WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: WeTried Translations
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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈
Chapter 58: Infiltration
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A rebellion broke out on Three Frog Island.
The Black Sect Hall sent a punitive force as soon as it received the news, but the campaign unexpectedly failed. Only a handful barely returned alive to report that a Beast Tide had occurred.
The Black Sect Hall was thrown into chaos.
A Beast Tide? No one in the Black Sect Hall, including Hall Master Gong Byeok-un, had ever experienced such a calamity.
A Beast Tide had never occurred in the entire history of Yangseo Lake. To them, it was little more than a legend from the Cultivation World.
Gong Byeok-un, the Hall Master of the Black Sect Hall, frowned as soon as he heard the report.
“A Beast Tide?”
He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had lived for over three hundred years. He had abundant experience and had heard many stories.
He knew what a Beast Tide was.
“A Beast Tide? Ridiculous.”
That was why he shook his head and dismissed his subordinates' report.
A Beast Tide was a disaster that threatened not just one city, but an entire region. Such calamities never arose without cause, nor could they occur just anywhere.
Yangseo Lake was certainly a large lake, but not large enough for a Beast Tide to occur.
A Beast Tide appearing in a place like this was like a tsunami rising in a teacup.
‘Even if it isn't a Beast Tide, something unusual must have happened.’
At first, he had not considered the matter important.
One island that had shown rebellious tendencies for some time had finally raised its banner, so he sent troops to suppress it. It was the sort of minor incident that happened from time to time.
He had expected this one to end without trouble as well, but Water Demons had unexpectedly caused a commotion.
‘It isn't a Beast Tide. Then what is it?’
Most Demon Beasts were stupid, and Water Demons were especially so.
Judging by their behavior alone, they were no different from ordinary beasts. Yet creatures like that had acted as a group?
There had to be some extraordinary reason.
‘Someone is controlling them, or they were drawn in by something.’
The first possibility suggested a Great Demon Beast.
The Demon Race was skilled at commanding those beneath them, so if some Great Demon Beast was pulling strings, this incident could be explained well enough.
Yet Gong Byeok-un dismissed that possibility.
‘This isn't how a Great Demon Beast acts.’
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had lived for more than three hundred years, Gong Byeok-un had seen several Great Demon Beasts. He had even fought them.
That was why he knew them well.
Every Great Demon Beast he had seen had been incomparably fierce.
Testing the waters by poking at someone like this was not their way. At least, Gong Byeok-un could not imagine a Great Demon Beast acting with such cunning.
It was the typical mindset of believing that only what one had seen was true, but Gong Byeok-un did not think there was anything wrong with it.
After all, he had always been right. Or rather, he had been right for a long time. At least for the past seventy years, he had never been wrong.
‘Then... has something appeared?’
Gong Byeok-un's eyes, lost in thought, gleamed with certainty.
He suspected that some spiritual treasure had appeared near Three Frog Island. Perhaps its Aura had drawn in the nearby Water Demons, and his subordinates had been unlucky enough to get caught up in it.
Yes. That had to be it.
Thinking about it, such things happened from time to time.
He had never seen one himself and had only heard stories, but incidents like this had occasionally occurred on Yangseo Lake before. Bloodshed erupting because of a spiritual treasure that had suddenly appeared.
‘What a nuisance.’
Gong Byeok-un frowned, now ninety, no, eighty percent certain that a spiritual treasure had appeared.
In the past, he would have immediately risen from his seat and headed for Three Frog Island. Now, though, it only seemed troublesome.
They said the birth of a spiritual treasure came from the harmony of heaven and earth, but even that harmony had its limits.
No, perhaps it was better described as a kind of plausibility.
Put simply, a spiritual treasure born in a place that was neither a Spiritual Vein nor even a Spiritual Land could not be anything remarkable.
Of course, a spiritual treasure was still a spiritual treasure, so it would be valuable to some extent. But it was not enough to interest Gong Byeok-un.
That was not because his cultivation was high enough to look down on such treasures. It was because his heart for seeking the Dao had long since faded.
Unless it was a spiritual treasure that could raise him directly to the Golden Core Realm or greatly extend his lifespan, Gong Byeok-un had no interest in any spiritual treasure.
A Cultivation Treasure? Even if he somehow obtained one and reached late Foundation Establishment, it would only extend his lifespan by ten years, twenty at most.
He would not refuse one if it were freely given, but he had no desire to brave danger for it.
‘I've grown old. So old.’
Gong Byeok-un gave a bitter smile as he reflected on his True Heart, which had become far too weak for a cultivator.
But this was reality.
He was too old.
His Qi and Blood had declined, and his Spiritual Essence was drying up. By his own estimation, his body was in worse condition than when he had first entered the Foundation Establishment Stage long ago.
What he could do, and what he needed to do, was not gamble on uncertain adventures but preserve what he already had.
“Ha...”
Gong Byeok-un let out a long sigh, then frowned.
The doors of the great hall suddenly flew open, and a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties rushed inside with an excited expression.
“Father! Have you heard?! They say a Beast Tide has occurred!”
“Stop acting so rashly! You are the Young Hall Master. Carry yourself with dignity and authority!”
The man flinched at Gong Byeok-un's shout and lowered his head.
Even so, his lips kept moving, as though he had much to say.
“Haven't I told you time and again? Whenever you hear something for the first time, doubt it first.”
Gong Byeok-un's sharp gaze turned toward the man, but the emotion in it was not anger or irritation. It was regret.
“Look at you now. If you were the Hall Master, would you have abandoned Black Shark Island and fled the moment you heard a Beast Tide had occurred?”
The man quickly raised his head.
“Then... are you saying this isn't a Beast Tide?”
“If it truly were a Beast Tide, we would already be in the Demon Race's stomachs by now.”
The man's expression brightened.
Gong Byeok-un looked displeased by that swift change in expression. After giving him several instructions, he sent him away.
“Phew...”
Once he was alone, Gong Byeok-un's complexion visibly worsened.
This was nothing new.
Whenever he saw his son's inadequacy with his own eyes, he felt suffocated and anxious. Now, it even felt as if a stone lay on his chest. That symptom had begun after his son failed to break through to Foundation Establishment for the second time.
‘That damned fool!’
Gong Byeok-un simmered with anger as he thought of his son, who had just left.
Objectively speaking, his son was lacking.
Not only did he lack talent as a cultivator, he also lacked the qualities expected of a person. If Gong Byeok-un thought rationally, passing the position of Hall Master of the Black Sect Hall to him would clearly harm the Black Sect Hall.
But what could he do? That inadequate fool was his only son.
If a father did not pass down the family business he built to his child, who else would he pass it to?
Gong Byeok-un had no other choice.
Fortunately, this was the Cultivation World, a world where strength spoke for everything. As long as one's cultivation was high enough, other shortcomings did not matter.
So he did everything he could to make his son a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
He found good cultivation methods, used resources to raise his son's cultivation, and at last even obtained Foundation Establishment Pills for him to consume.
Two of them, no less!
‘Just once more. One last attempt.’
This would be the last time.
If he failed again... then even if it bankrupted the Black Sect Hall, Gong Byeok-un intended to obtain an Island-Protecting Grand Formation.
‘At least that useless fool has many children.’
If his son could not do it, all he could do was hope one of his grandchildren had talent.
He would protect the island and the Black Sect Hall's business while waiting for the next generation.
To do that, he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, needed to endure for even a little longer.
Without the protection of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Black Sect Hall would not be able to protect its Fleshscale Fish business.
‘Nothing is easy.’
A sigh filled with lament slipped through his tightly closed lips.
* * *
Jegyeong was puzzled by the Black Sect Hall's response, which was so indifferent it bordered on apathy.
Rather than charging out in a rage, they had even pulled their forces far away from Three Frog Island.
‘Could they be frightened?’
He could think of no other reason.
Surely they were not afraid of Three Frog Island's residents. If they were frightened, then the Water Demons must have been the cause...
‘Why?’
Jegyeong could not guess the reason, which put him in a difficult position.
According to his calculations, the Black Sect Hall should have been throwing troops into the area by now, busily suppressing Three Frog Island and the Water Demons.
Only then could he properly whittle down the Black Sect Hall's forces and seize the opening.
‘It can't be helped.’
Things had changed from his original plan, but it was not a major problem.
As long as the whole board was not overturned, he could redraw the picture however he wished.
It was not difficult. Just a little bothersome.
‘It's a shame that turtle doesn't have a talent like Cheongo's.’
The turtle was certainly intelligent, and unlike most Demon Beasts, they could even speak. Unfortunately, their words could only be understood by other members of the Demon Race.
They did not possess Cheongo's ability to communicate regardless of species.
‘This is truly troublesome. Still, if I handle this well, I can focus on cultivation for a while afterward.’
Jegyeong raised his heavy body.
His mind was tired from cultivating until just moments ago, but that was better in a way. Moving through the water was something he could do without thinking.
* * *
Three Frog Island.
Just as before, Jegyeong met Han Cheongyu on a dark night.
“Senior.”
Han Cheongyu bowed at the waist.
Fear that he had failed to completely conceal mingled with that extreme respectfulness.
He knew the senior before him was a member of the Demon Race.
More than that, this senior was a powerful Great Demon Beast who could command hundreds of Water Demons at will. Perhaps he was even stronger than the Hall Master of the Black Sect Hall.
The fear he felt was an instinctive response to the difference in their cultivation realms.
Rationally, Han Cheongyu was grateful to this senior instead.
Of course, Han Cheongyu did not believe this senior had chosen him out of kindness.
He was young and inexperienced, but he was not foolish.
This senior, who had not even told him his name, was clearly using him.
Most likely, he had chosen Han Cheongyu and Three Frog Island as bait to strike at the Black Sect Hall.
Even though he could guess that much, Han Cheongyu did not mind.
No, he welcomed it.
As long as he could see the blood of the Black Sect Hall's water bandits, nothing else mattered.
That was his dream, and this senior was a benefactor who had helped make at least part of that dream come true.
Whether this senior belonged to the Human Race or Demon Race, whatever schemes he held within, Han Cheongyu did not care in the slightest.
“Because of the resolve you showed that day, Three Frog Island is free.”
Jegyeong spoke as he looked into Han Cheongyu's unwavering eyes.
Han Cheongyu's body trembled, but he did not avert his gaze.
“...But at the same time, it has become endangered. Why do you think that is?”
“Because of those Black Sect Hall bastards. Because they are still standing...”
“That's right. So we need to get rid of them.”
Han Cheongyu's face flushed at those words.
His body no longer trembled.
“Now that the spark has been lit successfully, it is time to make the fire grow.”
“The spark...”
Han Cheongyu muttered blankly, then his eyes lit up.
“Do you mean we should bring in the other islands?”
“Yes. Aren't they suffering under the Black Sect Hall's oppression too? Good things should be shared.”
The timing was good as well.
Because of the Water Demons' unrest, the Black Sect Hall's control had weakened. This made it easy to contact the other islands.
“Understood!”
Han Cheongyu did not think deeply about it.
All that mattered to him was that bringing in the other islands would let them strike the Black Sect Hall.
“Good.”
Satisfied, Jegyeong withdrew.
He did not give Han Cheongyu detailed instructions.
Judging by how he had handled things before, this boy was remarkably good at adapting for someone his age. He had taken the most difficult first step so well that he should have no trouble with something like this.
Not long afterward, Jegyeong's expectations were fulfilled splendidly.
The spark that had arisen on Three Frog Island spread across the water.
One by one, islands that had suffered under the Black Sect Hall's brutal rule began to rise up.
At that point, even the Black Sect Hall could no longer endure it and began to act.
They had temporarily set aside the matter of Three Frog Island because of the Water Demons' strange behavior, but this was different.
If they did not extinguish the sparks of rebellion early, people would begin to question the Black Sect Hall's rule.
“Suppress them thoroughly!”
At the Hall Master's stern command, dozens of ships carrying several thousand people immediately departed from Black Shark Island.
Such prestige and influence clearly proved who ruled the waters around Black Shark Island.
“Impressive.”
Jegyeong could not help admiring the dozens of departing ships and the thousands of cultivators aboard them.
“Of course it is! Those fools who dared rebel without knowing their place will all learn a bitter lesson this time! And we'll get plenty of slaves too.”
A Black Sect Hall member with a grimy appearance nodded smugly.
Then they made a strange expression and sniffed.
“What is that smell?”
They turned toward Jegyeong.
“I think it's coming from you.”
“This scent, perhaps.”
Jegyeong took out a gourd and shook it.
As the scent of Spirit Wine spread, the Black Sect Hall member swallowed as if entranced.
“Want a drink?”
The Black Sect Hall member nodded as though waiting for those exact words, but Jegyeong wore a regretful expression and turned the gourd upside down.
Not a single drop fell from it.
“Sorry, but I drank it all. It was hard to resist.”
“...Can't be helped.”
The Black Sect Hall member felt as though they had been mocked somehow, but for some reason, they could not get angry.
They had a powerful premonition that they should not get angry.
Suddenly feeling uneasy, they turned away as if fleeing from something.
“Ah, by the way...”
At the languid voice from behind, their body stopped with a jolt.
“I need to see the Hall Master. Do you know where he is right now?”
The moment they heard those words, the Black Sect Hall member's body stiffened like stone.
“Y-you...”
They wanted to shout, but no voice came out.
The companions who had filled the area only moments ago, many of whom were still nearby, acted as though the person before them did not exist.
They did not even glance at the Black Sect Hall member, who had frozen so unnaturally.
‘What is this? Is it a dream?’
They wanted to believe it was a terrible nightmare, but the feeling of all the blood in their body turning cold reminded them that this horrific situation was real.
“Where is he?”
At that indifferent question, the Black Sect Hall member rolled their eyes, the only part of their body that could still move, toward the magnificent building at the center of the island.
Footnotes:
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