31: action

Gao De's focus on the "Black Water Stream" Dragon Qi incident did not diminish with the passage of time; instead, it grew sharper as more fragments of information surfaced.

Through the tianji mirror, he was like an observer hidden behind the scenes, patiently piecing together the puzzle of the Black Water Stream.

At first, news about "Dragon Qi" and "exotic treasures" only appeared sporadically, mixed in with various rumors of dubious authenticity, and did not cause much of a stir.

Most Cultivators and the Yao Race were skeptical; after all, there was no shortage of similar rumors on the edges of the Yunmeng Great Marsh.

However, as time passed, some details began to clear up, causing the situation to gradually heat up.

First, several Foundation Establishment Cultivator teams belonging to different small Sects were successively expelled or even attacked by Demon Soldiers under the command of the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon on the outskirts of the Black Water Stream.

This was uncommon in the past; although the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon was ferocious, its sphere of influence was mainly deeper within the great marsh, and its control over the peripheral areas was not so tight.

This abnormal behavior undoubtedly deepened outside speculation.

Soon after, the turtle informant Gao De had planted risked its life to send back a fragment of a blurred image—at the entrance of a dark canyon deep within the Black Water Stream, several hideous crocodile Demon Soldiers surrounded by toxic mist could be seen patrolling strictly. In the canyon crevices behind them, a trace of extremely faint yet dark Dragon Might occasionally drifted out, making Gao De's Bloodline throb!

This was completely different from the bright and majestic pressure of his own Dragon Fish; it was colder, more overbearing, and carried an aura of decay and destruction.

"It seems the news isn't baseless..." Gao De felt a chill in his heart.

He could feel that the essence of that trace of Dragon Might was extremely high, definitely not something the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon could possess; it seemed more like some older, more powerful Dragon Clan remnant.

Almost at the same time, discussions about this matter within the Heavenly Secret Realm also began to heat up.

Especially in those "domains" that followed the dynamics of the Yunmeng Great Marsh, more definitive posts began to appear:

"Confirmed! There is indeed unusual activity in the Black Water Stream. 'poison fang,' one of the Three Great Generals under the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon, is personally overseeing the area and expelling all who approach!"

"A Fellow Daoist used a 'Spirit-Peering Plate' to observe from afar and discovered that the Spiritual Qi of the Black Water Stream's earth veins is converging toward a certain spot. It's suspected that a Secret Realm or Ancient Tomb is about to appear!"

"Latest news! A Wind-Patrol Envoy under the 'Crimson Feather Thunder Eagle' appeared in the airspace near the Black Water Stream and had a small-scale conflict with the Swamp Dragon's Demon Soldiers! The struggle between the Eagle and the Dragon is likely to rise again!"

The situation gradually became clear and increasingly tense.

The Rot Poison Swamp Dragon clearly wanted to monopolize this potential Opportunity, hence the strict defense.

And its old rival, the Crimson Feather Thunder Eagle, would never sit by and watch it succeed easily; it would surely come to disrupt the situation.

The collision of two rank three Peak Yao Beasts was enough to turn the Black Water Stream into a terrifying battlefield.

What concerned Gao De even more was that human Cultivator forces also seemed to be getting involved.

An exploration flying boat from the Green Wave Sect attempted to approach the Black Water Stream's airspace several times; although it was driven away by the Swamp Dragon's Demon Soldiers, its stance was already clear.

Sects like the Azure Wood Sect and the Burning Heaven Valley, as well as some powerful Golden Core Rogue Cultivators, also sent personnel to linger on the outskirts of the Black Water Stream, waiting for an Opportunity to strike.

"The water is getting muddier..." Instead of fear, a glint flashed in Gao De's eyes.

Muddy water makes for good fishing! For a Dragon Fish like him, whose strength wasn't top-tier but who possessed advantages in concealment, law-breaking, and information, such a chaotic scene was the perfect stage to seize benefits!

But he still maintained absolute calm. He knew that with his current strength, rashly getting involved in a fight between rank three Yao Beasts and Golden Core Cultivators was no different from seeking death.

His goal was not to compete for the core of that possible "exotic treasure," but to find those "scraps" ignored by the giants on the edge of the impending storm that would be useful to him!

Whether they were Demon Soldiers under the Swamp Dragon or the Thunder Eagle, their Bloodlines were all valuable to the Hundred Beasts Blood Quenching Secret Canon.

If a Dragon Clan remnant truly appeared, there would surely be pure Dragon Qi dissipating, which would be a great supplement for him.

Moreover, in battle, it was inevitable that Magical Artifacts would be damaged and Storage Pouches lost; these were all windfalls.

Even just observing the battles between high-level beings would be of great benefit to his understanding of power application and the refinement of his own combat techniques.

He immediately began to set about his preparations.

He pushed his Breath Concealment talent to the limit and combined it with the subtle control of air and water currents from his newly realized Heaven Roaming Evasion, taking his stealth capabilities to the next level.

He even tried to wrap a trace of law-breaking light around himself to interfere with any possible investigative Spells.

Through the tianji mirror and his informant, he carefully studied the hydrology and geography around the Black Water Stream, planning several safe approach routes and escape channels to flee thousands of miles away if things went south.

He no longer viewed his Demon Soldiers as a fixed defensive force but began training them for small-scale, rapid guerrilla warfare and support.

He selected ten of the most elite rank one Peak Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals and practiced a simple "Rapid-March Water Array" to quickly provide support or evacuate with supplies when needed.

He exchanged most of the Spirit Stones in his possession for better-quality Essence-Returning Pills, healing Medicinal Pills, and several low-grade Evasion Talismans and concealment Talismans that could save his life at critical moments.

Just as Gao De was in the midst of intense preparations, the situation at the Black Water Stream finally reached a breaking point.

On this day, several related "domains" in the Heavenly Secret Realm were simultaneously flooded with explosive news:

"The Crimson Feather Thunder Eagle has personally arrived at the Black Water Stream! It is confronting the Rot Poison Swamp Dragon from a distance! The great battle is about to break out!"

In the accompanying blurred image, one could see an extraordinarily majestic red giant eagle with a wingspan that covered the sky, surrounded by blinding thunder light, hovering over the Black Water Stream. Its sharp gaze pierced through the clouds and mist, locking firmly onto the churning toxic miasma below.

And within the toxic miasma, an even larger, more hideous shadow loomed indistinctly, letting out a world-shaking roar!

The storm has finally arrived!

Gao De took a deep breath and did a final check of his state and all his preparations.

"It's time to set out."

He quietly slipped out of the Water Mansion without alerting too many Demon Soldiers, taking only those ten elites. Like a shadow merging into the water, he stealthily moved toward the Black Water Stream, which was destined to stir up a bloodbath.

He was not the protagonist attending the feast, but a shadow on the edge of the feast, picking up scraps while constantly on guard against being stepped on... a shadow.

The path to dragon transformation is thrilling at every step, yet it also hides Opportunities belonging to the wise and the brave everywhere.