"Wait, Just a Moment!"
"Wait, just a moment!"
The creature seemed to have plenty more to say, but Jekyeong had absolutely no intention of listening. He pressed his assault relentlessly, and before half a day had passed, he tore the head—a grotesque hybrid of fish and monkey—clean off its torso.
He was actually quite decent.
The water monkey named Son Seong was only at the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm, but his combat prowess far exceeded that of an ordinary mid-stage Great Yao. Jekyeong hadn't exerted his full strength, but he hadn't gone easy on him either. Even so, it had taken half a day to snuff out the creature's life. This made Jekyeong wonder if the boastful claims the beast had spouted might actually contain a grain of truth.
Not that it matters.
Since his movements this time had been quite conspicuous, both Gyeongwang Palace and Yojeong would undoubtedly react in some way. However, they were likely still entirely preoccupied with the war—or more precisely, its aftermath—so their response would not be overly drastic. As long as a Demon King didn't personally intervene, or they didn't dispatch a horde of late-stage Great Yao, Jekyeong was confident he could handle the consequences. In fact, in some ways, he was actually looking forward to the fallout.
He had reached the late stage of the Great Yao realm, ascending to a position where he could be considered a true powerhouse across the entirety of Yangseo Lake. Yet, he was the only one who truly knew the extent of his strength. The Great Yao of the exchange meet were merely suppressed by a vague sense of dread; they did not know his true capabilities. In that regard, this was another opportunity. Whether it was Gyeongwang Palace or Yojeong, Jekyeong could prove his might to all of Yangseo Lake by engaging them in a light clash.
Though I cannot say whether this will bring more benefit or harm.
Jekyeong sighed inwardly. He was rampaging with great momentum, but his mind was actually quite complicated. Until now, he had always strived to hide his strength and erase his presence. His current cultivation could be considered the fruit of those very efforts. However, one's conduct must adapt to the situation, and situations change with the times. Just as a fully grown chicken cannot hide beneath its mother's wings forever, he could no longer remain cooped up on Heukgyodo. The attack by the Hoyen Clan was a prime example of this reality.
"I hope you will not disappoint me again."
After swallowing Son Seong's corpse in a single gulp, Jekyeong delivered a chilling warning to the Great Yao of the exchange meet who were looking up at him. They possessed enough intelligence to understand the implications, so they naturally grasped the meaning behind his warning.
"We shall do our utmost."
With Jekyeong exerting himself and the inspired Great Yao of the exchange meet pouring in their full efforts, the stragglers in the three water regions were swiftly cleaned up. More than thirty Great Yao were slain, twice that number were driven away, and over five new members joined Jekyeong's exchange meet. Following Jekyeong's recommendation, the existing members of the exchange meet permitted these new allies to settle near their respective territories.
It took Jekyeong just over two months to resolve the chaos in the three water regions. He did not dawdle, nor did he hesitate. His methods, which were so aggressive they bordered on ferocious, struck terror into the hearts of all who witnessed them, while simultaneously eliciting profound admiration. They now referred to Jekyeong as the Dragon Lord—a title born of genuine fear and respect.
In the past, Jekyeong would never have dared to accept such a title. It was one thing for subordinates like Hyeongu to call him that, but being hailed as the Dragon Lord by fellow Great Yao was a surefire way to invite ridicule from outsiders. In fact, ridicule would have been the best-case scenario. If rumors of this title reached the ears of those with violent temperaments and the strength to back them up... his peaceful life of cultivation would have been thrown out the window for a long time.
But all of that was a story from when he was still at the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm. Having ascended to the late stage of the Great Yao realm, Jekyeong willingly accepted the grandiose title of Dragon Lord. He no longer worried about the possibility of idle troublemakers coming to challenge him in the future. Now, he was ready to welcome such disturbances with open arms, knowing that every single one of them would serve as stepping stones to build his renown.
"We cannot begin to express our gratitude for the Dragon Lord's heaven-like benevolence..."
As Jekyeong swept through the three water regions, unleashing a storm of blood, many benefited both directly and indirectly. Not to mention the Great Yao of the exchange meet whose territories and surroundings were thoroughly cleansed, even the few subordinates who followed him and executed his orders received a share of the spoils, consuming the flesh and blood of the fallen Great Yao. Among them, Hyeongu and Bigu benefited the most, thanks to Jekyeong's deliberate care. He had waited for them to keep up and intentionally left behind portions of flesh and blood after his hunts. This was primarily for Hyeongu's sake, with Bigu merely tagging along for the ride.
"How do you feel?" Jekyeong asked, looking at Hyeongu, whose eyes were shot with blood.
"Power is overflowing within me. It is almost difficult to contain. But... I feel exceptionally well."
Hyeongu had already been on the verge of crossing the threshold to become a Great Yao. Having consumed a significant amount of Great Yao flesh and blood, it was no exaggeration to say that his body was now bursting with vital energy.
"Suppress it as much as you can. When you feel you can no longer hold it back, only then should you attempt the breakthrough."
"I shall do exactly as you command."
Compared to Hyeongu, whose entire head had flushed crimson, Bigu looked entirely peaceful, his body merely slightly bloated.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm full."
After letting out a satisfied burp, the creature blinked a few times, caught Jekyeong's gaze, and belatedly covered his mouth with a webbed paw. At this, Hyeongu's already flushed face turned an even deeper shade of red. His demonic energy was fluctuating so unstably that if left alone, he might attempt his breakthrough right then and there.
"Go back. Return and prepare, so that you leave no room for regrets."
"Yes, Master."
Hyeongu's complexion, which had been on the verge of exploding, returned to normal at Jekyeong's single command. For the beast race, crossing the threshold to become a Great Yao was a process just as arduous, if not more so, than a human cultivator crossing the Foundation Establishment barrier. Without a proper bloodline, it was practically impossible to cross this threshold, and even with one, if it was mediocre, the task remained incredibly difficult. Jekyeong did not know the exact grade of Hyeongu's bloodline. In all likelihood—no, ninety-nine times out of a hundred—it was of the Great Yao grade, but not all Great Yao bloodlines were created equal. Even within the same grade, the difference between heaven and earth was determined by the origin of the bloodline and the purity of its inheritance. Thus, Jekyeong could not gauge in the slightest whether Hyeongu would succeed in his breakthrough.
Still, I hope he succeeds.
It wasn't merely because he begrudged the resources he had invested in Hyeongu. What Jekyeong valued wasn't those replaceable resources, but Hyeongu's competence and loyalty. After witnessing the true colors of the exchange meet's Great Yao this time, Jekyeong felt a renewed appreciation for the necessity of capable subordinates. The sight of those self-proclaimed Great Yao calculating every move, weighing their options, and offering him clumsy wordplay... was beyond unpleasant; it was utterly repulsive.
Yet, on the flip side, their sheer incompetence served as an occasion for Jekyeong to re-evaluate his perception of capable subordinates like Hyeongu. He had originally believed that cultivation realm was everything—that no matter how talented an ant was, it was ultimately just an ant. But he had been wrong. This experience had made it abundantly clear. Most Great Yao were little more than trash, save for the luck of the silver spoon they were born with. Having reached their current positions solely on innate talent and a stroke of luck, they were lacking in many areas compared to even some of the cleverer low-level monsters, save for their cultivation realm and the combat power that came with it.
I truly hope he succeeds.
Watching Hyeongu's retreating figure as he led his son away, Jekyeong let out a quiet sigh.
After Jekyeong pacified the three water regions, an envoy arrived from Gyeongwang Palace, just as he had anticipated. The messenger was Makgye, with whom he had conversed on several occasions in the past.
"Fellow Daoist Jekyeong."
Makgye, who had been offering a stiff greeting, suddenly froze. A faint tremor of agitation rippled across his rigid face, and his eyes went wide. "Fellow Daoist... Have you perhaps made a breakthrough in your cultivation?"
"Ah. As expected, nothing escapes the eyes of Fellow Daoist Makgye. You recognized it immediately."
It was mere lip service. Since Jekyeong had openly displayed his aura without any intention of hiding it, it would have been stranger if Makgye hadn't noticed.
"Haha."
Makgye's expression softened as he scanned Jekyeong from head to toe. It was a blatantly probing gaze, but Jekyeong paid it no mind. "Incredible. Is this indeed the power of the Flood Dragon bloodline?"
Realizing that Jekyeong had reached the late stage of the Great Yao realm, Makgye discarded his initial cold demeanor and spoke with warm familiarity. He showered him with congratulations on his immense progress, mixed with a fair amount of flattery. "At this rate, even reaching the Yao King realm should not be difficult for you."
"Well, who can say."
"You are too humble. Now that your bloodline has finally begun to shine, how could the barrier of Core Formation possibly stand in your way?"
I certainly hope so.
Jekyeong lamented inwardly, but on the surface, he calmly accepted Makgye's sycophantic blessings.
"So, what brings you here? I doubt someone as busy as you would travel such a distance merely to see my face."
"Ahem."
As Jekyeong cut to the chase and brought up the main point, Makgye's complexion darkened, and he let out an awkward cough. "Actually, I have come to ask you about something."
"Oh? Me?"
"Indeed. Fellow Daoist, surely you are familiar with the name Son Seong?"
"Of course I know it."
Needless to say, both Jekyeong and Makgye were among the rare few intelligent individuals among the Great Yao. Since they could easily read each other's minds, petty wordplay was unnecessary.
Makgye let out a deep sigh and said, "Fellow Daoist. I do not wish to make things difficult for you, but that Son Seong was a member of our Gyeongwang Palace."
"Tsk." Jekyeong clicked his tongue and frowned. "The fellow did say something to that effect before he died. But I did not believe him."
"And why is that?"
"Is it not obvious? Logically speaking, why would a member of Gyeongwang Palace come all the way to this remote corner to cause trouble?"
Son Seong's strength had been decent. He was by no means some random rabble hastily gathered by Gyeongwang Palace. Thus, Jekyeong had suspected that Son Seong might indeed have been affiliated with Gyeongwang Palace, but precisely because of that, he figured killing him wouldn't pose a major issue.
"You speak the truth. Logically, it makes no sense. But it is the truth."
According to Makgye, Son Seong had indeed been a member of Gyeongwang Palace. Furthermore, he was someone who had been with them for quite a long time, a figure who could be considered a core member. "However, he deserted. He was terrified of the war."
In truth, such occurrences were quite common. Unless they belonged to a clan sharing the exact same bloodline, the beast race was inherently unsuited to gathering in herds and forming organizations. Consequently, their factions were difficult to build but incredibly easy to collapse. Gyeongwang Palace itself would have crumbled long ago were it not for the overwhelming strength and presence of the Jansu Whale King.
But this time, the absolute authority of the Jansu Whale King had been shaken for the first time. The newly ascended Yao King, the Simjeon Demon King, had established Yojeong and thrown down a gauntlet to Gyeongwang Palace. In the ensuing war, the beast race had suffered a massive defeat. While the defeat of the beast race could not be blamed entirely on the Jansu Whale King, it was an undeniable fact that even his intervention had failed to prevent their loss.
The fact that his opponents were Core Formation powerhouses of the human race and the Gakchung Clan did not matter. Ultimately, the Jansu Whale King had been defeated, and a massive crack had formed in his sky-high prestige. Consequently, unrest began to ripple through the hearts of the beast race. Son Seong was one of them. Had the Jansu Whale King remained completely unscathed and maintained his invincible image, Son Seong would never have dared to flee, no matter how dire the war situation became. But the Jansu Whale King had been defeated, and the beast race had lost. As a result, the true nature of the beast race naturally reared its head.
"There are quite a few bastards like Son Seong. Not just on our side, but on Yojeong's side as well," Makgye lamented. He bitterly criticized those like Son Seong, calling them spineless cowards who lacked any sense of the greater good. He claimed that if they had only followed the Jansu Whale King with one heart and mind, the outcome of the war would have been far better.