Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 26

Tales of the Wandering Swordsman – Episode 25

Everything alive has a lifespan.

The lifespan of a human is roughly 80 years.

Even living an average of 70 years, ordinary people are considered to have lived long lives.

What about animals?

Some live as little as a year, while others live over 100 years, but there are limits.

These are lifespan limits that come from the differences in species, and it is relatively rare to break them.

However, in the world of the ‘Records of Mountains and Seas,’ there are Taoists and divine beasts.

They evolve into superior beings by shedding their mortal coil [脫殼, literally ‘shedding the shell,’ referring to a transformative process] and absorbing the spiritual energy dissolved in the atmosphere.

That is how they break the limits of their lifespans and are guaranteed more life.

When one becomes a Sword Immortal.

When one becomes a Taoist Immortal.

Their lifespans gradually increase.

The lifespan of a Sword Immortal is 150 years.

A Taoist Immortal’s lifespan increases to about 300 years.

Then, what about divine beasts?

In this regard, Mountain Monarch is somewhat grateful for being born a tiger.

‘The starting point is different from the beginning.’

The lifespan of a divine creature, which is on par with a Sword Immortal, is 500 years. They possess comparable power but have a significantly longer lifespan than Sword Immortals, whose limit is 150 years.

Moreover, that’s not all.

Upon becoming a Spirit, their lifespan extends to a thousand years. With each step towards a higher realm, the lifespan of a divine beast increases exponentially.

That’s why Mountain Monarch wasn’t too concerned even after 4 years had passed.

Having become a Spirit and guaranteed a thousand years, what was a mere 4 years?

However, it’s not like he spent his time idly.

In those 4 years, Mountain Monarch achieved mastery over the Hwajung Body through the Bongak Cyan Flame, and his cultivation had already reached the middle stage of the Spirit Realm.

‘It’s all thanks to the Bongak Cyan Flame.’

The excessive flame of the Bongak Cyan Flame.

It was because he tempered his body with it and repeatedly cultivated.

Of course, the results were not easily obtained as he said.

The flame of the Overlord Path was like carrying an active volcano in his body that could erupt at any moment.

It wasn’t just once or twice that he almost succumbed to inner demons due to a momentary lapse.

But he overcame even that.

He completely absorbed the flames of the Bongak Cyan Flame that had been sealed deep within Mount Baek.

Even a slight lapse in concentration would have allowed the Bongak Cyan Flame to devour him, but that was a problem that time would solve. That was also why he had trained the Hwajung Body, and the six divided inner cores would make it possible.

“Now, Mount Baek will also regain its original spiritual energy.”

There was nothing bad about it.

Of course, Taoists and divine beasts would flock to it, but what did it matter?

‘I can deal with them when I return.’

Originally, he was planning to leave earlier.

Since it was a chaotic time with a war breaking out near the Red Sea, he could afford to take some time.

That’s why he was able to fully cultivate and is now able to leave Mount Baek.

‘S월제항 [Unexplained Korean term, possibly a location or object].’

To find it.

“Before that, should I go visit that kid?”

A child who seemed to be around Cho-ah’s age. The clever girl who read him the letter and the book on Tongsul [a method of divination or spiritual communication].

Mountain Monarch intends to go find that child.

Even though he had fully absorbed the Bongak Cyan Flame, achieved the Hwajung Body, and reached the middle stage of Spirit Realm, he still had many shortcomings.

And the first thing he needed to learn to fill those shortcomings was, of course, writing.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to learn to write from a kid.”

Still, he had a connection with her, and her slightly clumsy nature reminded him of someone, so he didn’t dislike her.

‘If this is fate, then it is.’

Mountain Monarch, trudging down to Baekma Village, began to look for Yeon-ah.

* * *

Baekma Village’s Marketplace.

The savory smell that stimulated the nose stopped people in their tracks.

Steaming vapor rising, and dried radish greens piled high on top of the delicious barley rice.

Because the weather was getting colder, people were looking for hot rice soup and a bowl of turbid rice wine [Makgeolli], so the rice soup restaurant was constantly crowded.

“Ahem. Did you hear that story?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

A man with a weasel-like mustache glanced around and whispered.

“About that Yeon’s girl who used to sell eggs.”

“Oh, oh, that girl who stubbornly insisted on studying?”

“Yes, yes. Was her name Yeon-ah?”

At that moment.

The spoon of a man eating rice soup next to them stopped abruptly.

“But what happened to Yeon’s daughter that you’re being so careful about?”

“Hey! How are you going to live if you’re so blind and deaf!”

“Geez, what is it? You have to tell me to know!”

“Ahem. Didn’t Young Master Baek Ji-ja put a ridiculous false charge on that girl and say he would make her his slave!”

“What?! No, such an outrageous thing….”

A slave!

How can they make a commoner into a lowly person!

“Then what is Yeon doing? Is he just standing by while his daughter becomes a slave!”

“Tsk tsk, what can he do? No matter where he goes to complain, who can stand up to the power of Elder Baek Ji-ja? Everyone is just turning a blind eye.”

“Oh dear…. I feel bad for Yeon! Yeah. Tsk tsk.”

“At an age when she’s about to blossom, she’s being sold off as a slave and will suffer all kinds of hardships. Yeon-ah was pretty good-looking, even though she made a fuss about studying. That’s why he used such a cheap trick.”

“Now, the bud that was about to bloom will fall without even blooming.”

Next to the men who were constantly clicking their tongues.

A man dressed in a black robe put down a silver coin and disappeared leisurely.

* * *

Splash, splash.

The time when the moon pushes away the sun and a gentle darkness begins to creep in.

In a corner of Baek Ji-ja’s residence, the sound of splashing water was constantly heard. Along with it, the sound of weeping was also heard at the same time.

“Don’t cry too much. What can you do if that’s your fate? You have to accept it.”

“Yeah. It might be a bit much at first, but if you think of it as fate, you’ll get used to it.”

The girl sobbed sadly despite the comfort of the women who were attending to her.

When their comfort didn’t work at all, the women exchanged glances and left the bathhouse. She suffered such humiliation at a young age and became a slave, so how could her heart be at peace?

Squeak, click.

As the women left, the girl’s face became even more distorted. Her face reflected in the bathwater looked so sad even to her that tears welled up like a spring.

“Are you sad?”

“!”

At that moment.

The voice of a strange man echoed gently.

The girl covered her body with her delicate hands and looked around.

Then, a man emerged and looked at her.

The girl was startled and tried to scream, but stopped abruptly.

“…Young Master?”

“Do you remember me?”

“Yes, yes…. Four years ago, weren’t you the one who helped me? How can you not have changed at all from then?”

The girl, stammering, felt a sense of inexplicable joy, and at the same time, blushed with embarrassment at showing her skin.

The man opened his mouth with an expressionless face even after seeing the woman’s skin.

“I’ve come to learn to write from you this time.”

“N, now?”

“Yes.”

The girl looked at the man with a bewildered face.

The man’s face, which was still youthful as it was 4 years ago.

Unlike her, she had grown taller and her limbs had lengthened. But how could the man be the same as before without any change?

Even the beard that should have grown was gone, which was truly a strange thing.

It was not like a goblin, suddenly appearing and asking to be taught to write. This was more absurd than a bolt out of the blue.

However, the girl pondered over the man’s words that he had come to learn to write, and then raised the corners of her mouth and said.

“I will teach you to write. But, I have a request.”

Only then did the man.

No, Mountain Monarch also smiled slightly.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know if you know my situation, but I am currently a slave and not in a good situation. I am about to lose my chastity to a ruffian.”

Yeon-ah continued to speak, but she choked up as she felt the injustice rising.

“Even so, it has nothing to do with me. Maybe your fate is like what the women said.”

He said with a cold laugh. It was an answer that might be considered harsh, but the girl could only smile bitterly.

“…Yes. That’s right. My fate must be like that. But I’m going to try to change that fate. Can you help me?”

“You want me to change your fate as the price for teaching you to write…. Aren’t I losing too much?”

“It won’t be. What I ask of you will be neither excessive nor insufficient.”

Then his face became strange. What kind of request was she going to make that she was acting like this?

Soon the girl opened her mouth, and Mountain Monarch’s brow twitched as he listened silently.

“Is that really your request?”

“Yes. Can you grant it?”

“…Okay. I’ll grant it.”

Immediately after, the girl told him the location of the books she used to study, and Mountain Monarch left the bathhouse.

* * *

Baek Ji-ja’s son.

Baek Ji-jong entered the annex with a smile on his face.

As the faint candlelight illuminated the room, a pretty child dressed in mourning clothes sat demurely.

“So beautiful.”

He scanned Yeon-ah with lustful eyes. There was nothing from head to toe that he didn’t like.

She was so beautiful that he couldn’t help but make the nonsense excuse that the eggs were about to rot and die!

He hadn’t even had a drink, but his face was flushed and his body was hot. His lust was so strong that he couldn’t see the liquor table or anything else.

“You, you must be itching too? I’m going to sleep with you right away, so show your resistance in the bedroom!”

He wiggled his goat-like beard and reached out to Yeon-ah.

When he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, she flinched, which made his heart flutter.

“Hehe, there’s no need to be shy. You’re a slave now, so it’s time to know a man.”

He chuckled unpleasantly and raised his hand to the strings of her clothes, subtly pulling them.

As the strings of her clothes loosened elastically, her top rustled.

And then.

Thud!

“…Huh?”

With a dull noise, Baek Ji-jong’s chest became hot. Was it because he was too excited? He felt dizzy and his vision was blurry.

Feeling strange, he shook his head and realized that he was already lying on the bedding.

“Heh, hehe….”

He hadn’t even had any alcohol, so what was going on?

As he rolled his eyes, the girl’s hand, looking down at him with a venomous face, flashed.

‘A silver knife…?’

And with that, the man’s vision went dark. It was a death that was utterly absurd. Who would have known that he would be killed by the hand of a slave he had made himself?

Yeon-ah looked down at Baek Ji-jong’s blank face with cold eyes.

He died so easily.

She felt it was ridiculous that she had been trembling in fear at the humiliation she had suffered.

The silver knife, stained with blood, looked particularly cold.

‘Now this will enter my body.’

Yeon-ah smiled mockingly as she looked at it calmly.

“I can’t live anyway.”

She killed the son of a noble family, so there was no change in her death.

It would be easier to kill herself now. It was a futile and short life, but she had no regrets.

It was better than losing her chastity to such a shameless person and suffering humiliation for the rest of her life.

‘At least it’s a life I can choose.’

She was worried about her family, but even that was okay now.

“Because Young Master promised.”

So now she could be at ease.

Yeon-ah squeezed her eyes shut.

She could clearly feel the trembling of her hand raising the silver knife. Even resolute determination was useless in the face of death.

The girl, mocking her own appearance, gripped the silver knife tightly again.

Stab it in.

If she didn’t do it now, she wouldn’t even be able to die as she pleased.

So before that.

Thud.

In an instant, Yeon-ah’s eyes flashed open.

“H, how can you stop me?”

The man from before appeared before her, holding her wrist tightly.

“Don’t you want to live?”

She bit her lip tightly at the calm voice.

How could she not want to live? If she could live, she wanted to live.

But how could she live when she had killed the eldest grandson of the Baek family?

Surely her family would be captured, tortured, and killed.

She had to prevent that at all costs.

It was right that her unfortunate fate should be enough for her alone.

“Why didn’t you ask me to save you? Or you could have begged me to kill Baek Ji-jong, the Baek family.”

“…It’s not that I haven’t thought about it.”

“Then why did you only ask me to protect the silver knife and your family?”

“Because this is something I have to do. Besides……. It’s an unreasonable request. No matter how much you are not human.”

The man looked at Yeon-ah with a somewhat bitter look and got up from his seat.

Suddenly, a blue flame soared from the silver knife he had snatched away. Whoosh! The cyan flame erased the silver knife from the world without leaving any ashes.

“Gasp!”

Yeon-ah, startled, stammered and asked.

“W, were you a goblin?”

“Don’t associate me with those crazy bastards. You’ll soon know who I am.”

As he said that, he took a step forward.

A chilling cyan flame rose from under his feet.

It soon turned into six small cyan birds and swirled in all directions. Blue flames soared, engulfing the walls and roofs, and the annex itself disappeared in an instant.

A magical power that cleanly erased everything without leaving a single speck of ash.

The girl couldn’t hide her surprise.

He came out of the vanished annex and walked into the yard.

With each step, cyan flames soared, and the temperature rose, making the air hot.

The blue flames that bloomed not only in the annex but also in the main building and the side buildings spread throughout the entire house and blazed.

“Oh, what is all this…!”

“Oh no! Fire! Master, fire! It’s a fire!”

The slaves, feeling the heat that cut through their skin, ran out in a hurry. They carried water and sprinkled sand, but the cyan flames that had once blazed showed no signs of going out.

“W, what is all this! Q, quickly put out the fire! Put out the fire!”

Around that time.

He raised his hidden energy while watching the slaves running around in a panic and Baek Ji-ja tearing at his hair.

As his unique spiritual pressure pressed down on all sides, their knees buckled and they knelt down as if begging for forgiveness.

Screams erupted from everywhere. They only slightly raised their heads in inexplicable fear.

There, a man with flashing red eyes stood like a ghost. Just making eye contact with his fierce momentum made their legs tremble.

It was an instinctive feeling.

An overwhelming force.

It was natural to think so since they couldn’t even move a finger. And that came more clearly to them in the man’s one word.

“Annoying bastards……”