Don't Mess with that Turtle

He hadn't noticed it in Snake Valley, but after returning to Crocodile Beach and sinking to the bottom of the water, he realized that he could breathe normally underwater now, not using his cloaca, but his lungs were breathing normally.

Although it was not as smooth and full as in the air, after adapting, the oxygen he inhaled underwater was completely sufficient for his survival.

Intense exercise was not a problem either.

He was also faster because scales had grown on his limbs. Not the densely packed scales of fish, but the full and sharp scales akin to those of a Kylin or a dragon.

Not only was the defense astonishing when knocked, it made a clanging sound like armor. These scales seemed to naturally possess the ability to control water. Paired with Su He's Water Control Divine Skill, the water flowed around him at his whim, making his speed in the water fast as an arrow.

He could even control the current away from his body, and Su He could throw a waterball like tossing a brick. Although it wasn't very powerful, it was still a ranged attack, right?

If I can't beat you, I can at least drench you in pee.

Now, looking at himself, aside from his head not turning into a dragon head and still having a turtle tail, Su He resembled the Dragon Turtle in his Mind Orifice by about seventy percent.

That would suffice; no need for more evolution. Becoming a dragon head, with such a big head and horns, there would be no safety in retracting into the shell.

A dragon tail would be fine, though; judging by the shape, it should increase swimming speed.

The crocodiles returned one by one from their hunt.

Autumn fish were plump now; there was no shortage of prey. Those that caught land beasts would also howl as they brought their catch to Su He.

After this evolution, Su He had even fewer things he could eat.

Ordinary fish and wild animals were no longer to his taste. His sense of taste had improved too much, he could taste the gamey smell of wild animals, and it was hard to swallow. Moreover, the energy contained in ordinary beasts was too low, and eating couldn't keep up with digestion.

Even for the two-point quality beasts, the feeling was just so-so.

Luckily, the crocodile group was enormous, and one by one, they offered up enough to occasionally produce three or four points of quality. Su He simply returned the two-point quality prey back to the crocodiles; he only ate food with three points or more.

Even three-point quality food was digested by the next day. Su He maintained a frequency of eating once a day.

As days passed, he was adapting to his evolved body.

The acute hearing, the sensitive sense of smell, the suddenly increased physique, all made the turtle feel out of sorts.

In just three or four months, he had grown from the size of a dinner plate to that of a double bed, and such a sudden leap required a long time to settle and digest.

Luckily, a turtle never lacks time.

Su He was fed at Crocodile Beach at night, and during the day, he would crawl back to Snake Valley to sleep.

The weather was getting cooler by the day. Half of the poisonous snakes in Snake Valley were gone, as different species have varied cold tolerance, and some had already entered hibernation.

Even the Green Snake only moved around when there was enough sunlight, remaining lazy and motionless the rest of the time.

In past years, by this time, Su He would also have been looking for a place to hibernate, but this year, having grown scales, his cold resistance was noticeably stronger. He felt he could still move around outside for a while, waiting until after the first snow to hibernate wouldn't be too late.

The sun lazily shone down as the autumn wind blew outside the valley, making a noise akin to a horn at the mouth of the valley. A small boat descended from the clouds, heading straight for Snake Valley.

The languid Green Snake instantly perked up and, with a whoosh, jumped onto Su He's shell. Su He watched as the flying boat slowly retreated to the small lake.

Whoever the visitor was, having an escape route was the instinct of beasts.

There was a tunnel under the lake, and if the situation turned dire, he could make a distant escape.

The flying boat stopped above Snake Valley, and a transparent array appeared above it, most likely the protection for the Green Snake mentioned by the chubby Taoist.

"Brother Green Snake, I, Gu Lin from Qingyuan Gate, have learned of your awakened Spirit Wisdom and specially invite you to return to the mountains for cultivation," said a woman dressed as a Taoist nun on the boat, her plain face without makeup, pleasant to the eye. Her tone was unhurried, giving off an air of calm composure.

This was surely a Kun Taoist with genuine Tao Cultivation.

Su He and the Green Snake subconsciously thought so.

Before the Green Snake could speak, a naughty, milky voice came from the flying boat, "Big Turtle, Big Turtle, open the door. It's me!"

A little one in a red outfit was waving a lotus-white jade bi, jumping up and down on the flying boat.

It was Feng Yaya.

"Big Turtle! I've come to find you!"

Gu Lin pointed with her halberd, and the prohibition opened. Before she could speak, Feng Yaya had already leaped down.

Gu Lin's complexion changed in an instant, and the Immortal Sword shot out, pointing directly at Su He and Green Snake.

Green Snake as if facing a great enemy.

Feng Yaya, however, cried out loudly, and thudded down onto Su He's head, her hard scales causing her much pain. Yet she burst into laughter. "Big Turtle, Big Turtle, you've grown so big!"

The taste hadn't changed; it was still her. But she had gone from a dish to a big bed.

"Ao~" Su He quickly growled lowly, indicating to Green Snake that this was a friend, while he shielded Feng Yaya beneath him to prevent Green Snake from attacking impulsively if provoked.

They were neighbors as well as friends, and Su He had protected Green Snake for so long in Snake Valley; it was his duty to protect Green Snake so she wouldn't be hung up and beaten by Feng Yaya.

The image of Feng Yaya brandishing a crocodile to beat a wolf had been deeply etched in Su He's mind two months earlier.

Despite her small size, she could form a Spirit Talisman with a flick of the wrist. She was a little rakshasa with magical protection, not someone to be trifiled with.

Gu Lin hurried down into Snake Valley, with her Immortal Sword already sheathed, but her guard remained high.

After all, she was facing two beasts.

Especially that Green Snake, which had already awakened its Spirit Wisdom, it was uncertain how much knowledge she had gained from her legacy. Most legacies offer only demon techniques and Taoist methods, rarely touching upon human relations and social norms.

If they did...then caution was warranted, as the methods of the demons who left their legacies might not be entirely satisfactory.

"Brother Green Snake, the Heavenly Secret Mirror shows that you have awakened your Spirit Wisdom," Gu Lin spoke with the full ceremony, "as an Elder of Qingyuan Gate, it is my humble duty to test your talents and guide you to join our sect."

Gu Lin was thorough in her observance of formalities.

Su He and Green Snake simultaneously tilted their heads to look at her.

Green Snake, flicking out its tongue, slid down from Su He's Shell. "Okay!"

Green Snake, born in Qingyuan Territory, had no choice but to seek tutelage in Qingyuan Gate after transforming into a human. Qingyuan Gate would never let her roam freely.

Since the day she awakened her Spirit Wisdom, when someone set up the prohibition in Snake Valley, Green Snake knew this.

"Do not worry, brother," said Gu Lin. "It's just to test your elemental attributes to recommend a suitable branch and Cultivation Techniques within our sect."

Green Snake flicked its tongue, signaling understanding, and poked its tail at the token that Gu Lin took out.

The Golden token was filled with swirling blue and dark mist.

"Water and wood attributes, of superior talent. Congratulations, brother!" Gu Lin congratulated Green Snake with a bow. "I recommend that you join either the Sword Washing Pool or Evergreen Peak; both are specialized in water and wood Cultivation Techniques, and their subsidiary businesses are also popular among the sect's disciples."

A demon of superior talent!

Demon Clan were naturally endowed and were sure to reach the Demonic Realm. With such superior talent, one could make significant progress in the Demonic Realm; and with a stroke of supreme fortune, it wouldn't be impossible to pursue the highest manner of Stepping Sky Realm like the Sect Leader and his wife.

This Snake Demon could very well leave her far behind in three or four hundred years.

Green Snake coiled its tail, a hint of human-like pride shining in its eyes.

She hissed at Su He, "Friend Gu, can you also test this Little Turtle's talent and attributes for me? Although this Little Turtle is unlucky, unable to transform into a human, knowing its talent and attributes as an Exotic Beast would still help identify its path of evolution, making the journey much more effective."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Feng Yaya immediately nodded her head. "Aunt Lin, quickly test Big Turtle. They say Big Turtle is a Divine God Beast, and I think so too... "

Wrong!

She was in the midst of speaking when she glared viciously at Green Snake: "This is my Big Turtle!"

Such an annoying long worm; we've only been apart for seventy-two days and you're already trying to steal my Big Turtle? I'll beat you dead and eat your meat.

Green Snake, flicking its tongue, was perplexed. She only intended to help her friend, who was so pitiable, unable even to attain human form. It seemed that the Demonic Fruit she had consumed was of poor quality or her talent was insufficient to absorb it entirely.

Having lived together for two months and now about to leave, she wanted to help if she could. If the opportunity arose in the future to return and take him as her subordinate or Beast Pet and provide for him, it would be a fitting end to this time of ignorance they had shared.

Gu Lin chuckled and extended the token towards Su He.

Su He tilted his head, pondered for a moment, and stretched out his paw to press it against the token.

Surprise flashed in Gu Lin's eyes; this turtle seemed very spirited. Without consuming the Demonic Fruit, yet possessing such open Spirit Wisdom, could it really have Divine God Blood?

The moment Su He touched the token, the Golden token instantly turned pitch black, echoing with the sounds of waves.