Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 173

On a rock of Baekil Peak, bathed in moonlight, a pipa [a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, similar to a lute] resonated softly.

The sharp yet delicate sound of the pipa stirred the man’s heart.

“I didn’t know you had a talent for the pipa as well.”

At the Mountain Lord’s words, she smiled and played the pipa with dazzling skill.

The gentle performance naturally curved the corners of his lips. The Mountain Lord nodded, looking at the Ogyeong Pipa in her hands.

‘It should be fine.’

The Ogyeong Pipa, one of the Seven Treasures.

He had acquired it quite some time ago, but it was going to waste because he lacked the talent to play it.

He had considered giving it to Cho-ah, but giving it to her didn’t seem like a bad idea either.

“Blackie, where did you learn to play the pipa?”

Clunk.

The sound of the pipa stopped, and Black Fur proudly puffed out her chest.

“I never learned it. I just fiddled with it a few times and roughly figured it out! It’s all because this lady is so talented, ha ha ha!”

The Mountain Lord’s lips turned down.

He was going to give her a compliment for the first time in a while, but her reaction was utterly annoying.

Besides, he himself had very little talent, so her saying that made him even more resentful.

“Is that so?”

The Mountain Lord snatched the Ogyeong Pipa from Hori’s grasp.

“Hey! Weren’t you going to give it to me!”

“Seeing how you’re acting, I don’t want to give it to you anymore.”

“Does a man go back on his word?”

Regardless, the Mountain Lord put his hands behind his back and turned away.

“What does it matter if one is a man or a woman before the Dao [the fundamental principle of the universe]? The problem is to exist fully and go one’s own way.”

Hori’s brows furrowed.

It sounded plausible, but it was just a clever excuse to hide his own narrow-mindedness.

Even if Hori was a fool, she could distinguish that much.

“What a petty fellow.”

She narrowed her eyes and sneered, causing the Mountain Lord to swallow a sigh.

Even he thought he looked petty.

For some reason, being with Hori made him feel like a child again.

“Here.”

“Originally, there’s nothing worse than giving something and then taking it away. Do you understand?”

Hugging the Ogyeong Pipa tightly to her chest, she stroked the Mountain Lord’s head.

She looked and spoke as if she were his superior.

“Shut up, you idiot. I don’t want to hear that from you.”

“H-Hey, idiot! That’s harsh!”

Ignoring Hori, who was yelling beside him, he entered the Thousand Hoard Stronghold.

“Are you leaving?”

As he entered the Thousand Hoard Stronghold, he heard a woman’s voice, devoid of inflection.

He glanced up and saw a woman with swaying hair beside him.

She was the Mountain Lord’s sword.

Hwaran.

“I must.”

“Must you?”

“Yes, I must go.”

Hwaran was subtly angry.

How could he not know?

They had been together for hundreds of years.

Now, he could tell what she was thinking just from the general atmosphere.

“I think it’s pointless to ask why anymore.”

It was a clearly sarcastic tone.

She meant that even if she asked, he would do as he pleased, so she wouldn’t ask.

The Mountain Lord smiled bitterly and closed his mouth.

“Weren’t you hoping for a peaceful life, Mountain Lord? Unlike before… now you’re like a moth flying into a flame, which worries me greatly.”

The conversation with Hori was already over.

The Mountain Lord was going to Yongjeon with her.

To the Hundred Ghost Night Parade.

There were several complex reasons for this, but Hwaran couldn’t easily accept them.

“Try to persuade me.”

The Mountain Lord quietly looked at Hwaran and stroked her hair with his hand.

“Beautiful.”

“Are you trying to gloss over it?”

Her words were sharp, but she couldn’t hide the blush on her face.

“Ran. As you know, I broadened my horizons by absorbing the experiences of my senior brothers.

One of the realizations that bloomed from those horizons is that one should not be a frog in a well [have a narrow view of the world].”

The Mountain Lord was able to deal with the Taesuns of Yukdong relatively easily for that reason.

The absence of experience.

‘A greenhouse flower is weak.’

He was able to realize that painfully in this battle.

Of course, the power of his Gyuncheon Treasure and other treasures was also extraordinary, but the Mountain Lord’s experience in handling them could not be ignored.

“And now that my name has become known, I can’t stay still anymore.”

Sooner or later, someone would pick a fight.

In the future, a force even greater than Yukdong could shake Mount Baek.

“So, it wouldn’t be bad to gain more experience and rise to a higher level before that happens. And….”

“And to build friendships with the Ghost Kings.”

“Yes. Yoo-jung is also a problem….”

His bad relationship with that guy was a bad relationship, but now he wanted to escape from the shackles of the Sanhaebalsango [a powerful organization].

‘I can’t live forever just reliving the stories in the novel.’

Before reaching Eternity.

The Mountain Lord had almost been deceived by the Simma within him.

He needed to gradually cut out the things that had festered inside him.

So, of course, Sanhaebalsango and Yoo-jung could not be left out.

Now, it had become ambiguous whether he had entered the novel or whether he, who had been a tiger, had lost his memory and was dreaming.

It is natural for memories to become blurred and murky over time.

It was enough time for confusion to arise, and it was time to tie up the loose ends.

And someday.

He and Yoo-jung were destined to clash.

As long as he was human and he was a spirit beast.

He would not leave Mount Baek, where spirit beasts and humans harmonize, alone.

‘That bastard will erase the Siphaemancheok [Ten Thousand Ghost Army].’

It may not be now, but the moment he ascends to Jisun [a high level of cultivation], the lifelines of the Ghost Commanders will also be difficult to maintain.

And then it will be Mount Baek.

The Six Spirit Pagoda brought from Ilwol is right here, and as long as the Head of Mount Baek is the Mountain Lord, the fight is inevitable.

“You never know who will become a moth.”

Whether it’s himself.

Or Yoo-jung.

* * *

At the same time.

Meanwhile, in the Seondo Sect of Banggok, key figures from many sects were gathered.

Among them, the person who was overwhelming the assembly was a man with a striking appearance at first glance.

He looked to be in his mid-20s, but his profound magical power was worthy of being called a Seonsa [a Taoist immortal].

“I don’t need long words, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

This man was.

“On the day the Hundred Ghost Night Parade is held.”

The Great Elder of the Ilwol Sect.

“I will cut off their breath.”

It was Yoo-jung of Sanhaebalsango.

* * *

Three months later, Yongjeon.

To put it simply, it was the epitome of splendor.

Not the night sky illuminated by faint starlight and moonlight, but a festival of hundreds and thousands of lanterns carried by the Ghost Commanders.

It was the Hundred Ghost Night Parade.

“Is it different from what you expected?”

“Not particularly.”

Just more dizzying than he thought.

“Ordinary people would see it as nothing more than will-o’-the-wisps [ghostly lights].”

It was a sight to behold, with the lanterns appearing to float in the sky.

Carriages spewing flames and various colors of dim light adorned the sky.

The number was estimated to be tens of thousands.

The processions of Siphaemancheok Ghosts, scattered here and there, lined up in rows.

It was truly a spectacle.

“Do you see that? Those peacocks are the forces of the Seventh Ghost, and those… those firebirds are the forces of the Second Ghost.”

Hori hadn’t even asked, but she was pointing here and there from inside the carriage, telling the Mountain Lord everything one by one.

“Oh, the Third Ghost is here too.”

At the mention of the Third Ghost, the Mountain Lord turned his head. He glanced and saw a procession of giant monkeys.

‘Come to think of it, there were monkeys among those who came to Mount Baek.’

He seemed to have vaguely heard that they were under the Third Ghost.

“It’s best not to try to build a friendship with the Third Ghost. His violent nature is not only unpleasant but even disgusting.”

The new Third Ghost didn’t seem to have a good reputation.

Seeing Hori shudder, the Mountain Lord quickly lost interest.

However, others seemed to think differently, glancing at the carriage that the Ninth Ghost and the Mountain Lord were riding in.

That was because Hongyeon was always by Hori’s side, and the Mountain Lord was next to her, so it was only natural.

It was impossible not to be interested in three Eternity Realm beings in one carriage, belonging to the procession of the Hundred Ghost Night Parade.

The Ghost Commanders of high realm were riding in carriages or palanquins, and most of the subordinates beside them were either on the verge of or already in the Youngyeol [a high level of cultivation] or Youngmyeong Realm [another high level of cultivation], so it was only natural.

Seeing a Yuksa [a type of warrior] of high realm was a rare occurrence, especially for those who were focused on the upcoming Ghost Tribulation.

‘Could it be that a new Ghost King will be born among these people?’

Originally, Ghost King candidates were traditionally selected from Youngmyeong Yuksa.

This was a natural course of action, as it was necessary to receive the Hundred Ghost Night Thunder Tribulation to cultivate resistance to the Heavenly Tribulation and achieve Eternity.

And that was.

Also the reason why the Siphaemancheok Ghost lineage had not yet been cut off.

Thud.

The carriage landed on the ground.

“We have arrived. Ninth Ghost.”

“Okay! Let’s get off, Daeho! You don’t know much, so this lady will tell you everything one by one. You don’t have to worry!”

“Such a fuss… I understand.”

The Mountain Lord got out of the carriage and discovered a tall Spirit Mountain and ten huge high-rise pavilions on top of it.

The pavilions were too huge to be called pavilions.

It seemed that each one was made so that the forces of the Ghost Kings could reside there.

There were no humans among the Ghost Kings.

“Each one is a 36-story high-rise pavilion, built when the Siphaemancheok was created during the Manbo Era.”

Hongyeon stood next to him and explained.

“I was going to say that….”

“Is that so? I thought you were hesitating and had forgotten again.”

Hori gritted her teeth.

“It’s quite a sight.”

“We are going to the Ninth Pavilion, the Gugwi Pavilion. You can enter and exit at any time with this Spirit Token, so please keep it with you. Even if you lose it, nothing will happen to Mountain Lord’s realm… but there’s no need to stir up trouble.”

The Mountain Lord didn’t want to cause trouble either, so he nodded and took the Spirit Token.

“It’s fine to stay in the Gugwi Pavilion, but it wouldn’t be bad to look around here. How about it? Would you like to look around with me?”

It was a spectacle to see the procession of many Ghost Commanders continuing with the Hundred Ghost Night Parade.

But it wouldn’t be bad to try the trade fair or the Night Parade Wine that takes place in the market street here.

There was no reason to refuse.

“Master. Have you forgotten?”

“Huh? What?”

“You have to show your face at the Ghost King Meeting.”

“Oh? Ah….”

Hori’s fox ears drooped.

He didn’t know the details, but it seemed that the Ghost Kings gathered in advance for a meeting.

The Mountain Lord smiled faintly and waved his hand.

“I just arrived and want to rest, so go to that Ghost King Meeting or whatever. We’ll be staying here for a while anyway, so what’s the rush?”

“Really? Then I’ll be back soon!”

Saying that with a face that had brightened as if she had never been dejected, the Mountain Lord felt good too.

Hori took the Ghost Commanders she had brought from Honghae to the Gugwi Pavilion and disappeared somewhere on the Spirit Mountain with Hongyeon.

“She is truly a lovely person.”

Hwaran appeared as Hori disappeared.

Ran was giving Hori a strange smile, and the Mountain Lord seemed to know why.

“Are you going to talk nonsense again?”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“It’s obvious. Now that you’re out, let’s look around here. Although the Night Parade Wine that the Hundred Ghost Night Parade boasts is useless to me, who has reached Eternity, there’s no reason not to try it since it’s a local specialty.”

Just drinking the Night Parade Wine would raise the cultivation of the Younghwa [a level of cultivation] or Youngyeol, but it was useless to the Mountain Lord, who was in the Eternity Realm.

The Mountain Lord thought of Geumgin, who had told him about the Night Parade Wine, and chuckled.

“Now, shall we go?”

“Yes, Mountain Lord.”

The Mountain Lord led Hwaran and slipped into the street where the market was held under the pavilion.

A moment later.

A figure rose like ink and disappeared in the place where he had disappeared.