A Bargain with Gluttony
Because on their shoulders rested the fate of their sects, and by extension, the Human Territory of Yang-seo-ho. What if the non-human races invaded while they were away? Furthermore, if an opportunity for Core Formation truly existed within the Secret Realm, it would be wiser for them to bide their time. Even if someone were to obtain such an opportunity, they wouldn't dare attempt a breakthrough inside the Secret Realm anyway. Attempting a breakthrough here would be like walking down a street teeming with thieves while clutching a glittering bar of gold.
"They certainly don't lack confidence," Jekyeong clicked his tongue after hearing Myeong-ha's speculation.
"You didn't call it arrogance, I see," Myeong-ha noted.
"Of course not." The line between confidence and arrogance was drawn by capability. With strength, it was confidence; without it, it was arrogance. The two great Gold Core sects of the Human Race naturally fell into the former.
"But even if they bide their time, we don't have much of it left. Are we still short on numbers?"
"Hmm." The number of sacrifices they had captured so far was thirty-two. Although there were only five in the late Foundation Establishment stage, there were nearly twenty in the mid-stage. Jekyeong figured this was a decent enough haul.
"It's still not enough. If we're going to offer a sacrifice, we might as well make a grand show of it. Only then will the leash loosen, even if just a little."
"Then make haste." Myeong-ha had already sent his Lost-Soul Puppets outside the Secret Realm to stir up the winds. The rumors were already spreading like wildfire, but there was no harm in fanning the flames. Whether by coincidence or design, ever since Myeong-ha had deployed his shills in earnest, the average number of cultivators entering the Secret Realm had increased by five or six per day.
"Indeed, that is my plan. I think it's about time we threw them a tempting bait." Myeong-ha's sinister voice drifted through the darkness.
"Is a Demon King's residual thought truly this terrifying? Even after seven thousand years..."
"It's because of the Secret Realm. This place was sealed tight until recently, so the Demon King's residual thoughts couldn't disperse and remained trapped inside." A group of cultivators conversed, trying to ease the tension in their hearts. Yet, the impenetrable darkness continued to gnaw at their hard-won composure.
"Grrr..." At the faint sound echoing from the darkness, their eyes snapped open in unison.
"They're coming again!" As if on cue, monsters materialized from all directions. They were the relentless, immortal abominations born of the Demon King's residual thoughts. Though their individual combat power was negligible, their endless numbers wore down anyone who encountered them, leaving a mountain of fatigue in their wake.
"Screeech!" While the group of cultivators clashed with the undying beasts, Jekyeong watched silently from the shadows, his massive form concealed in the darkness.
Three in the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and one in the late stage. Are they sect cultivators? Even in the heat of battle, their movements remained perfectly coordinated. Such discipline was rarely seen among disorganized rogue cultivators; they undoubtedly belonged to a prominent sect or clan. Perhaps they were even disciples of the two great Gold Core sects.
Not bad. Jekyeong didn't know how Docheol evaluated the worth of sacrifices, but objectively speaking, these four were of a significantly higher caliber than any they had captured so far.
"Do not make any mistakes," Myeong-ha whispered, clearly sharing his thoughts as he urged Jekyeong to capture them alive.
"If you don't trust me, why don't you do it yourself?"
"Haha, you know I can't do that. Besides, it's not like I'm just idling around."
That was true. While Jekyeong was responsible for the physical capture, Myeong-ha handled everything leading up to it. He gathered intelligence on the cultivators entering the Secret Realm, shared it with Jekyeong instantly, and even lured the monsters to exhaust their targets. In terms of sheer effort, Myeong-ha was doing far more work. Furthermore, unlike Gwak Yeon, Myeong-ha hadn't refined a Demon Core; he had to channel Docheol's power purely through his own capabilities. The burden he carried was likely far greater than Jekyeong could imagine.
"..." Jekyeong watched the human cultivators, who had neutralized more than half of the monsters and were now preparing to retreat. He began to glide toward them. Myeong-ha masked his presence, and Jekyeong, taking no chances, pushed his Presence-Concealing Technique to its absolute limit, erasing his aura entirely.
"Senior Brother! We should withdraw now!"
"Understood!" Replying to his juniors, the late Foundation Establishment cultivator recalled his Dharma Treasure and turned around. At that exact moment, Jekyeong materialized behind him like a ghost.
"Senior Brother!" Even without Divine Sense or Spiritual Awareness, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was still a force to be reckoned with. Before his juniors' frantic cries could even leave their throats, the senior brother reacted the instant he saw their faces pale. Swinging the fan-shaped Dharma Treasure he had just recalled, he unleashed a golden shockwave that erupted outward with him at the center.
Boom! He didn't hold back. The moment he saw his juniors' reactions, his instincts screamed in warning, and he obeyed them without hesitation.
Crack! However, the dispersed power of the Dharma Treasure could not halt Jekyeong's advance. A hand cloaked in flames tore through the shockwave and clamped down on the late Foundation Establishment cultivator's shoulder. Jekyeong had originally aimed for the neck, but the cultivator's impressive reflexes—befitting his late-stage cultivation—forced Jekyeong to adjust his target mid-strike. Still, it made no difference. Whether it was the neck or the shoulder, once caught in Jekyeong's grasp, the outcome was predetermined.
Four strands of blazing fire lash out, shattering the enemy's defense and scattering their Dharma Power.
From the initial ambush to complete suppression, the entire sequence unfolded in the blink of an eye.
"Senior Brother!" The three mid Foundation Establishment cultivators rushed forward in a frenzy. Jekyeong threw a single punch at the oncoming trio. It was a simple strike, devoid of any complex technique, but the raw power concentrated within it was immense.
Thud! The three charging cultivators desperately deployed their respective defenses to withstand the blow. Yet, their faces instantly drained of color, and one of them stumbled back, looking as if he might collapse at any moment.
"Who are you?! We are from the—" Bringing up one's background in the middle of a fight was a sure sign of desperation. To Jekyeong, it was a welcome signal.
Slam! Jekyeong slammed the late Foundation Establishment cultivator into the ground. The impact shattered the earth, burying the man deep within the soil. His limbs splayed limply at unnatural angles, and his breathing grew shallow.
"Easy there!" Myeong-ha's frantic, near-screaming voice buzzed in his ear.
"He's not dead."
"I'm saying that because he looks like he's about to die! Humans aren't like the Beast Race."
True enough. In some ways, humans were as sharp as spears, but in others, they were as fragile as dry straw. Clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction, Jekyeong lunged at the remaining three. Already exhausted, ambushed, and stripped of the initiative, their morale was utterly shattered. They stood no chance against Jekyeong's merciless onslaught. Before long, their Dharma Treasures lay broken and scattered on the ground, and each of them was carefully captured alive by Jekyeong.
"I'm heading back now." Dragging the four captives, Jekyeong made his way toward the altar. The darkness parted to clear his path, and the monsters he occasionally encountered shrank back into the shadows, letting out hideous whimpers as they retreated.
"Good work," Myeong-ha said. At the summit of the altar, Myeong-ha sat in the exact same posture Gwak Yeon had once assumed. He offered a faint smile as he looked at Jekyeong and the newly acquired sacrifices.
"I will begin now."
"Is it enough?"
"Hard to say. Personally, I would like to gather more... but I don't think we have any more time to spare." As Myeong-ha's gaze fell upon the four captives, Jekyeong nodded, understanding his meaning.
As Myeong-ha initiated the ritual, the domain of Docheol descended upon the Secret Realm once more. It was slower and felt somewhat less seamless than when Gwak Yeon had presided over it, but considering that Gwak Yeon had refined Demon King Jegu's Demon Core back then, Myeong-ha's performance was highly impressive.
"Mmm." Through this, Jekyeong was able to behold Docheol, whom he had never seen before. Or perhaps, it was merely a fraction of Docheol. Regardless, it was more horrific than anything he could have imagined. It was unbearably terrifying, and utterly repulsive. If a mere sliver of the deity's consciousness felt this overwhelming, his very soul might have shattered had he faced the true Docheol.
"I am glad you are pleased," Myeong-ha replied respectfully.
While Myeong-ha conversed with Docheol, Jekyeong stood as still as a statue, trying to blend into the background. At this moment, he wished he could truly become invisible. Every time that colossal mass of flesh writhed, every time its long, hideous tongue danced in the air, Jekyeong's heart shook violently, like a fragile boat tossed about in a raging storm.
"O Great Docheol, I must beg your forgiveness for a certain matter."
"This Secret Realm has been exposed. Soon, Gold Core cultivators will descend upon this place, and when they do, we will no longer be able to protect your altar."
When Myeong-ha uttered those words, Jekyeong felt as if his heart had been struck by a massive block of iron. Isn't he being too direct? Where had Myeong-ha's usual silver-tongued eloquence gone? Yet, Jekyeong understood. Trying to play word games with an entity like Docheol was a surefire way to meet a horrific end.
How pathetic. Jekyeong suddenly felt a wave of self-deprecation. Compared to Myeong-ha, who spoke so boldly in front of an Evil God, how small and pitiful did he look, trembling as if facing an eternal trial? Jekyeong forced himself to calm his fear and stand tall. Of course, one's mindset couldn't be changed in an instant, but he made a conscious effort. And that effort was not in vain. Very slowly, the shadow of dread looming over his heart began to thin.
"Therefore, I pray that you grant me the authority to establish your altar elsewhere. If that is not possible, please allow us to relocate this altar."
This was the part that had made both Myeong-ha and Jekyeong the most anxious. Relocating the altar. It was undoubtedly the best course of action under the circumstances, but their counterpart was Docheol. Would an Evil God ever listen to reason?
Surprisingly, he did. He readily granted Myeong-ha's cautious request.
"Ugh!" The moment the permission was granted, Myeong-ha let out a painful groan.