Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 308

Nangseon’s Romantic Tale – Part 2, Episode 17

After finishing his conversation with Saha, Cheonbeom headed east, to the post he’d been assigned.

He’d promised to help her become a High Immortal, but he hadn’t really done much.

Mostly, he’d just shared insights and experiences from his own cultivation.

And…

“Annoying.”

He was also handling the affairs of the Sa Clan, who controlled the Ministry of Personnel, on her behalf.

“The Mountain Lord must be helping because he said he would. That must be why.”

Saha, a Lesser Immortal, was incredibly busy.

She was the acting head of the clan and responsible for the Ministry of Personnel.

Managing the Lesser Immortals and High Immortals there was a task that would overwhelm anyone, even with ten bodies.

‘Most of them are dead, though…’

Which was only natural.

Most of the High Immortals were dead, and the Lesser Immortals had been reborn as children.

Until they reached a certain age, they wouldn’t be of much help.

“So the Mountain Lord is here.”

Since he had nothing urgent to do and wanted to examine the Ministry of Personnel’s records, he readily offered to help.

He soon regretted it.

“Hwaran, I think so.”

“I don’t.”

“I wasn’t finished speaking.”

“You’re planning to dump all the work on me, aren’t you? Don’t try anything funny.”

“It’s not funny business.”

“Yes, it is. You can do that kind of thing in the bedroom. Right now, you should either move your hands or move your eyes, one or the other.”

Before he knew it, her swords surrounded Cheonbeom, their blades pointed at him.

“Even though you’re my sword, you always seem to be aiming at me.”

“I don’t want to either, but it seems like my master is getting younger and younger.”

She looked at him with disdain, as if even a childish younger sibling would be preferable.

Cheonbeom felt wronged.

“Hwaran, immortals should be true to their desires.”

“Didn’t you always say we should only strive for the Great Dao [the ultimate principle of the universe]?”

“I’ve changed since becoming a High Immortal.”

“I’m really looking forward to what nonsense you’ll come up with today.”

“It’s not nonsense. A High Immortal is a being who has formed a Prime Jade [a core of spiritual energy]. What is a Prime Jade?”

A Prime Jade is a crystal formed when divided spiritual lights are combined into one, and the heart, energy, and body achieve complete unity.

A Prime Jade is the origin of heaven and earth.

It is a vessel for containing immortal energy and, at the same time, another seed to be sprouted.

“So?”

Cheonbeom grinned at her blunt question.

“When you become a Fragrant Immortal [a higher level of immortal], the current Prime Jade sprouts into your true alter ego. In the Upper Realm, they call it the Original Spirit.”

“…Original Spirit?”

He nodded contentedly.

He had only learned this recently, after talking with Chochan and Tangomal, the High Immortals who had become immortals of the Ministry of Personnel.

“When you become a Fragrant Immortal, the current Prime Jade sprouts into an Original Spirit, which is like a clone of that immortal.”

“Like a spiritual light?”

“No, it’s different from a spiritual light.”

A spiritual light is only the size of a palm. The Original Spirit is different in size.

“Outwardly, it looks like an immortal who is no different from you. Although it’s in the form of a child.”

It was an interesting fact.

But Hwaran was wondering what that had to do with the current conversation.

“Hwaran, Original Spirits are very unruly and true to their desires, so Fragrant Immortals have a hard time dealing with them.”

That’s why many seclude themselves until they can properly control their Original Spirit.

It was only natural, as there were many who were caught off guard or captured by the enemy because they couldn’t control their Original Spirit.

“The Prime Jade is what it is before it becomes the Original Spirit, so I am also becoming more true to my desires.”

“…So.”

When you become a Fragrant Immortal, your Prime Jade becomes an Original Spirit and becomes true to its desires, so you are being influenced by that?

“That’s right.”

“…You’re making a long story out of nonsense.”

He was just saying he wanted to play around.

She didn’t know if it was because he was getting older or younger.

“Hurry up and work. We have a mountain of things to do. You made a big promise to Lesser Immortal Saha to leave it to you.”

Saha firmly believed in his words and was preparing to become a High Immortal.

She had the original qualifications, but she couldn’t even try because of the defect in her soul, so if she had enough time, there would be no difficulties.

‘But that time is the problem.’

Becoming a High Immortal could take ten years or a hundred years.

Saha said it wouldn’t take more than a hundred years, but you never know.

‘Although she’s not human.’

Anyway, Cheonbeom didn’t want to do the trivial tasks of the Ministry of Personnel for ten years.

He slowly got up from his seat.

“Sit back down.”

“Hwaran, I just realized something.”

“Put that thought back in.”

But Cheonbeom shook his head.

“We can’t do this for a hundred years.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s nice, like a married couple.”

The two’s eyes met.

Cheonbeom, noticing the subtle look in Hwaran’s eyes, sat back down.

“Organize the offerings of immortal herbs and various precious items to be provided to the High Immortals… Do we have to pay taxes here too?”

“I heard that the Tongcheon Water Palace [a powerful organization in the Water Realm] is funded by taxes from the families of the Water Realm. It was originally made up of dynasties, but it was changed, according to the records.”

“So there was a king in the Water Realm. There’s all sorts of things.”

“It’s a place where a long time passes. There must have been this and that.”

Fortunately, the Ministry of Personnel had enough resources thanks to the treasures brought from Yongma Valley.

It was only temporary, though.

“There’s no long-term income. How has the Ministry of Personnel been surviving?”

They were cultivating immortal herbs, but the quality wasn’t that great.

Looking through the piled-up jade slips [records written on jade] and records, he found that the Ministry of Personnel originally had a volcano that was the envy of others, one of the five elements’ sacred mountains with extreme yang energy.

“Now that volcano is extinct.”

The lava of the active volcano, called Geukyangsangsan, was said to have been excellent for forging the magical weapons of immortals.

Like the treasures of immortals, such as the High Immortal Treasures or the Fragrant Immortal Treasures of the Upper Realm.

“Hmm… an active volcano.”

An active volcano in the Water Realm.

Even here, the lava from the volcano, which was considered extraordinary, immediately caught his attention.

“Do you know why it went extinct?”

“Well, before we could figure out the reason, most of the forging masters died in the attacks of the Immortal Insects, so there’s nothing written down.”

It seemed like there was a lot to do.

Cheonbeom got up from his seat again.

“Sit down.”

“I’m going to work.”

“Work?”

Hwaran, who had been tilting her head, soon narrowed her brows and got up from her seat.

“Hwaran.”

“Yes.”

“Where is Tamhwa?”

“I think she’s with the Lesser Immortals. But why Tamhwa?”

It was a little strange to suddenly look for Tamhwa after talking about the volcano.

But he was more serious than ever.

“No, don’t bring her. She must never be seen by them.”

“…I understand.”

Hwaran disappeared with an uneasy expression, and Cheonbeom’s figure also turned into smoke.

Cheonbeom, who had instantly climbed onto the roof of the high pavilion on Hwamae Peak, put his hands behind his back, closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again.

He felt two presences approaching the Ministry of Personnel.

“Nice to meet you.”

Two men he had never seen before stood before him and greeted him.

“I am Cheonmuseon [member of the Cheonmu Division] of the Tongcheon Water Palace. I have something to ask about the tragedy of Yongma Valley. May I ask for your cooperation?”

The spirit badge in his hand had the words “Tongcheon Water Palace” and a very elaborate drawing of a phoenix and a dragon mixed together.

Hanging from a red string, the spirit badge was not only a simple proof of identity but also said to be a magical artifact with extraordinary divine powers.

‘Cheonmuseon…’

Among the immortals belonging to the Cheonmu Division of the Tongcheon Water Palace, it must be the badge that can be held by those who lead the Cheonmuseon with outstanding martial arts.

“Seeing that you have the Cheonmupae [Cheonmu Badge], you must be the Cheonmujang [leader of the Cheonmu Division].”

“It’s still too much for me, so I’m ashamed to show the Cheonmupae.”

Unlike him, who was smiling pleasantly, the man next to him looked at the Ministry of Personnel with a grim face.

“But what brings you here…”

Cheonbeom smiled kindly, but inwardly he didn’t let his guard down.

The fact that a martial immortal from the Tongcheon Water Palace had come, and that he had something to ask about the tragedy of Yongma Valley, meant that it wouldn’t be good for him.

“Due to circumstances, I am acting as the head of the Ministry of Personnel. First, let’s go inside and have some tea.”

“Ah, I would appreciate that.”

A little later.

Cheonbeom took the Cheonmujang and Cheonmuseon to a secluded pavilion, gave them light tea, and sat down.

“I am also saddened by the incident in Yongma Valley. I will answer anything you ask with sincerity, so please don’t worry.”

Cheonmuseon is a position that is reached by those who have outstanding and powerful martial arts among the High Immortals of the Water Realm.

The opponent was an immortal among the Cheonmuseon who was so outstanding in experience and martial prowess that he was among the top fighters among the High Immortals.

It was enough to know just by looking at the Cheonmupae.

The man’s name was Yang Hwi.

And the man next to him was.

“I am Hwang On.”

He was a High Immortal who used the Hwang surname.

He was the successor to Yang Hwi and the eldest son of the Hwang clan.

That’s right.

The direct descendant of the ruined Hwang clan.

He kept looking at Cheonbeom with suspicious eyes.

Throughout the conversation with Yang Hwi, he clung to even the smallest details, as if he wanted to find something to pick on.

Where were you when the Immortal Insects attacked?

Why didn’t you help the Hwang clan?

Are you hiding something?

He asked about every single thing that happened in Yongma Valley, and even he, who didn’t want to cause a big problem, couldn’t help but feel the limits of his patience.

No matter how suspicious and sinister the Hwang clan’s actions were, the act of eliminating a clan belonging to the Water Realm was not a story to be told without hesitation.

In any case, it was the act of killing an immortal of the Water Realm and eliminating a clan.

The clan deserved to be punished, but the punishment should have been given by the Tongcheon Water Palace, not by another clan or immortal.

Another person might have just let it go. But, unfortunately, one of the Cheonmuseon was a member of the Hwang clan, so things became troublesome.

‘Annoying.’

He had to hide things as if he had committed a crime, even though he hadn’t.

“So… at that time, the High Immortal was heading to the Ministry of Personnel, and he was attacked by a swarm of Immortal Insects and ran away, so he ended up at the Ministry of Personnel.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I hope that’s the truth.”

Hwang On’s mouth twisted.

It was clearly a mocking look.

It was as if he didn’t believe a word Cheonbeom said.

“Do you doubt my words?”

Thud, thud, thud.

The surrounding air trembled.

Cheonbeom’s mouth formed a smile, but his eyes were colder than ever.

As he released his energy, the teacups trembled violently. But Hwang On let out a hollow laugh and released his own energy to counter it.

“How dare you show such an attitude to Cheonmuseon and expect to be safe!”

Hwang On jumped up from his seat as if he had been waiting for this and released his killing intent.