Stirring Their Imagination

Provoking them was incredibly simple. One only needed to stir their imagination ever so slightly. Then, they would tempt and convince themselves, casting their own bodies into the deepest abyss.

Jekyeong read the message sent by Ju-hyeong and felt satisfied with his work. Bold yet calm, with smooth execution, his handling of affairs was highly reliable. Of course, a good process did not always guarantee a good outcome, but a good outcome was almost always preceded by a good process.

Originally, Jekyeong had merely hoped to eliminate Mu-ara by borrowing the hands of the Human Race. However, seeing Ju-hyeong's performance, he began to look forward to just how far the man could go. This fellow had clearly grasped his intentions and was doing his absolute best to deliver a result that would satisfy them to the utmost. A subordinate who busied himself voluntarily to please his master—was that not commendable? Well, if he can produce a plausible result, he will be even more commendable.

Jekyeong calmed the rising tide of anticipation and excitement, focusing his mind back on meditation. After unleashing his murderous intent in a wild frenzy not long ago, his condition had become exceptionally good. Through experience, Jekyeong had realized that such a state was the golden window to tame his Demonic Obsession. It was like stroking the head of a wild beast that was completely exhausted. Normally, far from letting anyone stroke its head, the beast would tear apart anyone who dared to draw near. But in this state, one could easily establish a 'rapport' with it.

That was why this period was so crucial. Taming the Demonic Obsession was akin to cultivation, and this period could be called a golden age where cultivation efficiency reached its absolute peak. A single day of cultivation now held the efficiency and value of ten days—or even more—under normal circumstances. Jekyeong did not waste a single moment of this precious time.

Crunch!

He tossed two of Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits into his mouth at once. These were the Spiritual Fruits he had received in exchange for handing over Jang Yeong as a gift. Trading a Great Demon for a mere two Spiritual Fruits might seem stingy, but Jekyeong did not view it that way. To those who truly needed them, Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits possessed a value that could not be measured in Spirit Stones, and Jekyeong was precisely that 'person in need.'

Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits provided no small amount of help in taming his Demonic Obsession and restoring his Mind State. Immediately after discovering this fact, Jekyeong monopolized Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits. He no longer bestowed them upon his subordinates as rewards, nor did he hoard them for a rainy day; he consumed them immediately. Aside from the small quantities Cheongo managed to siphon off through secret dealings with Muk-su, almost all of the Spiritual Fruits ended up in Jekyeong's stomach.

Every time he consumed a Spiritual Fruit, Jekyeong felt a wave of satisfaction, like pouring ice-cold water down a parched throat. The only regret was that when he consumed the Spiritual Fruits in his true form, he could not properly savor the taste. In the past, when he consumed them while in his human form, he had been able to fully enjoy their refreshing, sweet flavor. As his thoughts drifted there, Jekyeong suddenly realized that this could serve as a benchmark. If the day ever came when he could perfectly undergo human form transformation again, only then could he truly say he had gained a measure of control over his Demonic Obsession.

Human form transformation, Jekyeong thought, sucking in another Spiritual Fruit that looked smaller than an ant's eye compared to his massive size. My human form transformation relied on a secret technique, so strictly speaking, it wasn't a true transformation.

To put it another way, his previous transformation was like wearing a mask, whereas a true transformation was like gaining an entirely new face. The former was a disguise; the latter was showing oneself as one truly was. If his current true form was his right hand, then undergoing the Transformation Tribulation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would be akin to gaining a left hand. If he had already undergone the Transformation Tribulation, he wouldn't have had to fear transforming due to his Demonic Obsession. Whether in the body of a Flood Dragon or the body of the Human Race, both would be his own body, allowing him to endure the Demonic Obsession without any burden.

Jekyeong knew these thoughts were nothing more than meaningless hypotheticals, but he did not stop thinking. One day, and likely not too far in the future, he would completely suppress the Demonic Obsession and face his Transformation Tribulation. Once that was done, he would be able to roam the world freely in a body devoid of any side effects. And... this Demonic Obsession isn't entirely a bad thing.

A trial was a hardship and a crisis, but at the same time, it was a powerful motivator. Jekyeong was certain that through the constant struggle against his Demonic Obsession and the process of overcoming it, his conviction was growing stronger. Normally, such growth was so minuscule that it was difficult to notice, but Jekyeong had the Garden of No Forgetfulness. Every time he visited the Garden of No Forgetfulness, Jekyeong could clearly feel his Spiritual Body becoming increasingly robust.

There is plenty of time. Taking a moment to catch my breath and solidify my foundation is also necessary. Though cultivation was inherently a race against time, Jekyeong, while always maintaining vigilance, had never been plagued by a sense of desperation. It had been true when he was a Great Demon, and it was even more so now that he had reached the Yao King realm. He had heard that a Flood Dragon could live for over ten thousand years. Although Jekyeong was not a 'purebred' Flood Dragon, he possessed a Dragon Pearl, so he could not be considered much different from them. If so...

"Lord Dragon."

Hyeon-gu's cautious call shattered his reverie. It was an instruction Jekyeong had given beforehand. He had ordered Hyeon-gu to wake him if his meditation exceeded a month, preventing his mind from wandering into idle thoughts as it was doing now. A cultivator's mental strength had its limits, and taming the Demonic Obsession for an entire month was by no means an easy task, even during a period when the obsession had quieted down. Indeed. He had closed his eyes, and when he opened them, a month had already slipped by.

"Is there anything I should know?"

"There is a message from Ju-hyeong."

Hyeon-gu carefully lifted a sealed bamboo slip. As Jekyeong's eyes flashed, the bamboo slip floated up of its own accord and revealed its contents. The contents written on the bamboo slip were simple. It merely stated that everything was proceeding smoothly.

The human cultivators of the Cultivator Alliance who had set out in search of the Demon King's traces had all gone missing. Not long after contact with them was lost, another, even larger group of cultivators began moving to find the Demon King once more. And right around that time, a strange rumor began to spread. It claimed that the Simjeon Demon King, Mu-ara, who had vanished with the fall of Yojeong, had suffered severe injuries during the collapse of the Demon Court. He was still hiding in a secret sanctuary to recover from his wounds, and the recent bustling movements of the Cultivator Alliance seemed to be directly related to this.

The rumors, of unknown origin, spread ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like wildfire in an instant, igniting the hearts of the cultivators. In particular, those at the late Foundation Establishment stage who were desperate for a hope of Core Formation, or those confident in reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage in the future, had already sought out the Cultivator Alliance or headed directly into the demon territory.

They have no capacity to learn. Had they learned nothing even after experiencing the recent commotion in the Secret Realm? Did they simply rush headlong at any mention of a chance for Core Formation, without even weighing the truth of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the matter or the scale of the danger? Well, considering that truly precious opportunities often fell into the hands of the ignorant or the bold, one couldn't entirely blame them for their recklessness. It simply meant they were desperate enough to act so recklessly and foolishly. However, understanding their desperation was one thing; holding them in contempt was another. Even if they were certain of the information, did they truly view a Demon King as nothing more than a walking, breathing treasure chest?

"Lord Dragon. Do you have any intention of directly intervening in the matter of the Simjeon Demon King?"

"Hmm? Did Ju-hyeong ask you to probe my thoughts?"

"How could that be!"

His face turning pale, Hyeon-gu prostrated himself flat on the ground. Had Jekyeong not extended his Monster Power to stop him, Hyeon-gu would have slammed his forehead directly into the floor.

"Ju-hyeong merely wished to render a service. However, he feared misinterpreting your will, Lord Dragon, and was too terrified to make a direct suggestion to you."

Hyeon-gu desperately rambled on as if to prove his innocence, but in truth, Jekyeong didn't particularly care. Even if Ju-hyeong had truly tried to probe his mind, he wouldn't have minded. Though the man's ambition was a bit excessive, was it not also his own way of striving to avoid making mistakes?

"I will not interfere. We have already drawn enough attention, so there is no need to make any more waves here."

"I understand."

In the first place, his move against Mu-ara was to secure peace. There was no way he would ruin the grand scheme over a small, petty greed. Jekyeong didn't care about the details, as long as Mu-ara's breath was cut short. No matter how great a commotion arose, or who obtained the opportunity for Core Formation, it mattered not to him.

"Lord Dragon. Have you heard the rumors regarding the Simjeon Demon King?"

A short while later, Myeong-ha came to visit and asked.

"I have."

"Are you interested?"

"No."

"I see."

Myeong-ha departed with a satisfied smile. The sly fellow seemed to have some insidious scheme up his sleeve, but once again, Jekyeong did not care. Jekyeong washed his hands of Mu-ara's affair entirely. After giving Ju-hyeong the final instruction to act at his own discretion, he paid no further attention to it. He was certain that Mu-ara would not survive.

If Mu-ara's condition was truly critical, he would die at the hands of the humans swarming like wild dogs catching a scent. Even if he was doing somewhat fine, he would eventually be killed by a human Gold Core cultivator drawn by the commotion, or by the Jansu Whale King, who would likely arrive later. It was bound to happen. Aside from the cardinal sin of becoming weak, Mu-ara carried an original sin. He was accused of colluding with foreign forces, bringing crisis and chaos upon the entire cultivation world of Yangseo Lake.

Those who had stood against Senior So-byeok in the battle of the Seongya Archipelago were almost all of the Core Formation cultivators of Yangseo Lake. Why was it 'almost all' and not 'all'? Everyone present back then must have realized Mu-ara's actions, and the reason Mu-ara had remained as quiet as a dead mouse until now was undoubtedly related to that. Had he left Yangseo Lake entirely, it might have been different, but Mu-ara had chosen to awkwardly remain. It could only be seen as a foolish act of tightening the noose around his own neck. It was nothing short of self-strangulation.

Having rested sufficiently, Jekyeong ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠entered meditative cultivation once more, hoping for good news the next time he opened his eyes.

The Simjeon Demon King had fallen.

The formidable figure of an era—who had once stabbed the Jansu Whale King in the back, established Yojeong to trigger a war between humans and demons, and acted as a vanguard for the Heumwon Clan to stir up a massive storm in the demon territory—was ultimately hunted down by human cultivators swarming like a flock of hornets. No, perhaps the term 'hunted' was not entirely appropriate. Though he died, no one benefited in the end.

In his final moments, the Simjeon Demon King went completely mad with rage. Exhausting his very foundation and drawing upon power to the point of cracking his own Demon Core, he slaughtered everything in sight, over and over again. The waters of the entire area were dyed crimson, and the stench of blood carried by the wind reached several neighboring islands.

A desperate cry, laced with bitter grief and resentment, echoed far and wide. Amidst the turbid waters thick with malice and grudges, the Simjeon Demon King, Mu-ara, coughed up blood repeatedly. Soon, all reason vanished from his bloodshot eyes, and lines of blood, both large and small, manifested across his violently thrashing body. And then—

BOOM!

The Demon King's physical body exploded into countless fragments. The faint thread of life was finally severed, and a torrent of resentment surged outward like a flood, dispersing in all directions.

On a small island inhabited by a meager population of fewer than ten thousand humans, the island, already suffering from a sudden influx of outsiders, was dyed a deep crimson, blanketed by the 'dreadful things' that had washed ashore the previous night.

"Aaaah!"

Those who first discovered it collapsed to the ground in sheer terror. They had no choice but to react that way. How could they not be horrified upon seeing the corpses of Water Beasts practically surrounding the entire island? However, after a moment, a calmer individual noticed that the creatures were completely motionless, soon realizing that they were all dead.

They were corpses. Countless carcasses, swept along by a mixture of blood and water, blanketed the entire island. This phenomenon occurred simultaneously across dozens of islands throughout the region. If it had merely been dead Water Beasts washing ashore, they might have clicked their tongues at the ominous sight and moved on—and indeed, they did so for the first few days. But soon, they could no longer ignore it. One by one, the cultivators residing on the blood-stained islands began to exhibit strange symptoms.