering: "There's only Paki among the spiritual travelers on deck. With my current abilities, it won't be difficult to swiftly defeat her. The crew in the lower cabins can be handled by the Ghost Bride. "But if I act now, the crisis will surely erupt prematurely. If I wait until tomorrow, when I restore the Pure Yang Body Record to its peak, my chances will be much stronger." Since he discovered that the first district's spiritual realm副本 also allows cultivation of the Pure Yang Body Record, Zhang Yuanqing had hesitated—should he strike tonight, or wait until the Sun's power reaches its zenith? Time flew by swiftly, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the cruise ship being the only melody in the night. A deep indigo sky bore a full moon, casting a bright, serene glow. Zhang Yuanqing felt better than he had in a long time—his thoughts clear, his body brimming with strength. Such a night was truly ideal for launching a decisive campaign—he sincerely thought so. Suddenly, a dark cloud obscured the full moon, plunging the天地 into complete darkness. The lights of the cruise ship shimmered like the only source of light, floating serenely upon the undisturbed ocean. Zhang Yuanqing’s ears twitched, and he heard a mysterious whisper. The whisper came from the night sky, from the deep sea, and from beneath his feet—the ship itself. It was impossible to pinpoint the source. The voice was vast and ethereal, like an unconscious murmur, yet at the same time, as though it were a language of ancient mystery. It had come—just as the journal had written—the call of the magical seed. Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart sink. Immediately, he sensed a transformation within his cells, with small growths of flesh rising beneath his skin. The flesh fibers beneath his skin surged and writhed, like crawling insects. He felt an intense itching all over his body, as though his arms and limbs were growing tendrils, new arms, even a third one. Zhang Yuanqing immediately activated *The Pure Yang Bathing Record*, the power of the sun god flooding through his body, calming and purifying the cellular transformations. The results were immediate and effective. The "It seems the quest isn't giving me any time at all..." he groaned. It's only been the second night, and the contamination from the magical seeds has already arrived. So, was the calm and tranquility of the first day meant to allow the travelers to adapt to the environment and search for clues? Over the next three days, the contamination will grow stronger each day—now it's already proving difficult to resist. If they endure another three days, won't the situation simply deteriorate in place? As he pondered, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning around, he saw two uniformed patrol soldiers, their expressions blank, their eyes dark and fixed intently on Zhang Yuanqing. "What's going on?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. The soldier on his left remained motionless. "Captain Has, has requested your presence," he said. "Where to?" Zhang Yuanqing stared at them, his expression unreadable, sensing something was off with their demeanor. The soldier on his right replied, "To the lower deck!" The lower deck... Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brow, his alertness rising. There's a magic seed deep in the hold, just now whispering—now approaching the contamination source? That's suicide. At this moment, he realizes the patrol soldiers have appeared nearby without him noticing, standing ten to fifteen meters away, expression blank, staring at him as if lifeless. Like zombies. They've all gone grotesquely transformed! The very moment this thought forms, he sees the soldier on his left suddenly have his chest flesh split open, revealing a large mouth lined with fangs, a bright red tongue protruding, murmuring softly: "Go to the hold, go to the hold…" Meanwhile, the soldier on his right has a bloodshot eye bulging from his forehead, blinking steadily, fixedly gazing at him: "Go to the hold, go to the hold…" "Tapping, tapping, tapping!" Horses' hooves come from behind, approaching swiftly—someone is launching a surprise attack from there. With no hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing delivered a precise back kick, landing squarely on the attacker making the surprise assault. As the sound of splashing water echoed and a sound unlike any human—the hiss of machinery—resounded, the assailant from behind was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the deck. Zhang Yuanqing raised his rifle, aimed it at the heads of the two naval officers, and fired two sharp shots, instantly ending their lives. The two mutants collapsed, their mouths on their chests continuing to emit mechanical murmurs: "Go to the bottom, go to the bottom…" The single eye on the other's forehead rapidly blinked, steadily oozing dark blood. Among the eighteen soldiers nearby, all erupted in cries of alarm, their bodies undergoing varying degrees of transformation—some had smooth, slippery tentacles emerging from their sleeves; others developed scales and gills on their skin; some grew four thick, black arms; and others had their heads transformed into grotesque fish-like forms. They—no, they—now either opened fire or lunged aggressively at Zhang Yuanqing. Zhang Yuanqing raised his head and roared, his high-pitched, sharp cry driving like a wedge into the distorted soldiers' minds. Puff... puff... One after another, the monstrous beings collapsed, convulsing before dying. Under a mental assault of sixth-tier peak intensity, the souls of transcendental-stage spirit travelers would be instantly extinguished, and even fourth-tier saints would suffer severe injuries and lose their combat capabilities. Puff... puff... The bullets striking Zhang Yuanqing sounded as though hitting resilient leather, producing a dull thud, then clinking softly onto the deck. At that moment, a gust of wind rushed in, and the attacker he had kicked back approached once more. Zhang Yuanqing turned to face him and recognized the figure—none other than the female sea nymph Parke. Now, her eyes were amber, her lips black, and dark, scale-like patches covered her cheeks, gleaming with a metallic sheen. Behind her, eight smooth, sinewy tentacles waved and flexed, each ending in long, black keratin claws. Her face was both beautiful and otherworldly. She rode upon a steed forged from condensed seawater, charging directly at her. "Though deformed, she still retains the skills of her profession? A pity..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured, grabbing the Purple Thunder Hammer from her inventory, and as the sea creature Paggi surged forward, rolled sideways to execute a night-wanderer's stealth maneuver.