A Dragon's Demeanor
He had to act like a Flood Dragon. Arrogant and confident, no matter the circumstances.
"Hmm. Indeed, that place is hardly fitting for a Fellow Daoist such as yourself."
As they drew closer to Gyeongwang Palace, Makgye had begun to subtly probe Jekyeong with growing boldness. Even a common mutt stood taller on its own porch, it seemed, and a Great Yao at the late stage of his realm was no exception. Yet now, Makgye's demeanor had turned cautious once more. Seeing Jekyeong maintain his unshakeable composure even at the very gates of Gyeongwang Palace, the seahorse Yao seemed to have sensed something.
Once Makgye fell silent, Jekyeong paid him no further mind. Instead, he focused his attention on the dense spiritual energy wafting from the spiritual vein of this sub-world, as well as the unexpected sight of Gyeongwang Palace.
Truly magnificent, Jekyeong thought.
He had never imagined the disparity between a mere spiritual territory and a true spiritual vein would be this vast. Although his perspective had shifted slightly on the way here after passing several spiritual territories with energy so dense that Heukgyo Island paled in comparison... he still hadn't expected a difference of this magnitude.
Of course, he had to take into account that Gyeongwang Palace's spiritual vein was situated within a sub-world. Just as there were vast differences between various spiritual territories, wouldn't the same hold true for spiritual veins?
I see why everyone is so obsessed with spiritual veins.
Whether one belonged to the Human Race or the Beast Race, cultivating in a place so overflowing with spiritual energy would make a single day's progress equivalent to ten days of grueling effort elsewhere. Jekyeong realized that if he had been a Water Beast, or if he practiced a water-attribute cultivation method, he might have thrown his lot in with Gyeongwang Palace long ago.
But he was no Water Beast, and the cultivation method he practiced was of the fire attribute. The dense spiritual energy here—specifically, the water qi—was practically poison to him. Jekyeong felt his monster power being severely suppressed. Far from cultivating here, he wouldn't even be able to exert his full strength.
Whew.
Jekyeong sighed inwardly as he stared at the black vortex, which gaped like the maw of some colossal beast. He felt an intense reluctance. If he could, he would have turned back this very instant.
Not only was he being stifled by the overwhelming water qi, but he also had to endure the suffocating sensation of being rendered blind. In a place where a Demon King crouched and countless Great Yao swarmed beneath him, Jekyeong did not dare unleash his Divine Sense.
He had always habitually projected his Divine Sense to assess his surroundings, a habit he considered highly prudent. Now, however, that excellent habit only worked against him. Because he usually relied so heavily on his Divine Sense, being unable to use it to scan his environment made his body and mind stiffen with excessive tension.
"Let us go."
Jekyeong nodded silently at Makgye's urging and followed behind him. They advanced toward the center of the vortex. Some of the hundreds, thousands of water currents forming the massive whirlpool stretched out like cephalopod tentacles, brushing past them. The force contained within each of these aquatic tentacles was powerful enough to instantly inflict severe wounds on an ordinary Great Demon.
What is this? Is this also a member of the Beast Race? Or some special grand formation? Surely it isn't a Divine Ability?
Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Jekyeong followed Makgye at a steady pace, neither lagging behind nor rushing ahead.
"We have arrived!"
As they passed through the long, dark tunnel, their surroundings brightened. It was only the equivalent of a midnight sky transitioning into the early dawn, but even that small change significantly alleviated the oppressive atmosphere.
"This is..."
An exclamation slipped from Jekyeong's lips at the sight that greeted his eyes. Makgye, seemingly pleased by his reaction, wore a proud expression.
"How is it? Quite magnificent, is it not?"
Magnificent?
"..."
Jekyeong fell silent as he looked down into the massive pit below, which appeared even vaster than the Heukgyo Water Territory. At the center of the pit lay a pool, or rather a lake, that looked as though it were filled with pure ink. Along the outer rim of the pit, far from the pool, were countless holes of various sizes. Channeling energy into his eyes to look closer, Jekyeong realized those holes were actually massive caves.
"Do not stare too closely. If the masters of those caves are inside, it could lead to unnecessary trouble."
"Even so... isn't this a bit too exposed?"
Was this really Gyeongwang Palace? In what world could this be called a "palace"? No matter how much the aesthetic sensibilities of the Beast Race differed from those of the Human Race, this was far too excessively utilitarian.
"This is Gyeongwang Palace. When the Whale King first established himself in the Black Water Pool, the various beasts of Yangseo Lake wished to follow him. However, rather than building a faction, his only desire was to pursue the Dao..."
It was a common, highly romanticized and distorted origin story. Makgye went on at length about how powerful and benevolent the Jansu Whale King was, and how deeply Gyeongwang Palace had dedicated itself to the Beast Race of Yangseo Lake. As Jekyeong followed him toward the Black Water Pool, he offered half-hearted agreements while mentally preparing himself.
The Jansu Whale King.
The supreme leader of the Yangseo Lake Beast Race, whose name Jekyeong had heard until his ears were sore, was down there in the Black Water Pool. The Whale King had undoubtedly sensed his presence, and might even be listening to his conversation with Makgye this very moment. The thought made Jekyeong's body instinctively stiffen.
Makgye advanced to a spot overlooking the Black Water Pool, his expression turning solemn as he called out in a booming voice.
"Whale King! Your humble servant Makgye, alongside Fellow Daoist Jekyeong, the Black Flood Dragon of the Heukgyo Water Territory, begs for an audience!"
Makgye's voice echoed throughout Gyeongwang Palace. At his call, the Great Yao hiding inside their caves poked their heads out to inspect Makgye and the massive Black Flood Dragon beside him. Some of their eyes gleamed with curiosity, others licked their lips in anticipation, and some openly released their ominous monster power.
Jekyeong did not spare them a single glance. His arrogant indifference provoked the staring Great Yao to the point of radiating raw killing intent, but Jekyeong paid them no heed, keeping his gaze fixed solely on the Black Water Pool.
"Granted."
A low, raspy voice shattered the silence, and the surface of the Black Water Pool, which had been as still as frozen time, began to ripple. In the next instant, Jekyeong realized he had been plunged into a pitch-black darkness where he could not see even an inch ahead.
Was I teleported inside the Black Water Pool?
Jekyeong instinctively started to release his Divine Sense, but managed to restrain himself at the last second.
"I pay my respects to the Whale King!"
Makgye's voice rang out. It sounded as if he were speaking right next to him, yet also as if he were shouting from a vast distance away.
"I report! The fugitive Son Seong fled to the southeastern border and wrought havoc there. In the midst of it, he clashed with Fellow Daoist Jekyeong, who subsequently executed him. Though Son Seong deserved death, he was still technically bound to the Palace. Therefore..."
"I know of what you speak."
The entire space trembled. As the darkness surged like a wave, Jekyeong caught a fleeting glimpse of a colossal figure looming ahead. It was a giant whale. Its size surpassed even that of Heukgyo Island, and its two eyes, larger than the Black Cult Palace itself, were staring directly at him.
"I pay my respects to the Whale King."
Jekyeong immediately lowered his head, avoiding the entity's gaze. He was certain the Whale King had revealed his form intentionally.
Is he testing me?
His entire body trembled. The sensation was entirely different from when he had met his two seniors in Bulmangwon. Back then, he had been in his spiritual body, but now, he was here in the flesh. He did not need to think twice to know what horrific fate awaited him if he were to displease the Whale King here.
"You are a Flood Dragon?"
The voice was entirely devoid of emotion. Jekyeong could not tell if it was a question, an expression of doubt, or if there was some other hidden motive. Thus, he simply kept his mouth shut and remained bowed.
"Raise your head."
Following the Jansu Whale King's command, Jekyeong slowly raised his head. Once again, he met those two massive eyes.
"Who are you?"
The calm voice echoed like a reverberating wave. Jekyeong felt himself being sucked into something. It was similar to when he had been drawn into the vortex at the entrance of Gyeongwang Palace, but far more violent. Against this monstrous, irresistible pull, he could not offer even a shred of resistance.
Thud!
When Jekyeong regained his senses, he was crawling on the ground. In this moment, he was nothing more than a tiny, insignificant insect.
"Who are you?"
An overwhelming existence, whose body was as massive as a mountain range and whose eyes hung high in the sky like celestial bodies, looked down upon him. As the entity asked, the entire world echoed the question. Who are you?
"..."
Jekyeong tried to answer. But his mouth would not open, and no words would form. The only thing he could manage was to raise his head as high as possible to look up at the entity.
"You..."
The colossal being, the Jansu Whale King, spoke once more. But at that exact moment, a phantom projection erupted from the body of the insect-like creature. Emerging from his tiny form, the phantom grew larger and larger. By the time the Jansu Whale King frowned, it had already grown to a size rivaling his own. And by the time the Whale King closed his mouth, the phantom was looking down upon him from a height far above the heavens.
"You..."
The Jansu Whale King instinctively recoiled. He stared in utter shock at the entity before him. Its tail was vast enough to churn the entire ocean, and its head brushed the heavens. If the Jansu Whale King was the size of Heukgyo Island, this being was the size of Yangseo Lake itself. Could such a creature truly exist in this world? He doubted it, yet this was undeniably reality. Since this very space was of his own creation, the Jansu Whale King could not dare to dismiss it as a mere illusion. Even knowing it was only a phantom projection, the Whale King found himself unable to breathe properly in its presence. Before that pair of vast, all-seeing eyes, he did not dare raise his head, praying desperately for this terrifying moment to pass.
"Hmph!"
Was it an illusion? The phantom that had been looking down on him seemed to snort in disdain.
"..."
When the Jansu Whale King finally raised his head a long while later, the phantom had vanished. All that remained was the single, insect-like Black Flood Dragon.
Gulp.
Swallowing hard, the Jansu Whale King quietly withdrew his Divine Ability. He stared at the quietly bowing Black Flood Dragon with heavy eyes, trying to calm his anxiously trembling heart.
What on earth was that?
The Jansu Whale King could not quiet his racing heart. He could not even remember the last time he had been this tense. He knew it was only a phantom projection. Perhaps it was a cheap trick. A monster the size of Yangseo Lake? There was no way such an absurd thing could exist in this world.
"Haaah."
Sighing, the Jansu Whale King abandoned his pointless self-deception.
Was it a Demon King of the Sacred Race? Or perhaps a Yao Emperor?
The terrifying monster power he had felt so vividly, despite it being a mere phantom. It was absolutely not a power an ordinary Demon King could possess, and it was certainly not something that could be fabricated through trickery.
A Divine Sense Brand.