Ophidian of the Immortal World - Chapter 69

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: WeTried Translations

◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈

Chapter 69: Jingwang Palace

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Han Cheongyu and the other workers were permitted to enter Black Shark Island, but they were restricted to the Spirit Rice fields.

Even so, the fields were far too vast for fewer than ten people to manage. They had no time to concern themselves with the areas beyond the restricted zone.

They had spent several days casting the Spirit Rain Technique until they were completely exhausted in body and mind, yet much of the land remained gray and burnt.

“Phew.”

Han Cheongyu cast the Spirit Rain Technique one last time, showering the scorched earth with rain.

He squeezed his Spiritual Power to its limit, and it felt as though his soul were shriveling.

This was clearly different from ordinary exhaustion.

No matter how often he went through such an unpleasant experience, he could never get used to it.

“Is it hard?”

“Of course it's hard.”

What kind of question was that?

How many times had he already used the Spirit Rain Technique today...?

‘Huh?’

Whose voice was that?

The others should have been busy making rain in their own sections. Besides, the voice sounded unfamiliar.

“Huh?”

Han Cheongyu looked up in confusion and saw an enormous crow.

It stared blankly at him, and somehow, it looked rather... human.

“Hmm... You don't look very tired.”

The crow tilted its head from side to side as if considering something.

“You're weak.”

* * *

After allowing Han Cheongyu and the others onto Black Shark Island, Jegyeong had kept his Divine Sense spread out to watch them.

That was why he noticed Cheongo, who had been wandering through the Spirit Rice fields, finally approach Han Cheongyu.

‘They held back for quite a while.’

Cheongo had shown curiosity from the moment Han Cheongyu and the other workers first entered the island.

Showing this much restraint was already a display of considerable patience.

Crunch!

After confirming that Cheongo had not harmed Han Cheongyu, Jegyeong withdrew his Divine Sense and put two more Spirit Stones in his mouth.

With a little force, the two lowest-grade Spirit Stones crumbled into powder and slid down his throat.

‘Hmm.’

A thin stream of Spiritual Energy, neither abundant nor dense, seeped into his Spirit and Flesh.

Jegyeong focused on observing that faint flow.

This was a hobby and a form of cultivation he had taken up recently.

He was observing how the Spiritual Energy within Spirit Stones affected his Molting.

‘Was that too little?’

The flow of Spiritual Energy seeping into his Spirit and Flesh stopped.

No, it would be more accurate to say it had become too faint.

It had grown so faint that his senses could no longer observe it.

Clicking his tongue, Jegyeong bit down on more Spirit Stones.

This time, there were four.

‘It isn't easy.’

He had doubled the number of Spirit Stones, but the result was similar.

He could observe the flow of Spiritual Energy a little longer, but the difference was not significant.

‘It seems rather inefficient.’

Observing such a faint flow of Spiritual Energy demanded immense concentration.

After a single observation, his head throbbed.

That was why he could only conduct this cultivation twice a day, three times at most.

From the second attempt onward, his concentration dropped sharply, so he had to consume twice as many Spirit Stones to observe it as he was doing now.

‘Still, I've improved a lot compared to the beginning.’

Judging by his progress so far, this was training to strengthen his focus and powers of observation.

It was slight, but Jegyeong could feel his ability to observe steadily improving.

Crunch!

After eating eight Spirit Stones for the final attempt, Jegyeong rose a while later with a deep frown.

His stomach felt clogged, and his head felt ready to split apart.

He wanted to go outside and catch his breath.

Boom!

Jegyeong immediately left the island.

He was not worried about the workers left behind. Even if he was absent, Cheongo and Muk-su were on the island. What could a few early Qi Refining cultivators possibly do?

* * *

Since he was already off the island, Jegyeong patrolled the surrounding waters for several days.

It seemed that driving off several Great Demon Beasts so harshly before had worked. Recently, almost no one had come snooping around.

Very occasionally, some fool who looked stupid at a glance would wander over, but a suitable threat was enough to make them tuck their tails and flee.

‘Huh?’

On the fifth day after leaving the island, Jegyeong was preparing to return when he sensed an Aura rapidly approaching from afar.

It belonged to a Great Demon Beast.

Still, its speed and the sheer weight of its Aura were clearly different from those of the others he had encountered.

‘Mid-stage Great Demon Realm? Late stage?’

Jegyeong briefly considered fleeing, but soon realized there was no point.

The approaching Great Demon Beast was faster than him and was clearly heading straight for him.

Even if he turned and fled now, it would certainly catch him soon enough.

‘How did it find me?’

He was clearly using the Qi Concealment Technique.

‘Damn it.’

Jegyeong desperately racked his mind.

Should he fight?

If there was no other way, of course he would have to. Still, he needed to restrain himself for now.

The other party seemed to have come looking for him deliberately, so it surely had a purpose.

‘Is it after the Spiritual Land? No. If that were the case, the Black Sect Hall would have vanished long ago. Then did it come looking for me on purpose?’

He did not have long to think.

The other party arrived in an instant, and Jegyeong soon saw it clearly.

It was a Water Demon resembling a seahorse.

It had four eyes, and its tail split into three long branches.

Its body was abnormally large, as befitted a Great Demon Beast, though compared to Jegyeong, it was fairly ordinary.

Its appearance was not particularly remarkable.

Yet despite its plain appearance, the Aura it gave off was immensely powerful.

The moment Jegyeong saw it, he thought of the Chaesan Old Demon.

That overwhelming presence, which had seemed to crush his mind even from the brief glimpse he had caught before.

‘It doesn't seem to be at that level...’

Jegyeong could not tell whether the seahorse's realm was comparable to the Chaesan Old Demon's.

Back then, he had been nothing more than a Demon Beast. Now, he was a Great Demon Beast.

Standing in a different place meant seeing the same thing differently.

Even taking that into account, though, the seahorse was truly extraordinary.

It approached slowly while studying Jegyeong, much as Jegyeong studied it. Its movements were so natural that it seemed one with the water.

‘That thing.’

Jegyeong found the seahorse's manner rather cautious.

Its approach and watchful gaze both revealed prudence and wariness.

That manner was quite familiar to him.

‘Does it also mistake me for a Jiao Dragon?’

At that moment, Jegyeong relaxed his tense body and summoned confidence.

He narrowed his eyes and bared his fangs slightly.

The guise of a Jiao Dragon came as naturally as breathing.

The effect of that act, imbued with his soul, was immediate.

The seahorse became even more cautious, and hesitation appeared in all four of its eyes.

The two faced each other at a slight distance.

Jegyeong let some ferocity and arrogance show as he looked the seahorse over from head to tail. Uncomfortable with that gaze, the seahorse drew back slightly.

“Hmm. I am Makgye of the Dragon King Palace. And you are...?”

“Dragon King Palace?”

When Jegyeong reacted to those words, strength entered Makgye's voice.

“That is correct. Since you have settled in Yangseo Lake, you must have heard the esteemed name of the Remnant Water Whale King.”

“Remnant Water Whale King...”

For an instant, Jegyeong nearly nodded vigorously. Instead, he calmly steadied himself and continued the act.

He murmured the name softly, as if searching through deeply buried memories, then answered indifferently as though he had just recalled it.

“I've heard of them.”

“Ahem! The Remnant Water Whale King is the master of the Dragon King Palace and the king of every member of the Demon Race in Yangseo Lake.”

Perhaps dissatisfied with Jegyeong's indifferent answer, Makgye put more force into their voice and began speaking about the Remnant Water Whale King.

Makgye went on at length about the King's exceptional bloodline, strength, great achievements, and so on, as if Jegyeong ought to show more respect.

Yet even while rambling on, Makgye secretly watched Jegyeong's reaction.

Jegyeong did not notice that covert gaze, but he never stopped acting. All Makgye could see was a Great Demon Beast that remained aloof and displeased even while hearing of a Demon King.

‘This one...’

Makgye's thoughts grew complicated.

When Makgye had first heard about the appearance of a black jiao, they had dismissed it as nonsense. Even as the stories continued to spread, Makgye had scorned them as absurd tales spread by ignorant fools.

So even when ordered to investigate personally, Makgye had inwardly complained about being given such an irritating and pointless task.

‘Is he really a Jiao Dragon?’

Makgye knew something of Jiao Dragons, but had never seen one in person.

Perhaps because of that, even with Jegyeong right in front of them, Makgye could not be certain.

His realm was too low to be a Jiao Dragon, and the pressure he gave off was too faint.

There were plenty of creatures with impressive frames but little real substance.

No matter how Makgye examined him, Jegyeong fell far short of what a Jiao Dragon should be.

Yet to say he was not a Jiao Dragon...

At a glance, there was something quite extraordinary about him. It was not merely his appearance. He possessed something distinctly different from ordinary Great Demon Beasts, something difficult to explain.

Was it his bearing? His disposition?

Whatever it was, something was different.

‘That arrogant attitude, too.’

How dare he maintain such a crooked attitude even after hearing the Remnant Water Whale King's name?

If anyone else had behaved like this, Makgye would have taught them a painful lesson immediately.

Yet Makgye did not feel inclined to do so with Jegyeong, and even felt somewhat reluctant.

‘He clearly seems weaker than me.’

Makgye possessed an innate ability to gauge an opponent's strength.

Makgye could use this ability in many ways, including wide-range searches and judging whether an opponent was strong or weak.

Makgye's combat ability was not especially outstanding for their realm, but this ability was precisely why Makgye had survived without incident until now.

Makgye avoided the strong and fought the weak, so there was little chance of being placed in danger.

But now, for the first time in their life, Makgye doubted that innate ability.

Makgye could not tell whether the Great Demon Beast before them was a Jiao Dragon or not.

Makgye could not even tell whether he was stronger or weaker than them.

Having never experienced anything like this before, Makgye felt even more flustered.

“Then... what should I call you?”

“Call me Jegyeong... Hmm, you may call me Jegyeong.”

Jegyeong answered with a lofty, dismissive air, then slightly changed his attitude at the end.

Makgye realized that change was directed not at them, but at the Remnant Water Whale King.

In other words, the other party did not think much of Makgye at all.

Makgye had been disregarded to their face, but did not become angry.

Instead, Makgye grew even more cautious.