The water flowed all around, clearly not stagnant, and it held within it a peculiar kind of energy. Refining and absorbing this energy would be immensely beneficial for any Dragon Clan member looking to enhance their bloodline.
Yang Kai vaguely understood why the Dragon Clan placed such importance on this Dragon Pool.
This place could temper the Dragon Clan's own bloodline power, and it was their very foundation. No amount of emphasis could be considered excessive.
Before he could fully appreciate the marvels contained within the Dragon Pool's waters, a series of resonant dragon roars suddenly echoed from all around. Moments later, true dragon forms began to materialize in the surrounding waters.
The three young dragons and ten great dragons had followed him into the pool. Like him, upon entering the Dragon Pool, they had all involuntarily transformed into their true dragon forms.
The young dragons were each less than a thousand zhang in length. The great dragons varied greatly—some approached the five-thousand-zhang limit of a true dragon, while others were between two and three thousand zhang.
As soon as these Dragon Clan members entered the pool, they immediately spread out, surrounding Yang Kai.
What was the meaning of this? Yang Kai's massive dragon eyes narrowed as he surveyed his surroundings.
The auras of the great dragons locked onto him, clearly hostile.
So it wasn't convenient to make a move against him outside, but inside the Dragon Pool they could act without restraint?
The Phoenix Empress had said there would be fighting within the Dragon Pool, and it seemed she was right. For a human like him to try and gain some benefit here looked like it wouldn't be easy.
One black dragon looked particularly familiar—it was none other than Ji Third.
Outside the Pass of No Return earlier, this fellow had revealed his true form, though Yang Kai had subdued him with a single raised hand, forcing him back into human shape almost instantly. Still, Yang Kai remembered what Ji Third's true dragon form looked like.
Ji Third shook his head and neck, his gaze sharp and dangerous as he stared at Yang Kai. After a moment of struggling, he let out a roaring dragon cry: "The top thousand zhang of the Dragon Pool are yours! If you dare descend deeper, don't blame the Dragon Clan for showing you no mercy!"
Yang Kai listened in confusion.
But a thousand zhang was far too little. His current dragon form was a full three thousand five hundred zhang long—a casual sweep of his tail would cover more than a thousand zhang. Ji Third assigning him the uppermost thousand zhang right from the start was clearly not a good thing.
This must be a consensus reached among the Dragon Clan. Right after Ji Third finished speaking, all the great dragons, along with the three young dragons, began roaring ceaselessly, unleashing their dragon might without hesitation to press down upon Yang Kai.
Dragon might could be quite useful at times. Against beings with a lower bloodline, a burst of dragon might could intimidate them even if their actual strength was inferior. When Yang Kai had dealt with the dragons of Zhu Qing's lineage years ago, his own dragon might had played a significant role.
Ji Third and the others' dragon might was considerable, proving their own bloodlines were exceptionally strong. Otherwise, they wouldn't have achieved their great dragon forms.
Were it any other great dragon here—even one at the five-thousand-zhang limit—being enveloped by so much dragon might would be hard to endure.
Even Yang Kai felt significant pressure, though he could still withstand it.
After delivering the warning, Ji Third gave Yang Kai one last resentful glare, then flicked his massive dragon tail and descended deeper into the pool. The other great and young dragons followed close behind.
As he left, Ji Third's gaze held a clear note of unwillingness.
In his ideal scenario, once inside the Dragon Pool, the great dragons would join forces to drive Yang Kai out immediately, preventing this human from profiting at the Dragon Clan's expense.
Fighting was permitted within the Dragon Pool. The Dragon Clan itself was not a docile race. Every time the Dragon Pool opened, fierce battles often broke out between them as they fought over superior positions. Only the strong could claim greater benefits.
However, the three Ancient Dragon Elders had vetoed that proposal. Yang Kai had been sent over by the human side, and the matter had been coordinated by a Ninth-Order Grand Ancestor, for which the humans had paid a considerable price.
Furthermore, the three Ancient Dragon Elders were aware that Yang Kai, this Seventh-Order cultivator, seemed to be connected to the human race's grand expedition plans.
If they simply drove him out now, gaining no benefit themselves, it would be difficult to explain things to the humans.
If they couldn't expel him, the next best option was to limit him to the topmost thousand zhang of the Dragon Pool. This area would still offer him some benefit—not too much, certainly not enough to harm the Dragon Clan's interests—and would serve as an explanation to the humans.
Ji Third was somewhat dissatisfied with this arrangement. Because of Yang Kai, he had lost considerable face earlier, and he wished nothing more than to skin Yang Kai alive and pull out his tendons to vent his fury.
But with the Elders having spoken, he had no choice but to obey. Still, he secretly hoped Yang Kai would not comply so readily. That would give him the excuse he needed to properly teach Yang Kai a lesson and regain the face he had lost last time.
The great and young dragons descended and departed, leaving Yang Kai alone, bewildered.
But he was no fool. Ji Third assigning him the top thousand zhang and forbidding him from going deeper—did that not imply that the deeper one went into the Dragon Pool, the greater the benefit?
Yang Kai paid Ji Third's threat no mind. A defeated foe, how dare he boast of bravery? As long as these Dragon Clan members didn't unite against him, he wouldn't fear any of them individually.
But to verify his suspicion, Yang Kai didn't immediately venture downward. Instead, he remained in place, silently sensing his surroundings.
The water around him did indeed contain a wondrous power. This power had no effect on any other living being, but it offered tremendous benefits exclusively to the Dragon Clan.
As his dragon veins churned within him, Yang Kai clearly felt the marvelous power from the pool water being drawn into his body, tempering his own bloodline, making it more refined and pure.
The Dragon Pool was practically a holy land for Dragon Clan cultivation. In this place, even doing nothing at all would cause one's bloodline to improve rapidly.