A Scout for the Blighted Lands
It had been less than a month since the Heumwon Clan first appeared on the battlefield when Hyeongu arrived with fresh news. Though he tried his best to remain calm, his flushed face and slightly trembling voice gave him away. Jekyeong had already guessed what it was.
"Has the Gakchung Clan made their move?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes. As expected, you are wise beyond measure, Dragon Lord."
Hyeongu quickly laid out the fresh intelligence gathered by his subordinate water beasts. Even though "fresh" meant it was at least a fortnight old, here on the outer fringes of Yangseo Lake, it was practically breaking news.
"Norak, the Insect King of the Gakchung Clan, has appeared on the battlefield. It is said he clashed with two elders of the Heumwon Clan and drove them away after six days of fierce combat."
The Insect King. It was a special title. The supreme leader of the Gakchung Clan was the Insect Mother, and the Insect King was her consort. As the second-in-command of the Gakchung Clan in both status and strength, his name was widely known despite the clan's notorious isolationism.
"Dragon Lord, the Insect King's intervention must mean the Gakchung Clan has finally declared their stance, yes?"
"Indeed."
It was a declaration of their stance, and a highly resolute one at that.
Things are going to get incredibly chaotic for a while.
Which meant... it was a perfect opportunity.
"Hyeongu."
"Yes, Dragon Lord."
"Summon U-jam. Quietly."
The fatigue in Jekyeong's eyes vanished, replaced by a sharp, lively gleam. At this very moment, when everyone's attention was fixed on the two main actors of the war, Jekyeong decided to dust off a plan he had kept locked away in his mind for quite some time.
"I heard you were in closed-door cultivation, yet you seem rather idle."
Jekyeong let U-jam's sarcastic remark slide. At first, he had bristled at every minor jab, but he soon realized something about this creature. He was all talk. Or rather, he simply couldn't control his own mouth.
Humans often said that the beast race had eccentric temperaments, but even the beast race claimed that ghostly demons—the guiyao—were the truly eccentric ones. It was only after meeting U-jam that Jekyeong realized how true those words were.
U-jam's personality couldn't be described as merely eccentric. Not only was he incapable of controlling his temper and tongue, but he would also occasionally act as if he had suddenly become an entirely different entity. He was highly unstable—a trait common to all guiyao.
A guiyao was not a normal living being. While they shared the lack of a physical body with fire spirits like Hwaryeong, they were far more bizarre. Straddling the boundary between life and death, they were neither truly alive nor truly dead. In a way, they were unique. But to most ordinary living creatures, that uniqueness felt deeply alien and unsettling.
"So, why did you call for me?"
Over the course of several trade meets, the two had grown accustomed to each other. Jekyeong had learned to tolerate U-jam's unstable eccentricity, while U-jam had come to accept Jekyeong's arrogance. Even if he didn't want to, he had no choice. The only reason the trade meet participants, including U-jam, could remain free from the pressure of Gyeongwang Palace and the Court of Demons was entirely due to Jekyeong's formidable reputation. Furthermore, the sheer pressure Jekyeong occasionally exerted during their meetings was so overwhelming that ordinary Great Yao couldn't even meet his gaze. Such raw power left a deep impression even on the self-absorbed U-jam. Though he still harbored resentment toward the Black Flood Dragon, he couldn't deny his strength and capability. After all, Jekyeong was a monstrous entity capable of standing tall against the forces of two Demon Kings all on his own.
"I have a lucrative job for you. I called you to see if you're interested."
"A lucrative job?" U-jam sneered, unable to hide his skepticism. "If it's really that good, why don't you do it yourself? Why call me?"
"Foolish." Jekyeong looked down at U-jam with open contempt. "If you have a brain, try using it. Ah, now that I think about it, you don't even have a head, do you? Is that why you're so dim-witted?"
The black smoke around U-jam swirled violently in anger, but he didn't dare to strike. Jekyeong, who had raised his massive body, glared down at him, his large, vertical pupils flashing with menace.
"Who do you think is keeping you all safe and comfortable here? What do you think would happen if I were to leave this place unattended right now?"
U-jam was no fool. He immediately understood Jekyeong's point. "Fine. So, what is this 'lucrative job'?"
"You've heard of Jimagwon, I assume."
"Isn't that human territory? The place currently ravaged by a demonic disaster?"
"Yes." The demon beasts of Yangseo Lake rarely paid attention to the neighboring human cultivation world. Aside from a few major regions, most didn't even know other territories existed. However, Jimagwon had recently gained quite a reputation due to the demonic disaster plaguing it, which was why even U-jam knew of its name.
"From what I have gathered, the catastrophe plaguing Jimagwon is not actually a demonic disaster."
"Oh?" U-jam, who had been listening half-heartedly, suddenly perked up at the firm assertion. "Not a demonic disaster? Are you certain?"
"Absolutely. There is no need to doubt the credibility of my source."
"If it's not a demonic disaster, then what is it?"
"It is a curse. The resentment of the fire spirits has seeped into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, turning it hostile and murderous."
U-jam could feel the absolute conviction in Jekyeong's powerful voice. Talk of fire spirits and curses sounded foreign and absurd, but coming from Jekyeong's mouth, it carried an odd weight of plausibility.
"Let's say that's true. What of it?"
"Though it is not a true demonic disaster, the curse is exceptionally dangerous. Especially to the human race."
It was no exaggeration to say that the fire spirits' curse had effectively severed the path of cultivation in Jimagwon. With the ambient spiritual energy corrupted by the curse, Qi Condensation cultivators couldn't cultivate normally, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators had to risk their lives every time they attempted to draw in Qi. According to Jekyeong's independent investigation, alchemical pills that protected the mind had long since sold out in Jimagwon, and the prices of raw medicinal ingredients had skyrocketed. Merchants were flocking to Jimagwon with carriages full of pills and herbs, hoping to make a fortune, while bandit cultivators were hunting those very merchants like rabid dogs. As a result, Jimagwon was currently in a state of absolute chaos.
"Intriguing." U-jam showed a keen interest in Jekyeong's explanation. Hearing such detailed information laid out so smoothly finally made him realize that Jekyeong was indeed planning something big. "So? What is this lucrative job?"
"The human sects and clans of Jimagwon are still holding out, but they have already reached their absolute limit."
They relied entirely on alchemical pills for both cultivation and recovery after battle. Quite literally, they were surviving on pills alone.
"So you want to strike them." By now, U-jam had caught on to Jekyeong's intentions. He was intrigued, but he also harbored concerns. "But no matter how weakened they are, they are still established sects and clans. They must have some hidden strength left. And they surely have quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"They are nothing but walking corpses. A feast laid out on a silver platter." Jekyeong's mocking gaze pierced U-jam. "Surely you aren't afraid of a few walking corpses?"
"Whether they are walking corpses or not is something I have to see for myself. Why should I blindly trust your word and walk straight into a potential death trap?"
Was he overly suspicious, cautious, or just a coward? Jekyeong stared quietly at the stubborn U-jam before calling for Hyeongu.
"Yes, Dragon Lord."
"Bring the item we prepared."
A moment later, Hyeongu returned, leading a human cultivator.
"This is..."
"Do you recognize this?"
The person Hyeongu brought in was no ordinary human cultivator. He was a half-wit whose mind had completely shattered after being subjected to far too much of Cheongo's hypnosis. Originally, Jekyeong had tried to replicate Myeong-ha's Lost-Soul Puppets, but most of the test subjects had died, unable to withstand the process. Only a few of these failures remained.
"What do you think?" Originally, Jekyeong had planned to feed them to Muk-su. But when he decided to entrust this task to U-jam, it occurred to him that this failure might actually prove useful.
"...Are you telling me to use this body?" The black smoke swirled around the vacant-eyed human cultivator before seeping into his seven orifices. A moment later, a sinister, wicked light flared within those previously dull eyes.
"Not bad at all." Guiyao possessed the ability of possession. They could take over the physical bodies of living beings, treating them like clothes. If a guiyao was powerful enough, they could forcibly strip the clothes off someone else and wear them; if they were weak, they couldn't even properly put on clothes hanging on a rack. As a Great Yao-level guiyao, U-jam's possession ability was exceptionally potent. He could even attempt to possess a Foundation Establishment cultivator if they showed the slightest vulnerability. For someone of his caliber, possessing a Qi Condensation cultivator whose mind was already completely broken was child's play.
"So, you want me to take this body and go to Jimagwon?"
"Yes." Jimagwon was in a state of utter chaos. Rumor had it that cities and immortal towns of any significant size had practically ceased to function, and the sects and clans had long since shut their gates. Those who hadn't left Jimagwon yet either traveled in small groups or wandered alone like rogue cultivators to avoid danger. Thus, the current Jimagwon was the perfect place for U-jam to slip in unnoticed.
"It is safe to assume that most of the humans in Jimagwon have lost their fighting capacity. The Qi Condensation cultivators go without saying, and even the Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot exert their full strength without pills. But we are different."
"Oh?"
"The corrupted spiritual energy of Jimagwon will affect us to some degree, but it is not unmanageable. As long as you aren't exposed to it for too long, it won't be a major issue."
In truth, the latter part was mere speculation, but Jekyeong spoke with absolute certainty. Already half-swayed by Jekyeong's overwhelming confidence, U-jam no longer doubted his words.
"So what do you want me to do? Surely you aren't telling me to go to Jimagwon and slaughter the humans?"
"Of course not." Just because the forces of Jimagwon were keeping a low profile didn't mean they were completely helpless. They undoubtedly had some hidden reserves left. Whether that reserve was a stockpile of alchemical pills or something else entirely, poking them recklessly would only result in a bitter lesson.
"Your task is reconnaissance. You will have to handle a few minor chores as well, but your primary objective is to closely observe the locations I specify."
"I don't know what you're plotting... but fine, I understand. If I take this job, what do I get out of it?"
"What do you want?" Sensing that U-jam was practically hooked, Jekyeong's tone softened slightly.
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator's body. A healthy, intact one, just like this."
"Very well."
"Huh? Just like that?" U-jam was taken aback by Jekyeong's immediate agreement. His widened eyes, trembling pupils, and slightly parted lips were so natural that no one would ever suspect the body was being controlled by an outside entity. At this point, even a sharp-eyed Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely fail to spot anything amiss with him.
"Just execute the task well. I will ensure your reward is more than satisfactory."
"Hmph. It's just a simple scouting mission, how hard could it be? Just make sure you don't go back on your word later." U-jam turned around, brimming with confidence.