7: Bloodline Enhancement

The Green Wave Sect, the Core Formation Ancestor, the vastness and danger of the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake... This information weighed heavily on Gao De’s heart like lead, yet it also burned like searing coals, fueling his ambition.

He knew that following the status quo, devouring "wild" fish and shrimp that had accidentally gained intelligence in this small pond, was far too slow. It might take decades or even a century to Breakthrough to the Second Order Wisdom Attainment Realm. Meanwhile, the "Water Purification" operation hung over him like the Sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment. He had to be faster and more efficient.

The descriptions of the Human Race cultivation system in his Legacy memories, along with the fragments of information Lin Xiaofan occasionally brought, gave him a more concrete understanding of human cultivators. They were not a monolithic entity; they too had hierarchies, conflicts, and a need for resources.

His adventure at the Bai Family fishery, while yielding great rewards, had also completely sobered Gao De. His current strength was still far from allowing him to act with impunity; any excessive action could bring trouble far beyond his ability to handle.

"I do not yet fear the strength of the Bai Family, but if I were to alarm the Green Wave Sect or trigger a joint alert among the surrounding Families, it would not be worth the cost." Gao De reviewed his actions in the cave, his cold vertical pupils flashing with calculating light.

He realized that instead of "draining the pond to catch all the fish" in one place and inviting a crackdown, it would be better to become an elusive "ghost thief," stealing only a small amount of Spiritual Fish from each Family's farm. This way, the loss for each Family would remain within an acceptable range, likely attributed to natural Formation wear and tear, internal theft, or an occasional powerful water beast, rather than an organized and intelligent Yao Race targeting them.

"Steady and sustainable, safety first." Gao De established a new plan of action.

Relying on the increasingly detailed intelligence he continued to obtain from Lin Xiaofan, Gao De began his precise "raiding circuit."

His targets were no longer limited to weak Families like the Bai Family but expanded to all fisheries with convenient locations and exploitable defenses. Whether it was the Liu Family, experts at raising "Ice Crystal Carp," the Zhao Family, famous for their "Fire Eels," or the Sun Family, who cultivated the special "ink jade algae"... they all became his targets.

His patterns were unpredictable, but he generally chose to strike on dark, windy nights or during foul weather when guards were most likely to be lax.

With his Breath Concealment talent and precise control over water currents, and as his proficiency in the Water Control Art continued to improve, he could always slip in silently through the weakest points, such as where Formations met natural terrain or at points of undercurrent impact.

Once inside a fishery, he never grew greedy. He usually targeted only five to ten of the highest quality Spiritual Fish or collected a small amount of key spiritual plants. The entire process was as fast as lightning, never staying for more than thirty breaths.

After succeeding, he would sometimes deliberately use the Water Control Art to stir up the water in an unrelated area, creating the illusion of a water beast breaking in and then fleeing in panic to confuse any investigators.

Using complex waterways or pre-scouted routes, he would flee quickly and never look back.

Fortunately, the losses were not great, so these Families did not publicize the incidents, only tightening their patrols... [Devoured: Ice Crystal Carp (First Order Medium Grade Spiritual Fish)]

[Bloodline Energy Gained: +0.1%]

[Effect of talent 'Hard Scales' slightly enhanced...]

[Devoured: Fire Eel (First Order Low Grade Spiritual Fish)]

[Bloodline Energy Gained: +0.07%]

[Resistance to Water and Fire slightly increased...]

[Devoured: ink jade algae (First Order Medium Grade Spiritual Plant)]

[Bloodline Energy Gained: +0.05%]

[Purity of Dragon Fish Bloodline slightly increased...]

Line after line of information scrolled through his mind. Although the individual harvest each time was less than the ransacking of the Bai Family, the advantages were the number of targets, the high frequency, and the low risk. His Bloodline energy and overall strength were growing at a steady and considerable pace.

At this moment, Gao De was lurking in a dense thicket of water weeds, digesting several "Thunder Pattern Fish" he had "borrowed" last night from a fishery belonging to a small Sect's subsidiary. The Demonic Power within him grew increasingly majestic, the black-gold luster on his scales deepened, and he had already refined more than half of the Transverse Bone in his throat. He seemed only a step away from the Second Order Wisdom Attainment Realm, where he could speak fluently.

As the date for "Water Purification" drew nearer, the sense of urgency in his heart actually lessened slightly. This was because his strength was no longer what it once was.

After this period of tireless "raiding" and digestion, Gao De felt the Dragon Fish Bloodline in his body become increasingly surging and majestic, having accumulated to a brand new height. He returned to the depths of his familiar cave, his Demonic Power circulating on its own and causing the nearby water to swirl slightly. The black-based, gold-lined scales on his body had a more restrained yet deeper luster, as if containing even greater power.

"Buzz..."

A slight vibration that only he could perceive echoed from the depths of his Bloodline. It wasn't a Breakthrough in Realm, but rather his Bloodline concentration breaking through the 20% mark! A sense of power, far purer and more ancient than before, instantly flowed through his entire body, washing over his muscles, bones, and scales. His body seemed to have grown another size, the contours of his head subtly changing toward a more formidable appearance, and the barbels on his lower jaw grew thicker and longer, with the branching at the ends clearly visible. At the same time, his control over his own talents deepened.

[Dragon Fish Bloodline Breakthrough: 20%]

[Talent 'Breath Concealment (Deep Green)' promoted to 'Breath Concealment (Blue)']

[Talent 'Hard Scales (Green)' upgraded to 'Hard Scales (Deep Green)']

[New Talent Gained: Water Escape (Green)]

[Perception of and affinity for water currents significantly enhanced]

While the increase in strength was gratifying, Gao De immediately noticed a serious problem: the ordinary First Order Low Grade and Medium Grade Spiritual Fish from before now had a negligible effect on his Bloodline growth. When he devoured them, the warm current was so weak it was almost imperceptible.

"Ordinary nourishment is no longer sufficient," Gao De realized with a hint of urgency. "I must find spiritual items containing flood dragon bloodline to advance quickly!"

His thoughts immediately locked onto a special existence mentioned in Lin Xiaofan's intelligence—the Foundation Establishment Family, the Lin Family! And the Golden Scale Carp they uniquely bred!

Rumor had it that the Lin Family Old Ancestor had made his fortune precisely through his unique methods of breeding Golden Scale Carp. This kind of Spiritual Fish had immense potential. Among thousands of Golden Scale Carp, there was an extremely low probability of a fish king being born, Awakening a trace of Flood Dragon blood, known by the nickname 'Golden Flood Dragon'. Once it became a 'Golden Flood Dragon', it would be a Second Order Spiritual Fish of immense value, a supreme treasure the Lin Family offered to the Green Wave Sect in exchange for protection and rewards.

Gao De naturally did not dare to set his sights on the illusory "Golden Flood Dragon," which, even if it existed, was far beyond what he could currently covet. His goal was clear and practical—find a way to steal a few ordinary Golden Scale Carp!

Even ordinary Golden Scale Carp, because they contained a trace of potential to evolve into a flood dragon bloodline, would be far more "nutritious" for Gao De than fish like the Ice Crystal Carp or Fire Eel. They might effectively stimulate the growth of his own Dragon Fish Bloodline.

However, as a Foundation Establishment Family, the Lin Family's strength was far beyond the small Qi Refining Families he had previously visited. The Family was presided over by an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor, and there were several disciples in the Late Stage of Qi Refining. The guards at their core fishery would certainly be extremely strict, and the Formations would be even more powerful.

"Golden Scale Carp..." Gao De murmured to himself, his clear words filled with longing and solemnity. This was undoubtedly his most ideal target at present, but the difficulty of obtaining it was also immense. With only two months left until "Water Purification," time was pressing, and he had to devise a foolproof plan.

He felt the power brought by the 20% Dragon Fish Bloodline and the newly acquired Water Escape talent, but his gaze was fixed in the direction of the Lin Family.

"Lin Family... Golden Scale Carp..." he muttered to himself in a low, clear voice.

In two months, he needed to find a Breakthrough point. On the Path of Dragon Transformation, every step required careful planning. The heavily guarded Lin Family fishery, and the Golden Scale Carp within that could potentially make his Bloodline leap once more, had become his next target—one he had to approach with caution, yet was determined to obtain. The undercurrents of the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake, because of this ambitious Dragon Fish with a growing Bloodline, were about to surge toward deeper and more dangerous areas.