A Restored Sight, A Path Unveiled
At first glance, it seemed to sway gently with the calm current, but upon closer inspection, it remained perfectly still in one spot. It was as if it were contained within an invisible vessel.
Whether this is the Medicinal Water or not, it is undoubtedly an extraordinary spiritual treasure.
Jekyeong slowly approached it. Then, he cautiously extended his tongue. The moment the shyly outstretched tip of his tongue brushed against it, a dense wave of spiritual energy surged through his tongue and flooded into his body.
Before Jekyeong could even fully process it, the flow of spiritual energy completed a full circuit through his entire body. Racing unimpeded along his blood vessels and through his bones, the current faltered for a brief moment when it reached a certain point, but it quickly pushed forward as if it were nothing.
Ah!
Only then did Jekyeong realize the transformation occurring within him. At that very moment, a spasm ran through his eye—the one that had remained tightly shut and motionless for so long. Feeling a sudden, intense sensation, Jekyeong gasped and hastily pulled his tongue back.
To him, it felt as though only a second or two had passed since he extended his tongue, yet the semi-transparent jelly had already shrunk to nearly half its original size. Before he could even register any regret, Jekyeong cautiously opened his itching eye.
The eyelid, which had refused to budge no matter how hard he tried—as if locked tight with a heavy padlock—now moved with effortless ease. He had worried that he might still be blind upon opening it, but fortunately, his restored eye was perfectly fine.
Jekyeong blinked for a while, looking around his surroundings. Was seeing with both eyes truly this joyful? To think he only realized this happiness after becoming one-eyed. This must be what they meant by only appreciating what you have once it's gone. It was certainly a profound experience, but...
Once is more than enough for an experience like that.
Having fully savored the joy of regaining his sight, Jekyeong turned his gaze back to the halved Medicinal Water. Though he had been half-doubtful until moments ago, he was now absolutely certain of its identity. How else could it display such a miraculous healing effect if it weren't the legendary Medicinal Water?
Only half of it is left.
Now that the immediate crisis was averted, a trace of greed reared its head. At first, he had thought he wouldn't care about anything else as long as his eye healed. But now that his sight was restored, he felt a lingering covetousness for this mystical spiritual treasure. Healing his eye was wonderful, but did he really need to consume half of the Medicinal Water for it? If only he had snapped out of it sooner and pulled his tongue back...
What a useless thought.
He chuckled at his own absurdity. Having such shallow thoughts didn't mean his heart was exceptionally wicked; it was simply a testament to how incredible a treasure the Medicinal Water truly was. After all, didn't valuable treasures often cloud a person's mind and judgment?
It is certainly a rare spiritual treasure.
Yoo Gyeyoon had mentioned that Medicinal Water was used as an ingredient in various spiritual elixirs. If so, did that mean the elixirs of the human race were even more effective than the raw Medicinal Water itself?
No, that might not necessarily be the case.
Jekyeong thought this because he was still experiencing the effects of the Medicinal Water at this very moment. From what he felt, its efficacy was not limited to mere wound healing. He sensed something far more fundamental—a sort of constitutional improvement.
After the Medicinal Water entered his body and washed through him with a refreshing coolness, Jekyeong felt that his physical form had improved in every aspect. Intrigued by this development, he turned his awareness inward to examine his body. The first change that caught his attention was the incredibly smooth flow of his vital energy.
Jekyeong had never previously thought there was any issue with his vital energy, but experiencing this change made him realize otherwise. If his previous flow felt like rattling along a bumpy, unpaved road, the current flow felt like speeding down a wide-open, smoothly paved highway without a single worry. It was faster, more powerful, and at the same time, remarkably stable.
Such a transformation could not be achieved through simple wound healing. Jekyeong viewed this as a fundamental refinement. It healed the microscopic, unnoticed injuries accumulated over time and corrected internal imbalances, restoring his body to a state of perfect wholeness. In some ways, it shared similarities with molting, but the Medicinal Water's effects were far more focused on pure restoration.
Having a treasure like this is practically equivalent to having an extra life.
Had that catfish bastard known about the existence of this Medicinal Water? Since he had held the entire river in the palm of his hand, he likely knew of it, but probably never had a reason to use it. This treasure was like a spare life, and precisely because of that, one should never use it unless they were on the very brink of death.
Perhaps he thought of this place just before his breath was cut short.
If so, he must have died harboring immense resentment. To perish despite possessing a treasure that could save his life... The problem is, this isn't just someone else's story.
The halved Medicinal Water still hung suspended in its original spot, as if held by an invisible vessel. Jekyeong pondered how he might transport it, but he couldn't think of a suitable method.
If it were that easy, the catfish would have moved it long ago.
He might find a way in the future, but for now, he had to take comfort in the fact that the Medicinal Water was located in such a place. Tucked away in a spot so difficult to discover and even harder to access, he wouldn't have to worry about other beasts or demon beasts stumbling upon it.
Even so, leaving it completely unattended doesn't sit well with me.
The first thought that crossed his mind was to build a nest right here in this cave, directly in front of the Medicinal Water. Although he couldn't reside here permanently, simply establishing a nest and leaving his scent and traces would be enough to keep most beasts from ever daring to approach, securing the safety of the Medicinal Water to some extent.
However, the issue with this plan was that this place was situated far too deep. He wouldn't be able to hear Cheongo calling from above the water, meaning he wouldn't be able to respond properly if an emergency arose.
I cannot stay here.
Jekyeong felt a deep sense of regret. The Medicinal Water was one thing, but because it naturally drew in the surrounding spiritual energy, the concentration of energy near it was denser than anywhere else in the river. Even without doing anything special, simply staying here would yield significant benefits...
What can't be helped, can't be helped. No use lingering on regrets.
He decided to look on the bright side. Though it couldn't compare to the immediate vicinity of the Medicinal Water, this entire river was now a spiritual territory. He had gained the advantages of a blessed land—a luxury he could never have enjoyed before. This alone was a massive gain.
I should at least take some temporary measures.
Retracing his steps, Jekyeong moved several large boulders to block the path leading to the cave of the Medicinal Water. It was a simple camouflage, but it would be more than enough to deter any lost beasts from wandering in.
If obtaining the Medicinal Water and healing his eye was the first blessing, then claiming this spiritual river—the Spiritual Spring—was the second. Ever since his birth, he had wandered from place to place, constantly steeped in anxiety. Now, at long last, he had escaped the life of a homeless drifter and secured a proper stronghold of his own.
It was an occasion that warranted celebration, yet Jekyeong did not feel particularly jubilant. Of course, if asked whether he was happy, he would naturally say yes, but his joy was tempered. This was because he was acutely aware of reality.
I cannot be like that catfish.
The catfish demon beast, the former master of this Spiritual Spring, possessed an innate sensory ability that allowed him to manage the entire river single-handedly without any shortcomings. That was not an ability a mere demon beast who hadn't even become a Great Yo-beast should possess. It was a literal birthright, an innate talent that the current Jekyeong could not hope to replicate.
The catfish probably never allowed other demon beasts to set foot in the Spiritual Spring. And he had the power to enforce that. The moment any bastard poked their head in, he would sense it immediately and rush over. His combat prowess underwater was also far too formidable for ordinary demon beasts to match.
That creature possessed not only ability but also a certain prestige. This Spiritual Spring had long been recognized as his territory by the surrounding demon beasts and monsters. That was likely the result of him spending years proclaiming, "This Spiritual Spring is mine!" But could Jekyeong, who had inherited his position, inherit those results just as easily?
Of course not.
If demon beasts, monsters, and all the other lowlifes were that reasonable, the human race's perception of the Beast Race wouldn't be so abysmal. Jekyeong anticipated that he would soon face numerous challenges. Since he had taken over the catfish's position, this was unavoidable.
In my heart, I'd love to tell them to bring it on... but realistically, it will be difficult.
He had killed the catfish, the former master of this spiritual land, and consumed its flesh and blood. On top of that, he had found the Medicinal Water and healed his eye. Jekyeong's confidence was higher than ever before. Yet, he did not let that confidence turn him into a fool. Confidence was confidence, but reality was reality. And the reality was that he could not operate like the catfish. He lacked the catfish's unique sensory ability and established prestige.
Of course, there was no need to shrink back in fear either. No matter what methods he had used, he had ultimately defeated the catfish. The challengers who would soon swarm in were either those who had been defeated by the catfish in the past or those who had tucked their tails in fear. There was no need for arrogance, nor was there any need for dread. He simply needed to remain cautious.
A massive storm is about to brew.
Let alone the masters of other spiritual lands, even the seemingly pathetic drifters were not to be underestimated. The mere fact that they had survived this endless struggle for existence was proof of their strength. Now that he had left the remote, neglected swamp and claimed ownership of a spiritual land, Jekyeong had to present himself to all those formidable competitors. If he appeared weak, he would be torn apart; if he appeared strong, he would earn their respect.
I look forward to it.
Anticipating the coming chaos, Jekyeong's eyes shone brighter than ever. He had previously adapted to life as a beast, and now he had fully acclimated to life as a demon beast. Killing enemies and consuming them to nourish himself—some might look down on this method as barbaric, but it was both wild nature and a legitimate path of cultivation.
It was a primordial path that had existed long before the traditions of the human race were ever established, stretching back to an unimaginably ancient era. Perhaps it was the very first path of the world. A method of cultivation that had continued without a single interruption ever since life and competition first came into being. Jekyeong had walked this path ever since he was born into this world, and only now did he truly comprehend it.
Cultivation was the act of building oneself up. There was no disagreement on this point, but how was one to build themselves? Was one to meditate and seek enlightenment for hundreds or thousands of years, only to soar into the heavens in a single, sudden moment? It was highly idealistic, but ideals were ideals precisely because they were detached from reality. Therefore, those who lived in reality had no choice but to follow the ways of reality. It meant acknowledging one's own deficiencies and filling those gaps with something else.
Human cultivators often claimed that the Beast Race was unpredictable, chaotic, and ferocious, but to Jekyeong, that wasn't entirely true. In the end, wasn't everything just a desperate struggle to seize limited opportunities? Humans fought over the harmony of heaven and earth, spiritual treasures, and all sorts of fortuitous encounters. The Beast Race simply threw their very selves into that struggle as well. It was a game of risking one's own flesh and blood to covet the flesh and blood of another.
In the world of Jekyeong's past life, there was a saying: He who succeeds becomes a king; he who fails becomes a bandit. That saying applied quite well to this world as well. If you win, you climb another step; if you lose, you fall into ruin and die. The only problem was that no one knew just how high those steps ascended.
"How is it?"
Emerging above the water, Jekyeong asked Muk-su, who was currently braving the gentle current. Since the creature had gotten along perfectly fine in the barren swamp where living things were scarce, it would likely be alright. Still, it wasn't originally a being that rooted itself underwater, so while a brief stay was fine, remaining here indefinitely might prove to be a burden.
Woo-woo!
It was a rough gesture of affirmation. As if it quite liked the spiritual energy of the Spiritual Spring, its cry sounded somewhat more relaxed and cheerful than usual.
"If any intruders show up, let me know immediately. I'm going to look around the area."
As he had noticed while searching for the Medicinal Water earlier, there were only ordinary fish in the water. This was undoubtedly thanks to the catfish's diligent territorial management. Thus, for the time being, he didn't have to worry about any formidable foes suddenly popping up. For now, at least. Consequently, what Jekyeong intended to do was not a routine patrol, but an exploration—specifically, a treasure hunt.