49: Inheritance

The news of the Turtle Brothers' Infighting was like a ripple on the lake, gently passing through Gao De’s heart before quickly settling.

He had no interest in this. Although the Legacy of Demon King Fushui was tempting, getting involved in the internal struggle of his successors carried unknown risks and was largely irrelevant to his core goal of Dragon Transformation, at least for the current stage.

"External forces are ultimately superficial details; one's own Bloodline is the foundation," Gao De realized clearly.

Having just escaped the fatal threat posed by the Mythical Dragon Son's remains, he deeply understood that in the face of absolute power and the gap in life levels, any scheme could be rendered pale and powerless.

What he needed was greater power, a purer Bloodline, and the True Dragon Clan Legacy originating from the depths of his Bloodline!

Thus, Gao De made a decision: temporarily seal off his Water Mansion, refuse all external affairs, and focus entirely on developing his own Bloodline Legacy!

He ordered Turtle Three Thousand not to disturb him unless something catastrophic occurred.

At the same time, the defensive and concealment Formations surrounding the Water Mansion were fully activated, entering a state of maximum alert.

Inside the quiet room, Gao De coiled himself at the core of the Spiritual Vein.

He did not rush to refine the eerie blue light stone block obtained from the Mythical Dragon Son's ruins, but instead immersed his entire consciousness within his body, focusing on the Dragon Fish Bloodline, which had already reached 88%.

He circulated the Dragon Transformation Merit, and Demonic Power surged continuously through his Meridians like a tide, washing and refining his Bloodline again and again.

The dragon pearl fossil within his Dantian was connected to his will, continuously releasing gentle and pure Dragon Clan Origin, nourishing the growth of his Bloodline like the most fertile soil.

This time, he was no longer satisfied with merely accumulating quantity; he was attempting to communicate with and awaken the ancient imprints sleeping deep within his Bloodline.

Time flowed by in silence. Gao De discarded all distracting thoughts, his mind completely immersed in introspection, sensing every faint tremor of his Bloodline and capturing the call originating from ancient times.

He did not know how much time had passed. Perhaps his concentration touched a critical point, or perhaps the long-term nourishment from the dragon pearl fossil finally caused a qualitative change from quantitative accumulation... Boom!

It was as if a startling thunderclap exploded deep within his Soul!

Gao De's consciousness was abruptly pulled into a vast and ancient scene—

He "saw" the boundless Yunmeng Great Marsh, misty and vast, where water and sky merged into one color, far more expansive and filled with primal Spiritual Qi than it was now!

He "saw" the magnificent Crystal Dragon Palace standing deep within the marsh country, radiating ten thousand rays of light and a thousand streams of auspicious Qi. Countless Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals and Patrol Sea Yaksha were orderly arranged, and the figures of True Dragons appeared and disappeared between the clouds and water, their majesty spanning the eight directions!

He "saw" Dragon Sons and Grandsons being enfeoffed throughout the Great Marsh, establishing Water Mansion Military Cities of various styles, yet equally powerful, guarding the Central Dragon Court!

One of them was strikingly similar to the "Seventh Garrison Military Camp" Grotto-Heaven he had previously stumbled into!

Countless blurry fragments flashed by: scenes of great Divine Abilities like Summon Wind and Rain, manipulating thunder and controlling electricity; profound insights into the Law of Water and Dragon Clan Cultivation; knowledge and methods for governing various aquatic races, and even dragon blood descendants; and even some vague memories concerning certain hidden places and dangerous Restrictions deep within the Yunmeng Great Marsh... This was not System indoctrination, but Legacy memories originating from the Bloodline Origin, gradually Awakening as his Bloodline concentration increased and he actively communicated with it!

Concurrently, the Dragon Fish Bloodline within his body surged like boiling water. The 89% Bottleneck was naturally broken through, and it steadily advanced toward the critical 90% Dragon Transformation juncture!

His form also underwent subtle yet significant changes once again: his body grew further, approaching four zhang; his Dragon scales became finer and harder, their golden edges linking together as if plated with a gold rim; four Dragon claws were fully formed beneath his abdomen, incredibly sharp; the unicorn horn atop his head became more imposing, subtly showing a tendency to bifurcate; and two slender, flowing Dragon Whiskers even grew beneath his jaw!

A Dragon Might far purer and heavier than before naturally radiated out. Although he deliberately restrained it, the water Spiritual Qi in the quiet room seemed to become more docile and amiable.

More importantly, along with the Awakening of the Legacy memories, he felt his understanding and control over his own power step onto an entirely new level!

With a slight shift of his thoughts, the surrounding Dragon Might was no longer just the pressure of an Aura, but could condense into a tangible Domain according to his will!

Although the range was small, only covering a few zhang around him, within this Domain, his control over water flow surged, and he could greatly suppress the strength and will of other living beings inside the Domain!

This was the nascent form of the Dragon Might Domain!

Concurrently, a method detailing how to use water vapor and light to create a Mirage Phantom naturally surfaced in his mind.

This was a simple application of the Dragon Clan talent, Mirage Phantom. Although it couldn't deceive reality and evolve worlds like a true Mirage Dragon, it was excellent for confusion, concealment, and evasion!

Under the blessing of the Legacy memories, his Water Control Art invisibly improved its Realm, allowing him to control water flow as easily as moving his arm, with a level of intricacy far surpassing before.

Even the Subtle Ripple Thunder Light seemed to have been nourished by the purified dragon blood. Its color deepened, its power subtly increased, and there were signs of a slight Fusion with the Dragon Might.

Gao De slowly opened his vertical pupils, and a flash of golden electric light seemed to pass through his eyes.

Feeling the surging power within him and the massive amount of information added to his mind, his heart was filled with joy and enlightenment.

"This is... the path of the True Dragon Clan Legacy!"

He Cultivated in isolation, losing track of time. Only when Gao De had initially sorted through the awakened Legacy memories and stabilized his Bloodline concentration at the 89% Peak, just one step away from 90%, did he slowly emerge from seclusion.

This period of seclusion brought immense rewards. Not only did his strength greatly increase, but more importantly, his path forward became much clearer.

Although the memory fragments concerning the Yunmeng Great Marsh and the Dragon Palace Water Mansion were incomplete, they provided him with invaluable maps and guidance.

Turtle Three Thousand had been respectfully waiting outside. Upon seeing Gao De emerge, especially sensing the increasingly unfathomable and awe-inspiring Dragon Might, it lowered its body even further.

"Master, you have emerged from seclusion!"

"Mm. What is the situation outside?" Gao De's voice was calm, yet carried undeniable authority.

Turtle Three Thousand quickly reported: "Replying to Master, the Green Wave Sect and the Lin Family seem to have hit a Bottleneck in their exploration of that ruin. Progress is slow, and it is said they have lost some personnel, making their attitude much more cautious now.

On Demon King Fushui's side, the dispute between the Young Lords of the Turtle Clan is still ongoing and seems to be escalating. Furthermore... on the tianji mirror, there seems to be new activity regarding 'Bai Ze,' the individual you previously paid attention to. He published a speculative article about 'potential Space Nodes in the Yunmeng Dragon Palace,' which caused quite a stir, although the content is obscure, and not many people understand it."

Gao De nodded slightly. Everything was within expectations. It was inevitable that the Green Wave Sect and the Lin Family would hit a wall; the internal strife of the Turtle Clan was irrelevant to him; he would carefully study "Bai Ze's" article later.

"Well done." Gao De pondered briefly, then instructed, "Continue to monitor the situation, but take no action for now. Everything in the Water Mansion remains the same; I need to continue stabilizing my Realm."

He needed time to thoroughly digest and absorb the newly Awakened Legacy memories and power.

Furthermore, the energy of the giant salamander spirit egg had not been completely refined yet, and there was still potential to be tapped.

The crucial step of Dragon Transformation was imminent; he had to prepare thoroughly.

Gao De returned to the quiet room once more. This time, his goal was clearer—to assault the 90% Bloodline concentration, laying the most solid foundation for condensing the flood dragon pearl and passing the Dragon Transformation Heavenly Tribulation!

The mysteries of the Yunmeng Great Marsh and the treasures of the Dragon Palace await him.

But he knew deep down that only by becoming strong enough could he seize his share of Opportunity in that vast and dangerous world, until he could... Incarnate as a True Dragon and soar through the Nine Heavens!