Uninvited Guests
They must have notified the major human factions—specifically, the two Golden Core sects—to halt their territorial expansion.
"The higher-ups must have reached an understanding," Choi Ju-tang agreed, sharing a similar view. He speculated that the good times for the human race were over, and they would now enter a prolonged war of nerves over the distribution of the occupied territories.
Jekyeong was of the same mind. However, he doubted whether the humans could actually hold onto all the territory they had seized. If the Gakchung Clan cared about maintaining the balance, they wouldn't demand the humans spit out everything they had swallowed, but they would certainly carve out some breathing room for the Yao.
None of my business, Jekyeong thought.
He was wrong.
Not long after, Jekyeong realized that his own good times had also come to an end. Uninvited guests began to swarm into the quiet, peaceful Heukgyo water territory. They were not the humans he had been so wary of, but rather Yao who had lost their homes and been driven away.
Ordinary water beasts were fine. They were convenient laborers, food, and commodities that could be put to use at any time. But they weren't the only ones who came. One by one, Great Yao of unknown origins began to show up. Jekyeong heard the news from Cheongo.
"Caw! The outside is already crawling with creepy bastards!"
"The outside" referred to the waters beyond the Heukgyo water territory—specifically, the regions where the Great Yao of the exchange market resided. Cheongo's strolling route had initially been confined to the vicinity of Heukgyodo, but it eventually expanded to the entire Heukgyo water territory, and after some time, even to parts of the waters outside. While Cheongo had certainly grown bolder, it was mainly because the Great Yao of the exchange market had become familiar with the bird. In any case, Cheongo served as Jekyeong's irregular scout, often bringing back useful information. And now, Cheongo had brought unwelcome news.
This is going to be a nuisance, Jekyeong thought. He had skipped the exchange market a few times to focus on healing his injuries and contemplating the pill formula. Had he not done so, he would have noticed this commotion much sooner.
Well, it's still not a major issue. The reason these refugees were only now starting to nose around the Heukgyo water territory was likely twofold: first, the territory was too barren to catch their eye, and second, they had heard rumors about him. Anyone willing to poke their head into an unappealing territory at the risk of drawing the wrath of the powerful and ferocious Black Dragon had to be one of two things: either too stupid to think, or forced into it.
It didn't matter which it was. For whatever reason, they had already dared to stick their heads into his waters, so as the master of this territory, he had to respond accordingly.
"Graaaah!"
A wild, furious roar echoed across the Heukgyo water territory, which had been dead silent for a long time. The murderous roar shook the lake, whipping up waves, and thick dark clouds gathered in the once-calm sky.
Jekyeong immediately set off in the direction Cheongo had indicated. After traveling for a little over a day, a strange demonic power was detected at the edge of his widely spread Divine Sense. It was incomparably stronger than that of an ordinary water beast, but by Jekyeong's standards, it was mediocre at best—the typical demonic power of an early-stage Great Yao.
Jekyeong announced his arrival with a thunderous roar. This was to establish dominance and to prevent any potential misunderstandings, just in case the creature had come from Gyeongwang Palace or the Court of Demons.
"The Black Dragon?!"
Jekyeong deliberately flaunted his presence, adjusting his speed so the opponent could detect his approach and react. He carefully observed the response. If the other party remained calm, as if they had expected or been waiting for him, he intended to have a quiet conversation. However, the opponent panicked. The meaning of this reaction was clear. Thus, Jekyeong accelerated once more, spewing fire to cut off the opponent's escape route. The Great Yao, who had just turned to flee, was trapped by the flames, unable to budge.
"Fellow Daoist! I am..." cried out the Great Yao, whose body was small but whose eyes were almost as large as Jekyeong's. But Jekyeong had no intention of listening to his excuses. Committing a transgression and trying to smooth it over with a few words? The world did not work so easily.
*Crash!*
The Great Yao trying to get a free ride in this world was quite large in his own right, but compared to Jekyeong, he was a mere minnow. The only thing about him that could compare to Jekyeong was his bizarrely massive pair of eyes.
"Gah!"
The Great Yao's will to fight, which had already been halved the moment he saw Jekyeong, vanished completely with a single whip of Jekyeong's tail. He scrambled to escape, but Jekyeong, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, had no intention of letting the prey right in front of him go. He bit down on the fleeing opponent's tail, making sure to control his strength so he wouldn't rip the entire tail off.
"Argh!"
Realizing he couldn't escape, the opponent began to struggle desperately. However, his frantic resistance posed no real threat to Jekyeong. Still, the creature wasn't entirely talentless. Despite looking like someone who relied solely on raw physical bulk, his ability to manipulate water was quite impressive. Jekyeong could feel a small vortex swirling inside his mouth, sharp as a blade. If Jekyeong had been an ordinary Great Yao, this small vortex would have torn his mouth apart and split his head wide open. But Jekyeong was no ordinary Great Yao, and this level of resistance was merely a slight sting.
Jekyeong spewed fire once more. As the Yokai Fire consumed nearly half of his body, the struggling Great Yao shrieked and thrashed in agony. His wretched screams were as loud as the roar Jekyeong had let out when he first arrived. In the distance, Jekyeong sensed faint traces of demonic power squirming just outside the Heukgyo water territory.
Foolish bastards. What was so appealing about this mediocre place that they kept nosey-neighboring around? The Heukgyo water territory was vast but lacked substance. The only spiritual land was Heukgyodo, and there were no special resources. The only notable place was Haeyeon Island, but what did the Yao have to do with Haeyeon Island? The Beast Race was different from the Human Race. Humans could continue their cultivation even in places with thin spiritual energy by consuming elixirs. But the Yao could not. Well, the majority of the Yao could not. Most of their cultivation relied on blood food, yet they still instinctively sought out places rich in spiritual energy. It was as natural as the fact that big fish could hardly survive in shallow waters.
Jekyeong was curious. Why were those foolish, cowardly creatures lingering around his waters when they didn't even have the courage to show themselves before him? Did they not know that there was no place in the Heukgyo water territory capable of accommodating a Great Yao other than Heukgyodo?
Hmm? Jekyeong suddenly realized that might actually be the case. If they had never been to the Heukgyo water territory themselves, how would they know how desolate it was? Wouldn't they just vaguely assume that since a Flood Dragon had coiled itself here, it must be a prime cultivation spot?
In that case... rather than killing every single one that comes, it might be better to show them the reality. If he kept the door tightly shut, the fools outside might misunderstand and think he was hiding treasures inside. If such misunderstandings continued to pile up, the idiots outside would only grow more troublesome. It would be better to crack the door open first and let them see for themselves that there was nothing inside. Of course, even if he did that, now was not the time. This fellow had to die. And he had to die in an incredibly brutal and wretched manner. Jekyeong could open the door and show the fools his shabby interior, but it must never look like submission or concession.
"Aaaaargh!"
Like a crocodile thrashing its prey, Jekyeong bit down and shook the Great Yao. Screams of excruciating pain and even greater terror shook the distant islands and scattered the clouds drifting high in the sky. This was an example and a lesson. It was also a warning to those watching from just outside the Heukgyo water territory.
The corpse of a Great Yao without essence blood held little meaning for Jekyeong. Swallowing it whole would fill his stomach and provide some nourishment... but that was it. An early-stage Great Yao, especially a small fry with nothing special about him, was of little help to his cultivation. For his cultivation, it was better to just swallow a few more elixirs.
Jekyeong divided the half-eaten corpse of the Great Yao between Muk-su and Cheongo. Although Muk-su's palate had grown refined, preferring human cultivators, the Beast of Prophecy was still reasonably satisfied with a Great Yao. Cheongo, who had never been a picky eater to begin with, was naturally delighted.
It should be quiet for a while. Jekyeong returned to the Black Cult Palace and immersed himself once more in refining essence blood and contemplating the pill formula. Even though he took his time and proceeded leisurely with each refinement, it didn't take long for his supply of essence blood to run dry. Jekyeong briefly debated whether to press Myeong-ha for more, but ultimately decided against it. There was no rush for the essence blood.
Having steadily refined essence blood recently, Jekyeong felt that the increase in his vital energy was definitely not what it used to be. It was like diluting alcohol with water. If the base alcohol was strong enough, mixing in a bottle of water would still get someone drunk, but if it wasn't, it would become a bland liquid that was neither alcohol nor water. Jekyeong felt that he was in exactly that state right now. He had refined a considerable amount of essence blood, but that did not mean he had completely made it his own. It was similar to how no matter how much meat you ate, you still had to exercise to build muscle. What he needed now was time. Having the Origin Earth Fire would significantly shorten that time, but time was still necessary.
Actually, this is better. Since he no longer needed to refine essence blood, Jekyeong dedicated all of that time to contemplating the pill formula. A day, ten days, a month, and even more time slipped away unheeded. Jekyeong had now completely mastered the Flood Dragon Blood Ascension Pill formula. As for the alchemy and medicinal principles contained within it... while calling it perfect would be arrogant, he had achieved a solid understanding.
Let's do this. Jekyeong decided not to delay any longer. Originally, he had planned to take his time and completely finish his comprehension before refining the pill, but plans always changed according to the situation. His decision to attempt it now was not out of personal impatience, but rather due to the shifting external situation. Seeing how refugees who had lost their homes were flocking even to this desolate place, it seemed he didn't have much time left. If so, even if it was slightly regrettable, compromising at this point was the best course of action.
*Whoosh!*
A fire that seemed almost alive heated the cauldron. Jekyeong skillfully tossed the spiritual herbs he had handled hundreds, thousands of times in his mind into the cauldron. Next, he squeezed out a single drop of essence blood and let it fall onto the half-melted herbs. Instantly, a strange fatigue and exhaustion, unlike anything he had ever felt before, washed over him.
There's no need to aim for perfection. It's better to prioritize stability, even if it means sacrificing some efficiency. He didn't even hope for the highest grade. High-grade was a luxury; he would be perfectly satisfied with mid-grade. Jekyeong exerted extreme concentration. He monitored the situation inside the cauldron with his Divine Sense while keeping the Origin Earth Fire under tight control. A day passed, then three, then five. A rich, thick medicinal fragrance began to slowly drift out.