The Expansion of Boundaries
Two hundred meters—no, it was certainly more than that. The colossal power dwelling within his massive physical form gave Jekyeong the illusion that he could cleave Heukgyodo in half with sheer brute force alone.
Was it truly an illusion? Even Jekyeong himself could not be sure. He could find a suitable uninhabited island to test it out, but he didn't feel particularly inclined to go that far.
My monster power has increased significantly. Doubled? Or perhaps slightly more than that? Even more striking than his physical growth was the transformation of his soul. When he had first ascended to the Great Yao stage, his soul had felt like a single, lonely ember flickering in a desolate wasteland. Now, it had grown into a raging inferno.
This vastly strengthened soul allowed him to draw upon far more monster power, and he could feel that the quantity was more than double what it used to be. Furthermore, it wasn't just a simple increase in volume; he could clearly sense a profound improvement in its quality as well.
Jekyeong was confident that if he willed it, he could reduce the entirety of Heukgyodo to ashes in a single breath. Of course, he had no intention of testing this theory either.
Good. Excellent. At this level... I can afford to be a bit more proactive. Until now, Jekyeong had acted with extreme caution in everything he did. Even when he occasionally seemed to take bold, decisive action, it was merely a calculated performance born of careful deliberation. After all, to maintain his guise as the Black Flood Dragon, he had to exhibit the arrogance and ferocity typical of a Gyo-ryong.
Yet, even while projecting the persona of the Black Flood Dragon to the outside world, Jekyeong always set strict boundaries for himself. He was meticulous in categorizing his opponents. He only provoked those he knew he could handle, and he completely ignored those he shouldn't dare to cross.
But now, Jekyeong felt he could expand the boundaries of those "opponents he could handle." And perhaps, in doing so, he could also increase his public activities.
When his thoughts reached this point, Jekyeong paused to seriously reflect on whether he was simply intoxicated by the aftereffects of his evolution. The answer he arrived at after careful self-examination was a firm "no." He was not drunk on power. Everything was a conclusion reached through cold, hard calculation.
Just as the wealthy have their own way of spending, the strong have their own way of carrying themselves. While it was still a bit ambiguous to call his current self "strong," he certainly could no longer be considered "weak."
Excluding the unfathomably ancient seniors of Bul-mang-won, the strongest beings Jekyeong had encountered so far were Chaesan Noyao of Sangyo Forest and Makgye of Gyeongwang Palace. However, because Jekyeong's cultivation had been far too low back then to even look Chaesan Noyao in the eye, the only viable point of comparison was Makgye.
When he had faced Makgye up close, Jekyeong had estimated the seahorse Yao's cultivation to be around the mid-to-late Great Yao stage. Now that Jekyeong himself had reached the mid-Great Yao stage, recalling those memories made him certain that the Makgye of that time was one step above his current self.
The late Great Yao stage. A realm just a single step away from becoming a Demon King—truly a Great Yao among Great Yao. To his current self, it was a realm that still felt immensely distant.
But... it's not completely out of reach. Again, this was a judgment born of cold calculation, based on the impression Makgye had left on him during their encounter.
Standing before Makgye back then, Jekyeong had known for certain that the other was stronger, but he hadn't felt that overwhelming sense of despair he had experienced with Chaesan Noyao. He knew he couldn't win, but he had been prepared to fight to the bitter end if the worst came to the worst. If he had felt that way then, what about now? He still wasn't confident he could win. But if they were to clash, he believed he could hold his own.
As a high-ranking official of Gyeongwang Palace, Makgye was undoubtedly a powerhouse even when looking at the entirety of Yangseo Lake. If Jekyeong could survive an encounter with such a figure, he could afford to carry himself with a bit more confidence. Of course, this didn't mean he should act like an arrogant, reckless fool, but it was finally time to stop hiding in his shell like a turtle.
Jekyeong returned to Seongam Island. This time, however, he did not charter Yang Yo-hyeon's vessel but instead deployed his own ship. While it wasn't as grand as the ships of the Yeongbu Merchant Guild, it cut a reasonably impressive figure on the surface.
"Fellow Daoist Jekyeong." Yeon Jung-hyeok welcomed him with a warm, genial smile. Since Jekyeong had intentionally concealed his cultivation stage, the manager still addressed him as "Fellow Daoist."
"It has been a while."
"Indeed. It feels as though we met just yesterday." After exchanging the usual pleasantries, they got straight to business.
"Do you have any decent items this time?"
"They are quite decent, actually. Have a look." Jekyeong scanned the auction catalog Yeon Jung-hyeok handed him. They were indeed of good quality. Then again, these were items carefully selected from years of accumulation; it would have been stranger if the quality were lacking.
"Not bad." At auctions like this, the items themselves were never the issue. The issue was always the cultivator's Storage Bag—or more precisely, their supply of Spirit Stones. Jekyeong had been in that position before. Lacking a fortune, he had been forced to adopt a cost-effective strategy.
His current situation was not much different. His cultivation had literally been built on a relentless consumption of Spirit Stones. Even though he had reached the mid-Great Yao stage, the amount of Spirit Stones in his Storage Bag was roughly the same as during his previous visit to Seongam Island. Consequently, his strategy for this auction remained unchanged: bid only on useful items that wouldn't draw too much attention.
"I have already prepared your accommodations. This way, please." Just like before, Jekyeong spent a few days on Seongam Island enjoying Yeon Jung-hyeok's lavish hospitality. At the auction, he emptied his Storage Bag to secure a decent haul. Once the auction concluded, he departed the island without delay.
Hmm? On his way back, Jekyeong frowned as he detected several presences tailing him from behind. He felt a brief flash of déjà vu, but those following him this time were different. It wasn't a chase, nor were they trying to conceal their auras. They were approaching him openly.
They are quite fast... but that is all. If he wanted to shake them off, he was confident he could. Once he dove into the water, even a late Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn't be able to keep up with him. However, doing so would mean abandoning his ship and the human subordinates aboard.
Let's see what they want first. After weighing his options for a brief moment, Jekyeong decided to face them. It was a choice made out of confidence—even if the worst came to pass, he was certain he could escape.
"Everyone, go inside," he commanded.
Jekyeong's ship was not equipped with any defensive formations or special mechanisms. It was a completely ordinary vessel, manned by ordinary humans. Even though Jekyeong had ordered them inside without any explanation, they obeyed without question.
Three of them. Jekyeong lightly pushed off the deck and soared into the air. Having reached the mid-Great Yao stage, performing basic flight while in his human form was no longer a challenge. As long as he didn't push his speed to the limit, he could fly continuously for days.
Hovering in midair, Jekyeong sensed the approaching presences, which were moving at a moderate pace. One early Foundation Establishment and two late Qi Condensation? But... something is off.
He hadn't noticed when they were far away, but as they drew closer, the anomaly became apparent. The auras of the approaching cultivators felt strangely blurred. While he could gauge the overall scale of their energy, trying to examine it closely was like peering through a dense fog; he couldn't get a clear reading.
Since this was the first time he had ever encountered such a phenomenon, tension naturally gripped him. His body, which had relaxed slightly after his initial assessment of their cultivation levels, tensed up once more.
A moment later, three cultivators riding a small flying vessel appeared before him. Jekyeong quickly scanned them, but he couldn't find anything unusual about their appearance.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Black Flood Dragon," the early Foundation Establishment cultivator standing at the bow of the vessel said in a dry, flat tone.
"You know me?" Hearing the title "Fellow Daoist Black Flood Dragon," Jekyeong's mind raced through various possibilities. His identity was hardly a closely guarded secret, at least within the Yeongbu Merchant Guild. Were these people from the guild? Had they been sent by one of Gwak Jeong-sin's rivals? It was possible, but he couldn't be sure. In any case, they must have tailed him all the way from Seongam Island.
"Not personally, no. However, the reputation of the Black Flood Dragon is quite well-known within the Human Territory. Having heard much of your renown, I happened to spot you and decided to pay my respects. I hope I am not intruding."
"There is no need to beat around the bush, and even less need for lies. If you went out of your way to find me, state your business."
Whenever he was in his human form, Jekyeong felt a persistent discomfort, as if he were squeezing himself into clothes that didn't fit. With his mood already soured by the physical constraint, having an unwelcome guest play word games in front of him only made his tone sharper.
"Oh, there is no need to be so guarded."
"I will be the judge of that."
"Very well. Let us get straight to the point. The reason I have sought you out is to make a rather appealing proposal."
Jekyeong gave a slight nod, gesturing for him to continue.
"I have heard that despite being of the Beast Race, you are remarkably pragmatic and flexible. Coincidentally, I am much the same. I believe we could be of great mutual benefit to one another."
"What kind of mutual benefit are we talking about?"
"For example, something like these three."
"What?" Even as the Foundation Establishment cultivator spoke, the two late Qi Condensation cultivators behind him suddenly let their heads drop. Their bodies swayed slightly, looking exactly like puppets whose strings had been cut.
"These are gifts to commemorate our first meeting. Along with this flying vessel, of course."
"Are they puppets?"
"No, they are not puppets. Their souls have been erased, but they are undoubtedly living human cultivators. They are perfectly fine for consumption."
Jekyeong's gaze hardened further. Anyone who could speak so casually of erasing souls was not to be taken lightly. Moreover, since he had no idea what the true cultivation level of the person behind this proxy was, he had to remain on high alert. Even though the speaker claimed to harbor no ill intent, how could he trust mere words? Especially when the mouth speaking them did not even belong to the true sender.
"A bizarre method."
"Merely a trivial trick."
"A trivial trick? Ha!" Jekyeong no longer hid his sinister nature. His unsuppressed monster power began to shimmer around him like a heat haze, and his slit pupils revealed the savage ferocity of a Great Yao. At this moment, he was the very definition of a monstrous beast wearing a human skin.
"Cut the wordplay. If you want to have a proper conversation, show up in your true body. In light of your gifts, I won't turn you away at the door."
"Haha. Very well. I shall pay you a visit soon." As the words left his mouth, the light faded from the Foundation Establishment cultivator's eyes, and his head slumped forward just like the other two.
Jekyeong watched them warily for a moment. Then, approaching quickly, he snapped each of their necks one by one, ensuring they were completely dead. While living prey was preferable, it was far better to eliminate any unpredictable risks. Besides, even as corpses, consuming them within a few days would yield nearly the same benefits as eating them alive.
A sinister bastard, but certainly a generous one.