24: Prepare

The flying ship of the Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce was like a deity from beyond the heavens; its descent completely changed the layout of Dongting Lake and even the surrounding areas.

Inside the Green Wave Sect, that Core Formation Ancestor who had been in seclusion for years was directly startled and appeared in person, looking at the flying ship from afar with an extremely solemn expression.

He could clearly feel the two Nascent Soul auras on the flying ship, burning like the sun, as well as the power of the Formations contained within the ship itself, which made even his Soul tremble.

He immediately ordered that no one in the entire Sect should commit any offensive acts, and he personally used his Divine Sense to transmit a message to the flying ship, expressing his welcome and goodwill.

The Lin Family and Zhu Family were even more terrified, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, completely extinguishing all thoughts of conflict; they opened their Family Formations to maximum power and strictly forbade all Disciples from going out, fearing they might accidentally invite a disaster of total destruction.

In the depths of the Yunmeng Great Marsh, several terrifying auras that had been sleeping for years also slightly awakened, watching this uninvited guest with curiosity and vigilance.

Meanwhile, those Golden Core Rogue Cultivators, small-scale Sect Masters, and the Tier 3 and 4 Great Demons hidden in the deep mountains and marshes who had received invitations were filled with a mix of excitement, apprehension, and greed.

Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce! Inter-state trade! Auction conference! These terms all stimulated their nerves without exception.

This meant they had the Opportunity to obtain high-tier resources that they previously could not even come into contact with, allowing them to break through their Bottleneck and even soar to the heavens!

The gaze of the entire region was focused on that giant ship above Dongting Lake and the auction conference that was to be held in half a year.

Inside the Deep Pool Water Mansion, Gao De naturally also learned of this shocking news through the Demon Soldiers under his command scouting in more distant waters and by capturing the rumors circulating among low-level Cultivators.

“Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce... Inter-state flying ship... Nascent Soul Great Cultivator... Auction conference...” Gao De digested this information, waves of shock surging in his heart.

He didn't expect that just as he felt his accumulation was sufficient and was preparing to seek a Breakthrough Opportunity, he would encounter such an earth-shattering event!

“October 1st... from now, there are less than three months left,” Gao De calculated the time.

It was some time after the flying ship descended that he pieced together the complete news from fragmented information from the outside world.

This was an unprecedented Opportunity!

At the auction, precious resources that could help him break through to the Second Tier Mid-stage or even enhance his Bloodline would surely appear!

Whether it was the special Essence Blood of Yao Beasts or natural treasures that could purify Bloodlines, they all held a fatal attraction for him.

But at the same time, this also meant huge risks. At that time, existences at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul levels would all gather here; as a small Second Tier Dragon Fish, he might be crushed by the aftershocks if he wasn't careful.

“Strength! I must increase my strength as quickly as possible! At least, I need stronger self-preservation power!” Gao De felt an unprecedented sense of urgency.

For the next three months, he entered an almost demonic state of Cultivation.

He no longer went out to hunt, putting all his energy into digesting his accumulation and impacting the Bottleneck.

Relying on the Dragon Transformation Merit and the Hundred Beasts Blood Quenching Secret Canon, as well as the assistance of the Water Mansion's Spiritual Vein and dragon blood grass, he squeezed his potential to the fullest.

With only one month left before the auction conference, after repeated failed attempts to break through the Second Tier Mid-stage barrier, a flash of insight came to him, and he completely submerged his mind into the depths of his Bloodline, tracing back the source of the Dragon Fish Legacy.

In the depths of Bloodline memories interwoven with Chaos and golden light, he seemed to see a true ancient Dragon Fish swishing its tail and cruising through the vast sea of stars; its speed was so fast it surpassed streaming light, traveling through spatial cracks! A realization of “extreme speed” flooded his heart.

【Enlightenment successful! Awakened Bloodline Secret Method: Heaven Roaming Evasion!】

【Heaven Roaming Evasion: A secret evasion technique of the Dragon Fish Bloodline; by consuming Essence Blood and Demonic Power, it can unleash an extreme speed far exceeding the current Realm, suitable for short-distance explosive dashes or escapes. As the Bloodline improves, the effect strengthens; at the highest level of mastery, one can roam the sea of stars and travel through the Void Realm.】

Although this Heaven Roaming Evasion was currently only newly comprehended, and the cost of using it was not small while its duration was short, it was undoubtedly a key life-saving trump card at a critical moment!

Relying on the sublimation of spirit brought by this realization and a deeper control over his power, Gao De felt that the Second Tier Mid-stage barrier that had troubled him for a long time finally loosened!

He accumulated all his Demonic Power, mobilizing 79% of the Dragon Fish Bloodline, and launched the final and most violent impact against that barrier!

“Boom!”

Inside the Immortal Cave, Demonic Qi soared into the sky, but was held tightly within by the Formation.

Gao De's body changed drastically in the black-gold light, his aura rising steadily!

When he opened his eyes again, a pressure far stronger than before naturally radiated out.

【Realm Breakthrough: Second Tier Mid-stage!】

【Dragon Fish Bloodline increased to: 81%!】

【Total Demonic Power and purity significantly increased!】

【Physical Body strength and Spiritual Sense range significantly enhanced!】

【Talent "Size As Desired" and "Water Escape" effects increased accordingly!】

【Newly comprehended secret method "Heaven Roaming Evasion" initially mastered!】

Finally, on the eve of the auction conference, he successfully broke through!

Feeling the surging power within his body and the clearer sense of Dragon Transformation brought by the 81% Dragon Fish Bloodline, a sense of pride and ambition rose in Gao De's heart.

The unicorn horn on his head seemed even more towering, and his webbed feet were becoming more like dragon claws.

He looked out of the Water Mansion, his gaze seemingly piercing the lake water to see the giant ship still suspended, and the Dongting Lake where the winds and clouds were about to gather.

“Auction conference... tianji mirror... and the powerhouses from all sides...” Gao De's eyes flashed with a sharp light, “I, Gao De, shall also go and join in the excitement!”

Although he was only at the Second Tier Mid-stage and remained tiny before those big shots, with the unicorn horn's law-breaking ability, the newly comprehended Heaven Roaming Evasion secret method, and the Breath-Concealing Transformation Technique of the Hundred Beasts Blood Quenching Secret Canon, he might not be without a chance to fight for an Opportunity in this grand event!

The path to dragon transformation should be pursued with brave progress, fighting for that sliver of heavenly Opportunity amidst the gathering of winds and clouds!

He restrained his aura and began making final preparations for participating in this unprecedented auction and trading conference.

A feast belonging to the strong was about to begin, and a Dragon Fish with the ambition of Dragon Transformation would also quietly slip in, waiting for an Opportunity... On the first day of the tenth month, at Dongting Lake, the sky was high and clouds were light, and the water was calm.

However, this once-quiet water area had today become the focus of attention for the entire northern Chu State, and even the borders of Wu, Yue, and the Yunmeng Great Marsh!

With the hundred-zhang giant ship of the Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce as the core, the lake surface and sky for dozens of miles around were already occupied by various types of light-evasion, flying ships, and Yao Beast mounts.

Powerful auras intertwined and collided, making the Spiritual Qi in this airspace turbulent. Golden Core Cultivators, rarely seen on ordinary days, were now as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river, and even more heart-stopping were those few Nascent Soul auras that, although deliberately restrained, were still as unfathomable as an abyss!

As the host, the Green Wave Sect naturally came out in full force. The Sect Master personally led the team, followed by three Core Formation Elders; the elite Disciples under the Sect controlled uniform azure flying ships, occupying a good area of the sky, their expressions carrying a few hints of pride and an even harder-to-conceal nervousness.

Although they were the overlords here, they had to be careful in front of the Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce and many external powerhouses.

The Lin Family Old Ancestor and Zhu Family Old Ancestor also came with their respective core clansmen; the two families' flying ships were far apart, and their eyes collided with an still-unresolvable enmity, but here, they both tacitly refrained from acting out, only burying that hatred deeper.

Representatives from Core Formation Sects like the “Green Wood Sect” of the Wu State and the “Burning Heaven Valley” of the Yue State also appeared one after another, exchanging greetings with the Green Wave Sect Cultivators with a superficial harmony while secretly sizing up each other's foundations and weighing their opponents for this auction.

Even more eye-catching were those lone Golden Core Rogue Cultivators.

Some controlled sword light, sharp and imposing; some rode strangely shaped flying Magical Artifacts, eerie with ghostly Qi; some even sat directly on the backs of giant avian Yao Beasts, looking down on everyone.

These people had no Sect, and their actions were often more reckless, making them unpredictable variables at the auction.

However, what truly made all the human Cultivators present secretly wary were the Yao Race representatives from the Yunmeng Great Marsh and the deep waters of Lake!

A fishy wind blew, accompanied by a sickening stench of rot, as a mass of dark green demonic clouds rolled in; atop the clouds was a Tier 3 Peak “Rot Poison Swamp Dragon” over ten zhang long, its entire body covered in pustules and twisted patterns!

It was an overlord of the Yunmeng Great Marsh's periphery, violent by nature and covered in poison; as its cold vertical pupils swept across the human Cultivator camp, it made no effort to hide the malice and greed within. The faces of several Golden Core Rogue Cultivators standing nearby changed slightly, and they quietly circulated their power to protect themselves.

“Hmph, a long worm from a mud ditch dares to come out and make a fool of itself!” a sharp mockery rang out. A streak of crimson light flashed across the horizon as a Tier 3 “Crimson Feather Thunder Eagle” with a wingspan of five or six zhang and feathers like burning flames dived down, bringing bursts of thunder.

It suspended in mid-air, its sharp eagle eyes staring disdainfully at the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon.

Birds and reptiles are natural enemies, and these Two Demons were old rivals who had fought over territory on the edge of the Yunmeng Great Marsh for many years, with very deep grievances.

“You feathered beast, you're looking for death!” The Rot Poison Swamp Dragon let out a hoarse roar, toxic mist billowing around it, looking as if it would strike at the slightest provocation.

“Enough!” a low, thick voice like muffled thunder rang out, carrying an unquestionable authority.

The lake water suddenly parted to both sides, and a giant turtle as large as a mountain, its shell covered in profound patterns, slowly floated to the surface.

Its aura was as deep as the sea, and it was impressively also at the Tier 3 Peak! It was none other than the Demon King Fushui with the Baxia Bloodline from the depths of Dongting Lake!

Its appearance immediately quieted the restless Yao Race, and even the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon and Crimson Feather Thunder Eagle restrained themselves somewhat, clearly being extremely wary of this Demon King Fushui.

The old Turtle Demon's gaze swept across the field, lingering for a moment on the human Cultivator camp in particular, and said indifferently: “In front of the Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce, how can you lot be so insolent? Whatever grievances you have, solve them yourselves after the auction; do not disturb the grand event.”

Its words were both a warning to the Yao Race and intended for the human Cultivators.

On the human side, several Golden Core Cultivators' expressions remained unchanged, but their eyes grew a bit more solemn.

They had naturally heard of the name Demon King Fushui; he was an old monster who had dominated the depths of Dongting Lake for thousands of years, with unfathomable strength.