Chapter 446

Chapter 446
## Chapter 446

The Yellow Dragon’s Orb (1)

A sanctuary located deep within a certain cavern.

“The Repentance Cave serves as more than just a dungeon for confining yokai who have violated our laws.”

The woman, whose long azure locks were neatly tied back—the Azure Dragon—spoke in a gentle tone as she advanced deeper into the space.

Following eagerly behind her was a small creature, Horus, who kept turning his head in fascination to examine their surroundings.

Golden cords, resonant bells, polished mirrors, and ritual blades—an assortment of ceremonial tools lay scattered throughout the area.

Positioned among these objects, the ancestral tablets maintained a quiet but undeniable presence. The Azure Dragon, who had been leading the way, came to a halt and carefully retrieved an item from within her garments.

-Taowu, One of the Four Evils.

For a brief moment, she studied the tablet, which radiated an intense pressure from its surface, before carefully placing it onto a vacant shelf within the sanctuary.

After a few heartbeats had passed.

The newly arranged artifact integrated seamlessly, looking no different from the surrounding tablets.

“Yokai are creatures inherently born with mystical traits, channeling their extraordinary powers as naturally as respiration from birth until death. Binding them through sheer compliance demands a monumental expenditure of essence. The greater the number of captives we confine, the heavier the strain placed upon our resources.”

“Huh—.”

It was a fundamentally impractical system.

From the moment these transgressors violated the decrees and were sent here, they had already inflicted substantial damage upon Golden Turtle Island. Furthermore, maintaining this facility required a continuous drain on their reserves.

Would it not be far more efficient to simply execute every single one of them?

‘If we did that, gathering scarce crafting resources would be much simpler too.’

Naturally, such an approach would drastically undermine the internal unity of their faction.

Barring a catastrophic crisis that the entire community agreed upon, the members would find it difficult to maintain allegiance to a leadership that systematically slaughtered and butchered their own kind.

Fortunately, Golden Turtle Island—possessing sorcery that stood unrivaled across the Strong Return World—had devised a clever remedy for this dilemma.

“The underlying concept is uncomplicated. We refrain from expending our own reserves; instead, we harness the residual yokai energy of the captives themselves to keep them bound.”

The strategy involved forcibly extracting their latent power to diminish their strength, subsequently utilizing that exact energy to keep the remaining yokai subdued while simultaneously fueling the grand illusionary matrix that served as their rehabilitation program.

Consequently, every single yokai locked within the Repentance Cave functioned as a shackle for another.

“And any surplus energy is gathered and preserved for future emergencies?”

“Precisely, Horus. You possess a remarkably sharp intellect.”

The Azure Dragon offered a gentle smile, affectionately stroking his head while offering him a piece of preserved sweet fruit she produced from her robes.

To put it another way, the Repentance Cave operated simultaneously as a penitentiary, a rehabilitation center, and a mystical generator.

“It has proven remarkably beneficial in recent days as well. Restabilizing the equilibrium of this reality—which was on the brink of total destruction—has demanded an astronomical amount of energy.”

In a period where they could not easily place their faith in individuals who had already triggered disasters and been imprisoned, this arrangement was the most logical choice.

A vast majority of the essence keeping the Immortal Realm stable originated from this very location.

“So, Horus? What brought about your desire to visit this place? There is little here that would normally capture your attention.”

The overseer of the Repentance Cave, the Azure Dragon, looked down with clear eyes at Horus as he chewed on the sweet treat.

Even though she had willingly granted his unexpected appeal, she was genuinely curious about the motivation behind it.

“Munch, munch— Ah, well, the thing is…”

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck while scanning the barren chamber.

In truth, he lacked any grand, philosophical justification for inspecting this subterranean vault firsthand.

He merely required visual confirmation to guarantee that no unforeseen factors would disrupt his impending designs.

‘I never anticipated that the ‘Yellow Dragon’s Jewel’ would manifest in this manner.’

He mentally reviewed the precise conditions required to unlock the trait before formulating his reply.

The methodology, which had been instantly transferred to his consciousness alongside the interface notification, was burdened with numerous intricate stipulations, though the vital elements could be summarized into three core parts.

First: His own presence, as the individual who had completed the monumental task of becoming the Savior of the Strong Return World and claimed the trait as the ‘Last Yellow Dragon.’

Second: The colossal—almost unfathomable—pool of energy he had just verified with his own eyes.

And lastly…

“…Would it be possible for you to escort the Child of the Dragon to the Dragon God Temple?”

The Azure Dragon knit her brows slightly at the request.

The Dragon God Temple remained a sacred sanctuary accessible solely to draconic entities, a holy ground that even the highest authorities of Golden Turtle Island could not enter without explicit authorization.

Even if the individual in question was the ‘Child of the Dragon,’ proposing that a mere human step into that domain was certain to generate intense opposition, even from an entity as mild-tempered as herself.

Yet Horus remained entirely poised.

The moment she received his explanation, she would be left with no option but to agree.

And that absolute certainty materialized almost instantly.

“…Good gracious. I shall call for an emergency gathering of the Five Dragons this instant.”

The second the reasoning was unveiled, she abandoned her current tasks and moved with absolute urgency, rapidly summoning all five draconic leaders to a single chamber.

Despite being fully occupied with their respective obligations, they could not dismiss her uncharacteristically fierce insistence.

“What is the meaning of this, Azure? Why have you summoned us so abruptly?”

A woman with short, crimson hair complained irritably—the Vermilion Dragon.

“An assembly of the Five Dragons at such a hectic hour? Has an incident of great magnitude occurred?”

A man with flowing white hair, the most senior among them, inquired in a composed voice—the White Dragon.

“Greetings, Horus! My duties have kept me so occupied that I haven’t seen you, but you remain absolutely precious, don’t you?”

A young girl with long, braided black hair spoke, her gaze gleaming with intense curiosity—the Black Dragon.

Yet their contrasting initial attitudes slowly unified into a singular emotion as Horus proceeded with his explanation.

Skepticism, bewilderment, and profound astonishment.

Followed by a faint ray of anticipation.

“Then it appears we have reached a consensus.”

Every individual present nodded in agreement with the Azure Dragon’s statement.

Accordingly, only a handful of minutes after the critical assembly of the Five Dragons had commenced.

The proposal concerning Jegal Hye-mi’s admittance into the Dragon God Temple was approved with absolute unanimity.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Haa.”

A visibly anxious Jegal Hye-mi cautiously advanced.

She had little choice but to move forward.

She had been isolated from her allies and transported entirely unaccompanied into this alien domain known as the Immortal Realm.

‘And this realm is absolutely crawling with yokai…’

Even so, terror did not paralyze her.

Drawing in a profound breath, she marched forward with resolute steps.

She possessed an unbreakable confidence that should peril find her, a certain individual would unfailingly arrive to deliver her from danger.

Precisely as had occurred every time before.

“Over here! Follow this path!”

As she pressed forward without hesitation, a youthful voice resonated from the far end of the stone corridor.

Directing her gaze toward the sound, she spotted a young boy who appeared to be no older than seven or eight years of age, gesturing toward her with immense energy.

‘A young child?’

The boy possessed striking golden locks and brilliant golden eyes—features rarely encountered within the Central Plains—and looked as flawless as a crafted doll.

“Ahem.”

The youth tilted his chin upward with an air of self-importance and puffed out his chest proudly.

His sheer charm was so intense that it momentarily left her mind blank, but owing to her status as the Child of the Dragon, she could acutely perceive his underlying aura and instantly discerned the reality of the situation.

She understood the true form of this entity concealing himself beneath such an endearing exterior.

Astonishingly, this was not their inaugural encounter.

“Yellow Dragon…? Could you truly be the Yellow Dragon?”

The legendary being who, during the conflict against the Demonic Cult, had utterly annihilated the entirety of Beijing with a singular, devastating strike.

The selfsame Yellow Dragon who had subsequently overseen the sacred ceremony for herself and the remaining Children of the Dragon.

“Hmph! You recognize my greatness? I shall be acting as your guide from this moment onward, so ensure you follow me without creating a fuss!”

Such was the true nature of the young boy who was currently rolling his small shoulders and leading the way.

She followed behind him in complete silence, far too bewildered to even articulate a question.

‘…This feels entirely surreal.’

She swallowed nervously and squeezed her trembling fingers into fists.

She closed her eyes tightly before snapping them open once more, locking her attention onto her diminutive guide.

‘That cataclysmic Yellow Dragon is actually this adorable?!’

An involuntary smile tugged at her lips as she observed him pacing forward, his tiny feet stepping rapidly to maintain his stride.

It felt as though she had fallen under the spell of some mesmerizing yokai.

The corridor they navigated was adorned with exquisite masterpieces of art, yet absolutely none of those decorations could hold her focus at the moment.

‘Oh, I have an overwhelming urge to pat his head.’

His complexion was as pale and flawless as fresh rice cakes, and his hair shimmered softly like woven golden thread.

His tiny head tilted from side to side with each step, his small limbs swinging with boundless vitality.

He even seemed to radiate a gentle, sun-warmed aroma.

‘So children are inherently this endearing.’

Having spent the entirety of her existence isolated deep within the confines of her clan’s estate, she had never been afforded the opportunity to mingle with young children.

Furthermore, upon recovering her physical well-being, she had been exposed exclusively to the grimmer aspects of the world.

For that reason, Horus—who radiated a comforting warmth merely by occupying a space—made an incredibly profound impact upon her senses.

‘If the day comes where I bear a child… will they possess this exact level of cuteness?’

A aspiration she had deemed entirely impossible until quite recently.

Yet now, it was no longer a mere fantasy—it was a tangible future within her grasp.

‘Indeed, a child of my own would undoubtedly be precious. I am reasonably attractive myself, after all. And regarding the father…’

Likely a consequence of her recent abduction experience.

An array of vivid daydreams flooded her imagination.

She went so far as to mentally combine their distinct physical traits in various permutations to envision their second offspring, nodding to herself in utter contentment while a deep blush coated her cheeks.

‘Yes, regardless of how the traits blend, the result is stunning. Oh, wait—what about names? Ought I to begin formulating names for a son and a daughter this early? Hehe! What if we are blessed with twins?!’

Jegal Hye-mi began emitting quiet whines as she deliberated intensely, her face flushing crimson.

Horus, who had been leading her forward while offering introductory explanations, paused and turned around, blinking his eyes in confusion.

“Therefore, there is absolutely no reason to feel overly anxious… Huh? Are you alright? Are you experiencing pain somewhere?”

Hearing his voice, she snapped out of her elaborate fantasies and sharply raised her head.

Naturally, not a single syllable of his explanation had registered in her mind.

“I-I sincerely apologize. Could you perhaps repeat that? I became somewhat distracted by my thoughts for a moment…”

“Ah! Do not worry about it! It is entirely natural to lose focus when one is experiencing anxiety.”

The boy nodded with an aura of maturity that completely contradicted his youthful form, crossing his arms while offering her a radiant grin.

“Well, setting aside all the convoluted details and addressing the core matter.”

He extended his small hand open wide and carried on in an exuberant voice.

“We are going to produce an infant right now!”

“Wh—What?!”

Horus tilted his head in sheer bewilderment at her unexpectedly explosive exclamation.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

The utter chaos endured for only a fleeting moment.

Following a meticulous breakdown from Horus, she successfully grasped the proper context of his words, regaining her composure as she fell into deep contemplation.

‘A successor to the Yellow Dragon.’

An infant.

He was referring specifically to a draconic hatchling.

To put it plainly, this was an enterprise aimed at resurrecting an authentic, fully realized Yellow Dragon within this Strong Return World—not a surrogate entity like Horus.

“Here you go, Horus. I conducted an exhaustive search throughout the territories, and these are the only specimens available at this time—exactly two. While there might be additional undamaged ones hidden across the Central Plains, for now…”

“These will suffice perfectly! It is impossible for us to incubate all of them simultaneously regardless! We can proceed with our search at a leisurely pace and accumulate more over time.”

“…We must direct our primary focus toward restorative operations.”

The Dragon God Temple.

This sanctuary was situated at the core of a massive stone peak formed in the likeness of a slumbering dragon.

Horus, guiding Jegal Hye-mi into the inner sanctum, accepted the object offered by the White Dragon, his eyes flashing with intensity.

A perfectly spherical crystal orb pulsed with an azure light, looking as though a portion of the pristine sky had been trapped within it.

Deep inside its core, a vibrant golden essence flickered like trapped embers or rhythmic tides, radiating an unmistakable aura of power and otherworldly elegance.

‘The Yellow Dragon’s Cintamani.’

This object was a legendary relic derived from a draconic deity who had perished during an unpredicted catastrophe.

At present, it would function as the vital vessel required to nurture a new existence—acting effectively as an ‘egg.’

‘I was aware that the ‘Yellow Dragon’s Jewel’ shared an intrinsic link with the Cintamani, but I never anticipated the connection would be quite so direct.’

Then again, taking into account the Dragon God’s direct influence over this specific trait, the arrangement was entirely logical.

With the Yellow Dragon missing from the hierarchy, it could not be argued that this reality had achieved total restoration.

‘This is actually quite ideal. I cannot remain anchored to the concerns of the Strong Return World indefinitely. Establishing a permanent resolution ensures I can depart without lingering regrets.’

Naturally, that did not comprise his sole motivation.

In the end, the ‘Yellow Dragon’s Jewel’ was his personal trait, meaning a successful outcome would yield substantial advantages for him.

“Our preparations are fully realized. Let us commence the invocation. The remaining tasks rest with you.”

The White Dragon delivered these words to Horus and Jegal Hye-mi before reverting back into his true draconic form and ascending into the heavens.

He aligned himself with the three draconic entities already hovering in wait above, each occupying their designated directional coordinates.

The Azure Dragon commanded the eastern sky, the Vermilion Dragon held the southern sky, the White Dragon assumed the western sky, and the Black Dragon anchored the northern sky.

[Very well, let the ritual commence!]

Positioned at the dead center of the sacrificial altar within the Dragon God Temple stood Horus, who had altered his form into a colossal golden dragon utilizing the power of the ‘Elder Dragon’s Heart.’

Up to this juncture, basic survival had remained their absolute priority throughout the unfolding cataclysms, causing them to neglect historical rituals and leaving their methods somewhat unpolished.

In reality, however, the direct bloodline of the Dragon God—the Five Dragons—each possessed highly specific responsibilities.

The poised and analytical Azure Dragon regulated the constraints of the Repentance Cave and operated as the supreme magistrate.

The aggressive Vermilion Dragon commanded the frontline forces during external campaigns.

The strategic, cautious White Dragon managed their logistical assets as the chief quartermaster.

The calculating Black Dragon gathered foreign intelligence and neutralized subversives as the high inquisitor.

‘And the Yellow Dragon represents the sacred link to the Dragon God, serving as the supreme high priest.’

A titanic torrent of spiritual energy erupted from Horus’s draconic form.

Evidently, operating as a temporary surrogate rather than an authentic Yellow Dragon meant he lacked the capacity to perfectly execute the priestly functions on his own.

Ruuuumble—

The individual destined to bridge that specific deficiency was the ‘Child of the Dragon.’

Jegal Hye-mi, the designated messenger and mystic dispatched directly to the mortal realm by the Dragon God, serving as living confirmation of the world’s restorative salvation.

“…Ngh.”

A strained gasp escaped her lips as she dropped to her knees, gripping a single Cintamani with both hands in intense concentration.

‘My physical form feels as though it might shatter.’

The monumental ocean of energy streaming from the Repentance Cave—channeled down through the draconic entities serving as the pillars of the ceremony at the four cardinal points—was being drawn entirely into the Cintamani held fast in her grip.

Even though Horus, occupying the role of the Yellow Dragon, regulated the vast majority of the torrent, maintaining her position at the epicenter of the invocation subjected her to an immense physical toll.

‘No, I can still withstand this. In comparison to that dark period, this is trivial!’

The exact moment she had been reunited with Ha Seung-hoon following her terrifying capture by the Demonic Cult.

In comparison to the trial of imparting her divine favor upon him while being completely possessed by the consciousness of the Dragon God, this degree of strain was entirely manageable.

During that past crisis, the sheer scale of the invocation had completely mastered her before she could even react.

‘After all the blessings I have been granted, I must possess the fortitude to endure at least this much!’

There was always the possibility.

She might even inherit a portion of unique draconic power through this intense convergence.

Having harbored a deep longing for greater martial capability following her recent ordeal—so as to never function as an anchor holding back Ha Seung-hoon—she ground her teeth together and tightened her hold on the Cintamani.

At that precise instant.

Crack—!

The distinct sound of fracturing stone echoed from her palms.

The Cintamani, perfectly aligned with its legendary reputation, possessed an unfathomable capacity to manifest intents.

It was a renowned supernatural artifact whispered by many to grant any deep-seated yearning.

Furthermore, the entire undertaking was currently being supercharged by the active system trait, the ‘Yellow Dragon’s Jewel’!

The absolute convergence of these monumental forces proved more than adequate.

Adequate enough to warp the fundamental doctrines of reality and give birth to an undeniable miracle.

Craaack!

Emerging directly from the expanding fractures of the bursting Cintamani.

[Kyaaang!]

A delicate, high-pitched cry drifted from the opening, accompanied by a tiny, golden-scaled head pushing its way out into the world.