13: Break

With his mind made up, Gao De acted immediately. No longer content with merely lurking in the familiar waters near the shore, he began a planned and extremely cautious exploratory probe into the deeper, more unfamiliar regions of Dongting Lake.

He used [Size As Desired] to maintain his body at about one foot in length, which, combined with [Breath Concealment (Blue)], made him like a true shadow. He hugged the lake bed, using the folds of underwater mountain ranges, the wreckage of sunken ships, and dense but dangerous thickets of Yao plants to gradually extend his range of activity.

The deep-water area was indeed vastly different from the near-shore.

The lake water here was colder and darker, and the pressure was noticeably greater.

Light could hardly penetrate, and the surroundings were gloomy; he could only rely on his Spiritual Sense and Bloodline perception of the currents to "see" the environment clearly.

The Spiritual Qi was indeed more concentrated, but its attributes were also more mottled and chaotic. At times he could feel pure water Spiritual Qi, while at other times he would be disturbed by a surge of cold, violent, or corrosive alien energy.

The aquatic tribes living here were also generally more ferocious and bizarre.

He had encountered schools of sharp-toothed Ghost Face Fish and had given a wide berth to Ghost Shadow Water Snakes that coiled on giant skeletons and could release paralyzing toxins.

Once, he even felt a heart-palpitating pressure coming from a deep abyss, which scared him into immediately fleeing a hundred li away. That was at least the territory of a Second Order Peak or even a Third Order Great Yao!

Every exploration was accompanied by risk, but it also gave him a more intuitive understanding of this vast body of water. He silently noted several relatively safe areas suitable for temporary concealment:

An entrance to a deep, winding underground river that could shield most Divine Sense probes;

A maze-like area of water composed of countless giant, hollow "Floating Stones," a strange Ore that could float in water;

And a subtle "buffer zone" located at the edge of a powerful Yao Beast's territory, formed by the confrontation between two entities.

At the same time, he also more clearly perceived the division of "spheres of influence" in different regions.

Some waters were permeated with an aura that shared the same source as the Green Wave Sect's Cultivation Techniques but was purer and more grand. That might be the result of a Green Wave Sect Core Formation Ancestor occasionally wandering in spirit, or some secret monitoring points they had set up.

In more places, there were marks and pressure left by various powerful aquatic Yao Beasts, declaring their respective territories.

The period of "Water Purification" was drawing nearer, and the news brought by Lin Xiaofan confirmed this; the Green Wave Sect's Punishment Hall had already begun preliminary mobilization and regional division.

Gao De stopped his outward exploration and began making final preparations.

He further reinforced the cave where he hid and set up several simple deceptive Restrictions, which were rudimentary methods derived from his Bloodline Legacy.

He repeatedly practiced his response plan for encountering Green Wave Sect Cultivators: flee far away immediately and never get entangled; if locked on, use [Water Escape] and the complex waters to maneuver; if trapped by a Formation, do not hesitate to consume Essence Blood to force a breakthrough.

He also made a special trip to check on that Hundred Beasts Sect Storage Pouch buried deep under the silt, confirming it was still secure and had no unusual movement.

This thing was a variable, and during the "Water Purification" period, he especially didn't want it to cause any trouble.

In this atmosphere of tense preparation, Lin Xiaofan brought unexpected news once again.

"Water Patrol Envoy, things are not peaceful on the lake lately. The friction between the Lin Family and the Zhu Family has escalated! A few days ago, Cultivators from both families almost came to blows in the disputed waters. Although they were suppressed by their respective elders, I heard that the Clan-Suppressing Pig Dragon of the Zhu Family, which was about to lay eggs, was somehow startled and its pregnancy was disturbed. Now the Zhu Family is even more certain that the Lin Family is behind it. The two families are now at each other's throats. The Green Wave Sect even sent people to mediate once, but it had little effect."

Hearing this, Gao De's heart stirred.

The more fiercely these two families fought, the more beneficial it was for him.

Not only did it distract the Lin Family's energy from searching for him, but it might also slightly affect the upcoming "Water Purification" operation—after all, if two major Foundation Establishment families truly broke out in conflict, the Green Wave Sect could not completely sit idly by.

"I understand. As soon as there is news about the specific time and route of the 'Water Purification,' inform me immediately," Gao De said in a deep voice.

"Yes, this Disciple understands," Lin Xiaofan responded respectfully. By now, he was becoming increasingly in awe of this mysterious "Water Patrol Envoy" and was more diligent in providing information.

After seeing off Lin Xiaofan, Gao De looked toward the dark deep-water direction outside the cave.

It was full of dangers, but it also contained the possibility of breaking free from shackles and leading to a wider world.

"It's time..." He took a deep breath of the cold lake water, feeling the Dragon Fish Bloodline coursing through his body. Fear still existed, but it was more of a determination to face the challenge... Late at night, at the bottom of Dongting Lake, it was dark as ink, with only some bioluminescent algae and minerals emitting faint glimmers, outlining the silhouettes of jagged rocks and swaying water plants.

Gao De maintained his one-foot-sized form and pushed his [Breath Concealment] talent to the limit. Like a true swimming fish, he used the push of the undercurrents to silently speed toward the planned deep-water area.

However, just as he was passing through a region filled with a giant underwater stone forest, a subtle but powerful fluctuation of Magic Power, mixed with a heart-palpitating Demonic Qi, came from deep within the stone forest ahead.

Gao De froze instantly, as if cold water had been poured over his head, and all his movements stopped in an instant.

He suddenly sank downward, pressing tightly into the shadow of a huge rock, and even his Demonic Power circulation nearly stagnated.

"It's not aimed at me..." he quickly judged, but the owner of this fluctuation had strength far exceeding his own!

That Magic Power fluctuation carried the familiar aura of the Green Wave Sect's Cultivation Techniques, while that Demonic Qi was majestic and cold, at least at the level of a Second Order Demon Beast!

He cautiously extended a trace of imperceptible Spiritual Sense like a tentacle. He didn't dare to "look" directly and could only vaguely perceive the energy field of that area.

Vaguely, he "saw" two figures confronting each other under the cover of the stone forest—or were they communicating?

One side was surrounded by a light blue, moist radiance. Although he couldn't see the face, the figure and Magic Power characteristics made Gao De instantly recall that cold and detached Senior Brother Wang Jue from years ago by the pond, who had casually killed a Spirit Carp!

The other side was a twisted black shadow emitting a thick, fishy smell of water and a powerful pressure. Its form was hard to discern, but that sense of oppression from a Second Order Demon Beast was unmistakable.

They seemed to be communicating via Divine Sense transmission, and the content was extremely cryptic. Gao De didn't dare to get too close and could only capture some intermittent, blurry fragments:

"...Green Wave Sect... Genius Seed... leading the team..."

"...afterward... you won't lack for... Foundation Establishment..."

"...rest assured... traces... cleaned up..."

These few words exploded in Gao De's heart like a clap of thunder!

Senior Brother Wang Jue, an Inner Sect Elite of the Green Wave Sect, was actually in secret contact with a Second Order Demon Beast at the bottom of the lake late at night!

They seemed to be plotting something, and it was targeted at the Green Wave Sect's "Genius Seed"?

And the promised reward actually involved an Opportunity for Foundation Establishment?!

Gao De felt a chill rush from his tailbone straight to the crown of his head. This was by no means an ordinary Sect mission; there must be a huge conspiracy hidden within!

Whether it was Wang Jue's betrayal or the participation of that Second Order Demon Beast, it meant that this matter involved a great deal and the water was extremely deep!

He immediately withdrew all his Spiritual Sense and minimized his presence to the lowest possible level. He had only one thought in his mind: "Go! I must not get involved in this!"

After confirming that the other party's attention was entirely on each other and they had not noticed his existence, he abandoned his original route without hesitation, took a huge detour, and stayed far away from that place of trouble.

It wasn't until he had left that stone forest area far behind and could no longer feel any abnormal fluctuations that he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"The interior of the Green Wave Sect... is not peaceful either," Gao De thought with solemnity.

He had originally thought that "Water Purification" was just the Sect's external cleanup operation, but he hadn't expected there to be such underhanded dealings within.

A person like Senior Brother Wang Jue would actually collude with Yao Beasts to plot against his fellow Disciples?

This news was too shocking and too dangerous. He knew deeply that with his current strength, knowing such a thing was no different from holding a Thunder Bead that could explode at any time.

He forced himself to stop recalling the fragments of words he had heard and buried this matter deep in his heart.

His primary task at the moment was still to avoid the "Water Purification" and stay alive.

As for the internal strife and conspiracy of the Green Wave Sect, what did it have to do with a little fish like him who only wanted to transform into a dragon? He only wanted to stay away from these troubles.

He recalibrated his direction and dove toward the dark deep-water area once again.

Only, the inherent awe he had for the powerful Sect quietly cracked, replaced by a deeper vigilance—in this Cultivation World, whether human or Yao, beneath the surface, there could be fatal undercurrents hidden.

His path of escape, because of this accidental glimpse, seemed to have added several more unknown variables.

He no longer hesitated. He checked his status one last time, maintained his [Size As Desired] in the one-foot form most convenient for concealment and speed, and quietly slipped out of the cave like a true lake fish, resolutely starting his migration and flight toward that unknown and dangerous deep-water area of Lake.

Behind him were the near-shore waters about to be cleansed by "Water Purification"; ahead were unfathomable darkness and opportunities.

His path to dragon transformation turned a new page in this forced flight. The vastness of the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake will truly become the stage for his trials.