Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 267

Crunch! Crack, crack!!

A gruesome sight: Tamhwa crunching and swallowing Wan-gyeong whole.

However, Mountain Monarch was too dazed to even register it, busy vomiting blood.

“You! You bastard, Tamhwa!!”

Fzzzt, crackle, crackle!!

Zzzzzzzzz!

It was understandable that Tamhwa manifested his true form. However, the fact that this was the Human Realm was a huge problem.

Besides, wasn’t Tamhwa concealing his true form with the bracelet?

Naturally, the pressure of the Heavenly Law [the governing principles of the universe] was bound to affect Mountain Monarch as well.

“G-Go back… you bastard!!”

It felt as if a giant was grabbing and twisting him with both hands. His eyes were bloodshot with the immense pressure, tears of blood streaming down, and the bones in his body were creaking and crumbling.

[Burp.]

Tamhwa let out a satisfying burp and tilted his head, then screamed as the encroaching pressure of the Heavenly Law gradually intensified.

[Kieeeeeek!!]

With the pressure that felt like space itself was shrinking, Tamhwa writhed like an eel pulled onto land before turning back into the bracelet.

“Haa!!”

Only then did the pressure disappear.

‘What the…’

It was hard to even utter a word.

It was only a fleeting moment, but even that brief pressure was enough to leave Mountain Monarch gasping for breath in agony.

He really thought he was going to die.

‘This is the Heavenly Law…’

His bones were crushed, and his body was squeezed to the point of bursting.

He couldn’t even think, only brace himself against the immense pain.

It was the first time he had felt such helplessness.

It was on a different level from the helplessness he had felt fighting the Immortals.

‘Even with my body made of swords, with bones and blood made of Gyuncheon Treasure [a legendary, extremely durable material]…’

He shuddered to think that he almost burst apart from a single blow of the Heavenly Law.

“Hmph…”

He couldn’t even speak properly.

He couldn’t move in his awkward posture.

His bones ached, and his whole body was turning blue, beyond red.

‘Crazy.’

Tamhwa was definitely a cherished and beloved Bokchung [a loyal subordinate or companion] who followed him even after becoming an Upper Immortal, but the thought that he almost died because of that gluttonous appetite made his insides seethe with anger.

‘I can’t even hit him…’

His anger soared to his head, making the back of his neck stiff and numb.

If he had his way, he would lie down for a year and recuperate right away, but the timing, location, and situation were not right.

‘Damn it.’

He was in so much pain, but he couldn’t show it. Wan-gyeong was chewed up by Tamhwa, but Ye-un was still here.

Even though only his head remained, he had to be wary in case something happened.

“You don’t look too good.”

As expected, the guy asked with a face that seemed to be smiling.

‘Damn it…’

Mountain Monarch closed his eyes for a moment and slightly moved his finger.

Wriggle.

‘Ugh…’

Then, from his finger, a pain like being struck by lightning ran from the top of his head to the tip of his toes, almost causing him to foam at the mouth.

He had prided himself on being accustomed to pain over the years, but this was the first time he had experienced such a near-death experience.

It hurt too much.

‘I’m really going to die like this.’

He couldn’t even move a finger, so what more was there to say?

In his current state, he would have to return to his true form for the first time in a long time.

‘Forget about Ye-un’s main body, I need to save myself first.’

He remained still. If Ye-un noticed, he didn’t know what would happen.

Fortunately, he had a divine power that he could use as long as he had his divine sense and the spiritual power in his eyes, even if he couldn’t move his body.

Thrum!

His red eyes emitted a red light, and his pupils expanded in an instant, with several pupils popping out from within.

It was Mountain Monarch’s Dallyeong Geumjeong, Gwaebi Yeogak [a powerful, unique eye technique].

Just as he was about to turn his head with all his might to look into Ye-un’s eyes.

[There’s no need to do that.]

Suddenly, a young boy’s voice echoed softly in Mountain Monarch’s ear.

‘Could it be!’

A blue light rose from within his body, and a small feather slipped out as if passing through the clouds.

The blue feather fluttered down and, upon touching the ground, blue flames soared, transforming into a human figure.

It was the Phoenix’s divided soul.

‘Bong!’

It was Bong.

“You can’t move much, I see.”

Bong, who was cracking his neck as if his shoulders were stiff, looked around.

“Y-You are…!!”

“You’re noisy.”

He found Ye-un and snapped his fingers, instantly incinerating him.

He burned him with Bongak Cheonghwa [Bong’s signature blue phoenix fire] in an instant. Since it wasn’t the main body anyway, and Mountain Monarch’s body was not in good condition, there was no point in leaving him alone.

“I never dreamed that Tamhwa would act so recklessly. I should have stepped in sooner to stop him… tsk, tsk.”

It was Bong, unchanged as ever.

Only then did Mountain Monarch feel relieved and send him a telepathic message.

-What happened?

“What do you mean, what happened? I refined and Yeonhwa-ed [refined and enhanced] the treasure I got from that guy to suit me. It wasn’t of very good quality, so I had a little trouble refining it…”

Bong scanned Mountain Monarch up and down and clicked his tongue, frowning.

“Rest now. It’s only because you’re you that you’re still sane in that state. If it were an ordinary Jiseon [a type of immortal], they would have fainted or suffered severe damage to their Hwaryeong [spiritual core].”

-Is it okay to do that?

“If you’re worried about falling asleep…”

Bong pondered for a moment, then plucked out one of his eyes and placed it on his palm, smiling mischievously when he saw Mountain Monarch bewildered, not knowing what he was doing.

“Don’t look at me like that. This body isn’t my real form anyway.”

That was true.

Bong’s real form was just a feather.

-But what are you going to do with that….

As he asked what he was going to do, Bong began chanting a spell and drew a Seonchuk Gate [a type of teleportation portal] in the air with his remaining hand, causing Mountain Monarch’s body to glow faintly and his vision to change in an instant.

-What did you do?

“I put you in my eye. This way, you can lie down comfortably, and since I put you in my eye, you can see what I’m doing right away, can’t you?”

Come to think of it, Bong had put Sawol Jehang in his eye before.

He must have used the same Seonsul [a type of magic or technique] as then.

For a moment, his vigilance rose to the extreme, but it soon subsided gently like a wave rising high and then collapsing.

He was already in a state of Shimma’s oath [a binding magical contract] with him anyway. He had also confirmed Bong’s character by seeing him over the past few days, so nothing to worry about would happen.

“To be honest, it’s a bit much for me to come out now.”

-Then why did you come out?

“I came out because it’s obviously beneficial to come out.”

-Is that so…-

Mountain Monarch returned to his true form in Bong’s eye and curled up.

Bong’s eye was neither too wide nor too narrow, and it felt strangely cozy.

“Look at this.”

-What is it?

Bong went up to Cheonnodeungwi [a specific location] and took something out of Elder Gol’s robe, which looked like an incredibly old book.

Dozing off, he suddenly narrowed his brow with half-closed eyes.

‘Come to think of it, they said I need a treasure from the Upper Realm to open the Cheonro Hwaeung Gate [a gate to a higher dimension].’

He wondered why Elder Gol had it, but it seemed that this was one of the treasures of the Upper Realm.

-It feels familiar.

“Do you recognize it?”

It was vague, as if he remembered it but didn’t. Frustrated, he asked what it was, and Bong smiled mischievously and opened the old book.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Bong burned the old book with Bongak Cheonghwa, and an intangible chain burst out.

At the same time, blue flames spread in all directions like ripples, and something blue that looked like it had been torn off soared up, which Mountain Monarch couldn’t help but recognize.

-Phoenix Feather!

“It’s my last divided soul.”

Bong accepted the last found piece of feather into his arms with relief.

-I never imagined that the treasure of the Upper Realm would be Bong’s feather.

“I knew it would be somewhere in the Human Realm, but I didn’t expect to find it so soon.

It seems that you and I have a deep and profound connection after all.”

The tone was a bit strange.

‘A deep and profound connection, he says.’

Didn’t it sound like he was hearing and speaking from somewhere?

-Where….

The moment he was about to ask something.

Suddenly, Bong turned his head towards the sky and narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not good to stay long.”

-Is someone coming?

“Yes. I also can’t manifest in the Human Realm for long.

First, it would be good to get out of here, find a suitable place to stay, and heal your wounds.”

The question about Cheonnodeung lingered in his mind, but it seemed better to avoid it according to Bong’s words.

-I will.

Anyway, there would be few who would open the Cheonro Hwaeung Gate, and even if they did, the Daeryeok [a type of powerful energy] contained in Cheonnodeung was almost exhausted.

For now, it doesn’t matter if I just leave it alone.

‘Later…’

I will come back again.

Soon, Bong turned into a handful of smoke and disappeared, and the Cheonro Hwaeung Gate was firmly closed.

Koo-oong….

* * *

Swish, swish!

In the sky of Cheonmangdo [a specific island], which had become quiet as if everyone had left and died, several streaks of light flew in and looked around.

They were wearing robes with the mark of Chok, and they were all shaking their heads with a tragic feeling.

“Are they all dead?”

“The disciples who guarded Cheonmangdo are all dead… Damn it!”

“Who did this!”

“Judging from the wounds, it’s not clean and it’s violent and uses poison, so it’s probably the work of the Demonic Path….”

It was then.

A huge spiritual pressure pressed down on all sides from the other side of the sky and flew in, and the Taoists who were investigating Cheonmangdo first bowed their heads and greeted with their fists clasped.

“We greet Great Master Chokman!!”

Flutter.

In the place where the green light faded, a woman with green hair fluttering was looking at the tragedy of Cheonmangdo with a serious face.

“Great Master, as we have investigated….”

“No, it’s okay. Seeing that there are several energies mixed together, it’s not something you can judge rashly.”

Chokman went down to Cheonmanggengro [a specific location] in an instant and took her hand to the Cheonro Hwaeung Gate.

The door opened in an instant, and as she stepped inside, she found one of the conspicuous energies among the still scattered chaotic energies and narrowed her eyes.

“There are not many who use such pure and hot Hwasingtong [a type of fire-based energy]. I know this much better than other energies.”

Chokman raised the corners of her lips with a smirk and stopped for a moment as if lost in thought.

The other disciples couldn’t say anything and breathed shallowly, but after a while, Chokman raised her head and said.

“I have to go to Baekseon [a specific sect].”

“Bae, Baekseon, you say?”

Not only the head of the Choksan Sect but also the other disciples were showing their disapproval.

The reason was that it was not logical to go to a sect that was in turmoil due to the ongoing war.

“But Great Master… isn’t that where a guy named Yoo-jeong, who came a while ago, is plotting? The Great Master also refused his request, saying that Choksan has always maintained neutrality….”

“The situation has changed. We have always maintained neutrality, but we are not foolish enough to maintain neutrality even though our disciples have been so brutally murdered.”

“Then….”

“It is right to find out the truth and repay what we have received.”

Besides.

‘If that Daeho [a powerful figure] bastard has come back alive, then that Yoo-jeong bastard can’t do anything about it.’

The fact that he is in the Human Realm means that he has run away from the Immortals, so how can a mere Taoist of the Human Realm catch such a guy?

Chokman inwardly let out a sigh of relief and slightly raised the corners of her lips.

“Then know that.”

The disciples, including the head, nodded, and Chokman told them to bury the dead disciples well and disappeared.

After she disappeared.

“Head, I’m worried.”

“Why is that?”

“The Great Master is about to ascend to Jiseon. But I’m worried that she might go to the Baekseon Sect and suffer unnecessary hardships.”

“Hmm….”

It is a fact that cannot be overlooked.

He was worried because the person who was about to ascend to Jiseon was heading to a place where war was breaking out.

“That’s right. The Great Master is the pillar of our Choksan, but she’s going to such a crude sect….”

“That place is a strange sect where humans and spirits are together. If things go wrong and the Great Master gets hurt, it will be difficult for her to ascend!!”

Chokman, who has only a few years left to live, will have difficulty ascending if she suffers internal injuries and wastes decades.

Even if they are the same Taeseon [a type of immortal], Chokman is infinitely close to Jiseon, and her probability of ascending is as high as 60%, so she had to be actively protected.

“Then what should we do? The Great Master is speaking so stubbornly, how can we disobey her?”

“That’s….”

Chokman has a subtly stubborn side.

She has a firm side that she does what she says she will do once she says she will, so there was no way for them to do anything about it.

“There’s no choice. In case something happens, we’ll leave the personnel to organize Choksan and Cheonmangdo and all the other elders must follow the Great Master.”