Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 228

Tales of Nangseon – Episode 227

“The In-Between? Are you talking about *the* In-Between?”

“Yes.”

Choa’s face immediately clouded over.

The space between spaces.

The bottomless pit that both exists and doesn’t, that *is* the In-Between.

“It really existed…”

It was a space spoken of only in legends among cultivators [practitioners of spiritual disciplines].

Many had heard stories of those trapped and killed there.

A place inhabited by all sorts of monstrous beasts, where pitch-black darkness and raging storms coexist.

A bizarre place where using spirit energy causes it to backfire, inflicting excruciating pain throughout the body.

“Are we really going there?”

“I have no choice. The one targeting me is still within the Gold Ring Immortal Realm and will come looking for me soon. If we go to the Lower World, there’s no way to stop him, but…”

“The In-Between is different, I see.”

“That’s right.”

Even the method of entering the In-Between is unknown, and leaving is said to be even harder. Moreover, it’s a place devoid of spirit energy, filled instead with bizarre creatures and abnormal weather, making it easy to lose one’s life.

It’s similar to the Crooked Hollow Delta, but on a completely different level.

‘Come to think of it, I heard that Tam and all sorts of monstrous beasts were born in the In-Between….’

It’s a place one would never want to set foot in unless the situation was extremely dire.

“There’s no need to worry. It may be like the afterlife for us, but for Bong, it’s like his hometown.”

As I spoke to Choa, Bong nodded in agreement.

“That’s not wrong. Although there’s no spirit energy, it’s a place full of primordial energy, making it an ideal place for immortals.

Even *they* don’t dare to enter the In-Between carelessly.”

“Then aren’t we in danger too…?”

Making sure that’s not the case is Bong’s job right now.

Bong nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable and bewildered.

Perhaps he’s a bit burdened because he has to use his strength.

His body isn’t even fully recovered.

He hasn’t even gathered his divided soul fragments, so why would he want to use his strength?

Holding onto and conserving his strength until the very end is what he desires.

‘That won’t do.’

But if he does that, he can never escape from Dang Chun.

The Gold Ring Immortal Realm isn’t safe, and neither is the Lower World, so the only place where Sangoon can feel at ease is the In-Between.

‘Yujeong also had a record of surviving and returning from the In-Between.’

If that’s the case, why can’t I do it too? If he can do it, so can I.

Besides, I’m with Bong, a divine beast of the Upper Realm, so what is there to fear?

Rather, if we can lure Dang Chun into the In-Between and trap him….

‘If he dies, it’ll save us trouble, and even if he doesn’t, he’ll be trapped for at least thousands of years.’

During that time, I can focus on cultivation and build up my strength, so there’s nothing better.

I couldn’t think of any other way to escape from Dang Chun’s grasp.

Besides….

‘We just met, and I don’t want to think about separating again.’

Sangoon looked at Choa, who had become even more virtuous, and hardened his resolve.

With Dang Chun targeting him now.

Being with Choa was dangerous for both of them, but they had only just met, and he didn’t want to be separated again.

As he thought that and looked at her, Choa smiled knowingly and clasped Sangoon’s hand.

“Come to think of it, you said Bong’s last soul fragment is in the Lower World?”

“That’s right. I can strongly feel my soul fragment’s energy there.”

“Then you’ll need my help. If Bong goes down to the Lower World, he won’t be able to use his full strength due to the pressure of the Heavenly Laws [the governing principles of the universe].”

“Ahem….”

Unfortunately, that was true.

Bong and Tamhwa are beings of the Upper Realm.

In the Lower World, they can’t even exert their proper strength due to the pressure of the Heavenly Laws.

Originally, even arriving in the Lower World was a difficult task for them.

“My help. Don’t you need it?”

“That is….”

* * *

Meanwhile.

Among the crumbling rocks, a glimpse of verdant hair was visible.

“It’s here!!”

A Taoist [follower of Taoism, a Chinese philosophy and religion] in shabby attire shouted, and others flocked to him.

They all wore robes with the same emblem.

The emblem read “Mount Shu.”

They quickly cleared away the rocks and rescued a woman, who was the Great Master of Mount Shu who had been with Sangoon.

It was Chongman.

“How is she?”

One of the Taoists asked, and the Taoist who was examining her pulse frowned.

“Her energy is greatly weakened. Her complexion is pale, and her lips are purple, indicating she has lost her vital essence.”

“Oh no! If we don’t take action quickly, the Great Master might lose the cultivation she has built up.”

“That’s right. Fortunately, Mount Shu obtained quite a bit on this journey.

We must use those precious items and spiritual herbs to heal the Great Master and return.”

It was then.

“Ugh….”

“Great Master!”

Chongman opened her eyes.

She tried to get up immediately but felt dizzy and collapsed again.

“You need to rest.”

“Where is this?”

“It’s a floating island within the Gold Ring Immortal Realm.”

“Gold Ring Immortal Realm… Ah… I see.”

Chongman looked blankly up at the sky with a listless expression and asked.

“But what is that?”

“Yes?”

In the sky, a dozen or so giant swords were cutting through the air as they flew.

“Ugh!”

The Taoists all collapsed from the pressure exerted by the giant swords.

There were only a few who managed to kneel and barely withstand it.

Chongman, with a face that looked like she was about to collapse, formed a hand seal and unfolded a green barrier.

“Cough!”

She spat out blood and enveloped all of Mount Shu’s disciples.

“G, Great Master!!”

“Please stop! You might fall into eternal slumber!”

But she didn’t stop.

The disciples of Mount Shu tried to help her in any way they could, forming hand seals together and emitting energy, but it was not easy.

Chongman vomited another mouthful of blood only after the giant swords had completely disappeared.

And she collapsed again, looking at the giant swords in the sky and muttering.

“You… run away.”

* * *

“Why are you doing that?”

Choa tilted her head and asked.

“No, it’s nothing.”

He tilted his head as if something was strange, but soon forgot about it and smiled brightly.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. I found a spatial rift when I opened the Dragon Vein before. We can use that gap to find the passage to the In-Between.”

This place is within the Gold Ring Immortal Realm.

Among them, it’s the place where the space is the most unstable and where there are the most Gold Ring rifts.

If you touch it wrong, you could be sucked into the rift, or your body could be torn apart if the size doesn’t match. It’s a dangerous place.

If they were ordinary people, they would have felt the danger just by entering this place and moved slowly, but Sangoon was not like that.

He moved fearlessly and quickly. He just flew as Bong told him to, so there was nothing to hold him back.

“As you said. If we go to the Lower World, not only me but also Tamhwa can’t use his strength freely. Because he’s not a being of the Lower World, he’ll be subjected to pressure from the Heavenly Laws.

If Tamhwa, who has just become a cultivator, can’t withstand the pressure of the Heavenly Laws, he might die.”

Sangoon’s face darkened.

Come to think of it, that’s right.

Tamhwa is no longer a being of the Lower World.

He is now a cultivator of the Upper Realm.

He can’t go to the Lower World carelessly, and if he does, he can’t reveal his energy due to the laws of heaven.

Tamhwa seemed to want to be with Sangoon, but if he truly cared for him, it might be better to send him up to the Upper Realm.

“Then what about Dang Chun….”

“Dang Chun would be the same, but he must have a treasure that negates the pressure of the realm. Otherwise, he couldn’t be running around causing such a commotion.”

He was called the Five-Colored Giant Sword in the Lower World and swept away the demonic bastards.

I was wondering how a being of the Upper Realm could do that, but it seems there are treasures related to that as well.

“That treasure, doesn’t Bong have it?”

“Are you asking even though you know? If I had something like that, I wouldn’t be asking for your help.”

Well, that’s true too.

“Since it has come to this.

You have inherited my Bongak Cheonghwa, and I also need your help, so I should take this opportunity to enter the In-Between and take a look at your cultivation.”

“Cultivation?”

Sangoon tilted his head.

He raised his eyebrows and asked back.

“But I heard that your body breaks down if you use spirit energy in the In-Between.

It is said that cultivators die from the pain of being struck by lightning if they use spirit energy….”

Then Bong chuckled.

“Didn’t I tell you? The In-Between is like my hometown. What is visible to those who can see will be visible, and what is not visible to those who cannot see *is* the In-Between.”

Here we go again.

Does he have a hobby of tormenting me with such cryptic words?

“The In-Between has no primordial spirit energy, so it’s toxic to cultivators, but conversely, it’s full of primordial energy, making it a desirable space for immortals.”

“But I’m a cultivator. What can I do here?”

That’s right.

No matter how much primordial energy there is, it’s useless to Sangoon right now.

It’s of no use at all.

He can barely feel it, let alone control it.

Unless he becomes an immortal, it won’t be of any help to him in his current wounded state.

That goes for Choa as well.

“The abundance of primordial energy means there are many creatures. It could be divine insects, or it could be divine herbs.”

Then Sangoon’s eyes widened.

Why didn’t I think of that?

The abundance of primordial energy means….

‘There could also be divine herbs.’

“The In-Between is also full of rare divine herbs and insects.

Moreover, there are countless immortals who have passed away in this place, making it even better for obtaining opportunities.”

“But if there’s no spirit energy, isn’t it difficult to accumulate spirit energy? If that’s the case, you won’t be able to cultivate….”

Cultivation begins with accepting primordial spirit energy into the body.

You change the spirit energy into your own spirit power and accumulate it little by little, then break the vessel and reassemble it. This creates a stronger body and mental strength as a foundation.

The goal of cultivation is to unite the heart, mind, and body to become an immortal.

That is the basic common sense.

‘But I don’t know how to cultivate without spirit energy.’

Having no spirit energy means you can’t replenish the spirit power you’ve consumed.

And you can’t build up cultivation.

I don’t know what kind of immense influence divine herbs have, but if there’s no primordial spirit energy, there might not be enough spirit energy to reassemble the vessel when it’s broken.

If that happens, he will naturally fail in True Essence Manifestation, and if Sangoon fails in True Essence Manifestation, he will become a True Name Tree.

He will turn into a simple tree and disappear from the world, weathered by nature.

Like the True Name Tree of the Horned Dragon I saw before.

“Have you forgotten what primordial spirit energy is?”

“Primordial spirit energy is….”

Spiritual Mountain.

The energy that comes from a sacred mountain.

But that spirit energy is the energy emitted when an immortal turns into a mountain.

In other words.

“Spirit energy is just a speck of primordial energy. The reason why cultivators can’t contain primordial energy is simply because a vessel to withstand it hasn’t been created.”

Sangoon’s eyes widened.

Until now, I had thought that the two were different, but they weren’t.

Then the situation is different.

“You cultivate here. With my help and the primordial energy here, it’s easy to enhance your cultivation!”

And then.

Bong’s hand touched the space.

Thwoom.

A clear sound rang out, and ripples appeared in the air, and storm clouds flowed out.

The storm clouds crawled out of the space as if they were alive.

As soon as Sangoon saw the storm clouds, goosebumps rose all over his body.

It felt like the hair on his body was standing on end.

His body was instinctively rejecting that place.

“Were you scared when you were about to enter?”

Sangoon’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

He glanced at Choa and then strengthened his grip on her hand and replied.

“Of course not.”

Soon, Sangoon and his party disappeared into the storm clouds of the In-Between without a sound.