The Shadow of the Dragon
If Cheongo slowed its fanning even slightly, an ominous presence immediately began to stir. Faint, unintelligible whispers—like auditory hallucinations—echoed in his mind, and the moment he let his attention drift toward them, a torrent of chaotic impulses surged.
“Let’s… leave first.”
Calming his mind was an impossible task in this place. The Yanghu Mountain Range, once a pristine celestial realm, had been reduced to a colossal heap of ash. Its spiritual vein was so severely damaged at its source that it was doubtful whether it would ever recover its former glory.
Lingering to catch his breath in a wasteland devoid of even a single speck of vitality would only further agitate his already fractured state of mind.
“Okay.”
The black Gyoryong soared high into the sky. Flying alongside the massive dragon head that looked down upon the ash-gray earth was Cheongo, frantically flapping the fan as if it were an extra wing.
“We welcome the Dragon Lord’s safe retur—”
Hyeongu, who had been preparing to show off his usual silver-tongued eloquence, froze mid-sentence as if he had sensed something. His eyes stretched to twice their normal size as he stared up at Jekyeong, his jaw hanging wide open.
“I must rest. Do not let anyone in, and do not bring me any news until I give the word.”
“Y-Yes, Sire!”
Jekyeong squeezed his massive body into the Black Cult Palace, which now felt suffocatingly cramped. He didn't even entertain the thought of transforming into his human form. In his current state, he had absolutely no confidence that he could withstand his inner demons in human form. He resolved not to even dream of transforming until he had properly overcome his Transformation Tribulation.
“How is it?”
“Better than before.”
There was, however, one distinct disadvantage to evolving into a Gyoryong: he could no longer coil his body as he used to. His physical structure had changed, and more than anything, the growth of his four limbs made it impossible. Now, instead of coiling, he had to lie flat like a quadrupedal beast. While it wasn't terribly uncomfortable, it was incredibly difficult to get used to.
“Can’t we make that turtle do this instead?” Cheongo grumbled, still diligently fanning by his side.
“If you don’t mind.”
Jekyeong didn't particularly care who did the fanning. Cheongo's insistence on holding the fan was purely out of its own stubbornness—or perhaps possessiveness. The Summer-Chasing Fan belonged to Cheongo, and the bird despised sharing its belongings with anyone else. Ultimately, they both knew this was just a petty ploy to make itself seem indispensable.
Ignoring Cheongo's complaints, Jekyeong let out a soft sigh as the breeze began to weaken.
“The things you took.”
“Huh? What things?”
“Those three.”
As time passed, his hazy memories had begun to piece themselves back together. He recalled the three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Fire Sect who had returned while he was rampaging in his demonic state, and he remembered a certain blue crow snatching their storage bags and fleeing in a panic.
“Oh. Ah, those guys. I thought you meant something else…”
Cheongo, who had been feigning ignorance, finally raised the white flag under Jekyeong's piercing glare. The fanning, which had slowed to a crawl, instantly resumed its brisk pace.
“Do not slack off, for your own sake. If I lose my mind again, the first thing I will destroy is that shiny nest of yours.”
The moment those words were uttered, the speed of the fanning instantly doubled.
“Get a grip! The demon is still lingering in your head, isn’t it? Right?”
To Cheongo's frantic questioning, Jekyeong offered only silence.
Ominous Rumors
“This is quite a haul!”
A young man with deep exhaustion etched into his face smiled radiantly as he looked at the net, which was practically bursting with fish. Beside him, the middle-aged man holding the other end of the net allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. A moment later, they hauled in their catch, secured the nets, and turned the bow of the boat.
“Why are there so few people in such a prime spot?”
It was their third day since entering the Flowing Rock Cluster. No matter where they cast their nets, they came up more than half full. It was no exaggeration to say there was more fish than water. Yet, in all three days, they could count the number of other boats they had spotted on a single hand. The young man found this incredibly baffling.
“Out of fear, most likely.”
“Fear? Is there some dangerous water beast lurking in these waters?”
The young man’s face paled. Visible anxiety washed over him, and he looked as though he wanted to increase their speed and flee immediately.
The middle-aged man chuckled and shook his head. “There are water beasts, but none of them are dangerous. At least, not as far as I know.”
“Then why…”
“Let’s get out of here first before we talk.”
The Flowing Rock Cluster they were navigating was truly vast. Even with their boat running at full speed, it took them two whole days to finally escape its boundaries. Only when the floating rocks of various sizes completely vanished from sight did the middle-aged man finally breathe a sigh of relief and light his pipe.
“You asked earlier why such a prime spot is so deserted.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Do you know how this Flowing Rock Cluster was formed?”
“I heard there was a water tide.”
“A water tide? That’s not entirely wrong… but it’s a bit different.” The middle-aged man’s voice sank. A flicker of dread appeared in his eyes as he looked back toward the cluster of rocks they had just left behind. “What if I told you there used to be a massive island where those rocks are now? An island even larger than Seongjae Island, shattered into pieces, and its ruins became this rock cluster… would you believe me?”
The young man frowned at the words, but upon seeing the dead-serious expression on the older man’s face, his jaw slowly slackened. “Are you serious?”
“Why would I make such a dull joke? Everyone keeps quiet about it, but those who know, know.”
“But… but how…”
Though he worked as a fisherman, the young man was also a cultivator. Although his cultivation was only at the early Qi Condensation stage, his travels by boat allowed him to overhear various rumors, giving him a fairly broad perspective for his age and realm.
A water tide was the ultimate source of terror for the humans of Yangseo Lake, and it was a living nightmare for those who made their living on the open waters like them. But being afraid did not mean being ignorant. In fact, they knew a great deal precisely because they feared it so much.
For instance, when a water tide occurred, it was the cultivators who suffered, not Yangseo Lake itself. No matter how much the living creatures in this colossal lake slaughtered one another, from the perspective of the entire lake, it was merely a tempest in a teacup. The same went for the water tide. When it rose, a few islands would be swept away and countless cultivators would die, but that was the extent of it. The blood-stained islands and shattered fortress walls would eventually return to their original state over time.
But an island—and one larger than Seongjae Island at that—had completely vanished?
The young man could not even begin to fathom what kind of water tide could shatter such a massive island to pieces. A water tide? Could such a phenomenon even be called a water tide?
“It was about twenty years ago, I believe. There was an island called Beonseo Island there. The logistics of dozens of islands moved through it, and there were dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators residing there. It was truly one of the most prominent strongholds in this area… but it vanished overnight. In its place, only that vast Flowing Rock Cluster remained…”
“So… was it really because of a water tide?”
“What do you think?” the middle-aged man asked back. “I’ve only heard stories of that time second-hand. They were filled with all sorts of exaggeration and lies. But there were a few details that overlapped. For example, that countless corpses of water beasts floated in the Flowing Rock Cluster back then, or that it was filled with unquenchable flames.”
“Flames?”
“I understand. I had the same look on my face when I first heard it.” Staring blankly at the fading tobacco smoke, he spoke in a low, hesitant tone. “Some crazy old man said he heard a deafening roar that shook heaven and earth that day. And when everything finally quieted down, he saw the shadow of a dragon cast across the sky.”
“He must have been drunk.”
“Mm. He certainly seemed dead drunk.”
The story ended there. A few days later, as small fishing boats began to appear one by one in the distance, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Seongjae Island.
After Beonseo Island, which had served as the regional hub, vanished overnight, Seongjae Island took over some of its roles. The number of passing ships and cultivators increased significantly, and quite a few newly arrived sects and clans settled there. Through a process of clashing and compromising with existing forces, they naturally established themselves on Seongjae Island. By now, they acted as if they were locals who had lived there for generations.
“My uncle truly had great foresight.”
In the center of Seongjae Island, at a tavern overlooking the eight main avenues and the bustling streets, a group of young people was holding a banquet. A young man sitting near the head of the table spoke in an ingratiating tone to another young man sitting at the head. It was meant as flattery, but it was also sincere. He believed that moving the clan's foundation to Seongjae Island had been a bold and wise decision. Thanks to that, hadn't their declining family fortune been revived?
“There are many opportunities in the world, but very few can grasp them. Our Patriarch is exactly that kind of person.”
“I will make sure to convey your wonderful words to my father, brother.”
“Oh, come now. I didn't mean it that way. Though, if you insist on showing such consideration, I won't refuse.”
A burst of laughter followed his sly reply.
All the young members of the clan were gathered here. Not to mention the young master sitting at the head of the table, those sitting close to him were all of good birth or outstanding ability. In a manner of speaking, they were the future Patriarch and his inner circle, so confidence naturally oozed from their words and actions.
Their topics of conversation varied, but none of them were light. From minor clan affairs to the major events and political situation of Seongjae Island, grand-sounding stories flowed easily from the mouths of these promising youths.
“Amusing, isn’t it?”
There was someone watching them from above.
On the top floor, which was the exact opposite of the noisy floor below—a place where tea suited the atmosphere better than alcohol. A neat-looking middle-aged man and a grumpy-looking child sat facing each other, sharing a casual conversation. However, while the middle-aged man curled his lips in amusement as he looked down, the child lay half-reclined on a plush cushion with a bored expression.
“Not really.”
The child, Cheongo, had absolutely no interest in the stories coming from below. If the taste of this fruit tea hadn't pleased its palate, it would have left long ago.
“Listen closely. That is the reality of those so-called ‘rising talents.’ They haven’t achieved a single thing with their own hands, yet they look down on the world as if they’re something special.”
“Aren’t they just idiots?”
“Idiots indeed. Idiots who think they’re smart. That’s why watching them naturally brings a smile to one’s face.”
The middle-aged man, Choi Ju-tang, turned his gaze to Cheongo sitting opposite him. “However, while there are many such ridiculous fools among humans, there are also quite a few hidden dragons and phoenixes. Some still vividly remember what happened before. If we act carelessly, we might end up suffering a setback.”
“Why are you telling me this? Even if you tell me, I don’t care. If you have something to say, go tell Jekyeong yourself.”
“Haha.” Choi Ju-tang brushed off Cheongo’s annoyance with a laugh. Go tell him directly? It was easy to say, but how could he dare do such a thing?
“Do not forget that an envoy from the Cultivator Alliance is stationed here. If anything happens to him, the Cultivator Alliance will not stand idly by.”
“Still, it won’t work.” Despite Choi Ju-tang’s blatant warning, Cheongo shook its head while sipping the sweet fruit tea.
“Why?”
“Because Jekyeong won’t be able to hold back anymore.”