Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 177

Stomp, stomp.

The bipedal demon beasts, looking around cautiously, gathered with their backs to the cliff.

“This area should be fine. I don’t sense anything suspicious within a hundred yards.”

“What should we do now?”

A demon beast with the head of a dog asked, glancing at the others.

“The Demon Kings are suspicious. And to deal with them all at once, we must set up the Myriad Mile Teleportation Formation as instructed.”

Swish.

As the one who answered slicked back his hair, the hideous appearance of the demon beast vanished, revealing the face of a handsome young man.

Then, the others also slicked back their hair in the same way, reverting to human form instead of their demon beast forms.

Their cloaks were made of fine leather, seemingly enchanted treasures that granted them disguise.

“But will it really work?

Even if it’s High Scholar Yoo, it might be difficult to teleport so many at once with a teleportation formation….”

Creating a teleportation formation in this place was no easy task to begin with.

The necessary rare items were scarce, especially in a place as barren of spiritual energy as this.

“Don’t worry about that. The teleportation formation used during the Myriad Mile Era [an ancient era known for its advanced teleportation technology] used the blood of demon beasts, consuming their essence, so there’s nothing difficult about it!”

When High Scholar Yoo dismissed it as nothing, the other Taoists nodded.

After all, where were they?

This was a place where demon beasts gathered to undergo the demon tribulation [a trial to become a Demon King] and ascend to become Demon Kings!

“That’s right, there are demon beasts all over this place, so there won’t be any problems!”

Even if they caught and killed a few hundred lesser demon beasts, it wouldn’t be noticed.

And the ones here were mostly at the Spirit Core or Spirit Manifestation realm [levels of cultivation in Taoism].

They had nothing to fear.

“However, the Demon Kings are also here, so we must be careful. We are deceiving thousands of demon beasts and entering their territory, so it’s best to act quickly.”

“Yes, that’s right. Although it’s a delicate situation, if the old men [referring to the Demon Kings] use their strength, we can complete it within three days!”

“Then those demon beasts who boast about being the Ten Seas Myriad Miles…!”

The Taoists, with sinister smiles, covered themselves with fur again, disguised as demon beasts, and scattered in all directions.

Soon, the area where they had been began to flow with the blood of demon beasts, forming a lake.

* * *

“Ah, Daeho!”

The terrain shifted on its own, and thickets sprouted from the ground, separating Mountain Lord and Hori.

Mountain Lord narrowed his brow and stomped his foot.

Thump.

With a small tremor, blue flames spread out in a circle from under Mountain Lord’s feet.

Whoosh!

The Azure Blaze of Bongak [a powerful flame technique] covered the area, incinerating it cleanly, and everything within a hundred yards disappeared.

It was literally erased.

However, the Azure Blaze of Bongak only erased the thickets and trees; it couldn’t eliminate the stone wall that had sprung up from the ground.

If he had been determined, he could have melted even stone in an instant, but it seemed too late.

“It’s uncanny. I can’t feel Hori’s presence at all.”

Mountain Lord stroked the raised stone wall and looked around.

“Is spatial divine power blocked too?”

Instant movement didn’t seem smooth.

He then took out the Haphan Hohwan Sword [a powerful magical sword] from his chest, and it spewed out fierce red flames.

Sizzle!

The Haphan Hohwan Sword, scattering flames and spinning, tore through space and disappeared.

However, Mountain Lord’s expression wasn’t good, and the reason was as expected.

“It’s not smooth.”

Sizzle!

Boom!

Space twisted, and the Haphan Hohwan Sword was bounced back out with a roar.

“Tsk.”

Mountain Lord, who had retrieved the Haphan Hohwan Sword, clicked his tongue and crossed his arms.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t use instant movement if he used his strength, but it seemed that there were many risks involved.

Spatial divine power was not a divine power to be used carelessly.

It was a dangerous divine power that could trap you in the space between spaces with a momentary mistake, and you might wander through space forever.

If he was caught in the distortion of space, the Haphan Hohwan Sword itself might disappear into another space or dimension, and his consciousness might be severed.

“I have no choice.”

Although he was separated from Hori, he was confident that he could take care of himself.

Even if he met Yoo Jung, he could escape safely, so it didn’t matter.

“Then what should I do now….”

He took out the hidden wings and fluttered them.

Each feather of Mountain Lord’s wings gleamed like iron.

He used the Myriad Wing Armor [a technique to enhance his wings], wrapping it around his original wings like armor.

Fluttering his wings and flying into the sky, he uttered a brief observation.

“It’s vast.”

The Ironwork Labyrinth [the name of the area] was quite vast.

Overall, it was dark, but there were lights in some parts where luminous pearls and firefly-like insects lived.

But it was endless.

It was difficult to know where the end was and where the beginning was.

He could only guess that it was about the size of the Red Sea.

“What to do….”

The plan went wrong.

Originally, he was going to search out the Taoists with Hori, but since they were separated, it was time to change his strategy.

After a moment of thought, he took out a few paper dolls from his sleeve and made a hand seal.

He flicked his finger and struck a blue law seal, and the dolls swelled.

The dolls were the puppets he had obtained before. When the eagle-shaped puppets fluttered their wings, their size was considerable, and the thickets shook.

There were thirteen of them.

To control a large number of puppets, the caster’s divine sense had to be deep, but Mountain Lord’s divine sense, which far surpassed the same level of Six Arts [a high level of cultivation], was more than sufficient.

“Go.”

Mountain Lord, easily handling the puppets and sending them in all directions, then sat cross-legged in that spot and moved his lips. Then, gradually, his figure became transparent and disappeared as if he were not there at all.

It was a mysterious concealment technique called Yo-Yang Concealment [a powerful hiding technique], which Senior Brother Kang used; it was unknown whether he had sunk into the ground or soared into the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Black Hori, separated from Mountain Lord, was biting her nails.

“Will he be okay?”

“Who are you worried about right now? Mountain Lord is an extraordinary person who has even fought and won against a Late Celestial [a very high level of cultivation]. He is someone who can take care of himself, so rest assured.”

That’s true.

Even if it’s someone else, it’s that Mountain Lord.

Mountain Lord is someone who is not inferior even when compared to Hongyeon, so what should she worry about?

“But….”

How could the heart be so easily calmed?

If it could subside with a few words, how could it be called the heart?

Even cultivators in the Taoist world, who have cultivated for thousands of years, sometimes die from succumbing to a demon due to a momentary emotion!

“You don’t know. Even though Daeho looks so smart, he’s sometimes a bit dim-witted, so I’m worried!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! He sometimes does strangely foolish things, so that’s why I’m doing this.”

Hongyeon didn’t fully understand, but nodded, thinking that was how it was.

It wasn’t the first time her master had made such unreasonable demands.

Even if that were the truth, what was important now was not that.

“What are you going to do?

I think it’s right to join the other Demon Kings first….”

Hongyeon looked down with subtle eyes.

Hori, who understood the meaning, also clenched her fists and coughed dryly.

“Should we look for Mountain Lord first?”

“Wouldn’t we meet the other Demon Kings if we look for him? Even if not, we’ll end up doing so if we wander around.”

She twirled her hair with her fingers and spoke as if she were feigning ignorance.

Hongyeon’s lips twitched.

“I understand….”

It was then.

Hongyeon turned her head sharply.

Then, Hori also changed her expression and narrowed her brows, and soon the thickets shook and a man walked out from inside.

“I’m glad to meet you! I never wanted to set foot here again, but I’m very uncomfortable having to come back….”

The man who was walking over, saying that this place was very uncomfortable, was the Demon King of the Ten Seas Myriad Miles.

It was Ogui.

“I’m very glad that the first person I met was you, Guigui. Just seeing your face makes my unpleasant mood disappear, and I feel like I’m enjoying a flower viewing while drinking fine wine.”

He spared no praise as soon as he saw Hori, but she frowned.

“You’re putting a lot of effort into talking nonsense.”

“Nonsense? That’s harsh. How long have you and I known each other that you speak so unkindly?”

She wanted to punch his brazen face, but Hori replaced it with a sigh.

“Do you not know where the other Demon Kings are at all?”

“Ah, Six Arts Hongyeon. I don’t know well either, as I’ve been wandering around. However, One Demon King has given a location in advance, so if you follow it, you will meet them.”

His attitude was quite different from when he treated Hori. Hongyeon hesitated for a moment and moved her lips to send a telepathic message.

-I think it would be better to join the Demon King first.

-Why?

-Isn’t there nothing good about Ogui and Mountain Lord meeting? It seems like we’ll be traveling together anyway.

The situation was what it was.

There was no point in creating unnecessary conflicts. Hori also agreed with that point and nodded with an unavoidable look.

“What are you women talking about so fun? Haha.”

Hori and Hongyeon ignored Ogui’s words and hurried on their way. However, Ogui persistently continued to speak.

“Do you know that? I heard that the Demonic Path guys are having a hard time in the north.”

“That’s good.”

She replied with an indifferent look, but he continued to speak without changing his expression.

“I heard that a Taoist suddenly appeared and is killing everything indiscriminately while looking for someone. I heard that his divine power is great and he is turning the place into a wasteland with a giant sword of five colors. Thanks to that, a bloody storm has blown from Gangcho, the northeastern end, to Mount Heng in Bukak [regions in the story’s world].”

Hori’s ears perked up.

“Alone?”

“That’s right. In the meantime, there’s a lot of talk about whether he angered a hidden Earth Immortal [a powerful being]. Frankly, I’m not very interested, but the fact that he’s looking for someone and the giant sword of five colors is bothering me….”

As he trailed off with a subtle tone, Hori’s face frowned.

If it’s a man related to five colors, it could be Mountain Lord!

“I’m very uneasy. He and I are not strangers, so how can I stay still?”

“If you don’t stay still?”

“Of course, I should tell him this fact, and if what he’s looking for is Brother Beom, I should help him!”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

She rebuked sharply, but Ogui replied without changing his expression.

It was quite a serious tone.

“Of course, Brother Beom and I are not on very good terms, but we will eventually become Demon Kings. If we do, we will be no different from brothers, and having been born as a man, shouldn’t we be able to overcome petty squabbles?

I, Ogui, am not such a person.”

He said it so convincingly that she almost tilted her head, wondering if that was really the case.

“But that will also be after I properly finish this work.”

The way he spoke while fluttering his robe seemed to have completely shaken off the mundane world.

Hongyeon and Hori briefly made eye contact and then hurried on their way again.

No matter what Ogui was thinking, there was no harm in being careful, and first of all, it was important to get rid of him.

Thus, Hori and her party crossed the Ironwork Labyrinth, not knowing whether they were walking or running.

And behind them.

A certain eagle was secretly chasing them.