Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 24

Nangseon’s Romantic Tale – 23

“How can it be you?!”

Geummyeong screamed as if spitting blood.

Blood flowed continuously from his wrist, soaking the ground.

His bloodshot eyes and neck with bulging veins clearly showed how enraged he was.

However, the man merely sneered and snatched the trinket from Geummyeong’s severed hand.

Thud.

Geummyeong’s powerless hand fell and rolled on the dirt floor.

He could hardly contain his anger at how his hand was discarded as if it were trash.

Apyeong’s face also flushed crimson and purple.

Only Udan and the subordinates, unable to grasp the situation, were dumbfounded.

“Who are you to sever a shaman’s wrist!”

Apyeong shouted.

Even though he was usually a nagging, righteous, and frustrating fellow, he was his sworn brother.

He couldn’t help but be furious at the severing of such a person’s hand.

[…? Could it be you, San-gun!]

“The old man has a good nose.”

He sneered and slowly twirled the sword in his hand.

Then, with a swish, a clear sword song flowed out. The afterimage of the sword moving in his grasp chased after him.

“This can’t be….”

San-gun was said to be a tiger as large as a house, so how could he be in human form!

Apyeong couldn’t help but be astonished.

For a yokai [supernatural entity] to transform into a human, it required being a Biseon, meaning the attainment of Samtong (三通) [three levels of enlightenment]. But how could a being who had only reached Itong [one level of enlightenment] transform into a human?

‘And to completely conceal his cultivation to the level of an ordinary person!’

He had heard that the divine power was great, but he never imagined it would be to this extent.

‘Could it be that he has already become a Samtong yokai?’

No.

That couldn’t be.

Even with good fortune, it would take decades for a yokai to reach the Biseon level of cultivation.

If so, he must have transformed into a human through some other means.

Apyeong, having briefly gathered his thoughts, summoned the Hwajogye [fire bird talisman] and chanted a spell to double its size.

The Hwajo, enlarged to the size of six spans [approximately 14 feet], fiercely blazed behind him, emitting intense heat.

However, Daeho sneered at him and drew the Bumu Sword in his hand, murmuring softly.

“Hwanmyo Shinu (幻妙神虞) [Mystic Illusion Divine Art].”

Whoosh!!

Then, blue flames flowed around Daeho, spreading across the ground and incinerating the surroundings.

He created a wall of blue flames, encircling the subordinates and Doseon [Taoist ascetics] in a ring of fire.

[San-gun!! If you hand over the Dobonghwan [treasure] now, I will help you drive out the Doseon! Are you interested?]

“What nonsense. The Udan of Udunsan! And the pig bastards will all die here! I suffered greatly playing along with your tricks, so I must give you the appropriate treatment in return!”

He scoffed at Udan’s drivel and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

With the sound, blue flames soared from beneath the feet of a dozen subordinates.

The blue flames instantly created pillars of fire the size of a dozen spans [approximately 28 feet], incinerating them all.

[Fi, fire! Kkeuaack!]

[What! Ugh, aack!]

‘To wield such divine power with just a snap of his fingers!’

Apyeong and Geummyeong realized that the situation was not going as planned.

There was no way a mere Itong yokai could wield such divine power.

Apyeong’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. It was because he felt fear at San-gun’s divine power.

How could he not when dozens of yokai were instantly incinerated by blue flames?

“You shouldn’t be surprised by just this much.”

San-gun raised the corners of his lips and pointed his sword at the Doseon.

Then, a dozen fireballs suddenly shot out from the wall of blue flames surrounding them and landed on the ground.

“What….”

Apyeong couldn’t even finish his sentence.

The blue flames that landed on the ground pulsed like will-o’-the-wisps and soon transformed into human figures.

Black hair and red eyes.

A dozen San-gun appeared in an instant, wearing black robes and holding Bumu Swords in their hands.

“Di, division?!”

Apyeong was greatly shocked, and at his words, the Sword Immortals and Udan were also astonished.

Only Hwanseon [highly enlightened beings] could manipulate divisions, they had heard.

But how could he have created divisions?

Their faces began to turn from astonishment to fear.

But then.

“Don’t be fooled! We’ve fallen for his illusion!”

Illusion!

Apyeong’s eyes widened at Geummyeong’s cry.

Why hadn’t he thought of that?

From the beginning, the way the monster’s sword created afterimages was bizarre. Moreover, the divine power that was achieved by snapping his fingers.

Even the blue flame divisions that made no sense no matter how he thought about it!

If it was all an illusion, it was understandable.

“Damn it!”

Apyeong took out a small dagger from his chest and stabbed his thigh.

Thwack.

“Keuk!”

If it wasn’t a Hwan Gye [powerful illusionary realm] that had been deployed, but a simple illusion, there were plenty of ways to break it.

The simplest of which was pain.

By inflicting a wound on his body, he could break the illusion with the pain.

Most illusions, unless they were truly powerful, could be broken with just this much.

As expected, Apyeong’s eyes, now wide open, showed that the wall of blue flames and the dozens of divisions created by the monster did not exist.

It was a desolate scene filled only with the corpses of the subordinates, no different from when he had first seen him.

But.

“It’s already too late.”

Before he knew it, San-gun had rushed right in front of him and raised his Bumu Sword.

Blue flames blazed on his sword that had risen into the air, and Apyeong, in a daze, sent the Hwajogye flying, but.

“Blue Flame Tiger Claw!”

San-gun was faster.

Kwaagaaga Kwang!!

With a tremendous roar, three streaks of blue flame transformed into a crescent shape and were fired.

Apyeong, who had hurriedly sent the Hwajogye flying, as well as Geummyeong, who had sent the Yeongseongbu [spiritual talisman] flying with his last strength, and the Sword Immortals beside him, tried to block the blue flame tiger claw in the form of sword energy, but.

Kwaaang!!

“Kkeuaaaack!”

Unfortunately, it was too late.

They were instantly cut in half and burned by San-gun’s Blue Flame Tiger Claw.

“Hoo.”

San-gun, who had exhaled softly, shook off the blue flames clinging to the Bumu Sword and picked up the Hwajogye that had fallen to the ground.

After examining it from every angle, San-gun infused a little spiritual power into the Hwajogye.

Unlike the one Apyeong had used, blue flames bloomed and a blue bird flapped its wings.

San-gun manipulated it this way and that, greatly rejoicing, and put the Hwajogye into his Gongjeonggang [dimensional pouch].

And he kept smiling as he took out the trinket-shaped defense treasure that he had kept in his chest.

The reason San-gun had been hiding all along was because Geummyeong hadn’t taken out the treasure.

He had been waiting, thinking that he was definitely hiding something, and it turned out that he had been carrying a defense treasure!

If he hadn’t known that, San-gun would have been in trouble as well.

If he hadn’t taken advantage of the monster’s carelessness to cut off his wrist, it would have been a pretty tough fight.

San-gun put the trinket back in his chest and smiled.

“Now, shall we finish this up?”

San-gun immediately approached Udan and released the illusion.

The Doseon party had stabbed their own thighs to break the illusion, but not Udan and the subordinates.

The flailing subordinates were easily killed with blue flames, and the illusion was released only on Udan.

[Heot!]

Udan, who had fallen to the ground and was flailing, hurriedly got up and looked around.

However, the subordinates beside him had turned to ashes, leaving only their cores. The Doseon who had been fighting them had also died long ago.

The victory or defeat had already been decided.

[Hehe….]

Udan sighed and looked at the man in front of him.

He couldn’t help but see him as a truly terrifying person.

Leaving aside the wiping out of the Doseon, he was going to kill them all.

Udan realized that he had no chance of winning if he fought San-gun alone. How could he defeat San-gun, who had annihilated the Doseon in an instant?

“Do you have any last words to say?”

[…What good would that do? However, I have one request-]

Swish!

San-gun swung his sword without even listening to the end of his words and beheaded him.

Udan’s massive head fell to the ground and a fountain of blood spurted out.

“I don’t want to hear it.”

If Udan had heard it, he would have been furious.

To ask if he had anything to say, and then to cut off his head, saying he didn’t want to hear it!

“He was really trying to say something like a last will, how annoying.”

San-gun burned the blood on the Bumu Sword with blue flames and put it in his Gongjeonggang.

After looking around once, only the corpses of the subordinates and the black ashes of those who had been alive just a moment ago were quietly scattering in the night breeze.

“It’s nice and quiet.”

San-gun let out a satisfied smile and gathered the cores.

They were only spirit-grade cores, but if he collected them, there would be a time when he could use them someday.

It was fortunate that he hadn’t used the Guhwando, or there wouldn’t have been any cores left because he would have eaten them all.

He hummed a tune and also collected the swords of the Sword Immortals, and searched through the ashes of Geummyeong and Apyeong, finding two things that looked like jewels.

“Ooh!”

San-gun examined them closely and shouted with a joyful expression.

“It’s Gongjeonggang, this.”

The color was opaque and rough, so it was of a lower grade.

But even so, Gongjeonggang was Gongjeonggang.

There was no knowing what was contained within.

“It would be nice if there were a few Yeongseongbu.”

San-gun put his hand on the Gongjeonggang and checked the contents with his mind’s eye (身識) [spiritual perception].

“Not bad.”

In his hand were three Yeongseongbu and a few letters.

He couldn’t tell what was written in the letters, but obtaining the Yeongseongbu wasn’t too bad.

“Still, it’s good to save if you can.”

It’s best to save things that can save spiritual power.

He checked another lower-grade Gongjeonggang again. There were two Yeongseongbu, a letter that he couldn’t read, a Chuchimban [geomantic compass], and two Tongsulseo [spell books].

“Tongsulseo….”

And a moment later.

San-gun, who had closed the book, put them all in the Gongjeonggang and said.

“I can’t read it.”

It was a language that was similar to Chinese characters but different, so he couldn’t understand what it meant at all.

San-gun thought that he should learn to read quickly and turned his steps. He had taken everything he could take from here, but there was one more place he had to take care of last.

“Choyeonbang [herb storage].”

The subordinates gathered in Udunsan were a group that was protected from the threats of other spirits.

Therefore, each month they would offer spirit grass or medicinal herbs, and everyone would bring them without anyone having to say anything.

San-gun had also read such passages in the novel, so he immediately ran to Udunjiju [Udan’s dwelling] and searched the area thoroughly.

“As expected.”

There was a cave near Udunjiju, and when he went there, it was filled with spirit grass and medicinal herbs that filled the cave.

There were also many Choyeonbang that San-gun was looking for.

“He had a lot, but he acted like he was doing me a favor by giving me one, that bastard.”

San-gun cursed the dead Udan, took all the spirit grass, and leisurely went down the mountain.

* * *

A few days later.

San-gun, who had arrived in Baengmaeul, immediately set out to find someone who could read.

However, the literacy rate was low, and unless they were a son of a noble family, there was no one who could read.

“Oh? It’s that young master from back then!”

“Oh my. It’s that little kid from back then.”

It was the little girl who had been crying because a rabbit impersonating San-gun had taken her clover.

The nameless girl bowed her head deeply, saying that she was really grateful at the time, and asked what he was doing here.

“I’m looking for someone to read to me, but I can’t seem to find anyone.”

It was a little embarrassing to say this to a child.

However, it was natural in a world where people couldn’t read unless they were of high status, so he told the truth as it was.

Maybe this child could introduce him to someone who could read.

“Read? Can I read it for you?”

“Do you know how to read?”

“Yes! I’ll read it for you!”

“Okay. Well, if that’s the case.”

San-gun handed the letter and Tongsulseo to the girl with a dubious look.

He couldn’t believe that a child who had been extorted by a rabbit could read.

“Um, um, shall I read it?”

“Yes.”

However, contrary to his expectations, the girl read most of the text, except for a few words.

San-gun, who had an excellent memory since becoming a spirit, memorized the key points of the letter and Tongsulseo at once.

“Thank you. Is there anything you want?”

“It’s okay! Because the young master saved me last time!”

Her bright smile reminded him of someone, and San-gun let out a bitter smile.

He stroked the girl’s head and was about to take out a gold coin from the Gongjeonggang, but put it back in and handed the girl a pouch containing dozens of silver coins.

If he gave her a gold coin, bad guys would covet it, but she would know how to use the silver coins.

“Even so, this is my sincerity, so take it.”

“Huh? What is this?”

“It’s precious, so go home and open it. You must open it with your mother.”

“Yes! Young master, if you want to read again, please find me, Yeon-ah!”

San-gun waved his hand at Yeon-ah, and as soon as the girl disappeared, he suddenly hardened his face and muttered.

“Not good.”

The Tongsulseo wasn’t bad.

Perhaps it was the Tongsulseo that Apyeong had, and it was something that would be of great help to San-gun.

He could use it to transform the blue flames, which he had only been able to use in simple forms, into various forms.

It wasn’t a Manbo-era Tongsulseo like Bunhap Su Gyeol [advanced spell book], but it was a Tongsul that would be good to learn.

Then what exactly was not good?

It was because of the phrase written in the letter.

“War….”

It was a war that had broken out as the power struggle between a large sect and yokai in the Honghae region in the west gradually spread.

Honghae and Baeksan were a year away, so he could dismiss it as having nothing to do with him.

“Sigh.”

But the problem was what happened after the war.

The war that was currently taking place was the first war to occur since this novel began.

Therefore, the events that would occur after that were densely packed in San-gun’s head, causing him to groan.

“It’s faster than I thought, but it must be time.”

From now on, wars between spirits and Taoists will occur more frequently.

In the meantime, the discovery of new treasures, artifacts, and elixirs will turn the Taoist world into a living hell.

Even if it wasn’t now, it was obvious that the aftermath would reach Baeksan over time. It would be difficult to live a leisurely life like he had been living until now.

“I’ve been living comfortably since then.”

Except for when he first arrived here, he had lived a peaceful life without any major crises. He had settled in Baeksan and lived as San-gun.

With Hwaran.

But Hwaran was asleep, and he was left in tatters.

“I made that promise, but I was intoxicated by peace and hurt you again.”

San-gun stared blankly at the sky with tearful eyes. His eyes were filled with many emotions. Emotions similar to regret soaked his body coldly like the winter sea breeze.

“It’s just that the time has come.”

Soon, an era of upheaval will arrive.

The world will be teeming with ghosts and evil will be rampant, and hell, where screams are like lyrics, will unfold.

And the only thing that can protect him in that place is power.

Only powerful strength.