Through his partnership with the tree demon, Jaekyung aimed for two things. One was the tree demon’s fruit, and the other was the spirit beasts that would be drawn by that fruit. He had little interest in ordinary beasts.
It was the sort of feeling that if they were around, he would eat them, but if not, he wouldn't bother searching for them. It might sound like the words of a spoiled glutton, but what could he do when his belly was truly full?
After tasting the meat of a spirit beast once, his body had become one that could no longer be satisfied with ordinary flesh.
‘Is this what it means to be of the demon races, to be a spirit beast?’
The instincts of a spirit beast were screaming. Eat, eat, and eat again. It cried that by doing so, he could grow ever stronger.
That he would no longer need to fear anything.
‘I wonder if this is alright.’
However, the premise for all this was that the tree demon had to be able to bear fruit in a timely manner. What if it took months to produce a single fruit? That would be quite troublesome.
When his thoughts reached that point, Jaekyung briefly regretted not leaving a few fruits behind instead of taking them all at once, but he was relieved when the tree demon said it could quickly bear fruit with just one monkey spirit beast.
Well, it had actually said it could bear fruit faster, and more of it, with two, but he ignored that part.
‘The fruit is good, but I think the spirit beast meat is still better.’
That was Jaekyung’s conclusion after eating both. It had been true even before he became a spirit beast, but after becoming one, his sense for recognizing ‘good things’ had become outstanding. He could get a rough estimate just by looking, and a perfect understanding upon direct consumption.
The tree demon’s fruit cleared his head. The spirit beast’s meat made his body stronger. Of the two, Jaekyung was more drawn to the spirit beast meat.
However, Jaekyung guessed this wasn't because the tree demon’s fruit was less valuable than the monkey spirit beast’s meat. It was like water and rice. To a thirsty person, water would be better than rice, and to a hungry person, rice would be better than water.
In short, one is drawn to what one needs more. In that sense, the reason Jaekyung was currently drawn to spirit beast meat instead of the fruit was likely because he needed the latter more.
‘The real prize wasn’t the fruit, but the meat from those monkey fellows.’
He had given one of the four to the tree demon. Though he was reluctant to part with it, the tree demon needed it to bear fruit, and he needed a reward for the creature that had given up all its fruit. A tree that has become a demon is no longer an ordinary tree.
From what he had seen this time, this tree demon, while perhaps not to the extent of a human, clearly had a mind and emotions. He didn't want to be stingy with a creature that knew fear, knew anger, and knew how to express them, only to earn its enmity.
At the very least, they would have to help each other for the time being.
‘Hmm.’
After the fight, he gave one monkey spirit beast to the tree demon and a single hand to Cheong-o. Cheong-o had cheered him on enthusiastically, but since he had contributed nothing to the fight, one hand was more than enough. Instead, he gave him three fruits, and Cheong-o seemed satisfied. The rest was all Jaekyung’s share.
Right there, after dividing the spoils, he devoured everything, be it the spirit beast meat or the tree demon’s fruit. It was Jaekyung’s firm belief that in a world where one couldn't predict what lay an inch ahead, the safest place was inside his stomach.
And now.
Jaekyung was coiled deep within a temporary cave, concentrating fully on digestion.
‘If only things could always go on like this.’
Jaekyung felt the flesh and blood of the spirit beast dissolving into him, his own body growing stronger. Although it was a faint stimulation, so much so that he wondered if it was just his imagination, what more could he ask for? Jaekyung had no doubt that as such things accumulated, they would eventually make a huge difference.
Hadn't his senior from the Garden of Remembrance, Woo Do-baek, repeatedly emphasized the importance of the mind in Cultivation? Belief was also a branch of the mind, so believing he was advancing would surely be a great help in actually moving forward.
‘And aren’t I the living proof of that?’
Jaekyung thought of his parents. Compared to his parents, who, by appearance alone, wouldn't look out of place on a monster movie poster, he, who had just barely surpassed twenty meters, might seem lacking and weak. But what was the reality?
He had already become a spirit beast, so there was no comparing him to his parents, who were, at best, just large beasts.
‘Even those monkey fellows are a case in point.’
In terms of size alone, the monkey spirit beasts should have been unable to even breathe in front of his parents, but that wasn't how it worked in reality. Jaekyung winced at the pain from the scratches covering his entire body. This was a body that wouldn't get a single scratch even if it crashed into a rock.
His scales, hard as iron, and his muscles, not quite as tough but still firm, made Jaekyung feel as if he were invincible. And indeed, during the heat of battle, he hadn't felt much pain no matter how the monkey fellows thrashed about. But after the fight was over and his tension eased, a delayed stinging sensation washed over him.
‘Still, a spirit beast is a spirit beast.’
Even considering that individuals can differ in strength, just as humans and beasts do, the monkey spirit beasts were unimpressive in terms of combat power. He didn't know for sure, but he suspected they were probably near the bottom of the spirit beast hierarchy.
‘It’s strange that four of them were traveling together in the first place.’
From what he had heard from Woo Do-baek, spirit beasts were highly independent. This tendency was even stronger in those with less developed spiritual wisdom, and it was rare for spirit beasts to move together unless they were parent and child. Yet those monkey spirit beasts moved in a group of four.
Jaekyung guessed it was because they had obtained some sort of opportunity and all became spirit beasts at once. Could it be that they had become spirit beasts so suddenly, without any time to adapt, that they hadn't developed the habits of spirit beasts and were still moving according to their habits as ordinary beasts?
‘Or it could be the complete opposite.’
Perhaps the intelligent monkeys realized they were weaker than other spirit beasts and flocked together to overcome that difference in power with numbers.
“Ugh!”
Pushing the thoughts away, Jaekyung closed his eyes. Though he was heavily injured, they were all just scratches and would heal completely in a day or two. But since he didn't know when another enemy might appear, he had to rest deeply when he could to maximize his recovery speed.
A short while later. Jaekyung’s breathing became even. * As always, the vast sky of the Garden of Remembrance captured Jaekyung’s gaze.
Of course, in terms of vastness, it couldn't compare to the sky of the Azure Abyss Realm, but in the forest where Jaekyung lived, it wasn't easy to see such an open sky because of the endlessly growing trees.
He could see it if he climbed a tree, but he was afraid of being spotted by the monstrous birds flying in the sky, so even now that he was a spirit beast, Jaekyyung dared not climb to high places.
‘It might be nice to come see this from time to time.’
Although he could only exist here as a spirit, and thus couldn't feel the cool breeze on his skin, the visual satisfaction alone was enough. He thought it would be fine to come here for a moment whenever he had the time, to shake off his frustrations.
‘By the way… am I the first one here?’
He had arrived at the meeting spot, but all the stone pillars were empty. Jaekyung chose the lowest of the empty pillars, climbed atop it, and passed the time meditating.
“Hmm? And you are?”
A short while later. A stranger exuding a powerful pressure looked at Jaekyung on the stone pillar and asked with a puzzled expression.
“I am called Jaekyung. Senior Brother Woo Do-baek invited me to the gathering.”
“Woo Do-baek, you say? Hmm… I see.”
Whether it was because of the name Woo Do-baek or because he recognized that Jaekyung was a spirit beast, the pressure instantly subsided.
“Did you say Jaekyung? A pleasure. I am Yeo Jang-gyeong.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Senior Yeo.”
While he was exchanging a few words with Yeo Jang-gyeong, the other participants of the gathering began to appear one by one. With each one that appeared, Jaekyung found it harder to maintain his composure. If they hadn't intentionally suppressed their energy, Jaekyung probably wouldn't have been able to endure past the moment their number exceeded three.
Excluding Jaekyung, there were a total of five participants in the exchange meeting called the ‘Twilight Gathering’. They were all cultivators of the Foundation Establishment stage, and one of them was in the late Foundation Establishment stage.
When that man appeared, Jaekyung felt extreme pressure, but after he concealed his energy, the pressure he felt from him was surprisingly much fainter than from the others. This was despite the others also trying their best to conceal their energy. It meant that his skill in controlling his energy had reached a level of mastery.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a new face. A strange face, at that.”
The late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, Yoo Gye-yoon, said with a smile.
“Indeed. A demon race cultivator. This is my first time seeing one. What about you, Friend Choi?”
The early Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, Yeo Jang-gyeong, who had been the first to greet Jaekyung, asked in admiration.
“It is my first time as well. It’s hard to see demon race cultivators in the human territories, after all.”
Another early Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, Choi Ju-tang, replied to Yeo Jang-gyeong’s question.
“I have seen one before. Merchants from the Prosperous Treasure Guild once visited the city where I reside, and I saw one then.”
The only woman among the cultivators gathered here, a middle Foundation Establishment stage cultivator named Chae Yeon-ri, calmly recalled. At that, Woo Do-baek showed his interest.
“Oh? You met one in person?”
“I only saw one from a distance. It seemed they hadn’t properly mastered the Transformation Secret Art, as their appearance was bizarre, and their temperament seemed violent.”
As she spoke, Chae Yeon-ri did not hide her curiosity toward Jaekyung.
“That is why I find it strange. Friend Jaekyung, your Cultivation is low, yet the stability of your state of mind is as excellent as any human cultivator. Truly a rare talent.”
“You praise me too much. As you said, my Cultivation is insignificant, so I dare not be called ‘friend’ by you seniors. Please treat me as a junior.”
“Hmm. If you’re more comfortable with that.”
In the cultivation world, a cultivator’s rank is determined solely by their level. That is why yesterday’s senior can be today’s peer, and tomorrow’s junior. In front of these powerful beings who could crush their own spirit with a mere thought or peel off their own skin with the flick of a finger, Jaekyung showed boundless humility.
These ‘seniors,’ seeming deeply impressed by his ‘stable state of mind,’ treated him with a gentle attitude.
“It is a joy for all of us to meet such an excellent junior. Well then, it seems introductions are complete, so it would be good to get to the main point.”
The gathering began under the lead of the late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, Yoo Gye-yoon.
“Regarding the previous matter, it seems the appearance of the Full Heaven Palace is true. The Black Sea Immortal Dynasty has already sealed off the Black Sea region, I hear.”
“It is true. I heard the Star Recording Hall strongly protested the Black Sea Immortal Dynasty’s unilateral action.”
“Even so, doesn’t the Black Sea Immortal Dynasty have the just cause?”
“The Star Recording Hall probably won’t openly show its greed for the Full Heaven Palace. They’ll just fan the flames from behind." "A cultivator’s heart is not bound by justifications or righteousness, so if the Black Sea Immortal Dynasty doesn’t want to lose the people’s favor, they will eventually have to compromise.”
The first exchange meeting he attended was quite different from what Jaekyung had imagined. He had envisioned a serious atmosphere where powerful cultivators would discuss each other’s Cultivation and seek progress, but now that he was here, a familiar scene from his past life overlapped with the present.
If only they could get something to drink, wouldn't this be the spitting image of people gathering at a cafe to chat? Of course, there was nothing to drink here, and even if there were, it would only be for show.
‘This is like ordering a cup of Americano and chattering about international politics or the stock market.’
The Black Sea Immortal Dynasty, the Star Recording Hall… to Jaekyung, it was truly a different world’s story. Jaekyung listened as attentively as possible, wondering if there might be anything in the passing conversation that could help him grasp his current situation.
Most of the stories they shared were about major events in the cultivation world, so they were distant from Jaekyung himself, but he still found them quite interesting to listen to. Who had broken through, who had fallen, where a treasure had appeared… and so on.
It felt strange to think that events that were only described in novels in his past life had actually happened somewhere in this world and were still happening now.
“I thought I might get something this time, but in the end, it was another wasted effort.”
“Please do not be too disheartened. An opportunity is an opportunity precisely for that reason. Since your heart has already touched the path, the heavens will surely open a way for you.”
“Haha. The heavens. I certainly hope so.”
After the major topics were exhausted, the conversation turned to the recent affairs of each individual. Most of it was about Cultivation. Some said they had made small achievements through repeated enlightenment, while others had gone on expeditions for months in search of spiritual objects, only to return empty-handed.
“Come to think of it, opportunities are not always found far away.”
“What do you mean?”
“You didn’t know? Senior Bu-un has announced that he will be giving a sermon.”
“A sermon by Senior Bu-un? When is it?”
“Ten years from now. He said that anyone who wishes may come and listen.”
The middle Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, Woo Do-baek and Chae Yeon-ri, seemed slightly excited. On the other hand, the early Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, Yeo Jang-gyeong and Choi Ju-tang, were relatively calm. Jaekyung could roughly guess the reason.
‘That sermon probably won’t be of much help to those two. Their cultivation level is too low.’
Just as even the best lecture is nothing but nonsense to those who haven't grasped the basic concepts, the sermon of Bu-un, who was at the peak of the Golden Core stage, would likely be of little help to those with too low a cultivation level. That must be why their reactions were so divided.
‘Does this mean that even within the same Foundation Establishment stage, the early and middle stages are different?’
Perhaps the division of a major cultivation realm into three parts wasn't just due to the human race’s obsession with classification. Jaekyung’s gaze turned to Yoo Gye-yoon, who had been silent for a while. The others did the same.
“Senior Yoo. What will you do?”
“I’m thinking of going. It might be a good opportunity.”
“Have you really decided?”
“Yes. I’m at a point where I’m clutching at straws. I have been for a long time.”
As the atmosphere grew serious, Jaekyung tactfully remained silent. The seniors lamented about the bottlenecks in their Cultivation, about that suffocating anguish. A sense of empathy that Jaekyung could not understand was already deeply rooted among them.
‘A bottleneck.’
He had never felt it before, but one day, he too would face it. Walking the Immortal Path through continuous Cultivation also meant a battle against countless bottlenecks.
“Then when will you depart?”
“I’ll have to leave within a year at the latest.”
Hearing the man say that even that would be a tight schedule, Jaekyung was inwardly astonished.
‘The Vast Leisure Forest is in the Northern Region, and this is the heart of the Southern Region. But even so… HS.......’
Although he could only exist here as a spirit and thus had to move purely with mental energy, the speed of cultivators was by no means slow. Jaekyung himself boasted that he could fly faster than a bird in this place, so what need was there to even mention Foundation Establishment stage cultivators?
And yet, this wasn't just any Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, but Yoo Gye-yoon, a late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, talking about a journey of at least nine years, leaving Jaekyung utterly dumbfounded.
‘Is the Garden of Remembrance that vast?’
Didn’t they say it was a minor world? Could it be that in the cultivation world, the concept of ‘small’ was a little different from what he thought? For a moment, Jaekyung’s mind was thrown into confusion.