Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 130

Thwack!

“Kkeuaaaaaack!!”

The one screaming was Chomun-gyeong.

Two Gubu Ryungs [evil spirits] were visible beside him: a man covered in armor and a being made of blood.

“Are you sure this guy wasn’t lying?”

The armored Gubu Ryung shook his head.

“No, I searched his mind, and it wasn’t a lie.”

“Then why isn’t he coming? Didn’t he say this guy was practically a comrade!”

If he knew the reason, would he be standing here?

The armored Gubu Ryung shrugged and kicked Chomun-gyeong.

Paak!

“Ugh!!”

As if the scream was annoying, the blood-colored Gubu Ryung frowned.

“It’s troublesome since we can’t ascend Geon-gon-ju [a powerful artifact or position] because of the restriction. We need to call him, but there’s no way.”

“There’s no choice. Keep sending telepathic messages… Tsk, this has become a nuisance.”

“What should we do with this guy?”

When the blood-colored one asked, the armored one indifferently looked at Chomun-gyeong and said,

“You never know. We need him to lower their guard.”

“Wouldn’t just the head be enough?”

“Hmm….”

As he seemed to be contemplating, Chomun-gyeong turned pale and groveled while chained.

“S, save me! You need to save me to finish the job smoothly!”

“How? Tell me.”

“That is….”

Soon, as Chomun-gyeong continued to speak, the Gubu Ryung raised the corner of his lips.

“There isn’t really a way. I can’t trust that guy, but it doesn’t matter since we’ve placed a restriction on him for a long time.”

“Don’t even think about betraying us since you have a restriction on you.”

“O, of course!”

Gulp.

Chomun-gyeong swallowed and lowered his head.

Three days later.

Chomun-gyeong healed his wounds, dressed neatly, and headed to Geon-gon Sambong [a sacred mountain]. However, he couldn’t enter because of the dense illusionary formation.

He couldn’t go inside.

He shook his sleeve and sent a telepathic message, but Geon-gon Sambong remained silent.

“Please… please….”

It was then.

Suddenly, he felt a presence and turned around.

“It’s that guy’s group.”

The Great Elder, Ji-chung, was standing there.

Startled, he tried to run away, but a purple aura constricted his body.

“Ugh!”

“I was lying in wait just in case, and a useful guy got caught.”

Ji-chung carefully examined Chomun-gyeong and raised the corner of his lips.

A restriction was placed on him.

“This is going to be fun.”

“S, save me!”

“Who said I would kill you? Guide me. I need to meet the guy who placed the restriction on you!”

* * *

Meanwhile.

San-gun was enjoying training in the Manguk Ilgeom [a powerful sword technique] more than he thought.

The Geomdojas [sword practitioners] of Geon-gon Obong were surprisingly kind and treated him without pretense.

Since they shared the same roots as Geomdojas, they said it was a relationship of senior and junior disciples.

San-gun didn’t dislike it either.

He had never been taught by anyone before, but they seemed like good teachers.

Having trained in swordsmanship for over a thousand years, their enlightenment was also exceptional.

“To explain with an example… Right. It would be simpler to show you my Danheo Manggeom [another sword technique].”

Danheo Manggeom (團許罔劒).

A bizarre swordsmanship that creates a sword by gradually evolving the Hwaryeong [spiritual core] of the inner core.

Gang Hyung, the master of Geon-gon Ilbong’s swordsmanship!

A strange anticipation arose.

Gang Hyung sat down on the ground with a thud.

Soon, he closed his eyes and formed a hand seal, and a baby resembling him appeared.

The Hwaryeong, looking like an infant, slightly opened its eyes and changed its form.

It transformed into a sword.

A strange electrical energy crackled around the sword.

“Originally, you know that in the realm of Hwanseon [a higher plane of existence], the Geumdan [golden elixir] becomes a Danryeong [spiritual pearl], and when you become a Taeseon [a higher-level immortal], the Danryeong turns into a Hwaryeong, right?”

“Of course.”

The divided soul residing in the inner core.

When it completely becomes one and takes shape, it is called Hwaryeong.

“The Hwaryeong itself is not yet complete, but it is the essence of one’s divine power.”

It was a swordsmanship that used one’s own Hwaryeong as a sword.

“Gang Hyung controls lightning divine power.”

“You guessed it right. Like this, the swordsmanship of Gyuncheon Bohwa [a martial art style] has the characteristic of turning a part of one’s body into a sword. Yours is no different.”

Gang Hyung scattered the Danheo Manggeom and spoke with a benevolent face.

“Returning to the beginning, the Manguk Ilgeom, which creates a sword from Shinshik [spiritual consciousness], has no substance but exists. A sword that cannot be seen but can be felt. It is truly a mysterious swordsmanship, but it is not that different.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you ever taken out your heart and examined it?”

“…No.”

“But you know you have a heart. Your pure spiritual power is the same. Originally, it exists, but it cannot be seen, so can’t it be said that it doesn’t exist?”

“That’s sophistry….”

As San-gun looked troubled, Gang Hyung laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! That’s just a way of speaking. The essence of Manguk Ilgeom is not much different. If something has no substance because it cannot be seen, then what in this world can move? Manguk Ilgeom is in the same context as that principle. I think it’s not that it doesn’t have substance, but that I haven’t found it yet.

Like it’s hidden in our skin, blood, and bones.”

Hidden.

San-gun, who summoned the Manguk Ilgeom by spreading his hand, fell into deep thought.

It cannot be seen, but it has substance.

It might be hidden.

It was an ambiguous statement, but it had a strange resonance.

As San-gun fell into deep thought, Gang Hyung quietly got up from his seat.

“Is it already over?”

It was Wi Seonja.

“Even if the roots are the same, would all swordsmanship be the same? A few words of advice needed for the junior disciple would be enough. He possesses more outstanding qualities than anyone I’ve seen.”

“Are you saying he has Shin-geun (身根) [innate talent]?”

“How can a Taoist of the lower realm discuss Shin-geun, which only immortals possess? The fact that he mastered Manguk Ilgeom within 30 years itself means he has exceptionally outstanding qualities. Moreover, it is said that Junior Disciple Beom has only lived for about 200 years. How can he be considered ordinary when he reached Yeongmyeong Junggyeong [a cultivation stage] at such a young age?”

“200 years? Is he that young?”

200 years to reach Yeongmyeong. It’s an extremely fast pace.

As Wi Seonja was surprised, Gang Hyung gave a subtle look.

“Come to think of it, I heard that Wi Seonja is also at the age for marriage. How about it? I don’t think it’s too bad.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“It is said that the transformation of the Yuksa [a stage of cultivation] is mostly similar to the appearance after achieving Talhyeong [another stage of cultivation]. The appearance will not change much, and the lifespan is also extraordinary, so there’s nothing wrong with it. Moreover, what about his character? There is no better groom than the junior disciple.”

It is a common sight to form marital ties in the Taoist world.

Even if they cannot have children, mastering the Ssangsu Tongsul [a dual cultivation technique] through the harmony of Yin and Yang will help in accumulating cultivation.

“Hmph, no thanks. How can a Taoist aiming for the Great Dao [the ultimate truth] cling to personal affections? The affection between men and women only hinders the path to the Dao.”

However, Wi Seonja seemed to have no thoughts and snorted.

How can he talk about a groom when they’ve only met for a few days?

It was absurd.

“You never know. Since you are stuck at the wall of Taeseon Junggyeong [another cultivation stage], the wall might collapse if you achieve Ssangsu. Moreover, what does the difference in species matter in the face of the path of the Dao?”

“No thanks! What are you talking about when the person offering the rice cake isn’t even thinking about it.”

“Ahem, rice cake… Wi Seonja, you’re using such an embarrassing word.”

“W, what!?”

Wi Seonja’s face turned as red as a beet. Perhaps because she raised her voice, San-gun turned his head and greeted Wi Seonja.

“Have you arrived?”

Her face was particularly red.

He heard what they were talking about, but it was right to pretend not to know.

“Ah, well, Wi Seonja is rice cake….”

“Be quiet! Have you gone senile after eating so much age!”

As she shouted, Gang Hyung laughed and disappeared.

“Don’t listen to nonsense! Now! Let’s start training quickly!”

Wi Seonja grumbled for no reason and began sparring with San-gun.

Her swordsmanship was Hyeoryeong Nangeom [a blood sword technique].

A swordsmanship that creates a sword from blood.

After that, San-gun was able to learn about the remaining four swordsmanships.

Danheo Manggeom (團許罔劒) of the inner core.

Golhwa Cheokgeom (骨話刺劒) of the bones.

Hyeoryeong Nangeom (血英亂劒) of the blood.

Salseong Gapgeom (殺聲鉀劒) of the skin.

Gyuncheon Bohwa was a swordsmanship that creates a sword from what is in the body.

They were swordsmanships that had something in common with Manguk Ilgeom, so he was able to learn a lot.

In addition, he was able to broaden his knowledge regarding the use of Tongsul [spiritual techniques].

The opportunity to talk with higher-level Taoists did not come easily.

San-gun asked about the enlightenment he had only been thinking about, and they pointed out the strengths and weaknesses and exchanged ideas.

As he did so, half a year quickly passed.

* * *

San-gun, who entered the secret chamber, stared at the rotating Gorun [a magical artifact].

Cheongbong [a spirit bird] was circling around, spewing fire.

“It’s done.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheongbong cried out once and disappeared into Duyeon Mahwa [a mystical space].

He had been spraying fire on the Gorun non-stop for half a year, so he must have been tired.

San-gun shot a Beopgyeol [a magical seal] to release the refining techniques spread around the Gorun.

The Gorun looked different from before.

It had become a little bigger, and unlike the previous wheel shape, it had transformed into a perfect wheel.

The round wheel had blades that looked like flames were engraved on it.

As he pulled the Gorun, it emitted a sharp sound and flew in instantly.

Huoong.

“It’s not bad to call it a failure, and it’s a pity that it lost the ability of the Hwanjinpae [an artifact for creating illusions] to call it a success.”

He increased the hardness and sharpness.

However, it cannot form a Hwanjin [illusionary formation].

He put in all the hard, high-hardness ore he had in his possession.

Therefore, its performance as an offensive Bopae [a magical treasure] has become significantly better, but it has lost its divine power as a Hwanjinpae.

It was a little disappointing, but it couldn’t be helped.

It didn’t matter anyway.

Because he could spread Hwanjin with Gwaebiyeogak [a different technique].

“With this much, it has surpassed Bogu [another artifact]… I can even face Chilseon Bogu [a higher-level artifact].”

San-gun, who put the Gorun in his arms, stretched out his finger and tapped the ground.

Then, four Yongyeom Sams [fire ginseng] sprouted.

They contained blue flames.

One of them had a subtle golden glow, perhaps because it had golden flames.

But it was still underdeveloped.

How much would it have grown in just half a year? It was at the level of Jangnoe Sam [a type of ginseng].

“I’m looking forward to seeing what it will be like in 100 years.”

San-gun put the Yongyeom Sam back in and called Tamhwa. In another half year, he will not be able to come out of Geon-gon Sambong for 100 years.

So, he intended to call Manho and Jangcheon and catch all the Gubu Ryungs.

‘There is something to be gained from one of the Gubu Ryungs, so I must catch him.’

He had to catch him even if he had to overdo it.

The stone tablet that the guy possessed.

He had to get it.

“The Great Elder of the Haeryong Clan is a bit of a concern, but….”

It didn’t matter.

He could ask his senior disciples.

They are friendly to him.

If even one of the four accompanies him, he will not be able to move.

“I’m also in the Yeongmyeong Hukyung [another cultivation stage] now.”

He easily reached Hukyung by making Yongyeom Sam into Yongyeomdan [a ginseng pill] and eating three of them.

San-gun’s spiritual power has increased more than before.

Even if he encounters Ji-chung, he was confident that he would not be easily defeated.

“Are we going to eat something delicious?”

Tamhwa had a dumpling in her mouth, not knowing where she got it.

San-gun gently touched Tamhwa’s cheeks and said affectionately.

“Yes. Let’s go eat something delicious.”