The Weight of a Name

He had encountered six Great Demons so far, and fortunately, thanks to his appearance resembling a Flood Dragon, no unfortunate incidents had occurred. His diligent efforts had also paid off, allowing him to find a suitable trading partner.

"Very well. Let us go with this. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠How about exchanging this for one human?"

"Only one?"

Jekyeong shook his head firmly at his greedy counterpart. "Do not be greedy. A transaction must be fair."

In the end, the other party accepted Jekyeong's terms. The item was nothing but a nuisance to him anyway, so if he could trade it for a single Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was a profitable deal. "Fine. Follow me."

Jekyeong glanced sideways at the item. It was a spiritual creature resembling a sea cucumber, but within it, a distinct fire energy writhed.

Although he had only obtained a single fire-attribute spiritual item after ten years of anticipation, Jekyeong was satisfied. He had initially prepared himself for the possibility of coming away empty-handed.

Yang-seo-ho was a colossal lake. Since the natural spiritual energy of this region was overwhelmingly biased toward the water attribute, it was naturally difficult for fire-attribute spiritual items to form. Securing even one was a stroke of good fortune.

Aside from the sea cucumber-like spiritual creature, Jekyeong had also acquired a fist-sized bead. It was an item known as the Eye of the Great-Eyed Fish, which possessed the effect of purifying the surrounding spiritual energy.

Since purified spiritual energy was much easier to absorb when practicing cultivation techniques, this item was far more appealing to human cultivators than to the Beast Race. Therefore, Jekyeong planned to see if he could exchange this auxiliary cultivation item for another spiritual item through Gwak Jeong-sin.

This is as good as it gets.

While these two spiritual items were satisfying, what pleased him even more was the fact that he had established contact with the neighboring Great Demons. He had reached out to nearly ten Great Demons for this transaction, and Jekyeong had made an effort to engage in substantial conversations with each of them to show that he was someone who could be reasoned with.

It had not been very difficult. The Great Demons, thoroughly intimidated by their misconception of him as a Flood Dragon, were easily impressed. Simply focusing on the transaction without threatening them was enough to leave a highly positive impression. It was akin to holding a sword but meekly paying the full price for goods.

When someone in a position of overwhelming power—where they had no need to negotiate—went out of their way to conduct a fair trade, the other party would naturally perceive them as trustworthy and free of greed.

Well, it is less about what they think and more about what they desperately want to believe.

Is it not the universal wish of the weak that their powerful neighbor be gentle and benign? Ultimately, because they lacked strength, they had no choice but to pray for the mercy of the strong. In the cultivation world, cultivation was the absolute foundation. Jekyeong knew this truth all too well, which was why raising his cultivation realm was always his highest priority.

The mid-stage of the Great Yao realm. Only when I reach that level can I feel somewhat secure.

Even for human cultivators, who were known for their rapid progress, advancing by a single minor realm usually took decades. One did not have to look far; simply recalling how many years Yeo Janggyeong and Choi Ju-tang had been stuck at the early Foundation Establishment stage made this abundantly clear.

Furthermore, Jekyeong belonged to the Beast Race. By their standards, he had only just stepped into the Great Yao realm, so aiming for the mid-stage already seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream.

Jekyeong knew this himself, yet his resolve did not waver. While gazing at a destination too far ahead was often a recipe for ruin, that did not apply to him. He possessed absolute confidence—confidence that his pursuit of the Dao would never be shaken by a mere excess of ambition.

Just as Jekyeong had anticipated, the Eye of the Great-Eyed Fish was in high demand among humans. The moment Jekyeong produced it, Gwak Jeong-sin's eyes lit up, and he promised to do his utmost to procure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the fire-attribute spiritual item Jekyeong desired.

Sometime later, Gwak Jeong-sin brought a spiritual item called an Erupting Heat Stone. It was a massive boulder about the size of Jekyeong's head, and true to its name, it radiated intense heat. It was hot enough for even Jekyeong to feel a distinct warmth, emitting a heat that rivaled most ordinary flames.

Of course, the crucial part was not the physical heat, but the faint fire energy carried within it. Even at its lowest grade, the Erupting Heat Stone was undeniably a fine item that fell into the category of auxiliary cultivation aids. In terms of rank, it was not far behind the Eye of the Great-Eyed Fish.

While the Eye of the Great-Eyed Fish was superior in terms of versatility, the Erupting Heat Stone could be far more valuable to cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques. Jekyeong was highly satisfied with the trade, and so was Gwak Jeong-sin.

To make proper use of this stone... I should set up a separate space.

Jekyeong constructed a large pond inside his palace. Placing the Erupting Heat Stone in the center of the water, the pond quickly transformed into a hot spring. Jekyeong then assumed his human form through Hwahyeong and submerged himself in the steaming water.

The efficacy of the auxiliary cultivation item was indeed remarkable. It felt as though his cultivation efficiency had increased by thirty percent... though, of course, that was impossible. The important thing was believing it to be so.

To borrow a term from his past life, it was a sort of placebo effect, but in cultivation, the power of such belief played an incomparably greater role. Ultimately, cultivation was deeply intertwined with a cultivator's state of mind.

If a cultivator's mind was unstable, their cultivation would become perilous. Conversely, if their mind was steadfast and tranquil, their cultivation would progress without faltering. If one believed that the Erupting Heat Stone was immensely beneficial, their cultivation would indeed proceed more smoothly. If they believed it was of little help, they would feel nothing more than if they were practicing while wearing a few extra layers of clothing.

While such a difference was not massive, it was not small enough to be ignored either. In truth, Jekyeong did not fully understand this principle. However, because this was his first time cultivating with the aid of such a spiritual item, he genuinely felt that the Erupting Heat Stone was incredibly effective. In a way, his narrow experience had worked to his advantage.

Though it might have been an illusion inflated by his excited state of mind, at this very moment, Jekyeong felt that the mid-stage of the Great Yao realm was within reach. A realm that most of the Beast Race struggled to reach even after one or two centuries felt as though it could be attained in a mere ten years of steady, devoted cultivation.

After continuing his cultivation in the bubbling hot spring for some time, Jekyeong felt his emotions begin to waver and his mind grow hazy. He immediately downed a bottle of Yeongju to steady himself before submerging back into the spring.

Even after the arrival of the first uninvited guests, Seo Muso and Yang Yuwan, several more unwelcome visitors had found their way to Heukgyodo. Fortunately, their strength was within Jekyeong's ability to handle, so he fought back fiercely.

But he was unable to capture or kill all of them. This was primarily due to a lack of means to restrain them. While luring them onto the island and trapping them within a grand formation was effective, it did not work on everyone.

Highly suspicious individuals would not fall for it at all, and if he encountered someone excessively cruel, he could not guarantee the safety of the workers acting as bait. Above all, with the harvest season of the Yeongmi drawing near, Jekyeong was reluctant to fight within the island itself.

By choosing to fight outside the island, he successfully protected the Yeongmi and completed the harvest safely, but at the cost of letting several plunderers escape. There was simply no way to catch those who fled by burning their very Essence Blood.

Yet, letting them escape turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Having barely survived, they spread terrifying rumors about Heukgyodo.

When Jekyeong first heard of this through Gwak Jeong-sin, he worried that powerful figures might descend upon the island out of curiosity upon hearing rumors of a Flood Dragon. Fortunately, no such thing occurred. Ironically, the very fact that survivors existed caused the rumors of a Flood Dragon to be dismissed as mere exaggeration.

After all, if the Demon Beast residing on Heukgyodo were a true Flood Dragon, early Foundation Establishment cultivators who crossed paths with it would never have returned alive.

While he had unintentionally warded off the attention of the truly powerful, mediocre opportunists still could not let go of their greed. They were ignorant, and therefore, brave.

Jekyeong did not fear such people, but he did not welcome them either. While capturing or killing them to obtain their Storage Bags was a nice bonus, growing addicted to such blood-stained windfalls would eventually lead to getting his own tongue cut.

He did not fear two or three early Foundation Establishment cultivators, but what if they came in groups of five or six? Before such an unmanageable situation could arise, Jekyeong leaked a piece of information through Gwak Jeong-sin: his status as a Guest Elder of Gyeongwang Palace.

Just as it was with the Human Race, there was a world of difference between a wandering rogue of the Beast Race and one backed by a massive faction. Furthermore, since Gyeongwang Palace was the sole established power of the Beast Race in Yang-seo-ho, both beasts and humans had no choice but to tread carefully.

Not only sect cultivators and Rogue Cultivators, but even the Bandit Cultivators who pursued profit like beasts driven by instinct hesitated before the name of Gyeongwang Palace. Thus, peace finally returned to Heukgyodo.

Clang! With a thunderous boom, the lid of the alchemy furnace was blown off. At the same time, thick smoke filled with medicinal fragrance blanketed the surroundings.

"Hmm."

Jekyeong carefully examined the contents of the furnace: a dozen intact pills and about twenty crushed or cracked ones.

Tsk. I didn't even save half of them.

A success rate of roughly thirty to forty percent could not be called good, but it was not terrible either. Strictly speaking, it was slightly below average, but it was still enough to pass himself off as an alchemist in a small market town.

However, to truly act as an alchemist, one needed to master at least five or six recipes. Since Jekyeong could only refine three types of pills, he could not yet call himself a true alchemist. At best, he was an experienced apprentice.

What went wrong?

While examining the intact pills, Jekyeong slowly reviewed the entire refinement process—the quantity of herbs, the temperature of the fire, and the timing. This process of retrospection was just as important as the refinement itself.

Hmm.

After taking his time to complete the review, Jekyeong gathered the pills. They were Qi-Nurturing Pills. These were cultivation pills consumed by Qi Refining cultivators and could be considered a local specialty of Yang-seo-ho.

They were primarily consumed by mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, though impoverished late-stage cultivators also used them. However, once a cultivator reached the Foundation Establishment stage, even the poorest Rogue Cultivator would not touch such pills.

This was because if a Foundation Establishment cultivator consumed a pill meant for the Qi Refining stage, the increase in their Dharma Power would be negligible, yet Pill Poison would accumulate in their body just as it did during the lower stage.

Pill Poison was a toxin that gradually accumulated with each pill consumed; the lower the quality and the higher the grade of the pill, the more poison accumulated. Even with top-grade pills, Pill Poison was inevitable, and its accumulation led to various minor and major complications. Therefore, cultivators had to carefully regulate the amount of pills they ingested.

Not bad.

Most of the pills Jekyeong had just refined were of mid-grade quality, with a few high-grade ones mixed in. The lowest grade was considered a failed pill, while low-grade ones were treated as impure pills. Since mid-grade and higher pills could be traded at standard prices anywhere, this was a highly satisfactory result.

I should be able to get at least five hundred low-grade Spirit Stones for these.

Jekyeong placed the medicine bottles containing the pills into his Storage Bag and stepped outside. As he left the alchemy room, the crisp, fresh air brushed against his nose. Having been cooped up in the room for over three days, stepping outside felt as though his body and mind were being thoroughly cleansed.

"Lord Dragon, everything is ready."

Han Cheongyu, who had been waiting outside, bowed respectfully. The boy of the past was nowhere to be seen; in his place stood a stalwart man, radiating a faint wave of spiritual energy comparable to a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

"Very well. Let us go."

Taking a habitual sip of Yeongju, Jekyeong headed toward the dock with Han Cheongyu. At the small dock, which would be cramped with just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠three or four boats, a large vessel flying the flag of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance lay anchored.

"We pay our respects to Lord Dragon!"

The cultivators of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance waiting outside bowed in unison toward Jekyeong. The vessel from Seongam Island's Yeongbu Merchant Alliance was no ordinary ship. It required neither wind nor oars to move.

Just as horses pulled a carriage, giant shark-like spiritual beasts called Shikseongyo pulled the vessel, moving at a speed that rivaled a cultivator traveling at full sprint. Of course, the cultivators in question were those of the Qi Refining stage.

"Um... Lord Dragon."

Yang Yo-hyeon, the captain of the vessel, watched Jekyeong with some anxiety as the latter gazed at the Shikseongyo from the bow. He knew that this pale-faced man was the master of Heukgyodo and the rumored Black Flood Dragon.

Although he believed that the Black Flood Dragon was not a true Flood Dragon and had merely inherited a minuscule trace of dragon blood... he still could not afford to underestimate him. Regardless of his lineage, the man was the master of Heukgyodo, and over the past ten years, his fearsome reputation had spread widely among those in the know.