170: Turtle Phase Breakthrough

Qianjiao Cliff, seclusion chamber.

The dense blue water Spiritual Qi had materialized into a mist, slowly rotating within the chamber. At its center, Turtle Three Thousand revealed his true form—a Black Turtle the size of a millstone with a heavy, ancient shell.

His eyes were tightly shut, his breath long and deep. His Demonic Power revolved around his Dantian, undergoing the final and most perilous stage of condensation and compression.

The "ocean vastness spirit nurturing pearl" hovered above his head, emitting a soft yet vast water-element radiance that poured down like a waterfall. It continuously nourished his Physical Body and soul while providing the massive amount of pure Spiritual Qi required for the Breakthrough.

Turtle Three Thousand felt neither joy nor sorrow, only the verses of the "Mystic Water Guizang Art" flowing through his mind.

This was the Cultivation Technique passed down through the Bloodline of the Black Turtle Clan, balanced and peaceful, excelling in accumulation and defense.

Now, with the assistance of the ocean vastness spirit nurturing pearl, the technique was operating at an unprecedented peak.

Within his Dantian, the majestic Demonic Power was continuously refined and compressed, transforming from a gaseous state into thick liquid droplets, which then frantically converged and collapsed toward a solid core!

This process was painful and slow, like forging a Demon Core within the body. Even the slightest error would result in Demonic Power spiraling out of control and his Meridians being completely shattered.

Time passed bit by bit.

On Turtle Three Thousand's shell, the natural patterns began to emit a faint light, vaguely forming even more complex designs, as if the ancient River Map and Luo Script were manifesting.

His aura surged and ebbed like the tide, yet the condensation at the core proceeded with unwavering determination.

An unknown amount of time passed—perhaps a day, perhaps several.

Suddenly, Turtle Three Thousand's body jolted!

Within his Dantian, a solid core—a Demon Core—brilliant as a deep blue star, incredibly solid, and containing the entirety of his Demonic Power essence along with a sliver of insight into the Law of Water, had finally completely formed!

"Buzz—!"

The moment the Demon Core formed, a surge of Demonic Power more than thirty times stronger than before erupted from within Turtle Three Thousand's body!

The water spiritual mist condensed in the chamber was instantly dispersed and absorbed!

His previously aged aura was swept away, replaced by one that was thick, deep, and filled with majestic vitality and pressure!

The light on the Black Turtle's shell shone brightly, the patterns as clear as if carved, emitting a heavy Dao charm of defense.

Third-Tier Demon King, achieved!

Not only was it a Breakthrough in Realm, but under the nourishment of the ocean vastness spirit nurturing pearl's pure water spiritual Origin and a sliver of strange Dragon Breath, Turtle Three Thousand's Bloodline also seemed to have undergone a degree of purification and sublimation.

He felt his affinity for water spirits increase significantly, his perception of water veins became clearer, and even the Path of Divination, which had been progressing slowly, seemed to have its mist cleared, becoming a bit more effective.

In his mind, some deeper Legacy memories of the Black Turtle Clan were also unlocked.

He slowly opened his eyes, which shone with a piercing light yet carried the characteristic steadiness and wisdom of a Black Turtle.

With a thought, his body shrank and transformed into a semi-human form. Though he appeared as an old man, his complexion was ruddy, his spirit was vigorous, and his aura was as deep as the sea, with no trace of frailty.

"Third-Tier... this old turtle has finally stepped into this Realm!" Feeling the surging power and long Lifespan within him, Turtle Three Thousand could not restrain his excitement.

He bowed deeply and reverently toward the main hall of the Gao De spirit cave: "It is all thanks to the Master's gift of this opportunity! This favor is heavier than the deep sea!"

After a brief moment of breath regulation to stabilize his newly formed Demon Core, he impatiently walked out of the seclusion chamber.

Although the commotion of the Breakthrough was mostly concealed by the Formation, the unique aura of a newly ascended Demon King still caused a stir of excitement within Qianjiao Cliff.

Soon, Lin Xiaofan, who was temporarily in charge of affairs, rushed over. Seeing Turtle Three Thousand's transformed aura, he quickly offered his congratulations: "Congratulations, Chief Steward Turtle, on your successful Breakthrough to the rank of Demon King!"

"Steward Lin is too kind; this old turtle was merely lucky." Turtle Three Thousand stroked his beard and smiled, his tone carrying more confidence than before. "Has the Master returned? How is the situation on the cliff lately?"

Lin Xiaofan quickly reported on Gao De leading the team to scout the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye, the sudden subsiding of the Sea Eye's anomalies, and the signs that various factions were preparing to withdraw.

After hearing this, Turtle Three Thousand pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing with wisdom. "The Master's decision was brilliant. If the Sea Eye's movement is truly periodic, it instead gives us the opportunity to operate in the shadows and strike later. Now that I have emerged from seclusion, I should immediately share the Master's burdens.

Steward Lin, please summarize all recent intelligence for me, especially the detailed movements of the various factions withdrawing and the subsequent support preparations the Master might need."

Turtle Three Thousand's emergence from seclusion was like injecting a more powerful stabilizer and lubricant into the precision machine that was Qianjiao Cliff.

Soon, tasks such as intelligence analysis, resource scheduling, and internal defense became increasingly efficient and meticulous under the management of Turtle Three Thousand, the newly ascended Third-Tier Demon King and incredibly experienced Chief Steward.

Meanwhile, far away on the outskirts of the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye, Gao De felt something at the exact moment Turtle Three Thousand successfully condensed his core.

He shared a master-servant contract with Turtle Three Thousand and had even bestowed him with Essence Blood and a Magic Treasure, allowing him to vaguely sense the leap in his life level.

"Turtle Three Thousand... succeeded." A smile appeared on the corner of Gao De's mouth.

Adding another Third-Tier to his subordinates—and a Black Turtle Demon King skilled in internal affairs, intelligence, and divination—was a massive boost to the overall strength and foundation of Qianjiao Cliff.

Especially in these turbulent times, a stable and wise rear was crucial.

He glanced at the receding figures of various factions—some orderly, some confused or frustrated—then looked back at the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye, which had returned to its deep calm.

"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked. And the true divers have only just begun to measure the depth." Gao De made his decision. "Pass the order: everyone, withdraw to Qianjiao Cliff."

The power of Qianjiao Cliff had quietly grown more substantial. The returning Shadow Hunters brought back the aftertaste of the storm. The chessboard for the next game was silently being laid out once more.