The Sovereign's Migration
"I can't feel a thing. Is it hidden, or has it already vanished without a trace...?"
Could the only Core Formation cultivator who perished here have been that single human Golden Elixir cultivator? Unlikely. Judging by the appearance and majesty of So-byeok-ik-wang when he manifested as an illusion, at least one or two Yao Kings of the Heumwon Tribe had probably buried their bones here as well.
"Well, it doesn't matter either way."
The important thing was the spiritual vein. The spiritual vein here was intact, and he hadn't detected any hiding Core Formation cultivators. Although the flow of spiritual energy in the outer regions was somewhat unstable, and the possibility of a small spatial rift lingering somewhere bothered him slightly, it would all resolve naturally over time, so it wasn't a major issue.
"That's enough, then."
After thoroughly inspecting the spiritual vein and its surroundings once more, Jekyeong returned to Heukgyodo.
"We are moving to the Seongya Archipelago."
He summoned Cheongo, Muk-su, Hyeongu, and his son, and made his announcement. Hyeongu, who had heard early on that the Seongya Archipelago had turned into a hazardous zone, subtly expressed his concern, but Jekyeong brushed it off, claiming the rumors were exaggerated.
"The spiritual vein there is intact and left without a master, so now is the perfect time to make our move. Everyone, prepare yourselves."
Since Jekyeong was pushing forward, Hyeongu had no choice but to suppress his anxiety and obey. Cheongo chirped joyfully at the mention of a spiritual vein, while Muk-su was displeased at the prospect of moving so far away but ultimately could not resist the temptation of the spiritual vein either.
"Lord Dragon, where are you going?"
"To the Gyeongwang Palace."
He had postponed it for a long time under various pretexts, but he could delay no longer. Before relocating his base to the Seongya Archipelago, he had to speak with the Jansu Whale King and reach a definitive agreement.
Sometime later, Jekyeong arrived before the Gyeongwang Palace and did not hide his monster power. He didn't unleash it as a threat, but it was more than enough to announce his arrival.
"Lord Dragon."
Before long, a familiar face came out to greet him. It was Makgye, a Great Yao in the late stage of the Great Yao realm and a key figure of the Gyeongwang Palace.
"I have come to see the Whale King."
"Yes. His Majesty is waiting. Please, enter."
Makgye bowed with a humility that bordered on servility, but it was all a facade. Only the complex gaze that occasionally flickered in his eyes—a mix of faint awe and longing—revealed his true feelings.
"I knew this day would come eventually, but I never expected it to be so soon."
Jekyeong met the Jansu Whale King again in the depths of the Gyeongwang Palace, where they had met before. The Jansu Whale King looked at Jekyeong with eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of wariness.
"It has been a long time. I am glad to see you are well."
"Is that so? It must be thanks to your concern, Fellow Daoist."
When Jekyeong showed a slightly deferential attitude, the Jansu Whale King's wariness softened a bit.
"So, is the reason you sought me out merely to exchange greetings?"
"That is part of it, but I also came to frankly discuss our future matters."
"Future matters?"
Both sides exchanged searching glances.
"I won't beat around the bush. I have no desire to clash with you, Whale King. What about you?"
"..."
The Jansu Whale King's massive eyes blinked slowly.
"If we do not clash? Are you saying you wish to cooperate?"
"There is no need to mince words. As you well know, Whale King, I have never been greedy. I always believed that having a place to rest my body was enough. That remains true even now."
The Jansu Whale King's round eyes suddenly grew sharp.
"So? Surely you didn't come here to ask me to yield my spiritual vein?"
"How could that be?"
As the Jansu Whale King slowly raised his body, Jekyeong also straightened his posture. Jekyeong did not shrink back in the slightest, even in the face of the Whale King's threatening tone and momentum.
"Then what is it?"
"The spiritual vein of Yojeong. I will take that place, now that its master is gone."
"Oh?"
The Jansu Whale King's momentum subsided. He scanned Jekyeong up and down in surprise, as if this was entirely unexpected. Lost in thought, he remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"I heard that place... has turned into a hazardous zone?"
"I went and checked it myself. It is certainly harsh, but not as severe as the rumors suggest. The spiritual vein is still mostly intact, so I have decided to claim it. What do you think?"
"What does my opinion matter? As you said, it is a place without a master. Whoever claims it owns it."
"You must understand the meaning behind my words."
The Jansu Whale King was not foolish. To put it kindly, he was cautious; to put it harshly, he was indecisive. Even though he clearly understood, he pretended not to, attempting to gloss over it. In the past, doing so wouldn't have caused any issues. No one dared to press him to his face. But Jekyeong was different. He pointed it out directly in front of him without the slightest hesitation, leaving the Jansu Whale King flustered and silent.
"I do not wish to play word games. So let us be honest. Although the human race's power has declined significantly due to the recent events, they are still formidable. Don't you think it would be better for you to have a reliable ally, Whale King?"
"Are you suggesting we rule the water territory together?"
"I have no such grandiose intentions. I am merely wary of those human Golden Elixir cultivators suddenly coming after my flesh and bones one day. If we stand together against them when that time comes, would we have any reason to fear them?"
"How can I trust your words? As you know, I have already been stabbed in the back once before."
"I am not Mu-ara."
Jekyeong's calm demeanor suddenly turned fierce. The Jansu Whale King flinched and began to gather his monster power, but his gaze collided with Jekyeong's burning eyes.
"Do not compare me to such trash. And let me correct one thing: I am not begging for your trust. So stop playing foolish and naive. There is no way you cannot distinguish between what is beneficial and what is harmful. Our cooperation benefits us both, so do not use this as an excuse to try and extract something from me."
This was no idle talk. It was a warning and a declaration that things would get ugly if he continued to be lukewarm.
Although they had decided to relocate to the Seongya Archipelago, they could not move everything at once. While the center of the spiritual vein was relatively fine, the environment of the outer regions was so harsh that only those at the level of a Great Yao could barely pass through. Even if it gradually improved over time, it was impossible to estimate how much longer it would take for the environment there to recover to a normal level.
Therefore, Jekyeong planned to move first with only his subordinate Great Yao, a few low-level monsters, and some humans. Once they relocated, those who had not reached the Great Yao or Foundation Establishment realm would be unable to leave on their own, but the Seongya Archipelago was vast, and the spiritual vein was also quite extensive, so it wouldn't be a problem.
"But... I do need someone to manage this place."
To the current Jekyeong, the Heukgyo Water Territory was something he could do with or without. However, since the foundation he had established here was substantial, it felt like a waste to abandon it entirely. Having organized his thoughts, Jekyeong immediately headed to Haeyeon Island.
"Oh. What brings the Lord Dragon here without any prior notice?"
Jekyeong narrowed his eyes as he looked at Myeong-ha's somewhat twisted smile.
"I plan to relocate to the Seongya Archipelago. Naturally, this place will be left vacant. Are you interested?"
"Oh?"
Myeong-ha's eyes gleamed at Jekyeong's calm words.
"Are you saying you will hand over the Heukgyo Water Territory to me?"
"If you pay a suitable price."
Originally, Jekyeong had planned to entrust the Heukgyo Water Territory to Myeong-ha to manage, just like Haeyeon Island. But on second thought, doing so was not only troublesome but also risky. The current Myeong-ha was not the Myeong-ha of the past. Ever since he became a servant of Docheol, it had become increasingly difficult to fathom his true intentions. Jekyeong worried that entrusting the water territory to him might drag him into an unpleasant situation. Thus, he decided it was better to sell the territory outright for a price.
There was nothing to regret. The ones he had managed with the most care in the past were the Spirit Blacksmiths of Yeongi Island, but they had already been completely used up. All that remained were a few schools of Fleshy-Scaled Fish and some spiritual plants... things that were nice to have but ultimately dispensable to him now. If he could exchange them for spirit stones, there was no reason to refuse.
"Hmm."
A cunning light flashed in Myeong-ha's eyes, but that was all. In front of a true Yao King, a Gyo-ryong, even he did not dare to play tricks. Myeong-ha showed sufficient sincerity without any complaints, and Jekyeong did not make unreasonable demands either.
"May I continue to borrow the Lord Dragon's name in the future?"
"I will not officially acknowledge it. However, I will turn a blind eye."
"That is more than enough."
Jekyeong took the storage ring filled with spirit stones and returned to Heukgyodo. By the time he returned, his group had finished most of their preparations.
"Have you informed the side at Jaseong Island as well?"
"Yes. They will know soon enough."
"Good."
They soon departed from Heukgyodo. Jekyeong led the way, and Bigu followed behind. Muk-su, Hyeongu, and the rest of the subordinates rode comfortably on Bigu's massive back. Although they numbered in the hundreds and included many fairly large low-level monsters, they couldn't even fill Bigu's back.
"Yeah."
Only Cheongo, half-lying on top of Jekyeong's head, occasionally glanced back toward the Heukgyo Water Territory.
"Are you sad to leave?"
"Yeah."
To Cheongo, Heukgyodo was the first "home" it had ever had. Having to suddenly leave that familiar home, it was only natural to feel a sense of regret.
"What about you?"
"Well. I do not know."
If asked if he felt regret, he didn't really know. If asked if he didn't feel any regret, he didn't know either. Having stayed there for over several decades, he had naturally grown accustomed to it and fond of it, but Jekyeong had never once considered it his home. At most, it was just a nest to stay in for a while before moving on.
"How is that place?"
"It is not bad. You will get used to it quickly."
"Yeah."
Once Cheongo on his head fell silent, Jekyeong also closed his mouth.
There were quite a few trials and tribulations before they finally arrived at the spiritual vein of the Seongya Archipelago. Most of the incidents occurred in the outer regions of the archipelago, due to the violent flow of spiritual energy and the endlessly raging storms. Bigu, with his massive size and great strength, could manage to endure it, but those riding on his back could not, forcing Jekyeong to step in personally to protect them.
If it were up to him, he would have preferred to carry them all inside his mouth as he had done in the past. However, after ascending to the Yao King realm, the inside of his mouth had become as hot as a volcanic cavern, making it impossible for ordinary beings to endure. Left with no choice, Jekyeong had to exert his power. He painstakingly calmed the flow of spiritual energy and crushed the raging storms one by one. Even so, those riding on Bigu's back, especially the human cultivators, had to swallow their screams and hold on for dear life.
"We have arrived."
After enduring such hardships, they finally managed to reach the center of the spiritual vein. Dozens, hundreds of islands of various sizes, with picture-perfect, calm waters flowing between them. The spiritual energy here was incomparable to the Heukgyo Water Territory. Although the occasional sudden thunderstorms and the uneasily shimmering sky made them feel slightly uncomfortable, it was still far better than the living hell of the outer regions.