A Shift in the Tides
He had heard that interactions among cultivators had increased significantly since the Assembly of No Forgetfulness—specifically, after the Teleportation Pillars were erected throughout the Garden of No Forgetfulness. However, seeing it in person made him realize anew just how monumental the change brought by Perfected Lord Hyeondo was.
"I am Jekyeong," he introduced himself.
His journey to seek guidance went smoothly. This was because most cultivators showed interest in him, a member of the Beast Race who nonetheless possessed a perfectly sane mind. Fundamentally, the cultivators of the Garden of No Forgetfulness recognized one another as kindred spirits and shared a sense of camaraderie, however small. Combined with their curiosity, Jekyeong was able to converse with most of the seniors he approached in a warm and amicable atmosphere.
The reason it was "most" and not "all" was due to a small minority who harbored unconditional hostility toward his identity as a beast. Jekyeong surmised that they had likely suffered some calamity at the hands of the Beast Race back in the Changram Realm.
"You are correct. That senior mentioned that one's presence is the favor of the Heavenly Dao. The greater one's presence, the more favor they receive from the heavens."
"And who was that senior?" Jekyeong asked.
"I cannot reveal his esteemed name without his permission. I can only tell you that he was of the imperial bloodline of Seonjo."
"Seonjo..." Jekyeong murmured softly.
"Do you know of Seonjo?"
"I have only heard that such a place exists."
"Ah. Since you are not of the Human Race, that is understandable." The senior, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator whose experience seemed to rival even U Do-baek's, briefly explained Seonjo to him.
"Seonjo is no mere nation. They are the colossal pillar that supports the Human Race. Their raw strength might not compare to the massive sects or clans that rule entire provinces, but Seonjo remains the backbone of humanity nonetheless. There is no other reason. It is because they sustain the presence of the Human Race."
He added that since he had heard this from the senior of the Seonjo imperial family, it might contain some exaggeration. However, because this information came from an ancient senior cultivator whom even an experienced late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator held in the highest esteem, the core truth of the matter was likely genuine, even if slightly embellished.
"In any case, it is truly fascinating. I have traveled far and wide in my lifetime and met countless people, but I have never once laid eyes on a Qi-destined Child."
"It was not a particularly pleasant experience."
"I understand. When a Qi-destined Child rises to prominence, chaos inevitably sweeps through the surrounding region. Many find themselves swept up in the storm against their will."
The old senior's consolation did not particularly move him, but the knowledge gained was highly useful. Thanks to his teachings, Jekyeong's understanding of presence deepened, and he formed his own judgment on how to handle it in the future.
In the end, it's not much different from what I originally thought. I shouldn't get too close, but there's no need to desperately run away either. I just need to maintain a proper distance and keep my guard up.
There was no need to worry about things like the favor of the Heavenly Dao or the mechanics of presence. Such things should be treated as traps. The more one worried and stressed over them, the deeper they would step into the snare. It was best to pay them no mind from the very beginning.
While Jekyeong recovered his body and gathered information about presence in the Garden of No Forgetfulness, the war in Yangseo Lake grew increasingly fierce. Though skirmishes involving tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of combatants had been occurring continuously, they had still been regarded as mere skirmishes or psychological warfare.
There was only one reason: the peak powerhouses of both races had not yet taken the field. Everyone knew that the ultimate direction of this war depended on the Golden Core cultivators of both the human and beast races.
The Jansu Whale King... truly formidable.
Jekyeong pondered the news he had just received in the depths of the Black Cult Palace. It was information about a full-scale battle that had occurred four days ago, delivered by Choi Ju-tang, whom he had met in the Garden of No Forgetfulness.
According to the report, four days ago, the two races clashed near a human nation called the Juseo Kingdom. In this battle, the Beast Race was led by the Jansu Whale King himself, while the Human Race countered by deploying Supreme Elder Jong Gi-su of the Geumyang Sect and Supreme Elder Jang Mu-hyu of the Myeongseomun Sect.
In the ensuing clash, the Jansu Whale King held the upper hand against two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators. It wasn't just a slight advantage, either; it was said that they only managed to force the Jansu Whale King to withdraw after Sect Master Je Rim-so of the Myeongseomun Sect joined the fray.
When Jekyeong first heard the story, he suspected that they hadn't fought in earnest but had merely tested each other's strength. However, it seemed that was not the case.
According to Choi Ju-tang, they fought so fiercely that the heavens seemed to collapse and the lake bed was laid bare. In the aftermath of the battle, the entire Juseo Kingdom was wiped off the map, and dozens of surrounding islands and waters were devastated, turning the entire region into a barren wasteland.
Since the tale had been passed down by word of mouth, there was bound to be some exaggeration, but it appeared to be true that they had clashed in earnest.
The Jansu Whale King is a mid-stage Yao King, and the two Supreme Elders of the Geumyang and Myeongseomun Sects are also mid-stage Golden Core cultivators. In terms of realm alone, there is no reason for the two of them to be pushed back... Is age the issue after all?
According to public knowledge, it had been well over several hundred years since the two Supreme Elders first made a name for themselves in Yangseo Lake. Although a Golden Core cultivator could live for at least eight hundred years, who knew how much lifespan they had left? Considering that their public activities had virtually ceased decades ago, it would not be surprising if their strength had significantly deteriorated compared to their prime.
And if the information from Choi Ju-tang was accurate, they were indeed decrepit. Even if the Jansu Whale King possessed exceptionally high combat power among Yao Kings, the fact that he could easily overwhelm two cultivators of the same realm on his own—and retreat unscathed even after an early-stage Golden Core cultivator joined to make it a three-on-one fight—meant that the gap in their strength was far wider than it appeared.
The Human Race understood the implications, and so did the Beast Race. Consequently, even though the Jansu Whale King was ultimately pushed back by the three Golden Core cultivators and forced to retreat, the morale of the Beast Race remained unbroken.
Time is on the side of the Beast Race—on the side of the Whale King Palace.
Suddenly, Jekyeong recalled the words Jang Yeong had used to disparage the Jansu Whale King. He had claimed that the Whale King was indecisive, yet pathologically obsessed with his own authority, hindering the progress of the beasts in Yangseo Lake.
The Jansu Whale King.
He had nothing to say regarding the accusation that the Whale King had suppressed the birth of other Yao Kings, as he did not know the full story. However, as for his supposed indecisiveness, it seemed that was not entirely true. Perhaps the Jansu Whale King had simply been waiting.
If time passes like this and the two Supreme Elders of the Geumyang and Myeongseomun Sects pass away, and if the two Sect Masters fail to ascend to the mid-stage Golden Core realm, the Human Race will naturally decline. When that time comes, the Beast Race will win without even fighting. Could the Jansu Whale King have been quietly waiting for that "free victory"?
I don't know his true intentions, but he is certainly no simple character.
After the clash between the Yao King and the Golden Core cultivators ended in such an inconclusive manner, the front lines fell into a stalemate. It seemed this precarious balance would persist indefinitely unless the peak powerhouses of both sides took the field again with the intent to fight to the death. However, the situation suddenly took a drastic turn.
The Jansu Whale King had departed from the front lines.
Choi Ju-tang said he had no idea why, but Jekyeong could guess the reason.
Has it finally begun?
In the depths of the Black Cult Palace, Jekyeong's eyes gleamed silently. If his predictions were correct, and if everything proceeded smoothly, new tidings would soon arrive from another direction.
One never truly appreciates what they have until it is gone. It was a truth he already knew, but losing one of his horns had driven the lesson home once more.
Although his physical condition had mostly recovered through steady rest, Jekyeong could feel it. Even if he fully healed, he would merely be getting used to the loss; it was not a true recovery.
Let's look on the bright side. If not for this incident, I would have gone on believing this horn was purely decorative.
Once his body had recovered to a certain extent, Jekyeong conducted various experiments and soon found his answer. Compared to before his horn was severed, his control over his monster power had degraded significantly. Power he used to manipulate effortlessly now required considerable concentration to wield.
At least I know now.
Had there been no hope of recovery, he would have been deeply disheartened. Fortunately, Jekyeong had something to rely on.
It should be possible.
What Jekyeong placed his faith in was shedding. Every time he molted, his old wounds healed, and crucially, this very horn had grown through successive sheds. Therefore, he anticipated that the severed horn could also be restored through shedding.
If all else fails, I can always search for a spiritual treasure.
The cultivation world was vast, overflowing with spiritual treasures possessing all kinds of bizarre and miraculous effects. Surely, among so many treasures, there would be something capable of regrowing a horn. Jekyeong felt at ease. His achievements had granted him a profound sense of security.
*Whoosh!*
A flame smaller than one of Jekyeong's eyes, smaller even than a single scale, flickered into existence in the air. It did not sway in the wind, nor did it flicker precariously. As if complete in itself, it hovered in the air, maintaining its original shape.
This was his Origin Earth Fire. Lately, Jekyeong had been completely absorbed in playing with—or rather, mastering the applications of—the Origin Earth Fire. Though this new power was still weak, its potential for growth and utility was limitless. He had always believed it would be highly useful, but after gaining enlightenment regarding the Dao of Fire, he understood the significance and value of the Origin Earth Fire on a much deeper level.
The more familiar I become with the Origin Earth Fire, the faster the refinement of the Sacred Fire proceeds.
This meant he was reaping two benefits from a single cultivation practice. Consequently, Jekyeong had been neglecting his standard cultivation techniques lately, spending his entire day solely on manipulating the Origin Earth Fire.
"Jekyeong! Jekyeong! The octopus is here!"
In the middle of his enjoyable training session, Cheongo's voice echoed from afar.
"He's finally here," Jekyeong murmured.
Jekyeong extinguished the Origin Earth Fire and rose to his feet.
Facing Jang Yeong inside the Black Cult Palace, Jekyeong felt a strange mixture of familiarity and foreignness.
"Fellow Daoist Jekyeong."
"Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong."
After exchanging familiar greetings, they quickly scanned each other's appearance.
Jang Yeong's gaze lingered for a brief moment on Jekyeong's severed horn, while Jekyeong swept his eyes over Jang Yeong as a whole. Nothing had changed since their last meeting. Jekyeong felt a sense of familiarity from Jang Yeong's unaltered appearance.
"I heard it was a difficult battle," Jang Yeong said.
Jekyeong let the insincere consolation go in one ear and out the other. Locking eyes with Jang Yeong, he pondered what exactly felt so foreign about him.
Ah, I see.
Jekyeong realized it almost immediately. Why hadn't he noticed right away? The subtly larger gestures, the voice carrying more weight, the unwavering eyes—all of these pointed to the answer.
"It certainly wasn't easy. But more than that, the fault lay with me. I was too arrogant. Consider it a lesson bought at a steep price."
"Indeed." Hearing Jekyeong's calm words, Jang Yeong nodded in admiration. This time, a trace of sincerity could be heard in his voice.
"Let us stop speaking of embarrassing matters. A busy person like you wouldn't have come all this way just to ask after my well-being. From the looks of it, you must have brought good news. Am I correct?"
"Haha. As expected, you are wise. Yes, indeed. I have brought excellent news. Though... I suspect you have already guessed what it is?"
"I have my suspicions. But I would like to hear it directly from you."
With one bringing good news and the other eagerly awaiting it, the atmosphere was exceptionally pleasant. In this amicable mood, Jekyeong uncharacteristically brought out his treasured spirit wine and spiritual fruit to treat Jang Yeong.
"Help yourself."
"Thank you."
Tasting Muksu's spiritual fruit, Jang Yeong's eyes went wide. He reflexively glanced at the remaining fruit, but it was already resting on Jekyeong's long, slender tongue.
"Ahem." Jang Yeong cleared his throat, trying his best to hide his disappointment, and spoke.
"Not long ago, the Whale King Palace and the Human Race clashed in the Juseo waters."
The story that followed was not much different from what Jekyeong had heard from Choi Ju-tang. The only differences were that the opponent of the Human Race was specified as the Whale King Palace rather than the Beast Race as a whole, and a few minor details were added, such as several renowned Great Yao being killed or severely injured in the battle.
"My father took advantage of the moment the Jansu Whale King was deployed to the front lines to make his breakthrough. The breakthrough itself went smoothly, but the celestial anomalies generated during the process were unavoidable, and the Whale King quickly caught wind of it."
It was exactly as Jekyeong had anticipated. The moment the Jansu Whale King realized that Jang Yeong's father, Mu-ara, was attempting to form his Golden Core by borrowing the spiritual veins of the Whale King Palace, he rushed back. However, Mu-ara's breakthrough had proceeded far more smoothly than the Whale King had anticipated, and by the time he arrived, everything was already over.
"As expected, the Whale King was furious and attacked my father."
At this point, Jekyeong's eyes gleamed silently. The strength of the Jansu Whale King was beyond question. The mere fact that he had safely retreated against three human Golden Core cultivators was proof of his immense power. Yet, what could a newly ascended Yao King possibly do against such a formidable foe?
"Fortunately, my father had spent a long time consolidating his cultivation at the late stage of the Great Yao realm, so even though he had just made his breakthrough, he possessed the strength to resist the Whale King. Combined with a hidden trump card my father had prepared in advance, the Whale King had no choice but to swallow his anger."