Chapter 21: The Ancient City Revealed, the Immortal Metal

"Stay close, everyone. Don't fall behind. Within the ancient city, you may move freely without fear of being devoured by other sea beasts," came the mental transmission from the elder at the front.

Lin Qiu now understood the reason. In the ancient city, no blood may be shed. Should any sea beast break this rule, the city's power system would identify the offender and execute them. This ancient city could rightly be called the safest place in the entire ocean—no exceptions. It was an Eden beneath the sea!

Only those with awakened bloodline memories were allowed entry here. Not every sea beast in the ocean had experienced this awakening. The system had told him that those capable of awakening their memories descended from ancestors of immense intelligence in that distant age. Not only were they clever, but some possessed overwhelming strength. These ancient cities were the fruits of countless generations of their labor.

Many such cities lay upon the ocean floor, all relics of civilizations left behind from five ice ages past. Besides those sea beasts with awakened memories, there were others—creatures born strong but simple-minded. No matter the modifications or power they gained, their minds remained primitive, undeveloped through all the ages. Five ice ages had passed; generation after generation, they perished and were reborn, yet their intelligence did not evolve. These were the beasts of the aquatic world—fierce, powerful, bloodthirsty, born as natural executioners.

Yet, among the aquatic races capable of awakening intelligence, not all possessed great strength. Their true gift was an innate brilliance, a native wit. Take, for example, the dolphins before him: almost powerless in battle, yet their memories had awakened. In that distant age, the dolphin clan had been musicians, singing for the rulers above them.

As Lin Qiu's mind wandered, the entire group fell silent.

"What’s happening?" Lin Qiu muttered, distracted, and in his absentmindedness, bumped into Lin Lin, sending her drifting several meters ahead.

"Brother, look!" Lin Lin waved her fin, pointing forward.

Curious, Lin Qiu looked where she indicated—and his eyes widened in astonishment. The shocks of the day came one after another.

Upon the ancient city walls, gentle rays of light began to glow. The water plants that had clung there for countless eons now slowly loosened, dissolving and vanishing into nothingness. With the plants gone, the city revealed itself, utterly transformed. Not a speck of dust marred its surface; not a trace of time's passage marked it.

Lin Qiu noticed something more—the city was not built of stone at all, but of a strange metal, its surface shimmering with faint golden threads.

"System, what is this metal?" Lin Qiu could not help but ask.

"According to system analysis, this metal contains a mysterious immortal element, granting it eternal endurance for billions of years. It is the perfect vessel for recording and construction," the system replied, its mechanical voice devoid of emotion or awe, simply stating the facts.

Yet Lin Qiu could not calm himself. Metal containing immortal elements, untarnished for billions of years—how was such a thing even possible? From the moment he arrived at the ancient city, he had known nothing but shock.

The system had also told him: only primitive civilizations carve their legacies in stone. Stone, under the ravages of time, still weathers away. A hundred, even a thousand years, may pass unchanged, but before the ages, even the hardest rock crumbles to dust. Only these advanced civilizations could refine immortal metals and create wondrous technological miracles.

At this moment, Lin Qiu was utterly convinced. Not only he, but even the aquatic folk around him were also overwhelmed. Memories awakening, witnessing the traces left by civilization—they were all humbled by their ancestors’ wisdom.

But then, another question occurred to Lin Qiu. Since the ancient city had awakened and civilization was to be renewed, who would be its master? Where there is civilization, there must be order. Who, in the end, would become the ruler of this city, commanding all that it held?

"Mission triggered: Master of the Ancient City!"

As he was lost in thought, the system’s voice resounded once more.

"A mission?" Lin Qiu was startled. So it really was like a game—upgrade points could be exchanged for what one desired, and now there were missions too?

"System, what is this mission to become the master of the ancient city?" Lin Qiu had a suspicion, so his tone was somewhat uncertain.

"Just as the host imagines—to become the master of this ancient city," the system replied.

Lin Qiu gasped. "Are you serious, system? With these skinny arms and legs, how am I supposed to compete with these creatures?"

He felt more anxious by the moment. Before the ocean mutated, he had been an undisputed overlord, but after the changes, he was little more than a shrimp. The awakened bloodline creatures were colossal; even a small seahorse had nearly done him in. Not to mention the depths of the sea, where ancient cells from before the ice ages were already beginning to stir. This was the purest bloodline left by the last era’s civilization. He had seen a glimpse of it during the volcanic eruption—some ancient creatures were thousands of meters tall, their roars shaking mountains and rivers. If these beings returned, the bloody struggles of the ancient world would descend once more.

As Lin Qiu’s thoughts spun wildly, the system’s voice sounded again: "Mission binding in progress. Time limit: one month. Become the master of the ancient city."

"Mission reward: Water Parting Skill.
Mission failure: Upgrade points will be deducted."

"What?!" Lin Qiu was stunned. He barely registered the mention of the Water Parting Skill—in his mind, only the words "upgrade points will be deducted" resounded like a thunderclap.

"System, upgrade points can be deducted?" he asked.

"Why wouldn’t they be?" the system replied, leaving him speechless.

Indeed. If you can upgrade, you can also downgrade. Upgrading granted him powerful skills and abilities, even immortality. But what happened if his upgrade points were depleted?

Anxiety gnawed at him. He asked, voice trembling, "And if I fail? If all my upgrade points are gone?"

"Failure means deduction of upgrade points. If they are exhausted, the host will die, and the system will detach to seek a new host. In other words, the host is not the system's sole possessor."

A chill settled in Lin Qiu’s heart. So the system was merely lodging within him. If his upgrade points ran dry and he died, the system would not accompany him to the grave.

He drew a long breath, his eyes turning resolute. In his vision, the system panel appeared. Alongside his profile, there was now a mission tab.

This was the first mission the system had ever issued.