Hunting Great Demons
Besides, spiritual items that aided in body tempering were generally hard to come by, so consuming spirit stones to accelerate his shedding was a decent alternative.
Essence blood. As he shoveled spirit stones into his mouth like rice, Jekyeong pondered the essence blood. The essence blood of a Great Demon was undeniably potent, truly worthy of being called the ultimate elixir for body tempering. Although breaking through his bottleneck was largely due to his prior accumulation, the efficacy of the essence blood was still highly impressive. Had he never known of it, it would be one thing, but having tasted it once, its powerful effects were difficult to forget.
Where can I get more essence blood? The first thing that came to mind was, of course, a human auction. However, Jekyeong immediately dismissed the thought. A treasure as rare as essence blood would be hard to find at a minor auction. While he might catch a glimpse of it at a major one, actually winning the bid for it would...
Forget the auctions. If he couldn't buy it with spirit stones, his only option was to acquire it himself. In fact, this route might be simpler and cleaner. Since it was the essence blood of a Great Demon, wouldn't he just need to hunt Great Demons?
Easier said than done, though... Having personally hunted Great Demons and feasted on their flesh, Jekyeong knew all too well that Great Demons possessing essence blood were rare. Only those with exceptionally robust physical bodies, who had unconsciously accumulated a certain level of body tempering cultivation, would harbor essence blood within them. Such Great Demons were scarce, and there was no easy way to identify them. At least, Jekyeong couldn't.
How troublesome. It's not like I can just go around blindly hunting down every physically strong demon I see. Setting aside whether he even had the power to do so, the sheer aftermath of causing such a ruckus would be immense. If he were to get severely injured, opportunistic scavengers—like piranhas smelling blood—would swarm him. Even if he didn't get hurt, drawing the attention of powerful entities who disliked disturbances would...
No, wait. Jekyeong recalled Jang Yeong—the demon with the upper body of a giant and the lower body of a cephalopod. That fellow had hunted Daeyeng without a shred of hesitation. Was there some deep-seated grudge between them? Or had he simply lost his mind at the sight of wounded prey? No, that couldn't be it. If there had been a grudge, it would have been obvious during the trade meet. Even if the cool-headed, composed Jang Yeong had hidden it, Daeyeng—that impulsive fish-head—would have reacted in some way.
Jang Yeong... that guy has a backer. When Jekyeong had first visited him, Jang Yeong had remained highly guarded despite Jekyeong's polite introduction. That wariness had only eased slightly after Jekyeong revealed his nominal status as a Guest Elder of the Whale King Palace. At the time, Jekyeong had assumed the octopus demon was simply intimidated by the prestige of a colossal faction like the Whale King Palace. But now that he had a better grasp of Jang Yeong's character, looking back... he realized it couldn't have been that simple.
There are only two reasons why he would let his guard down upon learning I was affiliated with the Whale King Palace. Either he utterly despised the Whale King Palace, or he believed that someone from the Palace would never harm him. The answer was obvious. And that was precisely what intrigued him. Well, I can just find out starting now. Having made up his mind, Jekyeong hoisted his massive, heavy body.
"Ah, Fellow Daoist Jekyeong." Jang Yeong looked no different than he had during their previous encounter. Indeed, quite some time had passed; even if he had sustained injuries in his fight with Daeyeng, they would have long since healed.
"Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong." They exchanged greetings outside Jang Yeong's cave dwelling. This was partly due to Jang Yeong's lingering wariness, but mostly because Jekyeong's colossal body simply could not fit through the entrance of the dwelling.
"It seems... you have made some remarkable breakthroughs during our time apart, Fellow Daoist Jekyeong." Jang Yeong's gaze swept over Jekyeong's even more massive frame, finally resting on the horn atop his head. The horn, which had previously resembled a long, sharp awl, was now significantly thicker and curved in a bizarre fashion. In some ways, it resembled a bull's horn, yet in others, it was entirely different. Jang Yeong had never seen anything like it. However, he could intuitively sense that this unfamiliar horn was anything but ordinary. Then again, there was no way the horn of a Flood Dragon would be ordinary.
"Well, I merely avoided standing still. That aside..." Jekyeong trailed off, his eyes narrowing. "Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong. I hear you laid hands on Fellow Daoist Daeyeng?"
"..." Jang Yeong's body stiffened. His gaze turned heavy as he met Jekyeong's eyes. "...Yes. I did. Did you come to find me today to hold me accountable for that?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. You are a clever one, Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong, so surely you have made your own assumptions about the gathering I hosted previously."
"..."
"Daeyeng was certainly lacking in many ways, but he was still one of the few around here worth interacting with. Yet, you went and laid hands on him. Doesn't that mean all my hard work has gone down the drain?"
Hearing this, Jang Yeong's rigid posture relaxed slightly. However, the tension hanging in the air between them did not dissipate in the least. "I understand. For that... I offer my sincerest apologies."
"Apologies in words alone are meaningless."
"Of course. How may I make amends?"
"Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong. Were you not afraid of the consequences? Or did you rely on your backer? The Whale King Palace?"
Jang Yeong hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. "Yes. That is correct."
"Just as I thought." Jekyeong let out a faint, low chuckle as he coiled his massive body in front of Jang Yeong. At the same time, his vertically slit, reptilian eyes slowly scanned the octopus demon from head to toe.
Hunting Great Demons. As expected, Jang Yeong's backer was indeed the Whale King Palace.
Is this guy a Guest Elder of the Whale King Palace too? Probably not. The status of a Guest Elder merely proved that one was under the protection of the Whale King Palace; it served no greater function. If it did, Makgye wouldn't have handed the title over so casually, nor would he have departed with such satisfaction, looking as if he were the one who had received a grand gift just because Jekyeong accepted it.
"You struck Daeyeng because you knew there would be no repercussions for doing so, correct?" Jekyeong looked down at Jang Yeong, speaking in a tone that suggested he already knew everything. It was half-acting, half-sincerity. When his masterful acting combined with his terrifying appearance, even a clever and perceptive Great Demon like Jang Yeong couldn't detect the slightest hint of a bluff.
"That is correct."
"Oh? It seems you are quite well-informed about the denizens of these waters."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You are a cautious one. For someone like you to move without hesitation and kill Daeyeng, it must mean you had already run the calculations. In short, you knew exactly who could be touched and who couldn't, didn't you?"
"..."
"Let me be frank with you." Jekyeong reared his body up, closing the distance between them. Jang Yeong flinched, instinctively taking a half-step back. Even cultivators were living creatures at their core. They were bound to be influenced by visual cues, especially when their spirit was already suppressed. Jekyeong's colossal size and menacing appearance made even his smallest movements deeply intimidating.
"A while ago, Fellow Daoist Makgye came to recruit me into the Whale King Palace. When I declined, he urged me to at least become a Guest Elder." At the mention of Makgye's name, Jang Yeong reacted. It was a mere flicker in his eyes, but Jekyeong, who was focusing all his attention on him, did not miss it.
"Since he insisted twice, I couldn't bring myself to refuse repeatedly, so I accepted. But later, I found myself regretting it slightly."
"Regretting it?"
"As you well know, for beings like us, the simplest way to accumulate cultivation is through hunting. Is it not?"
"..." Jang Yeong flinched once more. In that moment, he realized the profound, threatening meaning behind the serpentine eyes looking down at him. It felt as though if he gave the wrong answer, that massive maw would instantly tear open and rip him apart. Forcing his stiff jaw to move, he managed to agree. "You speak the truth, Fellow Daoist."
"Indeed. But now that I have become a Guest Elder, even if only in name, wouldn't any mistake I make end up entangling the Whale King Palace? Yet, I know next to nothing about the local affairs of Yangseo Lake. That is why..."
A long, slender tongue flicked out, tracing Jekyeong's lips. Jang Yeong knew it was an overt threat, but he couldn't help the fear that gripped him. The sheer presence of this ferocious, cunning Flood Dragon completely overwhelmed him. It was no longer a matter of whether he should answer; he had to count himself lucky that this beast hadn't come to slaughter him.
"Since you seem well-versed in these matters, tell me. Who around here is fair game to hunt, and who must not be touched?"
Jang Yeong's mouth twitched a few times, but no sound came out. He was clearly hesitating. Jekyeong did not press him. He had already pushed him far enough. Pressuring him further might force complete submission, but it could also breed deep resentment. There was no need to take such a risk. Jekyeong believed that Jang Yeong would ultimately make the smart choice.
"Very well. I will tell you. However, I have a condition."
"A condition?" Jekyeong let a look of displeasure cross his face, speaking gruffly. Of course, this too was an act. Yes. A Flood Dragon must be arrogant and violent. "Let's hear it first."
"I can assist you, Fellow Daoist. However, I wish to receive compensation for my help."
"What kind of compensation?"
"I can feel a distinct heat radiating from you. It is a sensation entirely different from any of our kind I have ever encountered in this lake. We are all cold, deep waters, but you... you are fire. Am I correct?"
"Oh." The brief exclamation carried a note of affirmation. Jang Yeong continued, his voice growing more confident. "Just as I thought. Since you drifted in from the outer regions, it is only natural that you are different from us."
A faint, probing light flickered in his seemingly calm eyes. Jekyeong felt a slight prickle of annoyance at that gaze but chose to ignore it. He knew that oversensitivity could sometimes be perceived as weakness.
"And? What is it you want?"
"I wish to join you on your hunts."
"Do you truly believe I have any need for you?"
"I doubt it."
"Then why?"
"But in return, your hunts will be much faster and easier. What I ask for is not much. Just a small portion of the prey's flesh. I do not believe this is an unreasonable request."
Jang Yeong's words were not wrong, and his motivation for wanting to join the hunt was perfectly understandable. He was an aquatic demon, and their prey would mostly be aquatic demons as well, so it was only natural that Jang Yeong wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity. Jekyeong suspected that Jang Yeong's bloodline was extraordinary, but even if his bloodline was that of a Demon King, cultivation was still essential to reach the Yao King realm. And consuming blood food was practically the only method of cultivation for the Beast Race.
Not bad.