Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 23

Nangseon’s Adventures – Episode 22

“I quite like this young friend’s boldness.”

Geummyeong repeatedly praised the young man who was leading them up the mountain.

In a world where everyone is busy looking after their own lives, it was impossible not to commend him for taking the initiative to help them.

“Indeed.”

Apyeong felt the same way, of course.

He just didn’t show it.

“Do you happen to know anything about Udun Mountain?”

The young man, who had volunteered to be their guide, broached the subject.

Udun Mountain was a spiritual mountain with flowing spiritual energy, but its spiritual vein wasn’t particularly significant, making it just another ordinary mountain.

However, one day, people calling themselves ‘Udun’ (meaning ‘ignorant’ or ‘unlearned’) and dedicating themselves to asceticism appeared, and the mountain gradually gained fame through word of mouth.

“Well…”

How much could they know about a mountain far from the Wudang Sect? [Wudang Sect is a famous Taoist martial arts sect.]

Human lifespan was too short to be distracted from cultivation, so they had only vaguely heard of such a mountain.

“Still, I’ve heard a rough account. It’s said to have become a mountain where people who call themselves ignorant and spiritual beings gather to cultivate.”

Every mountain has its own unique story passed down.

Udun Mountain was just one of them.

Thinking so, Geummyeong looked around, but the guide’s next words made him stop in his tracks.

“Now, wild boar spirits are said to be carrying on that legacy here. That’s why you often see boar hair like this on Udun Mountain.”

The man showed them a rough hair hanging on a tree bark.

“Wild boars? Hehe, that’s quite a strange thing.”

Apyeong chuckled, finding it quite peculiar, but Geummyeong narrowed his brows as if something was bothering him.

“Wild boars… Wasn’t it said that the ones who attacked Nokbang were a tiger and some wild boars?”

“What? Is that true?”

Apyeong asked, startled, turning to the swordsmen following behind.

They nodded, their faces hardening.

“Hehe…”

Geummyeong scoffed, wondering if the spirits were trying to trap them.

It could be unnecessary worry.

But the pieces fit together too perfectly to think otherwise.

“Come to think of it, there are more than a few odd things. You don’t hear any animal sounds, not even the chirping of insects.”

It was impossible not to be suspicious.

“It seems we’ve stepped into their lair.”

“Ahem.”

Apyeong cleared his throat.

Geummyeong took out a blue-tinged talisman from his sleeve.

It was a spirit-infused talisman, imbued with his spiritual power in advance.

Apyeong saw Geummyeong take out the talisman and surrounded himself with protective spiritual energy.

A faint red light emanated, and the temperature around him rose slightly, indicating that he was undoubtedly a master of fire-attribute spiritual energy.

“Don’t worry and step back.”

“Yes.”

Sending the guide behind them, Geummyeong and Apyeong began to ascend the mountain, cautiously watching their surroundings.

Apyeong frowned, clearly displeased, and took out a hawk-shaped sculpture from his sleeve.

It was a wooden sculpture with a subtle aura, so intricately carved that the hawk seemed ready to come to life and flap its wings.

“Ha! Did you think you could hide there and I wouldn’t find you!”

Apyeong roared and threw the hawk sculpture into the bushes.

Then, the dark brown sculpture was engulfed in flames and transformed into a hawk made of fire, flying into the bushes!

It was clearly a treasure, a magical artifact that would amplify the effects for those who wielded fire-attribute spiritual energy.

With a burst of heat, the bushes were completely burned away, and a wild boar revealed itself.

The boar, as large as a bull, had been holding its breath, but it was startled by the approaching firebird and stood up, gasping for air.

But it was too late.

The nameless wild boar spirit was struck by the firebird, instantly engulfed in flames, and collapsed with a groan.

“Hmph!”

“We don’t know how many more there are, so conserve your spiritual energy.”

“Even if there are more, they’ll just turn to ashes before my ‘Firebird Seal’ (火鳥戒)! Don’t worry!”

Geummyeong spoke out of concern, but Apyeong seemed displeased and retorted.

Apyeong’s firebird.

The Firebird Seal flapped its burning wings and perched on his shoulder, preening its feathers with its beak, causing the swordsmen to light up their eyes.

It looked just like a living creature.

After that, boars appeared and attacked Geummyeong and Apyeong.

Most of them were reduced to ashes by the Firebird Seal, or they collapsed when Geummyeong created water arrows with his spirit-infused talisman, so there seemed to be no cause for concern.

But that was only for a moment.

“These damn bastards.”

Apyeong cursed and wiped the sweat from his cheek with his sleeve.

The elites were fighting quite cleverly.

Perhaps if they exhausted the Taoists’ spiritual energy and then attacked all at once, they might be able to kill them.

But.

“They’re quite clever. They’re taking turns with the swordsmen.”

“Indeed.”

It was obvious that they were trying to make them expend their spiritual energy, so how could they not know?

They drew their swords from their waists and went behind the swordsmen to rest.

“Huh? Where did that young man go?”

“Come to think of it… Hey, have you seen him?”

But the swordsmen only shook their heads with tense expressions, unable to give a clear answer.

Geummyeong’s face turned strange for a moment, and Apyeong also touched the Firebird Seal in his arms with a sullen look.

Whoosh!

A Taoist-level energy suddenly erupted from the bushes, and a blue flame shot out like an arrow.

“Th, this! Dodge!”

Thud!

“Kuaaaagh!!”

Fwoosh!

The blue flame pierced through the swordsman’s body and instantly burst into flames.

The miserable death cry echoed through the mountain, causing not only the swordsmen but also Geummyeong and Apyeong to sweat profusely.

“Bl, Blue Flame!”

“Apyeong. Do you know anything about that Blue Flame just now?”

Apyeong’s face had turned pale, as if he knew something about the Blue Flame.

He nodded and stammered.

“To, to further hone my fire-attribute techniques, I once saw something about Blue Flame at the Wudang Tongbogwan (通保關) [Wudang Tongbogwan is a library or archive within the Wudang Sect]. Have you ever heard of Bongak Cheonsujo (鳳岳天收鳥)?”

“Bongak Cheonsujo? I’ve never heard of it…”

“That’s understandable! Bongak Cheonsujo is a divine beast born with a volcanic eruption in the Manbo (萬寶) era [Manbo era is likely a historical or mythological period], a phoenix whose entire body is covered in Blue Flame! Taoists called that Blue Flame Bongak Cheonghwa (鳳岳靑火). It was said that even the Manbo Taoists trembled in fear, as even their souls would be destroyed if they touched that flame…”

It was natural to return to the cycle of reincarnation upon death, but the destruction of the soul meant that they would never be reborn and would simply cease to exist.

“What?! Then was that just now Bongak Cheonghwa?!”

To have to fight a spirit beast with such a dangerous fire!

They were not opponents they could stand against.

But Apyeong shook his head with a slightly calmer expression.

“If it were true Bongak Cheonghwa, you and I wouldn’t be alive right now. It’s the same Blue Flame, but… it can’t be. Its power is incomparable to Bongak Cheonghwa. It’s just a similar divine power.”

No matter how great Bongak Cheonghwa was.

If the skill of the one who wielded it was not good, its power would inevitably decrease.

Besides, there was no way that Bongak Cheonghwa, which disappeared in the Manbo era, would still be around.

“I don’t know what kind of bastard it is, but if they come out like this, we have to show them something equivalent! Apyeong!”

“Damn it. I hate getting wet!”

* * *

Meanwhile.

Udun Mountain’s Great Elder, Udan, couldn’t speak, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Someone other than them was attacking the Taoists! And they were hiding on Udun Mountain, their own territory.

[Who is it?]

[Th, that is, we don’t know either. The energy appeared and disappeared in an instant, so we have no way of knowing!]

[But wouldn’t that be a good thing? That bastard must also have a grudge against the Taoists! Since they are the enemies of the spirits, wouldn’t they be on our side?]

It was impossible to know whether an unpredictable being becoming an ally would be a blessing or a curse for them.

‘Could it be the Mountain Lord?’

It was possible.

It was just a human man who led the Taoists up.

It was clearly nonsense that the Mountain Lord had been captured by them and was heading to Udun Mountain, and they had no idea where the Mountain Lord was or what he was doing.

If so, the possibility that the one hiding and attacking the Taoists now was the Mountain Lord could not be ruled out.

[An, another swordsman has died!]

[….]

[Great Elder!]

What if this was also the bastard’s trap?

The one they thought was a reckless tiger was actually the Mountain Lord.

But to think he would be so cunning!

Udan could only swallow his groan.

It was still too early to judge.

But as the situation seemed to be tightening around them, as if it were all the bastard’s scheme, the image of the tiger’s sneering face kept popping into his head.

‘If I had known it would turn out like this…’

But regret was inevitable no matter what choice he made.

As the master of Udun, he had no choice but to make the best decision.

Udan gritted his teeth and issued the final order.

[……Go! Kill them all!!]

When Udan made his decision and launched a full-scale attack.

Geummyeong and Apyeong took out blue and red spirit-infused talismans and moved their lips.

Then, they simultaneously threw the talismans into the air and formed hand seals, raising their index and middle fingers and shouting.

“”Explode (爆)!!””

It instantly turned into a huge fireball and a blue stream of water, which mixed together and turned into a white mist.

The mist quickly engulfed the area, creating a hazy fog that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead, stopping the advance of the elites who were rushing towards them.

When a silence descended, with not even the sound of breathing.

Pyoong!

A sharp wind sound echoed eerily. Flying through the thick fog were small droplets of water that were barely visible.

And then, along with a dull noise.

[Kweeeeeeeek!]

The screams of pigs began to fill the air.

[!] [Aaaagh!]

The pigs were horrified and scattered in all directions as their brethren suddenly lost their strength and collapsed.

Something invisible was targeting them, and they couldn’t just stand by and be hit.

[Don’t panic! Charge! There must be a reason why those bastards are hiding their figures with the mist!]

It was their Great Elder, Udan, who calmed the panicked elites.

He immediately recognized the Taoists’ trick and soothed them. But it was only natural that he could not properly control them, as they were already consumed by fear.

Udan frowned, put strength into his thick four legs, and shot out like an arrow.

[Udun’s elites! If you don’t protect Udun Mountain, who will! Let’s crush the Taoists together!!]

[Gr, Great Elder!]

[Let’s follow the Great Elder!]

[Follow the master of Udun!!]

Udan charged through the mist.

Even though their eyes were covered by the mist, they had ears and noses.

There was no way they couldn’t hear the scent of humans, their footsteps.

And their breathing. Besides, the aura of the Taoists that was felt in the background could not be easily hidden!

Udan’s muscles swelled, and he even used his divine power to inflate his body, instantly doubling in size to four or five yards.

The force of Udan’s charge was so great that even Apyeong, who had been sneering, frowned.

“This! Firebird Seal!”

He hurriedly summoned the Firebird and sent it flying, and Geummyeong once again threw a spirit-infused talisman and shouted the incantation.

[Hmph!]

But as if he had expected this, Udan sneered as he watched the Firebird flying towards him.

Then, suddenly, he shrank his inflated body again and flung himself sideways.

“What!”

Apyeong, who never expected him to dodge his Firebird Seal, gasped, and Geummyeong, who had finished chanting the incantation, pointed at Udan with a stern face as he watched the scene.

“Water Spike Bullet (水刺彈)!!”

Dozens of water droplets shot out from the blue talisman and flew towards Udan like arrows.

But.

[Protect the Great Elder!]

[Don’t let the Great Elder die!]

The elites who were rushing in together threw themselves in front of Udan.

Immediately following was a barrage of Water Spike Bullets!

[Kuaaaagh!]

[Keeeuk!!]

[U, Udan, hurry!]

Udan’s eyes were bloodshot because of the brethren who had sacrificed themselves for him, and his body was soon doubled in size by divine power.

Udan, who had grown to four or five yards in size, let out a cry of rage as he watched the elites falling from the Water Spike Bullets.

[Uooooooo!!]

The huge fangs lunged at Geummyeong and Apyeong.

Apyeong and Geummyeong’s faces turned pale in an instant, devoid of any color and even turning green.

And then.

Bang!!

A deafening roar erupted, and a large cloud of dust rose from the thick mist.

After a while.

[This…!]

Udan groaned as he looked at the two Taoists standing unharmed before his eyes.

“W, weren’t you surprised!”

“I was surprised too, so don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Geummyeong and Apyeong let out a sigh of relief with faces that looked like they had aged ten years.

Next to them, a semi-transparent hemispherical protective barrier was deployed, blocking Udan’s charge!

Udan discovered a trinket shining faintly in Geummyeong’s hand and gnashed his teeth.

Perhaps that was the magical artifact that created the protective barrier.

“Damn you, you demonic beasts!”

Apyeong formed a hand seal and called back the Firebird Seal that had missed, sending it flying towards Udan again.

Udan’s eyes flashed at the speed of the Firebird Seal, which was shooting with a red tail.

He returned to his original size and rolled on the dirt floor to avoid the Firebird Seal.

The mist that had been blocking their eyes began to gradually dissipate, and the swordsmen who had been confronting the elites turned their attention to the Taoists one by one.

Other elites also gathered around Udan, creating a strange confrontation.

“Hoo.”

Geummyeong, who had exhaled, removed the protective barrier and lowered the hand holding the trinket.

He could sufficiently block the bastard’s ignorant attack with his magical artifact.

But since their numbers were large and their spiritual power was not infinite, he had to use it only when necessary.

In the chilling confrontation where not even the sound of insects could be heard.

Suddenly, the sound of wind brushed past their ears.

“What!”

Geummyeong, who felt something, raised the trinket and tried to defend in a hurry.

The worst!

“Kuaaaaagh!”

Geummyeong’s wrist was cut off, and the figure that snatched it away disappeared from their sight in an instant.

In the sudden situation, not only the elites but also Apyeong and the swordsmen could only watch in dismay.

Blood gushed like a fountain from the severed wrist.

Geummyeong grabbed his wrist and glared at the figure standing on the opposite side with bloodshot eyes.

The cloudy moonlight slowly revealed itself, and as the faint moonlight illuminated the surroundings, the bastard’s figure was revealed.

“You are!”

The man who was taking the trinket from Geummyeong’s severed hand.

“Not bad.”

It was the Mountain Lord of Baek Mountain they were looking for.