The next day, the weather was fine, and a wooden sign appeared by the lake, inscribed with,

[Days remaining until Divinity Transformation: Ninety]

[Number of remaining gate crashes today: 29983]

Roar!

The Water Python soared through the air, crashing into the Dragon Gate with a bang.

Jiang Yuebai was immobilized by the lakeside, her brows tightly furrowed, beads of sweat dotting her forehead, as she was held in place by a Restriction·Immobilization set by the Water Python.

Restrictions, like Demon Arts, are divided into Small Restrictions and Big Restrictions, with Small Restrictions having a single use but many types.

Big Restrictions are rare and difficult to learn, some even have bloodline limitations, and there are a few Big Restrictions in the Dragon Palace, separating it from the seawater above, creating a world of its own.

The difference between Restrictions and Demon Arts is that once a Restriction is deployed, it needs no further energy to maintain, and its strength depends on how much force was used during deployment. Once deployed, it can exist indefinitely as long as it’s not destroyed, until nature’s energy is depleted.

Demon Arts, however, require the constant guidance and maintenance of Divine Soul Power, and once the power is cut off, they cease to function.

Demon Arts work similarly to spells, while Restrictions are more like runes.

Restrictions can be placed not only on people but also at any location with nature’s spiritual energy, operating autonomously or activating upon touch.

The process of the Water Python applying this Small Restriction on her was slow, the entire procedure etched clearly into her Sea of Consciousness.

Reverse engineering is a quick method to learn Restrictions.

Before teaching her, the Water Python raised three toes, which Jiang Yuebai guessed meant it would only teach her three types of Small Restrictions.

Learning three is good enough; Small Restrictions might be less effective against the Demon Clan, but they can be formidable techniques against Human Cultivators below Divinity Transformation.

Imagine in the heat of battle, suddenly immobilizing the opponent’s body, even for an instant, could be enough to turn the tides of defeat.

Roar——

There was no night in the Pocket Secret Realm; the Water Python crashed into the gate countless times, its dragon head dizzy, dragon body sore, before glancing at the number on the wooden sign.

[Number of remaining gate crashes today: 14]

Then it looked at its raised Little Immortal Ganoderma, still immobilized by the lake, unable to move.

The Water Python’s eyes shifted, and the number on the wooden sign instantly reset to zero, allowing it to go back to sleep, roaring jubilantly～～

The Water Python joyfully twirled in the air twice, just about to dive into the lake to sleep, when a deep voice interrupted.

"Cheating will be punished."

As the words fell, a flash of light swept across the wooden sign.

[Days remaining until Divinity Transformation: Ninety-one]

[Number of remaining gate crashes today: 140]

The dragon’s eyes widened, protesting.

Roar!!!

Jiang Yuebai continued to immerse herself in deciphering the Restriction, calmly stating, "Roar again, and I’ll commit suicide."

Trying to trick her? She could manage three tasks at once.

One Divine Thought to crack the Restriction, one to monitor the Water Python, and another constantly watching the Secret Realm’s entrance.

The Water Python blew out two heavy snorts from its nostrils, unmoved.

"Don’t think just because you’ve immobilized me, I can’t commit suicide. I can fast! I can stop growing! Once I break the Restriction, I’ll commit suicide immediately!"

Water Python: ......

"For every ten hesitations, I’ll add a zero to your number. If it’s not completed within twelve hours, I’ll delay my maturity by a month. Let’s see if I dare or not. Ten, nine, eight..."

Roar, roar, roar!!!

The dragon was infuriated, but the dragon was too afraid to speak.

Thud!

The Water Python rammed its head into the Dragon Gate with such force that even Jiang Yuebai felt her Heavenly Spirit Cover tingle.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The Water Python violently collided, even more aggressively than before, as if treating the Dragon Gate as Jiang Yuebai, intent on smashing her.

When the number finally reset to zero, the dragon claw swept up a gust, flinging the wooden sign onto Jiang Yuebai’s head, before the Water Python circled proudly twice more, dived into the lake to rest, and even splashed water all over Jiang Yuebai.

Jiang Yuebai: !!!

Jiang Yuebai gritted her teeth, drenched and burning from the Dragon Transformation Pool water that splashed on her. She hurried to circulate her Spiritual Energy to resist, but this power was exceptionally strong, like the Water Python crashing the Dragon Gate, scattering her Spiritual Energy completely.

Ugh!

Jiang Yuebai let out a painful groan, immobile and unable to move, relying solely on willpower and physical strength to forcibly resist the refining of the Dragon Transformation Water.

In her sea of consciousness, the sound of dragon roars resonated, rising and falling without pause, as if in a trance she saw a four-clawed white dragon with wings on its back conjuring clouds and summoning rain, roaring through thunderstorms with a momentum piercing the heavens.

The majestic dragon presence overwhelmed her, making Jiang Yuebai feel as though her entire body was being forcibly stripped of a layer of skin, the tearing agony made her unable to hold back from crying out.

Her divine soul was momentarily shaken, forcibly breaking open the immobilization prohibition.

Jiang Yuebai curled up on the ground, though she anticipated the Dragon Transformation Water’s body refining to be painful, the current pain was a hundred times stronger than she imagined, a thousand times worse than shedding her skin from swallowing the Snake Shedding Fruit back then.

Besides peeling skin, it felt as if blades were slowly growing out from her flesh, was she going to grow dragon scales?

The water python, hearing her cries of pain, poked its dragon head out from the lake, looking at Jiang Yuebai with trepidation, afraid the Little Immortal Ganoderma was being scorched by the Dragon Transformation Water.

"It hurts! You damn fool, think of something fast! If I die, you can forget about Divinity Transformation!"

Jiang Yuebai shouted while curled on the ground, the water python retreated a bit, eyes flickering with guilt. After pondering for a moment, it still extended its dragon claw and lightly tapped in front of Jiang Yuebai.

Streams of golden light gathered at its fingertip, transforming into a complex golden character that fiercely entered Jiang Yuebai’s body.

The chaotic forces within her body immediately found order under the guidance of the golden light, surging and receding like tides, continuously flushing her body, while guiding Jiang Yuebai’s breathing to rise and fall in rhythm with the tides.

Little did she know, this breathing technique was the Winged Dragon’s breathing method, that by using the Dragon Transformation Pool’s water, could transform a water snake gradually into a winged dragon.

Humans lack the dragon vein and cannot transform into a dragon, yet it has excellent body refining effects.

Once the Dragon Transformation Water on her body was completely consumed, the water python withdrew its golden light, silently sinking back into the lake to continue sleeping.

Jiang Yuebai lay on the ground gasping heavily, pulling up her sleeve to see, indeed there were extremely faint dragon scale patterns on her skin, gradually fading beneath the surface.

No need to think of the unruly Big Dog Thief, just considering when the Dragon Palace opened before, so many Nascent Soul and Golden Core experts gathered to attack the water python, yet only scratches were left on its scales, without the slightest injury.

Moreover, the rumors say dragon scales are immune to all techniques, with most spells being ineffective against them.

A single dragon scale could be refined into armor, not to mention dragon blood, tendons, meat, and bones are precious treasures, thinking this way, the three million top-grade spirit stones bounty from Feiyan Pavilion and Heavenly Nine Palace seems still not enough.

Jiang Yuebai didn’t have the guts to slay a dragon, she only wished to keep her life and scrape some benefits from under its claws, last time she collected a lot of dragon blood, which might be very useful after Core Formation.

Also, the breathing technique just now was really useful. Without it, she wouldn’t have digested the Dragon Transformation Water so quickly, but without the guidance of the water python’s golden light, she couldn’t find that breathing sensation herself.

This time, being doused with so much water was indeed a bit too much, it should be done gradually in smaller amounts; otherwise, it’s truly painful.

Jiang Yuebai turned over to sit, looking at the now gradually calming lake.

"This Dragon Transformation Water is excellent, it would be nice if I could take a little bit with me."

Jiang Yuebai rummaged through her belongings, unfortunately finding only bottles for elixirs and a gourd for spiritual wine, neither could hold much water.

Wait, a gourd?

Jiang Yuebai summoned the Ruyi Water Gourd from her dantian, could this thing hold the Dragon Transformation Pool’s water?

Let’s try!

The next day, the water python was awakened by Jiang Yuebai’s deliberately piercing flute sound, annoyed with two howls, it arose.

As soon as its dragon head emerged from the lake, it immediately felt something was off.

Upon inspecting the lake’s edge, the water level had dropped over three inches!

Aoooo!!

The dragon raged, throwing three immobilization prohibitions at Jiang Yuebai practicing boxing by the lake, but they were all broken by Jiang Yuebai in less than three breaths.

"Learned immobilization, next!"

The dragon was dumbfounded, sending out a Small Restriction Blinding, Jiang Yuebai was instantly blinded and tripped.

The water python raised its head proudly and soared into the sky, smashing against the Dragon Gate with a bang.

The numbers on the newly erected wooden sign by the lake quickly decreased.

Burp~

Jiang Yuebai was hiccuping from eating too much spiritual medicine and demon cores, her vision pitch black, her divine sense obstructed, she unhurriedly sat cross-legged on the grass, frowning, continuing to unravel the prohibitions.

"I’m nearly out of demon cores, think of something, Dragon Lord~~"

Aooo!

"Once you finish crashing, don’t rush to sleep, help me with body refining."

Aoooo!!

"Won’t help and I’ll commit suicide!"

Aooooo!!!

In the Pocket Secret Realm, where day and night did not alternate, only the lake’s water level dropped day by day, leaves fell day by day, and the numbers on the wooden sign reduced day by day.

Jiang Yuebai’s cultivation increasingly approached Foundation Establishment Perfection, and the Cloud Mushroom Grass Bloodline was also nearing full level.

On this day, the water python’s dragon head suddenly felt itchy, scales on its back began shedding for no reason...

[You have three days left until Divinity Transformation]