A Mayfly's Spark
The caliber of those who usually frequent Haeyeon Island is not that high, so we can easily handle them. During the auction, the Dragon Lord himself will keep an eye on things, so there is no need to worry.
"Elder Hyeongu."
A few humans who followed the Dragon Lord resided on Haeyeon Island. Ostensibly, they were stationed there to facilitate closer cooperation between the Dragon Lord and the Ghost Spider, but their true purpose was to keep the Ghost Spider from playing tricks. Of course, there was no way mere small fry of the Qi Condensation realm could properly monitor the Ghost Spider, so in the end, this surveillance was purely nominal.
"The Ghost Spider has departed, and the Dragon Lord has entrusted the affairs of Haeyeon Island to me."
The summoned human cultivators were visibly flustered, but they quickly composed themselves and prostrated themselves. "We shall obey your commands, Elder Hyeongu."
"With the Ghost Spider away, we can no longer employ the Lost-Soul Puppets. This will undoubtedly arouse suspicion among some, and I do not wish for any unrest to occur."
"Elder Hyeongu, there is no need to worry. The Lost-Soul Puppets rarely show themselves under normal circumstances."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes. The market on Haeyeon Island has been famous for a long time, so everyone is well aware of the island's rules. Those who dare to cause trouble here are extremely rare, and the occasional troublemakers are mostly outsiders who have drifted in."
The human cultivators tried their best to ease Hyeongu's worries, but their efforts were of no help to him.
"Even if it is only occasional, it still means trouble occurs. What can happen will happen, even if the chances are one in ten thousand. Therefore, you must strengthen your patrols from now on and ensure that absolutely no disturbances take place on this island."
After handing down this somewhat unreasonable command to the humans, Hyeongu officially began his duties as the island's temporary master. In truth, there was not much that required his direct attention. The underlings handled all the trivial chores, so the master's role was essentially just to back them up.
An efficient structure indeed.
The Dragon Lord had described the Ghost Spider as a sly and cunning fellow, and seeing this now, it was indeed true.
Impressive. What blankets Haeyeon Island is no mere Lost Track Array. Sitting in this seat, I can instantly perceive everything happening on the island. This must be integrated with the Ghost Spider's own unique methods.
Setting everything else aside, just looking at his mastery of formations gave a faint glimpse of the Ghost Spider's sheer capability. His expertise in formations had likely reached the peak of the Second Rank, perhaps even bordering on the Third Rank. It was a realm that the current Hyeongu could not even dare to aspire to.
This is yet another fortuitous opportunity.
Swept up in excitement, Hyeongu began to carefully study the Ghost Spider's formations that blanketed Haeyeon Island. Normally, analyzing a formation laid down by someone else was an incredibly arduous task, requiring immense time and a stroke of good fortune. But this time was different. Because the Ghost Spider had left behind full control of the formations before departing, Hyeongu could study them as easily as if he held the blueprints in his hands.
Of course, "easy" was only in comparison to starting from scratch; the study itself was by no means simple.
"Elder Hyeongu. Someone has appeared with Yin Thread Grass."
"Mmh. Very well. Bring it to me."
"Elder Hyeongu, the Cold-Washing Stone has..."
"Bring it."
Though Hyeongu had harbored a heavy sense of duty when he first set out for Haeyeon Island, it did not take long for him to thoroughly enjoy his life here. Various useful spiritual items fell into his hands even as he sat still, and in his spare time, he could study the Ghost Spider's formations to deepen his comprehension of the Dao of Formations. Every single moment was both beneficial and delightful.
I see. So he layered them like this. Doing it this way would certainly evade the spiritual consciousness of cultivators. No, is it closer to deceiving them rather than evading?
A year had already passed since Hyeongu took up residence on Haeyeon Island in the Ghost Spider's stead. During this time, with the aid of various spiritual items, Hyeongu had steadily built up his cultivation base, though he was still far from reaching the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm. Even so, Hyeongu remained optimistic. Unlike before, he could at least feel how far away it was now.
In contrast to his slightly disappointing progress in cultivation, his achievements in formations were considerable. Even Hyeongu himself felt a sense of pride. While his talent and tireless efforts played a part, the biggest factor was having such an excellent reference right before his eyes.
He studied the Ghost Spider's formations daily, and as if that weren't enough, he gathered various formation inheritances that flowed into Haeyeon Island. As a result, Hyeongu could now deploy most Second Rank formations without much difficulty. By human standards, he had become a respectable Second Rank formation master—and not just a novice, but a highly seasoned one.
Thanks to this deepening expertise, Hyeongu gained a much profounder understanding of the various formations deployed across Haeyeon Island. For instance, the Island Protecting Grand Array centered around the circular stone tower where he currently resided, along with the numerous other formations hidden within it.
There is no mistake. Beneath the stone tower, there is a hidden underground space. Given that the Ghost Spider went to such lengths to conceal it, something he keeps highly secret must be hidden inside.
His first thought was treasure, but on second thought, tangible treasures could simply be kept in a storage bag.
Then what is it? Was it the Lost-Soul Puppets? But the Dragon Lord had once mentioned that the Ghost Spider always carried his undeployed Lost-Soul Puppets on his person.
What should I do? The underground space was ingeniously concealed. Had his mastery of formations not reached this depth, he would never have noticed it. And even though he had detected the existence of the hidden underground space, it did not mean he could actually inspect it. A mysterious seal of some kind was placed upon this space, and considering the skill with which the Ghost Spider had hidden it, breaking that seal would certainly be no easy task.
It is best not to touch it for now. After much deliberation, Hyeongu made a cautious decision, as was his habit. The Ghost Spider was an opponent he could not hope to match. There was no need to pry into something such an entity had gone to great lengths to hide.
First, I shall report this to the Dragon Lord. He will decide what to do next. Hyeongu immediately recorded everything he had discovered onto a jade slip, sealed it securely, and summoned a clever water beast he kept under his command.
"Deliver this to the Dragon Lord. You know what to do, yes?"
"Yes, yes, Elder!"
Once the water beast departed, Hyeongu immersed himself in his formation studies once more. It was only after coming to Haeyeon Island this time that he truly realized the preciousness of time. Since he would have to leave whenever the Ghost Spider returned, he could not afford to waste a single day.
Is this how humans live? It felt as though he were being swept away helplessly by the torrent of time, yet this sensation was not entirely unpleasant.
Like mayflies. Is that why they live so fiercely? Sitting atop the stone tower and watching Haeyeon Island and its cultivators, he found himself deeply moved. Most thoughts flickered and vanished in an instant, but some left a lasting impression not just on his mind, but on his heart.
The humans who visited Haeyeon Island were those who lived fiercely. Some possessed an unshakeable Dao heart, risking their lives solely to reach higher realms of the immortal path, while others had simply drifted here to escape the crackdowns of the Cultivator Alliance and the sect families. Yet, though their purposes differed, they were not so different in that they all harbored a burning desire deep within their hearts.
Their bodies reside in the present, yet their eyes are fixed on the future. Was it foolish? It seemed so, yet also not. But one thing was certain: that very desire, which might well be foolishness, was what made them special.
Oh?
To the north, in the street lined with stalls, a human cultivator suddenly ambushed and killed another, snatched their storage bag, and fled. Hyeongu had been tracking his every move from the moment he began showing suspicious behavior.
Hyeongu watched the entire sequence of events unfold, from the man committing the deed and fleeing, to his swift execution at the hands of the law enforcement squad shortly after. He watched as the man's face contorted with greed, filled with ecstasy, and finally painted with absolute despair.
He shone. Originally, he was nothing more than a single grain of sand among the countless grains scattered across the beach. Yet, for a fleeting moment, he had shone with unmistakable brilliance, and that light stirred a peculiar sensation within Hyeongu.
Fascinating. Truly fascinating. The sensation stirred his emotions. Though Hyeongu himself did not realize it, at that very moment, something deep within his heart that had been frozen like stone for ages gave a faint, subtle twitch. That tiny twitch created a crack, and his abundant demonic power began to slowly seep into that fissure.
Crack!
At some point, something twisted and split open. Lost in thought, Hyeongu did not hear the sound. It was only after he snapped back to reality that he belatedly realized the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm, which had once felt so distant, no longer seemed far away at all.
Jekyeong looked down with a doubtful eye at the water beast, whose exhausted state made it look as though it might faint at any moment. He couldn't tell if the creature was delivering the message properly or if its delirious mind was mixing in nonsense. It seemed the time spent inside Bigu's mouth had been quite a traumatic experience for this faint-hearted fellow.
"Dragon Lord. Elder Hyeongu said that beneath the stone tower..."
"I understand."
Watching the creature repeat the exact same words over and over, Jekyeong finally cast aside his doubts. It seems Hyeongu's mastery of formations has progressed quite a bit. Seeing how he had seen through both the concealment and the seal, and had even pointed out the risks involved, Hyeongu's understanding of formations seemed to have deepened to a level nearly on par with Myeong-ha's. He had originally sent the fellow to Haeyeon Island simply to feast on spiritual items and raise his cultivation, but to think such unexpected growth would be added to the mix. Sending him to Haeyeon Island had indeed been the right choice.
In any case, a secret space beneath the stone tower. Jekyeong was well aware of the stone tower Hyeongu spoke of. Was it not Myeong-ha's residence and the very center of the Island Protecting Grand Array and various other formations deployed on Haeyeon Island? However, Jekyeong himself lacked deep knowledge of formations, so he did not know exactly what role the stone tower played as the core of the array.
If he hid it so covertly, there must be a good reason. Since Myeong-ha had gone to such lengths to conceal it, a single speculation immediately sprang to Jekyeong's mind. It must be a secret he doesn't want anyone else to know. If so, there was a high probability it was related to Taotie.
"Tell him not to pay it any mind."
"Yes, yes, Dragon Lord!"
If it was a secret related to Taotie, it went without saying, but even if it wasn't, there was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble. Unless Myeong-ha never returned, his eventual comeback could lead to pointless misunderstandings if they pried.
Sending back the water beast, who still looked rather worse for wear, Jekyeong went to visit Muk-su for the first time in a while. Though Hyeongu was currently enjoying good times on Haeyeon Island, it was nothing compared to Muk-su. Ever since settling down in the Heukgyo Water Territory with Jekyeong, Muk-su had been living a life more comfortable than any Great Demon in Yang-seo-ho.
Basking in his favorite sunlight every day, filling his belly to the brim with the abundant food brought to him by others, and enjoying a leisurely life free of any worries—if this wasn't the life of an immortal, what was? Even Jekyeong occasionally felt a twinge of jealousy and annoyance whenever he looked at Muk-su.
"You're living as comfortably as ever, I see."
"Do you want a thank-you note or something?"
Muk-su's speech had improved quite a bit compared to before. It was likely because he frequently hung out with Cheong-o and the others.
"I don't need a thank-you. How much longer do you have?"
"I don't know either."
"If you don't know, who would?"
"I can tell it's not far off, but I don't know exactly how much is left."
The number of Great Demons and Foundation Establishment cultivators Muk-su had devoured over this time surely exceeded a hundred, and ordinary water beasts or Qi Condensation cultivators were beyond count. Combined with the abundant spiritual energy he had enjoyed, it was not strange at all that Muk-su was on the verge of reaching the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm; in fact, Jekyeong thought he was rather late.
Both this guy and Cheong-o are truly high-maintenance. Although the cultivation of the Beast Race followed the path of blood food, it was true that its efficiency fell far behind that of the Human Race. Jekyeong had once pondered if there was any way to assist their cultivation, but in the end, he had found nothing of the sort. Perhaps it was only natural. If there were any other method of cultivation for the Beast Race besides increasing their cultivation base through blood food and breaking through by inheriting bloodline legacies, they wouldn't have stubbornly clung to this single ancient method since antiquity.
This reality brought Jekyeong a slight sense of frustration, but also immense joy. I am special. Though born into the Beast Race, he did not follow their path of cultivation. It had been an unavoidable choice, but thanks to it, he could accumulate cultivation at a speed that would be deemed genius even by human standards, let alone compared to ordinary beasts. There were few things more delightful than confirming one's own exceptional nature.