Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 190

Nangseon’s Romantic Tale – 189

[No, that can’t be. Senior Brother Kang Ryong can’t be alive… Who are you to sell Senior Brother Kang’s name?!]

The Mountain Lord closed his eyes for a moment, pondering. Then, he opened his mouth as if recalling something.

“It’s Apprentice Chun. That gravelly voice, like scraping stone, is still familiar. How long has it been… It’s been over a thousand years, so my memory is hazy, but you came with the other disciples who tried to stop me before.”

At that, the old man’s face turned ashen, as if he’d seen a ghost.

[…Are you really Senior Brother Kang?]

“Yes, a lot has happened. I didn’t know you were still alive.”

The Mountain Lord pretended to be Senior Brother Kang and greeted him.

Even in his senior brother’s memories, his voice was unique, so he recognized him immediately.

He was one of Senior Brother Kang’s apprentices, a Taoist named Chun Sam.

Chun Sam was silent for a moment.

The Mountain Lord waited calmly with his hands behind his back. If he still tried to kill him, he would just fight back.

If not…

‘I’ll have to reminisce.’

He didn’t have any memories to share, but since he was pretending to be Senior Brother Kang, this was the best way to smooth things over.

Then suddenly, the air rippled, and an old man appeared next to Wawi’s Seed.

“Are you really Senior Brother Kang? Your appearance, voice, and energy are nothing alike… Your lifespan should be at its limit. Could it be that you’ve taken over someone else’s body?”

“Yes.”

Taking over another Taoist’s body to extend one’s life.

Originally, a Taoist’s lifespan is directly related to the lifespan of their soul, but by slightly twisting towards the demonic path, one can extend their lifespan a little. Chun Sam was asking with that in mind.

‘Senior Brother Kang’s lifespan was already at its limit even in the Sword Spirit Realm.’

It would be hard to believe.

Because it wasn’t true in the first place.

“I, I can’t believe it… No wonder you were able to enter so quietly without mastering the sect’s secret techniques! I was wondering how you did it! But if it’s Senior Brother Kang, it’s only natural! Ah, I shouldn’t be like this, let me serve you. The moon is so bright tonight, how about we have a drink and reminisce?”

“Sounds good.”

The Mountain Lord nodded and left the forbidden area with Chun Sam.

Tamhwa had disappeared long ago, but Chun Sam didn’t notice.

His senior brother, whom he thought was dead after not returning for over a thousand years, had returned, so how could he not be happy?

Chun Sam’s face was filled with joy.

A little later.

The Mountain Lord and Chun Sam, sitting at the top of a pavilion with a clear view of the main gate, began to exchange cups of wine.

“Why are you so late? Our master waited for you his whole life! So did I and the other senior and junior brothers! Every year around this time…”

Chun Sam looked at the moon reflected in his wine cup, then rolled up his sleeves and waved his hand.

Then, the scenery reflected in the wine cup instantly changed. It showed a corner of a seemingly bustling village.

“It was noisy with festivals back then too.”

It was.

The day Senior Brother Kang left Suwol Gate [a fictional Taoist sect].

It was noisy with festivals.

“Master…”

“Has passed away peacefully.”

“I see.”

He was Senior Brother Kang’s master.

Unless he had become a celestial, there was no way he would still be alive.

The Mountain Lord, with a bitter expression, asked Chun Sam a meaningful question.

“Wawi’s Seed [a mystical artifact] is still around.”

Chun Sam’s eyebrows twitched.

He immediately smiled and put down his wine cup.

After staring at the moon by the window with a deep gaze for a while, he opened his mouth.

“I didn’t know it back then, but after becoming the head of Suwol, I found out. I heard that Senior Brother left because of that too.”

“That’s right.”

Chun Sam looked at the Mountain Lord with trembling eyes, fiddling with his wine cup.

“Is that why you came here? To comfort the souls of the disciples?”

The Mountain Lord closed his mouth, and Chun Sam chuckled as if he knew everything and cleared the table.

Then, he turned his palm over and suddenly took out a Go board [a strategic board game].

He took out a pouch and opened it, and the Go pieces poured out.

When he raised his eyebrows, not knowing what was going on, Chun Sam smiled.

“Now that I’m this old, I realized I’ve never played a game of Go with Senior Brother.

How about it? Would you like to play a game?”

He asked after taking everything out.

Clatter.

As the Mountain Lord reached out his hand, the Go pieces moved on their own as if they were alive and were arranged.

“It’s no fun to just play.”

At his gesture, Chun Sam also grinned, his cheekbones protruding.

“Of course.

If I win, would you grant an old disciple’s request?”

“Sure. If I win, you’ll let me do whatever I want with Wawi’s Seed.”

“Deal. I’ll go first!”

Clack!

As Chun Sam moved his pawn forward, the Go pieces and the Go board collided, creating a clear sound.

At the same time.

“Hmm… This isn’t an ordinary game of Go.”

The Go board rippled with spiritual energy, and in an instant, the scenery changed to a scenic place with a flowing valley stream.

Clack. Tap.

The cool flowing water and the faint moonlight dimly illuminated the Go board.

Only the sound of Go could be heard sparsely in that secluded place, and I couldn’t help but feel calm.

As I was looking at the Go board with a sense of elegance, Chun Sam quietly spoke.

“I also had a child conceived with Wawi’s Seed as a disciple.”

Flinch.

However, the Mountain Lord moved his Go piece and answered calmly.

“Is that so.”

Then Chun Sam, with his eyes fixed on the Go board, began to tell his story.

“I have a rough idea of why Senior Brother did that. Why you’re only appearing now and trying to take Wawi’s Seed.

I’ve also taught a natural being created with Wawi’s Seed.”

Tap.

The sound of placing the Go piece was rough.

It could be seen that Chun Sam also had bad memories of Wawi’s Seed.

“I also looked through the records of the previous sect leaders. Why they created natural beings and took their lives. I gradually came to understand.”

Clack.

The Mountain Lord said nothing.

He just silently placed his Go pieces.

“However, that is also the long history and tradition of Suwol, and as the current head of Daeui [likely a title or position within the Suwol sect], I cannot easily give up the efficiency and advantages of Wawi’s Seed.”

Tap!

Putting aside personal feelings, as the head of Suwol Gate, just like the previous sect leaders, I cannot give it up.

It sounded like he couldn’t hand over Wawi’s Seed.

But for some reason, the Mountain Lord…

‘It feels like he’s making excuses.’

It felt like facing a child making excuses because he was afraid of being scolded.

The Mountain Lord’s face naturally turned bitter.

There’s nothing harder to scold than a child who knows their mistakes.

Clack.

The Mountain Lord’s piece reached Chun Sam’s camp.

“Checkmate.”

Chun Sam moved his piece.

“Blocking the checkmate.”

He blocked the Mountain Lord’s checkmate.

However, as he immediately moved his chariot [a Go piece, likely referring to a Rook] and put him in checkmate again, Chun Sam’s hand stopped.

“Senior Brother. May I ask you something?”

“Ask.”

“You’ll be leaving soon, right?”

“…”

After a moment of silence, the Mountain Lord nodded.

“I had a feeling you would. Whose body did you take over… It seems like you’re in a body that’s destined to wander. So you can’t stay here.”

Chun Sam stroked his beard as if he was disappointed and closed his wrinkled eyes.

“I don’t have much lifespan left either, and the brothers I had a relationship with couldn’t overcome the heavenly energy and passed away peacefully. Now that I’m this old, I only have unnecessary meddling. I’m worried about Senior Brother, who has lived a harsh life.”

Chun Sam grabbed the Mountain Lord’s hand with his wrinkled hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Senior Brother. The path of cultivation is divided into thousands of branches, so I won’t say anything. But… if the day comes when Suwol is in danger of destruction, would you help us just once?”

“How can the head of Suwol Gate say such weak things? The master might get up from his coffin and scold you!”

He shouted as if scolding him, but the Mountain Lord grabbed Chun Sam’s hand tightly.

It was as good as saying he would.

Then Chun Sam also smiled and acted shy as if he was embarrassed.

“Is it because I’m about to die? I feel like I’ve returned to my childhood because I’m in front of Senior Brother.”

The Mountain Lord waved his hand and got up from his seat. The game was already over.

The two’s skills were equal, but from the middle, Chun Sam’s defense was disrupted.

‘He deliberately lost.’

What a troublesome guy.

I didn’t feel good because he was so dishonest, just like me.

“Are you leaving?”

“…I’ll come again, so don’t be sad. Life is a cycle, and our relationship is also a cycle that leads to reincarnation, so there will be a day when we meet again. Even the sun and moon revolve, don’t they?”

“Yes… Meetings are short and farewells are long, so reunions will be welcome.”

Whoosh.

The Mountain Lord disappeared, and Chun Sam sat in that spot for a long time and closed his eyes.

And soon, one of the Suwol Gate’s buildings disappeared completely, and the sound of children crying echoed softly.

Of course, the disciples of Suwol made a fuss, but at the head’s gesture, they all hushed and quietly covered it up.

* * *

The Mountain Lord, who was blankly looking down at Suwol Gate from the sky, hid his heavy eyes and headed towards Subang Peak.

“Were you okay?”

“Yeah! Look at this!”

Tamhwa spread out her hand.

Then, the bile coming out of her hand turned into a dozen small centipedes with will, flying around.

It seemed that she had eaten Wawi’s Seed and combined it with her original divine power to be able to use it in her own way.

It still looked immature, but it would gradually become proficient over time.

‘Is the last molting not far off?’

If she has a true metamorphosis, she will be twice as powerful as she is now.

It’s worth looking forward to since she’s Tamhwa O’Gong, who is ranked 3rd in the Hundred Poisonous Insects [a ranking of powerful beings].

‘Even now, she’s fighting Taeseon alone.’

If she completes the molting, she won’t be easily defeated even against Jiseon.

Yujeong is still alive.

He had one of his arms torn off by me, but he’s not the kind of person who would be weakened by just that.

He’ll somehow desperately survive, accumulate strength, and sharpen the blade of revenge.

So I have to build up my strength too.

I won this time with the help of the unexpected Hwagirin, but I can’t expect such heavenly luck next time.

‘Slowly. Step by step.’

I have to get stronger.

Thinking that, the Mountain Lord landed on Subang Peak and frowned, forgetting his solemn determination.

“Ha!”

He was dumbfounded and searched the surroundings thoroughly, but no one was there.

There wasn’t even an ant in the training hall where So Sojeo and Hori were.

“They couldn’t stand it…”

His neck was stiff, and he felt a sudden rush of fatigue.

“Where did they go!!”

* * *

At the same time.

“So Sojeo. This lady wants to go back, what do you think? I want to go home.”

“Hori Sojeo… Sojeo asked me to come first, so if you try to run away like this, I’ll be in trouble.”

Then Hori leaned back in her chair and buried herself in it.

So Sojeo looked at her with a sulky expression and sighed softly.

‘I shouldn’t have come out…’

The regret that had been flooding in was now crashing like a wave.

While watching the festival in a nearby village of mortals, she couldn’t resist her curiosity at the sound of a secret black market, so she came all the way here.

That was fine.

But then Hori’s ears perked up at the sound of an even more secretive auction, and she couldn’t resist her nagging, so she came.

This place was where Gye Taoists [wandering or unaffiliated Taoists] gathered, and it was an auction that sold really precious or rare things among them.

Most of the Taoists gathered were wearing masks, so their faces could not be seen.

However, the energy they exuded could be roughly estimated…

The energy of those who led the auction was eerie and ominous.

‘I didn’t expect it to be an auction run by the Demonic and Evil Paths.’

The name of the group hosting the auction was Guigang Chongma (鬼强塚魔) [Ghost Strong Tomb Demon – likely a demonic sect name].

The worst of the worst.

It was a place with dirty rumors even in the Taoist world.

‘It’s said to be a place where you can sell anything without worrying about the world.’

As befitting its name, the first thing that came out at the auction was none other than a Taoist.

She was a woman with beautiful looks, who had mastered the Dual Cultivation method [a Taoist practice involving sexual energy exchange] and could seek to improve her cultivation through intercourse with men.

The Taoists raised their voices with greedy eyes to buy one of the beautiful female immortals.

It was a shocking sight.

However, she could only gape and be surprised when she saw a handsome young man appear next.

The handsome young man was sold at a very high price, and So Sojeo couldn’t help but blush at the sound that the person who won the bid was a man.

Although she was called So Sojeo, she was also a woman of full age.

She seemed to have seen a side of the Taoist world and tried to run away, but she couldn’t leave until the auction was over.

Because the Guigang Chongma guys blocked her.

She couldn’t do this or that and had to wait until the auction was over.

A strange sense of foreboding crept in.

“Wow… are they selling that?”

But Hori had forgotten that she was scared at some point and was watching the items that kept coming out with shining eyes.

She must have forgotten that she was scared.