The sun glimmered through the water's surface, casting shimmering patterns across the seabed. White Fang's sleek serpentine body cut through the currents like a silver spear, its movements both graceful and deadly.
Although it was an autonomous soul, its instincts were sharp—honed further by Bai Tianlong's consciousness guiding it like a hidden puppeteer. At any moment, Bai Tianlong could descend into White Fang's body, and now, he was fully merged, his sharp human intellect combined with the serpent's raw power.
His target: the thirty-five points needed to push White Fang past the 300-point threshold. If his guess was right, that would trigger the breakthrough to the fourth stage of Qi Condensation, the mid-stage Demon Servant Realm—a leap far greater than the previous small stage advancements.
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First Prey – The Water Turtle
From the shadow of a coral ridge, a massive Water Turtle emerged, its dome-like shell covered in algae and barnacles. It moved slowly, but Bai Tianlong's experience told him it was heavily defended.
Perfect warm-up.
He activated Dragon Spiritualize, letting White Fang's draconic bloodline surge. A faint golden phantom of a dragon coiled above its head, and Dragon Might poured out like a crushing wave. The Water Turtle froze for a moment, its movements sluggish under the oppressive aura.
White Fang's jaws opened, forming a Water Arrow. In the same motion, its Poison Fang grazed the condensed projectile, infusing it with lethal venom. The Poison-Water Arrow shot forward like a harpoon, striking the turtle's exposed neck.
The beast roared underwater, retreating into its shell. But Bai Tianlong was relentless—circling at high speed, he slammed repeated Water Arrows into the same weakened spot, slowly breaking the turtle's guard. After several tense minutes, the shell cracked just enough for a final venom-laced bite to pierce through.
Points gained: +3.
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Second Prey – The Swordfish Pack
The water stirred violently as a pack of Water Swordfish darted into view, their elongated snouts glinting like spears.
Fast attackers… good for honing reaction speed.
White Fang weaved through their synchronized charges, his body coiling and uncoiling with whip-like precision. He deliberately let one get close, then twisted mid-spin, tail whipping around to slam the fish into the seabed. Before it could recover, his fangs sank into it, venom flooding its bloodstream.
One by one, the swordfish fell, the last few trying to retreat—but White Fang's speed was now blinding. The final fish met its end with a fang strike to the gills.
Points gained: +5.
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The Final Hunt – The Swordfish Alpha
From the gloom ahead, a shadow approached—three times larger than the rest. The Swordfish Alpha was a predator even among demon beasts of its kind. Its water blade-like snout slashed at incredible speed, forcing White Fang to evade with tight, hairline dodges.
Bai Tianlong's mind was sharp and calculating. Using Dragon Might again, he forced a half-second hesitation from the Alpha, enough to counter. The serpent's tail coiled around the Swordfish's midsection, muscles straining as his jaws found purchase at the base of its skull.
The water around them reddened, and after a final thrash, the Swordfish Alpha went limp.
Points gained: +8.
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The Breakthrough
With the kills tallied, White Fang's total evaluation points surged past 300.
A wave of wild, boiling energy erupted inside its meridians. Its body stiffened, then trembled violently as its Qi pathways expanded, muscles thickened, and scales took on a faint sheen. The oppressive aura it now emitted made even smaller demon beasts scatter in terror.
White Fang had stepped into the mid-stage of Qi Condensation Realm—the mid-stage Demon Servant Realm.
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The Awakening of Racial Skills
As the breakthrough stabilized, new instincts bloomed in its bloodline. From the essence of the Swordfish Alpha, White Fang's tail shimmered with a blade-like layer of flowing water—its first racial skill, Water Sword Tail, capable of slicing through targets like a sharpened blade.
From the Water Turtle, an entirely different power emerged—a shimmering barrier of water shaped like a turtle shell, wrapping completely around White Fang. This was its second racial skill, Water Turtle Shield, a defense strong enough to repel most attacks from beasts of the same realm.
Bai Tianlong's eyes gleamed through the serpent's vision.
Mid-stage Demon Servant… and now two racial skills. The real hunt begins now.
The breakthrough completed, White Fang's serpentine body radiated a quiet, deadly pressure. Water still dripped from its scales, and faint wisps of poisonous mist curled from the edges of its fangs. Bai Tianlong withdrew his consciousness from the serpent's mind, the connection between them still thrumming with residual excitement.
In his mind's eye, the status panel appeared.
[Name: White Fang
Species: Poison Water Dragon Boa (White Variant)
Rank: 1st Order Demon Servant Beast – Mid Stage
Length: 10.3 meters
Core Evolution: First Devouring Evolution Completed
Talents & Traits:
1. Poison Affinity – Rank D
2. Rapid Movement – Rank D
3. Close Combat Mastery – Rank D
4. Dragon Spiritual Eyes – Rank D
5. Devouring Evolution – Rank E (Racial – from Split Soul Avatar Talent)
6. Dragon Might – Signature Trait
7. Water Affinity – Rank E
Racial Skills:
Water Sword Tail (New) grade low
Water Turtle Shield (New) grade low
Cultivation: Mid Stage – 1st Order Demon Servant Beast
Evolution Points: 300 / 1000]
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As Bai Tianlong's consciousness returned from White Fang's body, a stream of information poured into his mind. He glanced at White Fang's updated status once more, feeling the pulsing connection of the split soul avatar. The feedback from the breakthrough wasn't just mental — it surged like a tide through his meridians, brimming with the essence of the Poison Water Dragon Boa's evolution.
Without hesitation, Bai Tianlong crossed his legs and closed his eyes, drawing in the feedback energy. For over three hours, he cultivated without pause, refining the potent essence into his own spiritual qi. The density of the dragon bloodline within White Fang's breakthrough was astonishing, and even though it was only a mid-stage 1st Order Demon Servant evolution, its potency rivaled some rare treasures.
A deep hum resonated within his dantian. A moment later, the barrier shattered.
Bai Tianlong had broken through to the 2nd Stage of Qi Condensation.
He opened his eyes slowly, a flicker of disbelief passing through them before fading into calm acceptance. With White Fang's dragon lineage, this level of feedback was only natural. Still… to step forward so quickly left him with a faint smile. The path ahead suddenly felt a little shorter.