Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 189

Nangseon Gihwandam – Episode 188

Northeast from Yongjeon.

In a place where vast mountain ranges stretched in a row, a landscape reminiscent of old memories greeted the mountain range.

“Do you see it? That place is Cheonyogok’s Cheonyodong [Heavenly Jade Valley’s Heavenly Jade Cave], and this entire mountain range is called Suwol Mountain Range [Water Moon Mountain Range].”

Sangun explained the scenery with a strange emotion, but the faces of those listening to him were sullen.

Young Miss So at least pretended to be curious, but the other woman did not.

“Just mountains.”

Kkamanghori’s face was as bitter as if she were looking at weeds in the backyard.

Then, Sangun clicked his tongue.

“Don’t just say that, look a little more. Don’t you have any memories of that Cheonyogok or… Cheonyodong?”

“Not at all?”

She really doesn’t seem to have any feelings.

Sangun smiled bitterly.

‘It can’t be that easy.’

Along with the degenerated body, even the memories are deeply asleep inside the body.

It can’t be easily recalled.

Wasn’t his Sajae [martial brother], Hwabong, also like that?

Even after nearly a thousand years, Hwabong has not found his memories.

“Is that so….”

However, it was difficult to hide the rising disappointment inside.

Whether she knew his feelings or not.

Hori looked at Sangun with a displeased face, then turned her body and went down the mountain.

* * *

A few months ago.

“Hmm…”

Before leaving for Bukhae [North Sea], Sangun, who had stopped by Gugwigak [Nine Ghost Pavilion], swallowed a groan.

The reason was the woman in front of him.

It was Hongyeon.

“May I ask the reason?”

“Even though the former master was by my side, I couldn’t even protect him properly, and I could only watch him die. But San… no, Yukgwi-nim [Sixth Ghost Lord] saved the dying master in an instant.”

Does that make sense?

Sangun stroked his chin.

“It means my training is insufficient.

I will go into seclusion from now on to prepare for the Everlasting Jinsumyeonghwa [True Water Bright Flower]. I have been preparing for a long time, so I will have to leave the rest to fate. So… accompanying Yukgwi-nim will be more beneficial to the master than me.”

“Is it because of memories?”

“Yes.”

Eternity… Come to think of it, Hongyeon’s realm remains in the final stage of Yeonggeop [Eternal Calamity].

She probably didn’t train properly because she was taking care of Hori, so she’s thinking of ascending to Yeongwon [Eternity] this time and assisting her properly.

‘Aren’t you trusting me too much?’

Jeokroejurang [Crimson Thunder Wolf] entrusting her master to someone… I have never imagined it.

“Does Hori agree to that?”

“No, she says she doesn’t like it.”

Of course, she would.

To Hori, the current Sangun is just one of the Gwiwangs [Ghost Kings].

Just a man she had a relationship with in the past that she doesn’t know.

“Where is Hori? I want to talk to her…”

Then, Hongyeon placed a red bead on the table. When I glanced at it, I had a sense of what was inside.

“…You will be the first Jeokroejurang to seal my master.”

“I couldn’t help it because she was making such a fuss. After becoming a child, she didn’t want to leave my side at all.”

Since Hongyeon takes care of her like a parent, it is natural.

She would prefer Hongyeon, who takes care of her every day, to a man she doesn’t see often.

“She doesn’t train and just loafs around, so please take her with you. Of course, I have no intention of using Yukgwi for free. Please think of it as a small token of sincerity.”

She says, taking out a small wooden box.

“Oh, it’s been over 400 years since I and Geomdeungi have known each other, so how can I accept this? Put it away quickly.”

He waved his hand in disgust, but Hongyeon only gave a strange smile.

“I heard that you have been practicing a reverse cultivation technique to purify the fire energy in your body more purely with a technique related to Manpyosu [Ten Thousand Wave Dew] a few years ago. The cultivation techniques used by Taoists and the cultivation methods themselves follow a lineage that is similar to Tongsul [Mystic Art].”

The human Gongbeop [cultivation method] and the Youngsu’s [Spiritual Beast] Tongsul are similar but slightly different in system.

You can tell just by looking at the number of Naedan [inner core], but from the beginning, the root.

It was also because the roots were different.

“A cultivation technique that tempers one’s nature by colliding extreme properties with each other.

Am I right about what I know?”

“Um, that’s right.”

It is the Gongbeop of Manpyosu and Sujeonghwagan [Water Crystal Fire Barrier] obtained from Noe Seonsa’s Gongjeonggang [Noe Seonsa’s Righteous Scripture].

I had forgotten about it for a while, but I remembered it while receiving Baekgwi Yaroeggeop [Hundred Ghost Night Outer Tribulation] here and am practicing it.

It contains Mansu [Ten Thousand Year Water], called Manpyosu, which gathers only once every ten thousand years, in the body.

The extreme cold energy collides with the fire energy in the body, so if you make a mistake, you may suffer great internal injuries.

Would it be fortunate if you only suffered internal injuries?

At worst, you could lose your life, and at best, you could become a madman.

It is a very dangerous Gongbeop.

Sangun is answering casually, but he doesn’t know how many times he has overcome crises while practicing this training method.

However, it also greatly advanced Hwasintong [Fire God Art].

He was having fun with it for a while, so Sangun’s eyes lit up when he brought it up first.

Suddenly, he became curious about the object inside the wooden box.

“The mystery of reverse cultivation is simple, but it is a cultivation that requires a lot of pain and patience.

But I heard that you will eventually face difficulties as well.”

“That’s right.”

Sangun nodded his head.

‘Because the cold energy is gradually becoming familiar.’

Even Manpyosu, which is the crystal of cold energy, will inevitably become familiar over time.

After that, a more powerful Gwimul [monster] with cold energy is needed. But can you easily obtain an object with more powerful cold energy than Manpyosu?

Even Manpyosu is a treasure that Taoists who practice Susintong [Water God Art] are eagerly waiting for.

I don’t know if I can get a cold energy treasure more powerful than Manpyosu.

“It’s a hard-to-find item, but I worked hard to get it because I was asking you to take care of my master. Please accept it.”

“Hmm…”

The corners of Sangun’s lips twitched.

He tries to hold it in, but he can’t hold in the wriggling.

“Cough, cough. Then there’s nothing I can do.”

He worked hard to get it, so what can he do?

He has no choice but to accept it.

‘I also feel sorry for Geomdeungi’s situation, and I’m willing to help…’

I just need to pay a little more attention!

Sangun smiled faintly and took the wooden box and the bead containing Hori.

* * *

After that, he was escorted by Hongyeon and headed north, remembering what he had lived in Suwol and stopped by for a while.

He took Hori out of the bead here, but at first, she made a fuss asking to be sent to Hongyeon, and then she reacted so coldly.

Sangun felt depressed as if he were taking care of two children at the same time.

‘But I got this, so what.’

When I took out the wooden box and opened it, there was Susam [Ginseng] inside.

It contained a ten-thousand-year-old Susam.

The cold energy that emanates in an instant is equivalent to Manpyosu.

However, the more you grow a ten-thousand-year-old Susam over time, the higher the cold energy becomes.

‘Should I feed Manpyosu to Susam?’

If I do that, the cold energy might become higher.

While he was thinking about that, Hori suddenly pulled on Sangun’s sleeve.

“Send me to Hongyeon!”

“No. Hongyeon is preparing for Jinsumyeonghwa, so she doesn’t have time to take care of you.”

“That doesn’t mean this lady has a reason to be with you!

I’m not a three-year-old child, so it doesn’t matter if I go alone!”

Hori folded her arms and said confidently.

Looking at her imposing expression, it was as if she was Yeongwon Yuksa [Eternal Sixth Death].

‘What Yeonggyeol [Eternal Knot] is…’

Her realm is Yeonggyeol.

It was fast considering she achieved it in 30 years, but it can’t help but be fast since she is retracing the footprints she had already taken.

Her body will have memories left.

“Therefore, this lady will go her way!”

Hori shouted and jumped down from Hwaunbanhong [Cloud Pattern Half Rainbow] in an instant.

But would Sangun just let that happen?

When he flicked his finger, Hori, who had disappeared, returned bound by an intangible energy.

“Let go, you son of a bitch!”

“What kind of speech is that for a Gwiwang who encompasses Siphae [Ten Seas]? Are you looking down on me because I’m being nice?”

“Hmph! It is a fact that heaven and earth know that you and I have been friends for hundreds of years! But the very act of talking about speech to such a friend is a completely unfair thing!”

“Does a friend run away?”

“Run away! This lady has never run away once!”

Hori struggled, begging to be released. She used so much strength that her face turned red as if it would explode, and blood vessels popped out in her throat as if she were slaughtering a pig.

“Oh, just let her go, Yukgwi. It’s so noisy, my ears are going to fall off, you know?”

Young Miss So also blocked her ears in disgust.

Then, Hori laughed like crazy with a triumphant face.

“Did you see that, Yukgwi? If you don’t let me go, I will make the mountain shake with loud noises, so try to bear it if you can!”

She seemed excited.

Sangun looked at Hori with cold eyes and flicked his finger.

“Seal the mouth.”

“Ugh! Ugh!!”

In an instant, Hori’s mouth closed tightly.

Only now did relief wash over Sangun and Young Miss So’s faces as it became quiet.

“What a handful.”

“Your friend is really amazing.”

She was so thick-skinned that she turned into Chilgwi’s liquor bottle because she didn’t want to go.

Sangun looked down at the ground with a face that said he had a lot to say but wouldn’t.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say you had business in Suwol? Since you came all the way here, why don’t you take care of your business? I will stay quietly at the residence with Hori-nim.”

“You are so trustworthy.”

He glared at her with suspicious eyes, and she made a face as if she was wronged.

“Even if I look like this, I am not much older than Yukgwi.

Would I do something immature?”

“I’m asking because it seems like you would.”

Then, Young Miss So also narrowed her eyes and glared at him. Sangun also glared as if to say what do you want, and silence fell.

But that was only for a moment.

“Are you really going to stay still?”

“Yes. I don’t want to go out anywhere either.”

It is true that he has business to do.

So, if she takes Hori with her, nothing could be better.

Even if she looks like that, Young Miss So is at the level of Yeonggeop, so even if something happens, she can handle it on her own.

Sangun hesitated for a moment and nodded.

‘I have to stop by Suwolmun [Water Moon Gate].’

A little later.

Sangun arrived at Subangbong [Water Side Peak], where he and Hori had built their residence a long time ago.

“I don’t know if it’s still there.”

Remembering, he found the training cave of Subangbong. It was a cave he had created temporarily when he stayed here.

But it was easy to find, but unfortunately, there was a Taoist living inside.

He was a Taoist in the realm of Doseon [Reaching Immortal].

Sangun thought about chasing him away, but stopped. He then headed to another empty, shabby place.

“With a wave of your hand, they would run away.

With Yukgwi’s divine power, you could drive away all the Taoists in the Subangbong area, but is there a need to do this?”

This place is Dogye [Taoist World], where power is everything.

With Sangun’s realm, he can kick out all the Nangseon [Taoist Ascetics] in Subangbong and still have power left.

It was a question of why the Gwiwang would back down when everyone would run away with just one word.

“There’s no need to do that. I’m not going to stay here for long, and it’s a place with memories, so I want to stay quietly and leave.”

“You are a unique person. All the Gwiwangs are… no, it’s nothing.”

She was probably going to say that all the Gwiwangs are eccentric.

Sangun smiled strangely and put them into an empty training cave.

“I’ll be back before dawn.”

“You son of a bitch!”

He listened to Hori’s curse as the spell was released and used Chukji [Earth Shrinking] to Suwolmun.

Whoosh!

Sangun stepped on the air and looked down at the thriving Suwolmun.

‘Not much has changed.’

It was a similar sight in Gang Sahyung’s memory.

Sangun immediately used Yoyangjeongryu [False Yang Essence Concealment] to hide his appearance and lowered his realm with Myeongeunsul [Hidden Light Art] before entering Suwolmun.

He went in as if he were in his own house and headed to a secret building among the Sangmun [usual gate] and shot a Beopgyeol [Law Seal].

Clang! Chirreureuk!

Soon, a Beopjin [Law Formation] was created in front of the gate, and the lock turned around as if it were being picked.

Squeak.

The gate opened and Sangun strode in. Soon, he smelled a fishy smell.

Sangun frowned.

“Nothing else has changed.”

There were human-shaped babies with snails.

Wawi Jongja (蝸爲從子) [Children born of snails].

It was the same as what he saw in Gang Sahyung’s memory.

‘How can nothing have changed like this.

Gang Sahyung made such a fuss and escaped from Suwolmun…’

Sangun recalled the memories that Gang Sahyung felt and savored the emotions.

The reason he came here was to relieve the spirit of the Sahyung who had become one with him.

Although the disciple that Sahyung cherished had died and disappeared, the tragedy he experienced would be repeated again.

“Tamhwa [Greedy Flower].”

Sreureuk!

Hwa, who was wrapped around Sangun’s arm, fell to the floor and transformed into a human.

“Can I eat them?”

“Exclude the children, only the snails.”

It was then.

Goooo… A chilling air flowed.

[I thought they were Mado [Demonic Path] bastards, but they’re not. Hehe, who are you to dare to break the Geumgi [Forbidden Ground] of Suwolmun?]

It was a voice that was somehow familiar.

Sangun hesitated for a moment and asked.

“…Do you know Gangryong [Strong Dragon]?”

[Gangryong? S, surely…!]