The Crimson Harvest

That he would not spare rewards for those who proved their merit was Jekyeong's genuine intention. He was no longer the same being who had to constantly worry about the limitations of the Blood Contract Restriction. He had completely solidified his cultivation at the late Great Yao stage, and was now looking even further ahead, toward Core Formation.

Han Cheongyu still needs more time to reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and as for Bigu, there's no telling when he'll advance... So it should be fine.

Currently, the only ones he directly controlled through the blood covenant were Han Cheongyu and Hyeongu. Judging by his current capacity, he felt he could easily handle two more early Foundation Establishment cultivators, so raising Ju-hyeong up by one level would pose no problem.

Of course, he still needed to observe him further. While Ju-hyeong was undoubtedly capable in his own way, a cold assessment revealed that such men were a dime a dozen. Jekyeong demanded both competence and loyalty, and those two traits had to be proven through concrete results.

"Caw! What a noisy fellow. He's finally gone."

Once they were left alone in the basement of Han Cheongyu's residence, Cheongo, who had kept its beak tightly shut for a while, let out a stream of complaints about Ju-hyeong.

"Are you one to talk?" Jekyeong asked.

"Hmph, hmph. You said you'd give me this, right?"

Ignoring Jekyeong's remark entirely, Cheongo picked up one of the items he had laid out.

"Yes. You'd better get used to it beforehand."

Watching Cheongo excitedly wave a fan larger than its own body, Jekyeong once again wondered if this decision was truly the right one.

During his month-long stay on Jaseong Island preparing for Core Formation, Jekyeong had achieved half of his goals. He had earned spirit stones by disposing of some of the dharma treasures that had been gathering dust inside his storage ring, and he had also acquired items to strengthen his Divine Sense.

If he spent more time and took on more risks, he might have been able to sell off a few more dharma treasures, but Jekyeong had no intention of doing so. Risking his safety just to earn a few more spirit stones? That was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not his way. The dharma treasures in his storage ring weren't going anywhere, and there would surely come a day when he could exchange them for spirit stones.

"Are we starting?" Cheongo asked.

"Yes."

Having accomplished half, it was now time for the other half. Over the past month, Jekyeong had observed quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators while roaming the markets and exchange meets. Referencing the information provided by Ju-hyeong, he narrowed down his prey.

He sought Foundation Establishment cultivators who weren't too powerful, who had narrow social circles or many grudges, making it unsurprising if they suddenly vanished one day. There were quite a few such individuals among the rogue cultivators.

This was because rogue cultivators, for the most part, were like solitary beasts of prey. Their fundamental mindset was "me against the world," viewing everyone else as either an enemy or a potential threat. Because they guarded themselves against everyone, their interpersonal relationships were naturally terrible.

Even though rogue cultivators far outnumbered those from sects and clans, the primary reason they remained suppressed by them was due to the limitations born of this inherent nature.

Of course, not all rogue cultivators were like this. Occasionally, there were those with amiable personalities who avoided making enemies and maintained decent relationships. However, the vast majority were like wary feral cats, and in Jekyeong's eyes, they were the easiest prey imaginable.

If he set his mind to it, he was confident he could hunt down at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators in a single night. Assuming he didn't care about the aftermath, a single hunt would yield enough Blood Beads for his Core Formation.

But Jekyeong did not do that. First, he worried about potential future repercussions, and second, he felt it would be a waste to abandon the foothold they had established on Jaseong Island.

It didn't have to be three in a day. What was wrong with one every five days, or even one a month? Although an invisible sword was currently hanging over his head, he could easily afford that much time.

Another month passed.

During this month, Jekyeong felt as if he had returned to his past. Those days when he had suffered from hunger, hiding in the dark of the night, wandering in search of prey.

He would select his target and wait cautiously, watching his surroundings until the perfect moment arrived. Repeating this process several times seemed to gradually restore the patience that had dwindled in inverse proportion to his rising cultivation.

"Caw!"

Cheongo let out a cry, flying low over Jekyeong's head as if celebrating another successful hunt. This was the fifth one. Since a full month had passed since he resolved to begin the hunt, it averaged out to about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one target every six days.

It is time to leave.

Even though he had taken the utmost care to handle everything cleanly from start to finish, unsettling rumors were beginning to circulate. Lingering any longer might draw unwanted attention.

Jekyeong didn't care about the cultivators on Jaseong Island, but he was somewhat wary of those outside it. The true strength of the human race lay not in the individual power of its members, but in their inherited traditions and solidarity. Jekyeong did not want to leave even the slightest trail for them to follow.

"Let's go back," Jekyeong said.

"Okay!"

Having followed Jekyeong around for two months, Cheongo's excitement over its first excursion into human territory had largely subsided. Though innocent and highly curious by nature, the bird was no fool; it was utterly sick of a situation where it couldn't even wander around freely.

Rather than cautiously rolling its eyes in such a dangerous place, it would be a hundred, a thousand times better to roam the human-populated islands within the Heukgyo Water Territory.

"We bid farewell to the Dragon Lord."

When Jekyeong announced his intention to return, his subordinates, led by Han Cheongyu, respectfully saw him off. Except for Han Cheongyu, the others had not been told what the Dragon Lord had been doing, but they had a rough idea. In Ju-hyeong's case, it was not a mere guess, but a certainty. However, they erased all guesses, speculations, and thoughts from their minds, standing behind Han Cheongyu like lifeless dolls.

"I am satisfied with everything you have done here. There may be some unrest for a while, so take care not to get caught up in it."

"I will keep that in mind."

Jekyeong had no worries regarding Han Cheongyu. The man had never disappointed him even once, so Jekyeong did not expect any trouble to arise on Jaseong Island in the future.

He's still a long way from mid-Foundation Establishment.

Looking at his significantly improved control over his dharma power and his increased aura compared to before, it was clear that he had been diligently focusing on his cultivation. However, Foundation Establishment ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cultivation was no easy feat; without years of unwavering dedication, taking even a single step forward was difficult.

Raising one's realm purely through cultivation without external aid was something that might or might not succeed even with decades of planning. In that regard, Han Cheongyu was in a better position. Since Jekyeong did not spare rewards for a cultivator who possessed both competence and loyalty, Han Cheongyu's financial situation was better than that of helpless rogue cultivators, and even most cultivators from sects and clans.

Han Cheongyu did not hoard the spirit stones in his pockets. The spirit stones that entered his possession were soon converted into various cultivation resources, which were entirely spent on his training. Yet, despite this, he was still at the early Foundation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Establishment stage. Though he seemed to have made significant progress, he was still far from the mid-stage.

Jekyeong recognized this at a glance and felt a slight sense of relief. He did not worry about Han Cheongyu's cultivation rising, but he was concerned about the capacity of the blood covenant he could bear. He anticipated that the burden of a blood covenant on a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator would be greater than that on two early-stage cultivators, so he could not blindly celebrate Han Cheongyu's breakthrough just yet.

But it seemed he had been overthinking things. Or perhaps he had underestimated the difficulty of the Foundation Establishment realm. Come to think of it, even a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator could walk with their head held high in a place like Jaseong Island. Since Han Cheongyu was still young, his current cultivation speed was actually quite fast.

Even so, in the long run, I need an alternative. The Blood Contract Restriction has clear limits.

Currently, there were two ways. First, he could achieve Core Formation himself. Second, he could learn a control method superior to the Blood Contract Restriction. The former went without saying, but in the end, it was merely postponing today's problem to tomorrow, so the true answer had to be the latter.

However, such methods of control were almost exclusively monopolized by powerful factions or those at the pinnacle of the cultivation world. What trickled down to the lower levels were, at best, secret techniques with clear limitations, like the Blood Contract Restriction Jekyeong had learned. At this point, a flash of inspiration crossed Jekyeong's mind. However, since this plan carried some risk, Jekyeong decided to resolve the immediate task first.

Upon returning to the Black Cult Palace, Jekyeong immediately used the Spirit-Suppressing Blood-Devouring Curse to refine his five prey into Blood Beads.

The Blood Beads refined from the five Foundation Establishment cultivators as sacrifices were sucked into a jade bottle. Jekyeong fell into thought as he weighed the now-heavy jade bottle in his hand.

His blueprint for Core Formation was complete. Since he possessed a powerful physical body and soul, the process of One Qi Penetration would not be an issue; the only real obstacle was the Core Condensation process itself. This was precisely why he had prepared various spiritual items to strengthen his soul—to ensure his soul could consistently exert sufficient power during the condensation.

However, this was merely the basic prerequisite for Core Condensation. To birth a Dharma Seed within the condensed core and achieve true Core Formation, he needed to materialize his Dao Heart. It was at this crucial moment that spiritual items like Blood Beads were required. They would keep his Dao Heart clear, buying him enough time to complete the condensation and finalize his Core Formation.

Originally, Jekyeong had intended to obtain orthodox Core Formation spiritual items rather than unorthodox ones like Blood Beads. This was not because he harbored any moral aversion to blood sacrifice techniques, but because the source of this secret technique was somewhat unsettling.

However, Core Formation spiritual items were exceedingly rare. The last time one was discovered in the human territory was over a decade ago, and as soon as rumors spread, the Geumyang Sect had stepped in to snatch it away. They claimed to have purchased it fairly from its owner, but no one knew the actual truth.

And now, over ten years had passed. Jekyeong was skeptical about how long it would take for another Core Formation spiritual item to appear, and even if one did, whether he would be able to obtain it. Ultimately, he had to abandon his unrealistic expectations and compromise with reality.

"..."

Jekyeong put away the jade bottle containing the Blood Beads and quietly closed his eyes.

Time flowed like water. Sometimes slowly, sometimes swiftly, but always without pause. Jekyeong did not feel the passage of time. The only way he could vaguely estimate it was through Cheongo's constant chattering.

Crack!

Another mid-grade spirit stone crumbled into dust. The brilliantly glowing Spirit Gathering Array endlessly consumed spirit stones to raise the concentration of spiritual energy within the Black Cult Palace. However, because Jekyeong, seated at the center of the array, absorbed the energy at an incredibly rapid pace, the concentration of spiritual energy could not rise above a certain level.

From the outside, it looked like water being sucked into a massive vortex. Naturally, the water was the spiritual energy, and the vortex was Jekyeong. A crow and a turtle watched this intense, almost visible flow of spiritual energy from a distance.

"Turtle. If you're scared, you can wait outside."

"I-I am fine."

When the crow, Cheongo, playfully suggested this, Hyeongu replied with difficulty in a trembling voice. At the same time, he wondered how this crow could remain so calm.

They were clearly both Great Yao at the early stage, so why was there such a vast difference between them? Could this bird not feel the Dragon Lord's monstrous demonic power and suffocating pressure? Or was the crow's bloodline far more extraordinary than he had imagined, allowing it to withstand the suppression that came from the difference in their realms?

Hyeongu's questions were perfectly natural and logical, but the truth was not nearly as complicated as he thought. The reason Cheongo could remain so unbothered in front of Jekyeong, who was radiating monstrous demonic power and pressure, was simply because it was Jekyeong.

They had been together since the days when they were both mere beasts. No matter what forms they had taken now, they felt nothing but intimacy and familiarity toward each other.

Cheongo spent a good while mocking the shivering Hyeongu, calling him a cowardly turtle and telling him to hide inside his shell if he was so scared. Hyeongu was dying to snap back, but unfortunately, this crow's status—along with that of the spiritual tree—was second only to the Dragon Lord himself. It was not an opponent he dared to cross.

While the crow mocked and the turtle trembled, time continued to tick away.

Crunch!

Then, at some point, even the last mid-grade spirit stone supporting the Spirit Gathering Array lost its luster and crumbled.

At that exact moment, Jekyeong's tightly shut eyes, which had looked as heavy as descending boulders, slowly opened.

"Hyeongu."

"Yes!"

Hyeongu rushed forward in a flurry. Though he stumbled several times due to the demonic power still swirling around Jekyeong and the crushing pressure weighing down on his body, he managed to reach him and prostrated himself flat on the ground.

"Summon all the Spirit Blacksmiths."

"All of them... my Lord?"