Lam Minh walked on the water's surface, each step light and steady. The tranquil atmosphere of Sword Lake at night, blended with the pure spiritual energy, gradually calmed his mental state. The rage, killing intent, and even the fatigue from the battle seemed to be washed away by the clear water of the lake.
He reached the base of the Turtle Tower, and the ancient stone door of the tower opened automatically, as if welcoming him.
He stepped inside. The space within the tower was much larger than he had imagined. In the very center was a small pool connected to the main lake outside. And sitting beside the pool was none other than the divine Golden Turtle.
He was no longer in his giant form but had shrunk down to the size of a round table. His ancient carapace, deeply etched with mystical patterns, looked like a work of art crafted by time itself.
"You've arrived, young one," the Golden Turtle's gentle voice echoed in his mind.
"Yes, greetings, senior," Lam Minh respectfully bowed. "I've come to trouble you."
"No trouble, no trouble at all," the Golden Turtle chuckled. "I've heard about you from the King Father. You did well in the recent battle."
He gestured towards a set of stone table and chairs nearby. "Sit."
Lam Minh sat down. The Golden Turtle gently waved a foreleg. Water from the pool automatically flew up, condensed, and poured into two jade tea cups already on the table. The stream of water was a beautiful turquoise color and carried the fragrant scent of lotus and spiritual energy.
"This is 'Jade Water Nectar,' condensed from the spiritual energy of this lake. Drinking it can calm the heart and steady the mind. Try it," the Golden Turtle said.
Lam Minh picked up the teacup and took a sip. A cool, refreshing sensation spread throughout his body and soul. All his fatigue and the distracting thoughts in his mind seemed to be washed away completely.
"This tea is delicious!" he couldn't help but praise.
"Haha, I'm glad you like it," the Golden Turtle laughed. "Tell me, the King Father said you came here to cultivate your mental state. So, what troubles are weighing on your heart?"
Lam Minh was silent for a moment. He looked down at his reflection in the teacup.
"Senior," he finally spoke. "After the last battle, I realized something. My power can kill enemies, but it can't protect everyone. I tried my best, but innocent people still died. That feeling of powerlessness... it torments me. The killing intent in my heart has also grown heavier because of it."
He voiced the thoughts he had never shared with anyone.
The Golden Turtle listened quietly. Only after he finished did he slowly reply. "That is a path every great expert must walk, young one. The greater the power, the heavier the responsibility. And the heavier the responsibility, the greater the helplessness when you cannot do everything."
He gazed out at the calm surface of the lake. "You are not a god. You cannot be everywhere at once, you cannot save everyone. What you need to do is not to torment yourself over those who are lost. But to become stronger, so that you can protect more people in the future."
"As for the killing intent," the Golden Turtle continued, "killing intent is not inherently evil. It is a form of power, the righteous indignation against evil. The problem isn't having it, but how to control it, to turn it into your weapon, and not let it turn you into a slave to slaughter."
"Look at this lake," he said. "It can be as calm as a mirror, reflecting the clouds and sky. But when a storm comes, it can also create ferocious waves that swallow everything. Your heart must be the same. You must know when to be still, and when to move. You must know when to be compassionate, and when to use slaughter to restore order."
The Golden Turtle's words were not lofty doctrines, but simple yet profound philosophies. They were like a cool stream, slowly watering Lam Minh's parched soul.
He closed his eyes, slowly pondering.
He recalled his battles. There were times he fought out of hatred, times out of responsibility, times out of rage. His mental state was always swayed by external circumstances.
"So... what must I do, senior?"
"Stay here," the Golden Turtle said. "Stay here with me. No need to cultivate spiritual energy. Every day, just sit by the lake, watch the water, feel the changes of heaven and earth. Let the spiritual energy of the lake cleanse your soul. Learn to let your heart become 'still.' When you can sit here, witness living beings being slaughtered without a ripple in your heart, yet still be able to draw your sword without hesitation when needed, then you will have succeeded."
Lam Minh understood. This was a very high realm of mental cultivation. The "detachment" of an attached being. A calmness to make the wisest decisions, not a state of apathy.
"I understand," he nodded solemnly. "Please guide me, senior."
And so, a completely new phase of Lam Minh's cultivation began.
There were no bloody battles. No grinding for points.
Only him, an old turtle, a lake, and the sky.
A cultivation of the "heart," to prepare for even more brutal battles, and to shoulder an even heavier responsibility in the future.
...
The days passed peacefully by Sword Lake.
Lam Minh did exactly as the Golden Turtle had instructed. He temporarily forgot about everything outside. He forgot about the "Holy Way of Salvation," forgot about the Madakaros, and even forgot about "leveling up."
His day began before the sun had risen. He didn't sit in meditation, nor did he circulate his energy. He just sat on a rock by the lakeside, observing in silence.
He watched the sun slowly rise from the horizon, dyeing a corner of the lake crimson.
He watched the sparkling dewdrops on the lotus leaves, which slowly vanished in the sunlight.
He watched the schools of small fish swimming merrily in the crystal-clear water.
He watched the gentle breeze ripple the lake's surface, which would then become as smooth as a mirror again.
His mind, initially anxious and restless, gradually became still. He no longer tried to think about anything. He just let his soul become one with the scenery, with the movement of nature.
The divine Golden Turtle didn't say much either. He just stayed quietly by his side, occasionally sharing a cup of tea and telling him old stories.
He spoke of the primordial era, when the King Father Lac Long Quan and he shaped the heavens and earth, fighting against ancient demons.
He spoke of the heroes of history, of glorious battles, of silent sacrifices.
He spoke of the changes of the land and sky, the reincarnation of all things.
His stories contained no lofty doctrines, but they helped Lam Minh gain a broader, deeper perspective on the world, on life and death.
In that stillness, his mental state was being tempered in an invisible way.
His killing intent did not disappear. It was merely retracted, compressed deep within his soul, becoming sharper and more dangerous, like a treasured sword sheathed away.
The Dragon God Golden Core within him also changed. It no longer radiated a domineering aura but became introverted and stable. But Lam Minh could feel that the power hidden within it was far more terrifying than before. He had gradually learned to "control" his power, not just simply "use" it.
A month passed.
Lam Minh still sat there, by the lakeside. He looked no different from a stone statue, one with the scenery. Even the small birds were not afraid, sometimes perching on his shoulder.
The Golden Turtle looked at him, a sense of satisfaction in his wise eyes. He knew this young man had found his own "stillness."
But the peace could not last forever.
One afternoon, as Lam Minh was deep in meditation, a sound suddenly came from the dragon egg he kept in his storage ring.
Tap...
It was a very small sound, but it was crystal clear in Lam Minh's mind.
He was startled awake.
He quickly took out the dragon egg. On the surface of the turquoise egg, a small crack had appeared.
And from within, a nascent but incredibly powerful life force was radiating.
"It's... it's about to hatch?" Lam Minh was stunned.
He had been nourishing it with his Dragon Qi every day, but he hadn't expected it to hatch so quickly.
The Golden Turtle also approached, looking at the egg with surprise and joy in his eyes.
"Has the time come... Sooner than I thought."
TAP! TAP!
More cracks began to appear, spreading across the surface of the egg. Golden light leaked out from within, growing brighter and brighter.
Lam Minh and the Golden Turtle both held their breath, watching. They were preparing to welcome the birth of a divine being, the last hope of an entire race.
CRACK!
A large piece of the eggshell broke off.
A small head, covered in golden scales, slowly poked out.
It had a pair of large, round, jet-black eyes, as shiny as two gems. It looked around dazedly, then its gaze fell upon Lam Minh.
It blinked.
Then it let out its first cry.
But that cry was not the majestic, domineering dragon's roar of imagination.
It was...
"Woof... woof?"