Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 170

Tales of the Wandering Swordsman – Episode 169

Mount Baek’s Summit.

In the dense fog, only the sound of lapping water echoed.

Several Taoists in white robes and blue belts stood guard like an iron wall, each having reached the levels of Spirit Immortal or Luminous Soul [high levels of spiritual attainment].

What event could warrant Spirit Immortals, figures akin to elders, standing guard with such solemn expressions? It certainly piqued one’s curiosity.

“Do you think it will succeed?”

“Well, who knows? To ‘凝結’ (níngjié) [condense] a Core is easier said than done. Heaven must lend its aid….”

The two Spirit Immortals guarding the south whispered to each other.

They were originally Taoists from Yukdong, but their exceptional talents had led them to join the Baekseon Sect.

“Still, I heard that the Sect Leader personally oversaw the formation’s enhancement… They say the probability of condensing a Core is 70%, and the supplementary elixirs further increase the chances.”

“The Sect Leader’s divine power is said to reach the heavens, and it seems that’s exactly the case….”

The Spirit Immortals’ conversation was quite intriguing; it seemed someone was preparing for a breakthrough in their cultivation.

“Oh, look at these dense spiritual particles.”

“It seems to be starting….”

The particles of spiritual energy, like budding sprouts, thickly gathered and coalesced in the atmosphere.

Taoist Immortals or Flying Immortals flying around Mount Baek staggered and plummeted to the ground.

Everyone wondered what was happening and stared at the summit of Mount Baek with wide eyes.

“Senior Brother Man, what is going on?”

Unmo, now much more mature, looked at the old man beside him and asked.

“It is the harmony of a cultivation breakthrough. It seems Elder Yeon is achieving enlightenment.”

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth slowly gathered towards the summit of Mount Baek, creating a scene like a painting that immediately washed away any chaotic thoughts.

However, that was only for a moment.

The cleansed mind was soon filled with envy and jealousy, fueling an anxious heart.

But what could be done?

One could only swallow it down.

At the summit of Mount Baek.

In the mist, a woman sat cross-legged, sweating profusely, and a man stood behind her. The man was Sangu, and the woman was naturally his disciple, Yeon-ah.

Sangu placed his hand on Yeon-ah’s back, closed his eyes, and moved his lips.

All sorts of incantations swirled around Yeon-ah’s body, and a vast energy stirred within her, causing her visible pain.

“Endure it.”

He knew the pain better than anyone, but all he could say was to endure.

There was no time for unnecessary words.

“Disperse the magical power accumulated within your body and use it to shatter your Golden Core [the foundation of one’s cultivation]. Only then will everything begin.”

Yeon-ah couldn’t even answer, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Her complexion gradually turned pale.

Suddenly, ripples appeared on the lake at the summit, and a red magic circle began to form.

Soon, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder roared.

“Do not lose focus.”

He was deploying the Heavenly Tribulation of Myriad Waters, modified to his liking.

Soon, the red magic circle turned golden, and the lake glowed gold.

Yeon-ah’s breathing became more labored, and she bit her lower lip.

Sangu guided her energy channels correctly and stimulated the Golden Core from within.

It was a dangerous method that no one else could ever attempt.

But Sangu was capable.

He was the one who had given her the Bone Tempering and Marrow Cleansing with Bongak Cyan Flower in the first place.

There was nothing he couldn’t do.

“Hiss!”

He firmly held her trembling body. Gradually, her entire body began to turn red.

Her skin cracked, her old skin peeled off, and her bones twisted. It was a sign of Rebirth.

Soon, when Sangu released his hand.

The gathered spiritual particles slowly swirled around her, and then golden clouds fell from the black clouds, engulfing her.

Three days later.

“Hoo- Is it done now?”

The golden clouds slowly transformed into a round golden sphere.

“The rest will be taken care of by time.”

From here on, there was nothing more Sangu could do.

He was confident that there would be good results, but how could one be certain of worldly affairs?

Everything was up to Yeon-ah.

And only heaven knew.

“One must become heaven itself, but how can one become a god if one still reveres heaven?

I am still far off.”

Sangu unfolded his fan and fanned himself elegantly, then took a step and teleported above the sky outside Mount Baek.

From that day on, Mount Baek became even grander.

The pavilions and arbors located throughout Mount Baek were extremely antique, and there were also many disciples practicing aerial flight for their training.

Casually, he looked down at one side of Mount Baek and saw Man-sam and a girl.

The two were master and disciple, and he heard that the girl was Myeong-hwa’s daughter.

“Master, why don’t you have hair?”

It was a rude question, but Man-sam only sighed, as if he were used to it.

“I could make it so you can never open your mouth again, so shut it. I told you to manage the herb garden for me, but you burned it all down. How can you be so shameless!”

“It’s not my fault the spiritual herbs are too weak! What do you want me to do? They burst into flames as soon as I touch them!”

“Didn’t I tell you that’s because you can’t control your power? Damn it. How did I lose that bet and end up with you as my disciple….”

It seemed to be the age to cause headaches.

Sangu smiled as if it were someone else’s problem and turned his head elsewhere.

On one side, other disciples were meditating together.

Most of them were outer sect disciples, and they were working hard to raise their cultivation levels, hoping to be accepted as inner sect disciples.

Not all of them could be accepted as inner sect disciples.

It was an unavoidable measure due to the merging of several sects. Mount Baek held many secrets, so they couldn’t recklessly accept just anyone without standards.

Only a few, selected through several tests and strict standards, could become inner sect disciples.

It was good for Mount Baek to be able to bring in trustworthy individuals, and it was also beneficial for them to receive the various benefits of being inner sect disciples.

‘It can also awaken their ambition.’

Sangu put his hands behind his back and looked down at Mount Baek before folding space and entering a secret chamber. Entering Cheon Ho-gun’s stone chamber, various objects floated in the air.

He was reforging or experimenting with various treasures, including puppets and unparalleled treasures or rare objects.

Most of them were valuable treasures possessed by the Tae-seon of Yukdong or their sects.

However, Sangu quickly passed by such treasures and stopped abruptly.

“Hmm….”

In front of him, a man who looked exactly like Sangu was closing his eyes; he was the incarnation body that he had previously prepared.

Since he had placed a divided soul within, its appearance was slowly changing to resemble him.

“It will awaken in just a little while.”

Sangu looked at the incarnation body with a satisfied face and stroked the back of his right hand.

The Third Eye of Ji Mo-sa.

The Eye of Lawful Division (守紛法目) [Shǒufēn Fǎ Mù – an eye with the power to store and utilize energy] surprisingly possessed the innate divine power to store something and draw upon its power. Therefore, Sangu immediately transplanted it onto the back of his hand and decided to store the Imperishable Lightning within.

However, the Imperishable Lightning was not an ordinary divine power, and it was so difficult to handle that it was no easy task.

Moreover, storing the Imperishable Lightning in the Eye of Lawful Division was quite difficult.

Thanks to this, Cheon Ho-gun was once half destroyed, and the poison almost spread everywhere, causing great suffering to the disciples.

Inevitably, he had to find a suitable place and re-enter Ha Hoomi-nong’s body to handle the Imperishable Lightning.

Thanks to this, Sangu’s vitality was greatly damaged, and he rested for about a year, but he successfully stored the Imperishable Lightning in the Eye of Lawful Division, so it could be called a harvest.

‘Although I can’t fully control it…’

As time passes, if he completely refines the Imperishable Lightning, he will naturally be able to handle it like the Bongak Cyan Flower.

‘I also have the Lightning God’s Self-Governing Law and other Lightning God techniques.’

It was something that could be done through slow cultivation.

The purple lightning of the Imperishable Lightning had made a great contribution to suppressing Lightning Seonja, so his expectations were high.

And while he was at it, he also left Guiyul and Guhwan Island in Ha Hoomi-nong’s Forest of Tree Eyes. Guiyul had lost its spiritual energy since Geomryeong Island, and it seemed that there was a different problem rather than the injury caused by Ji-chung.

Sangu didn’t know what it was, so he placed it in the Forest of Tree Eyes, where evil energy was rampant.

He saw that its condition was gradually improving, so it seemed that he could finish Yeon-ah’s work and bring it back.

“Now, I should slowly leave.”

Two years had passed since he defeated Lightning Seonsa and ended his life.

It was time for the Hundred Ghost Night Parade [a gathering of ghosts and demons] to be held.

Although the situation was much different from two years ago, the position of Ghost King was still necessary.

‘The Five Ghosts must be grinding their teeth.’

It was not difficult to deal with one of the Five Ghosts, but if things went wrong and he became an enemy of Siphaemancheok, things would become complicated.

Moreover, his cultivation level was Eternal.

The True Cyan Flower of Eternity was not a dream.

What Taoists and Yuksa [a type of Taoist practitioner] feared most was the tribulation of heaven.

If they wanted to live, they had to prepare for the Hundred Ghost Night Thunder Tribulation.

Sangu recalled many things and pondered, then suddenly sat down on the bedchamber and stroked the seat next to him with his hand.

“Who are you thinking of that you are shedding such affectionate glances?”

Hwaran suddenly popped out and pouted.

“Are you jealous?”

“There’s no reason not to be.”

She even crossed her arms, quite confidently.

But Sangu chuckled and patted the seat next to him.

Then Hwaran sat next to him.

“It was that child who comforted and cherished me when you were asleep. And you were the one who made it this way in the first place, weren’t you?”

“I didn’t make it. I only hinted that I would like it to be that way. Everything must have been achieved by the two of you.”

Hwaran stroked the back of Sangu’s hand.

How could her affectionate heart be any different?

Sangu wrapped his arm around Hwaran’s shoulder, sharing warmth.

“So, do you dislike it?”

“No. I was just acting out, but I’m embarrassed that you say it like this.”

“Ahem.”

Sangu cleared his throat and remained silent for a while before opening his mouth.

“I wonder where Cho-ah is.”

“Are you bringing up your first wife in front of me?”

A sharp gaze, but he knew the playfulness contained within.

Sangu smiled and replied.

“Still, a wife from humble beginnings is the best, so of course I can’t help but think of her.”

“Is that so? Then spend tonight thinking of your wife from humble beginnings. This one will take her leave then.”

He pulled Hwaran, who was about to get up, into his arms.

Sangu looked at her with a smile, then said with a melancholy gaze.

“I should slowly go find her.”

“And become the Ghost King?”

“I have to. She wouldn’t have suffered any mishaps. With Yoho attached to her, she’ll be waiting for a few years while cultivating and will return on her own, so you can rest assured. But….”

A longing heart.

Like a silk shirt getting soaked without knowing it in a drizzle, it was filling up, so how could he just endure his aching heart?

“I miss her.”

He had no doubt that this was what love was.