An Unwelcome Disturbance
Hyeongu let out a long breath, a sound somewhere between admiration and a sigh. To his eyes, while the Beast Race tore at the flesh of their own kind, the Human Race seemed to covet everything except the flesh. Moreover, unlike the beasts who fought individually, humans clashed in massive hordes, making their sheer ferocity incomparable to anything the Beast Race could muster.
"It certainly is fierce," Jekyeong said, gulping down Spirit Wine like water to cool his heated body. Although he had already passed his Transformation Tribulation and no longer needed the wine to soothe his mind, he still sought it out of habit. Thanks to this, the ships regularly sent by both Han Cheongyu and Ju-hyeong were always laden with a generous supply of Spirit Wine.
Hyeongu, knowing the Dragon Lord's fondness for Spirit Wine, had even asked if he should kidnap skilled human brewers, but Jekyeong had declined, thinking it unnecessary to go that far.
Gulp, gulp!
Draining the Spirit Wine without pause, Jekyeong fell deep into thought.
It was a good thing that the Human Territory had fallen into chaos. Yet, Jekyeong could not shake the feeling that the turmoil had erupted far too quickly and violently. The Geumyang Sect and the Myeongseomun Sect were great sects that had ruled the human territory of Yangseo Lake for centuries. For them to be tearing at each other's throats without regard for the consequences, like rabid dogs trapped in a fighting pit, struck Jekyeong as deeply bizarre.
Even if the Cultivator Alliance and Sangcheong Sang-in had pushed them into this, was there truly a need to go this far? What was Sangcheong Sang-in plotting? Did he seriously intend to wash the entire Human Territory in blood and build the Im family's grand estate upon the crimson earth? If he caused such a massive uproar, how did he plan to handle it if the Cultivator Alliance sent inspectors?
Question after question swirled in his mind. He pondered deeply for a long time, but no clear answer presented itself.
Well, it doesn't matter.
He was surprised that the fire had grown so large, but in the end, it was merely a fire on the other side of the river. No matter what happened over there, he could simply treat it as a good show and watch leisurely from afar.
At the Yangseo Lake branch of the Cultivator Alliance.
Sangcheong Sang-in looked at his son with a solemn gaze. "The situation is growing too large."
"Yes. The situation has deviated slightly from our original plan. However, I believe this is not entirely a bad thing. Rather than moving slowly and safely, it may be better to move quickly, even if it carries some risk."
"Oh? And why is that?"
Sangcheong Sang-in neither agreed nor disagreed. He stared at his relaxed-looking son, asking as if testing him.
"The Cultivator Alliance does not have the luxury to worry about such a minor cultivation world. Father, have you perhaps heard the news of the massive horde of demonic beasts that recently appeared in the Changmu Cultivation Dynasty?"
"I heard. Is there a result?"
Since coming to Yangseo Lake, Sangcheong Sang-in had paid little attention to the affairs of the outside world. He was too busy managing the affairs of Yangseo Lake and laying the foundation for the Im family; how could he afford to keep track of every piece of news from the outside?
Whether it was the Gakchung Clan led by the Insect Mother, or the Beast Race backed by the Flood Dragons of the Sacred Heaven Dragon Palace, none of them were easy opponents, and none could be underestimated. But unlike his father, who was occupied with guarding against these formidable enemies, his son, who handled the affairs of the Human Territory, had many opportunities to gather various pieces of news.
"Yes. It is said that the Cultivator Alliance noticed the signs beforehand and attempted to suppress it, but ultimately failed catastrophically. The demonic beasts awakened the demonic soul of an ancient archdemon buried within the dragon veins of the Changmu Continent and performed a massive blood sacrifice. Because of this, the Changmu Cultivation Dynasty lost its capital, and a Demonic Calamity has spread across the entire dynasty."
"Sigh..."
Sangcheong Sang-in let out a deep sigh. Although he had now half-severed his ties with the Cultivator Alliance, as a human cultivator, it pained him to hear of such a disaster befalling the Human Territory.
"Furthermore, though perhaps not on the scale of the Changmu Cultivation Dynasty's tragedy, several other incidents of non-negligible scale have occurred. A Water Tide that covered nearly half the continent, bizarre celestial phenomena, and so on."
"This is highly unusual. The world's aura is in turmoil; it seems the Great Tribulation is truly not far off."
"Indeed. Since time is short, it would be best to hasten our plans as much as possible."
As a Golden Core cultivator of the Cultivator Alliance, Sangcheong Sang-in was privy to secrets ordinary cultivators could never know. He had once heard from a Fate Seer within the Alliance, with whom he shared a close friendship, that the long-expanding fortune of the Human Race had suddenly begun to stall, and was even showing signs of decline.
Such matters were never to be spoken of aloud, even if one knew them. However, knowing that Sangcheong Sang-in was determined to rebuild his family, the Fate Seer had offered him cautious advice. He had suggested that if Sangcheong Sang-in wished to leave the Alliance and establish a clan, he should seek out a small, remote place to ensure their safety. At the time, Sangcheong Sang-in had been half-skeptical of this serious yet somewhat absurd-sounding advice. However, because his nature leaned toward stability rather than adventure, he had ultimately followed his acquaintance's counsel and decided to rebuild his family's foundation in this small cultivation world.
"Is that your own thought?"
Sangcheong Sang-in's mind was already swayed by his son's words, but he hid his reaction and asked demandingly. He knew that a sycophant had attached himself to his son's side. The fellow seemed to possess some cleverness and offered various pieces of advice, but Sangcheong Sang-in despised seeing such a vulgar creature chattering in his son's ear.
"What does it matter whose thought it is? Is it not more important whether the thought itself is valid?"
"Indeed. You are correct."
Seeing his son's calm demeanor, Sangcheong Sang-in suppressed the sudden surge of killing intent that had flared within him.
Yes. It is only natural for sycophants to gather around those with power. If there is a talented one among them, keeping him around to use is not a bad idea.
Though he disliked flatterers, he trusted his son even more. His son was a clever child; he would not be blinded by vanity or swayed by nonsense. Perhaps it was actually better for someone like Gyeha to remain by Jeseong's side. Sycophants were bound to slander one another anyway, so if a clever one secured the position first, he could be used like a watchdog to guard the house.
In a brief moment, Sangcheong Sang-in's mind shifted several times. The resolve of a Golden Core cultivator like him was usually firmer than bluestone, rarely wavering, but this time it swayed back and forth like a reed in a gale. Yet, Sangcheong Sang-in himself felt nothing amiss, naturally perceiving this entire train of thought as perfectly rational.
Originally, Jekyeong had intended to remain entirely uninvolved and simply watch whatever unfolded outside his territory. But even if a tree wishes to remain still, the wind will inevitably shake its branches.
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed across the Black Bridge Archipelago, which had been quiet for some time. The enraged cry of Bigu woke Jekyeong from his deep meditation.
What is happening?
His powerful Divine Sense swept past the Black Cult Palace, crossed Heukgyodo, and blanketed the entirety of the Black Bridge Archipelago. Jekyeong instantly sensed Bigu thrashing in excitement and anger, and he also detected a group of auras clashing with him.
Humans?
His doubt was brief, and his response was instantaneous. Sensing the presence of human Foundation Establishment cultivators, Jekyeong reverted to his true form in the next instant, hovering high in the sky above Heukgyodo.
"Who dares!"
A powerful dragon's pressure shook the entire Black Bridge Archipelago.
At that moment, the human cultivators surrounding and attacking Bigu stumbled, creating a sudden gap in their fierce offensive. Bigu, who had been taking a beating the entire time, did not miss the opportunity to counterattack.
"Phooosh!"
A thick stream of water erupted from Bigu's wide-open maw. It quickly transformed into the shape of a bizarre beast with a massive head and mouth, swallowing the human cultivators whole.
The human cultivators deployed their respective defensive measures to protect themselves, but the spell of a Great Yo-beast was not so easily overcome. This was the only spell Bigu knew how to cast. Because Bigu found learning new techniques bothersome, he had practiced this single trick relentlessly. Thanks to this, his water-spouting technique, which had originally been too crude to even be called a proper spell, had gradually begun to take on a unique and formidable quality.
Sssss—
"Damn it!"
A Foundation Establishment cultivator's eyes widened as he watched his defensive Dharma Treasure slowly corrode. "This monster's spell is bizarre! Watch out!"
Gritting their teeth, the human cultivators threw themselves out of the range of the water-spouting spell. Forcing their way out cost them an immense amount of Dharma Power, but it was far better than staying put and being dissolved into nothingness by that strange stream of water.
"You! Bad humans!" Bigu shouted, panting heavily. He had partially retracted his body, looking ready to hide inside his shell at a moment's notice.
"Who are you!"
"What? Humans?"
"How dare you set foot here!"
Just then, the other Great Yo-beasts guarding different areas arrived one by one. Quickly assessing the situation, they either joined Bigu or blocked the human cultivators' path of retreat.
"D-Damn it!"
The human cultivators' faces turned pale. They rolled their eyes, desperately searching for any chance to escape as more and more Water Beasts gathered around them. But...
"Amusing."
A sudden silence fell. Then, a low voice echoed from above.
The bodies and minds of the human cultivators froze. Even their desire to flee and the emotion of fear vanished, replaced by an endless, suffocating panic that filled their minds.
"Who are you?"
The low rumble of the dragon's voice heated the cold water like an erupting volcano. The human cultivators who had dared to sneak into the Black Bridge Archipelago were instantly captured, unable to offer even a shred of resistance.
Before interrogating them, Jekyeong first asked Bigu what had happened. Bigu, still highly agitated, spat out his anger.
"Dragon Lord! It's a good thing I was diligently on patrol! Otherwise, these bastards would have turned the entire archipelago upside down!"
Bigu absolutely did not mention that he had just woken up from a short nap only to find these bastards camping on top of his shell. Instead, he did his best with his limited vocabulary to exaggerate his own achievements and amplify the cunning nature of the humans. Naturally, this incoherent rambling was of no help whatsoever to Jekyeong in understanding the actual situation.
"Enough. You did well."
After lightly praising Bigu and the other Great Yo-beasts, Jekyeong dragged the human cultivators back to the Black Cult Palace. He immediately summoned Cheongo to interrogate them.
True to its expertise, Cheongo soon returned with valuable information. It was a minor detail that the human cultivators, tormented by the talkative crow's innate divine ability, were left half-dead. Jekyeong had no intention of letting them live from the start anyway, so it did not matter if they had been turned into mindless simpletons.
"Dragon Blood Grass?"
Having heard the full story from Cheongo, Jekyeong glared at the human cultivators, who were still completely dazed. He, of course, knew what Dragon Blood Grass was. It was one of the primary ingredients used to refine Core Condensing Pills, a spiritual herb commonly used even in other cultivation worlds. According to rumors, this spiritual herb sprouted once every few centuries when Spiritual Soil absorbed dragon blood. It was a spiritual treasure that, even if consumed raw, could slightly extend one's lifespan and boost one's cultivation.
However, as a dragon-descendant recognized by the Sacred Heaven Dragon Palace, Jekyeong knew very well that the rumor was utter nonsense. First of all, the name itself was incorrect. As far as he knew, Dragon Blood Grass was simply a spiritual herb that grew naturally in places where a dragon's aura flowed; it had absolutely nothing to do with actual dragon blood. To put it bluntly, Dragon Blood Grass was just a common weed that could easily be found near a dragon's nest. Of course, it couldn't be just any dragon's nest; it had to belong to a dragon with a pure bloodline or a cultivation level above a certain threshold. This was a fact he had heard directly at Manryongjeong, so there was no mistake.
So... these fools risked their lives to sneak in here just to harvest some Dragon Blood Grass?
It was absurd, but he didn't feel like laughing. Instead, a sudden surge of killing intent boiled over. Before he even realized it, he lashed out with his tail, completely crushing the half-collapsed human cultivators into paste.
Hmm?
Only when the metallic scent of blood brushed against his nose did Jekyeong finally calm his killing intent. He lightly shook his blood-stained tail, his brow furrowing.
Killing the audacious humans was of no consequence. The real problem was that he had killed them on a sudden, impulsive whim. The abrupt urge to slaughter was so out of character that even he could not comprehend it. Moreover, for his state of mind to fluctuate this wildly was reminiscent of the times when his Demonic Obsession had been at its peak. It was undeniably abnormal.
As his anger subsided, cold reason took its place. Jekyeong slowly retraced the events of moments ago, falling into deep contemplation.