Jegal Hye-mi returned to where her companions were waiting.
"Sister! Are you okay? You look very tired."
Namgung So-ran, the first to approach her, asked cautiously, examining her face. Dark circles under her eyes and slightly rough skin. Although she hadn't been gone long, as Namgung So-ran said, her previously healthy complexion was now pale, as if she were about to collapse.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just overexerted myself a little. I'll be fine after some rest."
No matter how many measures they took to reduce the burden, there was no such thing as a miracle without a price. It was a wonder she had only ended up tired. Ha Seung-hoon, knowing this better than anyone as one of the participants, approached her with a gentle smile. He wanted to take care of her, since she had helped him successfully complete the ritual.
"You've worked hard, Miss Jegal. It seems there weren't any problems."
"Ah, Young Master. Yes, I just helped with a ritual."
"You seem to have pushed yourself too hard. Come here and rest. I'll ask the goblin attendants if they have anything that can help you recover."
"Hehehe, thank you for your concern."
A smile spread across her face at his thoughtful words. As a gentle atmosphere settled between them…
"Ah! I know something! Sister, come here! I found something good while I was looking around earlier."
Namgung So-ran, popping up between them, wrapped her arm around Jegal Hye-mi and pulled her towards her.
"There are so many amazing places here, right? There's a hot spring that's excellent for relieving fatigue and healing injuries, and it's also great for skincare. I've been waiting to go with you, and it's perfect timing."
Then, winking, she started walking confidently.
"S-So-ran?"
"When will we ever get another chance to come to a place like this? We have to try everything when we have the opportunity. Besides, it's all free since we're invited guests!"
"You're from a wealthy family, and yet…"
"It's always good to save when you can, right? Besides, the currency used among yokai is different. And I heard from the fox staff member earlier that there's…"
She suddenly lowered her voice and whispered something into Jegal Hye-mi's ear. Although she wasn't skilled enough to use techniques like Sound Transmission, she seemed to be mimicking it, as not a single sound leaked out.
"…Really?"
"Really."
"…Let's go."
"Okay."
Then, the two of them quickly excused themselves from Ha Seung-hoon and left. Horus, who mostly stayed in the dragons' quarters, didn't know all the facilities in Geumo Island, but it seemed they had heard something interesting.
He chuckled, watching the two disappear side by side. He had been a little worried since they had just performed a major ritual, but seeing them like this, he was relieved that they weren't completely exhausted.
'Well, there are many extraordinary things here from a human perspective.'
As Namgung So-ran said, the hot spring that improved skin was just the beginning. Bamboo shoots that made you grow taller, incense that could revive the dead, flower buds that made you invisible when rubbed on your body…
'Wait, this isn't something to laugh about, is it?'
His eyes narrowed as something occurred to him. His instincts as a 「Dimensional Merchant」 were tingling. He had been smelling money for a while now. He had given up on it due to various restrictions, but now, he could overcome those problems.
'I should seriously consider this. This could be…'
As Ha Seung-hoon was lost in thought, devising a new business model…
"Hmm, a fox."
A familiar voice suddenly spoke from beside him. It was Mok In-gwang, who had been loitering near them since they arrived at Geumo Island, seemingly out of boredom. He claimed he was looking after them on his master's orders, but he looked like a busybody meddling in everything.
"A fox? Ah, are you talking about the hot spring the young ladies went to?"
"Well, that place is run by fox yokai, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean that little lady from earlier."
"Miss Namgung?"
Ha Seung-hoon tilted his head at his words, which sounded like something a Taoist master would say, despite his unfitting appearance. He couldn't have meant she was a literal fox yokai, so it must have been a figure of speech. If anything, she seemed more like a puppy than a fox…
'Wait, they're both canines, so is there a difference?'
Mok In-gwang glanced at Ha Seung-hoon, who was blinking repeatedly, and smirked, closing his eyes. The realm he saw in Namgung So-ran was that of a first-rate master. It was impossible for a girl in her late teens to be a first-rate master without being a genius. Except for a few masters of the Profound Realm, the Transcendental Realm was practically the highest level.
'That oblivious monster is an exception.'
Generally, the elders of major sects were considered top-notch, and the leaders of martial arts units were considered peak masters. First-rate masters held positions as elite warriors in any sect. In remote areas, it wasn't uncommon for them to establish their own sects and train disciples.
It must have been possible thanks to her talent, effort, and abundant support as a direct descendant of a prestigious family. The reason a young lady from a prestigious family, with such outstanding abilities and beauty, would leave the safety of her clan and go this far…
"Hey, Heavenly Dragon Sword. I'm annoyed, let's fight."
"Huh? Suddenly? And Heavenly Dragon Sword is…"
"Bullshit, you don't even deserve the title of 'sword saint.' Kehkeh, you're not chickening out, are you?"
"Heh, alright. I was just looking for a chance to move around."
Mok In-gwang gritted his teeth, looking at the young, handsome, and good-natured martial arts master, who was attractive in every way. Wasn't this too much?! How could that guy be considered a master of the same level as him? He hadn't cared much about it so far, knowing his own temper, but with such a stark contrast right next to him, he couldn't help but feel irritated.
'And Heavenly Dragon Sword Saint? What's with that cool name! I'm still being called by the ridiculous nickname Nine Lights Demon!'
What was even more annoying was that the bastard who stole the nickname "Mad Demon" from him had suddenly disappeared and stopped his activities. Ever since the day of the world restoration using the Dragon's Child.
'Why did you steal it if you weren't going to use it?! Give it back, you son of a bitch!'
Of course, it was a meaningless cry now. Ha Seung-hoon, watching Mok In-gwang fuming, shook his head. He must be having a relapse of his madness without Harley's physical therapy. He had no awareness that he was the main cause of the other man's stress.
'Well, his enthusiasm will be a great help in raising the proficiency of 「Wuji」.'
One way or another, Mok In-gwang was also a master at the peak of the Transcendental Realm, aiming for the Profound Realm. There would definitely be enlightenment to be gained from exchanging martial arts with someone at the same level.
'They'll be busy for a while anyway.'
He glanced towards the Dragon God's Shrine and shrugged. Horus and the other Four Dragons, as well as the other dragons, wouldn't be able to pay attention to them for a while. It couldn't be helped.
The bloodline of the Yellow Dragon, which had been completely severed during the great war when the entire yokai race suffered devastating losses…
…had finally been fully revived.
"Here, do you want to try this?"
[Kyung!]
"Kyah! He ate it! So cute! Adorable! Do you want more?"
The girl in her mid-teens with long, braided black hair, Heilong, jumped up and down excitedly. Then, she pulled out something faintly glowing like a will-o'-the-wisp from her pocket and carefully held it out. Towards the small, round snout of the dragon.
Lick—
The little Yellow Dragon, blinking its round eyes, accepted it without hesitation and munched on it, shaking its head. Heilong's face softened at the sight.
"Hehehe! He ate it again! Now, for the next…"
"That's enough, Heilong. Huiya was just born. No matter how good it is for him, overeating will only harm him."
"…Bailong, if you're going to say that, put down the divine fruit in your hand. It's not very convincing."
"Ahem."
Bailong coughed and turned his head at Heilong's sharp words. However, he didn't put down the peach-like fruit in his hand.
"Um…"
Horus sighed softly at the farce unfolding before him and cautiously spoke. However, he didn't get a chance to voice his complaint about the current situation. As soon as he opened his mouth, a sweet fruit was popped into it, and he missed his chance, munching on it unconsciously.
"Cute next to cute. This is precious."
"Ahem, ahem. Well, not bad."
"Chilong? Is that a heat-resistant storage device? When did you…?"
"Hmph! The successor to the Yellow Dragon lineage, which was completely severed, has finally been reborn. We have a duty to record this moment and pass it down to future generations, Qinglong."
"Indeed, as expected of Chilong. You're right. …You'll share it with me later, right?"
A dragon's Orb could be adjusted in size. From a marble that could be easily carried by a human, to a boulder-sized one that a massive dragon could hold in its mouth. The Orb used in this ritual was about the size of two adult fists combined, so naturally, the Yellow Dragon born from it was also small…
"Munch, munch, you're growing really fast, aren't you?"
[Kyah?]
Horus swallowed the fruit in his mouth and looked at the little dragon peeking out from behind his shoulder. The yellowish body wrapped around the upper body of a six or seven-year-old boy had already grown from the size of a loach when it first emerged from the Orb to the size of a snake.
'Is this natural since it's not a normal creature?'
It would have been the same even if they had initially enlarged the Orb to the size of a house. What mattered was the initial energy input and the energy consumed during the growth process.
Horus grinned and gently stroked the head of the baby Yellow Dragon, Huilya.
'Grow up healthy and strong.'
The little dragon, closing its eyes at his heartfelt touch, wriggled and rubbed its head against his hand.
"Awww—"
"Huh? Qinglong? Are you okay? Snap out of it!"
"…Chilong, it's basic procedure to store records that might be lost in multiple locations. You know that, right?"
"Hmph, who knows?"
Ignoring the noisy voices from the sidelines, he focused on the sense of unity he felt with Huilya. It wasn't simply affection for the child born thanks to him.
'This is the true power of the 「Yellow Dragon's Orb」.'
He could feel it. The invisible bond connecting him and Huilya, formed while presiding over the ritual.
Hum—
A faint energy flowed from Horus' fingertips. It was the power originating from the newborn Huilya, but it wasn't borrowed from the child.
'It's being given to me in proportion to his power. And this power is similar to the Orb.'
In other words, the child's existence itself was no different from another Orb for him. The Orb, which amplified a dragon's abilities to the extreme, was an artifact that could only be used once unless one defied the heavens. Huilya's head bobbed as he stroked it with a satisfied smile.
'A complete totem.'
Although it was just a newborn dragon, perhaps due to its extraordinary origins, its growth rate was remarkable. The stronger this child grew, the greater his power would become. It was an ability only he could use, not granted to the other dragons who formed the pillars of the ritual, nor to Jegal Hye-mi, the shaman who mediated with the Dragon God.
'And that's not all. There's only Huilya now, but if I can increase the number of Yellow Dragons, and if I can raise them successfully…'
How strong could Horus become?
A single breath amplified by the Orb had obliterated Beijing. He couldn't even imagine the power of a breath amplified two or three times. However, he couldn't put his plan into action immediately. Qinglong, who had returned after checking the situation at the Penitence Cave, expressed her concerns.
"We've used up most of the energy we stored for the ritual. To be honest, we're barely able to maintain the illusory realm right now. Of course, it'll recover over time since the yokai residing in the illusory realm can now freely go outside, but…"
It meant it wouldn't be possible anytime soon. Horus reluctantly accepted the unavoidable situation—.
'So, I just need to solve the energy problem, right?'
—Not.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Recalling the words of the great ancient sages, he returned to his room, stroked Huilya's head, and quietly fell into thought. Recalling the memory of raiding the warehouse of the heinous Demonic Cult, the wicked organization that had pushed this world to the brink of destruction through repeated destruction and plunder.
In the comfortable home he had prepared for himself in the outskirts of Seoul.
"…So."
He sighed softly, sitting in his chair in front of the computer. Then, looking down at his feet, he muttered,
"Why are you here?"
[Kyu?]
Huilya, tilting his head, blinked his round eyes and met his perplexed gaze. Still coiled around his leg.