66: Third-tier dragon

Seven-colored rainbow radiance fell like sweet dew, saturating Gao De's broken and charred shell.

The power of vitality, containing the rewards of Heaven and Earth, repaired his heavy injuries at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The charred scabs fell away, revealing a newborn body beneath—no longer the bloated form of a Dragon Fish, but a slender and vigorous Flood Dragon body, covered in dark green Hard Scales, with four claws growing from its belly and horns on its head becoming increasingly prominent!

However, the changes went far beyond mere appearance.

Within his body, an even more profound transformation was taking place.

Inside the Dantian Qi Sea, that dragon pearl fossil, which had always served as his core of power, was finally completely activated under the stimulation of the final radiance from the Heavenly Tribulation, which contained the power of creation.

It was no longer a lifeless fossil but throbbed vigorously like a heart, greedily absorbing the energy from the radiance and Gao De's newborn Flood Dragon Origin.

Wisps of Dragon Qi and pure Demonic Power wound around it, using it as a base to begin constructing a perfectly round and translucent flood dragon pearl containing vast energy!

Although this flood dragon pearl was only an embryonic form, it already emitted a pressure far exceeding the previous Demon Core, becoming the new core of Gao De's power and the Foundation for reaching higher Realms in the future.

Simultaneously, deep within his Bloodline, countless pieces of ancient information emerged, reorganized, and became clear like a rising tide.

Purple Lightning Flood Dragon.

These four words were clearly presented in his perception like a brand.

This was the true name of the flood dragon bloodline he had awakened at this moment! Its characteristics also became clear—a natural affinity for thunder, control over the power of Purple Lightning, and speed and destructive power that were superior even among Flood Dragons of the same tier.

Along with the true name of the Bloodline, the Legacy Cultivation Techniques and secret arts originating from this ancient Bloodline also awakened:

· Main Cultivation Technique: "Purple Heaven Dragon Transformation Art."

This was a technique that pointed directly toward the Great Dao of the True Dragon. It was far more profound and mysterious than the previous "Dragon Transformation Merit," allowing for the systematic cultivation of the Purple Lightning Flood Dragon Bloodline, the refining of the flood dragon pearl, and the condensation of Dragon Breath.

· Lifebound Divine Abilities:

· Purple Lightning Thunder Aura: Replacing the previous "Subtle Ripple Thunder Light," it could deploy a destructive Purple Lightning net around the body, integrating offense and defense, with extremely strong suppression against evil spirits and demonic creatures.

· Lightning Evasion: An enhanced version of the Bloodline evasion technique "Heaven Roaming Evasion," it allowed him to transform into thunder light and flee instantly to a distance, with a massive surge in speed.

· Summon Wind and Rain: The power of this Divine Ability had greatly increased; now, when used, it could induce small-scale weather changes, bringing thunder and rain as easily as moving one's arm.

· Offensive Secret Arts:

· Thunder Smite Spear: Its power surged accordingly; the condensed lightning spear would carry pure Purple Lightning characteristics, with penetration and destructiveness even greater than before.

· Mad Thunder Heavenly Prison: A newly awakened area-of-effect offensive secret art that could summon heavenly thunder to form a cage, trapping and killing enemies.

· Auxiliary Secret Arts:

· Size As Desired: Control became more exquisite, and the range of transformation increased.

· Mirage Phantom: Illusory capabilities improved, allowing for the creation of more complex mirages to deceive enemies.

Surging power flowed within the brand-new Flood Dragon body, and a sense of freedom and strength, like "the wide sea for the fish to leap, the high sky for the bird to fly," filled his heart.

The Third-Tier Demon Core Realm was like night and day compared to the Second-Tier!

His Divine Sense range skyrocketed, and his perception and control over Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi were incomparable to before; his physical strength, power, and speed were all comprehensively improved.

"Finally... the Third-Tier." Gao De coiled at the core of the gradually calming Water Mansion, feeling the flood dragon pearl embryonic form slowly rotating and continuously condensing power within him, as well as the unceasing intent of the Purple Lightning Thunder Aura in his Bloodline, his heart swelling with infinite emotion and pride.

All the past caution, dormancy, and calculation seemed incredibly worthwhile at this moment.

From a tiny black fish to the current Purple Lightning Flood Dragon, he had crossed a massive chasm in life levels.

Now, with the cultivation of a Third-Tier Demon King, the powerful Purple Lightning Flood Dragon Bloodline, and many Legacy secret arts, he could finally be considered to have a true Foundation in this Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake and even the edges of the Yunmeng Great Marsh, possessing the power to protect himself against most challenges.

He no longer needed to flee thousands of miles upon sensing the aura of a Fourth-Rank Flood Dragon as he had in the past, nor did he need to be overly cautious when facing Human Race Golden Core Cultivators.

Only now did Turtle Three Thousand and Crab Eighteen dare to approach cautiously. Feeling the pure and majestic Flood Dragon aura on Gao De, they were both extremely excited, prostrating themselves to congratulate him: "Congratulations, Master, on your successful Dragon Transformation and attaining the status of a Demon King!"

Gao De nodded slightly, restraining some of the outward pressure.

His gaze swept over the fragments of the turtle shell shield that had sunk to the bottom, its spirituality completely lost as it turned into a mundane object. Although he felt a trace of regret, he was more resolute.

Sacrificing the prototype of a defensive Magic Treasure in exchange for a leap in life level was undoubtedly worth it.

Moreover, now that he had promoted to the Third-Tier, he had more capital to seek better Magic Treasures.

The clues regarding that Shuzhong Artifact Refiner, Mysterious Fulcrum Master, could perhaps be put on the agenda now.

The urgent priority was to completely stabilize his Early Stage Third-Tier Realm, master the newly added power and Legacy secret arts, and fully condense the flood dragon pearl into its final form.

"Pass down the order: the Water Mansion will be closed for three months. Everyone is to step up their cultivation and consolidate their gains." Gao De's voice carried an unquestionable majesty, echoing through this newborn Flood Dragon Water Mansion.

Gao De's command spread through the Water Mansion like ripples. All the Demon Soldiers obeyed with awe, and a solemn yet vital silence fell over the deep pool.

The seven-colored radiance lasted for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn before gradually dissipating, but the vast vitality and rewards of the Great Dao it contained were already deeply imprinted in Gao De's newborn Flood Dragon body and the newly formed flood dragon pearl.

He coiled on the jade platform and did not immediately emerge from seclusion. Instead, he calmed his mind and focused on guiding the unceasing power within his body.

Refining the flood dragon pearl, Foundation Initially Solidified

Inside the Dantian, the flood dragon pearl embryonic form, which used the dragon pearl fossil as a base and was initially condensed, was the top priority at this moment.

It was like a bottomless pit, frantically absorbing the residual radiance energy and the newborn Purple Lightning Flood Dragon Demonic Power within his body after the tribulation.

The mysterious methods of the "Purple Heaven Dragon Transformation Art" operated on their own. Wisps of Purple Lightning and misty Dragon Qi intertwined like the most precise carving knife, continuously sculpting, compressing, and solidifying this core of power.

Gao De could clearly feel that for every bit the flood dragon pearl solidified, his control over Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi grew stronger, and the various secret arts and Divine Abilities inherited in his Bloodline seemed to resonate with it, becoming increasingly clear and agile.

This was a process of slow and steady work that could not be rushed, but he had enough patience.

Three months was enough time to completely stabilize this flood dragon pearl and make it a solid Foundation for his future path.

Divine Ability Transformation, Mastery at Will

While refining the flood dragon pearl, Gao De was also dividing his attention to familiarize himself with the many Divine Abilities after their transformation.

With a slight thought, a layer of fine, constantly moving Purple Lightning snakes naturally emerged around his body, forming an invisible lightning net—the Purple Lightning Thunder Aura.

This layer of protective thunder aura not only had a defensive power far exceeding his former Hard Scales talent but also carried a chilling aura of destruction. If an ordinary attack touched it, it would likely suffer a violent lightning backlash first.

He tried to use Lightning Evasion. His figure merely flickered slightly, leaving a faint lightning afterimage in place, while his true body had already appeared at the other end of the Water Mansion.

The speed was so fast that it far exceeded the previous "Heaven Roaming Evasion"; almost as soon as the thought arrived, his body followed.

This near-teleportation speed greatly increased his ability to save his life and launch surprise attacks.

The range and power of the Summon Wind and Rain Divine Ability were also unlike anything before.

He did not use his full power but merely gave a slight pull, and the waters above the Water Mansion spontaneously formed whirlpools and surging undercurrents, with muffled thunder faintly transmitting through the waves.

If he used his full power in open waters, summoning a thunderstorm covering several li would likely not be difficult.

As for the strongest offensive Thunder Smite Spear and the newly acquired Mad Thunder Heavenly Prison, he did not test them within the Water Mansion, but through Divine Sense deduction, he could already feel the terrifying power they contained, which was by no means comparable to when he was at the Second-Tier.

Water Mansion Atmosphere, Subtle Transformation

Gao De's successful Dragon Transformation brought changes that were not just a leap in personal strength.

His pressure and aura as a Purple Lightning Flood Dragon invisibly enveloped the entire Water Mansion, making the water element power here more active and even carrying wisps of subtle thunder essence.

The aquatic tribes cultivating here long-term would have their physical bodies more or less improved under this subtle influence, and their sensitivity to thunder and water attributes, in particular, would become sharper.

Turtle Three Thousand and Crab Eighteen benefited the most. As Gao De's direct subordinates, they could often feel the Flood Dragon aura and Dao Rhyme that Gao De unintentionally emitted, and the Bottlenecks in their cultivation showed signs of loosening.

The two hundred Demon Soldiers were even more high-spirited; the stronger their master, the safer they would be in these peril-filled waters, and the brighter their future would be.

Planning the Path Ahead, Clear in Mind

Half of the three-month seclusion period passed in the blink of an eye. Gao De's Realm was completely stabilized at the Early Stage of the Third-Tier, the flood dragon pearl was solid with internal radiance, and his Divine Abilities operated smoothly and without hindrance.

He ended his deepest state of meditation and began to think about his next steps.

The first was the issue of a defensive Magic Treasure.

He collected the fragments of the damaged turtle shell shield. Although its spirituality was lost, the material itself originated from the Baxia Bloodline and might have value for reuse in the future.

Finding a new defensive Magic Treasure, or even refining a Lifebound Treasure more suitable for himself, was now urgent.

"Mysterious Fulcrum Master..." Information about this Shuzhong Artifact Refiner surfaced in Gao De's mind again.

Now that he was a Third-Tier Demon King, his status was different. Going to deal with a Human Race Golden Core Cultivator again, he had much more confidence.

It was time to investigate this Artifact Master's background and see if a deal could be made.

Second was exploring the Dragon Palace Secret Passage and ancient Forbidden Ground he had discovered earlier.

Before his Dragon Transformation, the risks there were too high. Now that his strength had surged and he had the Lightning Evasion Divine Ability to save his life, it was enough to attempt a preliminary exploration.

Those places likely hid deeper Dragon Clan Legacies and Treasure Troves, which were crucial for his cultivation of the "Purple Heaven Dragon Transformation Art."

Finally, it was the replanning of his own territory. In the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake and even the edges of the Yunmeng Great Marsh, the forces were complex and intertwined.

His current Dragon Transformation would inevitably attract the attention of some surrounding Third-Tier Demon Kings and even the Green Wave Sect.

Whether to continue staying low and dormant or to appropriately show his strength and demarcate his own sphere of influence required careful weighing.

"After emerging from seclusion, I will first head to the Southwest Bank to meet that Mysterious Fulcrum Master. If the concern regarding a Magic Treasure can be resolved, it won't be too late to plan for the Dragon Palace Ruins." Gao DeA plan in mind.

Strength is the Foundation. Having a capable defensive Magic Treasure would allow him to be much more composed when facing unknown risks.

He slowly opened his massive Flood Dragon eyes, Purple Lightning faintly appearing in his pupils. His gaze seemed to pierce through the rock walls of the Water Mansion, looking toward the broader Dongting Lake and Yunmeng Great Marsh.

Successful Dragon Transformation was just a new starting point. The true path to dragon transformation had only just officially begun.

The road ahead was still long, with powerful enemies surrounding him and opportunities and dangers coexisting, but he already had enough confidence and strength to meet all these challenges.