Golden Scales Are Not Things in a Pool, Once They Meet Wind and Clouds, They Transform Into Dragons

The Dragon Transformation Pool is a Secret Realm derived from the Coiled Dragon Spiritual Vein. It is located at the Dragon Pearl's position, beneath Dragon Head Peak.

Baiyu Hall's desire to obtain Panlong Island is partly due to the Dragon Transformation Pool.

The sky was a faint red, and the first rays of dawn appeared as Heng Hua arrived at the large lake below Dragon Head Peak. He took out his identity token and lightly pointed it at the lake's surface.

The clear waves rippled, and the lake water parted, revealing ninety-nine white jade steps.

After bowing respectfully towards Dragon Head Peak, Heng Hua quickly entered the passage and arrived at the Secret Realm hidden beneath the water.

The Dragon Transformation Pool was not large, merely a jade pool five zhang square. Golden waves lapped within the pool, where large, unfurled lotus leaves floated with the ripples. The dome reflected the water's surface, creating a dazzling and brilliant spectacle.

Upon reaching the entrance, Heng Hua felt waves of abundant spiritual energy. Cultivating here for one day was equivalent to ten days in the outside world. Only Fu Family disciples who had made significant contributions were permitted to cultivate in the Dragon Transformation Pool.

Furthermore, the Dragon Transformation Pool offered two great opportunities: "Muscle/Tendon Transformation and Marrow Cleansing" and "Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate."

The spiritual liquid in the jade pool was the essence of the spiritual vein. Simply immersing oneself here once could wash away acquired impurities, strengthen one's foundation, and improve cultivation aptitude.

Of course, such a method of improving one's physique could only be used once in a lifetime.

As for the Baihuang Hall clansmen, shortly after birth, they would be personally brought to the Dragon Transformation Pool by Fu Danwei for a cleansing ritual. Therefore, as long as no accidents occurred, Baihuang Hall clansmen were guaranteed to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, even if it took them their entire lives.

"Dragon Transformation, Dragon Transformation Pool. Yet, a golden scale is not meant for this pond. How can this small place nurture a True Dragon?"

Heng Hua murmured to himself as he walked forward.

"Hmph—you look down on this old man's Dragon Transformation Pool as too small? Then find me a few more giant jade marrows. I'll build a dragon palace right here."

Behind him, Fu Danwei's voice rang out.

Heng Hua quickly turned around with a fawning smile.

He saw the elder standing behind him with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at him with piercing eyes.

The Dragon Transformation Pool was carved from a single giant piece of jade, a fortuitous encounter from Fu Danwei's youth. He used this jade to carve the Dragon Transformation Pool, connecting it to the "Coiled Dragon" Spiritual Vein and channeling the jade liquid essence from the vein into the pool.

It could be said that this Dragon Transformation Pool occupied more than half of Panlong Island's spiritual energy.

"Grandson was just speaking casually, why are you getting so worked up?"

Heng Hua's playful banter elicited a slight smile from Fu Danwei. His suppressed emotions, caused by his "inner devil" these past few days, were slightly alleviated.

"You brat, coming here again for the dragon transformation opportunity?"

The Dragon Transformation Pool was a vital area of the Fu Family, personally guarded by Fu Danwei. However, Fu Danwei was currently unable to attend to it personally and had manifested a wisp of his Divine Sense to descend.

The elder walked forward, intending to pat Heng Hua's head. But then he thought of something, and with a sense of apprehension, he silently withdrew his hand.

Endure, endure. This is my grandson, raised by my own hands.

"Indeed."

Heng Hua's heart was uneasy as he cautiously said, "Grandson wishes to undergo the 'Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate'."

Don't find out, please don't find out. If Grandpa discovers I've dispersed my cultivation to re-cultivate, he'll surely fly into a rage.

The grandfather and grandson each harbored their own thoughts. Fu Danwei did not closely examine Heng Hua's cultivation status. He only heard that Heng Hua wanted to use the Dragon Gate and felt a flicker of joy, a hint of pleasure detectable within his Divine Sense.

"Alright, go ahead."

In the Dragon Transformation Pool, a lotus leaf floated to the shore.

Heng Hua's heart was pounding. He tentatively stepped his left foot onto it, then quickly retracted it.

As expected, the moment he stepped on it, the lotus leaf suddenly sank.

"Aiy—"

Behind him, Fu Danwei's disappointed sigh could be heard.

"Hmph!" Heng Hua crossed his arms. "Grandpa, I'm not a three-year-old anymore. Save these trickster tactics."

Fu Henghua had deduced cultivation techniques for the Fu Family, accumulating a mountain of merit. He often came to the Dragon Transformation Pool. And as it was a place guarded by his grandfather, Heng Hua received preferential treatment compared to others.

He recalled the first time he came to the Dragon Transformation Pool after he could remember things. Because he was naive and innocent, the moment he jumped onto the lotus leaf, Fu Danwei quickly submerged it, causing him to fall into the water.

It was ostensibly to educate his grandson: "Never trust others easily."

Later, whenever Fu Henghua came to the Dragon Transformation Pool, Fu Danwei would always find an opportunity to throw him into the pool to soak.

The pool was filled with spiritual liquid, which posed no harm to Heng Hua. But being drenched, Heng Hua disliked it immensely.

However, Heng Hua's repeated protests were met with a slap from Fu Danwei.

He was the Island Master of Panlong Island, second only to the Grand Elder in the Fu Family. If he wanted to discipline his grandson, who could say otherwise?

"Grandpa, that's enough. Let me get on the lotus leaf peacefully today. I plan to challenge the dragon transformation opportunity again."

"Alright."

Fu Danwei's tone carried a hint of mockery as the lotus leaf rose again.

"You brat, quickly enter a state of meditation."

Heng Hua first tossed a fan over. Seeing that the fan did not sink, he then stepped onto the leaf. As he moved, his heart was filled with trepidation, fearing that Grandpa would discover his dispersed cultivation and re-cultivation.

He wasn't worried about his grandfather harboring ill intentions towards him. Instead, he was concerned that his grandfather would fly into a rage upon learning that he had dispersed his cultivation and re-cultivated without prior reporting, and would worry himself sick over him.

Fu Danwei, from behind, silently suppressed the wicked thoughts in his heart, fearing that if he couldn't control himself, he might harm his grandson.

Heng Hua stepped onto the lotus leaf. Fu Danwei raised the Dragon Gate, set the difficulty to the highest, and quickly withdrew his Divine Sense.

The leaves at the edge of the lotus leaf gradually rose, like sunken seats rotating in the water. Rolling spiritual energy came from all directions, permeating the body through the skin.

Creation True Qi circulated wildly, and small heavenly cycles ran automatically.

However, the benefits of these "mosquito legs" were completely insignificant for "Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate."

The Dragon Transformation opportunity: a cultivator's consciousness is projected into the water as a spiritual fish. In the state of a fish, they frolic in the water, cultivating a dragon transformation method.

Simultaneously, the Dragon Transformation Pool conjures various Dragon Fish and Dragon Beasts to obstruct them. As long as they pass through layers of obstruction and enter the final Dragon Gate in the form of a Flood Dragon, they can obtain a strand of True Dragon Qi from within the Dragon Transformation Pool.

This True Dragon Qi is the essence of the Coiled Dragon Spiritual Vein. One strand of True Dragon Qi can increase one's cultivation by a hundred years. For Heng Hua, who wished to quickly recover his cultivation, the Dragon Gate was the only path.

But the Dragon Transformation opportunity was limited in time; the Dragon Gate was only open for three days. If he could not pass the Dragon Gate within three days, he would not be able to obtain the True Dragon Qi.

Furthermore, the Flood Dragons and Dragon Beasts blocking the way were extremely ferocious. Many people couldn't even last until the Dragon Gate, being killed by Dragon Beasts halfway and returning in defeat.

"Dragon Gate opens, time limit three days."

Listening to the words echoing in his ears, Heng Hua's consciousness sank into the Dragon Transformation Pool, transforming into a thumb-sized fry beneath the lotus leaf.

It continuously blew bubbles, absorbing the Dragon Qi in the water.

RUMBLE--

In the fry's vision, a sacred, magnificent portal appeared. On either side of the Dragon Gate stood coiled dragon pillars, emitting Dragon's Roars that resonated throughout the entire pool.

Golden runes flowed within the Dragon Gate, manifesting a secret dragon transformation technique, the Grand Profound Brocade Dragon Art. This was a fragment of a Xuan-level Technique that Fu Danwei had stumbled upon in his youth.

As time passed, the light at the bottom of the coiled dragon pillars would gradually dim. When three days passed, these two great pillars would completely lose their luster, and the Dragon Gate would close.

Heng Hua was a frequent visitor to the Dragon Transformation opportunity trials. Once the trial began, the fry decisively flicked its tail, darting out from the lotus leaf and crashing into another fry not far away.

At the same time, the Grand Profound Brocade Dragon Art that came with the Dragon Transformation Pool circulated within the fry. When the two small fish collided, Heng Hua quickly opened his mouth and ate the other fish, refining the Dragon Qi within it.

The fry grew slightly stronger, and Heng Hua charged towards the next target.

He mused in his heart, "On the first day of the Dragon Gate trial, all Dragon Species are at their initial stage of growth. I must evolve into a Dragon Fish as soon as possible to be able to fight those Dragon Lobsters and Dragon Turtles."

All creatures in the water could transform into dragons, not limited to fish and snakes.

Crustaceans like shrimp and crabs, mollusks like river mussels, amphibians like frogs and toads, reptiles like turtles and snakes, planktonic creatures like jellyfish, and even lotus leaves and algae that absorbed Dragon Qi could transform into Azure Dragons from plants.

Once, Heng Hua was only half a step away from the Dragon Gate. He had already transformed into a Flood Dragon and was just one leap away from the Dragon Gate. But a water weed drifted by the Dragon Gate, and he paid it no mind.

When he reached the Dragon Gate, that water weed instantly transformed into a green Flood Dragon and bit his Flood Dragon form to death on the spot.

After that incident, Heng Hua cursed the "green slut" for three days and three nights. His composure cultivated in the Langhuan Pavilion was completely shattered. For three days, he forbade anyone from whistling at fish, and Heng Shou was not allowed to wear green clothes in his presence.

The fry darted rapidly through the water, but upon seeing a juvenile turtle swimming in the distance, it decisively turned and left.

"In my current form, I can't defeat a turtle."

Of the seven types of dragon transformation routes in the water, trial-takers could only choose the fish path; the other six were enemies. Among these enemies, turtles and snakes were particularly special. When they appeared in the Dragon Transformation Pool, they were already hatched juveniles, much stronger than fish, shrimp, or water weeds.

Heng Hua swam around in the water, occasionally eating unhatched fish roe and toad roe.

Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, bypassed a water snake that was devouring a small shrimp nearby, and turned to run in another direction.

"Steady, steady. I absolutely cannot be careless at the start."

Heng Hua developed cautiously. In the environment surrounded by turtles and snakes, he finally molted into a juvenile fish.

The Fish Dragon evolutionary path, besides the Koi that Heng Hua habitually used, also included fish species like salmon, perch, eels, and loaches, all of which had the ability to transform into dragons. However, their innate abilities in the spiritual fish stage varied.

Carp were most suitable for dragon transformation, with their branch, Koi, possessing the ability to avoid misfortune and seek good fortune. Eels could command lightning, and loaches could hide in the mud...

As usual, Heng Hua's consciousness transformed into a Koi. Its red tail, like a fiery cloud, swam in the water. It directly ate juvenile water snakes and turtles it encountered. When it met adult shrimp spirits and crab monsters it couldn't defeat, it turned and fled.

Three hours later, the large red Koi was one meter long. With a thunderous roar, its body gradually elongated, and a patch of golden scales appeared on its forehead.

Dragon Fish, still a type of fish, and above that was the Fish Dragon, a dragon evolved from a fish.

When Heng Hua transformed into a Dragon Fish, the turtles in the Dragon Transformation Pool all evolved into Dragon Turtles, and one Dragon Turtle even showed the nascent form of a Baxia. The river mussels lying dormant at the bottom of the water also began to emit Dragon Qi, transforming into Jiaotu.

Water snakes also began to transform into Dragon Snakes, and nascent forms of Wood Dragons appeared among the water weeds...

"Not good--"

The Koi instinctively warned him, and Heng Hua decisively turned to dodge. However, a Dragon Eel entwined with purple lightning fiercely pounced, instantly killing Heng Hua's Dragon Fish form.

Heng Hua's vision went black. When he regained consciousness, he had once again transformed into a fry at the bottom of the lotus leaf.

"Calm down, calm down. This is a familiar situation."

Heng Hua underwent psychological self-construction and calmly started again.

After reaching the Dragon Fish stage, his most hated enemy was the electric eel.

Jiaotu and Baxia moved slowly; they could be avoided.

Only the Dragon Eel was the fastest and was covered in purple lightning, causing paralysis with just one touch.

The fry continued from scratch, but the other aquatic creatures in the Dragon Transformation Pool had already grown. The juvenile forms Heng Hua sought were very rare, and he had to carefully avoid the battles of Dragon Beasts like Jiaotu and Baxia.

"It's okay, as long as I seize the opportunity to pick up scraps and eat their juvenile forms after those Dragon Beasts die, I can grow again."

Another five hours passed, and Heng Hua finally grew into a Dragon Fish amidst a pack of Dragon Beasts. Then, by chance, Heng Hua ambushed an injured Dragon Loach and successfully evolved into a Fish Dragon.

Fish Dragons have the body of a dragon, covered in fish scales, with a raised horn on their forehead.

A Fish Dragon that progresses further, its fins transforming into four legs, becomes a Flood Dragon.

But by this time, several Flood Dragons had already appeared in the Dragon Transformation Pool.

The Flood Dragons had snake-like heads, all transformed from water snakes.

"Snakes really have a talent for transforming into dragons."

Watching the Flood Dragons, each ten meters long, swimming in the water, Heng Hua, who had transformed into a Fish Dragon, cautiously hid. However, the Fish Dragon was also two meters long, and it couldn't hide its presence even if it wanted to.

Before long, it was beaten back to its original form by the Flood Dragons and had to start its efforts anew as a small fry.

Fu Danwei's mood improved slightly as he watched his grandson strive in the Dragon Transformation Pool, a smile appearing on his aged face.

But soon, the shadowy presence began to stir his inner devil again.

The smile faded, and Fu Danwei cast a spell once more, suppressing the distracting thoughts in his heart.

Possess my grandson?

Am I going to destroy the grandson I painstakingly raised?

As his thoughts raced, Fu Danwei suddenly had another idea.

"Possession won't work, but what about dark arts?"

He had seen a type of dark art in the Langhuan Pavilion.

Through a blood sacrifice on an evil altar, a living person could be refined into a living pill, extending one's lifespan.

As evil thoughts surged, Fu Danwei's Divine Sense descended upon the Langhuan Pavilion.

Fu Xiangfeng finished his practice and came to Jade Fragrance Pavilion to pay his respects to his mother.

Besides Zhang Qiulan, several young ladies from the Fu Family were also present.

The women sat to the left and right of Zhang Qiulan, selecting gold threads.

Fu Xiangfeng asked curiously, "Mother, what are you and my sisters doing?"

"A new batch of gold threads arrived, Yun Jin. We plan to make some new clothes for the family."

Zhang Qiulan said indifferently, pointing to the gold threads, "You girls pick first, and then let your brothers choose. You can go now."

Fu Liuhui wanted to say something else, but seeing her second aunt's gaze, she left with Si Tong, Xian Tong, and Yun Tong.

Fu Xiangfeng seemed to realize something, "Eighth Sister still intends to seek revenge?"

Fu Liuhui was the daughter of Fu Xiangfeng's fourth aunt. Since her parents had passed away, she was raised by the Fu Family and named according to the family's order.

"I didn't let her leave the island. I'm having her make treasure clothes with her sisters to calm her down."

"But in a few days, aren't these young ladies supposed to go to the Yin Family?"

"Then, send more people to keep an eye on them. We can't let her really go and seek revenge alone."

Thinking of the trivial matters on Panlong Island, Zhang Qiulan felt a wave of annoyance.

A few years ago, Fu Henghua could still help her somewhat. But in recent years, he hid in the library and ignored even the mundane affairs, leaving her to take care of this large family.

"By the way, Mother. I heard that Uncle Nineteen has come to Panlong Island?"

"He has. But yesterday, it seems he had a cultivation breakthrough, and his courtyard sealed itself as he went into seclusion."

Zhang Qiulan had no good feelings towards Fu Heyi due to his intentions, and her demeanor was very cold. "Since he's in seclusion, don't go near there, lest you anger your grandfather."

Why would seeing Uncle Nineteen anger Grandfather?

Fu Xiangfeng looked confused, but Zhang Qiulan was unwilling to explain.

"Alright, go see your grandfather. Spend more time with the old man these days."

Fu Liuhui sent her three sisters back to their rooms and headed to the Langhuan Pavilion alone.

Seeing the Divine Sense drifting among the flowers outside the pavilion, she approached in surprise.

"Grandfather, why are you here?"

Then, she saw the Langhuan Pavilion was closed.

"Is Sixth Brother practicing? Why is the pavilion closed today?"

"He's in seclusion in the Dragon Transformation Pool."

Fu Danwei's Divine Sense was erratic, his heart constantly struggling between good and evil.

"Grandfather, are you here to borrow books?"

"No need."

Seeing those eyes, so similar to Fu Henghua's, Fu Danwei felt as if he had been jolted awake and suppressed the evil thoughts in his heart once more.

The Langhuan Pavilion secretly passed down many dark arts. When Fu Henghua was young and wanted to cultivate them, Fu Danwei beat him with a jade ruler for three days and three nights, leaving him bedridden.

Fu Danwei thought to himself: "Back then, I stopped my grandson from practicing evil arts. Now, to save my own life, I have to resort to evil arts to prolong my existence. If I really do this, how will I face my descendants in the future?"

He didn't linger in front of the library anymore, and Fu Danwei's Divine Sense returned to his main body.

Seeing her grandfather leave, Fu Liuhui looked up at the second floor of the library, stood quietly for a moment, and then turned to leave.

Addendum:

Dragon Physiognomy states: "The world has the Dragon Gate, where all things leap. They can all transform into dragons. However, these dragons are Wild Dragons, not True Dragons. They are often bullied by True Dragons."