The Price of Deception
He even frowned slightly, as if his loyalty and respect had been called into question.
"The Dragon Lord, of course, knows everything. However, as his loyal subjects, we must prepare ourselves in advance to carry out his instructions flawlessly. Isn't that what makes us better than mere puppets?"
"I agree. If there is anything I can do, let me know anytime."
"I will. By the way... how is that fellow?"
Han Cheongyu fell silent. His expression remained calm, but the look in his eyes had clearly changed from moments ago. He seemed deep in thought, weighing his options.
"He is not bad. Cunning, but he knows where to draw the line, and he is practical."
"If he is too burdensome or annoying, hand him over to me. The spiritual vein of the Starry Night Archipelago is more than enough to support one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"No. He is the Dragon Lord's arrangement. I cannot make the first move."
"True. In that case... should I ask the Dragon Lord?"
Han Cheongyu hesitated for a moment before asking, "Would that be alright?"
"What could go wrong? If he truly has talent, he deserves to be put to better use. Besides... you think of him as the Dragon Lord's arrangement, but perhaps the Dragon Lord has forgotten such a fellow even exists."
Hyeongu chuckled as he spoke.
"Dragon Lord. Surely there are limits to procuring resources solely from Jaseong Island?"
Hyeongu did not hide his intentions. He explained that although Han Cheongyu had established a decent foothold on Jaseong Island, obtaining all the necessary materials—including array flags—by himself would be difficult, and even if he could, it would take a long time.
"And so? You wish to establish another stronghold?"
"Yes, My Lord."
"It would be ideal if we could. But the problem is that we lack trustworthy people to deploy."
"What about Ju-hyeong?"
"Ju-hyeong?"
Jekyeong fell into thought. Ju-hyeong had consistently proven his capabilities under Han Cheongyu, and because of his fierce dedication to cultivation, Jekyeong had granted him a Foundation Establishment Pill. Consequently, about five years ago, Ju-hyeong had successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm. Jekyeong had summoned him to establish a Blood Covenant directly. Since then, Jekyeong had simply sent him back to Jaseong Island to assist Han Cheongyu and hadn't paid him much attention.
Yet now, Hyeongu was proposing to develop a new stronghold through Ju-hyeong. At first glance, it didn't seem like a bad idea, but...
"Han Cheongyu mentioned that Ju-hyeong's ambition is almost excessively strong. While it doesn't seem to be an issue yet, one never knows what might happen in the future. Furthermore, as I mentioned, Jaseong Island alone has its limits, so I thought it might be a good opportunity to test him with this task."
"Do you believe he is capable?"
"He is quick-witted, knows how to use his head, and his strength is decent. Above all, he is a fellow driven by a strong desire to rise, so I believe he will do well."
After pondering for a moment, Jekyeong accepted Hyeongu's proposal.
"And the array flags?"
"Han Cheongyu promised to procure them as quickly as possible. He said he could obtain them in half a year at the earliest, or two years at the latest."
Even for the same Spirit Gathering Array, the required quality of the array flags varied wildly depending on where it was installed. To stably set up and maintain a Spirit Gathering Array in a spiritual vein like the Starry Night Archipelago—where the flow of spiritual energy was exceptionally turbulent—the quality of the required array flags would inevitably have to be extremely high. Procuring such items required not only spirit stones but also ample time and a bit of luck. No matter how hard Han Cheongyu exerted himself, he couldn't obtain them instantly.
If they went through the Yeongbu Merchant Group, they could acquire them more easily, but that would risk exposing their identities, and they would have to pay a much higher price. Besides, one of the primary reasons they had established a stronghold in the human territory was to use it for times like this. If they didn't utilize it when needed, what was the point of painstakingly setting it up in the first place?
Installing the Spirit Gathering Array was essential, but it wasn't an urgent matter. Jekyeong could easily afford to wait half a year or even two.
Around the time Jekyeong began to establish himself in earnest in the Starry Night Archipelago, quite a few parties noticed his movements.
A spiritual vein is a sacred ground for cultivation and the foundation capable of sustaining cultivators at the Core Formation stage or higher. As such, an ownerless spiritual vein naturally drew the world's attention. Moreover, the Starry Night Archipelago had been the very battlefield where a war deciding the fate of Yangseo Lake's cultivation world had unfolded.
Many had been keeping a close eye on the situation there, and the only reason it had remained quiet until now was because everyone was busy sizing each other up.
Yet, in the midst of this tense standoff, Jekyeong had suddenly appeared and boldly claimed the Starry Night Archipelago as his nest.
Needless to say, the human race raised their vigilance to the absolute highest level, and the beast race was equally bewildered.
While Gyeongwang Palace remained relatively calm thanks to Jekyeong having negotiated with them beforehand, other factions were far from peaceful.
"That mere serpent dares to overstep his bounds!"
Jang Yeong squeezed his eyes shut without realizing it. Faced with a terror that shook his very soul, he did not dare to look straight ahead. If he hadn't been certain that the entity before him was his father and would not harm him, he would have fled long ago.
"Huu... Huu..."
His father, the Simjeon Demon King Mu-ara, who had been raging for a long time, barely managed to suppress his anger. Whether he had composed his emotions on his own or if his body, corrupted by inner demons, had forced him to calm down was unclear—but either way, it was a relief for Jang Yeong.
"Please calm yourself, Father. I worry your wounds might worsen."
"...Yes. I must."
After venting his fury, Mu-ara regained his usual cold composure. However, the faint heat radiating from him indicated that his internal fire had merely subsided temporarily, not died out completely.
"Still, it is surprising. To think that fellow has truly reached the Yao King realm."
Mu-ara marveled softly. Yet, Jang Yeong could sense the unmistakable, deep-seated jealousy laced within his words.
"I thought he was nothing but a half-breed who couldn't even be considered a true descendant, but I suppose a Flood Dragon's bloodline is still a Flood Dragon's bloodline."
While Mu-ara was lost in thought, Jang Yeong was also deeply troubled.
Father's physical condition still hasn't recovered. Whether he can fully recover, and how long it will take if he can, are completely unknown. In this state, contesting the spiritual vein of the Starry Night Archipelago with that monster is utterly out of the question.
In his opinion, the best course of action was to remain as quiet as a dead mouse and wait for his father's body to recover even a little more. If they moved recklessly and exposed their whereabouts... the consequences would be too horrific to contemplate.
Not to mention the humans, even the beast race would not leave them in peace. Aside from the karma their faction, Yojeong, had accumulated in its final days, Gyeongwang Palace, above all, would never let them off.
"What do you think we should do?"
"I..."
At Mu-ara's question, Jang Yeong hesitated for a moment before honestly pouring out his thoughts and various concerns.
"You are right. But... the truth is, at this rate, there is no telling when I will ever recover."
"Then..."
"So, go and make contact with that fellow."
"Pardon?"
Jang Yeong's eyes widened. He stared at his father in disbelief.
"Didn't you have an acquaintance with him before?"
"B-but that was before he ascended to the Yao King realm. And even that acquaintance was..."
"The fact that there was an acquaintance is what matters. If you lay bare your situation and offer information he would be curious about as a price, would it be so difficult to enter under his wing?"
Jang Yeong had a great deal he wanted to say. If that Black Flood Dragon, upon becoming a Yao King, had fully awakened his draconic instincts and swallowed him whole the moment they met, or decided to dispose of him after extracting all the information... wouldn't that be a dog's death?
"...Understood."
But in front of his father, who demanded an answer, Jang Yeong had no choice but to submit, as he always had.
Jekyeong looked at Bigu, who was blinking in front of him, and asked once more.
"Jang Yeong?"
"Yeees."
Jang Yeong? That fellow is still alive? And he came to find me?
"Bring him in."
Jekyeong felt ninety percent curiosity and ten percent suspicion.
In the past, it would have been the exact opposite. He would have doubted and doubted again, wondering what scheme this fellow was plotting and what trick the Simjeon Demon King behind him was trying to pull.
But now, it was different. Whatever scheme Jang Yeong harbored, Jekyeong wasn't particularly worried. This was not arrogance, but confidence. He feared neither Jang Yeong nor Mu-ara, who might be lurking behind him.
"It has been a long time."
"Yes. It is an honor to see you again, Dragon Lord. Though late, I offer my humblest congratulations on your ascension to the Yao King realm."
"Mmh."
Jekyeong scanned Jang Yeong, who maintained an extremely low posture, desperately trying to hide his terror. Perhaps sensing that gaze, Jang Yeong shivered every time Jekyeong's eyes swept over him. It was a perfectly normal reaction for a mere Great Demon standing before a Yao King.
"So. What brings you here?"
At the indifferent question, Jang Yeong let out a long sigh and bowed deeply.
"Dragon Lord. Please, take this unworthy servant under your wing. I beg you to grant me a path to survival, if only for the sake of our past acquaintance."
"Oh?"
From the moment Bigu first delivered the news of Jang Yeong's arrival until the octopus demon was brought before him, Jekyeong had pondered the reason for this visit. This current situation was well within his expectations.
"Before you start begging so abruptly, shouldn't you explain your circumstances first?"
"Your words are entirely correct, Dragon Lord."
Jang Yeong opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for this. The broad strokes of his tale did not differ much from what Jekyeong already knew and had guessed.
Senior So-byeok had stormed into the Starry Night Archipelago, and a standoff ensued, blocked by the Island Protecting Grand Array. In the midst of this, the Insect Mother of the Gakchung Clan and the human Gold Core cultivators arrived as reinforcements, and the Demon Kings of the Heumwon Clan, who had been hiding inside the formation, joined the fray as if they had been waiting, confronting Senior So-byeok.
"The battle at the time was so fierce that a lowly Great Demon like me couldn't even dare to properly observe the situation. I merely hid inside the formation, waiting for the battle to end. But... at some point, a shockwave that seemed to overturn heaven and earth swept through, and the Island Protecting Grand Array of the Starry Night Archipelago shattered."
How the Island Protecting Grand Array, which had stood firm even against Senior So-byeok's relentless onslaught, had collapsed in an instant was still a mystery to Jang Yeong. However, the sudden collapse of the formation was an undeniable fact, and because of it, those hiding behind it met with disaster as the islands shook and split apart.
That Jang Yeong had managed to survive this sudden catastrophe was thanks to his own luck and the help of his father, Mu-ara.
"What happened to the Simjeon Demon King?"
Sensing that Jekyeong's tone when referring to his father held not a shred of respect, Jang Yeong carefully parted his dry lips and continued.
"My father originally planned to conserve his strength until the very end and wait for an opportunity. After all, the Demon Kings of the Heumwon Clan were numerous and exceptionally skilled, so he did not intend to act without absolute certainty. However... perhaps the Heumwon Clan never trusted my father from the beginning, because as the battle grew fiercer, they forced him to join the fight."
At the moment of choice, Mu-ara did not hesitate. He immediately launched a surprise attack on the Heumwon Demon King who was forcing him to fight. Since that Heumwon Demon King had also just returned from a fierce battle, his senses were highly alert, so he wasn't fatally wounded by Mu-ara's ambush. However, losing the initiative and being pushed onto the defensive was unavoidable.
While relentlessly driving his opponent back, Mu-ara shouted to Senior So-byeok that he would follow him. That thunderous shout reached the ears of all the Core Formation cultivators locked in combat, and the battle, which had been in a tense equilibrium, instantly tilted.
"Everything was going smoothly, but unfortunately, my father misjudged the one called Senior So-byeok."
Common sense dictated that when an unexpected ally appeared in a grueling fight, one should naturally cooperate with them to turn the tide. But Senior So-byeok was different. He did not need any allies or cooperation. He recklessly expanded the Void Rift even further, drawing upon the power of the Demon God to crush the entire battlefield.
The wave of destructive energy that poured from beyond the rift swept away friend and foe alike without distinction.
"I heard the Insect Mother's shriek, the despairing cries of the human cultivators, and the curses of the Heumwon. And... my father's desperate pleading as well."
Having said that much, Jang Yeong hung his head and fell silent.
Jekyeong looked down indifferently at the tightly curled Jang Yeong and asked, "So, are you saying the Simjeon Demon King is dead?"
"It is not certain. However, I have not seen him since that day, so isn't it reasonable to assume so?"
"Indeed. That is reasonable."
Jang Yeong's stiff body momentarily relaxed.
But right then, Jekyeong's calm voice drifted down.
"And yet... somehow, I find it hard to believe."
Hearing those words, Jang Yeong snapped his head up, only to lock eyes with a colossal pupil that had drawn right up to his face.
"Let's make this easy."