Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 264

KWA-AAAAANG!!

“To think a mere Jiangshi would resist so fiercely, hahaha!!”

Within the pitch-black Ghostly Mist, countless ghosts moved, each with its own distinct form.

Sometimes they were human, sometimes spirit beasts, sometimes something in between, all shifting at the Jiangshi’s command in a myriad of forms, like a king of all ghosts.

And that wasn’t all.

They seemed to be protected by the Ghostly Mist, disappearing and reappearing, making it hard to tell if one was fighting the Jiangshi or the ghosts.

“Impressive!”

Yet, the more it happened, the more Yeun’s eyes gleamed with greed.

To wield such divine power alone was simply too tempting.

What kind of technique and soul had been infused to create such a Jiangshi?

He had known from the moment he saw Baek San-pa’s Avatar Body that this was no ordinary being, but he never imagined the Jiangshi would be like this.

‘The Jiangshi itself is amazing, but even more amazing is that Great Dao treasure.’

The Great Dao with nine rings.

This dense Ghostly Mist, along with the ability to control all those ghosts, came from that Nine Ringed Sword.

From Yeun’s perspective as a Jiangshi manipulator, the Ghostly Law was important, but a sword that controlled thousands upon thousands of ghosts was an equally coveted treasure.

If he could refine just a bit of the soul contained within the Nine Ringed Sword and merge it into one, he could wield powerful Jiangshi techniques.

‘If I refine it by infusing my soul, it could become an even more powerful treasure.’

It might even surpass a divine treasure!

If that happened, no one in the Human Realm would be able to threaten him.

Chuck!

“Hmm….”

Suddenly stopping within the Ghostly Mist, Yeun stroked his chin as if amused and shouted.

“I have seen enough of your abilities and the power of the Nine Ringed Sword! But your soul is unstable, and you are facing two Grand Immortals, so no matter how hard you try, you have no chance of winning! So, how about this?”

As if willing to listen, Ghostly Law slowly revealed itself from within the Ghostly Mist.

Yeun grinned and took out a talisman from his chest, throwing it to Ghostly Law.

Chuck. The crimson talisman seemed to possess a strange power, overflowing with intense evil energy at first glance.

“If you attach that to your forehead, I will take you in and merge your tattered soul into one.”

“…Bullshit.”

Seeing the suspicious look, Yeun explained the name and power of the talisman, causing Ghostly Law to frown in disbelief.

“It’s true. I have spent my entire life cultivating Jiangshi techniques and reached the Grand Immortal level. There are few in the Human Realm more skilled in Jiangshi techniques than I. Since I am saying this, I am well aware that your current state is abnormal and that you will soon collapse or disappear.”

“…!”

However.

“If it’s the Myriad Autumn Hairline Residence [a technique or artifact for soul repair], it can fill your torn soul, and if you’re lucky, you might even become human again!”

Human.

Yeun knew well what kind of emotions that word evoked in the other party. Most Jiangshi [Chinese hopping vampire or zombie] with a sense of self had a strong desire to be alive.

Yeun had seen many Jiangshi while practicing Jiangshi techniques over the years.

He knew what they wanted and yearned for.

“What do you say? You’re using the ferocity of the Incomplete Great Demon to compensate for your soul’s deficiencies, but it seems you’re reaching your limit, aren’t you?”

Ghostly Law’s eyes sharpened.

Then, it began to look down on him with disdain, leaving Yeun bewildered.

“Hmph, I don’t want to become human, and I never will. The Myriad Autumn Hairline Residence you offered seems to have the ability to consolidate souls, but it’s useless to me, so take it back.”

Whirlick! Without hesitation, it threw the talisman back, and Yeun caught it, still tilting his head in confusion.

“But even if you don’t want to become human, it’s clear that your soul’s energy will soon fade away. Are you not concerned that your existence will disappear?”

Then, a shadow fell over Ghostly Law’s face, which had been consistently cold.

Yeun instantly twisted his lips.

“There are regrets. But I do not desire to be human. Then, you are not a newly formed soul but one that has seeped in.”

No wonder.

“I thought it was strange from the beginning. A Jiangshi with such an unstable soul, as if it would break if touched, possessing its own will, fully judging and answering, is impossible.”

Other Taoists might not know, but Yeun, who was well-versed in Jiangshi techniques, could tell.

Originally, Jiangshi techniques typically used the soul of a living person or artificially created and injected a new soul.

But Ghostly Law’s soul was strangely unstable and unable to merge, as if it had been deliberately created with such a soul, but that wasn’t the case.

“Being a soul that seeped in like a thief, you couldn’t merge with the original souls. If you had, you would have….”

Tae-aeng!! As if not wanting to hear more, Ghostly Law hurled the Nine Ringed Sword.

Seeing Ghostly Law’s composed demeanor crumble, Yeun took out his Vajra [a ritual weapon symbolizing firmness of spirit] and blocked the Nine Ringed Sword, smirking.

“If persuasion doesn’t work, I have no choice but to subdue you with force.”

“I will help too.”

Even Wan-gyeong Seonsa offered his help, and Ghostly Law’s face did not improve.

“Tsk.”

Ghostly Law clicked its tongue and disappeared, and soon the Ghostly Mist stirred, and a tremendous number of ghosts burst out.

As if swimming through the Ghostly Mist, tens of thousands of ghosts appeared in a long line, rushing towards Yeun and Wan-gyeong.

In the midst of it, Ghostly Law awakened the illusion of the Incomplete Great Demon behind it, unleashing its ferocity and launching black spears.

With tremendous explosions and ghostly wails, the sight of the Myriad Calamity Evil Ghosts created by the Ghostly Mist and the black dragons playing around them was truly a remarkable divine power.

Thanks to this, the Thousand Net Pit became a chaotic mess, and the rampaging ghosts of the Nine Ringed Sword turned it into a pandemonium.

However.

“Do you think such tricks will work!”

Peo-uk!

“Keuk!”

No matter how great Ghostly Law was, it was impossible to face two Grand Immortals from the start.

It might have been possible if it was just Yeun alone, but with Wan-gyeong present, it was truly helpless.

Ghostly Law couldn’t possibly withstand them.

Perhaps thanks to swallowing San-gun, he didn’t use the Perfected Art, but even without it, Wan-gyeong was a powerful Grand Immortal.

He wore strange gauntlets and used fist techniques, and unlike his heavy build, he was agile and powerful like a tiger, and the Ghostly Mist lost its power whenever it touched the gauntlets.

쿵쿵쿵쿵!

Wan-gyeong shot needles towards the fallen Ghostly Law, and the needles, each piercing one of its wrists and ankles, soon turned into blue stone staffs, sealing it so that it couldn’t move.

“Keeeuek!!”

Bound to the ground in an instant, the Ghostly Mist and the illusion of the Incomplete Great Demon disappeared like smoke, losing their power.

Ttsarreureung.

Yeun picked up the Nine Ringed Sword lying on the ground, wore it on his shoulder with a bitter smile, and looked at Ghostly Law.

“I don’t know what regrets you have and why you chose the life of a Jiangshi, but I know one thing. Seeing you not running away even though your master was sealed and instead attacking the Grand Immortals, it’s safe to assume you had some kind of relationship with that Baek San-pa bastard in life.”

But to Yeun, that didn’t matter either.

He had the Nine Ringed Sword in his hand and Ghostly Law in his grasp, so that was enough.

“Thank you for your help, Seonsa Wan-gyeong.”

“It’s nothing. I just couldn’t waste time on trivial matters with the great cause ahead of us.”

He meant that they should deal with Ghostly Law and quickly handle the guy sealed in the Perfected Art.

Yeun smiled kindly and nodded as if to say he would take care of it.

He took out a talisman from his chest, chanted a spell, and was about to attach it when.

Ghostly Law’s eerie voice echoed lowly throughout the entire cavern.

[Ghost Embryo Extinction God (鬼胎滅至神)].

It was then.

“Hmm?!”

Ddalangddalangddalangddalang!!

The Nine Ringed Sword in Yeun’s hand began to tremble madly.

Then, the rings of the Nine Ringed Sword popped one by one, and as all nine rings burst in an instant, cracks appeared throughout the entire Nine Ringed Sword.

Sensing an ominous sign, Yeun threw the Nine Ringed Sword away.

Tteojeojeok!! Kwa-aang!!

As the massive Great Dao exploded, a sharp, thin sword that seemed to be made of blood spun inside and plummeted to the ground.

Po-uk!

Wan-gyeong also narrowed his eyes at the bizarre phenomenon, as the crimson sword that had transformed from the Nine Ringed Sword pierced the center of Ghostly Law’s back.

“Kkeuaaaaaaak!”

Then, Ghostly Law’s painful screams echoed loudly, and at the same time, ghostly wails spread throughout the heavens and earth.

‘Is the Jiangshi trying to commit suicide?’

It was a somewhat absurd sight.

But that didn’t seem to be the case, as intense evil energy poured out from the sword, and all sorts of ghosts began to wail as if uttering a lion’s roar.

-Kuaaaaaaaa!!

-Kuo-oooooo!!

It was the resentful and sorrowful cries of the dead that were chilling to hear.

Sensing that the atmosphere was unusual, Wan-gyeong frowned.

“This has become troublesome.”

“Keuheum.”

It was then.

With explosive force, the stone staffs that Wan-gyeong had set up snapped and flew away with a ping! sound, and Ghostly Law slowly rose to its feet.

“This is….”

He was speechless with disbelief.

Ghostly Law pulled out the sword stuck in its body, looked up at the sky, and then lowered its head again, with the illusion of the Incomplete Great Demon rising behind it and a storm of ferocity flowing out.

Deudeudeudeudeudeudeudeuk!

With a bizarre sound, the appearance of the Incomplete Great Demon began to change.

The head of the fiend became three, and the arms became six, transforming into the form of a three-headed, six-armed demon!

“Three heads, six arms?”

Yeun and Wan-gyeong were dumbfounded and felt goosebumps from the chillingly brutal ferocity.

“How could a mere Jiangshi have three heads and six arms….”

They had astonished and bewildered faces.

“It doesn’t seem like the time to be pondering. I don’t know the details, but it seems that the soul in the Nine Ringed Sword has been completely swallowed by that Jiangshi and is exerting great power.”

Yeun clicked his tongue as if it was a pity, and the reason was obvious.

Even if it could exert great power by accepting so many souls at once, it wouldn’t last long.

If Ghostly Law couldn’t consolidate the tens of thousands of souls into one, it would likely perish along with the mixed souls.

‘For a Jiangshi….’

It had chosen to fight and die rather than be captured.

“Your fidelity is admirable, but the result will not change!”

Just as Yeun was about to unroll a thickly rolled scroll and fight.

“Heot!”

Suddenly, Seonsa Wan-gyeong gasped and let out a cry of astonishment.

“What’s wrong?”

“N, no… No way!!”

Yeun’s face contorted at the sudden scream. He couldn’t understand why he was acting like this.