243: Things have changed, people are no longer the same.

On the third day after Gao De emerged from seclusion, a meeting was underway in the main hall of the Water Mansion.

Just as Gao De was preparing to deploy the next step of his plan, a sudden and violent fluctuation of spiritual power came from the waters outside the hall, accompanied by an overbearing, heavy, and undisguised Fourth-Tier pressure, which slammed fiercely against the outer Formation of Qianjiao Cliff like a mountain out of control!

"Boom—!"

The entire Water Mansion shook slightly.

"An enemy attack?!" The demons in the hall stood up abruptly, their auras tightening instantly.

Gao De's eyes sharpened as his Divine Sense spread out in an instant.

The visitor's aura was unfamiliar, heavy as a mountain, carrying a rich blend of earth element and dragon attributes; it was clearly at the Fourth-Tier level!

Moreover, this pressure was released so domineeringly and directly, clearly showing no regard for Qianjiao Cliff. What was going on?

"Let's go out and see!" Gao De's figure flickered, turning into Purple Lightning as he streaked out of the hall.

A cold light flashed in Ao Xue's crimson eyes, and she followed closely behind, her blood wings vibrating slightly.

Dragon Peach, Green Edge, Iron Pincer, Turtle Three Thousand, and the others also quickly followed.

Outside Qianjiao Cliff, the waters were churning.

A giant turtle, as large as a small island with a jagged and ferocious shell, exuding a dark gold luster and an ancient, desolate aura, was staring with turbid yet arrogant eyes, examining the Water Mansion before it, which was flowing with spiritual light and guarded by strict Formations.

Its mountain-heavy pressure enveloped the surroundings unscrupulously, causing the creatures in the nearby waters to flee in panic.

He was the old turtle king of Dongting Lake who had been in seclusion for hundreds of years, refined a "Dragon Pearl" to Breakthrough to the Fourth-Tier, and returned full of pride—Mysterious Turtle!

He hadn't bothered to ask around, or rather, he subconsciously felt it was unnecessary—having been away for only a few hundred years, it was but a blink of an eye for a turtle race with such a long Lifespan.

In the Dongting Lake of those days, besides him, the turtle king, the strongest were only a few Third-Tier water demons. What could have changed?

Now that he had emerged from seclusion, achieved the Fourth-Tier, and carried the might of the Baxia Bloodline, it was the return of the king to retake control of Lake, and then settle old scores with those remnants of the Qianjiang Dragon King!

"Hmm? Where is the Green Wave Sect's Sect? Why are there so many messy Formations?" Mysterious Turtle looked at the grand-scale, tightly defended Water Mansion before him, as well as the unfamiliar "Qianjiao Cliff" banner above it. His brow furrowed, and a hint of offended displeasure rose in his heart. "Which junior dares to occupy this seat's territory to establish a Dao arena? Hurry out and pay your respects!"

His voice was like rolling thunder, carrying the majesty of a Fourth-Tier Demon King and a natural arrogance, spreading in all directions.

However, what responded to him were three equally impressive, even more sharp and terrifying pressures that rose into the sky from the Water Mansion like three unsheathed sharp swords, instantly tearing apart his heavy pressure!

Immediately afterward, three figures broke through the water, forming a triangle and locking him firmly in the center.

In front, surrounded by Purple Lightning with prominent dragon horns, a pair of purple-gold eyes were calm yet bottomless—it was Gao De.

On the left wing, blood wings spread, and Evil Qi soared to the sky. Ao Xue's crimson eyes were cold, and at some point, a blood-jade-like phantom of a Dragon Spear had condensed in her hand, the tip pointing directly at Mysterious Turtle's vital neck area.

On the right wing, green robes fluttered, and the Yimu Qi was as vast as a forest. Dragon Peach held a peach wood talisman glowing with green light, faintly resonating with the Leylines of Lesser Qingqiu beneath his feet, blocking Mysterious Turtle's deep connection with the earth and water veins.

Three great Fourth-Tier Demon Kings! Moreover, the aura of each one was not weaker than his, and the Purple Lightning Flood Dragon and the man in green gave him an even stronger sense of pressure!

Mysterious Turtle's arrogant, turbid eyes instantly bulged, and his brain went "buzz," almost going blank.

Fourth-Tier? Three of them? Since when did so many Fourth-Tier Demon Kings pop up in Dongting Lake?!

How could that Purple Lightning Flood Dragon's aura be so deep and terrifying? How could the Bloodline pressure of that girl with blood wings be even more ferocious than a True Dragon? And that wood demon in green robes could actually connect with the Leylines?!

He had been in seclusion for hundreds of years; what on earth had happened outside?!

"You..." Mysterious Turtle subconsciously wanted to speak, perhaps to question, perhaps to announce himself, or perhaps even to beg for mercy.

But Gao De didn't give him the chance at all!

"Intruding into Qianjiao Cliff, disturbing my peace, and even daring to speak such arrogant words?" Gao De's voice was cold, carrying an unquestionable majesty. "Take him down!"

Before his voice had even faded, he was the first to strike!

No testing, no nonsense; the moment he moved, it was with the force of a thunderbolt!

"Thunder Prison, Suppress!"

Gao De raised his hand and pressed down. The prototype of the Prison Suppressing Thunder Domain, which he had already secretly activated, expanded violently. It wasn't a wide-range coverage but was highly compressed, turning into a purple-gold lightning cage that covered Mysterious Turtle from above!

The powers of evil-breaking, soul-suppressing, and imprisonment contained within the thunder aura had a natural restraint against Mysterious Turtle, who possessed Dragon Clan Bloodline!

Almost simultaneously, Ao Xue moved!

With a flap of her blood-jade dragon wings, her figure disappeared like a ghost. The next instant, she appeared behind Mysterious Turtle's side, her blood-jade Dragon Spear letting out a piercing whistle as it stabbed directly at the weak point where Mysterious Turtle's hind limbs connected to his shell!

The speed was extreme, and the ruthlessness was extreme!

Dragon Peach, on the other hand, formed seals with his hands. Green light spread beneath his feet as countless incredibly tough peach wood root phantoms grew frantically from the bottom of the water, coiling around Mysterious Turtle's limbs and neck. Simultaneously, rich Yimu Qi turned into green chains, coiling from all directions to cooperate with the Thunder Prison for all-around imprisonment!

The three Fourth-Tiers coordinated perfectly, their offensive like a violent storm, instantly submerging Mysterious Turtle, who was still in a state of shock and confusion!

"Roar—! You..." Mysterious Turtle was both shocked and angry. In his haste, he surged his vast Demonic Power, and his dark-gold shell glowed brightly as he tried to resist.

But Gao De's Thunder Prison specifically countered dragon attributes, causing his Demonic Power circulation to stutter; Ao Xue's Blood Dragon spear was incomparably sharp, carrying armor-breaking power; and Dragon Peach's Yimu restraint was even more dense and troublesome, greatly limiting his movements.

"Bang! Boom! Crack!"

Muffled impacts, energy explosions, and the faint sound of the turtle shell cracking under heavy blows rang out one after another.

Mysterious Turtle possessed the cultivation of the Early Stage of the Fourth-Tier and a powerful shell defense, but under the surprise pincer attack of three experts of the same tier, he had no time to use them.

He was like a bull that had blundered into a hunter's carefully laid trap, possessing great strength but being restricted everywhere, not to mention there were two beings significantly stronger than him.

In just a few breaths, his proud, heavy shell was marked with several charred lightning strikes and a few shallow pits pierced by the blood spear. His entire body was wrapped in green roots and chains like a zongzi, his movements sluggish and his Demonic Power in disarray.

"Stop! This seat is..." Mysterious Turtle was so aggrieved he wanted to spit blood, trying to announce his name and reason with them.

"Still daring to be noisy!" Gao De snorted coldly, his figure suddenly expanding to ten zhang. Although his Dharma Body Manifestation was not fully deployed, his strength surged, and a punch wrapped in Purple Firmament Thunder Fire slammed fiercely into the side of Mysterious Turtle's head!

"Dong—!"

Like the tolling of a giant bell, Mysterious Turtle was struck dizzy, seeing stars, and the second half of his sentence was forced back down his throat.

Ao Xue and Dragon Peach's attacks followed one after another, showing no mercy.

For a time, this old turtle king, who had just emerged from seclusion with grand ambitions and prepared for a king's return, was beaten so badly he had no power to fight back, his face bruised and swollen, in a miserable state.

"Enough! Surrender! This old man surrenders!" Mysterious Turtle finally found a chance to speak; he really couldn't take it anymore. If they kept hitting him, his old bones might fall apart.

He let out a Divine Thought roar in extreme grievance, while simultaneously retracting all his Demonic Power and pressure, signaling his surrender.

This fight was too unfair! He hadn't even fully figured out who the other party was or why they were hitting him!

The lightning, blood spear, and green vines froze instantly but still kept him firmly trapped.

Gao De returned to normal size and slowly landed in front of Mysterious Turtle, who was tied up tightly with smoke still rising from his head, looking down at him with an indifferent gaze.

"Now, we can talk properly." Gao De's tone was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable power of control. "State your background. Why did you intrude upon my mountain gate?"

Mysterious Turtle raised his somewhat dizzy head, looking at the deep-mannered and terrifyingly strong Purple Lightning Flood Dragon before him, then at the Blood Dragon girl standing by like a tiger watching its prey with lingering Evil Qi, and the wood demon with a long aura. He also glanced at the Demon Soldiers standing in Formation and ready for battle in front of the Water Mansion. The last trace of luck and arrogance in his heart vanished.

How was this the Dongting Lake in his memory where he could claim hegemony? This was clearly a dragon's pool and a tiger's den!

"Old... This old man is Mysterious Turtle, the... the former master of the aquatic tribes in this Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake." Mysterious Turtle's voice was dry, with an unmaskable despondency and confusion. "Hundreds of years ago, for... for certain reasons, I left. I recently returned, intending... intending to reclaim my old territory, not knowing... this place already had a master, and... masters as powerful as you all. This old man... I truly did not know. For the offense, I hope... I hope the Cliff Master can be magnanimous."

He lowered his posture significantly, no longer daring to mention "this seat," and honestly referred to himself as "this old man."

A flash of realization crossed Gao De's eyes.

As expected, it was the old turtle who had been scared away from Dongting Lake by the Qianjiang Dragon King, only his information was outdated, and he had walked right into a trap.

"Oh? The former master of Lake?" Gao De said noncommittally. "Since you've been gone for hundreds of years, things here have long since changed. This seat, 'Purple Lightning,' established Qianjiao Cliff here, repelled external enemies, and gathered followers to achieve today's state. With a simple 'I didn't know,' you bring pressure and intend to forcibly seize my foundation... Fellow Daoist Mysterious Turtle, how do you think this matter should be settled?"

Mysterious Turtle's heart sank.

The other party had reason on their side and, more importantly, an absolute advantage in strength. He couldn't win a fight and couldn't win an argument... He had lived for thousands of years and was not a fool after all; his instinct for assessing the situation was still there.

Seeing the Purple Lightning Flood Dragon's posture, he didn't seem to intend to kill him immediately. Perhaps... there was still room for maneuver?

"This old man... I was reckless and offended your might. I am willing to be punished." Mysterious Turtle said in a low voice. "I only ask the Cliff Master... considering it is my first offense and that we are both of the aquatic tribe, to... to give me a way out. This old man... is willing to pay a price to compensate for the Cliff Master's losses."

"A price?" The corner of Gao De's mouth hooked slightly. "What price can you pay? This turtle shell of yours is a good material for refining a defensive Magic Treasure."

Mysterious Turtle's whole body stiffened, and he hurriedly said, "The Cliff Master must be joking! This old man... I know some ancient secrets regarding the changes in the water veins for tens of thousands of li around here, the distribution of ancient ruins, and even... even clues related to the Dongting Dragon Palace of those days! My forced departure back then was because I obtained an Opportunity related to the Dragon Palace and was hunted by the Dragon King! I am willing to tell the Cliff Master all these secrets!"

To save his life and perhaps for a future Opportunity, Mysterious Turtle decisively threw out his most valuable bargaining chip.

Gao De's eyes narrowed slightly.

Dongting Dragon Palace? That collapsed grotto-heaven? This old turtle indeed knew some deeper things.

He pondered for a moment and said slowly, "If what you say is true, it's not impossible to discuss. However, words alone are no proof. How can I trust you? And how can I ensure you won't have a change of heart in the future?"

Mysterious Turtle gritted his teeth. "This old man... I am willing to swear a Bloodline Soul Oath to be loyal to the Cliff Master with no second thoughts! And I will open part of my soul memories for the Cliff Master to verify!"

For the Yao Race, a Bloodline Soul Oath was an extremely serious constraint; once violated, the Bloodline would backfire, and their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

Opening part of his soul memories was even more so, exposing his own secrets completely.

To survive, and for the possibility of attaching himself to this powerful Cliff Master to gain new development opportunities, Mysterious Turtle They went all out..

He had realized that the world had changed, and it was difficult to succeed alone. This Cliff Master Purple Lightning before him was likely the true future master of the Qianjiang River Basin.

Gao De looked deeply at Mysterious Turtle, confirming he didn't seem to be faking.

"Very well."

Then, under the supervision of Ao Xue and Dragon Peach, Mysterious Turtle used his own Baxia Bloodline and Divine Soul Origin to swear an extremely harsh oath of loyalty.

Next, he actively let down part of his Divine Soul defense, making it easy for Gao De to investigate his Divine Sense memories.

Gao De's Divine Sense entered and quickly browsed through the key memory fragments provided—regarding the acquisition of that suspected "Grotto-Heaven Dragon Pearl," being hunted by the Dragon King, and the vague impression of an ancient ruin at the bottom of Dongting Lake.

The information basically matched, but with the collapse and disappearance of the grotto-heaven, it no longer had much value.

Gao De withdrew his Divine Sense and gestured to Dragon Peach.

Dragon Peach waved his hand and removed the Yimu restraint.

Mysterious Turtle breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to crawl up. Although he looked miserable, his life was finally saved.

The look in his eyes as he watched Gao De was a mix of awe and a trace of resignation.

"From now on, you will be the 'Mountain-Protecting Elder' of my Qianjiao Cliff." Gao De said indifferently. "The offense from before is temporarily noted. Redeem yourself through service and perform well. You can tell me those secrets in detail later."

"Yes! Mysterious Turtle... pays respects to the Cliff Master! Thank you, Cliff Master, for your mercy!" Mysterious Turtle bowed respectfully.

A sudden conflict ended with absolute strength crushing the opponent and a lightning-fast subjugation.

The demons of Hidden Dragon Cliff were amazed by their master's strength.， He quickly dealt with a fourth-tier opponent.“ Former Overlord”， Their morale was greatly boosted.， My reverence for Gaode has deepened..

Turtle Three Thousand watched as this former "Master of Lake" now bowed to his own lord, filled with emotion and even more determined to follow him.

Gao De calculated in his heart: unexpectedly gaining a Fourth-Tier fighter and a "living history book" would undoubtedly be of great help in the upcoming exploration of the Ancient Chidao ruins and dealing with the Dragon King's backhand.

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly penetrating the deep waters, looking toward the depths of the Yunmeng Great Marsh.