Chapter 348: Hunting a True Spirit (2)

Looking at the Three-Eyed Giant Cat that had suddenly departed, Jin So-myeong fell into thought.

How should he interpret the behavior of the fellow who had come on its own and offered its core?

‘It means it knew in advance how I would act.’

Was the Three-Eyed Giant Cat’s ability of foresight superior to the gaze of the Great Ascension Stage, such that the Silent Life Token could not block it?

There was absolutely no way that was the case.

Through this incident, there were a few things he had come to learn.

First of all, he realized that the ability of the Silent Life Token had a different nature from what he had vaguely guessed.

To block the gaze of the Great Ascension Stage.

Even if it was described that way, it was not a grandly incorrect statement.

If not for that, there would be no way to explain the situation where he was currently roaming around freely.

However, it was not simply a method of resisting divination or foresight.

As he contemplated what he had seen and experienced so far, he got a faint sense of it.

That the Silent Life Token was blocking the influence of the Great Ascension Stage at a more fundamental level.

Suddenly.

The words that someone had spoken came to his mind.

[The reason why the Great Ascension Stage can live for eternity is because they wished for it. That is all.]

The mysterious entity who had spoken about the Great Ascension Stage while disguised as Taixu Sacred Venerable.

It was said by someone who might be an enemy or an ally.

‘…The Great Ascension Stage are those who can achieve what they wish for.’

Assuming so, the ability of the Silent Life Token became a little clearer.

A kind of oxygen respirator. No, should he call it an anchor?

He thought that it might be such a treasure that could preserve oneself in a world twisted according to someone’s wish.

At that moment, as he chewed over the thoughts that suddenly came to his mind.

The consumption rate of the Silent Life Token’s life force accelerated.

Until just a moment ago, about five hundred years of lifespan were consumed every year, but it suddenly increased to five hundred and five years.

Could it be that the consumption of lifespan increased because he clearly perceived the Great Ascension Stage?

If so, what was the reason for the change in the Silent Life Token, which had been quiet until now?

‘Could it be because it is information that is a threat to the Great Ascension Stage?’

Did it mean it was important information with the potential to inflict a practical blow?

The Great Ascension Stage are existences that can achieve what they wish for, and their weakness was contained in this sentence.

After thinking deeply, he nodded his head.

He had wondered why Taixu Sacred Venerable did not explain the Silent Life Token and the Great Ascension Stage in detail, but now he understood.

If a problem arose just by perceiving it, he naturally could not explain it. He had no choice but to realize it on his own.

After chewing over the thoughts floating in his head, he folded them away in a corner of his heart.

‘Anyway, that’s enough for the Three-Eyed Giant Cat. Next is…’

As he read through the jade slip containing information about True Spirits and demonic beasts, he chose his next target.

‘I should go with this fellow.’

***

On a certain grassland called the Hwado Plateau, a small-scale race with the name Black Fang Race lived.

It was a race that began from a wolf that accidentally awakened its spiritual nature, and it was a truly small race.

To the extent that the strongest expert in the tribe was only at the early stage of the Void Refinement Stage.

Although their power was insignificant due to their short history of cultivation, they had been living relatively well in their own way, but…

One day, a disaster struck.

“Sigh.”

The elders of the Black Fang Race gathered in the tent looked at each other in silence, and everyone’s expression was as dark as if it would not be strange if they died at any moment.

“It will soon be time to offer the sacrifice… What should we do about this?”

Exactly one hundred years ago.

A thick bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, and an unidentified Unity Stage Dao Sovereign appeared.

Having introduced himself as Gwang Hyo-wol, he settled on the highest mountain in the vicinity, and since that day, the entire grassland was transformed into hell.

He forced them to offer a Soul Formation Stage cultivator as a sacrifice every ten years, and already as many as fifty Soul Formation Stage elders had been sacrificed.

For the elders, who should protect and lead the tribe, to die so meaninglessly.

It was a truly terrible thing.

Numerous people fled from the merciless tyranny but all were captured, and they received the torture of having their souls torn apart in front of everyone’s eyes.

Because he even punished their families and disciples together, now even the will to flee had been broken.

“Sigh. Even if they are at the Soul Formation Stage, they would not even be a snack to the Dao Sovereign. Just why…”

“Do you still not know?”

“Pardon?”

“That monster… Ahem, that person is simply tormenting us.”

“Surely not.”

“Sigh. What is the use of arguing about the reason? At this rate, our tribe is finished.”

The patriarch, who silently listened to the elders’ complaints, let out a deep sigh.

“Actually, I got in touch with Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign recently.”

“If it is Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign…”

Since Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign was the Supreme Elder of the Night Moon Wolf Race, which was the strongest race in the vicinity, everyone knew of him.

“He said that if the entire Black Fang Race promises to serve for two thousand years, he will resolve this situation. What do you think?”

To serve for two thousand years as an entire tribe.

Although it was a harsh condition that brought out sighs, it was a situation difficult to refuse.

“Can we trust the promise? What if he tells us to continue serving even after two thousand years…”

“Still, isn’t it better than offering a sacrifice every ten years? At this rate, we will face extinction. There is no other way.”

Agreements and oppositions followed, but in the end, the conclusion was one. They had no choice.

“Since I understand that everyone agrees, I will speak to Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign.”

“Yes, Patriarch.”

How much time had passed?

“Patriarch, was the transmission talisman delivered well? It is almost time to offer the sacrifice, so when will the Dao Sovereign arrive…”

“Let us wait a little longer.”

He had clearly sent a message, but there was no response.

The time to offer the next sacrifice drew close right before their eyes. Around the time everyone’s mouth was burning dry.

Neigh!

The sound of horse hooves resonated from the sky, and then a large carriage reaching a length of one hundred zhang appeared.

“Ah!”

Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign, whom they had been anxiously waiting for, had descended.

A bright color rose on everyone’s faces, but they could not help but feel worried along with joy.

To make such a noisy appearance.

Gwang Hyo-wol, who had been demanding the sacrifices, would have also noticed Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign’s presence.

But what could they do?

They could not back out now, so all the tribe members came out and bowed their waists.

“We greet Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign.”

“Hmm.”

Clad in pure white robes, Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign, who was dressed neatly like a scholar, looked around at the Black Fang Race and nodded his head as if satisfied.

“Are you the patriarch?”

“Yes. I am called Yeon Pung-rang.”

“I will ask you just one last time. Will you truly come under my command and serve for two thousand years?”

To give a choice after arriving so noisily.

What would happen if Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign just left like this?

There was only one answer he could make.

The patriarch, who was swallowing the bitterness of the weak, immediately bowed his waist.

“We will serve you with all our heart. Please take us in.”

“Very well. You are my people starting from today.”

At the calm declaration, all the tribe members prostrated flat, and Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign, who got down from the carriage, wore a benevolent smile.

“Everyone’s expression looks complicated, but do not worry too much. Since I am not of a personality that enjoys incurring grudges.”

“…”

“Let us make a promise in advance. If you serve diligently for two thousand years, I will help your patriarch raise his realm.”

“Ah.”

At the unexpected reward, the eyes of the Black Fang Race widened, and Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign wore a smile.

“If your patriarch rises to the Unity Stage, at least there will be no one forcing you to offer sacrifices anymore. Is that not so?”

“That is correct!”

“Of course, rising to the Unity Stage is not as easy as it sounds, but I will provide the minimum assistance.”

“Thank you, Elder!”

“Then, now explain in detail about the one named Gwang Hyo-wol. Since there must be information that could not be contained in the transmission talisman.”

“Yes! So…”

The patriarch, whose complexion had become much brighter, explained in a hurry.

Killing children in front of their parents, or forcing siblings to kill each other.

He poured out all kinds of evil deeds that had continued for a hundred years, and Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign, who listened silently, nodded his head.

“As expected. It seems that Gwang Hyo-wol’s purpose is to incur your hatred and resentment.”

“Pardon?”

“You all may not know, but it is not just the Black Fang Race that is offering sacrifices. All the tribes in the vicinity of the Hwado Plateau are suffering similarly.”

“Oh my.”

“He is probably practicing a demonic path secret technique or refining a treasure.”

Realizing that it was a matter of a much larger scale than expected, the patriarch twitched his lips.

At the appearance of seemingly holding back what he wanted to say, he let out a smirk.

“Do not worry. When I investigated Gwang Hyo-wol, he seemed to be someone who rose to the Unity Stage not long ago. There will not be any big problem.”

“Ah! That is truly a relief.”

“Even if that is not the case, it does not matter. No matter where Gwang Hyo-wol is from, he will not go out of his way to damage my face.”

Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign, who was speaking calmly, dismissed the tribe members with a hand gesture.

“There is no need to drag out a trivial matter for long. I will resolve it right away and return, so all of you just prepare to migrate to my land.”

“Ah, yes!”

Soaring into the sky, Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign headed toward the mountain where Gwang Hyo-wol was staying.

‘Gwang Hyo-wol…’

It was an unfamiliar name. Although he had investigated to some extent before coming here, information did not properly come up.

It meant he had just become an Unity Stage Dao Sovereign or had come from another region, and he had no intention of clashing.

In fact, once one reached around the Unity Stage, there was rarely any reason to fight.

Since they had already reached the end of cultivation, why would they take risks?

Unless it was a reasonably large problem, it could be fully resolved just through conversation.

This matter was also the same. It was a matter that would end once they exchanged greetings and gifts.

At that moment, as he crossed the sky with such thoughts in mind.

‘…Hmm?’

He became close enough to Gwang Hyo-wol for their divine senses to touch, and their gazes met.

Halting, he carefully examined the energy emanating from the opponent, and was startled to the point that his pupils dilated.

‘A True Dragon!’

A True Spirit, an existence that is born on its own from the heaven, earth, and nature without parents, wielding the authority of the Unity Stage as soon as it is born.

Among them, a True Spirit in the shape of a dragon is called a True Dragon.

Cold sweat flowed on its own.

Come to think of it, he remembered hearing the news that a True Dragon was born five hundred years ago.

‘To think it is a True Dragon of all things.’

Putting aside whether he could win in a fight or not, there was nothing good about colliding with a True Dragon.

Unlike other True Spirits, True Dragons had a large population size, enough to be called a race.

The number would reach as many as ten thousand if all the True Dragons in the Xuanhuang Realm were added together.

In truth, if one said that the population was only ten thousand, it was originally insufficient even to be ridiculed.

It had to be at least tens of billions to be called a race, so where could one present a mere ten thousand?

Naturally, they were not even counted as a race.

But if those ten thousand were all Unity Stage Dao Sovereigns…

The story would be completely different. Who would dare ridicule a race made up of Unity Stage Dao Sovereigns?

The True Dragon Race was a high-ranking race located at the very top of the Xuanhuang Realm.

Of course, there was much talk about whether it was correct to bind the True Dragons as a single race.

Because the True Dragons were extremely individualistic, and their temperaments and divine abilities were so diverse that it was hard to believe they were of the same race.

If they had just one common point, it was simply that they extremely disliked acts of challenging their authority.

‘Sigh.’

Letting out a sigh inwardly, Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign spoke with a friendly smile.

“I am sorry. I committed an impoliteness without knowing that a cultivator of the True Dragon Race had settled down.”

The young man who flew up from the spiritual mountain harboring dense World Origin Qi wore a bright smile.

“To call it an impoliteness, you are too polite. Since meeting like this is also a karmic tie, let us introduce ourselves. I am Gwang Hyo-wol.”

“I use the name Jade Wolf. I am the Supreme Elder of the Night Moon Wolf Race.”

“If it is the Night Moon Wolf Race… Isn’t it a great race counted on one’s fingers in the Green Water Territory? You are a grand personage.”

As the youth admired, Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign swallowed a bitter smile.

No matter how outstanding the Night Moon Wolf Race was, it was no different from a speck of dust compared to the prestige of the True Dragon Race.

Retreating gracefully when the other party was giving him face was the wise action.

“Ahem. If I had known a cultivator of the True Dragon Race was here, I would have brought a more precious gift… First, please accept even this.”

“Oh, could it be the Night Moon Blue Wine, the secret transmission of the Night Moon Wolf Race?”

“Yes. It is wine I brewed myself.”

“Haha. Since I have received such a precious gift, I must also give a reward in return.”

Gwang Hyo-wol, who was smiling brightly, handed over a scale enveloped in lightning, and he could not help but be startled.

“Could it be a scale of a True Dragon?”

“Since it is my scale, that is so.”

“Haha… I have truly formed a precious connection today.”

How long did the harmonious conversation continue?

“Then, I shall take my leave now. Let us meet often in the future.”

“Yes. Go safely.”

Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign departed just like that, without even mentioning the Black Fang Race.

And,

The smile that had been hanging on Gwang Hyo-wol’s lips disappeared as if washed away.

His glance turned toward the direction of the Black Fang Race.

***

A shocking event occurred to the Black Fang Race, who was only waiting for Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign to return.

Rumble!

Because a nightmare-like existence appeared from the lightning that struck down from the sky.

“Ah.”

Not only were they dazed, but their complexions also turned as pale as a sheet of white paper.

It was a feeling of being hit hard on the back of the head.

Containing their last hope, they scanned the sky, but Jade Wolf Dao Sovereign did not come.

The corners of Gwang Hyo-wol’s lips, who walked out from the lightning, curled up askew.

“Impudent bastards. To dare pull this kind of trick behind my back. You must be prepared?”

At the gaze like a predator that had discovered a delicious prey, the Black Fang Race could not help but tremble like puppies facing a wild beast…

All of this.

Was something that occurred exactly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before a certain sword cultivator, who was currently flying toward this place, arrived.