Encroachment
"Hahaha!" A roaring laugh burst toward the heavens. Jekyeong didn't even realize he was laughing. He was simply drenched in an uncontrollable, overwhelming joy. He had finally set foot upon the path of cultivation. Not a broken, incomplete path that ended abruptly in the dark, but a complete, unbroken road that allowed him to gaze far into the horizon. Of course, a day would come when he would find himself blocked by another wall, sighing in frustration, but even then, he would not despair. Because at this very moment, he had transcended the impossible. Perhaps the greatest harvest he had reaped this time was not the single spark that illuminated his spiritual nature, but the experience itself. He had realized that the limits imposed by heaven—the absurd reality of his existence—were not an insurmountable wall. This grand realization would serve as a beacon, eternally illuminating the path he would walk from this day forward.
After successfully planting his Spirit Seed, Jekyeong developed a new hobby. Strictly speaking, it was cultivation, but because he derived a pleasure from it that went far beyond a mere sense of achievement, he chose to think of it as a hobby. This new hobby was none other than introspection. Though he had practiced introspection in his spare time before, his current dedication was incomparable. To put it in perspective, he now spent far more time with his eyes closed than open. He focused entirely on the tiny spark that warmly illuminated his spiritual nature. At first, even though he knew it was highly unlikely, he had worried that this little flame might suddenly sputter out. But now, his thoughts were occupied with how to nurture and grow this little fellow.
'It's absorbing spiritual energy bit by bit, but this isn't enough. It's like waiting for occasional raindrops to fill a basin.'
Furthermore, an unexpected problem had arisen. The environment of the Spiritual Spring, which he had previously found so serene and comfortable, was actually suppressing the growth of his spark. This was because the Spirit Seed Jekyeong had planted was a flame derived from a Fire Crystal. It was only natural for a tiny spark to be affected in an underwater environment overflowing with water-attribute energy. Fortunately, because this spark was not ordinary spiritual energy but a Spirit Seed refined by his own hands, it was not in any real danger of being extinguished by the water energy. However, it was inevitable that its growth would be severely hindered.
'Should I leave the Spiritual Spring?'
Jekyeong agonized, caught in a dilemma. He had worked so hard to secure this sanctuary; how could he abandon it after staying for so short a time? Giving up this place meant giving up the relatively easy prey he could hunt here, as well as the Medicinal Water he could use in an emergency. Was it worth abandoning all of this just to grow a Spirit Seed—which was currently of no practical use—a little faster?
'Even if I do leave someday... now is not the time.'
The Spirit Seed, in its form of a tiny spark, was still growing. Though its progress was as agonizingly slow as a half-asleep tortoise crawling along, it was nonetheless steadily increasing in size. For now, that was enough.
'It's so hot.'
And there was another, perhaps decisive, reason why he did not want to leave the Spiritual Spring just yet. It was the heat, which felt as though he were being baked dry under a scorching midsummer sun. It was only bearable because he was resting on the cool riverbed; if he ventured out of the water, it wouldn't be long before he was panting with his tongue hanging out. Therefore, even if he found a way to transport the Medicinal Water and didn't have to worry about finding prey on land, he had no intention of leaving the Spiritual Spring until he could resolve this heat issue.
'I just can't get used to this.'
The reason Jekyeong was suffering from the heat was that his own body had become incredibly hot. To exaggerate only slightly, it felt as though his entire physical form had turned into a ball of fire. Even when he lay perfectly still and just breathed, the water around him would soon turn into a boiling bath, and any clueless fish lingering nearby would be cooked alive, their eyes rolling back. If it had ended there, it would have been annoying but manageable. The real problem was that this change was beginning to affect his hunting.
Because of the intense heat radiating from his body, approaching prey had become incredibly difficult. He had to use his Presence-Concealing Technique at full power every single time to suppress his aura. Ironically, this constant exertion had pushed his already high mastery of the Presence-Concealing Technique to even greater heights.
'Learning the Presence-Concealing Technique was truly an excellent choice.'
This technique, which senior cultivators dismissed as a mere parlor trick, was serving as his primary livelihood—just as much as, if not more than, his strongest asset: his massive, sturdy body.
Snap! A fish Yo-beast, its torso clamped firmly in his jaws, thrashed in sheer terror. But its desperate struggles meant absolutely nothing to Jekyeong. This aquatic beast was a mundane fish Yo-beast with no special bloodline or unique traits, and its size compared to him was like a mere minnow.
Thud! A single whip of his tail to its head, followed by a couple of sharp shakes of his clamped jaws, and it was over. Jekyeong adjusted his grip on the limp creature and swam toward the surface.
Woo-woo— Muk-su, who was stretching its long roots in its usual spot, hummed in greeting. However, unlike before, its attitude toward him was noticeably more cautious. This was due to the fiery energy contained within his Spirit Seed.
"Here."
Jekyeong tossed the freshly hunted fish Yo-beast to Muk-su. In response, Muk-su extended a branch to catch it, plucked two ripe Spiritual Fruits, and offered them to Jekyeong. This was a trade they had established not long ago. Jekyeong had proposed it first after accidentally discovering that Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits helped nurture his Spirit Seed, and Muk-su had readily agreed. After all, those Spiritual Fruits were normally used to lure Yo-beasts and wild animals anyway. Since it didn't have to hunt on its own and could simply exchange them for Yo-beasts while staying still, Muk-su had no reason to refuse.
Woo-woo— Making a pleased sound, Muk-su wrapped two of its roots tightly around the fish Yo-beast. The blood flowing from the prey's wounds changed direction, beginning to seep into Muk-su's roots. As they absorbed the blood, the roots swelled and contracted repeatedly, looking remarkably like a beating heart. After watching the bizarre spectacle with mild interest for a moment, Jekyeong swallowed the two Spiritual Fruits in a single bite.
Gulp! The effect of the Spiritual Fruits was instantaneous. The single spark of his Spirit Seed flickered precariously as if about to go out, but it quickly stabilized. To an outsider, it might have looked like a dangerous moment, but as the master of the Spirit Seed, Jekyeong could feel that the seemingly endangered spark had actually become purer. Though Jekyeong did not fully understand what it meant for a Spirit Seed to become purer, he could instinctively tell it was a positive change.
'What a fascinating creature.'
Jekyeong looked back and forth between the now-shriveled fish Yo-beast and the satisfied-looking Muk-su, marveling inwardly. He had eaten Muk-su's Spiritual Fruits before, but he had never felt this kind of effect back then. Was it because of his Spirit Seed? That was certainly part of it, but Muk-su's own growth played a significant role as well. Even Cheongo, who frequently snatched and ate Spiritual Fruits from Muk-su whenever bored, had mentioned that the fruits tasted much better than before.
'If this fellow grows even more and reaches a higher realm, it might actually bear a true spiritual treasure one day.'
Whether such a day would ever come, and if so, when, was entirely unknown. But Jekyeong was certain of one thing: if that day ever arrived, this easygoing tree would stir up a massive storm in the world.
Jekyeong considered himself a lucky fellow. The days when he had to struggle desperately just to survive day by day had certainly been difficult, but looking back, that period had not lasted very long. He felt that in the future, when he reminisced about those times, he would view them as nothing more than a brief, fleeting moment. The hard times had already passed, and he was now able to leisurely focus on his cultivation in an ideal environment. Unlike the... rather pitiful seniors sitting before him.
"I can't even remember the last time I was able to properly focus on my cultivation," Yeo Janggyeong lamented with a heavy sigh.
"But isn't all this hardship building up your contribution points?" Choi Ju-tang consoled Yeo Janggyeong with words that sounded half like comfort and half like a jab. "You'll be able to exchange them for cultivation resources from your sect later on. Just think of it as preparing for your future."
As a rogue cultivator, Choi Ju-tang stood in stark contrast to Yeo Janggyeong, a sect cultivator. Consequently, they envied each other's circumstances while simultaneously pitying them. A rogue cultivator possessed freedom but lacked backing, forcing them to tread with extreme caution at every step. A sect cultivator possessed backing but lacked freedom, bound to move at the sect's command even if it went against their wishes. It was difficult for anyone to judge which path was superior, but the two of them would occasionally complain about their respective plights like this.
Listening to their laments, Jekyeong realized that life in the Human Territory was also incredibly harsh. Resources were scarce while cultivators were abundant, leading to endless schemes and struggles. When he had previously heard Choi Ju-tang's story about almost dying at the hands of a bandit cultivator, Jekyeong had thought that the brutality of the cultivation world within the Human Territory was in no way inferior to the wild wilderness outside.
'But who knows? Maybe the truth is the exact opposite.'
Jekyeong respected and honored these senior cultivators, but that was strictly within the confines of Bul-mang-won. Here, they were kind seniors and mentors. But outside in the Changram Realm? Who could say? Those who appeared completely harmless and virtuous here might be ruthless villains who murdered and plundered for treasures on the outside. Choi Ju-tang claimed he had run into a bandit cultivator, but in truth, he might very well be a bandit cultivator himself. Survival as a rogue cultivator was incredibly brutal; was it possible he had never stained his hands with blood? And if he had, could he truly claim that not a single drop of that blood belonged to the innocent? Who could possibly know? Thus, Jekyeong neither easily trusted nor judged them.
Here, he remained an attentive listener and a quiet junior. He listened carefully to his seniors' stories and occasionally asked questions. Although his cultivation level was technically subpar, the three senior cultivators of the Mansi Assembly treated him as a highly promising junior. While they had always been welcoming, their treatment of him had grown even warmer after Jekyeong planted his Spirit Seed. In their eyes, Jekyeong was already a prime candidate for Foundation Establishment—or rather, a Great Yo-beast in the making.
"Junior Jekyeong. It seems you have made progress in your cultivation," U Do-baek said, looking at Jekyeong after quietly observing the banter between Yeo Janggyeong and Choi Ju-tang for a while.
"Yes. I have recently achieved a minor breakthrough," Jekyeong replied. He had been wondering when they would notice, and as expected, U Do-baek was the first. However, seeing how long it had taken him to bring it up, U Do-baek must have been uncertain. After all, a spiritual body was merely a manifestation of one's consciousness. Inferring a change in cultivation realm solely from a spiritual body was no easy task, even for a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"A minor breakthrough? Unless you intend to make your seniors die of shame, you can put away such modesty," Yeo Janggyeong chided.
"Fellow Daoist Yeo is right," Choi Ju-tang added. "By the way, your cultivation speed is remarkably fast. At this rate, won't you become a Great Yo-beast in the blink of an eye?" Both Yeo Janggyeong and Choi Ju-tang could not hide their astonishment. They recalled when Jekyeong had first joined their meetings. When was that? Three years ago? Four years ago? It might have been slightly longer than that, but to them, it felt like a very brief period.
"I certainly hope so... but it is far easier said than done." Jekyeong tactfully trailed off, putting on a bitter expression. It was highly unlikely that these senior cultivators would feel jealous of a lowly Yo-beast junior, but it was always better to err on the side of caution.
'Once I become a Great Yo-beast... I won't have to keep such a low profile anymore.'
According to the stories he had gathered so far, Qi Refining cultivators in the human cultivation world were as common as pebbles on a road. Those who reached the late stage of Qi Refining and knocked on the door of Foundation Establishment were treated as promising talents with decent prospects, but even that did not apply if they were too old. Of course, the case was different for the true geniuses nurtured intensively by powerful sects or clans, but they were a mere handful among countless Qi Refining cultivators and thus not worth comparing. Ultimately, one had to reach the Foundation Establishment stage to be recognized as a true cultivator. Only those who attained this realm received the bare minimum of respect due to a cultivator and were evaluated as proper 'assets.'
Jekyeong figured the world outside the Human Territory was much the same. When he was an ordinary beast, Yo-beasts had seemed like transcendent entities soaring through the heavens. But once he actually became a Yo-beast, he realized they were ultimately just slightly stronger beasts.
'When I first became a Yo-beast, I felt as if I had the entire world in my grasp.'
When he had first awakened as a Yo-beast, he felt as though he had achieved something monumental. He had believed he could survive proudly in the seemingly distant cultivation world, and that a smooth, golden path lay ahead of him. In reality, however, he had only learned that the heavens were far higher than they appeared.
'What about this time?'
How could one know the view from a peak they had never climbed? Still, one thing was certain. Once he became a Great Yo-beast, he would be able to speak with these seniors as equals. Not as a junior, but as a fellow traveler on the same path. And that day—though he had spoken of it just now as if it were in the distant, indefinite future—was actually not very far away.
Today, as usual, Jekyeong was fully absorbed in introspection before the Medicinal Water when he vaguely sensed that it was time. He emerged from his nest. Every time his massive, forty-meter-long body writhed, great waves surged through the water as if a storm had struck. Clueless fish were swept up in the violent currents and knocked unconscious, while the rest fled in sheer terror.