What Lies Beyond the Vortex
Although the turtle thought something was strange, he did not dare voice his doubts. Instead, he let out an awkward laugh and scratched his head with a webbed claw. Watching this, Jekyeong smiled inwardly with satisfaction. He has no idea.
His encounter with the turtle was, of course, no mere coincidence. He had tracked the creature down intentionally using the Divine Sense Mark he had left behind previously. This mark was essentially the same as the one Sagaewan had once placed on him. However, compared to Sagaewan's crude method of simply smearing his aura, Jekyeong's technique was far more delicate and refined. Thanks to this, the trace remained intact, albeit faintly, even after a considerable amount of time had passed. Jekyeong had initially worried that this clever turtle might notice the mark and try to erase it, but looking at him now, the creature seemed entirely unaware of its existence. It seemed that having a sharp mind and possessing exceptional Spiritual Perception were two entirely different matters.
"It is good that we crossed paths. There is something I need your assistance with."
"If this humble one can be of any service to the Lord Dragon, it would be my greatest honor."
Despite his smooth, flowing words, there was a subtle tremor in his voice, as if he were desperately holding back tears. Ignoring the turtle's emotional distress, Jekyeong asked if there was a particularly deep area nearby.
"A deep area?"
The turtle blinked, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected question. Realizing that a more detailed explanation was necessary, Jekyeong vaguely rephrased his intentions, speaking in roundabout terms. The turtle, who had been staring blankly at first, suddenly brightened as comprehension dawned on him.
"Ah! Are you perhaps searching for unclaimed treasures of the deep, Lord Dragon?"
"You could say that."
Having his true intentions pierced so accurately, Jekyeong replied calmly, as if conceding that the turtle wasn't entirely wrong.
"Mmm." The turtle, who had asked triumphantly only to receive a lukewarm response, flinched slightly before cautiously continuing. "Indeed, since the deep waters are out of reach for those of the Human Race, there should be quite a few decent items down there. However, such depths often harbor violent whirlpools, and occasionally, humans venture down to salvage treasures that have drifted along the currents."
"Humans?"
Jekyeong didn't care about whirlpools, but humans were a different story. When Jekyeong questioned him in a slightly sharp tone, the turtle shrank, pulling his head halfway into his shell before slowly peeking back out to answer in a timid whisper.
"Ahem! Yes. However, they aren't affiliated with any major Sect; they are mostly water bandits. Sometimes they fight and kill other humans. When that happens, some of the Beast Race follow them quietly from beneath the water. If a battle breaks out, the corpses of human cultivators occasionally sink into the depths, you see."
"Oh?"
Hearing that they were merely unaffiliated water bandits eased Jekyeong's wariness. At the same time, his curiosity was piqued. Previously, he had cut the turtle off, thinking his explanations were too tedious and long-winded, but who would have thought the creature harbored such interesting tales?
"Is there such a place nearby?"
"There is."
"Lead the way."
"Understood!"
Jekyeong moved slowly, trailing behind the somewhat dejected-looking turtle. The turtle seemed to be swimming as fast as his legs could carry him, but to Jekyeong, his pace was agonizingly slow. Realizing that a journey that should take an hour would drag on for five at this rate, Jekyeong gently clamped his jaws around the turtle's shell.
"Argh?! Lord Dragon! Lord Dragon, spare me! I am tough and don't taste very good—!"
His eyes rolling back in sheer terror, the turtle thrashed his limbs wildly and shrieked.
"I am not going to eat you. Your pace is simply too frustrating, so just point the way."
"Pardon? Ah, yes!"
Instantly pacified by the assurance that he wasn't on the menu, the turtle raised a webbed claw and pointed. His claw trembled constantly as if seized by minor spasms, causing their trajectory to drift slightly from time to time, but they still traveled incomparably faster than when the turtle was leading on foot.
As they neared the destination described by the turtle, Jekyeong's Spiritual Consciousness picked up a group of cultivators. A group of at least twenty cultivators was aboard a modestly sized vessel. Human cultivators. Are these the water bandits the turtle mentioned? Jekyeong's eyes narrowed.
As the distance closed a bit further, Jekyeong instantly gauged the cultivation levels of the twenty-odd bandits. Six at the early Qi Condensation stage, fifteen at the mid stage, and two at the late stage? While Jekyeong pondered, several of them dove into the water. Judging by the aura they exuded, they seemed to have mastered basic cultivation techniques. Though not as agile as native Water Beasts, they moved through the water with practiced ease. However, perhaps wary of the surrounding Water Beasts, they did not venture far from their boat. They would search the depths for brief moments, only to retreat to the vessel the moment a beast drew near.
"Lord Dragon?"
The turtle looked at him in confusion as Jekyeong, who had been moving at a dizzying speed, abruptly came to a halt.
"There are humans ahead."
"Ah, it must be those water bandits."
The turtle did not doubt Jekyeong's words for a second. In his mind, a Gyoryong was a being of unfathomable power, even if not entirely omnipotent. It was only natural that such a creature could see what he could not see and sense what he could not sense.
"Lord Dragon, are you going to wipe those humans out?"
The turtle asked, doing his best to suppress his anticipation. A small, selfish hope lingered within him—if the Lord Dragon slaughtered the bandits, perhaps a corpse or two might fall to him as scraps. After all, a few low-level human cultivators wouldn't even be worth the Lord Dragon's time to consume.
What should I do? Jekyeong weighed his options. While these bandits didn't seem to have any powerful backing, one could never be too sure in this world. Furthermore, his original objective was to search for treasures hidden in the depths of the lake, not to hunt humans. Of course, he wouldn't turn down extra profit, but if it ended up stirring up unnecessary trouble...
"Forget it."
"Understood."
The turtle hid his disappointment. He was a master of knowing his place, instinctively understanding when to speak and when to keep his mouth shut.
"Lord Dragon, it is that way."
Jekyeong swam continuously in the direction the turtle pointed. Nothing stood in their way. Not only the Water Beasts but even the mindless aquatic creatures instinctively sensed danger and scattered before them. Seeing this, the turtle made a great fuss, singing praises of the 'Lord Dragon's majesty' over and over. Although Jekyeong found the flattery embarrassing at first, it didn't sound too bad after a while, so he simply let the creature babble to his heart's content.
"We have arrived, Lord Dragon."
Where the turtle pointed, a massive whirlpool raged. Even from a distance, the sheer sharpness of the currents was palpable. Blade-like torrents swirled relentlessly, barring any approach. The whirlpool spanned an immense area, creating a visual boundary that looked like a line drawn in the water. A barrier warning and halting any who dared descend further.
Indeed, it is easy to see why no one can easily approach. Let alone the land-dwelling humans, even the Water Beasts who lived in these depths wouldn't dare attempt to pierce such a terrifying vortex.
It is certainly extraordinary. But beyond the whirlpool itself, Jekyeong's gaze penetrated to what lay on the other side. Though the distance was great, Jekyeong could see it clearly. Up to the edge of the vortex's core, the water was identical to where they stood now, but beyond that threshold, everything changed. For one, the water itself was of a deeper, more vibrant azure, brimming with vitality. It was rich enough that one might easily mistake it for a spiritual land at first glance.
"Do you know what lies beyond that whirlpool?"
"Forgive me, Lord Dragon. I have overheard various rumors, but none of them are particularly reliable. Some say it is the scar left by a massive bolt of Heavenly Lightning that once enveloped all of Yangseo Lake. Others claim that the father of the Jansu Whale King is slumbering deep below, and the vortex is merely the breath of his sleep... and, well..."
"That is enough."
Jekyeong approached the whirlpool cautiously, keeping his eyes fixed on it. Once he descended to a certain depth, he began to feel the pull of the vortex. At this distance, the suction was negligible, but it was bound to grow significantly stronger as he went deeper. Still, this much poses no threat to me. Having gauged the strength of the whirlpool, Jekyeong made up his mind and opened his mouth.
"U-Uh? Lord Dragon?"
"Stay inside for a moment."
Ignoring the turtle's panicked voice, Jekyeong swallowed him whole, closed his jaws, and charged straight into the whirlpool.
Rumble—!
The moment the suction intensified to a formidable degree, blade-like currents began to batter Jekyeong's massive frame. Impressive. To him, it was merely a stinging sensation, but the relentless, rapid-fire impacts meant that any ordinary Water Beast swept into this vortex would likely be ground to dust.
"Ugh."
The whirlpool was colossal. It was massive enough to practically divide the lake's depths into upper and lower realms, meaning that even with Jekyeong swimming at full strength, it took a considerable amount of time to break through. This meant he had to endure the constant battering the entire way. By the time he finally neared the exit of the vortex, a low groan escaped his tightly shut jaws. Tsk. This is worse than I expected. Earlier, he had thought an ordinary Water Beast wouldn't survive. He took that back. Even an extraordinary one would be shredded into mincemeat. Even a Great Demon would scream in agony unless they possessed an exceptionally sturdy physique. The vortex was just that powerful. Not only were the currents fierce, but the vortex also spanned a much wider and deeper area than it appeared from above, making escape incredibly difficult. It was only because of Jekyeong's remarkably resilient body that he got away with nothing more than a faint grunt of discomfort.
"Ugh... Lord Dragon. What happened to me? My head... my head is spinning so much."
The moment Jekyeong opened his mouth and spat him out, the turtle clutched his head, stumbling around in a daze.
"You were shaken up by the whirlpool. You will recover shortly."
Terrifying as the vortex was, the turtle was a Demon Beast, not an ordinary reptile, and he quickly regained his bearings.
"Lord Dragon, is this perhaps..."
"The other side of the whirlpool."
Without telling the turtle to wait, Jekyeong continued his descent. The turtle scrambled to follow him, wisely keeping his mouth shut upon seeing Jekyeong's intense concentration.
There is definitely something down there. It is faint, but I can feel it. But what is this energy? Is it water-attribute Qi? Perhaps due to the influence of the whirlpool, the surrounding terrain was carved into a massive, circular crater. The water-attribute Qi Jekyeong sensed emanated from the deepest recess of this giant pit. Could the whirlpool have been formed by the influence of this internal water Qi? But if so, why was the energy felt here so incredibly faint? I will know once I see it. Surely, it wasn't actually some colossal whale—the father of the Jansu Whale King—snoring down there, was it? Dismissing the absurd thought, Jekyeong pushed his Presence-Concealing Technique to its absolute limit. He then turned to the turtle, who had no such stealth techniques.
"Stay here."
"Yes, Lord Dragon."
The turtle stopped in his tracks without a single complaint. Glancing briefly at the visibly relieved creature, Jekyeong glided rapidly into the depths. As he descended further toward the lakebed, the light faded entirely, and a dense, heavy darkness welcomed him. Save for the water temperature remaining constant, one could easily mistake this place for the abyssal depths of the ocean.
That is...
Jekyeong's eyes easily pierced the gloom, and his Spiritual Perception simultaneously read the energy of what lay before him. Although Spiritual Consciousness was generally superior, Spiritual Perception was far more precise when it came to analyzing the exact nature of an energy source at close range. His Spiritual Perception, honed through countless trials and sharpened even further upon reaching the Great Yao stage, did not fail him. It revealed that the glittering lakebed stretched out before him was composed entirely of ore saturated with water-attribute Qi.
They aren't Spirit Stones. They resemble water crystals, but... no, that's not it either. Having personally seen and consumed a Fire Crystal, Jekyeong could say with absolute certainty: these ores fell short of being true crystals. It felt as though they were incomplete, stopped halfway through their transformation. It would be a hassle to mine them, too.