Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 212

Startled.

Near the ruined remains of the Great Desert.

A man stands alone on the blood-stained red desert, covered head to toe in blood.

Chungseon fluttered his wings.

“That’s odd. There shouldn’t be any other cultivators here besides me….”

Kugugugugugugugung.

Judging by the immense vibration felt from beneath his feet, it’s no ordinary divine power.

Muttering, Chungseon turned his head to look at the man lying flat on the ground.

Strangely, the man’s head was severed, but not a single drop of blood came from the cut.

“He created something bizarre, like a puppet or an avatar.

Thanks to that, killing him isn’t really killing him, so I’ll do as you say.”

Then, the severed head floated up on its own, reattached to the body, and suddenly rose from its spot, bowing.

“Of course.”

Yewoon, wearing a slick smile, soon turned into a beam of light, splitting the sky and disappearing.

As he vanished, Chungseon spread his hand and took out a feather of blue flame.

“Even an incomplete feather fragment possesses such pure innate primordial energy… As expected of a divine beast!

Though faint, this amount of innate primordial energy is enough to restore the lost divine power. Moreover, if I gather all the scattered feathers….”

Innate primordial energy refers to a being born with the energy of heaven and earth within them.

Those born with innate primordial energy are rare, except for those with divine bloodlines, and most immortals cultivate by receiving the energy of heaven and earth postnatally.

“But it’s strange. When I’ve come here before, I’ve never felt even a trace of divine energy, so why now….”

It was something to tilt his head at, but the important thing was that he had the divine beast’s feather in his hand.

“I can’t just stand by either.”

Chungseon stared at the feather with deep eyes for a long time before disappearing.

* * *

Kugugugugugugung.

The figure buried in the sand rose from the massive explosion’s vibration.

“Ptooey, ptooey! Phooooo!!”

The figure, shaking off the dust like a cat, was Gu Gui, who looked around with a dazed expression before tilting his head.

“Where am I….”

All that could be seen were grains of sand and a dense jungle that seemed to have fallen with him.

“I was being chased by mosquitoes….”

Raising his head, he saw a small hole in the ceiling, with traces of sand and torn vines, suggesting he had fallen from there.

“A jungle beneath the desert… What a messed up place.”

Stems extending from the ceiling were intertwined with the ground and trees, creating a chaotic space with dense bushes and vines that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead.

“Gu Gui, move your foot if you’re awake.”

“Uwaaaaaaah!!”

Startled, Gu Gui jumped up and widened his eyes upon discovering Sip Gui lying like a corpse beneath his feet.

“Sip Gui!!”

“It’s Sip Gui.”

“Wh-what are you doing there? Hongyeon said there are many strange people in the world, so be careful of everyone except one. Are you one of those strange people?”

“Nonsense! How can you say such crap even after seeing my condition… Ugh.”

“What’s wrong, are you hurt?”

Wondering why he was like that, he cleared away the sand and pulled him out, only to be met with a strong scent of blood.

“You….”

“I was unlucky.”

Sip Gui leaned heavily against a tree trunk after saying just those words.

His condition was beyond description, with his upper body and one leg blown away.

Gu Gui opened his mouth with a grim expression.

“Did you… do this protecting me?”

Sip Gui looked at Gu Gui and chuckled before shaking his head.

“Why would I protect you? As I said before, I was just unlucky.”

“Is that so? Then hurry up and die. I’ll bury you in your hometown out of our past friendship.”

“Hmph! Do you think I’ll die from just this! I am Sip Gui of Siphaemancheok! This level of injury can’t kill Sip Gui! I’m not dying from this injury. My lifespan is simply running out!”

However, contrary to his boastful words, Sip Gui was constantly trembling.

“Will you perform a soul transfer? I can help you find a new body.”

If he transferred his Hwaryeong [spiritual core] and took over someone else’s body, he might survive.

Although his body was severely damaged, it was the body of a spirit beast that had lived for eons.

If he took appropriate measures and recuperated, he wouldn’t die in vain.

“No, it’s no use.”

However, Sip Gui shook his head as if resigned.

“The Hwaryeong has been severely damaged. Because of that, I can’t perform a soul transfer, and I don’t have the means or energy to recover my body.

Since there’s no way to restore the Hwaryeong in the first place, it’s all over.”

It seemed that his earlier boasting was just out of pride.

“Then….”

“At least I have enough energy left to reincarnate, so it’s better to return to the cycle of heaven and receive a new life.”

In other words, there was no way to survive.

Gu Gui unknowingly clenched his fists behind his back.

“Is there really no way…?”

“No. If there was, I would have used it already. Why else would I be chatting with you?”

That was true.

Gu Gui made a groaning sound, moving his lips and fidgeting his fingers.

He didn’t know what to say.

“You don’t need to worry. It was my bad luck, and this is also my tribulation and destiny, so there’s no need to act like a puppy about to poop.”

“Wh-who’s acting like a puppy about to poop! I, Gu Gui, have nothing to do with whether you live or die! Ahem!”

Gu Gui crossed his arms and snorted.

However, he frowned at Sip Gui’s regretful face and asked.

“So… do you have any last words?”

“They say death is another beginning, but it’s all nonsense. Even if my soul survives and reincarnates, I won’t have any of the things I’ve achieved or my memories, so how can I be said to be alive?”

Sip Gui looked at Gu Gui with a distant gaze and let out a long breath.

“Now that I’m about to die, I’m starting to understand your situation… Gu Gui.”

“…What?”

“Do me a favor.”

“How shameless… I’ll listen.”

Sip Gui smiled and offered his fist.

“Punch Yuk Gui in the face for me. He was always unlucky.”

It was an absurd request.

His last words before death were just that…

However, Gu Gui thought it was fitting of Sip Gui and bumped fists with him.

“That’s easy enough!”

As they chuckled together, Sip Gui’s body began to grow larger.

He no longer had the strength to assume his true form.

“The time has come.”

Sip Gui transformed into a giant turtle.

His fading eyes were clearer and calmer than ever. Sip Gui added earnestly to Gu Gui.

[Find your memories. The current you is no different from being dead. You must find your memories, and by doing so….]

Sip Gui closed his eyes and said.

[If you have the time, if you have the chance… punch the guy who made me like this.]

Swish.

In the swirling dust, Gu Gui forced a smile and replied.

“If I find my memories, there’s nothing I can’t do! Who do you think I am! I am Gu Gui, the one who serves Jeokroe Jurang, the leader of the Ghost Hands who rule the Red Sea, and the one who holds the ninth seat of the Ghost Kings!”

Gu Gui raised his fist high and shouted.

“If I only… if I only find my memories, no one will be able to withstand my fist, and no one will be able to avoid being crushed under my feet!

I’ll wipe out that unlucky Yuk Gui and the crazy bastard who made you like this, so don’t worry!!”

So.

So….

“Rest in peace.”

* * *

Thud.

San-gun, who was shaking off the sand, looked around at the scenery and swallowed a hollow laugh.

‘What a mess.’

It was just a moment.

In that one moment, the ceiling, as well as the trees and bushes miles away, had either collapsed or exploded in a circular pattern.

It was truly an immense destructive power.

“Anyway, I’m alive.”

The immediate crisis was over.

Chungseon’s mosquito swarm was undeniably powerful.

San-gun’s boasted Bongak Cheonghwa, as well as Bulcheonbulbyeok, were completely ineffective against those tiny mosquitoes.

It was a shocking revelation.

Most Tae Seon [Great Immortals] couldn’t withstand a single punch from San-gun and would end up as a bloody mess, and even the other Ghost Kings could barely withstand a single move.

The fact that his supposedly powerful divine powers were ineffective against mere mosquitoes was shocking.

[You have a look on your face that says you didn’t expect to be so helpless.]

As if reading his thoughts, Bong spoke without hesitation.

“…More than that, what did you do just now? You mentioned something about laws.”

Looking around, he found Chukman stuck between the trees, hanging there.

It seemed she had lost consciousness from the massive explosive force. Since she had already used Samchwi Ok Hwa to create a lotus and consumed a large amount of Jeonghyeol [essential blood/essence], it would take time for her to wake up.

“Is that divine power so great?”

[It wouldn’t be considered that great in the Upper Realm, but it can be said to be great for a cultivator in the Lower Realm to use.]

Since it was Bong, a divided soul of a phoenix, there would be no lies.

[The mysteries of the laws generally require the manipulation of the energy of heaven and earth to use, but that child replaced it with a doppelganger instead of herself, accepting it and then emitting it again. It’s insignificant and unimpressive, but it can be said that she has touched the tip of the iceberg of the laws, so it is great enough to say.]

“Is that so.”

San-gun looked down at Chukman with a slightly disgruntled expression before turning his head.

“Can’t I also use the power of the laws? If I use Sawol Jehang….”

However, the answer that came back was firm.

[You can’t.]

“Why not?”

[That child seemed to have changed her constitution itself with a special training method. That’s why she can use it even at the risk of her life, but if that wasn’t the case, she would have suffered great internal injuries, fallen, or her Hwaryeong would have rotted and disappeared.]

“…….”

What kind of technique was this Samchwi Ok Hwa that allowed even a speck of the mysteries of the laws to be handled?

San-gun was bothered by that.

And if he could unravel the technique of Samchwi Ok Hwa and obtain the mysteries contained within….

‘I also….’

As he remained silent, Bong warned in his usual monotonous voice.

[Great power comes with a price. Don’t be fascinated by great power in an instant.

Power is something to be wielded, not to be devoured by….]

As the embarrassed San-gun crossed his arms, Bong transformed from a feather into a boy.

“Rather than that, this is the priority.”

“What are you talking about?”

In the form of a boy, Bong strode towards Chukman, who was hanging from the tree.

Then, he reached into Chukman’s chest and rummaged around.

“What are you doing?”

Even though Chukman was originally a man, she was now in a woman’s body.

The sight of rummaging through the body of a woman who had lost consciousness was not pleasing to the eye.

San-gun frowned, but Bong paid no attention and pulled his hand out.

“Found it.”

In Bong’s hand was a book that looked exactly like the ancient book he had been sleeping in.

San-gun’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t tell me….”

Whoosh.

The book burst into flames.

And what appeared was.

Soon, a large feather and an old man appeared, overflowing with blue flames.

[The time has come.]

“That’s right.”

The old man, who suddenly appeared, nodded without saying much.

Then, Bong opened his mouth slightly and sucked in the old man’s form, even swallowing the feather in an instant!

He was a little surprised, but it was a natural progression.

“So it was true that you were divided.”

He didn’t know how Chukman had it, but.

Even when San-gun asked, Bong closed his eyes as if concentrating and sat in a lotus position in the air.

Since the two’s energies were merging, he quietly watched, wondering if there would be anything to gain, but there was nothing.

Rather, even though he was right in front of him, he couldn’t feel anything, like a ghost.

‘Even more than before….’

He was as still as if he were blending into nature.

San-gun was swept up in a feeling that he seemed to know but didn’t know as he watched that scene.

It was a strange feeling that could not be expressed in words. He couldn’t clearly tell whether this was enlightenment coming or something else.

However.

‘This is God….’

The sight of being in harmony with nature and transcending the world was somehow….

Beautiful.