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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈

Chapter 70: Guest Elder

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He did not know his own origins?

Makgye did not find that strange.

Among the Demon Race, it was hardly unusual.

The Demon Race generally had little attachment to blood relatives.

Many abandoned their young as soon as they were born. Even those who raised their offspring usually left them behind once they had grown to a certain point.

The Sacred Kin might be somewhat different, but they were still part of the Demon Race. Their habits could not be that different.

Besides, this one looked far too weak to be a Jiao Dragon. His Bloodline was probably incomplete.

That, too, was common.

The more powerful the Bloodline, the harder it was to inherit intact. Sometimes, half-baked creatures like this one were born.

‘That must be why he was abandoned.’

Makgye was almost certain.

This creature probably possessed a Jiao Dragon's Bloodline, but its purity was pitiful. Before true Jiao Dragons, he would not even dare call himself one of their kind.

‘Right. This one isn't Sacred Kin.’

Makgye felt much more at ease.

Makgye's gaze toward Jegyeong softened as well.

“I see.”

There was no reason to avoid or fear someone who was not Sacred Kin.

Of course, even diluted, Sacred Kin blood still ran through Jegyeong, so Makgye could not treat him carelessly. Still, as a member of the Dragon King Palace, Makgye needed to carry themself with greater confidence.

This was Yangseo Lake, and the Dragon King Palace ruled all members of the Demon Race within it.

“Ahem. What should I call you?”

“Call me Jegyeong.”

“Hmm. So you are Fellow Daoist Jegyeong.”

Once they had roughly finished assessing each other, their exchange became a proper conversation.

Jegyeong feared Makgye, whose cultivation was higher than his, as well as the Dragon King Palace behind Makgye. Makgye remained cautious because of the belief that Jegyeong possessed a Jiao Dragon Bloodline.

Since both had reason to respect the other, their conversation proceeded smoothly.

Jegyeong acted with the arrogance of a Jiao Dragon while staying within bounds, and he showed an appropriate degree of reverence toward the Remnant Water Whale King and the Dragon King Palace.

Watching him, Makgye decided that this half-baked Jiao Dragon was arrogant but reasonable.

“Though you say you do not know, I believe you inherited part of the Sacred Kin Bloodline. Fellow Daoist, your future will be boundless.”

“Is that so?”

There was something subtle in Makgye's words.

On the surface, it sounded like praise for Jegyeong's promising future. In truth, it was closer to a warning.

His future might be uncertain, but for now, he was only an unremarkable Great Demon Beast.

“Is this your first time coming to Yangseo Lake, Fellow Daoist?”

“It is.”

Makgye did not ask about Jegyeong's past.

There was no need, and prying too deeply might leave a bad impression.

“I came to see you today to offer my greetings.”

“Greetings?”

“Yes. Though I also came to confirm a few things. As the ruler of the Demon Race Cultivation World in Yangseo Lake, the Dragon King Palace has a responsibility to oversee the various members of the Demon Race.”

Countless members of the Demon Race lived in Yangseo Lake.

There were innumerable ordinary members of the Demon Race, and no shortage of Great Demon Beasts either.

Only a small number of Great Demon Beasts belonged to the Dragon King Palace. The Remnant Water Whale King had little desire to control them, but more than anything, it was because of the Demon Race's nature.

They were difficult to manage and even harder to command.

Their Spiritual Intelligence was naturally low, and their dispositions were violent.

Even if the Remnant Water Whale King forced Great Demon Beasts into submission through Bloodline and realm, once they were out of sight, they would act as though they had never submitted at all.

They were like sand. As long as one clenched it in a fist, it stayed in the hand. The moment one's grip loosened, it slipped away as it pleased.

That was why few Great Demon Beasts actively served as formal members of the Dragon King Palace.

Those who did were either intelligent or relatively mild-tempered. For that reason, they truly submitted to the Remnant Water Whale King.

Makgye was one of them.

“Fellow Daoist Jegyeong, do you have any interest in joining the Dragon King Palace and serving the Remnant Water Whale King?”

As Makgye spoke with Jegyeong and continued to assess him, Makgye began to think that perhaps Jegyeong could be brought into the Dragon King Palace.

He was arrogant but knew where the line was. More importantly, he was not stupid.

At the very least, he seemed capable of simple calculations.

For the Demon Race, being able to weigh gains and losses was a remarkable strength.

It meant one could think beyond whatever was right in front of them.

‘His realm is a little low, but he has a Jiao Dragon Bloodline. He should still be better than the rabble.’

A Human Race cultivator's combat ability depended not only on their realm, but also on their cultivation method, Dharma Artifacts, and other possessions.

For Demon Race cultivators, combat ability was heavily influenced by Bloodline.

Because of that, Demon Race cultivators with noble Bloodlines could sometimes display combat strength great enough to overcome a difference in realm.

Jegyeong was probably not one of those cases, but he should still be more capable than ordinary Great Demon Beasts at the same realm.

There were shortcomings for now, but if one looked toward the future, bringing him into the Dragon King Palace early...

“I have no interest.”

“Pardon?”

Makgye blinked all four eyes in surprise.

“I know myself. If I joined a faction like the Dragon King Palace at my current level, I would only become a laughingstock.”

“No, that is...”

Makgye had been about to snap at him for daring to disregard the Dragon King Palace, but fell silent at the words that followed.

The anger that had risen at the rejection also faded.

Others had rejected invitations from the Dragon King Palace before, but never in this way.

Most said things like, “Why should I, great as I am, bow my head to the Remnant Water Whale King?” Or they claimed they did not want to be restrained.

This was the first time someone had said, “I am too inadequate.”

“Hmm.”

“I only wish to cultivate in the Spiritual Land I have newly acquired. I would like to consider joining the Dragon King Palace after my cultivation realm has risen.”

After Jegyeong put it that way, Makgye had nothing more to say.

Was it not ridiculous to force someone who only wanted to cultivate into joining?

‘He only wants to cultivate in a Spiritual Land?’

No ordinary Great Demon Beast, so devoted to its many desires, would say that. Or rather, it could not.

That one sentence alone showed that the half-baked Jiao Dragon before Makgye was no ordinary creature.

“I can only admire your steadfast Dao Heart, Fellow Daoist. Very well. I will not press you. The Dragon King Palace's gates will always be open, so come whenever you change your mind.”

“I will.”

* * *

Jegyeong parted from Makgye, the Great Demon Beast sent by the Dragon King Palace, in a fairly friendly atmosphere.

Only after Makgye vanished from sight and Jegyeong could no longer sense Makgye's Aura did he finally relax.

‘I'm exhausted.’

Once his tension faded, weariness crashed over him like waves.

Keeping up an act before someone like Makgye was no easy task.

If he had shown anything strange for even a moment, Makgye would have grown suspicious. Jegyeong had needed to remain in an extreme state of tension throughout their encounter.

‘At least Makgye thinks a lot.’

Jegyeong had not deceived Makgye.

If he had tried to lie outright, Makgye would surely have noticed. So Jegyeong simply acted calmly, and Makgye saw that act, considered it independently, and came to the wrong conclusion.

‘It went well. This is the best outcome I could have hoped for.’

Before leaving, Makgye had said Jegyeong's name would be registered as a guest elder of the Dragon King Palace.

Jegyeong could not refuse.

Had he done so, they would not have parted with smiles.

‘Guest elder...’

According to Makgye, the position of guest elder came with nothing but benefits.

There were no obligations or restraints. He simply had to live freely as a friend of the Dragon King Palace.

When Jegyeong heard that, he had to keep himself from laughing.

‘Only a fool would believe that.’

Nothing in the world came with benefits alone.

To him, this guest elder status was a kind of loose shackle.

It meant that he had entered the Dragon King Palace's sight, so he should not act recklessly.

‘Well, it doesn't matter.’

Jegyeong had not lied to Makgye.

He had no intention of stirring up trouble in Yangseo Lake, and even less desire to offend the Dragon King Palace.

All he truly wanted was to cultivate quietly on Black Shark Island.

In that sense, Makgye had not been wrong.

For Jegyeong, the status of guest elder of the Dragon King Palace truly brought nothing but benefits.

He was now a member of Yangseo Lake's Demon Race recognized by the Dragon King Palace.

If the Human Race later set their sights on Black Shark Island, they would have no choice but to take that into consideration.

‘But the Demon Race is different.’

From Makgye's words, the Dragon King Palace's control over Yangseo Lake's Demon Race did not seem strong.

Many Great Demon Beasts acted as they pleased, and some even openly challenged the Dragon King Palace's authority.

Of course, Makgye claimed that such creatures would eventually suffer the Dragon King Palace's iron hammer, sooner or later, but whether that was truly so was another matter.

Makgye served under the Remnant Water Whale King, so Makgye's account naturally contained exaggeration and distortion.

‘The Demon Race. The Dragon King Palace.’

Jegyeong had much to think about.

Until now, he had known he was part of the Demon Race, but had never thought deeply about it.

Whether it was the Demon Race or the Human Race, he simply intended to use them if they could be used. Cultivation had always come first in his heart.

Now things were different.

Cultivation still remained his highest priority, but his name had been registered as a guest elder of the Dragon King Palace. Whether he liked it or not, he had officially become a member of the Demon Race.

It was like gaining a great patch of shade above his head.

Was that a good thing?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Shade blocked the heat, but it also blocked the warmth of sunlight.

Jegyeong's thoughts remained complicated throughout the journey back to Black Shark Island.

* * *

The gray pall that had hung over Black Shark Island had nearly vanished.

The damp ground where spirit rice seeds had already been sown overflowed with life.

Jegyeong did not know whether that was because of the spirit rice seeds buried in the soil or the spirit rain Han Cheongyu and the others had just scattered over it, but it was a pleasant sight.

“You worked hard.”

Jegyeong praised Han Cheongyu and the others, giving each of them a few Spirit Stones.

They had never imagined they would receive such a reward. Though exhausted, broad smiles spread across their faces.

“Continue taking good care of the spirit rice.”

“Leave it to us.”

The Spirit Stones Jegyeong gave them were not many. Honestly, compared to the labor they had put in, they were a trivial reward.

Han Cheongyu and the other workers were still satisfied.

They could not help but be satisfied.

They had not forgotten their place, nor had they forgotten that the one pretending to be a good employer before them was not human.

He was a Great Demon Beast, the master of the Black Jiao Waters, the one who had destroyed the Black Sect Hall and dyed Black Shark Island gray.

If they offended him in the slightest, they could become a Demon Beast's meal at any time. They never let their guard down for a moment.

“Hup!”

After returning home, Jegyeong saw Cheongo doing something strange nearby.

Cheongo stretched both wings forward while making a sound that could have been a battle cry or a groan. Sometimes, Cheongo extended the wings too far, lost balance, and staggered.

Jegyeong watched the ridiculous display for a while.

Then, when Cheongo angrily slammed a wing against the ground, he quietly asked, “What are you doing?”

“The Spirit Rain Technique!”

“What?”

“Don't you know? The thing that makes rain fall. Like what those people are doing.”

Cheongo pointed a wing toward the spirit rice fields.

“Of course I know what the Spirit Rain Technique is. But how are you going to use it?”

“Why? Can't I use it?”

“No, that's not what I mean.”

At Jegyeong's bewildered reaction, Cheongo looked at him as though he were an idiot.

“What matters is your heart. That's the most important thing. If you think you can't do it, you won't be able to do even what you can.”

Cheongo nodded fiercely after saying that.

“I can definitely do it! I know I can!”

After beating their own drum and dancing to their own tune, Cheongo thrust both wings out again as if throwing punches.

“Hup! Hup!”

Jegyeong no longer had the energy to say anything more. He laughed at the foolish crow and closed his eyes.

Then, a short while later.

Tap!

‘Huh?’

Something small touched his scales.

He opened his eyes, half expecting nothing, and saw faint droplets falling here and there.

It was too little to call even a drizzle, but it was unmistakably rain.

Jegyeong blankly turned his head.

Cheongo stood there with both wings spread wide, looking up at the sky with pride.

Footnotes:

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