Chapter 163 – Time Secret Realm: Triple Flow Speed

Speaking of dragons, Eastern dragons give an impression of nobility and elegance.

Describing dragons, they can be large or small, ascend or hide; when large, they stir clouds and exhale mist, when small, they conceal their form; ascending, they soar between the heavens and earth, hiding, they lurk within the waves.

Western dragons, on the other hand, give a sense of ferocity and might, and their most impressive ability is known as—breath.

Allowing flames to brew within their chest and abdomen, then spewing them forth from their mouths—such dragon’s breath is considered an innate talent of Western dragons and their strongest ability. In tales and legends, countless kingdoms and cities have been burned to ashes by dragon’s breath.

And the ability Mu Lin has now obtained is of this type.

Of course, having evolved and advanced within the Thunder Pool, Mu Lin’s breath is not in the form of flames but lightning.

Overall, Mu Lin is quite satisfied with this ability.

“The power of lightning breath is formidable, and the Colossal Beast Godzilla also possesses an atomic breath ability. My breath has the potential to evolve to that level.”

Of course, ability evolution is for the future. For now, Mu Lin needs to emerge from the Majestic Thunder Pool.

He has no choice—two consecutive evolutions have completely exhausted the potential he had accumulated during this period. He could force another molting if he tried, but it would damage his potential.

Specifically, after molting, Mu Lin would originally gain a sixty percent increase in physical attributes. However, if he molts while his potential is depleted, he would only receive fifty percent, or even as low as thirty percent, in physical enhancement.

This is not what Mu Lin wants.

“Leaping through the Dragon Gate as a Jiao Dragon is no simple feat. Nine moltings, all performed to their fullest, give me only a slim chance. If my potential is damaged, the difficulty of transforming into a True Dragon will skyrocket.”

To achieve the heights he aspires to in the future, Mu Lin has no choice but to rest and recuperate for a while before attempting the third molting.

At the same time, Mu Lin’s Mana is nearly depleted—Spirit Channeling – Ancestral Soul is indeed powerful, but it consumes a great deal of energy.

Fortunately, the Ziwei Emperor Star Power only elevates his rank and does not involve Mana; otherwise, Mu Lin would have been exhausted even faster.

“Swish!”

After all, this is a trial. Due to its special design, entering the Thunder Pool was a step-by-step struggle for Mu Lin, but retreating was effortless.

In just a few moments, he had withdrawn from the Majestic Thunder Pool.

Simultaneously, when Mu Lin stopped his challenge, his results were tallied.

Unsurprisingly, Mu Lin broke the record for this session and could leave his name on the Stone Tablet.

Of course, fame is not what Mu Lin seeks—he wants tangible reward points.

“Teacher, does this meet the requirements?”

The teacher he asked is the supervisor specifically in charge of the Majestic Thunder Pool, and he also serves as a lifeguard.

If a Disciple acts recklessly and ventures too deep into the Majestic Thunder Pool without sufficient strength, it is his duty to rescue them.

Having managed the Majestic Thunder Pool for many years, he has witnessed numerous Prodigies.

Yet, despite his experience, his expression toward Mu Lin was quite complex.

—Among the many Prodigies he had seen, Mu Lin undoubtedly ranked at the very top.

What impressed him even more was how perfectly Mu Lin resonated with the Majestic Thunder Pool.

Thinking this, he did not evade or deny Mu Lin’s achievement but readily agreed.

“Of course, I will report your results immediately. Without any mishaps, the reward points should be in your hands by this afternoon.”

After saying this, his expression grew fervent as he added, “Student, do you have any thoughts about joining Jade Lake Dao Academy? On behalf of the academy, I sincerely invite you to join.”

Fearing that Mu Lin might refuse, he quickly continued, “You must have sensed it too—the Majestic Thunder Pool is of great importance to you. With its assistance, your Jiao Dragon Body can absorb endless lightning and undergo molting repeatedly. After several cycles, you may even ascend to become a True Dragon!”

It must be said that the steward, who served as a teacher at Jade Lake Dao Academy and managed the critically important Majestic Thunder Pool, possessed genuine skill. With just a glance, he had discerned the secrets of Mu Lin’s Jiao Dragon Body and even recognized the potential limits of this cultivation method.

This was also the reason for his impassioned invitation to Mu Lin.

Even within Jade Lake Dao Academy, True Dragons were among the most talented individuals.

Moreover, the relationship between disciples and the Dao Palace did not end upon graduation.

Outstanding disciples from humble backgrounds had the opportunity to be invited back to the Dao Palace as teachers.

True Dragons were nearly equivalent to immortals and deities, sharing their longevity and formidable strength. If Mu Lin could join the academy, it would add a powerful foundation to Jade Lake Dao Palace.

Thus, the elder’s invitation was somewhat urgent.

Unfortunately, Mu Lin did not agree immediately.

“Thank you for your kindness, Teacher. Allow me some time to consider.”

“What is there to consider! Anping Dao Palace cannot help you. To transform into a True Dragon, the Majestic Thunder Pool alone is insufficient. Along the way, you will need to expend countless resources to replenish your deficiencies. Anping Dao Palace has nothing to offer. There, your chances of becoming a True Dragon are slim. Only by entering Jade Lake Dao Academy can you—”

“Hmph!”

The excited elder was trying to persuade Mu Lin, but before he could finish, a cold snort echoed in his ears.

Turning his head, he sensed Dongfang Ya in the air, looking at him with clear displeasure.

This scene left the elder somewhat embarrassed, and he could no longer speak ill of Anping Dao Palace.

In the end, he could only emphasize, “Remember, only at Jade Lake Dao Academy can you achieve your fullest growth!”

After saying this, the elder even left the Majestic Thunder Pool unattended and hurried straight to the Headmaster of Jade Lake Dao Academy.

After all, he was merely a steward, not the Headmaster who oversaw everything. Thus, he lacked the authority to offer many conditions and needed to seek instructions from the Headmaster.

After he left, Mu Lin, accompanied by Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo, also departed from the area of the Majestic Thunder Pool.

They had come in haste and left in haste; Mu Lin’s stay at the Majestic Thunder Pool was brief.

Yet, in that short time, everyone’s attitude toward him had completely changed.

When they first arrived, the disciples of Jade Lake Dao Academy had looked at them with a hint of arrogance and condescension. Now, that arrogance had vanished entirely, replaced only by respect.

At the same time, Mu Lin noticed that since his return from the Majestic Thunder Pool, Yan Yunyu had become even more enthusiastic toward him.

Chu Lingluo, however, showed little change. This was not because her affection for Mu Lin was any less than Yan Yunyu’s, but because her admiration for him had long been at its peak, leaving no room for further increase.

…

Under the respectful gazes of the crowd, Mu Lin soon left the Majestic Thunder Pool and arrived at the second treasure ground of Jade Lake Dao Academy—the Time Chamber, also known as the Time Realm.

This was a peculiar Secret Realm where the time flow rate inside was three times that of the outside, and under the highest conditions, it could reach five times the outside rate.

However, Hua Xingyu and Lin Qi showed little enthusiasm for the Time Chamber.

In fact, there were very few Students who came here.

After some inquiries, Mu Lin learned the reason.

Entering the Time Chamber required spending points—a lot of points.

But that wasn’t the main issue. What Hua Xingyu, Lin Qi, and others couldn’t bear was that cultivating inside the Time Chamber accelerated the flow of their bodily time, several times faster than normal.

Looking at the Time Realm, Hua Xingyu’s face showed extreme wariness.

“Time is a forbidden power, and it is extremely difficult to control. When cultivating in the Time Chamber at triple speed, the flow of our bodily time is actually five times faster.

At five times the time flow rate, the rate at which our lifespan diminishes is 13 times that of the normal state. Moreover, cultivating in the Time Realm may also lead to some Anomalies, such as sudden surges in time flow rate. There have been Disciples who lost a year of their lifespan in a single day…”

At this point, feeling it was somewhat taboo, Hua Xingyu shook his head and dared not say more.

Mu Lin also understood why everyone showed little enthusiasm for the Time Chamber.

For Prodigies, this was indeed not a favorable Secret Realm.

After all, for young Prodigies, youth itself was an advantage, representing limitless possibilities and future potential.

Cultivating in the Time Realm could indeed allow one’s strength to surge in a short period, but the accelerated loss of lifespan would damage their potential, turning them from geniuses into mediocrities.

“Reaching the Spirit Sea Realm in three years—that is a Prodigy. But if it takes five years, that is merely having some talent. Both the Dao Palace and their families would lower their evaluation.”

Thinking this, Mu Lin felt the Time Chamber was not worth it.

Then, he listed the Time Chamber as a place he must visit.

In fact, because of the Time Chamber, he even considered transferring from Anping Dao Palace—something even the Majestic Thunder Pool, which could transform Mu Lin into a True Dragon, had not managed to achieve.

(End of Chapter)