System: Infinite Evolution into Qilin Bloodline

Hidden deep within the ancient and secluded heart of the Dragonbone Temple lies a little-known secret passage.

After Zhang Hao obtained the dragon bone, Yi Sa led the team into the secret passage.

"If we want to get back to the sea, we must go through the mechanism beneath the temple."

She walked ahead while explaining to Zhang Hao.

As the beams of flashlights danced on the dim stone walls, the group slowly ventured deeper into the winding, secret passage.

The air gradually became heavy and humid, each breath feeling like it was devouring the warmth within, replaced by an indescribable chill and an increasingly strong smell of seawater, as if they were approaching the embrace of the ocean step by step.

"Everyone be careful, the changes here are more significant than when I last came."

Yi Sa's voice echoed in the silent corridor, her eyes flashing with vigilance and determination.

Her every reminder was like a wake-up call, putting everyone in the team on high alert and preparing them for the unknown challenges to come.

Finally, a faint ray of light appeared at the end of the passage, a reflection from the huge pool of water ahead.

When the group stepped into this open space, the sight before them made them gasp in astonishment.

The water was covered with countless merman corpses, some mutilated and others covered in blood and gore, clearly indicating that they had suffered an extremely brutal attack.

These merfolk were once the spirits of the ocean, but now they have fallen to such a state, which cannot help but evoke pity and anger.

Yi Sa's gaze swept across the corpses, her brows furrowed, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart.

"We must find the room that activates the mechanism as soon as possible, but first we must eliminate that potential threat."

Her words carried an undeniable firmness as she pointed to the faintly visible bronze door deep within the pool.

Just as everyone was preparing to dive into the water, a sudden ripple broke the calm on the surface.

Immediately afterwards, a huge figure burst out of the darkness—an unprecedentedly ugly fish.

Its body is as large as a small mountain, and its skin is covered with rough scales, mottled in color, as if it were made of a mixture of silt and decaying matter from the deep sea.

Its eyes were sunken deep in their sockets, gleaming with an eerie green light, exuding a chilling evil.

What's most disgusting is its enormous mouth, filled with sharp fangs, which can swallow an adult whole when it opens. Thick saliva drips from its mouth from time to time, emitting a suffocating stench.

The appearance of the giant fish instantly made the atmosphere extremely tense, and everyone's heart was pounding.

The moment it appeared, a system notification sounded in Zhang Hao's mind.

[Ding! Rare item detected: Mermaid.]

Zhang Hao never expected that this ugly, strange fish was actually the mermaid leader, Jiao Lao. He just didn't know why it suddenly changed its temperament and attacked the people who approached it.

And those mermaid corpses floating on the water, if I'm not mistaken, they were also bitten to death by the Mermaid.

Under normal circumstances, it would not attack its own kind; there must be some unknown factor at play.

The sudden appearance of the large fish did not cause any panic among the group.

Yi Sa reacted quickly, drawing the dagger she carried with her, its tip gleaming coldly in the flashlight beam.

"Everyone, maintain formation and don't scatter. Let's fight this monster together!"

Her voice was firm and powerful, like an invisible force that inspired everyone.

Upon hearing Yi Sa's command, everyone in the team quickly sprang into action.

At Yi Sa's command, the team quickly adjusted their formation, preparing for the upcoming battle.

Zhang Hao nodded in satisfaction. It seemed that Yi Sapo had the ability to lead. Under his command, these people's combat effectiveness was much higher than when they fought alone.

He didn't act immediately, but stepped aside to observe and see just how far Yi Sa could go.

However, this giant fish was clearly no ordinary creature. With its enormous body and astonishing strength, it swam nimbly in the water, sometimes rushing to one side of the group, sometimes circling around to the back, attempting to disrupt their formation.

Each attack was accompanied by a deafening roar and a violent splash of water, making it terrifying.

With her agile skills and rich combat experience, Yi Sa moved freely in the water. Her longsword sliced ​​through the water like lightning, accurately striking several vital parts of the big fish.

However, this large fish seemed to possess extraordinary regenerative abilities; even when severely injured, it could quickly recover and continue its fierce attacks.

The battle reached a stalemate, with both sides evenly matched and neither able to achieve a decisive victory in a short period of time.

As time went on, the team members began to feel physically exhausted, and their breathing became increasingly rapid.

Yi Sa knew that things couldn't continue like this, and she had to find a way to break the deadlock.

Just then, she noticed that the big fish would unconsciously expose the soft part of its belly when it attacked.

That was a relatively vulnerable area, and its only weakness.

Yi Sa's mind raced, and she immediately conveyed her thoughts to the other members of the team:

"Everyone, focus your fire on its abdomen! That's its weak point!"

Under Yi Sa's command, the team members adjusted their attack direction, concentrating all their strength on the belly of the big fish.

In an instant, firelight and sword energy intertwined, forming dazzling beams of light that aimed directly at the giant fish's vital points.

Finally, with everyone working together, the giant fish let out a deafening wail, and its massive body began to tremble violently.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yi Sa flashed forward and rushed towards the belly of the big fish like an arrow.

Her dagger traced a perfect arc in the air before plunging deep into the fish's body.

The big fish, in pain, lunged forward. Yi Sa gripped the dagger tightly with both hands, tearing a huge gash over two meters long in the fish's abdomen, causing its internal organs to spill out.

The water became extremely murky in an instant.

Then a deafening roar rang out, and the giant fish's body finally crashed down, splashing up a huge spray of water.

After the battle, the group swam to the shore, exhausted, and collapsed on the ground, panting.

As everyone gazed at the lifeless, ugly fish, their hearts were filled with the joy and感慨 of victory.

Zhang Hao nodded in satisfaction, noting that everyone in the team had played their proper role.

Once the mermaid's body sank to the bottom of the water, Zhang Hao jumped in with a splash, dived underwater to find the body, reached out and touched it, and then gave an order to the system.

"System, merge with the Mermaid."