Until the Anger Subsides
At the very least, he had to wait quietly until his anger subsided. Fortunately, this latest matter would extinguish the immediate fire, leaving ample time to discuss future plans.
Meanwhile, Jekyeong did not care what Myeong-ha was thinking. He only hoped that since he had helped Myeong-ha settle the matter this time, the fellow would have the tact to leave him in peace for the foreseeable future.
'Still, it wasn't without its gains.'
The number of Foundation Establishment cultivators captured this time totaled seventeen. Jekyeong had claimed the storage bags of nine of them. Since those nine included Seok Ya-jung, the harvest was quite substantial.
Yet, a harvest was a harvest, and anger was anger. Myeong-ha had acted on a whim and forced his hand.
"Grrr..."
Deep within the Black Cult Palace, Jekyeong's breathing grew heavy as his mood soured. Instantly, the palace grew stiflingly hot, and a scorching wind began to sweep across Heukgyodo.
Flap, flap! Cheongo fluttered down, landing atop Jekyeong's head. Tilting its head, the bird asked,
"Why are you so angry? Why so angry?"
"I just don't like it."
"What don't you like? What? What?"
"Everything."
Docheol, who loomed as a source of dread in his heart. The servant who, following his master's lead, sought to put a leash on him. And himself, who, far from changing the situation, couldn't even land a satisfying blow on that servant, merely playing the part of a fierce beast with empty words. He loathed all of it.
"Jekyeong, you've changed! Changed!"
"Hmm?"
"Before, when you got angry, you looked scary! Now, not so scary! Not scary!"
"..."
Jekyeong was about to snap back in irritation at the sudden remark, but he fell silent as a realization struck him.
'The past...'
When was the "past" Cheongo spoke of? Was it before he made a name for himself as the Dragon Lord? Or during his days as a mere Demon Beast, when he was constantly on edge, wary of enemies that could appear at any moment? Or perhaps those days when he hunted day after day just to survive?
Looking back, he was different then. This was not a comparison between a Great Demon and a Demon Beast, or a Demon Beast and an ordinary animal, but rather a matter of mindset.
Back then, he had always been cold and analytical, as if wearing a band of ice around his brow. He would hold his breath, stay vigilant, and plan. But once action was joined, he would throw everything away and fight to the death.
Yet somewhere along the way, he had changed. According to Cheongo, he had become "not so scary."
Whether this talkative crow actually knew what it was saying or was merely babbling as usual, its words gave Jekyeong pause.
'Compared to before... have I changed a little?'
Well, perhaps it wasn't just a little. He might have become intoxicated by his own power, or perhaps a subconscious desire for compensation for his struggles as a beast had kicked in. At some point, he had lost his innate coldness and begun to lean into heat.
'No. This won't do.'
Anger was power, and a potent one at that. However, power was meant to be spent only where necessary. If wasted recklessly, it would not be there when truly needed.
"Not angry anymore? Not angry?"
"No."
His mind was still uneasy. He had simply realized that rather than lashing out blindly at the empty air, it was far better to quietly bide his time and sharpen his blade.
"More importantly, you. What about your Transformation Art?"
"I practiced a lot! Want to see? Want to see?"
As if waiting for those exact words, Cheongo hopped down from his head. Instantly, a dark, smoky haze billowed outward. By the time the bird's feet touched the ground, it was no longer a large crow but a small child standing before Jekyeong. Aside from the crow wings where arms should be, the transformation was practically flawless.
"Practice more."
"Okay! Okay!"
Myeong-ha's Lost-Soul Puppet had come and gone with news. The ritual had been successfully performed, and there was no need to worry about divine punishment for the time being.
Jekyeong pretended to be indifferent, acting as if he didn't care, but internally he breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried that Docheol might accept the sacrifices and still act capriciously, but fortunately, no such disaster had occurred. In any case, this allowed Jekyeong to lay down at least one of his mental burdens for the time being.
"So... they are still at a standoff?"
"Yes, Dragon Lord."
Meanwhile, Jekyeong was slightly surprised to learn that the conflict between So-byeok-ik-wang and the Yojeong had still not been resolved. Mu-ara's side, which he had expected to move at any moment, remained quiet, while So-byeok-ik-wang was still gnashing his teeth before the defensive array covering the Seongya Archipelago.
Consequently, the entire Seongya Archipelago had been completely devastated, exposed to So-byeok-ik-wang's overwhelming demonic energy. The spiritual vein that the Heumwon Clan had painstakingly established was also affected, its flow of spiritual energy beginning to collapse.
And right at that moment, an unexpected force intervened.
"So-byeok-ik-wang. Withdraw at once."
It was the Gakchung Clan. Having remained silent without a word since So-byeok-ik-wang's initial visit, they now appeared in the skies above the Seongya Archipelago.
"Insect Mother. I believe I gave you a clear warning."
So-byeok-ik-wang narrowed his eyes as he looked at the three Core Formation cultivators who had appeared before him—specifically the one in the center, who possessed a magnificent, crown-like horn. "It seems I was far too lenient with you."
"Fellow Daoist. Tribulation Qi already surrounds you."
"Tribulation Qi? Do you honestly think I care about such things?"
So-byeok-ik-wang sneered at the words of the Gakchung Clan cultivator addressed as the Insect Mother. The living, writhing darkness that enveloped him grew even denser.
"I told you. If you ignore my warning, you will pay the price."
A malevolent pressure bore down on the Seongya Archipelago. Even in the face of this monstrous aura, the Insect Mother spoke calmly.
"Your very presence oppresses Yangseo Lake. This place can no longer tolerate you."
"That is none of my concern."
Ominous demonic energy surged in all directions. A clash was imminent.
"They've arrived!"
The Heumwon Clan, who had been gritting their teeth and holding out inside the defensive array, erupted in wild ecstasy at the arrival of their long-awaited reinforcements. Even Seon-yu, who had been coldly keeping his excited and terrified kinsmen in check, could not remain calm at this moment.
"They are finally here!"
How could he possibly remain calm? As the patriarch of the Heumwon Clan, Seon-yu's bloodline was purer and thicker than that of his kinsmen. The Heumwon Clan possessed a deep history, with origins stretching back to ancient times. An uncontrollable ferocity and arrogance were woven into their very blood. Seon-yu had not huddled inside the array like a cornered rat out of mere cowardice; he had a trump card up his sleeve and was simply waiting for his chance.
"Now is the time!"
Seon-yu bellowed, his eyes bloodshot. I admit you are strong. I admit you look down on us, on me, with absolute arrogance. But even the mightiest giant will collapse if he takes a false step. And this is not Muryangae.
"This time, not even the Demon God Mingshe will be able to protect you!"
The defensive array dissolved, and the Demon Kings of the Heumwon Clan took to the skies in unison. They charged fiercely toward So-byeok-ik-wang, who was currently locked in a contest of strength with the Insect Mother and the other two Core Formation Gakchung cultivators. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If they missed this chance, they would never see the light of day again. They could not afford to fail.
"So, you are the ones who gave them courage."
So-byeok-ik-wang naturally noticed their movements. Three enemies before him, and four high-spirited Demon Kings charging from behind. Even when faced with seven opponents of comparable strength, he remained utterly unbothered. He even swept a mocking gaze over the four Demon Kings and the Insect Mother in front of him.
"It seems you've recovered quite a bit in the meantime."
"It is all thanks to Fellow Daoist So-byeok showing us mercy."
Though the words sounded like an expression of gratitude, the Insect Mother's voice and demeanor were ice-cold. A freezing glare shot toward So-byeok-ik-wang like an arrow.
"Indeed. It is certainly thanks to me. Had I not shown mercy, how could your life, or your wretched insect nest, have remained intact? Yet you repay my generosity with shamelessness."
The corners of the Insect Mother's eyes twitched. Harsh words seemed to hover on her trembling lips, but she swallowed them back down.
'You despicable madman.'
Shown mercy? From the very beginning, he had done nothing but threaten them with insufferable arrogance. The moment they offered a single word of rebuttal, he had lost his mind and lunged at them as if to tear them apart. Had his boundless insolence not eventually drawn the wrath of heaven, this lawless brute might have truly wiped out the Gakchung Clan of Yangseo Lake.
"Was the heavenly punishment you received last time not enough? While I acknowledge your skill, Fellow Daoist, perhaps it would be wise to learn a little humility."
"Humility? You mean servility."
So-byeok-ik-wang's sharp mockery spared no one. He looked down on the opponent glaring at him as if she were not the Insect Mother, but a mere common cultivator of the Gakchung Clan.
"The humility spoken of by creatures like you is nothing more than a deeply ingrained slave mentality."
While they exchanged these brief words, the Heumwon Clan, led by Patriarch Seon-yu, came to a halt, maintaining a cautious distance from the Gakchung Clan.
"Insect Mother."
Seon-yu offered a nod of greeting, and the Insect Mother acknowledged it with a slight tilt of her head.
"Even when the heavenly secrets scream in agony, the Human Race is nowhere to be seen. Tell me, Insect Mother, do you not regret helping them in the past?"
"I did not help the humans; I merely sought to stabilize the heavenly secrets. Thus, I have nothing to expect, and nothing to regret," the Insect Mother replied calmly to Seon-yu's cold inquiry.
But right at that moment, a brilliant divine light flashed, and four figures materialized in the sky.
"Those are truly hurtful words. How could our Human Race possibly sit out such a monumental task as safeguarding the heavenly secrets of Yangseo Lake?"
Four Golden Core cultivators of the Human Race revealed themselves. After offering a polite greeting to the Insect Mother, they swept a mocking gaze over the Gakchung Clan cultivators.
"However, we are not as noble and aloof as you, Insect Mother. Though we had no choice but to come, we cannot help but feel some resentment. After all, if you had never set foot in Yangseo Lake in the first place, none of this would have happened."
"Wind naturally blows where there is no obstruction. Do you blame the wind simply because dust has settled?"
Though the human Golden Core cultivators and the Heumwon Clan engaged in a battle of wills, they did not forget the great enemy standing before them. The barbed words they exchanged were merely a ploy to provoke their foe into making the first move.
"A childish trick. Utterly transparent."
So-byeok-ik-wang was no fool. A foolish man, no matter how strong his fists, could never achieve great things. He was a tempestuous figure who had stirred up a storm in the long-dormant Muryangae, and more than a few clans had perished beneath his mad ambitions. If a man like him were to be swayed by such cheap provocation, would the souls of those fallen clans not weep in sheer frustration?