Under the Dragon's Shadow
Ha Son-seo, who looked like a living, breathing boulder, was exceptionally massive even for a Great Demon. Yet, in front of Jekyeong's true form, he looked less like a boulder and more like a mere pebble. Whether it was due to this overwhelming disparity in size, the oppressive aura naturally radiating from Jekyeong, or perhaps Jekyeong's brilliant recent exploits that had become widely known, Ha Son-seo's attitude was far more submissive than before.
"I was tending to some matters, hence my delay."
"It is quite alright. I arrived without prior notice, so what is a brief wait?"
Jekyeong had not realized Ha Son-seo was so silver-tongued. The Ha Son-seo he knew was a taciturn and cautious fellow. Seeing him take the initiative to move first and speak so eloquently made Jekyeong realize he might have slightly underestimated this ponderous Great Demon.
"Indeed. So, what brings you here? A fellow Daoist like yourself would not visit without reason. You must have urgent business."
"That is correct. In truth, have you not already guessed it, Fellow Daoist?"
"Hmm?" When Jekyeong tilted his head, feigning ignorance, Ha Son-seo let out a sigh.
"The war of nerves between Gyeongwang Palace and the Demon Court has reached even this quiet corner. They are demanding we choose a side. But I have no desire to entangle myself in such complex and perilous conflicts. Nor do I care for the so-called benefits both sides boast of."
"Hmm. I feel the same. I merely wish to cultivate in peace, yet they keep pestering me."
"For you, it may be a mere nuisance, but for someone like me, it is a threat. Not long ago, Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong paid me a visit and subtly pressured me. He warned that ignoring the Demon Court's goodwill would not end well."
Jang Yeong had abandoned his cave dwelling to join his father even before the Demon Court officially declared its existence. Backed by his father's prestige, he was said to be putting on quite a show of authority. It would have been nice if he just stayed there and acted high and mighty, but unfortunately, he occasionally returned to visit his old acquaintances. While he was likely working hard for the sake of the Demon Court, it was nothing short of a headache for those on the receiving end.
"Tsk, tsk. Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong is letting his new status as a Demon King's son go to his head."
"Indeed, I am caught between a rock and a hard place. In the worst-case scenario, I am even considering leaving Yangseo Lake. However, before taking such a step, I came to see if there might be another way."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
Ha Son-seo met Jekyeong's gaze. Though Jekyeong was coiled, Ha Son-seo still had to tilt his head almost vertically to look him in the eye. Ha Son-seo craned his neck upward, while Jekyeong looked straight down at him. This was a difference in posture, but also a difference in status.
"Fellow Daoist Jekyeong. We wish for you to lead us."
"I do not quite understand. And what do you mean by 'we'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. I am asking you to lead those who find themselves in the same plight as I." Ha Son-seo paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.
"Of course, I know you would remain secure even on your own. Neither Gyeongwang Palace nor the Demon Court would dare touch you lightly."
"I will not deny that."
"Yes. But even small hands, when joined together, are better than none. We merely wish to seek shelter under your shadow, and we will ask for nothing else."
Jekyeong uncoiled slightly and raised his head. At that moment, Ha Son-seo's eyelids trembled under an oppressive weight, as if he were standing before a towering mountain.
"A fine speech. I understand your meaning. But... why should I? If you and those like you gain my protection, what do I gain in return?"
"It may not satisfy your standards, but we will show our utmost sincerity. And should there be another matter like the last time, we will not refuse."
"The last time" referred to when Jekyeong had instigated the Great Demons to raid the human merchant ships.
'In other words, they won't take direct orders, but they will cooperate.'
He didn't know whether to call it cheeky or clever. However, Ha Son-seo's proposal was quite attractive to Jekyeong as well. Mainly because he wouldn't have to take any responsibility other than letting them shelter under his shadow. It was similar to when Jekyeong had been a Guest Elder of Gyeongwang Palace. They would merely lend each other their names and backings without having to take responsibility for one another.
'It's not a bad deal. If I take them in... even if it's a small group, it will carry more weight than before.'
Neither Ha Son-seo nor the other Great Demons in similar plights were particularly formidable. However, even such individuals would possess a certain presence if united. If he led them, neither Gyeongwang Palace nor the Demon Court would stretch their hands out as recklessly as before. Even if he couldn't expect much practical military strength from them, it would at least alleviate the current nuisances.
"Intriguing." As Jekyeong's massive tongue flicked out, the tense Ha Son-seo shuddered.
"Let us discuss the details."
Jekyeong's interest was grasped. Previously, he had only considered it a vague possibility and hadn't given it deep thought, but looking at it now... playing the neighborhood boss didn't seem like a bad idea.
Jekyeong spent half a day conversing with Ha Son-seo. The discussion mostly revolved around how they should conduct themselves in the future, and for the most part, their opinions aligned. In particular, they were in complete agreement on the grand framework—namely, that their alliance should remain loose. Jekyeong did not want to take responsibility, and Ha Son-seo did not want to be bound. Though their reasons differed, their conclusions were identical, allowing the conversation to proceed smoothly from start to finish.
"There are still a few who are hesitating. However, once I deliver the news, they too will hasten here."
"There is no need to go out of your way to persuade them. Gathering those who are not of one mind will only breed discord."
Jekyeong maintained an attitude of indifference, as if he wouldn't care even if the whole thing fell through.
"You speak truly." Ha Son-seo could not fathom Jekyeong's true intentions. In his mind, there was absolutely no reason for Jekyeong to dislike having Great Demons voluntarily gather under his banner. Yet, even after they had agreed to join forces, Jekyeong maintained such a lukewarm attitude that Ha Son-seo couldn't tell if it was genuine or merely a facade.
'I cannot tell. I simply cannot tell.' Ha Son-seo believed that a larger crowd would offer greater safety, but Jekyeong's words also held merit. It was difficult to declare whether a solid pebble or a porous boulder was superior.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
"Mmh. Safe travels."
After Ha Son-seo departed, Jekyeong slowly retraced his thoughts to see if he had made any mistakes or miscalculations. This was a habit he had formed after being manipulated by Myeong-ha's fortune-manipulating aura, swearing never again to be played like a puppet without even knowing why.
'No mistakes made. While such occurrences are rare in the Beast Territory, they are commonplace in the Human Territory. The demons of Yangseo Lake must worry about humans in addition to fearing Gyeongwang Palace and the Demon Court. It is only natural for those who do not wish to crawl under either faction to band together.'
The motivation was sound, and the location was ideal. If this were the heart of the Beast Territory, or a place drawing widespread attention for various reasons, Gyeongwang Palace and the Demon Court would have found even this minor rebellion an eyesore. However...
'It's fine. At most, they'll throw a few tantrums. I can easily handle that much.'
As long as he remained in Yangseo Lake, trouble would find him anyway, even if he stayed still. In that case, wouldn't it be better to take preemptive action before the current nuisance escalated into a genuine threat?
Following Ha Son-seo's departure, familiar faces visited Heukgyodo every few days.
"Fellow Daoist Jekyeong."
"Fellow Daoist Seon-gu."
Jekyeong received his guests with practiced ease. It seemed nearly all the Great Demons residing near the Heukgyo Water Territory—those who regularly attended his exchange gatherings—had come.
'It seems Jang Yeong didn't get much return on his investment.'
Including Seon-gu, who was the last to arrive, there were seven who had come to join him. This number was too large to be called a minor gathering, yet slightly too small to draw the serious attention of Gyeongwang Palace and the Demon Court.
'This size is just right.'
Jekyeong had promised to shelter them under his shadow, but he had no intention of taking any proactive measures. He merely planned to hold their usual exchange gatherings slightly more often. That alone would suffice as a show of sincerity—both to those who had gathered by his side and to those who would soon hear the news and express their displeasure.
Once he had met everyone he needed to, Jekyeong stretched his long body and buried his head in a mountain of brilliantly glittering spirit stones.
Crunch! He felt the spiritual energy within the spirit stones melt into his soul and flesh. The amount was by no means small, yet to Jekyeong, it was barely a sensation. To use a metaphor, it was like a passing shower over a vast desert.
As his cultivation realm advanced and his body and soul grew stronger, the intervals between his sheddings grew longer. Despite consistently consuming spirit stones for several months, he had yet to feel even a hint of an impending molting.
'Hmm.' Once the spiritual energy in his body reached saturation, Jekyeong cast a regretful glance at the visibly diminished mountain of spirit stones before coiling himself. One side of his head still felt empty, and his brow furrowed whenever he felt his monster power writhing uneasily as if trying to escape his control. Nevertheless, Jekyeong tried his best to remain patient, hoping that the greater the effort invested, the grander the reward would be.
"How utterly disappointing. You asked me to trust you and leave it to you, and this is the result?"
Jang Yeong made no reply to the sarcasm coming from his side. However, his tightly shut lips and cold gaze revealed that his mind was far from as calm as his outward appearance suggested.
"I'll say it now, but I never liked your half-hearted methods from the start. Coaxing and cajoling with words is how those human bastards do things. Such tedious methods do not suit us."
"The Great Demons here have lived in freedom for a long time. If we try to suppress them by force, they will only push back harder."
"Then we simply kill one or two as an example. Dispose of the most rebellious ones, and the rest will crawl back to us on their own."
Jang Yeong wanted to spit curses at the man's greasy face, but he held back. The speaker was a mature Great Yao in the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm. Even if Jang Yeong was the son of a Demon King, this was not an opponent he could treat lightly. Furthermore, this man had accompanied him under the guise of a guardian and escort, so no matter how much Jang Yeong disliked him, he had to show a modicum of respect.
"Senior Jo-gang. What we must obtain is genuine support, not a mere empty title. If we force those who are unwilling, how is that any different from what Gyeongwang Palace did in the past?"
"Are you trying to lecture me?"
"I am merely stating my thoughts. And perhaps reminding you of the reason my father entrusted this task to me."
"Hmph! You certainly have a silver tongue. But why didn't that splendid eloquence of yours work on these bastards?"
At Jo-gang's mocking words, Jang Yeong fell silent. It was not because he didn't know the answer, but because he knew it all too well. Why hadn't it worked? Because these bastards had found someone to lean on.
'Jekyeong. Jekyeong. You are a truly troublesome bastard.'
A single Black Flood Dragon coiled in his own waters. His very existence sustained the resistance of the Great Demons in this region. With someone right next door who ignored both the Demon Court and Gyeongwang Palace yet lived perfectly fine without a care in the world, the other bastards had gained a foolish sort of courage.
'How incredibly irritating.'
Jang Yeong wanted to recruit the Great Demons without shedding blood if possible, but when it came to that Black Flood Dragon, he truly wished to handle him using Jo-gang's method. He was certain that if they could just get rid of that bastard, they could break the spirits of the other Great Demons in an instant.
'If only we could.'
Jang Yeong lacked confidence. That Black Flood Dragon's strength was truly formidable. When he had hunted "subversive elements" alongside him in the past, he had thought the beast was extraordinary, but not to an unmanageable degree. Now, he realized that was not the case. The bastard had clearly hidden his true power back then.
'Damn that Gyoryong bloodline.'
Defeating over a dozen human Foundation Establishment cultivators by himself? At first, he had thought he misheard or that it was a groundless rumor. But as time passed, instead of dying down, the rumor spread further, forcing him to realize that the unbelievable tale was indeed true.
'It can't be helped.'
He had wanted to avoid visiting the bastard if possible. He had been offended after being rejected several times before, and he also worried about meeting a grim fate if he clung too persistently. However...
"We are from the Yangseo Demon Court. Inform Fellow Daoist Jekyeong of our arrival."
"Yes, sir!"
Watching the back of the turtle demon scurrying away in a hurry, Jang Yeong's eyes darkened.
"A grand formation? What a peculiar fellow."
"He is also quite formidable."
"Heh. We shall see about that soon enough."
Even after arriving before Heukgyodo, Jo-gang remained perfectly relaxed. Jang Yeong silently hoped that this composure would endure once they came face-to-face with the Black Flood Dragon.
"We have distinguished guests. Fellow Daoist Jang Yeong. And this one is..."
Jekyeong stood tall, holding his body erect as he welcomed his guests.