The Fall of the White Dragon
My first sudden thought was relief. My second thought was a spine-chilling realization that I was absolutely fucked.
The relief came from seeing Ryeo-ah, who used to pout whenever I teased her about being old. The "fucked" part came from remembering the Ryeo-ah who had gone toe-to-toe with the Lord of Yagwi City and the Celestial Sahabaek.
After doing some quick mental math, I realized my current situation was far from simple. How much of her power has she recovered?
In the past, Ryeo-ah had been parasitizing the body of my former father—whose face I couldn't even remember now. The sleepyhead currently snoring away inside me with no sign of waking up was that very same Ryeo-ah. She was my friend, a candidate for my harem, and the only version of Ryeo-ah who would actually be favorable toward me.
Then there was the first fragment of Ryeo-ah I met afterward—the one playing cult leader for the "Long Live the Red Light" whatever-the-hell cult. I'd gone down there thinking it was a simple mission, but who would've guessed she had brainwashed and hypnotized an entire village? That was when I realized Ryeo-ah wasn't a single entity, but a collection of scattered fragments, like the Shikon Jewel from Inuyasha.
Of course, the reason I called the cult leader version "the first fragment" was simple. The Ryeo-ah dwelling inside me—the partner and mentor who had crossed countless lines of death with me—was the only one who truly mattered. I didn't know how many more fragments of Ryeo-ah were scattered across the world, but honestly, why should I care about some faceless, unknown fragments more than the one residing within me?
To me, my Ryeo-ah was the true, singular host, and the other fragments scattered across the world were nothing but offshoots. That was how it had to be, and that was how I would make it, leaving no room for philosophical debate. Therefore, the one standing before me could only be the "second" fragment.
The problem was whether even a mere fragment like her possessed the terrifying potential of the Ryeo-ah who fought the Lord of Yagwi City and the Celestial Sahabaek. No, wait. Didn't Ryeo-ah mention it herself? Long ago, when she absorbed the cult leader version, she grumbled about how that fragment had recovered its strength rapidly because it was tied to rituals and sacrifices.
I didn't know when, how, or by whose hand Ryeo-ah had ended up in this state. She had kept that part of her past strictly under wraps, vaguely promising to tell me once I grew stronger. However, I did know that all the fragments had been scattered on the exact same day. If nothing else, I remembered her boasting that she was growing far faster than any of her other fragments.
Even if the shattered soul fragments governed different aspects of her being, time was absolute. Considering the ritual-focused fragment was only around the Qi Circulation (Ungi) realm back then, what state would this dragon version of Ryeo-ah be in?
The entity dwelling inside my Dokkaebi club was a fragment scattered by a god who had once ascended as an avatar. It held the ultimate secret of turning every slaughter into the most perfect sacrifice. Yet, even with that power, and despite slaughtering countless Samgeuk, Qi Circulation, and Yeondapgi-level experts, she had passed out shortly after unleashing power comparable to the Creation Realm (Johwa-gyeong).
I didn't know which part of her prime self this dragon version of Ryeo-ah had inherited, but honestly, shouldn't she be manageable? If nothing else, there was no way she was at the Creation Realm. Through my Samgeuk-level perception, her current cultivation appeared to be at the Universal Circulation (Tong-un) stage. But since she was a fragment of the Ryeo-ah, no one could guess her true strength. Since my opponent was her, I should probably treat her as someone at the absolute peak of Samgeuk. If the Ryeo-ah I knew became my enemy, no amount of caution would be enough.
But there was a fucking problem.
"What do you think? I believe this is more than enough to warrant sharing a cup of tea with this young maiden."
You're no maiden. The situation was too tense for her to be playing such coy games. Ugh, this is driving me crazy.
Unseen by anyone, a bizarrely colored eye manifested, piercing through her draconic, slitted pupils. It wasn't as spine-chilling as exchanging blows with the Lord of Yagwi City, but it was incredibly subtle. If I hadn't experienced this once—no, twice—before, I would have fallen for it in an instant.
The first time was when I was forced to gamble my life helplessly against the Ryeo-ah who burst out of my former father's body. The second was when I resisted the cult leader version with the help of my own Ryeo-ah. The Ryeo-ah standing before me was far stronger than the one who could barely parasitize a corpse, and even stronger than the cult leader who had rapidly expanded her influence. But I wasn't the same as I was back then, either.
Hold on. You've survived this countless times already.
*Clank, clank, clank!*
I summoned the mental chains of a cultivation technique I now only kept for auxiliary purposes, using them to resist. I had experienced this brainwashing multiple times. Since the method was the same and my own spiritual weight was higher, there was no reason I couldn't withstand it.
She had successfully landed her first strike with a bold, unexpected surprise attack, but she couldn't quite drive the follow-up home.
"This is... absurd."
Her shock stemmed from the mysterious man before her, who was resisting her brainwashing as if he had experienced it multiple times before. She had likely assumed I was just some rogue Samgeuk cultivator who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I was a nobody with zero reputation, making me the perfect target to brainwash and secretly keep under her thumb without raising suspicion. But she had miscalculated.
The pupils of Ryeo-ah—the one called Cheong Ya-hui—trembled slightly. She clearly hadn't expected someone who hadn't reached the pinnacle of mental cultivation to counter her brainwashing so effortlessly. A trickle of blood ran down Hayun's bitten lip. Just as the onlookers sensed something amiss and were about to speak, a venomous glint flashed in her eyes, and she parted her lips to speak.
"Very well."
"Huh?"
"Let's go somewhere and have a cup of tea. It's my first time being invited by such a beautiful lady, so I was a bit dazed. Ha, ha."
Resisting the brainwashing was painful, but seeing Ryeo-ah's utterly blank, dumbfounded expression made it all worth it.
"I know a tea house nearby, we can go..."
"No. I'll choose the place."
"....."
"You seem to have a lot of questions for me too, so surely I can at least pick the venue?"
"Very well. If I refuse, it seems you will simply walk away."
I briefly considered taking her to the ship where the Gang family was gathered, but quickly realized that was a terrible idea. My head already ached at the thought of her brainwashing my women and turning them against me. I only survived because of my past experiences; for any other Samgeuk cultivator, a single slip-up would mean instant subjugation. Seeing this, I wondered if her brainwashing and possession abilities remained identical across different fragments. Perhaps no matter how finely she was shattered, she could never forget her core, fundamental abilities. Just as that thought crossed my mind—
"This spot looks good."
"Ha. I have never heard anyone joke that a deserted, ruined tavern is a tea house."
"I might not have much, but I do have some excellent tea leaves. Cut me some slack."
"...."
The blue dragon version of Ryeo-ah pondered for a moment. Even she couldn't resist her innate curiosity, and she eventually nodded. Of course, my guard went up accordingly. She must be confident. She only ever acted boldly when she was absolutely certain she could keep herself alive. Keeping our guards up, we stepped into the dusty, abandoned tavern. Naturally, there were no customers or owners to greet us—only a few rotten, worm-eaten chairs scattered about.
"...."
I let out a soft chuckle at the sight of Ryeo-ah seriously searching for a clean place to sit. I reached into my spatial storage bag and pulled out a table and chairs.
"An artifact."
"They say sitting in these chairs speeds up energy recovery and improves your mood. And this table—if you place a teacup on it and pour in some water, it boils it automatically."
Honestly, I had no idea why such things even existed. Some bored artifact craftsman must have been incredibly passionate about tea. Ryeo-ah stared intently at the tea leaves and cups I set down.
"It's not poisoned."
"The materials used for the table and chairs are common enough to be found anywhere... but the glaze, clay, and firing method of this teacup belong to the Guya Continent."
Fucking smart bitch.
"Could it not just be some random stolen goods?"
"No. Above all, there is the horn you are hiding, and these tea leaves are a specialty that only grows on the Silver Night Hill of Yagwi City. With this many connections, do you still intend to play dumb?"
Meeting Ryeo-ah as a stranger was so chilling that the thought Should I just kill her? crossed my mind. In that case, let's shake her up a bit.
"Which part of her did you inherit?"
"...As I thought, you have met me before. Should I say this is our first meeting, or has it been a while?"
"I think 'first meeting' is more accurate. It should be the same for you."
"Hmph."
Ryeo-ah tapped her slender finger against the table, looking thoroughly perplexed.
"How could a child who knows me so well still be walking around in one piece? Did you obtain this information by fighting and torturing some weak, dust-like fragment of mine?"
She was saying some terrifying things with such a pretty face. I was about to deny it, but as her piercing gaze locked onto me, I looked away slightly to organize my thoughts. If I told her that I was close to another Ryeo-ah—that we were comrades and she was my mentor who had crossed the line of death with me—how would she react? Would she suggest we become close too, or... Remembering the conversation between the main Ryeo-ah and the cult leader Ryeo-ah, the answer was obvious.
"Well, just so you know, you were the one who attacked me first, Ryeo-ah. I was just minding my own business when I got ambushed."
This was actually true. Knowing the personality of the Ryeo-ah who had supposedly died fighting the Lord of Yagwi City, this statement would definitely convince her.
"Ah. I see. You definitely met me."
Is striking first something to be proud of? It was absurd that she believed me based on just that.
"And of course, you retaliated."
"Do you hold a grudge? If so, then only conflict remains between us."
"And that would only lead to a mutually destructive outcome."
"Oh?"
Ryeo-ah loved this kind of attitude. She idealized an extraordinary, superhuman figure who forged ahead, unbound by trivial matters. That was why she had secretly disliked me having sex and caring so much about my women. She couldn't understand why a child blessed with immense talent and fortuitous encounters would waste himself on carnal desires.
"But it is also true that you ambushed me. I expect compensation for your rudeness."
"And after that?"
"I know your potential. Even if we remain strangers rather than enemies, you're the kind of person who makes my back itch. To avoid losses, you're someone I must have as an ally."
The corners of Ryeo-ah's lips twitched upward ever so slightly. By her standards, that was practically grinning from ear to ear.
"And so?"
"But I was wondering how to make you an ally. After all, to build a bond, shouldn't we spend some time together and work on a few things?"
Honestly, the best way to build a bond between a man and a woman was through the bond of the flesh, but I held my tongue, fearing she might blast me with a brainwashing beam if I said that.
"What would we do? And how?"
"I've said enough. Why don't you tell me, Ryeo-ah?"
"Hmph."
"Let's pull off a grand collaboration together. I'll leave the planning to you. Got any good ideas? Something mutually beneficial, not some shady scheme."
Ryeo-ah smiled, looking intrigued. She then picked up the cup on the table and took a sip. I could take this as her sign of agreement. After all the time I'd spent with her, matching her tastes was child's play.
"Good. You are an interesting child. But dangerous at the same time. A sage-like personality that is not swayed by personal emotions and desires is highly dangerous."
"...."
If you saw me rolling around in bed with multiple women just yesterday, you wouldn't be saying that.
"A troublesome enemy, but a wonderful ally. That is the kind of person you are."
"You're just quoting me."
"Indeed. What forces do you command?"
I hesitated for a moment, reminding myself that now was not the time to look weak.
"Three Samgeuk experts who obey my every command. And hundreds of Qi Circulation cultivators."
"...Impressive. I do not know why the Night Goblins have come all the way here, but with that kind of force, you are on equal footing with me."
"So, we're worth cooperating with, right?"
"Correct. In that case, I shall make a proposal."
The words she spoke next were incredibly sweet to my ears.
"White Dragon Island. No, those who rule over the Dongheo Sea like kings despite being nothing but empty shells of the former White Dragon Island... let us crush them together. The grand stage of the Dongheo Sea, where you and I will operate, must remain uncontrolled by anyone—empty and filled with chaos, just as its name implies."
She extended her hand. Refusing here would be tantamount to declaring war. More than anything, her proposal was incredibly tempting to me as well.
What Ryeo-ah wanted was obvious. She claimed to be the favored youngest daughter of the Merchant Coalition, but in reality, the coalition was a force she had built herself. The alliance of great pirates, who stood a step ahead of her, was nothing but an obstacle. If we cleared away the remnants of the largest and most legitimate faction, White Dragon Island, those constraints would vanish. For me, it meant my enemies would disappear, and a dangerous threat would be eliminated.
White Dragon Island had to sink. For the mutual benefit and prosperity of Ryeo-ah and myself. To eliminate the risk of being ambushed at any moment. They had to drown, clutching their ancient, self-righteous grudges.
"I look forward to working with you. Let's make this spectacular."
"Hmph. Since we need each other at least until White Dragon Island falls, let our alliance remain steadfast until then."
"I'm not stupid enough to break it."
After that, we parted ways after a detailed discussion and planning session on how to bring down White Dragon Island. Before we parted, Ryeo-ah left me with these words:
"I quite like your attitude of not being swayed by emotions and desires. I hope you maintain that steadfast resolve."
The moment I returned to the ship, I fucked Sowol senseless. On top of that, I took the Heavenly Demon, who was practicing martial arts nearby, Jeongha, who had come to watch, the mermaid girl, and even Soye, who had recently developed quite a taste for sex. After that, leaving just one out felt wrong, so I dragged Hayeon-nuna into bed as well, using the excuse of handing out the gifts I'd won at the auction.
"Another productive day completely unswayed by emotions and desires."
"Bullshit."
Soye-nuna cursed at me, semen dripping from her pussy. Deny it all you want, but I was just recognized as a man of clear and steadfast reason by an expert far beyond the Creation Realm. Chuckling, I slapped her cheeky ass.
*Spank!*
"Ahhn!♡"