Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 236

Thud.

“Just who are you…”

Thud.

Amidst the falling debris of the pavilion, Sangeon strode forward.

“Just who are you that such people are protecting you!”

Cha Ryuk, sitting on the ground, bit her lower lip, spitting out words as if venting her resentment.

-Krrr.

However, Tanhwa growled, displeased by her appearance.

The sight of Oryong could swallow Cha Ryuk whole. She, too, was pale with fear, but the situation didn’t last long.

“Stop it. I’m fine.”

Sangeon stroked Tanhwa’s nose, and the murderous intent subsided.

“You asked who I am.”

He continued, stroking Tanhwa without looking at Cha Ryuk.

“I am merely one who belongs to the Lower World and practices cultivation. As you know, just an eternal Yooksa [a low-ranking official or practitioner].”

“That’s not what I was asking.”

“Then ask what you truly want to know. Who I am is of no consequence to you, is it not?”

Sangeon turned slightly and glared sharply, and Cha Ryuk clenched her fist.

“Shall I tell you? What you truly want to know, and what you want to hear.”

Cha Ryuk’s shoulders trembled.

“I am not your former lover.”

“I know that!”

“Then why did you come to see me looking like that? Perhaps you didn’t want to show your ugly side to your old flame, just in case.”

Regret.

It was regret that moved her, that grasped at her fading lifespan.

All of it, regret for her lover.

“No!!”

“You must have had many thoughts. Even though you were almost certain that I am not Yang So-peng, you couldn’t let go of your lingering feelings.”

The very fact that she came in that state was proof of it.

She was certain, but she couldn’t let go of a single thread of attachment.

“No…”

Cha Ryuk hung her head low.

The voice answering was also faintly trembling, so there was no need to hear her true feelings.

“As you might have guessed, I have a connection with Yang So-peng, that is, Senior Yang. We met at the Sword Spirit Island and formed a master-disciple relationship.”

“…Is that true?”

Sangeon nodded heavily.

“Oh, that’s a relief! So, do you know where he is now?”

“I know.”

How could he not know?

“That’s a great relief! I see! I must have misunderstood!”

Cha Ryuk was overjoyed and showed a smile he had never seen before.

However, the more she did, the darker Sangeon’s face became.

He knew what questions would follow.

“Is he… well?”

Sangeon slowly nodded at Cha Ryuk’s cautious question.

“That’s a relief. Really…”

Cha Ryuk kept repeating the same words.

It’s a relief.

It’s a relief he’s alive.

Really, it’s a relief.

She only asked about his well-being, not where he was or if she could visit him. She was just deeply grateful that he was alive.

‘A meaningless question.’

She can’t leave the Yu-Mu Border [a restricted or guarded area].

Even if he’s alive.

Even if he’s dead.

It’s the same, they can’t meet.

In the first place, her lifespan too.

‘Isn’t much left.’

There’s no way the clever her wouldn’t know that. He’s practically a former lover.

It would only be a nuisance to him if she went to see him, who is doing well, when she’s about to die.

Sangeon felt very bad at that pathetic sight.

‘She’s a woman who will soon enter eternal rest.’

And a lover who has a place in Senior Yang’s heart.

In a way, she could be called his sister-in-law.

So, wouldn’t it be better to make her feel at ease, even if she’s about to leave?

‘Senior would want that too.’

Did she realize that?

Or was it something else?

Suddenly, a sword emerged from Sangeon’s body and stood before Cha Ryuk and him.

“…Killing Star Armor Sword.”

One of his five swords.

It was Senior Yang’s sword.

The Killing Star Armor Sword circled around her and gently landed on the legs of Cha Ryuk, who was sitting down.

“What is this sword?”

Sangeon closed his eyes at the sight that reminded him of old memories.

His heart was troubled, and emotions welled up unnecessarily.

Whether it was long or short, it was a hundred years.

Wasn’t Senior Yang the senior he had lived with during that time?

Sangeon didn’t dislike him very much, as he had a good personality and was cheerful.

No, he was on the side of welcoming him.

Since he joined the Taoist community, the number of people he could treat comfortably was small enough to count on his fingers.

‘I wasn’t such a sentimental person… Is this also one of the side effects?’

He smiled bitterly, then sighed and changed his expression.

He didn’t want to say it, but….

‘I’ve changed my mind.’

He felt that way for some reason.

It seemed like she was hoping for it.

Besides, Sangeon also felt that way.

There are no complete secrets in the world, and if he left it like this, it seemed like a devil would get into his heart.

“Cha Seonja [a respectful title for a female cultivator]. Senior Yang is actually…”

Shortly after.

Choa, whose lips had been raised high, looked at him with a cold face.

“What is it?”

“Ah… she collapsed.”

Sangeon was holding a woman in his arms, and strangely, she was asleep, clutching a sword tightly in her arms.

“Collapsed?”

“That’s what happened.”

Choa narrowed her eyes and glared at the woman in Sangeon’s arms.

Her eyelids were red and moist, so it seemed she had cried herself to sleep.

It was hard to understand what had happened that made a Jiseon [a high-ranking female cultivator] cry so bitterly and fall asleep.

Either way, Choa wasn’t feeling very good.

“Are you going to let her sleep here?”

“I couldn’t leave her alone. There aren’t many rooms left here anyway.”

They weren’t strangers, so it felt a bit wrong to leave her outside.

So, he brought her in, but… his wife’s expression looked very uncomfortable.

“That’s right. I thought it would be good to have many rooms left in case of emergencies… but it’s not always the case.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing.”

She snorted and looked away, looking quite sulky.

Sangeon found that appearance cute and decided to pretend not to know.

“I’m glad it’s nothing. I was wondering if you were sulking because I brought Cha Seonja, but I guess not.

As expected, my wife’s heart is as vast as the sea, so I’m a lucky guy.”

At those words, Choa’s eyebrows twitched, and she opened her mouth.

“A, a miser… you say?”

“Yes, why are you so surprised?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing… By the way, is that the person I saw last time? Her appearance has changed quite a bit.”

Sangeon pretended to go along with her as she changed the subject, feeling embarrassed.

“That’s right. It’s her original appearance before being affected by the Heart Demon. Although, she’s maintaining that appearance with divine power now.”

“I’ll do it.”

Choa reached out to Cha Ryuk, but Sangeon shook his head.

“I’ll do it, so please spread out the bedding.”

“Do you like that woman’s arms that much?”

“How could that be? It’s all my fault, so please understand.”

“…Okay.”

She had a face full of questions, but Choa didn’t ask any more.

Soon, she laid Cha Ryuk on the bedding and tried to drop the sword next to her. Even in her sleep, she clutched the sword tightly in her arms.

Sangeon, as well as Choa, thought that there must be some circumstances in that heartbreaking appearance.

“I’m not very curious.”

But Choa didn’t seem curious.

“Are you asking me to tell you, or are you really not curious?”

“I don’t know.”

Her puffy cheeks showed that she was quite sulky.

Sangeon sat on the bed and rested his chin on his hand.

“What are you looking at?”

Choa, unable to bear it any longer, asked bluntly as he kept looking at her.

“I’m amazed.”

“At me?”

“Yes. I’m newly amazed.”

“What are you so amazed at?”

“That the little child has grown up to be my wife, and that my wife is trying to nag me, isn’t that amazing?”

Choa let out a hollow laugh as if she was dumbfounded and approached Sangeon.

Then, she sat on his lap, facing him, and hugged his neck.

“Do you still see me as a little child from Baek Village?”

“How could I?”

Now, there’s not a trace of the innocent face from those days.

Only a mature woman remains.

“Then what is it? I’m your lifelong partner, can’t I even nag you a little? You made me look forward to it so much, and then you come back holding another woman in your arms… Did you do that on purpose? To tease me?”

“I do enjoy teasing my wife, but not now.”

“You’re too much, really!”

“There’s a reason. Do you want to hear it?”

It wouldn’t be bad to explain it now. Choa doesn’t know about what happened on Sword Spirit Island.

“…That’s good, then.”

Choa brought the prepared table with drinks and filled the glass with a long-necked bottle.

“The night is long, and my husband is pleasing to look at, so I’ll listen. I have quite a few stories to tell too.”

So, the two filled each other’s glasses, and as they talked, they rejoiced and grieved, comforting each other.

It was the Yu-Mu Border, where they didn’t know if it was night or day, but their night was quite long.

* * *

The next day.

Sangeon was sitting face to face with Cha Ryuk, drinking tea.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Even at his question, Cha Ryuk maintained a cold expression and did not answer.

Nevertheless, Sangeon didn’t seem to care and lowered his gaze to her legs.

The Killing Star Armor Sword was lying on Cha Ryuk’s thigh, and she seemed unwilling to let it go even for a moment.

As he stared at it, Cha Ryuk narrowed her brows and opened her mouth.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“I was wondering if Senior’s resentment has been resolved a little. Do you know? The reason Senior drifted to Sword Spirit Island was because of his inadequacy in not being able to protect even one of his women. There were many other reasons, but Cha Seonja, your influence was excessive.”

Even if he became a sword, didn’t he meet his lover?

He could only hope that Senior’s resentment had been resolved a little.

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

It was truly amazing that he could maintain such composure when the guy who swallowed his lover was right in front of him.

“Wouldn’t I be the guy who deserves to be torn to pieces?”

As he answered with a bitter smile, Cha Ryuk slyly avoided Sangeon’s gaze.

“I’m not that foolish. There was no lie in your words. It was an unavoidable situation, and because of that, you are still being threatened.”

“That’s how it happened.”

Thanks to surviving, he’s being chased by the immortals of the Upper World.

“I understand it in my head. You and Yang Hyeong are just victims.”

But.

“Unfortunately, my heart doesn’t try to understand your situation.”

“I guess so.”

He would be the same.

What the head understands, the heart does not understand, that is the human heart.

It was an inevitable situation that could have happened.

But.

Even so.

The fact that Sangeon swallowed her lover does not change.

That’s why Cha Ryuk pitied Sangeon and was angry at the same time.

“But I am not in a position to punish you. My lifespan is running out, and you are a person with the backing of an immortal.”

“That’s right.”

Unfortunately, that is the case.

She has no power, ability, or time to do anything to Sangeon.

“So, please grant my request.”

“If it’s a request…”

“This sword that Yang Hyeong has become.”

Killing Star Armor Sword.

“Please kill me with this sword.”