3: Bloodline inheritance

Sun and moon rotated, countless springs and autumns passed.

For Gao De, hidden deep within the pond cave, the concept of time had long blurred. Only the deep-seated desire for evolution within his Bloodline and the constantly flickering data in his mind were true markers.

Devour, hunt, lie in wait.

Then devour again, hunt again, lie in wait again.

He became the deadliest hunter in the shadows of this pond. Those fish, shrimp, turtles, and soft-shelled turtles that contained a trace of spiritual essence became his nourishment for growth. He carefully avoided any movements that might attract "Water Purification," using his Breath Concealment talent with increasing proficiency, moving like a phantom, killing silently.

That dark red mutated crucian carp had become food in his belly months ago, providing far more Bloodline energy than ordinary fish. He had also encountered other opponents who had initially awakened their spiritual intelligence and tried to compete with him for territory and resources; without exception, they all became stepping stones on his path to evolution.

The pond remained calm. Occasionally, Cultivators passed by, but none stopped to investigate like Wang Jue. Perhaps in their eyes, this body of water was still "clean."

Until this day.

Deep within the cave, Gao De coiled on a collection of pebbles containing faint Spiritual Qi. The Bloodline energy within him had accumulated to a critical point, like a dam filled with floodwaters, about to burst.

[Current Dragon Fish Bloodline: 9.98%]

Only one last trace!

He suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed the last treasured piece of the most essential meat from an old soft-shelled turtle. That old turtle had lived for an unknown number of years, and the spiritual essence contained in its flesh and blood far surpassed the ordinary.

"Boom—!"

It was as if a thunderclap exploded within him!

The Bloodline energy, accumulated to its peak, finally broke through that invisible barrier, like a river bursting its banks, surging towards his limbs and bones (if a fish had bones). Intense pain instantly engulfed him, ten, a hundred times more intense than during his first evolution!

His body underwent another drastic change.

His original streamlined body further elongated, becoming more slender and powerful. The entirely black scales were no longer simply black; their edges shimmered with a faint metallic luster, as if covered by a layer of black iron. The two golden lines suddenly brightened, and from behind his gills, several tiny, lightning-like golden patterns extended downwards, spreading all the way to the base of his caudal fin.

The outline of his head became more ferocious, his snout slightly protruding forward, and the two fleshy whiskers on his lower jaw became thicker, their ends even showing a subtle tendency to fork. His dorsal and caudal fins became wider and more elegant, their edges gleaming with sharp cold light, and a faint sound of wind and thunder could be heard when they swayed.

But the changes did not stop there.

A torrent of ancient, vast, and supremely majestic information violently intruded into the depths of his consciousness.

It was not text, not language, but instinct and knowledge directly imprinted deep within his Bloodline and Soul!

Dragon Transformation Merit (Incomplete): Guides spiritual essence for Body Tempering, condenses water into essence, sheds mortal scales, grows Dragon tendons, casts Dragon bones... a supreme method pointing directly to the Dragon Transformation Realm. Although it was only an incomplete introductory chapter, it pointed him in the right direction, no longer blindly devouring.

Water Control Art: A basic method for controlling water flow, capable of condensing water shields for defense, transforming water into ropes for restraint, and even using water power for extreme evasion. This was a complete sublimation of the Water Arrow Technique.

Bone Refining Art: Refines the bones throughout the body, especially the 'transverse bone' in the throat that obstructs vocalization, which is key for the Yao Race to awaken spiritual intelligence and speak human words!

The impact of the information flow caused Gao De to temporarily lose his ability to think, only passively absorbing and understanding.

After an unknown period, the intense pain receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented sense of power and clarity.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Everything at the bottom of the pond became clearer than ever in his eyes. Every ripple of the water, the wriggling of microorganisms in the mud and sand, and even the extremely tiny specks of Spiritual Qi suspended in the water, were all vividly clear.

His Spiritual Sense, along with his Bloodline Breakthrough, had achieved a qualitative leap!

[Gao De]

Race: dragon blood Wuyue (First Order Middle Stage)

Bloodline: Dragon Fish (11%)

Talent: Hard Scales (White → Green) Breath Concealment (Green → Dark Green)

Skill: Water Arrow Technique (Proficient) → [Water Control Art (Beginner)]

Legacy: Dragon Transformation Merit (Incomplete) Bone Refining Art (Beginner)

He broke through! Not only did his Bloodline surpass 10% and he gained precious Legacy, but his Realm also advanced to the First Order Middle Stage! His talents and skills also improved accordingly!

Gao De was filled with ecstasy, but he immediately forced himself to calm down.

He tried to circulate the newly acquired "Bone Refining Art." A warm current followed a specific path, beginning to scour and temper his bones, especially in his throat. There was a bone there that felt particularly sluggish and obstructive.

This was the transverse bone!

As long as he refined it, he would be able to... gain the ability to speak.

He concentrated, mobilizing the nascent, more powerful Demonic Power within him, impacting that transverse bone again and again.

"Crack... crunch..."

Subtle cracking sounds, audible only to him, came from his throat.

The obstructive sensation rapidly diminished.

He opened his mouth, emitting some unintelligible "gurgling" sounds from his throat, and then tried to move his muscles, mimicking human pronunciation from his memory.

A difficult, hoarse, yet incredibly clear syllable, with a distinct aquatic gurgle, finally escaped his lips:

"...Water..."

He succeeded!

Although it was only one word, it represented his escape from ignorance and his regaining the ability of "speech"! This was an important mark of an intelligent being!

Ecstasy surged again, but before he could savor the joy, a strong sense of control and territoriality, stemming from the elevation of his life level, naturally emerged.

He swayed his more slender and powerful body, slowly swimming out of the cave.

It was time to thoroughly clean up this pond.

All potential dangers, all "neighbors" who might share spiritual essence or even report to Cultivators, must submit, or... disappear.

His gaze, cold, swept across this body of water where he had lived for a long time but had never truly "ruled."

This pond needed a new master.

And Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake, and even the broader Cultivation world, he, Gao De, would eventually step into it!

He opened his mouth, no longer a silent roar, but with that nascent, hoarse yet majestic voice, he growled:

"This domain... is mine!"