WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: WeTried Translations
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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈
Chapter 59: Black Shark Island
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At the center of Black Shark Island stood a building grandly named Black Shark Palace.
Jegyeong walked through its majestic, lavish halls. Once he had drawn close to Black Shark Palace, he had been able to locate the Black Sect Hall Master's position.
Black Shark Island was a large island, yet he had found it strange that he could not sense the Aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. After entering Black Shark Palace, he thought he understood why.
‘There seems to be something in this building that blocks Aura.’
He did not know whether it was a Dharma Artifact or an effect of one of the building materials, but it had made him wander around for a while. Fortunately, he had brought plenty of Spirit Wine. Otherwise, he might have had to reveal his true form in the middle of the island.
Still, he had found his way here, and everything had gone smoothly, just as expected.
After reaching the Great Demon Realm, his Qi Concealment Technique had taken another great leap forward. Unless a Qi Refining Stage cultivator had exceptionally sharp Spirit Awareness, they would not notice him even if he passed right in front of them. In many cases, they could not even perceive the existence of whatever he touched.
‘Black Shark Palace.’
Jegyeong strolled leisurely through the grand hall as he considered the building's impressive name. The island was called Black Shark Island, the faction was called Black Sect Hall, and the building where the Hall Master lived was Black Shark Palace.
When he first heard those names, he had not given them much thought. A name was up to the one who gave it. What did it matter how they chose it?
Yet as he walked through this majestic, lavish hall, a question naturally came to mind.
‘Why a jiao instead of a dragon?’
If they were going to name it that, why not choose something more imposing? Why settle for a jiao? A jiao was certainly powerful enough, but dragons were stronger still, with a sacred image to match. Why not use that?
Had they compromised and chosen jiao because they feared others would laugh if they called themselves dragons?
‘Or was it an ambition to become a dragon someday, even if they were only a jiao for now?’
Only the Black Sect Hall Master knew the answer, but if that truly had been the thought behind the name, then at least the ambition deserved praise.
Though in reality, they had stopped at the level of a little snake, never reaching even that of a jiao.
* * *
“Um... Lord Cheongo.”
The turtle looked up at the large crow perched on his head and spoke.
“Should we start soon?”
“Hm? I don't know either.”
What do you mean, you don't know!
The turtle wanted to shout, but held it in.
Cheongo might not be a Great Demon Beast, but they spoke with the Dragon Lord as equals. They surely had some special standing.
“You decide. Jegyeong told you to handle it yourself.”
“Ah, yes. He did. Uh... but if I'm to do that, could you get off my head first...?”
“Hm? Why? It's comfortable up here.”
“Well, the workers are in the water.”
“Ah, right.”
Cheongo flapped away, and only then did the turtle breathe a sigh of relief before entering the water.
The instant he did, his body flinched on instinct.
It was not because the turtle was cowardly. Anyone would have reacted the same way. When over a thousand Water Demons glared as though ready to devour him, anyone would shrink back.
“Go!”
The turtle knew complicated orders would not get through to those already crazed creatures. So he only pointed at Black Shark Island and gave a single command.
That was enough.
Kraaaaaah!
It was not an order.
It was permission.
For a long time, the Water Demons had been unable to think straight from the dense Aura of the Human Race coming from Black Shark Island. Had Jegyeong's Aura, left behind on the turtle, not reined them in and forcibly restrained them, they would have charged toward Black Shark Island long ago.
Now, the turtle had finally given permission. The Water Demons surged toward Black Shark Island all at once.
* * *
“Hall Master! Water Demons are gathering from every direction! We cannot determine how many there are...”
For a moment, Gong Byeok-un could not make sense of the reports pouring in one after another. Still, he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and quickly regained his composure.
“Pull all forces back onto the island!”
Most Water Demons could not leave the water. No matter how many had gathered, they would be safe as long as they did not leave the island.
Of course, that was only a temporary solution. It would be a problem if ships could not sail. They had to send out the Fleshscale Fish in six days, so the Water Demon problem had to be dealt with.
‘What in the world is going on?’
Gong Byeok-un maintained his calm in front of his subordinates. Once he had given his orders and was alone, though, he could not hide his confusion at the incomprehensible situation.
He intended to go outside and see for himself. What had those Water Demons eaten to make them go mad like that?
“...”
Just as he rose from his grand chair, someone rushed in and prostrated themself.
Gong Byeok-un's eyes sharpened. Before the newcomer could even speak, his Dharma Artifact, the Azure Creek Awl, unleashed a burst of flames.
Boom!
The entire palace shook as scarlet fire swept through the inner hall. Dust and smoke spread thickly through the air, blocking his vision, but Gong Byeok-un stared sharply through the haze.
“How did you know?”
An incredulous voice came from within the smoke.
Gong Byeok-un frowned. He gripped the Azure Creek Awl again and poured Dharma Power into it.
“Die!”
The Azure Creek Awl spewed fire once more. This blast was half again as powerful as the hurried attack from before.
Whoosh!
Flames filled the inner hall. An ordinary cultivator would have vanished without a trace in such fierce fire, but Gong Byeok-un did not relax.
‘I can't sense anything.’
He had noticed something strange about the intruder precisely because he could sense nothing at all. He had not even detected the stranger's approach until he entered the inner hall and revealed himself.
That fact stirred the rusty instincts of the experienced Foundation Establishment cultivator and filled him with an overwhelming sense of danger.
Grrrrr-
A low, menacing growl came from the thick smoke.
In answer, Gong Byeok-un immediately launched the Azure Creek Awl.
This time, though, the Azure Creek Awl was knocked back by a black iron wall before it could properly unleash its flames.
No.
Looking again, it was not an iron wall, but a scale. It was simply so large that it looked like a stone from a fortress wall.
“Demon Race!”
Gong Byeok-un recognized the other party's identity at once. It was a member of the Demon Race, one that could take Human Race form.
The moment he realized that, his heart sank. Whether it was a Demon King who had passed the Transformation Tribulation or a Great Demon Beast who had mastered a secret art, neither was an opponent he could handle.
“Kraaaaaah!”
A massive head burst from the smoke.
Even though Gong Byeok-un had not lowered his guard, he could not react in time. The opponent was incredibly fast, but the shape of the head that emerged shook him even more.
‘A dragon?!’
In shock, he hurriedly summoned a shield-shaped Dharma Artifact.
At the same time, a force more powerful than anything Gong Byeok-un had felt in his life struck the shield.
* * *
Booooom!
With a thunderous crash that rang across Black Shark Island, a massive figure burst through Black Shark Palace.
The Black Sect Hall members had been completely focused on the Water Demons outside the island. Their gazes turned toward Black Shark Palace in an instant, and they saw the enormous figure rising as though it would reach the sky.
“What is that?”
“A, a Demon Beast!”
A huge black snake, dark as though it had been drenched in ink, rose with its jaws spread wide as if it would swallow the sky.
Had they been calmer, they might have noticed a Human Race cultivator desperately fleeing just beyond the snake's jaws. In their current state, though, none of them had that much composure.
The sight of a massive Demon Beast rising from the heart of Black Shark Palace had made them lose all sense of reality.
“A dragon?!”
Someone cried out in terror, but another person quickly denied it.
“It's not a dragon! Look closely!”
The Demon Beast that had burst through Black Shark Palace was large enough to be mistaken for a dragon and even had horns, but its overall shape resembled a snake.
“If it isn't a dragon... a black jiao?”
Their dazed guesses ended as one person after another regained their senses.
“A Demon Beast has appeared in Black Shark Palace!”
The flustered Black Sect Hall members began moving toward Black Shark Palace.
“Urgh!”
Those closest to Black Shark Palace arrived quickly.
Yet their swiftness and diligence brought disaster instead. The killing intent of a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Great Demon Beast was not something ordinary Qi Refining Stage cultivators could endure.
Those who carelessly approached too closely immediately turned pale, vomited blood, or fainted on the spot.
“Don't get close! Keep your distance and attack!”
Someone shouted through gritted teeth.
* * *
Bang!
He felt an itchy sensation along his flank, but ignored it. Every bit of Jegyeong's focus was on Gong Byeok-un, who was fleeing like a rat.
‘He's really quick.’
His first attack had achieved some success, but every attack afterward had narrowly missed. Even that first strike had not landed properly, as it was blocked by the shield Dharma Artifact. All it had done was inflict a slight internal injury through the backlash of Dharma Power.
“Get away from me!”
Gong Byeok-un was not simply fleeing. He occasionally counterattacked, trying to slow Jegyeong down.
Just like now.
Boom!
Without warning, a ripple of Dharma Power appeared in front of him and exploded. A Human Race cultivator might have suffered some damage, but it was nothing to Jegyeong.
“Hmph!”
Jegyeong did not even close his eyes. Ignoring the explosion, he lunged at Gong Byeok-un with his fangs.
Gong Byeok-un grimaced and accelerated again, narrowly evading Jegyeong's bite.
“Monster! You dare invade the Human Territories? Are you not afraid of the consequences?!”
Jegyeong ignored Gong Byeok-un's childish threat. He continued pressuring him, focusing on keeping him from flying any higher.
Jegyeong was not afraid of a drawn-out battle. From what he had seen so far, Gong Byeok-un had no means of threatening him. He might have had such a method, but it was clear he could not use it while Jegyeong kept up the pressure.
What Jegyeong feared in this situation was Gong Byeok-un flying to a height beyond his reach.
As someone in the Great Demon Realm, Jegyeong naturally knew how to fly. Yet his flying technique was as clumsy as a child taking their first steps. In terms of speed, it was closer to floating than flying. Once Gong Byeok-un opened a gap, Jegyeong would never be able to catch him.
That was the greatest reason he had infiltrated Black Shark Palace and ambushed Gong Byeok-un. His plan was to kill him in one swift assault without giving him the chance to fly into the sky.
Fortunately, everything had gone reasonably well so far.
“Help the Hall Master! Attack!”
From far away, the Black Sect Hall members relentlessly unleashed attacks at him, but Jegyeong did not even blink.
It might have mattered against another Great Demon Beast, but for him, whose greatest strength was his robust body, such attacks meant nothing.
‘Still, they're annoying.’
It was like flies buzzing by his ears. They did not hurt, but they distracted him.
‘Good.’
Jegyeong glared at Gong Byeok-un, who had slipped away from his jaws again, and gathered demon power.
“Grrrrr.”
It would not be an exaggeration to say his demon power itself had become altered fire energy. The surrounding area was engulfed in heat just from him drawing upon it.
“Monster! Stop!”
Sensing that something was wrong, Gong Byeok-un swiftly launched the Azure Creek Awl. Jegyeong ignored it and took the blow with his body.
Having tested it several times, he knew that unless it struck a vital point such as his eyes, the Dharma Artifact was not a serious threat.
“Try dodging this.”
The cultivation methods Jegyeong had bought through Gwak Jeongsin were not limited to the Heat-Gathering Art. He had also purchased basic cultivation methods of other attributes.
He had cultivated only the Heat-Gathering Art, a basic fire-aspect cultivation method, but he had looked through the others for reference. He had not expected much, but he had made an unexpectedly useful discovery.
For example, there was the Spirit Rain Technique.
The Spirit Rain Technique was a spirit farming secret art that Spirit Plant Farmers had to master. As its name suggested, it created rain infused with Spiritual Energy to grow spirit plants.
Ordinarily, it would have had nothing to do with Jegyeong. Learning and using the Spirit Rain Technique required water-aspect Spiritual Power, while Jegyeong's demon power carried fire energy.
Yet Jegyeong had never intended to use the Spirit Rain Technique to grow spirit plants. What caught his attention was the principle behind the technique itself.
Boom!
Demon power covered the sky. A Spirit Rain Technique used by a Qi Refining Stage cultivator could cover no more than a single field, but Jegyeong was a Great Demon Beast.
The Spirit Rain Technique he unleashed covered more than half of Black Shark Island at once.
Whoosh!
Rain fell from the sky blanketed in Demon Energy.
Rain of fire, imbued with the demon power of a Great Demon Beast.
Footnotes:
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