Black Dragon Riding the Wave
Apprentice Stage Cultivator:
Tidal Pulse (Fish Karate): Begin by tempering the muscles through high-resistance movements in shallow water, allowing the body to adapt to constant pressure and flow, while rhythmic breathing synchronises with the current to generate the first faint strands of Black Scale Qi.
Scale Awakening: Through repeated mastery of "Fish Karate" strikes, condense the gathered Qi into a tangible defensive layer that clings to the body, causing the skin to gain the durability of the Black Scale Fish (1st Stage Demon) and enabling it to endure crushing pressure and blunt force.
Spectral Formation: Continue refining the Qi until it no longer remains bound to the body, allowing it to manifest outward as a projection, forming the image of the Black Scale Fish as a shimmering protective aura that moves like a living creature around the cultivator.
First / Foundation Stage Cultivator:
Abyssal Iron Tempering: Meditate at the ocean floor while maintaining the Fish Image, allowing the immense external pressure to force the Qi inward, gradually refining the skeleton and marrow until the bones harden like dark iron and become resistant to ordinary blades and crushing force.
The Leap of Severance: Drawing from the legend of the "Fish Leaping the Gate," the cultivator must forcibly eject the Qi image from the body, severing the direct connection so that the energy transforms into True Qi, a self-sustaining force capable of existing and fighting independently from the physical form.
Cloud-Long Ascension: Guide the True Qi upward into the atmosphere, where it absorbs the humid essence of high altitudes, allowing the Black Scale Fish to evolve into the Cloud-Long Fish (2nd Stage Demon), gaining the ability to move freely through the air as if swimming through water.
Second / Master Stage Cultivator:
Celestial Cloud-Driving: Comprehend the Principle of Clouds (movement and obscurity), allowing the Qi image to evolve beyond simple motion as it begins to influence the surrounding environment, enabling the cultivator to summon mist, veil their presence, and command celestial phenomena to conceal or strike at will.
Deep-Sea Forging: Return to the deepest ocean trenches, where the cultivator seeks the Principle of Water (weight and formlessness), enduring the crushing pressure and absolute silence to grasp the origin of aquatic power and the nature of unyielding yet ever-changing force.
Sea and Sky Map: This is the most perilous stage, where the cultivator must simultaneously channel the Principle of Clouds (sky) and the Principle of Water (sea), acting as the bridge between heaven and abyss while maintaining perfect balance between two opposing forces within the dantian.
Black Dragon Riding the Waves: The final transformation, where the Cloud-Long Fish absorbs the dual principles and undergoes a draconic metamorphosis, giving birth to a Young Black Dragon formed from Qi, capable of commanding storms and tides, as the cultivator rides the currents of fate and achieves Soul Awakening.
Soul-Awakening Stage:
The Black Dragon Body: A life-transformation cultivation technique in which the cultivator gradually abandons their human form and becomes a Black Dragon, as human cells are systematically replaced by draconic essence, the skin hardens into impenetrable scales, and the internal organs evolve to sustain and channel elemental storms.
Soul-Enlightenment Stage:
The transformed body begins to influence the soul itself, reshaping the human soul into a Black Dragon Soul that takes on a true draconic form, granting the cultivator Draconic Pressure (Long Wei), a spiritual dominance capable of suppressing weaker cultivators and commanding aquatic demons of lower stages.
Soul-Transformation Stage:
At this stage, the cultivator becomes a complete Black Dragon in essence, establishing a Dragon Palace in the depths of rivers or seas and gathering faith from aquatic creatures and nearby settlements, while the final breakthrough requires awakening the True Spirit, where the conflict between human identity and dragon identity forges a unified existence, and with faith as the anchor, they cross the Saint-stage tribulation to become a Humanoid Dragon Saint.
Chu Feng closes the book slowly, a trace of shock lingering in his eyes as he looks toward Yueqing.
He wants to ask.
Why has he been given such a precious technique?
One that matches him so perfectly.
But Yueqing raises her hand.
Silencing him.
Then she gestures toward Shi Yang, who is still reading his own book.
A month has passed since they stayed in Dragon City.
Now, as they prepare to leave,
Yueqing had handed each of them a book.
Chu Feng opened his without hesitation.
And from the very first page,
He was drawn in.
Completely.
The technique recorded within,
Is a Saint-stage cultivation method.
From the Ocean Dragon inheritance, he had only obtained a half-step Saint-stage technique.
Incomplete.
And flawed.
The true form of the Ocean Dragon is not human,
But a fish.
Only after reaching the Soul Awakening stage does the difference between fish and human disappear.
But he has not reached that stage yet.
So he must be extremely careful while cultivating.
Even now,
Within his mind,
A dragon consciousness exists.
An alternative will.
Growing.
If he does not resolve it,
He will never safely step into the Soul Awakening stage.
He will be consumed.
That is why he left Vostok Town.
Left the island.
Seeking a solution.
Because his own consciousness is weakening,
While the dragon consciousness grows stronger.
Unlike warriors, spiritual refiners do not face thunder tribulation.
But what they face instead,
Is far more dangerous.
A spiritual tribulation.
Where the consciousness of their natal object attempts to seize control of their body.
And the stronger the natal object,
The more terrifying the danger.
But now,
With this technique,
He sees a path.
A way to refine the dragon consciousness.
To suppress it.
To overcome it.
And break through.
He glances sideways.
Shi Yang is still reading.
His book,
"Holy Dragon Commands the Heaven."
Chu Feng lowers his gaze again.
Returns to his own book.
"Black Dragon Riding the Wave."
He continues reading.
Beyond the main cultivation method,
The book also contains a Saint-stage sword technique.
Rain Sword.
A movement technique.
Void Cloud Movement.
And even detailed records of supporting pills.
Black Scale Fish Pill,
Used to refine Qi into Black Fish Qi.
True Qi Pill.
Cloud Qi Pill.
Body Protecting Pill,
Essential for underwater cultivation, preventing internal damage from crushing pressure.
He closes the book again.
At the same moment,
Shi Yang finishes reading as well.
Yueqing speaks calmly, her tone steady and without any fluctuation.
"These two techniques are rewards from my cousin for protecting Biyun."
Chu Feng and Shi Yang exchange a brief glance, a silent understanding passing between them, as both of them carry an unusual and complicated relationship with Merin that makes accepting anything from him feel like an unspoken burden.
Neither of them wishes to owe him anything.
Yet at the same time,
The value of the techniques is undeniable.
Too important.
Too perfectly suited to ignore.
The hesitation lingers between them, subtle but clear.
Yueqing notices it immediately.
Her gaze remains calm as she speaks again, her voice carrying a quiet firmness.
"I have already given you the techniques."
"What you choose to do with them is up to you."
"You may burn them…"
"Or cultivate them."
She pauses slightly.
"I believe the two of you will make the wise choice."
Without waiting for a reply, she turns and walks out of the room, leaving them in silence with their thoughts.
Deep beneath the city, inside the cave below the totem, Merin finally completes the tenth transformation of his Dream Snake.
From the principles he extracted from Chu Feng, he has come to truly understand the path of transformation, from fish to dragon.
But understanding a principle and truly grasping its essence are entirely different matters.
Now,
He bridges that gap.
The Dream Snake begins its final change.
It had once only taken the form of a dragon.
Now,
It gains essence.
As the transformation completes, the creature lets out a deep, resonant roar, its body expanding as it rises from his dantian and enters his spirit space.
The moment it enters,
Its consciousness awakens.
For the first time, it will become clear.
It struggles.
Resists.
Attempts to oppose Merin.
But the difference between them is absolute.
Like a candle flame attempting to challenge the sun.
Merin does not destroy its will.
Instead, he reshapes it.
Refines it.
Turns it into an alternate self,
Something that can be controlled.
The transformation does not stop.
It continues.
Eleventh.
Twelfth.
The creature now truly resembles a dragon.
Majestic.
Complete in form.
Yet Merin knows the truth.
Its essence is still that of a worm.
Its foundation limits it.
It cannot evolve further in the same way.
The next transformation,
Is different.
It is no longer a simple evolution.
It is a matter of life and death.
If it succeeds,
It will become a true dragon in every sense.
If it fails,
His spiritual refining cultivation will collapse.
It will not destroy his overall cultivation,
But the damage will be severe.
Merin proceeds with extreme caution.
The dragon begins to change.
Its body contracts.
Wings fold inward.
Tail coils tightly.
It compresses into the shape of an egg.
Then,
Its body begins to crystallise.
Slowly.
Completely.
When the crystallisation finishes,
Its true essence is revealed.
Bare.
Unstable.
Exposed.
Merin begins to rewrite it.
Carefully.
Replacing the essence of the Dream Worm,
With that of a Virtual Dragon.
Every movement of his will is precise.
Every change is controlled.
Because even the slightest mistake,
Will cause the entire essence to collapse.
Like a broken program.