Overturning the Sky
Even Jekyeong, who had steadily built up his cultivation in his own way, felt a pang of jealousy. 'A grand destiny. Do you people think you're the protagonists of this world?' If these so-called Qi-destined children were the protagonists of the world, then what was everyone else? Mere supporting actors or extras meant only to make the main characters shine?
'Sure. You probably want to stop me. But can you?' Jekyeong reached out and gripped So Gyesan's neck. So Gyesan tried to resist even then, but his attempts to evade could not escape Jekyeong's gaze, and his struggles to break free were utterly meaningless before Jekyeong's raw strength.
"What will you do now?" Jekyeong asked in a calm voice. So Gyesan's eyes flared wide. He seemed to think Jekyeong was mocking him. But that was a misunderstanding. Jekyeong didn't care about So Gyesan at all. The subject of his question wasn't the pitifully squirming So Gyesan, but the heavens above.
Crack! Jekyeong stared blankly into So Gyesan's venom-filled eyes before suddenly tightening his grip. At that moment, what resisted him was not some divine intervention from the heavens, but a backlash of Dharma Power rising up as if to protect its master. However, that level of Dharma Power was nothing more than a feeble tantrum inside Jekyeong's grasp.
The neck bones of the Foundation Establishment cultivator snapped and shattered in an instant. Jekyeong squeezed the completely crushed neck once more, then twisted and tore it off. Afterward, he kicked the limp, collapsing body, crushing the heart as well. He wanted to burn the corpse until not even ashes remained, but unfortunately, he couldn't. His flames carried Monster Power, so if he burned the body with his fire, he wouldn't be able to hide his tracks.
'How anticlimactic.' Jekyeong stood still for a few breaths after killing So Gyesan. He was waiting for any potential 'response' from the heavens. But just as he had expected, the heavens remained silent. It was as if they were completely unaware of what had transpired here, or perhaps they knew but simply didn't care.
'I suppose even among children, there are favorites, and favor has its limits.' He had guessed as much, but Jekyeong, who had been secretly tense in case a stray lightning bolt struck him down, let out a soft sigh. He searched So Gyesan's body and retrieved a few items: an interspatial ring and the Dharma treasures he had been using until moments ago. He didn't forget to take the cloth-like Dharma treasure with a hole in the center. He didn't know if it could be repaired or if it held any value, but if all else failed, he could always toss it to the Yeongisa on Yeongi Island to use as reference material.
So Gyesan, Jaseong Island's most famous figure and arguably its strongest cultivator, had died overnight. The Hyeong-eo Gang tried their best to conceal this fact, but an event of this magnitude was not something that could be hidden just because they wanted to. There were those among them who held different opinions, and even those who initially tried to hide So Gyesan's death did not do so out of some grand resolve; they simply needed time to gather their thoughts.
It was unknown who leaked it, but the news spread across Jaseong Island the very next day. Because it was so sudden, not many believed it at first. People assumed that rival factions of the Hyeong-eo Gang were spreading wild rumors. However, when So Gyesan failed to show himself even after the rumors spread, people began to find it strange one by one. Some speculated that So Gyesan had been ambushed by an assassin and suffered a severe injury. It was a bold guess, but even then, almost no one believed he was actually dead. It was only natural. The Hyeong-eo Gang of today was practically built by So Gyesan alone, and in the process, he had flaunted his strength multiple times. The power and dominance he displayed back then had left a deep impression on many cultivators, leading them to hold a somewhat exaggerated perception of him. That very perception clouded their eyes and ears. Though they vaguely sensed something was amiss from the chaotic state of the Hyeong-eo Gang, they still couldn't imagine that So Gyesan had died overnight.
"The heavens of Jaseong Island have been overturned in an instant," Ju-hyeong lamented in secret. 'Was it really this simple?' To the majority of cultivators on Jaseong Island, the Hyeong-eo Gang was an irresistible force, and So Gyesan was a sky-like existence they could only look up to. Yet, that sky had been overturned—no, collapsed—overnight. 'He was the sky to me, but to the Dragon Lord, he was nothing more than an ant that could be easily crushed to death.' The reality he had to accept was both absurd and bitter.
"Senior, are you really going to just sit still? No one else believes So Gyesan is dead yet. This is our chance."
"Exactly. Even if we don't make a huge scene..."
Ju-hyeong glanced sideways at his companions who were clinging to Han Cheongyu. They were eagerly urging him to seize this 'opportunity' to make a fortune. 'They aren't wrong.' Not many knew about So Gyesan's death yet. It was likely limited to the high-ranking members of the Hyeong-eo Gang who had personally verified the body, and a few others who had caught wind of the leaked information. The current Hyeong-eo Gang was nothing more than a headless beast that didn't know what to do, so its plump flesh belonged to whoever bit into it first. Of course, biting off too big a piece carried the risk of having to spit it back out later, but taking a few small bites would pose no problem. In that sense, this was indeed a golden opportunity to claim a share. However... even a correct statement could become wrong depending on who was listening. Those foolish fellows didn't seem to understand that truth. Or perhaps they had temporarily forgotten it, blinded by greed.
"Shut up."
Han Cheongyu was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and the master who held their lifelines, but he usually treated them quite well. He never spoke or acted harshly, nor did he oppress them in other ways. Thus, when Han Cheongyu glared at them with cold, murderous eyes, they were thrown into a panic, not knowing what to do.
"Senior, we were just..."
"I said, shut up."
As Han Cheongyu unleashed the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they all collapsed to the ground, trembling violently. They couldn't even breathe properly.
"Do you not understand why the Dragon Lord handled this matter so quietly?"
Ju-hyeong, like his companions who were struggling to breathe, bowed his head and quietly waited for Han Cheongyu's anger to subside.
"This is your only warning. Do not forget who you are and why you are here."
Han Cheongyu spoke as he made eye contact with each exhausted cultivator. Meeting his icy gaze, the cultivators trembled and nodded with great difficulty.
"We will not act. In fact, it would be better to leave for a while."
The next morning, they boarded a boat and left Jaseong Island. Six days later, the news of So Gyesan's death was officially confirmed, throwing Jaseong Island into utter chaos.
A fortuitous encounter? The time it took for Jekyeong to handle the matters on Jaseong Island and return was barely over two months. To a cultivator, especially a Great Demon who lived for ages, two months was a brief moment that could be passed in the blink of an eye, with only a slight exaggeration. However, just because it could be passed quickly didn't mean they always let it slip away. Although a Great Demon's lifespan was generally long, they did not waste that longevity meaninglessly. Jekyeong was the same. Though he was destined to enjoy a long life as a Great Demon, he had not forgotten his days as a human. That was why, even when leaving for a brief period like this, he had nagged Cheongo and Hyeongu—who were left to guard the house in his stead—to a somewhat excessive degree before departing.
"The Ghost Spider came by."
Upon returning to the Heukgyo Water Territory, Jekyeong felt relieved to see that his domain had barely changed since his departure. However, his brow soon furrowed at the troubling news Hyeongu delivered.
"Why him?"
"He didn't say much. He simply told me to relay that he had 'found a clue.' He said the Dragon Lord would understand."
A clue? Just as Myeong-ha had confidently predicted, Jekyeong understood immediately. It had to be about the intruder who had caused a ruckus at the auction house. 'That was fast.' Jekyeong had vaguely heard that the item originated from the heart of the Human Territory, but he didn't know the exact location. Since the term 'heart' was used, it couldn't have been a place one could visit quickly. Yet, grasping a clue in just two months meant that the foundation Myeong-ha had built in the Human Territory was extraordinary.
'He really is capable.' Even though they were both Qi-destined children, So Gyesan couldn't even begin to compare to Myeong-ha. So Gyesan's capacity was barely enough to hold a single island, but Myeong-ha... Jekyeong still couldn't fathom just how vast his capacity was. Even so, Jekyeong no longer felt the same burden regarding Myeong-ha as he had before. As his cultivation deepened, he had gradually shed his fear and wariness of 'presence,' and handling the situation on Jaseong Island had given him a massive boost in confidence. Qi-destined children were certainly extraordinary, but they weren't some untouchable, abstract existences. In the end, they were also living beings; snap their necks and crush their hearts, and they would die. Hadn't this incident proven that the presence bestowed upon them by the heavens, or the destiny they carried, was utterly powerless before a steadfast will and overwhelming power?
"I see."
Jekyeong stopped by Heukgyodo briefly to speak with Cheongo, and took the opportunity to visit Gwimok Island to exchange brief greetings with Muk-su, before heading straight to Haeyeon Island.
"Fellow Daoist."
Myeong-ha welcomed Jekyeong atop a stone pagoda overlooking all of Haeyeon Island. His complexion was as neat as always, but a deep fatigue lingered in his eyes, which were dimmer than usual.
"You seem to have had urgent business."
"It was urgent in its own way. My mind felt stifled, so I wanted to clear it."
"Ah." Myeong-ha nodded in understanding. "For cultivators like us, one's true intent is of the utmost importance. If the end of the Immortal Path is transcendence and carefreeness, its beginning must lie in knowing one's own true intent."
"I know nothing of such grandiose things. I simply wanted to get some fresh air, so I did."
"Of course." Myeong-ha smiled faintly, then adopted a serious expression as he got to the point. He knew very well that his rough business partner had little patience for wordplay.
"As I left word with your subordinate, I have found a clue. I have a rough idea of what that object is."
"A rough idea?"
"Because it is a clue, not definitive proof. But personally, I believe it is a ninety percent certainty."
Myeong-ha's tone was cautious, and the atmosphere grew heavy. It seemed the origin of the item was far more unusual than anticipated.
"So? Is it something I need to know?"
"Well, it is related to our business on Haeyeon Island, after all. And... once you hear it, you might find yourself interested as well, Fellow Daoist."
Jekyeong leaned back against his chair and fell silent. Myeong-ha toyed with his half-cooled teacup and continued.
"That piece of iron is highly likely to be the key to a certain secret cave."
"A secret cave?"
Jekyeong, of course, knew what a secret cave was. It was a sort of sanctuary prepared by a cultivator to escape the hassles or dangers of the mortal world. They would reside there, cultivate, pass the years, and often pass away in meditation within its walls. This was precisely why cultivators spoke of others' secret caves. Once the owner died, the secret cave became a treasure trove. The higher the owner's realm, the greater the value of the items left behind. Thus, if a Foundation Establishment cultivator's secret cave was discovered, not only Qi Condensation cultivators but even Foundation Establishment cultivators would flock to it. But Myeong-ha was a Great Demon—or perhaps a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Since Myeong-ha had never revealed that part of himself, Jekyeong had never asked about his cultivation, nor had he shown any curiosity. Regardless, given Myeong-ha's level, he would have no reason to show interest in a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator's secret cave. Which meant...