151: An unexpected surprise

Inside the spirit cave, time slipped away quietly amidst the gentle glow of luminous pearls and the low, rhythmic flowing sound of blood.

Gao De's deep-level seclusion and reorganization took far longer than he had anticipated.

Integrating the many intricacies of the Prison Suppressing Thunder Domain, Awakening and mastering the mysteries of Hidden Scale Concealing Scenery, deepening the three-form switching and internal coordination of the As-You-Wish Dharma Body, and reweaving all his Divine Abilities, innate talents, and demonic artifacts into a complete combat system that functioned as smoothly as moving one's own arm—each task required painstaking effort and repeated refinement.

There was no lack of Bottlenecks and setbacks along the way; sometimes, he would sit in stillness for months just to adjust the instantaneous transition balance between the "Suppression" and "Swift Kill" states of the Prison Suppressing Thunder Domain; at other times, to completely internalize Hidden Scale Concealing Scenery as an instinct, he needed to perceive the most subtle resonance between himself and all things in heaven and earth in extreme silence, sitting for years at a time.

All in all, when Gao De felt the power within his body flowing in perfect harmony, with every Divine Ability ready to be unleashed at the mere thought, and with seamless connections between them, devoid of any feeling of sluggishness or redundancy, he calculated the time and realized that nearly twenty years had quietly passed in the outside world.

For a Third-Tier Demon King with a long Lifespan, twenty years was but a snap of the fingers, yet for organizing his Foundation and clarifying his path, it was of extraordinary value.

At this moment, Gao De's aura was increasingly deep and restrained; unless he deliberately revealed it, he was like the still water of a deep abyss, impossible to fathom.

Yet, the deep lightning light swirling within those occasionally opening and closing vertical Purple Lightning pupils, along with the majesty stirred by the inadvertent flick of his dragon mane that caused the surrounding Spiritual Qi to tremble slightly, all signaled a fundamental leap in his strength.

"Hoo..." He exhaled a long breath, and the spirit mist inside the spirit cave swirled along with it.

Gao De slowly stretched his Flood Dragon body, his newly grown scales shimmering with a dark purple metallic luster under the dim light, luxurious and dangerous.

He was quite satisfied with the results of this seclusion.

Just then, the Restriction at the entrance of the spirit cave transmitted an extremely faint, specific fluctuation that only he could perceive—it was the signal that Turtle Three Thousand had an important matter to report.

Gao De moved his mind slightly, and the Restriction opened a gap.

The figure of Turtle Three Thousand slipped in quietly, followed by a middle-aged Human Cultivator who appeared slightly reserved but whose eyes revealed excitement and composure.

This man wore a green water-patterned robe, his face had shed the callowness of his early years, and he had grown a short beard; his cultivation had remarkably reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. He was none other than Lin Xiaofan, the Lin Family disciple who had passed key intelligence to Gao De around the time of the Green Wave Sect's destruction and had subsequently pledged his allegiance.

"My Lord, congratulations on your successful cultivation!" Turtle Three Thousand and Lin Xiaofan saluted respectfully in unison.

"Mm, you've arrived. It seems this matter concerns you?" Gao De raised his dragon eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping over Lin Xiaofan.

He had some impression of this man; he was one of the more astute and reliable Human Cultivators who had defected early on. Over the years, he seemed to have been in charge of miscellaneous affairs under Turtle Three Thousand, such as resource exploration and species searching.

Turtle Three Thousand's face was filled with undisguised joy as he stepped aside to let Lin Xiaofan take a half-step forward, introducing him: "My Lord, please be discerning. The surprise this old servant brings today is thanks to Xiaofan, who deserves the primary credit!

During your seclusion, My Lord, acting on your order to 'accumulate resources widely and store potential secretly,' this old servant secretly recruited Cultivators skilled in cultivating spiritual plants and taming aquatic species.

Patriarch Lin volunteered after hearing of this, stating that his Family had once happened upon half a remnant scroll of the annotated water classic variant records, which contained some ancient methods for cultivating Spirit Fish, and that he himself had both interest and talent in this field. This old servant then provided him with resources and manpower, ordering him to conduct trials in several hidden waters on the edge of the Flower Burial Plain."

Lin Xiaofan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and reported respectfully: "Reporting to the Great King, acting on the orders of General Manager Turtle, I have spent over ten years searching for fish species across the Yunmeng Marsh water system. By combining the ancient remnant scrolls with many experiments, I have finally succeeded in domesticating and cultivating three types of Spirit Fish that can be produced stably.

They are the 'Silver Thread Carp,' whose flesh contains pure water Spiritual Qi and can assist in the cultivation of water-attribute Cultivation Techniques; the 'Ink Armor Carp,' whose scales contain faint earth and metal Qi and can slightly strengthen the Physical Body when consumed; and..."

He paused, a gleam of brilliance bursting in his eyes: "And the most precious, the 'Green Jade Carp'! This fish is like green jade throughout, imbued with spiritual charm. Its flesh essence has a miraculous effect on aquatic species, especially those possessing dragon blood, as it gently nourishes, moistens the Bloodline, and slightly enhances vitality!

Although the effect each time is minimal, it has the advantage of being obtainable stably over the long term. Accumulated over time, the benefits cannot be underestimated! After repeated verification, its effect is the best among the three types of Spirit Fish, perfectly suiting the Flood Dragon King's need for nourishment!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Gao De became truly interested.

Being able to directly nourish the dragon blood Bloodline, even if it was a slow accumulation, made its value far exceed ordinary resources.

He looked at Turtle Three Thousand.

Turtle Three Thousand quickly added: "My Lord, what Xiaofan says is true. This old servant has personally verified it and asked several reliable old aquatic species to confirm; the effect of the Green Jade Carp is indeed unique.

Currently, under Xiaofan's direction, using ancient methods combined with Formation control in three spirit ponds, a stable population has been formed.

Each year, we can produce nearly one hundred First-Tier Silver Thread Carp and seventy to eighty First-Tier Ink Armor Carp.

As for the First-Tier Green Jade Carp, because their cultivation is extremely difficult, with harsh requirements for water quality, Spiritual Qi, and bait, and they grow slowly, we can only stably produce about twenty per year. As for the Second-Tier Green Jade Carp... that requires special opportunities and a longer passage of time; currently, there is no stable output, and obtaining one or two every few years is rare."

"Twenty First-Tier ones, and one or two Second-Tier ones every few years... that is indeed quite difficult." Gao De nodded slightly, a look of approval flashing in his dragon eyes as he looked at Lin Xiaofan, "I did not expect you to have such ability. Where is that half-remnant scroll of the annotated water classic variant records now?"

Lin Xiaofan hurriedly said: "Returning to the Great King, the original remnant scroll has already been submitted to General Manager Turtle for storage. As for the part about Spirit Fish cultivation, I have combined it with my practice over these years, organized, copied, and added to it, forming a feasible 'Spirit Fish Cultivation Technique,' which has already been presented to General Manager Turtle." He knew well the principle that holding a treasure brings trouble; volunteering to hand it over was the only way to ensure safety.

"Very good." Gao De nodded with satisfaction, "You deserve the primary credit for this. Turtle Three Thousand, take note, and reward Lin Xiaofan heavily. If his Family has children of appropriate age, you may select the best ones to introduce to the outer perimeter of Qianjiao Cliff to serve. Additionally, list the 'Spirit Fish Cultivation Technique' as a secret of the territory. The cultivation matters shall be managed by Lin Xiaofan, directly under your supervision. All necessary resources shall be supplied with priority; you must ensure secrecy and stability. Of the three types of Spirit Fish, the Green Jade Carp is for the exclusive use of this King and meritorious core members; the Silver Thread Carp and Ink Armor Carp may be used to reward subordinates or exchanged in small quantities for scarce resources through absolutely reliable channels."

"Your subordinates obey!" Turtle Three Thousand and Xiaofan replied in unison, and Lin Xiaofan was so excited that his face flushed slightly.

He knew that he had truly entered the core circle of Qianjiao Cliff, and his future would be different from now on.

"Go down now. Send over one Green Jade Carp today." Gao De ordered.

The two bowed and retreated.

Not long after, a Green Jade Carp, sealed with Spiritual Qi and still kept in a fresh state, was brought into the spirit cave in a jade basin.

The fish was barely a foot long, its body resembling a sculpture of fine green jade, with crystalline scales emitting a soft glow in the dim spirit cave. It was full of vitality, faintly exuding a unique, clear, and moist aura.

Gao De did not devour it directly; instead, he first probed it with his Divine Thought. After confirming there were no issues, he opened his mouth and inhaled. The Green Jade Carp turned into a streak of green light and entered his mouth, instantly being refined by his pure Demonic Power.

The fish meat dissolved as soon as it entered his stomach, and a gentle, cool, and vibrant warm current quickly spread, seeping into his Bloodline in strands.

The sensation was not violent; instead, it was like spring rain nourishing everything silently, making his domineering and fierce Purple Lightning Flood Dragon Bloodline feel as if it had been injected with a gentle lubricant and nutrient. As it circulated, it added a touch of harmony and smoothness, and a subtle, joyful throb seemed to come from deep within his Bloodline.

"It is indeed effective! Although minimal, it is pure and continuous!" Gao De's spirit lifted, and he felt great gratification in his heart.

This Lin Xiaofan had truly given him quite a pleasant surprise. He had not expected that the little Cultivator who had passed on intelligence back then would show such value on another path.

The stable production of Green Jade Carp meant continuous Bloodline nourishment, which had immeasurable auxiliary effects on him consolidating his Foundation, subtly purifying his Bloodline, and even impacting higher concentrations in the future. This was far more valuable in the long run than obtaining some Heaven And Earth Treasure once.

"Talent is hard to come by, and everyone has their own specialization. The development of Qianjiao Cliff needs subordinates like this who can delve into and achieve results in various industries." Gao De had a deeper understanding of managing his forces.

Fortunately, he never only valued combat power; he also valued these "skills" and "talents" that could bring continuous benefits.

He closed his eyes again, continuing to nourish and consolidate his cultivation while carefully experiencing the continuous nourishment brought by the Green Jade Carp.