A Name Bestowed and a Palace Built
To establish a stable foothold on Heukgyodo and focus on his cultivation, Gwak Jeong-sin's assistance was essential. And to secure that assistance, he had to successfully establish and maintain a steady trade of Fleshy-Scaled Fish.
Fleshy-Scaled Fish, huh?
Jekyeong gently held the turtle in his massive jaws and glided toward the coordinates of the fish shoals. The turtle had estimated it would take six days, but traveling at Jekyeong's full speed, they arrived in less than one.
"Get lost!"
Jekyeong bared his fangs at the water beasts loitering near the shoals. Even though they clearly sensed his terrifying presence, they merely hesitated, reluctant to retreat. They had set their greedy eyes on the Fleshy-Scaled Fish.
For a split second, Jekyeong contemplated slaughtering them all, but ultimately decided against it. Just as human population was a resource, these beasts were a resource in their own right. They were simply a bit harder to utilize.
"Turtle."
"Yes, Lord Dragon!"
"Select a few capable ones from among those we used this time. You will lead them yourself and guard these shoals. You understand what I mean, yes?"
"Of course, my Lord!"
The turtle seemed deeply moved just by being entrusted with such a heavy responsibility again, but Jekyeong had no intention of merely exploiting his labor. He firmly believed there was no such thing as unconditional loyalty in this world—whether from humans or demon beasts.
"It would be good for you to have a name. I cannot keep calling you 'Turtle' forever."
"A... name?"
Startled, the turtle blinked. He fell silent, lost in thought, before slowly raising his head with a face filled with quiet anticipation.
"That sounds wonderful, but... I do not know what kind of name would suit me."
Jekyeong saw right through him. The turtle wasn't even trying to hide his excitement, his eyes practically sparkling.
"How about Hyeongu?"
"Hyeongu..."
The turtle repeated the name a few times, his face lighting up with sheer joy.
"Thank you, Lord Dragon! It is a truly magnificent name! Please, call me Hyeongu from now on."
Jekyeong had done very little. He had merely bestowed a simple name. However, the value of a gift is determined by the recipient, not the giver. For Hyeongu, receiving a name from the Lord Dragon he revered so deeply was far more precious than dozens of human cultivator corpses.
"Leave it to me, my Lord! I will guard them thoroughly so that no wretched pest dares to lay a finger on the Fleshy-Scaled Fish!"
Overflowing with more motivation than ever before, the newly named Hyeongu immediately gathered the cleverest water beasts under his command and began patrolling the shoals.
Harvesting the Fleshy-Scaled Fish proved to be a simple task. All Hyeongu and his subordinate water beasts had to do was herd them toward the surface. Of course, herding them was only half the battle. Once the fish were gathered, someone had to cast the nets.
"Cast them!"
The role of the fishermen fell to the residents of Three Frogs Island. Through Han Cheongyu, Jekyeong had hired a portion of the island's population to serve as his labor force.
When they first heard the proposal, the islanders had been paralyzed with fear. However, coaxed by Han Cheongyu's persuasion, they ultimately agreed to the short-term employment. Well, truth be told, they didn't have much of a choice. What other option did they have but to obey the Great Demon who had single-handedly annihilated the Black Flood Dragon Gang?
At any rate, the harvest went incredibly smoothly. With just a few casts of the nets, they caught more than enough to satisfy Gwak Jeong-sin's demands.
"Hahaha! Splendid!"
Gwak Jeong-sin laughed with satisfaction as he inspected the haul and paid the agreed price. It was a whopping thirty mid-grade spirit stones. While it was a substantial profit for a single transaction, it wasn't an astronomical sum that would make one's eyes pop. Still, Jekyeong was satisfied. Since the trade of Fleshy-Scaled Fish would continue regularly, he would have a steady stream of income. Besides, he had no immediate use for the spirit stones anyway.
What I need to obtain most urgently right now is a cultivation technique.
To begin his cultivation in earnest, he needed a proper, high-quality technique. He couldn't rely on the basic Heat-Absorbing Technique forever. Naturally, the technique that would guide his future path had to be top-tier, and currently, the only viable channel to acquire one was through the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance.
But...
No, not them.
He couldn't use Gwak Jeong-sin or the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance for this. He could source other things from them, but absolutely not a cultivation technique. He had already struggled to concoct a plausible excuse just to obtain a basic technique last time. If he requested another one now, it would undoubtedly arouse suspicion. Jekyeong was unwilling to take such a risk.
Damn it. Should I have kept the leader of the Black Flood Dragon Gang alive, or at least killed him more gently?
Jekyeong had interrogated the gang members to see if Gong Byeok-un had hidden any treasures, and in doing so, he had accidentally discovered that the technique Gong Byeok-un practiced was a human transformation technique. The sheer regret and bitterness he felt upon learning this was immense.
I will never blindly swallow my prey again.
Snapping and devouring his targets the moment an opportunity arose was a habit ingrained in him from his time surviving as a mere beast and a low-level demon. While it had been a useful instinct back then, now... it wasn't necessarily bad, but it had become rather inconvenient.
Actually, there's no need to stress over this so much. The issue of a cultivation technique will naturally resolve itself once my Transformation Art improves.
If his Transformation Art advanced to the point where he could seamlessly blend into human society, he could simply go out and search for a technique himself. Even if he avoided the Great City due to the potential presence of late Foundation Establishment or even Gold Core cultivators, he could still visit the various smaller market towns scattered across the region. He had heard that decent-sized auctions were held in those places periodically, making it relatively easy to acquire a technique. If he was exceptionally lucky, he might even get his hands on a high-grade Foundation Establishment technique.
Yes. Let's not rush.
While he needed to value his time, he must not let himself be chased by it. Just as humans could not live like mayflies, he, as a demon cultivator, could not live with the frantic desperation of human cultivators who clung to their fleeting centuries.
Once he organized his thoughts, his mindset shifted, and with that shift, his perception of his surroundings changed. The gentle, rolling waves of Yangseo Lake, for instance, suddenly looked different.
How pleasant.
A cool breeze brushed against his skin, gently swaying his hair. Jekyeong habitually raised his gourd toward his mouth, only to lower it again. The irritation that had been slowly bubbling up inside him had been swept away by the passing wind.
This is surprisingly effective.
Cultivation was influenced by the mind, and the mind was influenced by one's environment. When he cultivated inside that dark, damp cave, there had been nothing to soothe his thoughts. Consequently, without fail, irritation and rage would boil over after a short while. But now was different. The stunning scenery and the refreshing breeze pacified his anger and calmed his mind.
Come to think of it, this very scenery had been his dream in his past life: buying a small, picturesque island, gazing out at the endless horizon, and sipping a sweet drink with a few ice cubes. He had always told himself he would experience it once he made a fortune, and now, that dream had finally come true. Well, even if he lacked a reclining sunbed.
Maybe I should bring a few things here.
Jekyeong looked around, musing on what would make the place more comfortable. A chair or a bed would be nice, and perhaps he could construct a small bathhouse or a hot spring.
I'll take my time thinking about it.
That day, Jekyeong maintained his human form until dawn. While the spirit wine certainly helped, the tranquil atmosphere of the cool waterfront played an even greater role.
The Black Flood Dragon Gang had fallen. A new master had claimed Heukgyodo, and that master was a Black Flood Dragon. While these rumors gradually spread among the humans of Yangseo Lake, they failed to cause any significant waves.
Those with low cultivation and narrow perspectives were simply paralyzed with fear by the terrifying reputation of a Flood Dragon, which stifled any real commotion. Meanwhile, those with high cultivation and broad horizons immediately dismissed the rumors as utter nonsense and paid them no mind.
A Black Flood Dragon? A Gyoryong was not an entity that ignorant fools could speak of so lightly. They were one of the supreme lineages of the beast race, claiming descent from true dragons. Though few in number, each possessed colossal power, with even the weakest among them being at the Yao King realm. Would such a majestic being ever nest in a small lake like this, and in a mere spiritual territory without even a proper spiritual vein? Thus, the rumors surrounding Heukgyodo were dismissed as nothing more than a laughable, absurd joke.
Gwak Jeong-sin had fully anticipated this reaction, which was precisely why he actively fanned the rumors of a Flood Dragon residing on Heukgyodo. It was a calculated move to deter reckless, low-level pests from snooping around the island. Thanks to Gwak Jeong-sin's deliberate maneuvering, Jekyeong was able to settle into his new home without any disturbance.
"Jekyeong! Jekyeong! The humans are coming!"
Resting in the ruins at the center of the island, Jekyeong opened his eyes at Cheongo's distant cry.
They're fast.
Satisfied with their promptness, Jekyeong rose to his feet.
"We pay our respects to the Lord Dragon!"
The humans who had just docked at the harbor bowed deeply toward him. Aside from Han Cheongyu, who stood at the front, their faces were all as pale as corpses.
"Mmh. You have worked hard to get here."
"N-not at all!"
They looked as if they might faint if he spoke even one more word.
"Begin."
"Yes, my Lord!"
They hurriedly gathered their tools and scrambled into action.
Shortly after, a massive stone structure began to rise where the once-grand harbor had stood. It resembled a palace, or perhaps a grand temple. Since Jekyeong had only requested a house to live in, this majestic design had undoubtedly sprung from the imaginations of the Three Frogs Island residents.
Not bad.
Jekyeong didn't possess much vanity, but he didn't dislike grandeur and splendor either. He had no need to worry about money, let alone care about the opinions of others. He simply acted in accordance with his true desires. And in his eyes, the rapidly rising structure looked quite impressive.
Magnificent.
Even to a layman like him, the speed of their construction—accomplished with only basic tools and minor spells, without any machinery—was astonishing.
"Jekyeong! Is that your new house?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to break that one too?"
"What?"
Jekyeong was about to snap back at the ridiculous question when he suddenly remembered his once-cozy cave, which had been riddled with holes due to an unfortunate accident. He smacked his lips.
"That won't happen."
"Okay."
"..."
He felt a bitter aftertaste.
A Strange Guest