The Shift in the Tide
Boom! On the day the Heumwon Clan and the Gakchung Clan truly clashed, Sangso Island, one of the preeminent human cities in Yangseo Lake, vanished without a trace. In place of the massive island, which was dozens of times larger than Heukgyo Island, a whirlpool of unfathomable proportions formed. Shortly thereafter, the human cultivators who arrived to investigate the area declared the entire waters surrounding Sangso Island to be a forbidden zone.
Jekyeong had no idea that five Core Formation masters had waged a grand war in a single place, nor did he know that Sangso Island had vanished overnight. However...
"It seems the human race has launched a massive counteroffensive. The forces of Yojeong that were besieging Jangyo Castle have reportedly broken their siege and retreated..."
"They say the Jansu Whale King has issued a retreat order. Consequently, the Great Yao deployed in human territory have abandoned their offensives all at once..."
Was this what it felt like to wake up and find the world completely changed? At first, he was bewildered. Once he grasped the situation, his heart sank.
They lost.
In the end, this war was a struggle between the Heumwon Clan and the Gakchung Clan. The outcome of the war was destined to be decided by whoever emerged victorious from that clash. Judging by the sudden, drastic shift in the tide of battle, the victors were undoubtedly the Gakchung Clan.
Stay calm. I knew from the beginning that things might turn out this way.
He did not know when or where they had settled the score so quietly, but since they were entities of the Yao King realm, it was only natural that a mere Great Yao like himself could not fathom their movements.
"Fellow Daoist. Looking at how things are turning out, it seems the human race has seized the upper hand." Myeong-ha had also heard the news and came to Heukgyo Island in person.
"It is not the humans, but the Gakchung Clan that has seized the upper hand," Jekyeong replied.
"True. But what difference does it make?"
"Do you truly think there is no difference?"
Myeong-ha fell silent for a moment. After a brief pause, he nodded.
"I understand. The humans and the Gakchung Clan are indeed different. You believe that, unlike the humans, the Gakchung Clan does not wish for the destruction of the beast race?"
"Would they not?"
"Well..." Myeong-ha trailed off ambiguously.
"I heard something interesting recently. They say the Insect Mother herself took action. And from the Heumwon Clan, their patriarch personally stepped forward... Honestly, it is hard to believe, but that is what I heard."
"The patriarch of the Heumwon Clan?"
"Indeed. In any case, they clashed, and the Heumwon Clan reportedly suffered massive losses before retreating. They even lost a Yao King in battle, and Sangso Island vanished as a consequence of the aftermath."
That the Heumwon Clan and the Gakchung Clan would clash, and that the latter would emerge victorious, was within Jekyeong's expectations. However, the news that the Insect Mother and the Heumwon patriarch had fought, that a Yao King had actually died, and that a major human city had vanished as a result... was difficult to process.
"Have you heard anything else regarding the movements of the Heumwon Clan?" Jekyeong asked. Myeong-ha shook his head.
"My information network is primarily focused on the human side. You likely know more about the beast race's affairs than I do, Fellow Daoist. I am also highly curious about the Heumwon Clan's next move, so if you happen to obtain any relevant information, please share it with me."
"I will do so."
No matter how powerful the Heumwon Clan was, the death of a Yao King realm powerhouse would be a devastating blow. They would undoubtedly react in some way—either swallowing their pride and withdrawing from Yangseo Lake entirely, or launching a retaliatory strike.
"Ah, by the way, Fellow Daoist. Have you heard about the interesting event that occurred in Jimagwon?"
"Jimagwon?" Lost in thought, Jekyeong raised his brow at the unexpected topic.
"It seems a ghostly demon went on a rampage. I heard it completely annihilated several sects and clans in Jimagwon."
"Oh?"
"But surprisingly, the humans of Jimagwon remained completely oblivious to it for quite some time. If that ghostly demon had been satisfied with that and stopped, things might have remained quiet for a while longer. Unfortunately, it crossed the line. It seems those few successes gave it a bit too much confidence."
Myeong-ha clicked his tongue.
"A massive hunt was ordered, and three late Foundation Establishment cultivators personally pursued the ghostly demon. I heard that after fleeing for over a fortnight, it was finally destroyed. Though its end was tragic, is it not quite impressive? To shake an entire cultivation world all by itself."
Jekyeong wondered for a moment if Myeong-ha knew something, but looking at his face, which was filled with nothing but genuine amusement, it did not seem to be the case.
U-jam, that fool.
The memory of U-jam refusing to return with him, claiming he wanted to enjoy himself a bit more, was still vivid in his mind.
Did he take the fall all by himself and die?
That the fellow had annihilated several sects and clans alone after Jekyeong returned? While it was certainly possible, Jekyeong could not shake the feeling that U-jam had ended up taking the blame for everything.
Well, this is not a bad outcome either.
It was a pity that U-jam was dead. His unique abilities were quite useful, after all. Still, if the fellow had died taking all the blame for what happened in Jimagwon with him to the grave... that was a decent outcome in its own right. Especially in times like these.
"By the way, Fellow Daoist. You seem to have changed a bit. You look more..." Myeong-ha hesitated slightly, trailing off. "Well, more majestic."
"..." Jekyeong remained silent, noticing Myeong-ha's gaze lingering on his newly ridged, uneven scales.
"What are we supposed to do now?"
"Surely the humans won't push all the way in here, right?"
"There's no way. What is there for them to plunder in a place like this?"
The exchange meeting was far more boisterous than usual. Now that the news of the beast race's massive defeat and retreat from the human frontlines had reached even this remote corner, the Great Yao gathered in the hall discussed the future with worried voices. However, to Jekyeong's ears, their discussions were entirely pointless.
"Fellow Daoists," Jekyeong spoke up, unable to listen any longer.
He stepped forward. The moment he opened his mouth, all the Great Yao ceased their clamor and turned their attention to him. A few took note of his altered appearance, but they were the minority. Right now, their minds were entirely consumed by the suddenly reversed tide of war and the threat of the humans who might descend upon them at any moment.
"I understand your anxiety, but let us think more rationally. Has the beast race truly lost the war?"
"Fellow Daoist, according to the rumors..."
"Of course I know. I do not mean to boast, but I likely receive news from the frontlines faster than any of you. I know that the frontlines in human territory have collapsed, and that certain factions have retreated. But I ask you again: does that mean the beast race has lost the war?"
This time, no one could find their tongue. Satisfied with their reaction, Jekyeong slowly continued.
"Yes, looking at the rumors, it is true that the beast race is being pushed back. But have any of you heard news of the Jansu Whale King's death? Or perhaps the Simjeon Demon King's? Because I certainly have not."
Of course, another Yao King had indeed died, but these demons were unaware of that fact. They likely would not know for quite some time. Thus, Jekyeong could speak with absolute confidence.
"The shift in the tide of battle is merely temporary. What truly decides the outcome of a war is the clash between Core Formation powerhouses. Therefore, as long as their struggle remains undecided, you have no reason to worry about the final result."
Even though they had attained Spiritual Intelligence and become Great Yao, they were still heavily ruled by their beastly instincts. They were easily swayed by emotion, and once gripped by it, their reason grew clouded. It was the same now. Paralyzed by vague dread, they were too busy panicking to look even a step deeper into the situation.
The words Jekyeong had just spouted were actually nothing special—obvious, even. Yet, they listened with shining eyes, hanging onto his every word as if it were divine revelation.
"Furthermore, even if the human race truly emerges victorious, you still have nothing to fear."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Think about it. This war has been neither short nor easy; the humans must have suffered immense casualties as well. Do you truly believe they have the leisure to march all the way to this remote corner? They have the Whale King Palace, Yojeong, and countless other lucrative territories to secure first."
He meant that if one were to raid a storehouse, they would target a wealthy one. Had it been the humans of a few years ago, they might have had the excess strength to poke around even a crumbling shack, but the current humans simply lacked the resources to do so.
"Hearing your words, Fellow Daoist Jekyeong, the confusion in my mind seems to clear."
"Indeed. We were worrying far too much ahead of time."
Once their anxiety dissipated, the atmosphere of the exchange meeting returned to its usual state. Right then, Seon-gu spoke up.
"By the way, has anyone heard any news of Fellow Daoist U-jam? He seems to have been missing for quite some time."
Jekyeong cast a sidelong glance at Seon-gu.
"..." Feeling Jekyeong's gaze, Seon-gu's eyes trembled minutely. He was clearly feeling fear and anxiety. Yet, the fact that he deliberately brought up U-jam meant he desperately wanted to know the truth—specifically, whether Jekyeong had laid a hand on U-jam or not.
"Fellow Daoist U-jam..." The newly restored atmosphere instantly turned heavy. Everyone gathered here knew that U-jam had previously departed to handle a task for Jekyeong. This was because U-jam had bragged about it endlessly before leaving—a clever ploy on U-jam's part to ensure his own safety.
"To my knowledge, Fellow Daoist U-jam is dead," Jekyeong said calmly. But the Great Yao who heard his words could not remain so composed.
"What?"
"How on earth did that happen?"
Some reacted violently, others narrowed their eyes, and some kept their mouths tightly shut. Seon-gu, who had brought up U-jam, belonged to the latter group.
"Could you tell us what happened? We were under the impression that Fellow Daoist U-jam was acting on your behalf, Fellow Daoist Jekyeong."
"That is correct. I sent him to Jimagwon because I believed his unique abilities would be useful for scouting."
Jekyeong revealed most of the story without hiding much. He explained how he had partnered with U-jam to target Jimagwon while it was ravaged by the demonic disaster, how U-jam had crossed over and quietly eliminated human sects and clans for over half a year, and how he had ultimately returned to Yangseo Lake alone after parting ways with U-jam.
"After parting with Fellow Daoist U-jam, I did not hear any news of him for a while. However, I recently caught wind of a rumor from Jimagwon. It seems Fellow Daoist Seon-gu has heard the same rumor. Is that not so?"
Seon-gu hesitated, stammering slightly, before giving a stiff nod. "Yes. I heard that a ghostly demon went on a slaughtering spree in Jimagwon before being suppressed by the humans."
"That is the very same news I received. I suspect that ghostly demon was indeed Fellow Daoist U-jam."
Jekyeong looked around at the Great Yao, each wearing a different expression, and spoke.
"I believe I know what you are all thinking. Since Fellow Daoist U-jam went to Jimagwon because of me, you likely believe I bear responsibility for his death. However, let me make this clear: I gave him a choice at the time. He could have returned with me, but he refused, choosing instead to remain behind to feast on the souls and flesh of the humans."
The reactions of the Great Yao varied. Some nodded in agreement, some showed no change in expression, and others harbored a faint look of distrust. Jekyeong did not bother to explain further. He saw no need to. Those who wished to believe would believe, and those who did not, would not. Perhaps this was an opportunity—a chance to distinguish those he could truly keep by his side from those he could not.
Seon-gu belonged to the latter.
Seon-gu.
Seon-gu had been with Jekyeong since the very first exchange meeting was established. For a Great Yao, he possessed a decent head on his shoulders and knew how to keep his boundaries, making him a respectable associate. In truth, half the credit for organizing this new exchange meeting belonged to Seon-gu. If he had not sought out Jekyeong to escape the pressure of Yojeong, Jekyeong would never have devised this new format. Because of that, Jekyeong had held a favorable opinion of Seon-gu. Until now, that was.
What a pity.
A clever individual had used his intelligence in the wrong place this time. It was proof that even a sharp mind did not always steer in the right direction. Jekyeong did not particularly care that Seon-gu had tried to use public opinion to pressure him. Such things were trivial matters.