"Actually, the information about the Black Shark Gang is nothing special. Among the humans, anyone who should know already knows the story."
Gwak Jeong-shin, who seemed lost in thought for a moment, soon readily shared what he knew about the Black Shark Gang.
"To know about the Black Shark Gang, you must first know about Black Shark Island, which they occupy."
It was the border between the human territories and the demon race territories. Black Shark Island was a spiritual land, an island exquisitely located between the two.
Depending on how you slightly tilted the line when drawing a map of the Western Twin Lake, the island could be said to belong to the demon race's territory or the human's. "Originally, it was an ownerless island that no one paid any mind to."
If one considered the Western Twin Lake a small Azure Abyss Realm, then Black Shark Island was a borderland of the two powers. Planting a flag in such a place could needlessly provoke the demon races, which would be troublesome.
Besides, it had no appeal other than being a spiritual land, so no power in the Western Twin Lake paid it any attention.
"I thought it would remain that way forever. But about seventy years ago, the situation changed when a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a mountain sect, Gong Byeok-un, settled there."
Gong Byeok-un, the current Black Shark Gang Leader. He was the one who gave the then-nameless island the name Black Shark Island and founded the Black Shark Gang.
At first, everyone thought that a cultivator from a mountain sect, weary of a wandering life and with retirement in mind, had planted his flag on ownerless land without thinking of the consequences. They viewed the establishment of the Black Shark Gang in a similar light.
It wouldn't look good for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to live alone, so he probably took in a few cultivators from mountain sects with nowhere else to go under the pretext of teaching them.
But not even a few months passed before the human cultivators of the Western Twin Lake realized that Gong Byeok-un's occupation of Black Shark Island was not for such a simple reason. The Black Shark Gang began to sell Meat-Scaled Fish in large quantities.
"What is a Meat-Scaled Fish?"
"It is a fish that has the effect of nourishing one's vital energy. It is popular not only among body cultivators but also among cultivators who have grown old and whose energy has waned. It’s so sought after that you can't get it even if you want to."
Gwak Jeong-shin added that while the Meat-Scaled Fish was not a spirit fish, it had a special efficacy and the schools were hard to find, so it sold at a higher price than most spirit fish.
"Gong Byeok-un must have known that a school of these Meat-Scaled Fish was not far from Black Shark Island. That's why he would have settled on Black Shark Island and even created a grand gang."
Their acts of piracy were just a side job to display their might in the waters near Black Shark Island; the Black Shark Gang's main source of income was catching Meat-Scaled Fish. 'Meat-Scaled Fish, huh.'
When Jaekyung decided to deal with the Black Shark Gang, the most important thing he considered was the Black Shark Gang Leader, a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. But now, it seemed that this Meat-Scaled Fish might be more important than the Black Shark Gang Leader himself.
"Dao Friend Jaekyung. Are you thinking of striking the Black Shark Gang?"
Though phrased as a question, Gwak Jeong-shin seemed to already know the answer.
"That is correct."
"It's dangerous. The Black Shark Gang has all but monopolized the supply of Meat-Scaled Fish for well over sixty years. Not to mention the wealth they've accumulated, they also have more than a few connections they've made here and there to maintain their business. If you strike them, three or four groups will rise up directly against you."
Jaekyung looked at Gwak Jeong-shin with calm eyes. He saw at a glance the worry revealed in Gwak Jeong-shin's eyes and the greed blooming behind it.
Flinch!
As if sensing it himself, Gwak Jeong-shin trembled slightly and straightened his posture.
"Dao Friend. I..."
"The supply of Meat-Scaled Fish will continue without any disruption."
"Pardon?"
When he heard about the Meat-Scaled Fish, worry was the first thing that arose in Jaekyung's mind, but soon, laughter burst out.
"I am an aquatic spirit beast."
In truth, Jaekyung didn't know if he was an aquatic spirit beast or not, but he just went ahead and said it.
"Things like the location of a school of fish can be easily found if I try."
Jaekyung had no way of knowing the location of the school, but instead, Jaekyung knew a certain wise and obedient turtle.
"Even without the Black Shark Gang, I can supply the Meat-Scaled Fish."
"Oh..."
Gwak Jeong-shin seemed quite flustered, blinking his eyes. But soon, like a seasoned merchant, his eyes shone as he responded.
"Then we can avoid one great obstacle. But it is still dangerous. The Black Shark Gang has connections they've cultivated for decades."
"Do you believe they will remain loyal even after the Black Shark Gang is gone?"
"Of course, they won't. But they will step forward. Not for the Black Shark Gang, but for Black Shark Island."
Jaekyung's and Gwak Jeong-shin's gazes met. They had things they wanted to say to each other, but neither was willing to bring it up first. After a brief silence.
Jaekyung spoke first. But the words that came out of his mouth were completely unrelated to what he wanted to say and what Gwak Jeong-shin wanted to hear.
"I don't know if you're aware, but the ways for a demon race member like me to build Cultivation are extremely limited."
Jaekyung watched Gwak Jeong-shin's reaction as he continued speaking slowly.
"If one is born with a good bloodline, there is no need to worry about Cultivation. One simply needs to accept the legacy of the bloodline. But for demon races whose bloodline legacy has been exhausted, or who never had a bloodline to begin with, it's different. They must either find a spiritual object that suits them and leap forward at once, or find a good environment and slowly absorb spiritual energy."
"Hmm."
Gwak Jeong-shin nodded gravely. Although they were of different races, when it came to a serious topic about the Immortal Path like this, he, too, as a cultivator, couldn't help but feel solemn.
"The reason I'm telling Dao Friend Gwak all this is because I wanted to let you know that my decision to aim for the spiritual land this time was not made lightly. I absolutely need a spiritual land for my future on the Immortal Path."
"I understand."
Jaekyung shifted his body slightly. His body, which had grown steadily since reaching the Great Spirit stage, was now over 90 meters long, approaching 100 meters. With such a massive body, even a slight movement had tremendous power.
When the natural aura of a Great Spirit Beast was added to that, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would instinctively feel intimidated at close range.
"I will not beat around the bush. If you, Dao Friend, are willing to help me, I will reward you accordingly."
"... Very well."
Gwak Jeong-shin nodded heavily. He swallowed dryly as he watched the snake's eyes, as large as his own head, reveal their satisfaction. 'This being... is no ordinary Great Spirit Beast.
It must have inherited an extraordinary bloodline.' Of course, he didn't believe a word of the lamentation about the plight of a bloodline-less demon race he had just heard. If you're going to lie, at least make it plausible.
How was he supposed to react if someone presented a deer and insisted it was a horse? And that wasn't what was important right now. 'If this being can supply the Meat-Scaled Fish like the Black Shark Gang...'
Various calculations ran through Gwak Jeong-shin's mind. And as each calculation came out, his resolve hardened. When the final calculation was complete, Gwak Jeong-shin spoke again.
"Could you entrust the sale of the Meat-Scaled Fish to me?"
"If I agree to that, what help will you provide me, Dao Friend?"
"When you, Dao Friend, take care of the Black Shark Gang, I will ensure that not even a single ripple is made in the vicinity."
The chilling snake eyes stared at him. As if trying to discern the truth of the words he had just spoken.
"I want to believe you, Dao Friend, but is such a thing truly possible?"
"It is natural for you to be concerned, Dao Friend. It is not something a mere early Foundation Establishment cultivator can say lightly. But I am a member of the Prosperous Treasure Guild, and also a member of the Gwak family."
"The Gwak family?"
At the unexpected reaction, Gwak Jeong-shin momentarily froze, just blinking his eyes.
"Um... Dao Friend. Do you perhaps not know of the Gwak family?"
"... Is it a famous family?"
To think there would be a day when he would be surprised so many times, and for different reasons. Gwak Jeong-shin, having had a new life experience, said with a smile.
"The Old Ancestor of the Gwak family is none other than the Prosperous Treasure True Lord."
This time, it was Jaekyung's turn to be surprised.
"Please don't misunderstand. I said I was a member of the family, but I am from a branch of a branch family. I've barely managed to get my name in a corner of the family registry."
Gwak Jeong-shin smiled bitterly, but his status was not as insignificant as he made it out to be. Just having his name on the Gwak family registry, even in a corner, was enough pressure for outsiders.
"To those who know the situation, I'd be lucky not to be laughed at, but outside the family, my name still carries some weight. Besides, my position in the guild isn't bad either, so you need not worry that I was making an empty boast, Dao Friend."
'It wasn't worry, just curiosity.' The Prosperous Treasure Guild's position in the Western Twin Lake was somewhat unique. As a guild with a Nascent Soul True Lord in its background, the Prosperous Treasure Guild's fame was widespread in the human cultivation world, but they stuck to their main business and rarely threw their weight around.
But just because they kept quiet didn't mean there were any brave enough to challenge the power of a Nascent Soul True Lord, and the same was true for the Western Twin Lake.
The representatives of the Western Twin Lake humans were the Golden Core sects, the Golden Sun Sect and the Bright Scroll Sect, but even they could not treat the Prosperous Treasure Guild carelessly. And Gwak Jeong-shin was a young and important figure in such a guild. Therefore, if he proclaimed that nothing would happen, then truly no problems would arise.
"This time, I will ask. Are you confident? The Black Shark Gang Leader, Gong Byeok-un, is a mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. And he is not alone."
"But he is old. I don't even know if he has the strength to fight properly."
Even 70 years ago, Gong Byeok-un was a cultivator so old that people thought he was about to retire. So what would he be like now? Although one's lifespan increases slightly upon breaking through a minor realm, Gong Byeok-un was already at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage 70 years ago.
"You seem confident."
Jaekyung answered Gwak Jeong-shin's question with silence.
Confidence?
Of course, he had it. If he wasn't confident, would he have said all this? Of course, he understood Gwak Jeong-shin's concern.
In terms of realm alone, it was like an early Foundation Establishment cultivator claiming he could face a mid-stage cultivator. But he was of the demon races. If you compared only the combat power of a demon race cultivator and a human cultivator of the same level, the demon race cultivator generally had the upper hand.
This was a fact that even humans acknowledged. Even without discussing things like innate divine arts, the difference in their innate physical bodies was too great. Of course, human cultivators had various legacies like cultivation techniques and spirit artifacts, so if they utilized those elements well, they could reduce or even overcome that innate difference to some extent.
'But the Black Shark Gang Leader is old. He may have a lot of experience, but he probably doesn't have much actual combat ability left.' This was a guess based on his age and the fact that he hadn't shown his face outside for quite some time, but it didn't matter even if the guess was wrong.
"I will contact you again soon."
Because, from the very beginning, he had no intention of fighting the Black Shark Gang Leader fair and square.