Chapter 758: Nine Heavens Mad Dragon (4)

At my final words, silence fell over the hall.

They looked thoroughly shocked.

The mouth of the Yellow-Sea Dragon King with the yellow horns opened and closed like a carp gasping for air.

Demanding that arrogant dragons offer up hostages—or would it be “dragonstages” in this case?

Either way, demanding hostages probably already made me look insane, but saying I wanted not one, but seven of them had clearly left them stunned out of their minds.

I was watching their idiotic expressions when Sua wrapped her arms around my neck.

She even coiled her tail around my waist.

As her smooth scales wound around me, they felt cold like a snake.

'That acting is getting intense. Or is she taking the opportunity to satisfy her personal desires?'

I had wrapped an arm around her waist and smacked her ass earlier, but that had been part of the planned act.

This was unexpected, so I flinched inwardly.

This girl had been openly interested in me from the very first time we met.

I started wondering whether she thought this was her chance and was taking full advantage of it.

Well, she was technically my concubine, so it was not exactly inappropriate behavior.

Still, this wasn’t the time for her to overdo it, so I was about to send her a voice transmission when Sua quietly whispered,

[So-ryong, the higher-ups.]

'The higher-ups? Ah!'

Right.

Those bastards were so rattled by my demand that they might have mistaken it as a demand directed at them personally.

I had mentioned it earlier, but those idiots were completely out of it.

So just as Sua said, I needed to clarify it again.

Our objective was not them, but deceiving the dragons of the Upper Heaven, wasn’t it?

These guys were just messengers. Our real goal was to deceive the dragon leadership.

Pressing a hand to my forehead, I spoke.

“Ah, right. I should explain this properly.

I’m not demanding this from you. What crime have you committed? You merely came here as messengers. Well, if you wish to offer spirit stones or spirit pills, I certainly won’t refuse, but I’ll consider your prostration sufficient as your apology.

So go and deliver the message to your superiors. I’m making this demand of the ones who sent you, so go and bring me their answer.”

If they reported this to those above them, disaster rather than fortune would surely follow.

So while they hesitated and rolled their eyes around, unable to answer, I personally lifted them with my inner energy and hurled them straight out of White Night City.

A madman had to remain a madman to the very end.

“Well then, let me personally escort you to the gates.”

“Huaaak! P-Please spare us!”

“Oh? Who said anything about killing you? I merely said I’d escort you outside.”

—Fwaaaash!

“Kurgh.”

“Kehugh.”

The four of them skidded across the ground in front of White Night City’s gates and smashed into the rocks in the distance.

I lightly walked over and smiled as I stuck a direct-contact talisman onto one of their chests.

“Ah, right. I almost forgot again. I’ll be waiting for a favorable reply.”

Naturally, I didn’t forget to pat his chest either.

In movies, whenever someone stuffed something into another person’s chest, they always did that.

***

The Dragon Kings returned to the Eighth Heaven and immediately headed for the White Sea.

They gathered at the residence of the White-Sea Dragon King, who possessed the greatest insight among the four.

They needed to discuss what had happened today.

The places where they had been struck and the injuries from being thrown around still throbbed with pain, but this was no time to worry about that.

That madman had demanded one dragon of every color as an “apology gift.”

And on top of that, he had told them to report it to their superiors. There was no choice but to discuss it.

“They said the master was a lunatic who only abducted women...”

“Then that disciple bastard must be just as insane.”

“Damn that bastard! To think my beautiful horn was broken.”

As the Yellow-Sea Dragon King touched his broken horn with a sorrowful expression, the Black-Sea Dragon King, who had been rubbing his limbs, shouted angrily,

“Enough of this. Let’s fight! I can’t tolerate being humiliated like this!”

Apparently, getting beaten earlier had left him deeply resentful.

The Red-Sea Dragon King agreed immediately.

As befitted a red dragon famed for its explosive temper, he shouted furiously,

“We were ambushed because there was something preventing us from using Law Arts and Dao Techniques earlier! But if we combine our strength, can we really not handle a mere bastard like him!? Gather the other four Dragon Kings as well and strike all at once!

If all eight of us attack together, we can absolutely win.”

His claim was that they had only lost because of the ambush, and that there was no way they would lose in a proper fight.

But the White-Sea Dragon King shook his head.

In his opinion, even if every dragon gathered together, the outcome would likely be the same.

“That would be a disastrous move.”

At the White-Sea Dragon King’s words, the Black-Sea and Red-Sea Dragon Kings shouted,

“A disastrous move!? Why?”

“You think we can’t handle a mere bastard like that!?”

They insisted such a thing was impossible, but their hands trembled slightly.

It had been their first time facing a brute-force cultivator, and the reputation had not been exaggerated in the slightest.

To be honest, they had not even perceived what had happened earlier.

They had sensed neither the flow of qi nor the bastard’s movements at all.

“The abilities of brute-force cultivators are said to rival opponents an entire realm above them, are they not? And he is not alone there. Before we went, I investigated carefully. That place contains not only him, but also his wife and senior martial sister, both brute-force cultivators as well.

And above all else, one of the disciples of the Plain Maiden, Dark Maiden, and Rainbow Maiden is there.”

At the mention that not only him, but even his senior martial sister and wife were brute-force cultivators, they all visibly flinched.

And after hearing the White-Sea Dragon King’s words, they remembered something else.

His wife was a disciple of the rulers of the Nine Heavens themselves—the Plain Maiden, Dark Maiden, and Rainbow Maiden.

Hadn’t everyone witnessed the three descending into a woman’s body not long ago?

A woman capable of becoming the vessel for the descent of the Plain Maiden, Dark Maiden, or Rainbow Maiden at any moment was standing at his side.

The Red-Sea and Black-Sea Dragon Kings spoke while trembling.

“Th-Then what are we supposed to do? Don’t tell me you intend to report this to the higher-ups? My superior has a violent temper. If this is reported, he won’t let me off alive.”

“Exactly. That’s incredibly dangerous. Do you know how terrifying a black dragon’s rage is? Just imagining it is horrifying.”

The Red-Sea and Black-Sea Dragon Kings were absolutely against reporting this upward.

Each dragon received protection and guidance from senior dragons of the Upper Heaven matching the color of their own bodies, and the personalities of those higher-ups were no joke.

With tempers like wildfire, it was obvious they would unleash fury for failing even a simple task.

The White-Sea Dragon King sighed.

“I will report it to the higher-ups myself, so all of you contribute offerings.”

“R-Really!? Th-That much we can do.”

“Of course. Of course. We’ll all chip in together.”

If mere wealth could spare them from the wrath of their superiors, there was nothing better.

So they willingly agreed to contribute as much as necessary.

After all, the White-Sea Dragon King said he would bear the anger himself.

A short while later, at an altar near the White Dragon Palace of the White-Sea Dragon King—

Offerings had been piled high before the altar.

As the spirit stones stacked before it burned away, smoke rose into the air, and within the smoke, a figure slowly emerged.

The being appearing within the smoke was some enormous shape whose form could not be clearly discerned.

Then suddenly, a light flickered open in the center of that massive figure.

Only then did the Dragon Kings realize what it was.

The flickering light was an eye.

And the gigantic form was a colossal white dragon maintaining its draconic shape despite clearly being capable of complete transformation.

A voice emerged from the figure.

[What is it? It is too soon for the task I assigned you to have been completed.]

Perhaps because of the white dragon’s aura, the voice felt icy cold.

At the question, the White-Sea Dragon King lowered his head and answered,

“We encountered an unexpected situation, so I came to report it.”

At those words, the air throughout the area turned cold.

It felt as though the higher being was angered.

As expected, a chilling voice rang out.

[I dislike unexpected situations.]

Cold sweat streamed down the White-Sea Dragon King’s face as he replied,

“H-However, this was beyond our capabilities, so we had no choice.”

After a brief silence, the voice spoke again from above the altar.

[...What exactly happened? For even you, a fellow white dragon, to say such a thing.]

Since he himself was also a white dragon, the White-Sea Dragon King understood the cold and rational nature of the higher being better than anyone.

That was why the higher being seemed curious about why he would say such a thing.

Feeling relieved, the White-Sea Dragon King explained.

“As ordered, we went to White Night City in the First Heaven. We waited an entire day to meet him, and then he appeared dragging Sua, the master of the Jet-Black Sea, by a leash around her neck as though she were a beast.”

[What!?]

The light above the altar flared brighter.

The eyes of the higher being, who had spoken in a cold and languid tone until now, widened.

[And then?]

Urged onward, the White-Sea Dragon King continued.

“According to Sua, the master of the Jet-Black Sea, she had lied to the higher-ups. She said she lied because she coveted the owner of White Night City and wished to obtain the higher-ups’ support.

Then the master of the Jet-Black Sea prostrated herself and bowed her head.”

[That is impossible to believe. And for her to bow her head is unnatural.]

The opinion of the higher being matched that of the White-Sea Dragon King.

For a prideful dragon to bow its head was impossible.

Well, hadn’t they themselves bowed their heads to survive?

Looking at it that way, perhaps she had merely been begging for her life.

“Yes. I thought the same. However, after that, he demanded an apology.”

[An apology?]

“Yes. He said he wished to receive apologies from us and from the higher-ups.

He took issue with the fact that true blood had been sent to scheme against him based solely on the words of the master of the Jet-Black Sea, and that we had also been sent.”

Afraid the higher being might interrupt in anger, the White-Sea Dragon King hurried through the explanation.

Then came a sound.

[Ha!]

It was a voice filled with disbelief.

A lowly creature of the Lower Heaven daring to demand an apology from beings of the Upper Heaven.

[And then?]

“We attempted to seize him and teach him proper manners, but all four of us were defeated within a single exchange.”

[Within a single exchange?]

“Yes.”

[I heard he was a brute-force cultivator, but to that extent?]

Surprise entered the voice from above the altar.

The White-Sea Dragon King quickly continued.

“And then he demanded an apology gift.”

[An apology gift?]

“Yes. He said he wished to receive an apology gift from the higher-ups who had sent us, and demanded one dragon of each color be offered to him. Blue, red, white, black, yellow, green, silver, and jade. He said he already possessed a blue dragon, so the remaining seven should be offered.”

[What!?]

The altar trembled violently.

Because the higher being had become enraged, a massive amount of energy poured through the connection, and the offerings atop the altar began burning away rapidly under the strain.

—Whoooosh!

It felt as though everything would burn to ashes in an instant.

As the higher being’s form atop the altar began fading, the Black-Sea and Red-Sea Dragon Kings hurriedly pulled out spirit stones and spirit pills from their storage islands and piled them onto the altar.

[That insolent wretch! How dare he demand an apology from us!?]

The higher being was furious not because dragons had been demanded as apology gifts, but because an apology itself had been demanded from the higher powers.

The offerings on the altar ignited once more as the higher being’s rage deepened, and this time the Yellow-Sea Dragon King hurriedly dumped treasures onto the altar as well.

—Clatter!

At the same time, a furious roar echoed out.

[Gather every dragon and every follower in the Lower Heaven at once! That insolent bastard dares!? Capture him immediately and tear his limbs apart as an offering!]

At the order to immediately seize him and rip him to pieces, the White-Sea Dragon King trembled and said,

“H-Higher One, but among his wives is a disciple of the rulers of these Nine Heavens—the Plain Maiden, Dark Maiden, and Rainbow Maiden.”

[A disciple of those three?]

“Yes, Higher One.”

At those words, understanding finally entered the higher being’s voice.

[I see now. So that is why he is so arrogant. And why you reported this.

Very well. I shall personally visit those three and settle this matter. I will obtain the authority over his life and death! That insolent bastard—just because his wife is a disciple of the Rainbow Maiden, Dark Maiden, and Plain Maiden, he dares demand an apology from the dragons of the Upper Heaven!? Unforgivable!]

The flames atop the altar rapidly died down, and the aura of the enormous being dispersed.

***

Baek Uja, the Lower Heaven Overseer among the white dragon bloodline of the Upper Heaven, stared at the man before him.

This was the one who had demanded dragons.

His features looked perfectly normal, yet madness blazed within his eyes.

They were the eyes of someone obsessed with a single thing beyond reason.

The reason he had come here personally to confront him—

He had gone to see the Rainbow Maiden, Plain Maiden, and Dark Maiden, but only the Rainbow Maiden and Dark Maiden had been present.

He had questioned them about this matter, only to receive an awkward answer.

[We cannot do anything about that child—no, that bastard either.]

[Our disciple is also suffering terribly under him, but as the condition for our disciple becoming his disciple, we promised to guarantee that bastard’s safety.]

They said a heavenly contract guaranteed his safety.

And because the contract had been made through his disciple-wife, they had no choice but to honor it.

Thus, they could neither allow harm to come to him nor permit anyone else to do so.

In the end, the only thing he had obtained permission for was the right to speak with him.

So he had decided to come face-to-face and personally put the bastard in his place.

Dare demand an apology from beings of the Upper Heaven?

Baek Uja asked,

[So. You intend to receive an apology from us?]

“Yes, elder. Just hand over seven dragons. Then I’ll let bygones be bygones.”

At the words “seven dragons,” his brows twitched.

To refer to great dragons as mere “heads” of livestock—

His brows trembled with fury, and the body he had descended into let out screams.

It was not a body compatible enough for possession, yet he had forced himself into it regardless.

[Insolent brat. Did you think you would remain in the Nine Heavens forever? Have you not considered what will happen once you ascend to the Central Heaven? You—]

Before he could finish speaking, a voice interrupted him.

The bastard before him spoke with utterly deranged eyes.

“Aigo, so you have no intention of offering either an apology or apology gifts. In that case, starting tomorrow, I suppose I’ll travel from the First Heaven to the Eighth Heaven and slaughter every dragon I can find. After all, I only want them if they’re willingly offered.”

[W-What!?]

“I heard Nascent Soul Stage cultivators live around twelve hundred years, right? Then I suppose I’ll stop advancing my realm and spend about twelve hundred years here slaughtering every dragon that ascends.

And once those twelve hundred years pass, instead of ascending to the Central Heaven, I’ll simply return to nothingness. Khehehe.”

For the first time in his long life, Baek Uja, the Overseer of the Lower Heaven, felt the greatest rage he had ever experienced.

No—not mere rage.

Something surged up from deep within his chest.

Something like a blazing inferno. Like molten lava.

The bastard was saying he would remain at the peak of the Lower Heaven for twelve hundred years, slaughter every dragon that ascended, and then vanish before vengeance could ever reach him.

If he fled to the underworld, at least his soul could be hunted down.

But he was saying he would not even allow that—he would simply return to nothingness itself.

Never in his life had he encountered such a madman.