The Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion
Jekyeong once again realized the sheer scale of the Sacred Heaven Dragon Palace’s power. The Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion was merely a gathering within the outer court of the Dragon Palace, yet such a minor group could utilize a long-distance teleportation array as if it were nothing.
To use the teleportation array, Jekyeong had to travel to Cloud Sea Valley. Although its name suggested a simple, mist-shrouded ravine, it was actually a distinct, self-contained cultivation realm. However, its size was so minuscule—not even comparable to Yangseo Lake, let alone Jimagwon—that those with narrow horizons had likely never even heard its name. It was a minor realm in every sense.
Its only saving grace was a single valley that those who had witnessed it praised as a masterpiece of nature. Naturally, it lacked any prominent cultivation sects, and various minor races coexisted in a fragile balance, barely scraping by.
The teleportation array of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion was managed by one of these minor races: the Merfolk. Though they possessed a faint trace of dragon blood, they could not proudly claim to be descendants of the True Dragon like the pure-blooded dragon clans. Still, they relied on the power of that diluted lineage to preserve their race’s existence.
They revered the dragon race and faithfully served as their subordinates. For this very reason, the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion had entrusted the management of their teleportation array to the Merfolk tribe. When Jekyeong had asked if they could be trusted, Byeokpa had simply laughed and told him not to worry. To the Merfolk, serving the dragon race was an instinct carved into their very bloodline; betrayal was an absolute impossibility.
Is that Cloud Sea Valley? Jekyeong thought. Gliding high in the sky, he looked down to see a sea of clouds stretching out below, with occasional mountain peaks piercing through the white shroud like islands. As he descended slightly, a valley so vast that no word other than "colossal" could describe it filled his vision.
A body of water wider than most major rivers flowed down a gentle slope. Within and around it, he could feel the vibrant life force emitted by countless living spirits. There were Demon Beasts, spirits, and many strange creatures he had never seen or heard of before. Concealing himself within the clouds, Jekyeong watched them with mild interest as he made his way toward the territory of the Merfolk.
The Merfolk territory was located in what was called a stream in the upper reaches of Cloud Sea Valley. Though referred to as a stream, it was grand enough to rival any ordinary river.
"Grrr..." Having sensed the presence of the Merfolk and confirmed their location with his own eyes, Jekyeong let out a low rumble and revealed himself from the clouds. Below, the Merfolk reacted with great surprise, scrambling to greet him. Though startled, they showed no signs of terror, suggesting they had experienced such arrivals more than once or twice.
"We greet the Lord Dragon!" The Merfolk generally resembled humans. Their upper bodies were mostly identical to the human race, but half of them possessed fish-like tails for their lower halves, while the other half had two legs. From a distance, the latter looked no different from ordinary humans, but up close, the distinction became immediately clear: fine scales covered their skin like armor, and their pupils were slit vertically.
"Lord Dragon, may we ask..." An elderly Merfolk stepped forward and spoke respectfully.
"I have come from Yangseo Lake. The teleportation array to the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion is here, is it not?"
"Yes, yes! Indeed it is, my lord."
"Lead the way."
"Right away, my lord." Sensing that Jekyeong was not fond of idle chatter, the elder immediately guided him. The teleportation array was located deep underwater. Since its presence could not be felt from the outside at all, it was likely concealed by a powerful formation or some similar magic.
"Lord Dragon... please take this." The elderly Merfolk offered a stone that radiated a peculiar energy.
"What is this?"
"It is a type of warding stone. It alleviates the pressure experienced during teleportation. It may be unnecessary for a great being such as yourself, but still..." The Merfolk's attitude was exceptionally reverent. Jekyeong finally began to understand what Byeokpa had meant.
"Is it ready?"
"Yes, Chief." The Merfolk who had been busily preparing around the teleportation array nodded cautiously.
"Lord Dragon, the preparations are complete. You may step into the array whenever you are ready."
"Very well." Clutching the warding stone, Jekyeong stepped into the center of the teleportation array.
Hummm—! Although the Merfolk were extremely submissive and showed no signs of hostility, Jekyeong did not lower his guard. He became even more vigilant the moment he stepped inside the array. A strange, constricting force began to squeeze his entire body. He now understood why the Merfolk chief had given him the warding stone. If one's physical body was not sufficiently strong, this pressure alone would make it difficult to even stand.
Of course, it posed no threat to Jekyeong. Having undergone the Transformation Tribulation, he could utilize nearly half of his true form's power even while in human form. To him, this level of pressure was barely enough to make him yawn.
"Lord Dragon, we shall begin..."
"Do it."
"Yes, my lord." The pressure instantly doubled. In the next moment, Jekyeong felt an indescribable force gently envelop him.
Hummm—! In an instant, his vision shifted, and the suffocating pressure vanished as if it had never existed.
"A fellow Daoist I have not seen before." A strange voice in an unfamiliar landscape brought Jekyeong back to his senses. Turning toward the sound, he saw a man wearing a faint smile. Although the man wore a human shell, the natural aura of majesty and arrogance radiating from him made his true nature easily guessable.
"I am Jekyeong. I come from Yangseo Lake."
"Ah, Fellow Daoist Jekyeong." The man's eyes gleamed with interest, and the smile on his lips deepened. "I am Gong Yo-pung. I hail from Jicheonsu."
Jekyeong exchanged greetings while quietly sizing up the other. The man's presence and Monster Power were so perfectly restrained that it was difficult to gauge his exact cultivation level. However, judging by his relaxed demeanor and confidence, he was clearly no stranger to the gatherings of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion.
"I have already heard stories about you, Fellow Daoist."
"Stories about me?"
"It is exceedingly rare for someone to be granted a Sealed Title immediately upon entering the Palace. It is uncommon even in the inner court, let alone the outer court. Among those with keen ears, you are already quite famous."
Gong Yo-pung did not hide his curiosity, though he kept it within polite bounds. "Since this is your first time attending, would you mind if I showed you around?"
"If it is not too much trouble."
"Haha, not at all." Gong Yo-pung chuckled and began to explain various details about the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion. "Long ago, two like-minded seniors built a single pavilion here, promising to meet once every hundred years. That was the origin of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion."
What began as a private meeting between two individuals gradually expanded as they invited juniors they took a liking to. Over time, the numbers grew, and eventually, one of those juniors bestowed the grand name of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion upon their small gathering. Even now, the number of participants was nowhere near ten thousand—it didn't even reach a hundred—but cultivators always had a penchant for such dramatic exaggerations.
"This is the summit of an unnamed mountain in the Far North. Some call it Mount Manryong, but that is not its official name." This place was in the heart of the demon territory. It was not merely a localized demon region within a single cultivation realm like Yangseo Lake, but a vast, untamed wilderness of the Changram Realm itself. It was a land where no human had ever set foot, entirely unknown to the human race, and thus left completely nameless.
"We will likely have to wait about fifteen days for the gathering to officially begin."
"Is it not ten days?"
"Because there are quite a few lazy and pretentious fellows among us. If you do not wish to wait next time, I suggest you take your time arriving as well." Gong Yo-pung's smile was rather meaningful, and Jekyeong easily caught his drift.
Arrogance was second nature to the dragon race. While they were supposedly less haughty toward their own kind, that still depended heavily on the situation and the individual. Jekyeong guessed that those who showed up five days late were likely the powerhouses of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion—probably at the late Yao King Realm or its equivalent.
Even so, they are nothing but stragglers who cannot even enter the inner court. Putting on such airs with that level of strength? Jekyeong felt a flicker of disdain for these individuals he had yet to even meet.
"Now, look over there. There are no assigned seats, so you may choose any spot you like to wait." Gong Yo-pung pointed toward the stone pillars at the mountain's summit. Well over a hundred stone pillars were arranged in a vast circle. Their tops were wide and flat, spacious enough for even a massive beast to coil comfortably in its true form.
Several cultivators had already claimed their spots. Some had transformed into their true beast forms and closed their eyes, while others sat comfortably, sipping tea or wine. They reacted in various ways to the arrival of Gong Yo-pung and Jekyeong, but none seemed inclined to step forward and greet them first.
"Then, if you will excuse me." Since the others kept their distance, Jekyeong saw no reason to approach them either. He bid farewell to Gong Yo-pung and leaped toward an unoccupied stone pillar. He launched himself from the ground in his human form, but by the time he landed atop the pillar, he had reverted to his true form.
"Oh?" Gong Yo-pung's eyes gleamed as he stared at the massive black flood dragon coiled atop the stone pillar. At least in terms of appearance, this black flood dragon was exceptionally striking. His colossal size, his lustrous scales, and the menacing yet majestic horn protruding from his head were truly a sight to behold.
The Black Flood Dragon of Yangseo. When he first heard that the Dragon Palace had bestowed a Sealed Title upon a newly admitted outer court member, he had found it hard to believe. Once he confirmed it wasn't a mere rumor, he had been intensely curious about what kind of monster this newcomer would be. Now, seeing him in person... Intriguing. There was definitely something unusual about him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. I suppose I will find out if I keep watching. Gong Yo-pung lightly tapped his foot and soared into the air. In an instant, he transformed into a snow-white flood dragon and coiled himself upon an empty stone pillar.
Fifteen days passed as they waited atop the stone pillars. Just as Gong Yo-pung had predicted, the final attendees made their appearance on the fifteenth day. Showing no intention of concealing their strength, they descended upon the pillars with arrogance, fully unleashing the oppressive pressure and Monster Power of the late Yao King Realm. There were no apologies for their tardiness, nor any greetings to the others. Instead, several of those who had arrived early eagerly tried to curry favor with them—an act that looked like blatant flattery in Jekyeong's eyes.
It is the same everywhere. Still, it was rather amusing to watch the supposedly proud dragon descendants groveling before others. It seemed even innate arrogance had its exceptions depending on who they faced.
"Since everyone has arrived, let us begin." A red flood dragon, who had arrived precisely on the tenth day, spoke up. He did not flaunt his power like some of the others, but the heavy, silent pressure radiating from him made it clear that his cultivation was in no way inferior to those who had just arrived.
"As always, we will begin with the exchange meeting, followed by individual networking sessions." As he spoke in a measured, steady tone, no one dared to interrupt. Even the latecomers who had been putting on airs now quietly closed their eyes. Watching him, Jekyeong realized that this red flood dragon was likely the tacit leader or representative of the Ten Thousand Dragon Pavilion.
"Now, let us begin one by one." The moment he finished speaking, the ground trembled slightly, and another stone pillar rose from the empty center surrounded by the ring of pillars. Atop this central pillar stood a large pavilion. "Those who wish to trade may stand within the pavilion."