We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 440 [The Ancient Spirit Clan] [The Crisis of the Rhine Secret Realm]

"The native inhabitants of the [Elf Realm]?"

Xia En raised his eyebrows.

That's true if you think about it carefully.

Since there are native inhabitants in the [Rhineland Secret Realm].

So, the [Elf Realm], which is extremely similar to it, even like a twin sister, will naturally have its own native inhabitants.

only……

The elves have now taken over the [Elf Realm]. Where are the original inhabitants now?
Xia En looked at An Qi with an inquiring gaze.

Angie's gaze deepened, as if she were lost in distant memories.

She said slowly, "Those indigenous people are called the [Ancient Spirits]."

"They were the original inhabitants of this [secret realm]."

"The Fountain of Life and the Stone of Purification are their sacred objects, possessing incredible power."

"[Ancient Spirit Clan]..."

Shaen repeated the name in a low voice, and couldn't help but think of the being hidden in the forest in the [Rhine Secret Realm].

Could these two be the same creature?

Angie continued, "A long time ago, the Ancient Spirit Clan reached an agreement with us, allowing us to settle in this Secret Realm."

"In exchange, we must protect the Fountain of Life and the Stone of Purification, and respect the traditions and beliefs of the Ancient Spirits."

"However, as time went by, the Ancient Spirits gradually disappeared."

"No one knows where they went, nor does anyone know if they still exist in this [Secret Realm]."

“We tried to find their trail, but to no avail.”

Xia En frowned: "Disappeared suddenly?"

"Then... what about the [Purification Stone] from before?"

Angie replied, "Actually, before you arrived at the [Elven Realm], the [Fountain of Life] had already been corrupted by an unknown force."

"At that time, we used the power of the Purification Stone to restore it to this state."

"But the Purification Stone has lost its power as a result."

"Lost its effectiveness?"

Xia En frowned, a vague unease creeping into his heart.

"Yes, please follow me."

Led by Angie, the group traversed a deep forest and arrived at a stone altar entwined with ancient vines.

In the center of the altar, a broken crystal lay quietly.

It was dull and lifeless, its surface covered with cracks, as if it might collapse completely at any moment.

Anqi's voice was low, tinged with regret and helplessness.

"This is the [Purification Stone]."

Xia En stepped forward and examined the broken crystal closely.

Its shape and texture felt strangely familiar to him.

He reached out and gently touched the surface of the stone, feeling a slight coolness at his fingertips.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted slightly, and he was startled.

Shaen exclaimed in surprise, "This is... [Rhinestone]?"

"[Rhinestone]?"

Before Angie could speak, Joey couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

"Is it Rhinestone mined from the Rhine Secret Realm?"

The crew members on the Black Swan were naturally familiar with Rhinestone.

After all, Shane not only mined Rhinestone on a large scale in the Rhine Secret Realm, but also sold the excess Rhinestone to the Merchant Guild for trading.

"Yes."

Shain nodded: "However, this seems to be a very high purity [Rhinestone]."

“Even the [rhinestone] we have discovered now is far from reaching this level of purity.”

Hearing this, Anqi couldn't help but ask curiously.

"【Rhinestone】? 【Rhine Secret Realm】? What are those?"

"Is such that."

"Actually, back in the Seven Seas World, I once obtained the heart of a Mystic Sea Beast..."

Shane explained to Angie the origin of the Rhine Realm and its extraordinary similarity to the Elf Realm in the shortest possible words.

After hearing Xia En's explanation, An Qi's eyes flashed with shock and contemplation.

She said slowly, "I see..."

There must be some deep connection between the [Rhine Realm] and the [Elf Realm].

She looked down at the broken Purification Stone and said, "If this Purification Stone is really the Rhinestone you mentioned..."

"Then perhaps we can find a substitute in the [Rhine Secret Realm] to purify the [Fountain of Life]."

Xia En nodded and said, "I will return to the [Rhine Secret Realm] now to find enough pure [Rhine Stones]."

"Ms. Angie, please do your best to control the pollution of the Fountain of Life during this period."

"At the same time, be careful, the same kind of monster from before may reappear."

Angie nodded and said, "I will."

After saying these words, Xia En did not hesitate and directly activated the [Empty Beast Heart Seal].

A silver portal opened in front of him.

Shane and his crew entered the portal and returned to the [Rhine Realm].

……

……

At this moment, in the city of Rhine.

It was still a thriving scene.

The tree people, dwarves, and moon-worshipping people in the city are all busily building their homes.

The entire city of Rhine looks quite different from before.

Joey and his crew hadn't been to Rhine City for a while, and were somewhat surprised by the scene before them.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "I never imagined that Rhine City would change so much in such a short time."

Thanks to the combined efforts of the dwarves and tree people, the streets became increasingly clean and spacious.

The magical patterns on the building exude an extraordinary and mysterious aura.

The clothing worn by city residents has also undergone significant changes.

The appearance rate of high-quality armor made by dwarves has greatly increased.

The city's markets became even more bustling.

Rare items from various races are traded here: dwarfs' finely crafted weapons, treants' magical plants, and game hunted by the Moonlit Clan.

The dazzling array of items is dizzying.

The arrival of Xia En and his group naturally attracted the attention of the people in the city very quickly.

"Lord Shaen, you've arrived!"

Sha Jingjing quickly arrived at Xia En's side, and looked at Joey and the others with some surprise.

Generally speaking, Shane does not bring his crew to the [Rhine Secret Realm].

unless……

Is something urgent?
Sha Jingjing immediately straightened her expression and asked.

"Lord Shaen, what happened?"

Xia En nodded, his expression grave, and said, "The Fountain of Life in the Elf Realm has been polluted."

"We need to find sufficiently pure rhinestone to purify it."

Sha Jingjing frowned: "Isn't the previous Rhinestone enough, which is already pure enough?"

"Yes."

Shaen nodded: "I suspect that only deep within the [Rhine Realm], or even in the areas inhabited by the natives, can one find [Rhinestone] of that purity."

"I see."

Sha Jingjing said, "Speaking of indigenous people, I have an important message to report."

“These days, traces of that mysterious creature have been appearing outside Rhine City.”

"The nearest footprint was no more than a hundred meters away from [Rhine City]!"

“They likely came to the vicinity of Rhine City under the cover of night to observe us.” Upon hearing this, Xia En’s expression immediately turned serious.

"So they really are coming..."

At this moment, on the panel...

The exploration progress of 【Rhine Realm】 has reached 19.8%!

According to the pattern that Xia En discovered, every 10% increase in exploration progress will bring an unknown disaster to Rhine City.

The enemy may already be very close.

Not only that.

As the Lord of the Rhine, Shaen clearly sensed that the atmosphere in the surrounding air had become somewhat restless.

Xia En took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the streets of Rhine City, a sense of urgency creeping into his heart.

He suddenly remembered something: "By the way, where is Fei Ya?"

"Why don't I see him?"

Sha Jingjing said, "In fact, Mr. Feiya has already left the city with several [Moon Wing Clan] warriors and Elder Iris the Tree Man in order to follow the traces of unknown creatures."

"Judging by the time, this is already the fourth day."

"The fourth day..."

Xia En frowned slightly.

"It's been four days, and they haven't sent any news back yet?"

Sha Jingjing nodded and said, "Yes."

"However, just a few days ago, Elder Iris broke through to the legendary realm, greatly increasing his strength."

"I hope... everything will be alright."

Xia En shook his head: "Not necessarily."

If it is truly as he thinks, then the [Rhine Realm] and the [Elf Realm] are extremely similar.

Therefore, there must be powerful beings beyond the legendary level in the [Rhine Realm].

"No, I have to go and see for myself."

Xia En said decisively, then turned to look at Joey and the others.

"You guys come with me, Feiya and the others might be in trouble."

Soon, the group quickly left Rhine City and headed in the direction where Faia and the others had last appeared.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the surrounding environment gradually became strange.

The once lush trees began to emit a faint fluorescence, and a pure, natural power flowed through their branches and leaves.

A fresh scent filled the air.

However, this tranquility concealed a certain danger, as if something was secretly watching them.

It instinctively makes one feel uneasy.

In a clearing in the forest, there was a huge, clearly inhuman footprint.

"These traces... are exactly the same as those found before."

Sha Jingjing said in a low voice, her tone clearly wary.

Xia En nodded, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings, a sense of oppression creeping into his heart.

He could sense that the forest was releasing some kind of malice towards them.

Or rather, they are resisting their entry.

Obvious.

This place is the home ground of the indigenous people.

Even with the identity of the Lord of the Rhine, Shain cannot completely eliminate this influence.

The feelings of Joey and others were even more pronounced.

They even felt a faint, needle-like pain on their skin, which was very uncomfortable.

Suddenly, a violent energy fluctuation came from afar.

It was accompanied by a deep roar and the sound of metal clashing.

Xia En's eyes narrowed, and he immediately quickened his pace.

Joey whispered, "It's Faye and the others!"

The group quickly passed through a dense forest, and the sight before them made everyone gasp in shock.

Feiya and several Moon Wing warriors are engaged in a fierce battle with a group of strange monsters.

Those monsters were formed from pure natural mystic power, and their shapes resembled giant apes.

Its body is transparent and shimmering, as if it blends into the surrounding natural environment.

Their attack methods are extremely strange; they can summon vines, rocks, and gales with a wave of their hands.

The offensive was fierce and deadly.

Elder Iris, a tree-man, is confronting a giant ape creature that is tens of meters tall.

Although Iris has already broken through to the legendary level.

But they still seemed powerless against this monster.

His trunk was covered with cracks, and his branches and leaves were constantly falling off; he had clearly suffered serious damage.

The two sides clashed again and again.

Each impact caused a violent earthquake.

"What... exactly are these things?"

Sha Jingjing gasped softly, her eyes filled with shock.

Shaen's gaze was fixed on the translucent giant apes, and he felt a vague sense of familiarity.

The aura of these guys is exactly the same as the natural mystic power of the [Rhine Secret Realm].

Most likely, they were summoned by the native inhabitants of this secret realm.

Although their attacks are powerful, they lack the filth and evil aura of the [Filthy Fate].

Instead, it carries a pure and ancient power.

"They may be creations of the native inhabitants of the [Rhine Realm], used to protect themselves."

Xia En said in a low voice, then raised his hand and waved: "Prepare for battle!"

Before he finished speaking, Xia En's figure had already dashed out like lightning.

The Void Power within him surged instantly, and a faint black halo emanated from his body.

The armor of the Great Dark Heaven covered his body, and the Void Blade in his hand sliced ​​through the air.

They were closing in on the giant ape that was suppressing Iris.

Xia En was incredibly fast, closing in on the giant ape almost instantly.

The Void Blade gleamed with a dark light in his hand, as if it could devour all light.

The giant ape seemed to sense the danger, suddenly turned around, let out a deafening roar, and swung its huge fist at Shane.

"boom!"

The Void Blade collided with the giant ape's fist, unleashing a powerful energy surge.

Xia En felt a tremendous force recoil, and his body involuntarily took a few steps back.

However, the giant ape was also suffering.

The fist was slashed open by the Void Blade, leaving a deep wound from which pure natural energy continuously seeped out.

Xia En was somewhat surprised.

The giant ape's power was actually approaching his own?!

He hadn't encountered anyone in a long time who could physically challenge him head-on.

No wonder this giant ape was able to overpower Elder Iris, a treant at the legendary level.

But even so.

Instead of fear, Xia En felt an even stronger fighting spirit.

"Come and fight!"

With a roar, Shane activated the Giant's Bracelet, which he hadn't used in a long time.

Rumbling--

Accompanied by the sound of blood and qi surging in the blood vessels.

Shaun's body continued to grow taller and expand until it became a terrifying and majestic giant, standing tall in the forest.

Xia En lowered his head, looked down at the giant ape below, and gave a "kind" smile.

(End of this chapter)