8: Third order

Gao De was like a specter in the deep water, utilizing the faint water currents generated by the [Water Control Art] to lurk along the dark lake bottom. Although he had already set his sights on the Lin Family's Golden Scale Carp, he decided to "patronize" a familiar "source of goods" one last time before making a move. He wanted to see if these common Spiritual Fish could still offer any benefit after his Bloodline Breakthrough past 20%, and also treat it as practice for the major operation ahead.

He still cautiously avoided dangerous waters, relying on his enhanced [Breath Concealment (Blue)] talent, and safely returned to the vicinity of "Shattered Star Isle." This time, he chose a smaller Family fishing ground that he hadn't targeted before, which cultivated "Azure Jade Chub."

He repeated his old trick: observe, wait, and search for the weak points where the Formation merged with the natural terrain.

When the night was deepest, he once again slipped through the gap in the protective Formation like a nimble loach, silently manipulating the water currents using the [Water Control Art].

Successful infiltration!

Inside the breeding ground, thousands of Azure Jade Chub swam leisurely, their emitted Spiritual Energy still tempting. Gao De did not hesitate, instantly transforming into a black bolt of lightning and opening his mouth to devour them.

[Devour: Azure Jade Chub (First Tier Low Grade Spiritual Fish)]

[Acquired Bloodline Energy: +0.008%]

[Devour: Azure Jade Chub (First Tier Low Grade Spiritual Fish)]

[Acquired Bloodline Energy: +0.007%]

...After consecutively devouring more than ten of the plumpest Azure Jade Chub, the warm current was so faint it was like a flickering candle in the wind. For his current 20% Dragon Fish Bloodline, it was virtually a drop in the ocean, with negligible growth!

Gao De stopped moving, a flash of expected disappointment crossing his cold vertical pupils.

"As expected... the effect of ordinary First Tier Spiritual Fish is now negligible." The last shred of hope in his heart was shattered. This meant that the path he had previously relied on—steadily improving by stealing common Spiritual Fish—had reached its end.

Just as his mind wavered slightly upon confirming this fact, and a minute fluctuation appeared in his Demonic Qi—

An indescribable, terrifying Pressure, like an Ancient Behemoth stirring from its slumber, spread out from the deepest parts of the Dongting Lake. Though not targeting anyone specifically, it instantly made Gao De's Soul tremble, and the scales all over his body involuntarily bristled!

This aura... it was terrifying!

Gao De was so frightened he nearly had his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. This was absolutely incomparable to the Foundation Establishment Cultivators he had sensed from afar on the lake surface! This was absolute suppression on the level of life itself, a difference like that between a firefly and the bright moon! In the face of this aura, he felt smaller than a speck of dust, as if a single thought from the other party could wipe him out, body and spirit!

"Third Tier! It's definitely a Third Tier existence!" Gao De cried out in horror internally. The descriptions of powerful Realms in his Legacy memory instantly became clear. Only Third Tier beings who had formed a Demonic Core or Golden Core could possess such vast and boundless Might!

"Is it an external Core Formation Cultivator, or... is there a Core Formation Demonic King already lurking deep within this Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake?!" As thoughts raced through his mind, boundless terror seized him. He instantly pushed his blue-quality [Breath Concealment] talent to an unprecedented extreme. His entire body, Demonic Power, Bloodline fluctuations, and even his thoughts seemed to completely freeze and dissipate, merging entirely with the surrounding lake water, mud, and darkness. He dared not reveal the slightest trace of "life."

That vast will swept over this water area like an invisible tide, carrying an indifference that overlooked all living beings. Perhaps because Gao De's concealment was perfect enough, or perhaps because such a minor disturbance simply couldn't pique the interest of such an existence, the will did not linger. Like a breeze skimming the water's surface, it quickly retreated further away, eventually vanishing into the depths of the lake center where it could no longer be sensed.

A long, long time passed. Only when the suffocating Pressure had completely dissipated did Gao De dare to extremely slowly and cautiously recover a sliver of Life Qi. He felt his "heart" still beating wildly, and lingering fear, like the cold lake water, soaked every inch of his flesh and blood.

Too dangerous! Just the natural diffusion of the aura almost made him lose control of his mind! The waters of the Dongting Lake were far deeper than he had imagined! Core Formation level existences, whether human or Yao, were taboos he absolutely could not touch right now!

He dared not linger for another moment, even keeping the intake and exhalation of water flow to the absolute minimum. He quickly and silently returned the way he came, drilled out of the Formation, and plunged into the dark lake water without looking back. He fully utilized his newly acquired [Water Escape (Green)] talent, combining it with the [Water Control Art] to push his speed to the limit. Like a startled bird, he frantically fled back the way he came, desperate to quickly distance himself from the waters that had just been shrouded in that terrifying aura.

This operation yielded minimal gains, but the shock and warning it provided were unprecedented.

On one hand, ordinary Spiritual Fish were nearly useless to him, making the acquisition of the Golden Scale Carp an urgent necessity.

On the other hand, a Third Tier existence truly resided in the Dongting Lake. Whether they were passing through temporarily or permanently stationed, this made him even more wary of the future. In front of true powerhouses, his current strength and concealment methods were likely still insufficient.

On the way back to his cave, Gao De's resolve, tempered by extreme fear and the Pressures of reality, became even tougher and calmer.

"Wolves ahead, tigers behind... the common path is cut off, and powerful enemies surround me. I must fight for a sliver of survival! The Lin Family... the Golden Scale Carp... I must obtain it!"

His gaze penetrated the dark lake water, as if he could already see the heavily guarded Lin Family Island. The Path to Becoming a Dragon was filled with peril at every step; the next operation could not fail. The time until the "Water Purification" period was drawing closer; truly, time was running out... Gao De lurked in a murky water area still dozens of li away from the Lin Family Island, using water weeds and silt to conceal his body, observing the movements in the Lin Family's direction from afar, calculating the route and timing for infiltration. Just as he was fully concentrating—

"Whoosh—!"

A brilliant white streak of light, like a falling star, rapidly swept in from the eastern horizon. Its speed far surpassed any Cultivator's Escape Light Gao De had ever seen! The streak flew almost skimming the lake surface. When passing directly above Gao De's hiding spot, it suddenly paused, and an almost imperceptible black dot separated from the streak, silently plunging into the water below. It was instantly swallowed by the undercurrents and the murky water, without stirring a single ripple.

Having done all this, the white streak of light did not stop, instantly accelerating and shooting toward the western horizon, as if everything that had just happened never occurred.

Gao De's heart suddenly tightened. He pushed his [Breath Concealment] talent to the maximum, pressing his massive body tightly against the lakebed, almost stopping his thoughts entirely. This sudden turn of events made him sense an aura of extreme danger.

Sure enough, barely ten breaths later!

"Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Two streaks of Evil Qi-filled Escape Light—one black and one red—followed closely, also arriving from the east. Although their speed was slightly inferior to the previous white light, their fierce killing intent and surging Magical Power fluctuations caused Gao De, deep underwater, to feel a pang of fear. These two Escape Lights were clearly tracking the previous white light, and they did not slow down at all when passing this location, heading directly west where the white light had vanished.

Just as they swept over the lake surface, Gao De, relying on the Yao Race's keen hearing, vaguely caught an urgent and greedy growl coming from the black Escape Light:

"Chase! The Hundred Beasts Sect's Secret Treasure Trove must be on her! We absolutely cannot let her escape! If we get our hands on that wealth, the Path to Foundation Establishment for us brothers is right before our eyes!"

The voice quickly faded as the Escape Lights went far away, but the information within the words exploded in Gao De's heart like a clap of thunder!

Hundred Beasts Sect! Secret Treasure Trove! Path to Foundation Establishment!

When these keywords were combined, the meaning they contained was self-evident! That black dot that fell into the lake... was very likely the crucial item concerning the so-called "Hundred Beasts Sect's Secret Treasure Trove," thrown out by the owner of the white streak of light in desperation! The purpose was either to divert the pursuers or to temporarily hide the item!

A massive temptation instantly sprouted in Gao De's heart like the whisper of a devil. A "Treasure Trove" that could make two Cultivators—clearly at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, or perhaps even the Peak of Qi Refining—pursue it so frantically, claiming it held the Opportunity for Foundation Establishment, was likely priceless! If he could obtain it... But immediately afterward, extreme calmness and caution overcame his greed.

Danger! This was absolutely enormous danger!

The owner of the white streak of light, who could shake off pursuers and make such a swift decision, was certainly not someone to be trifled with. And those two pursuers, the black and the red, were powerful and filled with killing intent. Once they realized they had lost the target, or figured out that the item Might have been left along the way, they would definitely double back and search thoroughly! At that time, this area of water would become the eye of the storm!

For him to touch that "black dot" now would be like pulling chestnuts out of the fire—he would likely be instantly exposed and become a sacrificial lamb to the wrath of those three powerful Cultivators!

"I mustn't rush... absolutely mustn't rush!" Gao De forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately search for the fallen object. He remained firmly hidden in place, even retracting his aura more completely, as if he were utterly dead.

His gaze, however, involuntarily drifted toward the approximate area where the object had fallen. In his cold vertical pupils, greed and rationality were clashing fiercely.

Time passed slowly. There was no further movement above the lake surface, as if the thrilling chase just now had been merely an illusion.

But Gao De knew it was not an illusion. A heaven-sent Opportunity, or perhaps a massive trouble, lay submerged in the silt at the bottom of the lake not far away.

Should he risk everything to obtain that "Treasure Trove," which could either elevate him to the heavens or condemn him to eternal damnation? Or should he wisely protect himself and continue executing the already high-risk plan of stealing the Golden Scale Carp?

His Path to Becoming a Dragon seemed, at this moment, to have reached an unexpected fork in the road. The situation in the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake had also become more treacherous due to these unexpected intruders.