Sword King of Western Stone Kingdom

Two days later, inside an unknown large island

Over a dozen five or six-year-old children gathered in the stone house, curiously staring at Ignaz lying on the stone bed.

"Grandpa Village Chief, why hasn't this outsider woken up yet? How about I climb up and give him a pat?"

"Grandpa Village Chief, I need to pee!"

...

At this moment, Ignaz heard some chaotic voices and slowly opened his eyes. Over a dozen pairs of eyes were staring directly at him, making him feel slightly panicked.

"Where is this?"

His mind immediately began racing, and his gaze became alert, even developing some murderous intent.

"Grandpa Village Chief, he's awake!"

As one child shouted loudly, an elderly man with graying hair walked in leaning on a cane, speaking in a very gentle tone:

"Outsider, you're safe now. It was Dali and the others who rescued you from the sea..."

After the old village chief's introduction, Ignaz finally let down his guard. He came to understand that he had arrived in a place like a paradise called the Western Stone Kingdom.

From what he could recall, this wasn't actually a kingdom but rather a slightly larger village. What was especially remarkable was that even ordinary adults here had Soul King-level strength, and all their awakened martial souls were sword-type.

For Village Chief Dali to rescue his near-death self from those ten-thousand-year soul beasts' jaws, his strength must definitely be at Soul Douluo or even Titled Douluo level, which naturally commanded respect for this place.

"Old Village Chief, do you happen to know which direction Sea God Island is?" Ignaz didn't know if these primitive tribe-like people knew where Vast Sea City was, but if he mentioned Sea God Island, they would definitely know.

After all, any humans living by the sea or on islands would know more or less about the Sea God and Sea God Island.

"Sea God Island is northwest of our homeland."

Hearing this, Ignaz finally got his general bearings. He was now in the southwestern sea region of the continent. He just needed to head northeast to set foot on the mainland again.

However, seeing that Ignaz wanted to leave before his injuries had completely healed, the old village chief couldn't help but remind him: "Young man, recently all the soul beasts in the entire ocean will be in upheaval. No matter where you want to go, it's best not to leave the island during this time."

"Soul beast upheaval?"

Ignaz's thoughts became somewhat confused. He had learned about soul beast upheavals in the ocean before. Sea soul beast upheavals actually had another name—the sea soul beasts' feast. They occurred once every year.

During the upheaval, they could leave their territorial sea regions to hunt food in other soul beasts' territories, and even communicate with other sea soul beast species or reproduce offspring.

But how could this be possible? There should be at least another month before the soul beast upheaval.

Suddenly his thoughts shifted—perhaps his earlier encounter with those ten-thousand-year soul beasts had caused the sea soul beast upheaval to erupt early.

"Thank you for the reminder, elder! I'll leave after the sea soul beast upheaval ends. My name is Ignaz."

Both the old village chief and all the children were very happy about Ignaz's decision to stay. They hadn't had contact with outsiders for sixty or seventy years.

"Big brother, can you tell us stories?"

"Big brother, is the outside world dangerous? Like that Spirit Hall—they're so evil!"

"Big brother, where are you from?"

...

Many children swarmed around him, voicing all their doubts and thoughts, with most questions being about Spirit Hall.

Actually, their hatred for Spirit Hall had good reason. Back when Qian Daoliu held the Pope position, he had sent large numbers of soul masters to Western Stone Kingdom, attempting to kill everyone here to eliminate future troubles. But they were slaughtered and sent fleeing by the Western Sword Hero.

"Don't bother big brother, let him rest properly!"

The old village chief led all the children away, leaving Ignaz alone in the room.

Only then did Ignaz calm down, lying flat on the stone bed. While feeling fortunate, he also felt somewhat helpless as he touched the blue-gold crown on his head.

This crown-type external soul bone's soul skill was somewhat useless—it could only enhance his spiritual power and reduce the soul force consumed by soul skills. It didn't have much significant effect and could only serve as an auxiliary soul bone.

However, without this external soul bone, Ignaz might not have survived at all. It seemed he could only hope for the external soul bone's future evolution.

...

At the same time, in Vast Sea City

The captain and few crew members who had survived reported the attack to the Sea Family head and Director Lu at the academy.

"What? What do you mean little Iggy perished in the jaws of ten-thousand-year soul beasts and is already dead?"

Director Lu's heart skipped a beat upon hearing the news, feeling extremely shocked. But in the next moment, some teachers who had gone out to help students obtain soul rings hurried back with their students, saying urgently:

"Old Lu, it's crazy! The sea soul beasts have gone completely mad! Large numbers of thousand-year soul beasts have appeared in the shallow sea regions now, and there are even several ten-thousand-year soul beasts. The soul beast upheaval has started early."

"What's going on here? Isn't the sea soul beast upheaval supposed to be a month away? How did it happen so fast? Could it be that some hundred-thousand-year soul beasts from the deep sea are intentionally retaliating against us humans?"

As Director Lu spoke, his heart grew increasingly worried. Could little Iggy have died in the soul beast upheaval? But he still held hope for him.

Little Iggy understood soul beasts very well—he absolutely couldn't have died in a soul beast upheaval. He must have escaped to some island to hide. It had to be that way!

"Quickly send people to search the coastline and Blue Fish Village to see if little Iggy has returned. He absolutely wouldn't die so easily."

After ordering people to search, Director Lu picked up his pen to write a letter but then put it down. As long as they hadn't found his body, that was the best news.

At this moment, hundreds of miles away in Nuoding City

A seven-year-old boy wearing blue clothes with some darkness deep in his eyes was walking on Nuoding City's main street.

"Little San, wait for me! I've never been to your home before. The semester finally ended—can you take me to visit your home?"

A girl in pink clothes with rabbit ears on her head, carrying a square little package, hurried to catch up with Tang San ahead.

"My home is very simple. I'm afraid there's nothing good to entertain you with."

Xiao Wu said happily: "It's okay, I brought some carrots and bought some meat too."

Tang San said as he walked: "My father has a bad temper!"

"It's fine, I'm very well-behaved!" Xiao Wu walked in front of Tang San, showing her cute and innocent side.

As they continued forward, they soon arrived at Holy Soul Village. When Tang San pushed open the door, he only saw Old Jack.

"Little San, your father and I were planning to pick you up. How did you come back early?"