Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 168

The thick wings, seemingly large enough to envelop his entire body, were immense, and the two horns sprouting from his head appeared remarkably sturdy.

It was a tiger possessing all these features, a truly magnificent figure, a beast befitting the name of a hero.

Even amidst the fierce battle, the disciples of Mount Baek were deeply moved by Jangmun’s appearance, their hearts swelling with emotion.

The master of Mount Baek, whom they had only heard tales of, revealed his true form, and their hearts raced as if they were beholding a divine beast.

The outer disciples were aghast at Jangmun’s form, which resembled a demonic beast, but they dared not show it.

“Hmph! Even if a mere demonic beast reveals its true form, it cannot escape death by the power of this old man’s Thunderclap Self-Governance!”

However, Thunderclap Seon-sa, displeased, dismissed him as a demonic beast.

The Mountain Monarch silently gazed at him, then sent the Hwaunbanhong [a type of mystical artifact or technique] circling back around him.

[This much is enough for a taste; let’s play for real now!]

Immediately, blue rings appeared on the Mountain Monarch’s horns, and his body began to grow larger.

It was the Gakche Yongson of the Rotation Return [a powerful transformation technique].

The Mountain Monarch, who had been walking on all fours, raised his upper body and transformed into a bipedal tiger, his size increasing even further.

It was the true form of Gakche Yongson.

“Let’s see what you can do!”

Thunderclap Seon-sa also formed a hand seal, increasing the size of the Thunderclap Dharma Image [a manifestation of spiritual power or a deity].

Then, suddenly, Thunderclap Seon-sa transformed into a bead and entered the Dharma Image.

Instantly, the size of the Thunderclap Dharma Image grew immense, teeming with ferocious lightning.

Seeing this, the Mountain Monarch took out a massive black sword from his chest and threw it.

A sword with nine rings jingling.

It was the Nine Ring Sword.

The Nine Ring Sword, thrown into the sky, jingled and scattered ghostly mists, instantly erupting in a burst of black smoke.

Along with an eerie chill, ghosts shrieked and revealed themselves. They seemed happy to have gained freedom after a long time, howling with glee.

The Mountain Monarch waved his hand, and the ghosts merged into one, transforming into a giant evil spirit, Manjae Byeonakgwi [a powerful, malevolent ghost], and charged forward. Manak transformed into an evil spirit with four arms, and the Thunderclap Dharma Image, seemingly flustered by its appearance, used Shukji [a technique for rapid movement or teleportation] to flee high into the sky.

The ghosts of Manak cackled, but the Mountain Monarch narrowed his brows.

The Thunderclap Dharma Image raised one hand, and dark clouds swirled and gathered.

Soon, thunder and lightning flashed and struck the Dharma Image, creating a scythe of lightning that passed through space and disappeared.

The Mountain Monarch flapped his wings and used Shukji, and Manak, bewildered, had its head cut off by the lightning scythe that appeared, tearing through space.

Kwaang!

The Thunderclap Dharma Image, with a smirk, was about to retract the scythe when…

Pajijik Kwajik!

Manak was seen holding the lightning scythe with its four hands.

It was then.

The Mountain Monarch, suddenly appearing in the air in the form of Ssanggak Buho [a tiger with twin horns, a transformed state], brought down his fist.

Kwaaaang!

The Thunderclap Dharma Image, gritting its teeth, raised its hand to block the fist.

It was clearly just an illusion, but it had somehow gained substance.

The Mountain Monarch, unable to hide his surprise, greatly stirred up the five-colored energy and bloomed five mandalas [spiritual symbols representing the universe].

The mandalas spun around, and as the five-colored radiance shone brilliantly, five-colored petals scattered around.

[How dare you!]

As the five-colored petals were scattered, Thunderclap Seon-sa’s golden lightning surged like a thunderbolt, intercepting the five-colored lotus flowers.

The clash between lightning and lotus flowers was won by the lightning by a hair’s breadth.

However, the Mountain Monarch, unconcerned, flapped his wings and punched again.

As the five-colored energy focused on his fist, the mandalas rotated madly.

Not only that.

He spewed the flames of Bongak Cheonghwa [a type of mystical blue flame] from his entire body, setting the world ablaze in blue.

Kuuuuuung!

[Keuheok!]

Only then did the Thunderclap Dharma Image find it difficult to endure, spitting out silver blood.

The Mountain Monarch also vomited blood, but he was much better off than Thunderclap Seon-sa.

He smirked and created distance, simultaneously launching the Hwanho Hwangeom [a mystical sword].

Then, the Thunderclap Dharma Image also opened its mouth and spewed out a red cauldron.

[Combine!]

As the cauldron’s lid opened, it enveloped the Hwanho Hwangeom with purple smoke.

It seemed to be trying to bind the Hwanho Hwangeom, whatever treasure it was.

Sure enough, the purple smoke enveloping the sword was sucked into the cauldron.

The Hwanho Hwangeom couldn’t exert its power due to the strange energy.

The Mountain Monarch became anxious and formed a hand seal, but it was useless.

[Take this!]

It was then.

Manak, who had released the lightning scythe, stretched out its hand and put it into the cauldron.

[Alright! I’ll devour you too!]

Manak was sucked in.

The Mountain Monarch watched Manak with a cautious expression, then returned to his Talhyeong form [original or base form], formed a hand seal, and sat cross-legged in the air.

‘This is no ordinary cauldron.’

The connection to not only the Hwanho Hwangeom but also Manak of the Nine Ring Sword was about to be severed by the purple energy.

Severing the connection meant…

Losing control of the weapon.

It meant that his treasures could be stolen by him.

The Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword were treasures with powerful offensive capabilities among the treasures possessed by the Mountain Monarch.

If he were to lose them, the outcome of this battle would also be tilted.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

A five-colored lotus pedestal appeared beneath the Mountain Monarch, who was sitting cross-legged, and blue mist spewed from his body.

As the mist instantly covered the area, Thunderclap Seon-sa also sat cross-legged in the form of the Thunderclap Dharma Image.

Soon, dark clouds spewed from his body, and as the blue mist and dark clouds collided, lightning and blue flames frequently soared.

Between the two, a red cauldron was vibrating violently.

It seemed unable to go this way or that, wrapped in intangible energy.

A new battle was beginning inside the cauldron, over the Hwanho Hwangeom.

* * *

Kureureung Kwaleung!

The blue mist and the dark clouds containing lightning collided, creating a deafening roar.

However, strangely, the master of the Baekseon Sect and Thunderclap Seon-sa were nowhere to be seen, so the others were only anxious.

“There’s no way we can help, is there?”

Yeon-a asked, looking up at the sky with a worried face.

“There’s no point in touching it. I can’t even approach it carelessly. No news is good news.”

Next to her, Geummyeong Jireong was comforting Yeon-a.

It had already been three days since the mist and dark clouds had formed.

During that time, the Seondo War [war between Taoist factions] had reached a stalemate, with each side watching the other and only looking up at the sky.

At some point, Thunderclap Seon-sa and the Mountain Monarch had disappeared, and those who had been fighting fiercely had also gradually retreated.

The Yukdong forces, excluding Thunderclap Seon-sa, had only one Taeseon [a high-ranking Taoist], but because of their large numbers, it was difficult to gain the upper hand easily.

There might have been only one Taeseon, but there were more than a dozen Hwanseon [a mid-ranking Taoist], and it was difficult to guarantee victory easily because they moved together and kept each other in check. Moreover, it was even more so because a Taeseon and hundreds of Taean Taoists had appeared from somewhere.

Tanhwa, as well as Geummyeong Jireong, were exhausted, and the old man whom the Mountain Monarch had brought was only dealing with the low-level Taoists, as if he had no interest.

As a result, the Taoists of Baekseon and Yukdong gradually retreated from each other and only glared at each other.

“They also know.

That the outcome will be decided by how their fight goes!”

The aspect of the war depended on their fight.

The disciples of Baekseon, except for the injured, were all kneeling and praying, looking at the mist.

It was only natural since their lives depended on the Mountain Monarch.

And so, a day passed.

Fifteen days passed.

When the full moon rose in the sky.

[Hahahahaha!]

The sound of laughter spread.

As a result, the faces of the Baekseon disciples began to darken.

The laughter was that of an old man, not a young man.

In contrast to the Baekseon disciples, the faces of the Yukdong were filled with joy.

They looked as if they wanted to jump into the battlefield with their hearts full of excitement.

Soon, the dark clouds cleared in the sky, and the figure of Thunderclap Seon-sa was revealed.

The Thunderclap Dharma Image that had been seen before had long been withdrawn, and although his energy was slightly weakened, his complexion looked good.

Why wouldn’t he, when he was full of laughter.

Thunderclap Seon-sa, with a face as if his laughter would burst out at any moment, brought the red cauldron in the air.

He looked at the red cauldron with a very satisfied face and stroked the cauldron lid.

Then, he looked at the blue mist and smirked.

After waiting for a while, the mist cleared, and the Mountain Monarch, whose complexion had turned pale white and was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, was in it.

It was the complexion of someone who had suffered a great internal injury.

“You overdid it. You dared to stand up to me with a mere early-Yeonggeop Shin-sik [a stage of spiritual cultivation], so isn’t this a fitting punishment! Hahahahat!”

As Thunderclap Seon-sa laughed heartily, the Yukdong Taoists who had been waiting also laughed. The faces of the Baekseon disciples turned pale, as if they were already witnessing their own deaths.

“Will you try again? Since your treasures are already in this cauldron, you can’t use them anymore, so it’s your inevitable defeat no matter how much you try! Your connection to your treasures and Shin-sik has been severed, and you’ve suffered a great internal injury, so no matter how much you fight, your death is certain!”

There was no lie in Thunderclap Seon-sa’s words.

For the past fifteen days, the consciousness of the Mountain Monarch and Thunderclap Seon-sa had been inside the red cauldron.

They had sent a strand of each other’s consciousness into the cauldron and fiercely exchanged attacks with their respective treasures.

At first, the Mountain Monarch seemed to have the upper hand, but as time passed, it gradually tilted towards Thunderclap Seon-sa.

‘It’s not for nothing that he’s called Seon-sa….’

It was even more so because the red cauldron itself was Thunderclap Seon-sa’s, not the Mountain Monarch’s.

Gradually, his consciousness was eaten away, and the Shin-sik residing in the Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword was eroded, and his consciousness was ejected.

Since his consciousness was forcibly ejected, it was natural that the treasures were taken away, and since he had suffered an internal injury, there was no point in continuing the fight.

Thunderclap Seon-sa was confident of victory.

The opponent’s treasures and Shintong [mystical powers] were more powerful than expected, so he couldn’t let go of his tension.

In addition, he had been preparing for the poison of Dokyeom [a type of poison] all along, so it was ambiguous.

But now it was different.

He had taken away the opponent’s treasures and inflicted considerable internal injuries, so the victory had tilted greatly.

“Hoo. Are you still going to try?”

The Mountain Monarch wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve.

“Someone once said. It’s not over until it’s over, and you have to compare to know what’s long and short.”

“Hehe, you want to die quickly, so there’s no reason not to grant it.”

Thunderclap Seon-sa struck the lid of the huge red cauldron with his palm.

Then, the cauldron lid rose high into the sky, and the Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword, wrapped in purple smoke, floated up from inside.

“These are treasures too precious for you. So I will use them carefully from now on.”

The red cauldron had the Shintong of trapping the opponent’s treasures with strange purple smoke and severing the connection of consciousness.

Because of that, the Shin-sik connection of the Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword was severed.

Now, Thunderclap Seon-sa could use the two treasures as he pleased.

‘These are no ordinary items. Each one is unique in the world.’

A smile never left Thunderclap Seon-sa’s face.

‘I don’t know about this Nine Ring Sword, but with this double-edged sword, I can finish him off in an instant.’

As he stroked the Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword, both of them trembled.

When he injected magic power, they shook their bodies violently as if they hated it.

But if he couldn’t even do this much, how could he be called a Seon-sa of Taean?

At that moment, he was about to push in his magic power and take over the Hwanho Hwangeom and the Nine Ring Sword.

The Nine Ring Sword suddenly began to scatter ghostly mists, and suddenly, a Golden Pig Statue popped out from the black mist.

A golden pig statue.

Thunderclap Seon-sa was shocked by the appearance of the Golden Pig Statue, which he didn’t even want to see in his dreams.

Instantly, a sneer appeared on the Mountain Monarch’s face, and the Golden Pig Statue flashed.

“This!”

He tried to use Shukji, but the Golden Pig Statue had already spat out a small bead.

A purple bead.

It exploded with lightning as if it were releasing the anger that had been trapped all along.