A Quiet Storm on Jaseong Island
Surely, the cultivation methods practiced by the Human Race weren't all gentle and tame. Even the Gusoyeommagong, though treated as an unorthodox path, was ultimately a human technique. This meant they undoubtedly possessed various ways to handle such volatile energy—whether by constructing buildings with specialized materials or by setting up formations and restrictions to minimize the impact of one's cultivation. In the past, looking into such matters might have been difficult, but now that he had Han Cheongyu, gathering information would not be so hard.
"What are you pondering so deeply, Senior?"
Han Cheongyu glanced sideways at Ju-hyeong, who had asked with a sly grin, before closing his eyes again.
"It is an order from the Dragon Lord."
It was an order that was trivial in one sense, yet incredibly headache-inducing in another. Han Cheongyu was already feeling a migraine coming on just thinking about how to proceed. Find building materials with high fire resistance, or locate formations and restrictions capable of suppressing intense heat? It sounded simple enough, but executing it was a different story. Of course, the Dragon Lord's reasoning was sound. Cultivation facilities were among the things human sects and clans poured the most money into, so they surely had a solution. However, it was no easy feat for a Rogue Cultivator of obscure origins to contact these prominent sects, let alone pry into such closely guarded secrets.
"Hmm." After hearing the explanation from Han Cheongyu, Ju-hyeong frowned slightly for a moment before nodding.
"Oh? Do you have a good idea?"
"I wouldn't go so far as to call it a brilliant idea, Senior. But aren't you perhaps overcomplicating things?"
"What do you mean?"
Aside from the vast, heaven-and-earth difference between a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Qi Condensation cultivator, Han Cheongyu also held the Blood Covenant of the human cultivators deployed to Jaseong Island, including Ju-hyeong. If he so wished, he could turn them into a pool of blood at any moment. Knowing this, the others always treated Han Cheongyu with absolute deference. Yet, Ju-hyeong was the sole exception. Of course, this did not mean he acted insolently. He simply possessed a friendly disposition, refusing to grovel excessively like the rest. This was partly due to his natural temperament, but mostly because of his sharp wits and cleverness. Ju-hyeong knew exactly how to avoid crossing Han Cheongyu's line while steadily imprinting his own capability and presence. Han Cheongyu naturally saw through these obvious ploys, but he tolerated them because he didn't mind. Who would reject a subordinate who was capable, quick-witted, and, above all, proactive? Moreover, managing Jaseong Island all by himself often left Han Cheongyu mentally exhausted, so he had no reason to turn away a conversational partner like Ju-hyeong.
"In the end, what the Dragon Lord needs is a cultivation room that can withstand his power, correct? If so, there's no need to contact those dangerous sects and clans. Cultivation rooms exist elsewhere. For instance, high-end inns often have them. Or we could look into the larger cities. I've heard those grand cities even have specialized cultivation pavilions."
"Hmm. My vision was indeed too narrow," Han Cheongyu sighed, rubbing his temples.
"It is not your fault, Senior. You are busy overseeing everything on Jaseong Island; how could you have the leisure to look elsewhere?" Ju-hyeong observed Han Cheongyu's reaction as he spoke. Seeing no sign of rejection or annoyance, he seized the momentum to vent his grievances. "Those staying back in the Heukgyo Water Territory only envy us, but how could they possibly understand our hardships? Here, we must constantly walk on eggshells, knowing that a single slip-up revealing our identities would mean the end of us. It truly feels as though we've been dropped right into the heart of enemy territory."
"There is no need to go that far. While there are many things to keep in mind, it is not as dire as you make it out to be." Han Cheongyu cut Ju-hyeong off moderately. Words that scratched an itch were pleasant to hear, but one must not indulge in them too deeply. Doing so could easily lead to a careless mistake.
"Regardless, it is a good idea. A cultivation pavilion might be difficult, but a high-end inn is highly plausible. I truly hadn't thought of that."
A high-end inn with private cultivation rooms. He knew such places existed, but having never visited one, the thought had completely slipped his mind. It wasn't that Han Cheongyu was particularly ignorant. Most cultivators simply had no reason to visit such establishments, so they never paid them any mind. This held true regardless of one's cultivation realm. No cultivator wanted to waste Spirit Stones needlessly. Those who frequented such luxurious inns were either spoiled second-generation cultivators or the select few whose wealth was so overflowing that they didn't even blink at the cost. And more often than not, those two groups were one and the same. Naturally, Han Cheongyu belonged to neither. The same went for the vast majority of rogue cultivators, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators were no exception.
"What about the issue with the Hyeong-eo Gang?"
"We agreed to lower our selling price slightly as they demanded, but we managed to negotiate it down to a ten percent discount instead of the twenty percent they wanted."
"Well done. Appearing too weak is a problem in itself, but... there is no benefit in causing a scene for no reason. If we can resolve the issue by yielding a little, that is not a bad outcome."
"Yes, I will manage it carefully."
Even though ten years had already passed since they settled on Jaseong Island, various troublesome matters still cropped up from time to time. It was fortunate they were posing as Demon Hunters; had they primarily operated within the island's interior, they would have been embroiled in countless headaches long ago.
"By the way, the Hyeong-eo Gang has been acting quite aggressive lately. It seems there's a lot of talk going around from other factions as well."
"They must believe they've seized control of the general trend."
Over the past ten years—and indeed, even before that—conflicts big and small had never ceased on Jaseong Island. The Hyeong-eo Gang had continuously expanded its influence by instigating several 'major conflicts' in recent years. Not a few cultivators had been driven out, gone missing, or been outright murdered by them. Even amidst this, they had maintained a relatively mild attitude toward the Demon Hunters, as the materials harvested from demon beasts were one of their primary sources of income. It was also because they knew the Demon Hunters were no easy targets. Hunting demon beasts was a polite way of describing a profession where one frequently danced with death, meaning no one could afford to treat a Demon Hunter lightly. The Hyeong-eo Gang, who purchased goods from them, could not possibly be ignorant of this. Yet, the fact that they were now beginning to throw their weight around meant they had gained significant confidence.
"If things continue like this, won't we find ourselves in a difficult position as well?" Ju-hyeong asked tentatively.
"There is no need to worry about it."
"But, Senior..."
"I know what you are worried about."
Though their identity as Demon Hunters was a disguise, the Spirit Stones they earned were very real. The profits from selling demon beast materials went straight into their own pockets—a side income, so to speak. Both Ju-hyeong and Han Cheongyu cared deeply about this extra revenue. And now, the Hyeong-eo Gang was attempting to cut into their profits. At this moment, their feelings were no different from those of the 'real' Demon Hunters.
"Even if we do not act, there will be others who will step forward in our stead."
"Who do you mean?"
"Those who are far more concerned with the Hyeong-eo Gang than we are."
Ju-hyeong stared at the calm Han Cheongyu for a moment before quietly holding his tongue. Ten years had already flown by since they arrived on Jaseong Island together. Just as Han Cheongyu had figured him out, Ju-hyeong had also come to understand Han Cheongyu. Aside from his high cultivation level, the man was not one to speak lightly. If he spoke with such certainty, he undoubtedly had a reason to be confident. The only reason he didn't explain was because he deemed it unnecessary.
Those who are far more concerned with the Hyeong-eo Gang than we are... Ju-hyeong had a vague guess, but he couldn't be entirely sure.
If they do make a move, I hope they wipe out those Hyeong-eo Gang bastards once and for all.
This had happened several times before. More than a few factions had risen with the momentum to become the masters of Jaseong Island, only to draw the wrath or fear of others and collapse in an instant. The Hyeong-eo Gang likely believed they had learned from the mistakes of their predecessors... but well, would that truly be the case?
With that matter settled, Han Cheongyu set sail from Jaseong Island on a small boat, accompanied by Ju-hyeong and his subordinates. A few familiar faces at the harbor spotted them departing and called out in greeting. The sociable Ju-hyeong responded to each of them, laughing as he shouted back that he would buy them a drink when they returned.
"If you're buying, can it be Spirit Wine instead of ordinary liquor?"
"You ask for too much for a free drink!"
Amidst the lighthearted banter, the boat departed Jaseong Island and headed south. Since the Demon Hunters based on the island usually set their course to the west or south, no one found it strange that they headed south once again.
They traveled for a full ten days. By the standards of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, their speed was no different from crawling, but this too was normal. In the demon territories, one never knew when an ambush might strike, so maintaining peak condition at all times was paramount. In this regard, Han Cheongyu's group was no different from ordinary Demon Hunters. This was not the Heukgyo Water Territory, and the demon beasts here were not their allies.
"It's quiet." Ju-hyeong and the other Qi Condensation cultivators had not let their guard down since entering the demon territory. Even after arriving at the designated meeting spot, they kept their eyes wide, scanning their surroundings. In truth, their efforts were largely meaningless. Rather than them glaring in every direction with high tension, the Spiritual Consciousness Han Cheongyu naturally spread while meditating was far more effective.
"..." Han Cheongyu, who had been meditating inside the cabin for three days, quietly opened his eyes. At the same moment, the boat rocked slightly, and the panicked voices of the Qi Condensation cultivators erupted in succession.
"Do not panic. It is Senior Hyeongu." As Han Cheongyu's low voice echoed, the Qi Condensation cultivators let out sighs of relief and slumped down.
"Shouldn't you be used to this by now? It's the same every single time."
"Please understand, Senior. There have been more than a few times we let our guard down thinking it was you, only to be ambushed by hostile beasts." Hyeongu swept his gaze over the bowing Qi Condensation cultivators and clicked his tongue lightly.
"Did you obtain it?"
"Yes. However, securing the materials will take a bit more time." Following Ju-hyeong's advice, Han Cheongyu had painstakingly inquired about high-end inns and eventually tracked down the Spirit Blacksmith who had constructed their cultivation rooms. However, obtaining the blueprints from him had been no easy task. Although the demand was limited and the technology wasn't of paramount importance, a secret technique was still a secret technique. Han Cheongyu had used his status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator to pressure the Spirit Blacksmith. After a long, drawn-out tug-of-war, he managed to drive the price down as much as possible, but even then, the cost was difficult to bear. He had somehow paid the price and secured the blueprints, but that was his limit.
"You have worked hard." Hyeongu glanced over the blueprints and blinked slowly. The characters were clearly the human script he was familiar with, but when grouped together, he couldn't make heads or tails of what they meant. Was this perhaps some kind of code? Had they disguised the contents in cipher to protect a precious heritage?
"...Hmm. Yes, this is correct." The wise turtle had not lived hundreds of years in vain. It was no exaggeration to say he had mastered the art of looking intelligent and pretending to know things he actually didn't.
"I shall deliver this to the Dragon Lord. And this is your funding." Receiving the Storage Bag, Han Cheongyu checked the amount of Spirit Stones inside, his eyes widening in surprise.
"It is quite a substantial sum."
"The Dragon Lord must have foreseen that such expenses would arise. For now, use that to procure as many materials as you can. Also, let us move up our next meeting. Hmm... how does three months from now sound?"
"It should probably be fine."
"Probably?" Hyeongu tilted his head. The Han Cheongyu he knew was a man of definites—either it was possible or it wasn't. He rarely used ambiguous words like 'probably.'
"I was actually about to bring it up. A slight issue has arisen on Jaseong Island."
"An issue? What kind of issue?" Han Cheongyu recounted everything that had transpired on Jaseong Island over the past six months without omitting a single detail, including the troubles and complications they had been unwillingly dragged into.
"...So, in other words." After listening intently to Han Cheongyu's lengthy explanation, Hyeongu began to organize his thoughts.