92: In the Dragon Transformation Pool, he first tested his abilities.

The three-day period had not yet arrived, but Lin Fan could no longer wait. Since returning from the Ancestral Hall, he had not slept a wink. His parents' vengeance, the surveillance of powerful enemies, and the Meteor Star Ancient Domain trial—these matters weighed heavily on his heart, making him desperately eager to increase his strength.

Just as dawn broke, Lin Fan got up, changed into a set of black tight-fitting clothes suitable for Cultivation, and walked straight toward the Family's back mountain Forbidden Ground.

The Dragon Transformation Pool, located deep within the Lin Family's back mountain, was a naturally formed spiritual pool. Legend had it that an ancient True Dragon perished here, its Dragon blood soaking the earth and evolving over ten thousand years. The pool contained the essence of Dragon blood, which was immensely beneficial for Body Tempering the Physical Body, making it one of the Lin Family's most crucial Cultivation resources.

Following the winding path of bluestone slabs and passing through a misty bamboo forest, the area ahead suddenly opened up.

An ancient stone hall stood on the edge of the cliff, guarded by two black-clad protectors with profound auras. Seeing Lin Fan, both bowed simultaneously: "Greetings, Divine Son."

"I want to enter the Dragon Transformation Pool to Cultivate," Lin Fan stated directly.

The protector on the left hesitated, saying, "Divine Son, according to the rules, entering the Dragon Transformation Pool requires holding the Clan Chief's token and reporting three days in advance."

"I understand the rules." Lin Fan took out a Purple-Gold Token from his bosom—Clan Leader had secretly given it to him when he left the Ancestral Hall yesterday. "The Clan Chief has specially permitted me to enter at any time."

The protector verified the token, his expression becoming even more respectful: "Divine Son, please enter. However, allow this subordinate to say one more thing: the Dragon Transformation Pool is divided into nine layers. The deeper you go, the richer the Dragon blood essence, but the greater the pressure. First-time entrants are advised to start adapting from the first layer."

"Thank you for the warning." Lin Fan nodded and stepped into the stone hall.

The hall was spacious, with a circular pool about ten zhang in diameter in the center. The pool water was pale gold, emitting hazy mist, and the air was filled with a strange fragrance; taking a breath immediately made one's blood and Qi feel active.

This was the first layer.

Three or four disciples were already Cultivating by the pool, all of them outstanding core disciples. Seeing Lin Fan enter, their expressions varied; some nodded in greeting, while others avoided eye contact. Clearly, after the grand competition, Lin Fan's prestige within the Family was different.

Lin Fan paid them no mind, walking straight to the edge of the pool, stripping off his outer garments until only his close-fitting shorts remained, revealing a sturdy but not bulky physique. Under the Body Tempering of the Eternal Indestructible Body, his muscle lines were smooth and perfect, every inch containing explosive power.

Plop! He leaped into the pool. The moment he entered the water, Lin Fan's whole body trembled.

The warm pool water enveloped his body, and countless tiny golden light spots drilled into him through his pores, turning into searing air currents that surged through his Meridians. These currents were incredibly overbearing; everywhere they passed, his muscles, bones, and internal organs felt as if they were being scorched by fierce fire or pounded by heavy hammers.

"This is the essence of Dragon blood?" Lin Fan gritted his teeth and endured.

He could feel that under the Body Tempering of these golden light spots, the strength of his Physical Body was slowly increasing. Although the increment was small, he was genuinely growing stronger.

"However, this level isn't enough."

Lin Fan looked toward the bottom of the pool. There was a swirling undercurrent leading to a deeper layer.

He took a deep breath and plunged downward fiercely.

Passing through an invisible barrier, the pressure suddenly doubled!

The second layer!

The pool water here was darker, already a golden yellow. The concentration of Dragon blood essence was more than three times higher than the first layer, and the Body Tempering effect was naturally stronger. Correspondingly, the burning sensation and oppressive feeling were also more intense.

There were only two people in the pool, both deacons at the Condensing Essence Realm Early Stage. Seeing Lin Fan dive down, both showed surprise.

"Divine Son? You are only at the Body Tempering Realm; how can you withstand the pressure of the second layer?" A middle-aged deacon couldn't help but ask.

"I'll know once I try." Lin Fan didn't say much, sitting cross-legged directly on the pool bottom and closing his eyes to circulate the Cultivation method of the Eternal Indestructible Body.

As the Cultivation Technique circulated, the Dragon blood essence flooding into his body was rapidly absorbed and transformed. His body was like a bottomless pit, greedily devouring these golden light spots.

A faint golden glow began to appear on the surface of his skin.

"This absorption speed..." The two deacons exchanged glances, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.

When they Cultivated in the second layer, they could only last half an hour at most before needing to surface and recover. But looking at Lin Fan's posture, it seemed as if he planned to stay here indefinitely?

Time passed minute by minute.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours... Lin Fan remained steadily seated at the bottom of the pool, the golden glow on his body growing brighter. His blood and Qi were boiling, his bones were humming, and his internal organs were strengthening. The Eighth Level of Body Tempering Bottleneck showed faint signs of loosening.

"Still not enough."

Lin Fan opened his eyes again and looked toward the entrance to the deeper third layer.

Without hesitation, he moved his body and continued to dive.

"He's going into the third layer?!"

"He's crazy! That's an area only those at Condensing Essence Realm Middle Stage can endure!"

The two deacons cried out in surprise.

At the entrance to the third layer, the pressure violently surged again. The pool water was now dark gold, viscous like paste. Terrifying pressure squeezed in from all directions, as if trying to crush a person into mincemeat.

Lin Fan let out a muffled groan. The Eternal Indestructible Body spontaneously circulated to its maximum, the golden glow on his body shining brightly, forcefully resisting this pressure.

"As expected, this is where I belong."

He felt that the Dragon blood essence flooding into his body was so concentrated it formed tiny golden streams, surging and scouring through his Meridians. Every second, his Physical Body was undergoing visible strengthening.

[High concentration Dragon-type energy infusion detected]

[Eternal Indestructible Body compatibility increased]

[Activating hidden characteristic 'Dragon Might Resonance']

The System's notification sound suddenly echoed in his mind.

Lin Fan's heart stirred. Dragon Might Resonance? What was that?

The next moment, he felt his blood and Qi begin to vibrate at a unique frequency, resonating with the Dragon blood essence in the pool. Under this resonance, the absorption efficiency violently surged again!

Not only that, but he faintly felt that something deep at the bottom of the pool seemed to be calling out to him.

"There's something else down there?"

Lin Fan looked toward the entrance of the fourth layer, his eyes flickering.

According to the protector, the Dragon Transformation Pool was divided into nine layers. Ordinary core disciples could only Cultivate in the first or second layer, deacons could enter the third layer, and only Elders could delve into the fourth layer and beyond.

Given his current strength, entering the fourth layer was extremely risky. But that faint, indistinct summons made him unbearably curious.

"Seeking wealth requires risk." Lin Fan gritted his teeth. "With the System in hand, what is there to fear?" He adjusted his breathing, pushing the power of the Eternal Indestructible Body to its limit, the golden glow on his surface almost solidifying. Then, he plunged toward the entrance of the fourth layer!

Buzz! The moment he passed through the barrier, Lin Fan's bones emitted an unbearable cracking sound.

The pressure of the fourth layer was more than five times stronger than the third! The dark golden pool water was heavy like mercury; every drop contained terrifying Dragon blood essence, and also terrifying oppressive force.

Lin Fan clenched his jaw, barely managing to stabilize his body. He felt his internal organs shifting and his bones potentially shattering at any moment.

But right at this moment, the Eternal Indestructible Body finally displayed its true might.

Breaking, repairing.

Breaking again, repairing again.

Under the grinding of terrifying pressure and the nourishment of Dragon blood essence, his Physical Body underwent an almost brutal Body Tempering. Each cycle of shattering and reorganization increased his Physical Body strength by one point.

What surprised Lin Fan even more was that the System notification in his mind sounded again:

[Special location detected: Dragon Transformation Pool Fourth Layer]

[Check-in condition triggered]

[Would you like to Check-in here?]

["Check-in!"]

[Check-in successful]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward: True Dragon Body Refining Art remnant scroll · First Stage]

[Reward Description: A secret Body Refining method of the Ancient True Dragon race, totaling nine stages. Cultivating it to Major Achievement allows one to transform into a True Dragon, breaking all laws with pure strength. Currently, you have obtained the first stage, 'Dragon Scale Initial Appearance,' which, upon Cultivation, allows you to condense Dragon Scale phantoms on your body surface, greatly enhancing defense]

A profound stream of information flooded his mind—it was the Cultivation method for the first stage of the True Dragon Body Refining Art.

Lin Fan immediately began to comprehend it.

This Body Refining Art surprisingly had a similar effect to the Eternal Indestructible Body; both were paths to achieving extreme strengthening of the Physical Body. The difference was that the Eternal Indestructible Body leaned toward "Indestructible," pursuing extreme recovery and eternity, while the True Dragon Body Refining Art leaned toward "power," pursuing extreme destruction and defense.

The combination of the two complemented each other.

Lin Fan circulated his blood and Qi according to the method, and the golden glow on his body began to change, gradually condensing into patches of faintly visible scale phantoms. These scales covered his entire body, instantly raising his defense level by a notch.

"What a powerful secret method!" Lin Fan was excited.

With this Body Refining Art, his Physical Body combat power would reach another level.

Just then, the summoning sensation deep within the pool bottom grew even stronger.

Lin Fan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't suppress his curiosity and continued to dive downward.

The fifth layer, where the pressure doubled again. The pool water here was dark red, resembling true Dragon blood. If not for the protection of the Eternal Indestructible Body and the newly acquired True Dragon Body Refining Art, Lin Fan feared he would be instantly crushed.

And here, he finally saw the source of the summons clearly.

In the center of the pool bottom, a broken sword was plunged.

The sword body was heavily rusted, with only half a blade remaining, but judging by the ancient patterns and the faintly emanating coercion, this sword must have been an unparalleled divine weapon in its prime.

The strangest thing was that within three zhang around the broken sword, a vacuum zone had formed, which even the Dragon blood essence could not penetrate.

"This is..." Lin Fan reached out, wanting to touch the broken sword.

Just as his fingertip was about to touch the blade, Buzz! The broken sword violently shook, and a vast, desolate, and overbearing will erupted, rushing directly into Lin Fan's mind!

Lin Fan's vision went black, and his consciousness was pulled into a strange space. In the boundless starry sky, a ten-thousand-zhang-long Five-Clawed Golden Dragon coiled and soared. Suddenly, a sword light spanning the galaxy slashed down, and the Golden Dragon roared, fighting against it. In the end, the Golden Dragon had its horns severed, and its blood spilled across the starry sky. The sword itself also broke into two halves; one half disappeared, and the other fell to the earth. The vision shattered.

Lin Fan suddenly snapped back to reality, gasping for breath, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.

In that instant just now, he felt as if he had personally experienced that earth-shattering battle. The Golden Dragon's rage, the sword light's sharpness, the shattering of the galaxy—that level of power far exceeded his imagination.

"Is this broken sword a Dragon-Slaying Sword?" Lin Fan stared at the broken sword at the bottom of the pool, his eyes burning. "No, it's not Dragon-Slaying—though the Golden Dragon was injured, it did not perish. It is still unknown whether the owner of this sword was an enemy or a friend to that Golden Dragon."

He reached out again. This time, the broken sword did not resist.

The moment his finger touched the blade, a cold sensation spread. Simultaneously, a faint thought entered Lin Fan's mind: "My name is Star Cutter, awaiting your awakening." The thought was intermittent and then fell silent.

Lin Fan tried to pull out the sword, but the broken sword remained motionless, as if fused with the entire Dragon Transformation Pool.

"I am not qualified enough yet," Lin Fan realized.

He no longer insisted, withdrawing his hand and focusing on Cultivation. The True Dragon Body Refining Art progressed rapidly under the nourishment of the Dragon blood essence. In just two hours, the first stage, "Dragon Scale Initial Appearance," had reached Minor Achievement. The scale phantoms on Lin Fan's body surface became more solid, increasing his defense by at least thirty percent.

Meanwhile, the Eternal Indestructible Body also steadily improved under this high-intensity Body Tempering. The Eighth Level of Body Tempering Bottleneck was now loosened.

"That's enough." Lin Fan estimated the time; he had been in the Dragon Transformation Pool for six hours, far exceeding the limit for ordinary people. Staying longer might attract unnecessary attention.

He slowly surfaced, returning to the first layer.

When Lin Fan walked out of the pool, the disciples guarding the pool edge were stunned.

Lin Fan's skin now had a faint golden sheen, his muscle lines were even more perfect, and his entire being exuded an indescribable sense of majesty, like a young Dragon lying dormant.

More importantly, his aura—he had clearly achieved a Breakthrough to the Eighth Level of Body Tempering!

"Six hours, breaking through two layers consecutively?" A disciple muttered to himself, his face full of disbelief.

Lin Fan ignored the gazes of the crowd, put on his clothes, and walked straight out of the stone hall.

When he walked out of the Forbidden Ground, the sky was nearing dusk.

The residual glow of the setting sun shone upon him, warm and comforting. Lin Fan clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body, and a smile curved his lips.

The trip to the Dragon Transformation Pool yielded far greater rewards than anticipated.

Not only did his cultivation achieve a Breakthrough, but he also obtained the powerful secret method True Dragon Body Refining Art, and discovered the secret broken sword at the bottom of the pool.

"Star Cutter," Lin Fan silently recited the name. "One day, I will make you shine brightly again."

Returning to his courtyard, before he even entered the door, he saw a beautiful figure lingering outside.

It was Clear Snow.

Seeing Lin Fan, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she handed over a jade bottle: "I heard you went to the Dragon Transformation Pool. This is a Warming Meridian Pill; it can alleviate the overbearing medicinal properties of the Dragon blood essence and is beneficial for stabilizing Cultivation."

Lin Fan took the jade bottle, feeling warmth in his heart: "Thank you, Qing Xue. You worry about me every time."

"It's no trouble," Clear Snow lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Um, in three days, the Family is having a gathering for young disciples at the Listening to the Rain Pavilion. I wonder if Brother Lin Fan is free?"

Lin Fan was startled.

Was she inviting him?

Looking at the girl's shy yet expectant eyes, Lin Fan smiled slightly: "I am free."

Clear Snow's eyes lit up: "Then it's settled!"

After speaking, she turned and quickly ran away, as if afraid Lin Fan would change his mind.

Lin Fan shook his head and chuckled, pushing the door open and entering the courtyard.

As soon as he closed the door, his smile vanished.

On the stone table in the courtyard lay a letter.

There was no signature, only one line of text: "Ancient Domain trial, a near-certain death. Take care of yourself." The handwriting was sharp, carrying killing intent.

Lin Fan crumpled the letter into powder, his eyes icy cold.

"Is it finally starting?"