Chapter 820 - 405: Dragon Transformation: Underwater Evolution

Chapter 820: Chapter 405: Dragon Transformation: Underwater Evolution

His already formidable Power surged even more fiercely, and his body began to undergo subtle changes. He started to purposefully guide his new evolutionary direction.

As Cheng Zongyang continued to expand his territory, he discovered that massive and powerful creatures lurked in the depths of the lake.

Among them was an ultra-large catfish-like creature, measuring about four meters in length. It was covered in a layer of black scales. Each scale gleamed with a cold, metallic luster, as if meticulously forged by a blacksmith in the dark. Its head was enormous and hideous, with blood-red eyes that burned like twin flames, radiating a chilling glow in the murky depths.

Just like Cheng Zongyang, its appearance and size completely defied the natural bounds of its species. It was a creature that had also undergone a Mutation!

As Cheng Zongyang’s expansion gradually encroached upon the giant catfish’s territory, he slowed his frantic feeding. He had seen the master of this domain before. Back when he was still weak, he had witnessed its astonishing size and Power.

Now, although he was only a meter and a half long—not even half the size of his opponent—he felt no fear whatsoever. His Defense, Power, and lethality were more than enough to bridge the size gap.

Thus, as Cheng Zongyang brazenly continued to devour food in the opponent’s territory, the behemoth emerged from the muddy lakebed. Being so reckless in its domain was tantamount to courting death!

It charged furiously from the depths. Its massive body churned up a cloud of murky silt as it barreled toward Cheng Zongyang like a cannonball. Seeing this, Cheng Zongyang didn’t retreat. A fierce will to fight flashed in his eyes. He had claws and teeth—why would he fear a creature with no arms?

He whipped his tail, launching his body forward like an arrow released from a bow to meet the giant catfish head-on. Right before they collided, Cheng Zongyang nimbly dodged to the side, evading the catfish’s crushing frontal impact. At the same time, he extended his razor-sharp claws and slashed a deep, long gash across the creature’s flank.

Instantly, its highly defensive scales were torn open. Stung by the pain, the giant catfish grew even more enraged! It whipped around and lunged at Cheng Zongyang again, this time opening its cavernous, bloodthirsty maw in an attempt to swallow him whole.

Cheng Zongyang remained entirely unruffled. With another flick of his tail, he avoided the direct assault, though this time he only shifted slightly, keeping the distance close. As the catfish snapped its jaws shut on empty water, Cheng Zongyang thrust his claws viciously into its eye!

The eye ruptured instantly, and a cloud of blood plumed in the water!

Blinded and struck by agonizing pain radiating through its entire body, the giant catfish thrashed madly in place. Seizing the opportunity, Cheng Zongyang scrambled onto its back during a brief opening, sinking his claws deep into its flesh with all his might to begin his assault!

Lacking limbs and claws, the catfish had no way to counterattack and could only writhe in a frenzied struggle. But Cheng Zongyang’s four sets of claws were anchored deep into its meat. He held on tightly, refusing to let go no matter how violently the creature swam, rolled, or thrashed.

He didn’t stop there. As the catfish fought, he opened his jaws, bared his sharp teeth, and viciously tore a chunk of flesh from its back, eating it raw right then and there.

The giant catfish darted around frantically, swimming like a creature that had entirely lost its mind. However, Cheng Zongyang simply took bite after bite, devouring the flesh and rapidly digesting it.

Soon, the giant catfish lost its vitality and floated belly-up.

Having successfully "subdued" the monster, Cheng Zongyang continued to use his Refining Ability to consume the catfish bite by bite. The massive carcass was gradually broken down and absorbed by his body.

As the entirety of the catfish settled in his stomach, Cheng Zongyang’s physical form began to undergo even more striking transformations. His body length rapidly expanded, stretching from his original meter and a half to over two meters. His limbs simultaneously grew thicker and more powerful, with muscle definition coiling and bulging beneath his skin like horned dragons. His tail broadened significantly, and small forks began to form at the tip, giving it the nascent appearance of a flood dragon.

The Energy this giant catfish provided was far greater than that of a thousand normal fish!

Immediately, Cheng Zongyang set a new goal! Eating countless small fry was useless. Only massive creatures like this could satisfy the Energy requirements for his substantial growth!

He didn’t need to rest. Instead, he continued scouring the lake for other formidable creatures. Perhaps it was the trail of blood the giant catfish had left behind, but a large number of predators were drawn to the area. Among them were plenty of large fish over a meter long, and even pythons measuring over three meters in length and as thick as a man’s arm!

Cheng Zongyang didn’t hold back. Along his path, he unleashed a wave of slaughter and consumption, constantly accumulating Energy to propel his evolution into an even stronger form.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Cheng Zongyang’s territory grew larger and larger until it encompassed virtually the entire body of water. Within this domain, he spared no creature over two meters long. This terrified many large beasts into fleeing, but none could ultimately escape Cheng Zongyang’s Tracking.

His body grew longer and thicker, evolving toward the proportions of a giant python—albeit a giant python with four limbs! Now, his body length exceeded four meters, reaching an astonishing four and a half meters! The scales covering him had gradually hardened and grown lustrous, their color shifting from their original dull black to a profound cyan-black. The hue resembled mysterious iron forged in the deepest oceans.

His head had broadened, and a pair of small, thumb-length horns had grown atop it to enhance his skull’s lethality. Though not fully formed, they already exuded the grim aura of lethal weapons. His eyes grew larger and rounder, granting him a wider field of vision and even the ability to dynamically track targets. Any abnormal movement within his sight was instantly locked on, as if he could perceive everything.

His limbs had fully evolved into terrifying, five-toed claws. Each claw was enormous and razor-sharp, with tips that glinted with a cold, spectral light. A mere flick of his limbs underwater could churn up massive currents. His tail had undergone an earth-shattering transformation as well. It was now thick and long, ending in a spear-like tip with far more prominent forks. It allowed him to nimbly steer while swimming, pushing his aquatic speed to an astonishing level.

With his mighty strength and boundless ambition, Cheng Zongyang had nearly wiped out all the large fish in the lake over the past three years. Today, he was the undisputed king of these waters.

Not a single trace of any ultra-large creature capable of contending with him could be found in the entire lake. The snakes that used to swim freely and threaten other aquatic life had completely vanished. Terrified of his majesty, they dared not encroach upon his waters.

Moreover, even the creatures on the surrounding Land hardly dared to approach anymore. They lived in constant fear that Cheng Zongyang’s submerged silhouette would suddenly materialize like a phantom, ruthlessly dragging them into the water to become his prey.

One day, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze swept across the waters.

Cheng Zongyang slowly emerged from the depths, his massive and agile body gradually approaching the shore. His four-meter-long frame, roughly thirty to forty centimeters in diameter, broke the surface. Under the brilliant sunlight, his cyan-black scales shimmered with a mesmerizing yet imposing radiance. A cold, metallic luster coated each tightly interlocked scale, providing him with an impenetrable Defense while highlighting his regal demeanor.

After hauling himself ashore, his gargantuan body slithered slowly across the grassy bank. With every step, his sharp and powerful claws carved deep gouges into the dirt.

His gaze swept across the surroundings. This Land, once seemingly familiar yet foreign, now held a new meaning in his eyes. He knew that to continue evolving, aquatic life alone could no longer satisfy his growing need for Energy. The Land would become his new hunting ground.

To this end, he had already evolved a respiratory system that allowed him to survive on Land for extended periods. Hungry for more Energy, he set his sights on the forested mountains surrounding the lake.