A Fragile Peace
Ju-hyeong laughed and shook his head at his companion's worried question. "Senior Hyeon-gu isn't that unreasonable. After all, they were the ones who barged in after only a month when they originally said three. We have our own work to do. No matter if they are acting on the Lord Dragon's orders, they can't just blindly push us around."
Even as they conversed, the boat steadily forged ahead. Before long, an island came into view. It was a small, unremarkable island, save for a rock jutting out like a tiny horn on its outer edge.
"Where is Senior Hyeon-gu?"
"Either he hasn't arrived yet... or he's down below. If he's already here, he'll know we've arrived. So watch your mouth. He can probably hear everything you're saying."
Having cautioned his careless companion, Ju-hyeong steered the boat toward the island. He cast his gaze over the calm, surrounding waters, waiting for Hyeon-gu to show himself.
But a moment later, when the water parted, it was not a turtle that emerged, but a man.
A pale-faced man walked leisurely out of the water. It sounded strange, but the man literally stepped out of the depths one foot at a time, as if climbing an invisible staircase. Standing tall upon the surface of the water, not a single drop of moisture clung to his hair or clothes. A bizarre heat radiated from him; the cool, breezy weather of just moments ago instantly turned muggy and humid in his presence.
"L-Lord Dragon!"
Stunned by the man's sudden appearance, Ju-hyeong belatedly lowered himself into a deep bow. His companion, though a beat slower, followed suit, dropping to his knees and bowing his head.
"Where is Han Cheongyu?"
"S-Senior Han is currently on Jaseong Island. Another group from the Hyeong-eo Gang arrived, making it difficult for him to slip away, so he sent us in his stead."
Jekyeong looked at Ju-hyeong, who was sweating profusely while making excuses for Han Cheongyu, and recalled the boy he had first met decades ago in Gwangyang City of Jimakwon. The image of that chatterbox kid who had offered to guide him around the city for a single low-grade spirit stone overlapped with the face of this young cultivator, whose mind now seemed filled with complex worries. He hadn't thought much of it back on Heukgyodo, but seeing him again after ten years stirred a strange sense of nostalgia.
"Enough," Jekyeong cut off Ju-hyeong's rambling. "I came here to resolve the matter of the Hyeong-eo Gang."
"Ah! Since the Lord Dragon has personally intervened, the matter is as good as settled."
"I have heard some things through Hyeon-gu, but I require more detailed information. Including a way to enter Jaseong Island quietly."
"We will tell you everything we know. However, when you speak of entering Jaseong Island quietly, what exactly do you mean?"
"The Demon-Revealing Mirror."
The Demon-Revealing Mirror was the ultimate divine tool devised by the human race to deal with other races, including the beast race. No non-human could hide their true form before it. Since Jaseong Island bordered the demon territory, a Demon-Revealing Mirror would undoubtedly be installed there. For Jekyeong, who wished to conclude this matter as quietly as possible, the mirror was far more concerning than the leader of the Hyeong-eo Gang.
"Uh..." Ju-hyeong hesitated visibly at the mention of the Demon-Revealing Mirror. His silent companion reacted the same way.
"Well... Lord Dragon. There is indeed a Demon-Revealing Mirror on Jaseong Island, but it is a fake."
"...What?" Jekyeong narrowed his eyes. What was this nonsense? The Demon-Revealing Mirror was a fake? Judging by their reactions, they didn't seem to be lying. Besides, this kid wouldn't have the guts to deceive him.
Is the Demon-Revealing Mirror really a fake? As Jekyeong showed signs of skepticism, Ju-hyeong quickly explained.
"I do not know if it was a fake from the very beginning or if it was swapped out along the way... but the mirror currently there is definitely a fake. It is a fact known to most Foundation Establishment cultivators on Jaseong Island."
Although it varied depending on the quality, a Demon-Revealing Mirror was generally more expensive than an ordinary magic treasure. If the one on Jaseong Island was truly a fake, that was likely the reason. Either they hadn't installed one in the first place to save on costs, or they had installed one initially, only for some daring thief to smuggle it out later. It was utterly absurd, but for Jekyeong, it was excellent news. This meant all his worries had been for nothing. Forget sneaking in—he could just walk right under the fake mirror with his head held high.
Things are really falling into place. Between this and the vicious beast incident, it truly felt like luck was on his side this time.
"Bring Han Cheongyu to me. I must discuss our next steps with him."
This was half-true and half-false. Summoning Han Cheongyu was partly to discuss their plans, but also to verify the matter of the Demon-Revealing Mirror. Jekyeong believed Ju-hyeong wouldn't dare lie to him, but even so, he couldn't act solely on the boy's word. If he confidently set foot on Jaseong Island only to have his identity exposed by a real mirror, he would be forced to burn the entire island to the ground, whether he liked it or not. Jekyeong wanted to avoid such a troublesome situation, and to do that, he had to be as cautious as possible.
An Island Protecting Grand Array enveloped the entirety of Jaseong Island. It had been painstakingly constructed over several months by a renowned formation master, allowing the cultivators of Jaseong Island to go about their daily lives in peace. Of course, the presence of a formation did not mean they were entirely free from the threat of beast race incursions, but at the very least, they didn't have to worry about ending up in a demon's stomach without even realizing it.
"Out of the way!"
A long queue of cultivators entered the island after undergoing a simple entry procedure. However, there were occasionally those who ignored the line entirely and barged onto the island as they pleased.
"It's the Hyeong-eo Gang."
"Who is that?"
"That's Jo Mudeok. I heard he became a branch leader recently. His arrogance is off the charts."
Standing quietly in line left the cultivators with nothing to do but gossip. Jekyeong listened intently to every whisper around him. Though they thought they were whispering only to the person next to them, nothing could escape his ears.
The Hyeong-eo Gang, is it?
Some of the rumors sounded plausible, while others were blatantly absurd. Yet, regardless of their credibility, it was quite interesting that at least half of the chatter revolved around the Hyeong-eo Gang.
They've lost the people's favor. Or perhaps they never had it to begin with.
Public sentiment was both important and unimportant. No matter how loudly Qi Condensation cultivators raised their voices, to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would sound like nothing more than the buzzing of ants. In that sense, public sentiment was trivial. Yet, in another sense, it was crucial. Cultivators possessed one exceptional talent: they could recognize the strong. It was the survival instinct of the weak. If they suddenly began to criticize someone, it was proof that the target of their criticism had grown weak. From that perspective, so-called "public sentiment" was a vital indicator of the shifting tides. And right now, the moment Jekyeong set foot on Jaseong Island, he could feel that public sentiment had drifted far away from the Hyeong-eo Gang.
Amusing.
Jekyeong glanced up at the large sphere floating in the air between two ancient pillars.
"Next!"
He stepped forward at a moderate pace, following the gatekeeper's indifferent command. Until he calmly passed through the gate, the "Demon-Revealing Mirror" showed absolutely no reaction.
Once through the gate, the vibrant city finally came into view. Jaseong Island had been annexed into the Human Territory only a decade ago, yet the bustling city streets made it feel as though it had been a part of the Human Territory for centuries.
Wide, clean streets. Neat, grand buildings. Colorful lights glowing faintly throughout those structures. And finally, the massive bones of demon beasts hung here and there as decorations.
"Stop right there, you bastard!"
"Why don't you just give up? It's not something to get so worked up about!"
Two figures shot like arrows over a carriage drawn by a Twin-Horned Boar. To most of the onlookers, it felt as though a sudden gust of wind had swept past, leaving only echoing voices behind.
Late Qi Condensation. On the verge of Foundation Establishment. Jekyeong instantly gauged their cultivation levels.
They're young. They look to be in their twenties. Even if they are slightly older than they appear, they are still remarkably young.
In terms of cultivation speed, they were comparable to or slightly faster than Han Cheongyu. Of course, such comparisons held little meaning. After all, up to the late Qi Condensation stage and even right before the threshold of Foundation Establishment, anyone could make it if enough resources were poured into them, regardless of talent.
And yet, no one is stopping them.
Most human cities prohibited flying within city limits. Jaseong Island was likely no exception. Yet, those two were dashing around at a height that blurred the line between running and flying. It was the kind of behavior that could easily be penalized if anyone cared to enforce the rules, yet not a single person called them out. Even if Jaseong Island's current situation was somewhat unique, it shouldn't be to the point where they couldn't control two mere Qi Condensation cultivators.
This meant they had backing. Quite a formidable backing, at that.
Backing, is it?
Even the Hyeong-eo Gang, who had the loudest voice on the island, was glaring around in a state of high tension, to say nothing of the other factions. Did having a background even mean anything in times like these?
In this city, which was so lively it bordered on chaotic, Jekyeong detected a faint undercurrent of tension. Intent to kill? The clouds of war? Whatever it was, the scent was quite sweet.
Though he had only just arrived, Jekyeong already took a liking to this city. Indeed, a city like this was best left exactly as it was.
There were three main categories of cultivators on Jaseong Island.
First were the rogue cultivators and demon hunters. While some had hunted the beast race from the very beginning, the majority of the demon hunters on Jaseong Island today were originally rogue cultivators. These rogue cultivators, who had drifted to Jaseong Island in search of work, naturally became demon hunters as they hunted beasts for spirit stones, eventually settling down on the island.
Second were the merchants. They earned spirit stones by purchasing beast materials from the demon hunters while simultaneously importing and selling various goods that Jaseong Island required.
Third were the various established factions that had officially set foot on Jaseong Island. Escaping the already saturated Human Territory, they had come to this land of opportunity, carving out their own territories through their respective connections.
"However, the Hyeong-eo Gang does not belong to any of these three categories," Han Cheongyu explained. "They can be seen as a mix of the first and third, but strictly speaking, they are closer to a coalition of rogue cultivators. The current leader of the Hyeong-eo Gang was originally a rogue cultivator who joined the gang by becoming a disciple of the previous leader."
Though he was called a disciple, it was merely a formal relationship. At the time, the previous leader of the Hyeong-eo Gang was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, while the current leader was already an experienced early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"The previous leader was already so decrepit that he was on the verge of death, and the Hyeong-eo Gang lacked a suitable successor."
"It was a transaction, then."
"Yes. I do not know what the previous leader saw in him, but looking at the current state of the Hyeong-eo Gang, his choice seems to have been correct."
"We shall see," Jekyeong disagreed with Han Cheongyu's assessment. Having capability was well and good. However, ambition was a double-edged sword; wielded correctly, it could secure everything one desired, but a single slip could drive the blade straight into one's own throat.
"The Lord Dragon is correct."
Jekyeong proceeded to ask Han Cheongyu for information on other influential factions besides the Hyeong-eo Gang. Since he had already come to Jaseong Island, he wanted to handle the matter as cleanly as possible. He wanted to ensure that once the Hyeong-eo Gang was swept away, no other troublesome entity would rise to take its place. As for worrying about leaving a trail by acting too boldly—that was the last thing on his mind.