Unleashing the Tide
Even in the midst of all that, for whatever reason, he had refused to stop hunting, making enemies wherever he went and earning a fearsome reputation.
'That injury was undoubtedly sustained on the day the Court of Demons fell.'
Though Jekyeong hadn't examined him closely, he could easily guess. Ha Yuseong's physical body was so robust that ordinary Great Demons couldn't even hope to compare. For an injury to damage such a body to its very core... he must have been caught in the crossfire of a battle between Core Formation cultivators.
"Dragon Lord. Do you intend to take those brothers in?"
"What do you think?"
"I believe..." Hyeongu rolled his eyes. "If we can ensure those brothers serve you loyally, Dragon Lord... it wouldn't be a bad idea. Their strength is quite formidable, and that Ha Yuseong in particular is highly renowned throughout the demon territories."
"Would it not be too burdensome for you?"
"It would be a lie to say it won't be a burden... but that is no reason for you to reject a treasure that has rolled right into your lap, Dragon Lord."
"Very well."
Hyeongu's answer pleased Jekyeong immensely. Even if Hyeongu had opposed it, Jekyeong's decision would not have changed, but Hyeongu's words certainly left him satisfied.
Thus, Jekyeong accepted the Yaksha brothers as his subordinates. Objectively speaking, Ha Yuseong was a rare talent, and though Jo Gang was not quite on his older brother's level, he was still highly capable among Great Demons.
Originally, the brothers had rather difficult temperaments, but perhaps because they had suffered so much recently, or perhaps because they stood before a great entity who had achieved Core Formation, their attitudes seemed much improved compared to before.
"Do you know how to perform human form transformation?"
"I... I do not."
Jekyeong handed Ha Yuseong a bottle of demon elixir pills. While they wouldn't completely cure his internal injuries, they would at least prevent his condition from worsening.
Although Jekyeong had never formally studied the Dao of Medicine, the Dao of Alchemy naturally overlapped with medical knowledge, making it easy for him to assess Ha Yuseong's internal injuries.
To his eyes, Ha Yuseong's situation was straightforward. The sinister energy of a Core Formation cultivator had inflicted deep internal wounds, and because the injuries had been neglected for so long, they had festered and become chronic.
'Foolish bastard. He overcompensated with his physical constitution.'
His past experiences had proven to be a poison. Born with an exceptionally sturdy body, he had likely recovered from any previous severe injuries simply by eating well and resting. Expecting the same result this time, he had failed to treat the wound properly and had instead gone hunting even more aggressively, causing the injury to deteriorate.
It was incredibly foolish, but Jekyeong couldn't entirely blame Ha Yuseong. This was how almost all members of the Beast Race behaved.
'I should either procure higher-grade demon elixir pills or bring in a proper physician.'
It would take some time, but restoring Ha Yuseong to full health was by no means an impossible task.
"Understood. Then... I shall wait."
After swallowing a few demon elixir pills, Ha Yuseong's complexion improved slightly as he nodded at Jekyeong's words. Sensing the faint trace of doubt lingering in his eyes, Jekyeong spoke again.
"There are a few things you must know. Hyeongu will brief you on them."
"Hyeongu... that turtle?"
"Yes. Let me make this clear beforehand: do not look down on him just because your cultivation realm or strength is superior to his. He speaks with my voice, and most affairs of the Palace are executed through him."
"I understand."
For several years, Great Demons continuously flocked to the Black Bridge Archipelago. Among them, some were chosen by the Dragon Lord to join his ranks, while others merely wasted their time before returning or being driven away entirely.
"Your role is about to expand."
Jekyeong summoned Hyeongu and gave him a serious piece of advice. With the number of Great Demons under his command growing, Hyeongu's standing would naturally be threatened, a challenge that Hyeongu would have to overcome himself.
Of course, most of the Great Demons were only in the early stage of the Great Yao realm with unremarkable bloodlines, meaning Hyeongu could suppress them with his own cultivation level. However, a select few with higher cultivation or superior bloodlines would not be easily managed by Hyeongu, who was a member of the ordinary turtle demon clan.
Though Jekyeong had personally warned Ha Yuseong and Jo Gang, he couldn't do the same for every single newcomer.
"Cultivation is the foundation of everything. Do not neglect your training."
"Yes, Dragon Lord. I shall engrave your words upon my heart."
Though Hyeongu answered thus, Jekyeong's expectations were not high. The cultivation of the Beast Race was not something that could be overcome through mere effort. What could be achieved through blood food was only a fraction of their overall cultivation, and even then, it required an immense amount of time.
This inherent limitation was precisely why the Beast Race, despite possessing innate physical advantages over the Human Race, could never truly surpass them.
Jekyeong was keeping the Contemplation Paintings in mind as a potential breakthrough for this issue, though it remained to be seen whether they would prove effective.
'Still, with Bigu around, he should have some support.'
Hyeongu seemed somewhat reluctant to rely on his son's strength, but whenever he had to deal with particularly violent demons, he made sure to bring Bigu along.
"Furthermore, Dragon Lord, a message has arrived from Ju-hyeong. He wishes to inquire if he might take part in this operation."
"Did you inform him?"
"How could I? I would never dare."
Jekyeong clicked his tongue inwardly. That quick-witted fellow. He really is a master at sniffing out profit.
"Tell him to do as he pleases."
"Yes."
It was no different from before. As long as it did not interfere with his own plans, Jekyeong did not care what Ju-hyeong did. This applied not only to Ju-hyeong but to anyone under his command.
"Dragon Lord. Han Cheongyu reports that his preparations are complete. He awaits your command at any moment."
"Is that so? And how are our preparations on this end?"
"The deployments are finished. Once you give the order, Dragon Lord, we can sweep them away in a single breath."
"It won't be that simple. After all, I cannot personally take action."
If a Demon King took action, the Golden Core cultivators would inevitably intervene. Of course, Jekyeong was confident he wouldn't lose even if he fought both of the human Golden Core cultivators at once, but winning would only bring more trouble.
Once he aroused their full vigilance, his future movements would become severely restricted. Thus, drawing the line at a moderate level was the best course of action.
"What of Ha Yuseong?"
"He said that while he is not at one hundred percent, it won't hinder him from exerting his strength. He seemed quite confident."
With Jekyeong unable to act directly, Ha Yuseong was their strongest asset. After a human physician Jekyeong brought in spent a full six months treating him, his injuries had significantly improved, allowing him to exert power roughly equivalent to the late stage of the Great Yao realm.
As long as late Foundation Establishment human cultivators didn't intervene immediately, this plan would proceed smoothly.
Colossal waterspouts connected the surface of Yangseo Lake to the heavens. As if the very waters of the lake were being sucked into the sky, dozens of waterspouts rose simultaneously, overwhelming and terrifying both the aquatic beasts and the humans watching from afar.
"KRAAAAAAAH!"
Just as everyone was dazed by the sudden celestial anomaly, a roar laden with terrifying demonic energy reverberated through the air.
"Th-this is..."
"The Black Dragon! It's the Black Dragon of Yangseo!"
Though it was impossible to tell how far away the sound originated, every human who heard it could feel the raw demonic energy and murderous intent laced within.
"A wave?"
The humans who had crossed the borders of the Human Territory to hunt demon beasts were preparing to flee the moment they heard that horrific roar. However, before they could even turn their boats around, a massive swell rose in the distance.
"N-no! Those are demon beasts!"
What they had mistaken for a wave was actually a countless horde of aquatic monsters. Crashing into one another and tumbling over themselves as they surged forward in a single direction, the sight evoked a disaster they didn't even want to contemplate.
"It's a Water Tide!"
They steered their vessels with all their might, but their speed was no match for the frenzied aquatic monsters. The tide of beasts swept over them in an instant, swallowing every human who had ventured into the demon territory.
"Go! Charge! Everything in sight is your prey!" the Great Demons bellowed. An absolute, irresistible pressure continuously stimulated the aquatic monsters.
"GRAAAH!"
An aquatic monster with razor-sharp fins sliced a human vessel in half. As the humans on board sank into the depths, hundreds of monsters instantly swarmed them.
"A Water Tide! A Water Tide has erupted!"
"Sound the alarm! Activate the Island Protecting Grand Array!"
The humans' reaction was not slow. They had already prepared themselves from the moment that ominous roar echoed from afar. When their worst fears became reality, they did not hesitate.
Barrier lights flared up across every human-inhabited island, and the vessels out on the water hastily retreated to the nearest shores.
"Brother. The humans are reacting much faster than expected," Jo Gang said, furrowing his brow.
In contrast, Ha Yuseong remained calm.
"It is only natural. They must have prepared themselves from the moment they became neighbors with the Dragon Lord."
These humans were seasoned veterans who had chosen to stay and hold their ground despite living next to a terrifying Flood Dragon. It would have been stranger if they weren't prepared to this extent.
"Since they are fully prepared, a head-on clash will result in heavy casualties on our side."
"It does not matter. We will crush the smaller targets first."
Ha Yuseong had already received the full outline of the operation from Hyeongu. No matter how high the casualties, they had to devastate the Human Territory as quickly as possible.
CRASH!
A trident transformed into a streak of light, violently shaking the Island Protecting Grand Array of an island. While the blow failed to shatter the barrier completely, it succeeded in creating cracks, and the swarming aquatic monsters forced their way through the fissures.
Though many monsters were shredded into mincemeat in the process, the frenzied beasts paid no heed, competing to squeeze their bodies through the gaps.
"We've lost contact with Soryu Island, Chusaeng Island, and Byeok Island!"
"The Cultivator Alliance! Request reinforcements from the Cultivator Alliance immediately!"
"This Water Tide... has the Black Dragon finally made its move?!"
"There are no reports of the Black Dragon itself appearing, but..."
The humans' preparations were robust, and their responses swift. Yet, in less than a fortnight, dozens of southern islands fell, and countless human cultivators were swallowed by the Water Tide.
By the time the Cultivator Alliance assessed the situation and dispatched reinforcements, the momentum of the Water Tide had already begun to wane, allowing them to drive back the aquatic monsters with relative ease.
"It seems the Black Dragon truly did not take action. Otherwise, the tide wouldn't have subsided so quickly."
"That is a great relief, but the damage..."
As the saying goes, a fire that burns twice as bright burns half as long. This Water Tide was exactly such a case. The entire event lasted less than two months from start to finish, making it one of the shortest Water Tides in history.
However, its brief duration did not mean the damage was light. Over thirty islands were completely devastated, nearly double that number suffered significant damage, and four to five water regions were directly or indirectly affected.
"We have confirmed that there was a disturbance in the Black Bridge Archipelago just before the Water Tide erupted. We cannot be certain if it was an explosion of demonic nature, but..."
Hahou Jang and Je Rim-so both furrowed their brows.
"Is the Black Dragon's demonic nature growing deeper?"
"That may not necessarily be the case, but we must remain cautious."
They were well aware that the Black Dragon of Yangseo possessed a volatile demonic nature that erupted periodically. The slaughter that had occurred previously was also a result of such an eruption, and its horror had far exceeded their expectations.
"Fortunately, the damage this time is not too severe."
Had the humans of the Southern Waters who were swept away by the tide heard this, they would have coughed up blood in sheer outrage, but the two Golden Core cultivators genuinely believed it. From the perspective of Golden Core cultivators who oversaw the entirety of Yangseo Lake, this level of damage was indeed minor.
"Still... do you not think we need to have a talk with that Black Dragon?"
"It will be difficult. Considering his arrogant temperament..."