Jaekyung looked down at the reddish stone up close, examining it carefully. A faint red light flowed gently over the crude lump of rock. If one didn't look closely, it was easy to mistake it as the stone's natural color, as the flow was invisible.
But to the eyes of those who observed it carefully, it looked as if blood was circulating within the stone. 'What is this?' Just from its appearance, he could tell it was no ordinary object.
That must be why Hyeon-gu had picked it up so gleefully. However... extraordinary was extraordinary, but what on earth was this thing? Even Jaekyung, who had memorized the catalog of the Prosperous Treasure Guild, could not identify this object, which he wasn't even sure was a stone.
'Hmm.'
Facing an object he couldn't identify, Jaekyung felt more pleased than perplexed. In his mind, an item not listed in the Prosperous Treasure Guild's catalog was one of two things. Either it was worthless and not worth listing, or it was so rare that it was seldom traded and couldn't be included in the catalog.
Jaekyung was convinced it was the latter. Besides its extraordinary appearance, he could feel something from it. He just couldn't grasp what that feeling was.
"You've worked hard."
Jaekyung first praised Hyeon-gu. And he bestowed a spiritual fruit on the spot. Receiving the spiritual fruit, Hyeon-gu's eyes burned hot as if they were on fire.
“Where did you find this item?”
"Reporting to the Dragon Lord. I obtained that item from the territory of Elder Jang-yeong."
“Jang-yeong's territory? You went quite far.”
“Hehe.
Since the master was gone, I thought it would be a good opportunity to look around a wider area." Hearing this, Jaekyung silently clicked his tongue, unsure whether to call it bold or reckless.
Of course, with his blood, there was no need to worry about lesser creatures, but what if he had run into the Great Spirit Beasts who came coveting the masterless home? If that had happened, even with his blood, this fellow probably wouldn't have been able to return unscathed as he was now.
But well, the outcome was good, so he didn't scold him. As for the recklessness... it seemed this turtle fellow had overexerted himself, coveting the spiritual fruit so much this time, but usually, he was a cautious creature, as befitting a turtle, so there was no need to worry too much.
After sending Hyeon-gu away, Jaekyung examined the strange object, which was a stone but didn't seem like one, from various angles. He touched it lightly and even dabbed a couple of drops of saliva on it. He even considered putting it in his mouth.
Well, he only thought about it for a moment. How could he recklessly put it in his mouth when he didn't know if it was poison or medicine, no matter how sturdy his body was? 'I have no idea what this is.'
His limited knowledge was revealed here. Previously, while trading with a few Great Spirit Beasts, he had inwardly scoffed at them as foolish creatures who didn't recognize the treasures in their own homes. Now, it seemed he was not much different from them.
'Never mind.
I'll find out slowly.' An item placed in a storage pouch won't run away, so there's plenty of time to investigate. His knowledge might be limited, but weren't there many experienced Seniors in the Garden of Remembrance?
Surely, among them, there must be someone who could identify this strange lump of rock. * The lump of rock was not urgent. Jaekyung first finished mastering the basics of the Blood Contract Restriction Art.
And he immediately summoned Han Cheong-yu. No one who can breathe and think wants to entrust their life to another. The Blood Contract Restriction Art was no different from a slave brand forcibly imprinted, a method that could sway even those with firm loyalty.
So Jaekyung decided to test it first on Han Cheong-yu, whom he judged to be the most loyal among the humans he commanded. He roughly explained the Blood Contract Restriction Art and gave him a choice. Of course, this 'choice' was only a choice in name; it was tantamount to a veiled compulsion.
Han Cheong-yu was no fool, so he would have naturally understood its meaning. But Jaekyung didn't care. He spoke calmly and observed Han Cheong-yu's reaction.
After listening to his entire story without a single word, Han Cheong-yu seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding his head.
“Dragon Lord. I understand.”
“What is it that you understand?”
"This lowly one understands. Please bestow the blood contract."
Jaekyung had thought Han Cheong-yu would eventually agree, but even so, such a calm reaction was unexpected. Was this fellow really okay with his life being sold for a single drop of blood? He was a little curious, but he decided not to think too deeply about it.
After all, he was very pleased with this submissive attitude.
"Take this."
Just because Han Cheong-yu complied didn't mean one should assume there was no resentment in his heart. Jaekyung didn't know if a few vials of medicinal pills could resolve that resentment, but he knew that if you put a leash on someone, you should also put meat in their mouth. In the end, what mattered was sincerity.
"Thank you, Dragon Lord.” Whether he was acting or not, Han Cheong-yu accepted the medicinal pills and expressed his joy. Jaekyung exchanged a few meaningless words with the fellow before sending him away.
Without saying a word about the other human subordinates. There were no secrets on Black Flood Dragon Island. Especially among the human cultivators, secrets hardly existed, as it was in the nature of humans to form groups.
They formed groups to lessen loneliness, increase joy, forget fear, and satisfy their vanity.
"Cheong-yu. Has your cultivation improved?"
The human cultivators of Black Flood Dragon Island immediately noticed that the aura and atmosphere emanating from Han Cheong-yu had changed from yesterday. It wasn't because Han Cheong-yu was showing off in front of them, nor was it because they were particularly perceptive or interested in others.
It was simply because on this boring island, it was hard to find pleasure other than comparing oneself to others and enjoying the small joy of achievement. Of course, they no longer considered the astoundingly diligent and talented Han Cheong-yu as their competitor, but for that very reason, they paid even more attention to him.
After all, the one in first place was bound to attract attention.
“Mm. The Dragon Lord bestowed some medicinal pills upon me.”
"The Dragon Lord gave you pills? Why?"
The human cultivators were envious and at the same time, dissatisfied. They thought the Dragon Lord was showing too much favoritism toward Han Cheong-yu. Even though Han Cheong-yu's cultivation realm was the highest among them and he had followed the Dragon Lord the longest, wasn't this favoritism too much?
Han Cheong-yu guessed the feelings behind his comrades' heated gazes. How could he not know? He mostly focused his mind on cultivation, but that didn't mean he completely ignored the atmosphere around him.
“The Dragon Lord asked if I would receive the Blood Contract Restriction Art. I said I would gladly accept it, and the Dragon Lord, pleased with my attitude, gave me medicinal pills as a reward.”
"Blood Contract Restriction Art?
What's that?”
Some frowned, while others' eyes gleamed. The former felt an instinctive aversion to the name 'Blood Contract Restriction Art,' which sounded ominous even at a glance, while the latter's ears perked up at the words 'medicinal pills' and 'reward.' Han Cheong-yu explained slowly and calmly.
He had long since guessed the Dragon Lord's inner thoughts. This Blood Contract Restriction Art was a means to control them, the human cultivators, more securely, and those who did not receive this restriction seal could no longer remain under the Dragon Lord.
Of course, they would first have to wonder if they could even survive after refusing the restriction seal. 'The Dragon Lord intends to use me to minimize the aversion towards the restriction art as much as possible.” Why was he the only one to receive the restriction seal?
Because his late Qi Refining Stage cultivation realm was a burden? Han Cheong-yu was no fool. After dismissing a few absurd thoughts, only one remained.
He was a kind of bait. Bait to make the restriction art seem like a symbol of favor. Once he realized that, Han Cheong-yu also knew how he should act.
He just had to do nothing. There was no need to step forward and exaggeratedly praise the Dragon Lord's grace, nor was there a need to pretend the restriction seal was no big deal. After all, thoughts planted by others are neither deeply engraved nor long-lasting, so it was best to let them judge for themselves.
Therefore, Han Cheong-yu acted as calmly as usual. If he were to make any effort at all, leaving a faint scent of medicinal pills was enough. 'It seems to be working well.'
Han Cheong-yu watched his visibly agitated comrades and kept his mouth firmly shut. About ten days after Han Cheong-yu returned with the pills, Jaekyung felt the atmosphere was ripe. He summoned another person.
His cultivation was mediocre, but he was the most diligent one besides Han Cheong-yu. The fellow seemed to have guessed the reason he was summoned, as he was somewhat flushed from the moment he arrived.
Jaekyung asked his intentions, just as he had with Han Cheong-yu, and the fellow accepted the restriction seal as if he had been waiting for it. To an onlooker, it was as if the restriction seal was not a seal but a reward. 'The effect is good.'
Was this because of a few vials of medicinal pills, or because of the small illusion Han Cheong-yu had created? Either way, his fishing seemed to be successful. When the second person after Han Cheong-yu received the 'reward', the human cultivators of Black Flood Dragon Island no longer hid their inner thoughts.
At first, when Han Cheong-yu received the reward, they were somewhat bitter but could more or less accept it and move on. After all, it was a clear fact that Han Cheong-yu was the best among them. But this time was different!
The one summoned this time was someone whose cultivation realm was barely in the middle of their ranks, and besides being simple-minded, he had no other outstanding features. So why was someone like him summoned by the Dragon Lord and given a reward? They pondered with jealousy, and before long, they came up with a suspicious answer.
Simple-mindedness.
In other words, diligence. And in yet another, very different word... loyalty? It might have been an absurd leap in logic and suspicion, but they really couldn't think of anything else.
Even if the answer was suspicious, if it was the only answer, they had no choice but to believe it. So they believed. And that belief solidified when the third person was summoned.
The third person summoned was also of a similar type to the second. His skills were nothing to speak of, but he had a simple nature, rarely complained, and often spoke words of gratitude for the Dragon Lord's grace. At this point, they could no longer doubt it.
The so-called Blood Contract Restriction was a symbol of favor, and the condition for receiving that favor was not ability, but loyalty. As cultivators, they truly wanted the Dragon Lord's medicinal pills, no, his favor. But from the looks of it, obtaining this favor did not seem easy.
If the condition for favor was loyalty, how on earth were they to prove that loyalty? Should they tear open their chests to show their hearts? As people receiving the 'reward' appeared every few days, and their number exceeded six, the hearts of the remaining ones grew heavy as if a lump of iron was placed upon them.
They were now worried not just about the reward, but more so that the Dragon Lord might be doubting their loyalty. But in truth, Jaekyung had no thoughts about them at all. The delay in bestowing the 'reward' was simply because his training in the Blood Contract Restriction Art was progressing slowly.
With Jaekyung's current level of mastery, even controlling ten people was difficult, so how could he bestow the 'reward' upon them right away? However, the human cultivators of Black Flood Dragon Island, unaware of this fact, could only blame their own disloyalty and lament that they could not open their hearts to show the Dragon Lord.