Whispers of Fear
No, on second thought, even that wasn't a lie. He did have a bloodline. However, it wasn't something he had inherited; he had forged it himself, so there was no need to "excavate" or uncover it.
"You are... truly extraordinary, Fellow Daoist." Myeong-ha's eyes—or more accurately, the eyes of his Lost-Soul Puppet—glittered with an intensity that was almost uncomfortable.
Jekyeong calmly met his gaze. A bloodline, is it? He had spoken with grand confidence, but having never excavated a bloodline himself, he naturally had no idea what it actually meant to inherit an ancestral legacy, nor did he understand it. Yet, judging by Myeong-ha's reaction, the lie he had spun on the spot sounded quite plausible even to his own ears. The cultivation of the Beast Race is inherently warped. In the end, doesn't it just boil down to those born with superior bloodlines retracing the footsteps of their ancestors?
For the Beast Race, cultivation meant either copying the path of their predecessors or staking their lives on perilous adventures and gambles. Could such a thing even be called cultivation? Either way, they are entirely relying on luck.
Inheriting a great lineage was luck. Staking one's fate on a low-probability gamble and winning was also luck. At this rate, perhaps they should rename themselves the "Luck Race" instead of the Beast Race.
"Your perspective on cultivation is deeply impressive, Fellow Daoist. Indeed, a cultivator must never grow complacent. To not progress is to regress." Myeong-ha, who had been marveling continuously, suggested in a solemn tone that they discuss the discourse of cultivation.
Jekyeong had no reason to refuse. When it came to insights regarding the Gold Core breakthrough, the more, the better. Furthermore, although Myeong-ha hadn't attempted it with the serious intention of breaking through, he still had the experience of attempting the Gold Core stage once, meaning his understanding of it would be exceptional.
"In my view, forming the Core is..." Myeong-ha immediately began pouring out his views on the Gold Core breakthrough.
Jekyeong merely raised occasional questions or counterarguments, but Myeong-ha seemed satisfied with just that. This was likely because his expectations weren't very high to begin with. No matter how extraordinary Jekyeong was, he was still a member of the Beast Race. Since the cultivation of the Beast Race fundamentally relied on bloodlines, Myeong-ha might have assumed that even with some personal achievements, Jekyeong's understanding would be trivial. If that were the case, he was being greatly underestimated, but Jekyeong didn't care. Cultivation was for reaching a higher realm of the immortal path, not for seeking the validation of others.
"Therefore..."
"That makes sense, but one must not forget that only Gold Core cultivators can truly manipulate spiritual energy in that manner. This means there is a qualitative difference between the Dharma Power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator and that of a Gold Core cultivator."
"That is indeed a valid point. In that case..."
Their discourse on cultivation continued without pause for four whole days. Four days later, Myeong-ha departed from Heukgyo Island, thoroughly satisfied.
And ten days after that, another major incident erupted in the Human Territory. Over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators clashed in a single location, leaving more than half of them dead or severely wounded.
The cause did not matter. What mattered was that bloodshed had occurred—and for the second time. The first could be dismissed as a mistake or an accident. But the second? Now, everyone had caught the scent of blood.
Both sides began mobilizing their connections in earnest, gathering their forces. As things escalated to this point, the two silent Gold Core sects stepped forward to mediate, but even they could not calm the two sides, who were already thoroughly inflamed, with just a few words.
Some thought that since verbal persuasion had failed, the two great Gold Core sects would now use force to compel them to calm down. But they did not. Far from showing their faces, the Gold Core cultivators did not even raise their voices. It was as if they had absolutely no interest in the commotion currently unfolding.
Jekyeong, however, found it baffling that the two great Gold Core sects—or more precisely, the Gold Core cultivators themselves—did not intervene directly, even though the unrest in the Human Territory had reached such a state. Had they not worried about the depletion of the human race's foundation? If left alone, this campfire would spread into a wildfire, a forest fire, yet they seemed unconcerned.
Was it complacency, or was it confidence? Jekyeong briefly considered asking Myeong-ha, but ultimately decided against it. Myeong-ha was his business partner, not his nanny or teacher. Clinging to him like a child begging for answers every time would look unsightly and would not bode well for maintaining their future relationship.
Thus, Jekyeong decided to ponder the matter on his own. There is no effect without a cause. It was clear that the major powers of the Yangseo Lake Human Territory, including the two great Gold Core sects, feared the depletion of the human race's foundation. Therefore, it was entirely rational for them to step forward to quell this unusual disturbance.
And the simplest, fastest way to end the commotion was for the Gold Core cultivators to step in personally, whether by speaking a single word or throwing a punch. Yet they did not. In that case, did they choose not to step forward, or were they unable to? Jekyeong guessed it was the latter.
Although the thoughts of high-level cultivators were often difficult to comprehend, they were still cultivators. Their basic mindset did not differ whether they were Gold Core or Qi Condensation cultivators. They would get angry if slapped, and their eyes would gleam if they saw treasure. They, too, must know that their personal intervention was the fastest and most certain method, so their failure to do so meant there was a compelling reason.
And that reason was likely... They must have noticed the movements of Muryangae and are being cautious. But I don't see how that correlates with suppressing a minor disturbance within the Human Territory.
The more he thought, the more tangled his mind became. It felt as if a thread of thought was unraveling endlessly, knotting itself into a mess. Enough. I'll find out if I wait and see. Trying to know everything was also a form of impatience. To see more clearly, sometimes one had to take a step back rather than draw closer.
Jekyeong silently observed the situation while continuing the light contact he had originally planned. Before long, the fruits of his minor efforts began to show. Perhaps believing that their past relationship had been restored thanks to Hyeongu's repeated visits, Jang Yeong dragged his heavy feet and came to Heukgyo Island.
"Lord Dragon."
"I am disappointed. Are you no longer calling me Fellow Daoist?"
"How could I dare?" Jang Yeong smiled bitterly.
Even putting aside their respective statuses, he did not dare address Jekyeong as Fellow Daoist. The being before him was a Great Yao in the late stage, and his strength was among the very best of the Yangseo Lake Beast Race. Had even that mad dog, Ha Yuseong, not retreated after failing to do anything to him?
"I still remember our old friendship, so I hope you won't fret over such trivialities."
"If you say so." Jang Yeong was not moved by Jekyeong's sweet talk. How could a cultivator who had experienced so much over such a long time be so naive? Furthermore, he knew more than enough about this Black Dragon. The mention of "old friendship" was best taken as a light joke. Their meeting today was strictly driven by mutual necessity.
"Fellow Daoist."
The tug-of-war had begun the moment Jekyeong had Hyeongu contact Jang Yeong. It was a contest of patience. And now, the tug-of-war was over.
"The Heumwon clan is shaking."
At Jang Yeong's words, delivered in a highly significant tone, Jekyeong frowned, as if asking what on earth he was talking about.
"After the war ended, the Heumwon clan showed their true colors. They pushed my father aside, seized the Court of Demons, and began to reveal their cloven hooves."
Jekyeong found Jang Yeong's phrasing amusing. Cloven hooves? They had known all along, so there was no need to sound so betrayed now. Surely he hadn't believed the Heumwon clan had helped Mu-ara out of pure goodwill? But regardless of his internal thoughts, Jekyeong maintained a solemn expression outwardly, adopting an attentive posture.
"They were not satisfied with just the Court of Demons. They wanted to grasp the entire demon territory, and they even planned for what lay beyond."
Jang Yeong spoke as if exposing some grand conspiracy, but to Jekyeong, there was nothing strange about it. If the beasts of Yangseo Lake were ordinary fish, the Heumwon clan was a whale. A small pond could hold a few modest fish, but it could never contain a whale. It was only natural for the whale to thrash about.
"I had a vague inkling of it. I was just about to find myself in a difficult position as well."
"I heard there were some minor incidents. But they surely didn't intend to lay a hand on your territory, Fellow Daoist. They were likely just testing the waters."
"It is merely a matter of order. They would have made a move on me eventually."
Jang Yeong offered silence as his reply. He had no intention of defending the Heumwon clan anyway. He had merely spouted pointless words to give the impression that he was speaking objectively.
"Initially, they aimed to unify the demon territory within a few years. Though the Jansu Whale King was an obstacle, they likely expected him to submit eventually."
A few years. In truth, if the Heumwon clan had set their minds to it, they wouldn't have needed to take that long. However, they wished to handle matters gradually and quietly. Perhaps it was patience to acquire the demon territory as intact as possible, or perhaps they didn't want to provoke competitors, including the human race, so soon after the war. But whatever the case, the true underlying reason was that the Heumwon clan was confident in their own strength. Jang Yeong dismissed it as arrogance, but it was clearly confidence, not arrogance.
Before Mu-ara ascended to the Yao King stage with the help of the Heumwon clan, there had been only a single Yao King in the Yangseo Lake demon territory. Yet, how many Yao Kings did the Heumwon clan possess just among those openly revealed? Furthermore, they were not newly ascended like Mu-ara.
"As I said, they are shaking. To me... it felt as though they were afraid of something."
Though he spoke those words, Jang Yeong lacked confidence himself, and his voice trailed off toward the end.
"Afraid, you say."
"I know it might be hard to believe, but I truly felt that way."
"We shall see."
"Indeed, we shall see. But won't it be too late if we only move after the event has already occurred?"
After a long, winding prelude, Jang Yeong finally got to the point.
Jekyeong blinked his massive eyes and stared at Jang Yeong. He didn't narrow his eyes or exert pressure with his aura, yet Jang Yeong naturally lowered his gaze and avoided eye contact. Though they were both Great Yao, before this Black Dragon, Jang Yeong felt as if he had become a mere ordinary demon beast. Was it due to the overwhelming difference in size, or was it the pressure emanating from the Gyoryong bloodline?
"I see what you are trying to say. Do you intend to rebel against the Heumwon clan this time?"
"No, no." Jang Yeong hurriedly shook his head. "Nothing is certain. I only hope that when the unexpected happens, we can cooperate once again, just as we did before."
Jekyeong did not give an immediate answer. Jang Yeong hadn't expected an instant reply anyway, so he wasn't disappointed. They agreed to keep a closer eye on the unfolding situation and exchange information more frequently in the future. This small agreement alone was enough to satisfy Jang Yeong. In his mind, the Black Dragon had practically given his answer. Though he was currently biding his time, if something truly happened, he would not hesitate to accept their invitation. Just as he had done before.
The top of the Star-Gazing Tower.