Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 281

Nangseon Gi Hwan Dam – 280

“Some mangy cur who crawled out of the gutter dares to… Keuheok!”

Thud!

Bang! Bang! Thump! Thump!!

In an instant, Dan Buong was sent flying, crashing through several walls and disappearing into the rubble.

Only the sound of debris breaking and walls collapsing could be faintly heard amidst the rising dust.

Gulp.

The courtesans’ eyes were wide like saucers, and they swallowed hard, speechless.

“A-are you alright…? That, that person is the Vice-Leader of the Churyeong Cult!”

Aengdu, Aengro House’s most famous courtesan, was pale as a sheet.

At first glance, she seemed worried about Cheonbeom’s safety, but she seemed more afraid of the Churyeong Cult’s retaliation against Aengro House and themselves.

If it were any other Nangseon instead of Cheonbeom, they could have simply knocked down the Churyeong Cult’s Vice-Leader and run away.

Even if caught, escaping would naturally direct the Churyeong Cult’s anger solely at Aengro House and Aengdu, hence her terrified expression.

“W-what should we do…!”

She seemed utterly lost.

The way she subtly exchanged glances with the other courtesans suggested a flurry of calculations in her mind.

Cheonbeom chuckled at the sight of the courtesan’s desperate scheming and grabbed Dan Buong by the scruff of his neck, lifting him.

“Good thing you’re still alive.”

He’d worried he might have accidentally killed him by misjudging his strength.

His facial bones seemed caved in, but there didn’t seem to be any immediate danger to his life. He wouldn’t be called a Demonic Immortal if he died from this level of injury anyway, so there was nothing to worry about.

Beom looked at the man, pondered what to do, and then dropped him again.

“It’d be better to catch the head honcho than the small fry. You there.”

“Y-yes?! Are, are you talking to me?”

“Yeah. Sorry, but you’ll have to send a message to the Churyeong Cult.”

“To, to the Churyeong Cult, you say?!”

“That’s right.”

It was then.

“I will send that message.”

The one who spoke was Aengdu, the most famous courtesan, who had been constantly racking her brain.

“You will?”

“Wouldn’t it be better for me, the most famous courtesan of Aengro House, to send the message rather than someone unknown?”

She was quite bold.

Others looked at Aengdu as if she were crazy, but Cheonbeom found her audacity quite interesting.

In her heart, the scales between the Churyeong Cult and Cheonbeom seemed to have already tipped.

“Then tell them. Tell them that some wild dog bastard knocked down the Churyeong Cult’s Vice-Leader and is insulting the Churyeong Cult.”

* * *

A letter arrived at the Churyeong Cult, which had its base on Yeongsan, west of Aengro, in the mountain called Chwi Oh.

The elder of the Churyeong Cult, who opened the letter, couldn’t hide his anger and immediately informed the leader, saying it couldn’t be overlooked.

“Is there a possibility of a trap from another force?”

“No. It’s a letter from Aengdu, the most famous courtesan of Aengro House. If they were to incur our displeasure, their lives wouldn’t be spared. Would they do such a thing?”

“That’s right. The Vice-Leader often frequented that woman, so there’s no reason for her to lie.”

The leader nodded.

Was there any reason for Aengro to fabricate a lie to them?

“Indeed, the Vice-Leader has been saying for several years that he would definitely buy that woman, so there’s no reason to lie. If the Vice-Leader buys Aengdu, that girl will be registered with the Churyeong Cult.”

If she wanted to be sold to the Vice-Leader and live a comfortable life, there was no way she would tell a lie that would tarnish the Churyeong Cult.

Would the most famous courtesan of Aengro House do such a foolish thing?

“But why hasn’t the Vice-Leader bought Aengdu yet?”

“Don’t you know? All the courtesans of Aengro House hold auctions to sell their bodies [meaning their services]. Aengdu is clever, so she hasn’t held an auction yet and is constantly raising her price.”

“Ahem.”

As the conversation strayed into idle chatter, the leader cleared his throat to bring the topic back.

“The Vice-Leader… has often caused trouble, so it seems like an opportunity to remind him who the owner of Aengro is and to correct his behavior.”

“Anyway… we needed to raise the rent this month. We were short of spiritual herbs and precious items to deliver to that person… so this also creates a justification.”

“That’s right. Then… have a few elders and half of the disciples follow me.”

“Are you going in person?”

“Wouldn’t that save face?”

“That’s the right decision.”

The Churyeong Cult was trying to become a large sect in Aengro.

They were currently a disorganized rabble of Demonic Immortals who had flocked from all over, but their numbers were not to be ignored.

“How many are there?”

“The number of disciples is now five thousand in total.”

“Then taking two thousand should be enough.”

“Elder Ha and Elder Jo will be with you, so don’t worry about Chwi Oh Mountain and go.”

“Then let’s depart.”

* * *

At the same time.

Cheonbeom was accepting a cup of wine from Aengdu and gazing at the picturesque moon.

Yehu was silently present with an expressionless face, and Aengdu was quietly refilling Cheonbeom’s cup as if nothing had happened.

“Aren’t you going to ask anything?”

Cheonbeom, unable to contain his curiosity, asked Aengdu first.

Since she wouldn’t be able to ask anything first, he opened his mouth.

“What do you mean?”

“I hate beating around the bush. You seem smart, so I’m asking why you sided with me instead of the Churyeong Cult.”

At his question, she carefully placed snacks in front of Beom and put down her chopsticks.

“This humble one was originally raised as the successor of a sect. Perhaps, do you know of Dongguk [an ancient kingdom in Korea]?”

“I know it.”

“I am the successor and leader of the Hogo Sect, which was destroyed in a small local area of Dongguk. But as I said before, the sect was destroyed, and I wandered with one elder, but I was sold here and there by an unknown Nangseon [a type of wandering swordsman or rogue] until I ended up here.”

It was a long and detailed story, but who in the world didn’t have a story?

Even if it wasn’t her, most of the courtesans in Aengro House would have similar stories.

Her intention to gain sympathy was obvious, but he remained silent.

Since he had to wait for the Churyeong Cult anyway, it was perfect as a snack [a way to pass the time].

“A friend from my hometown who came to Aengro House with me was sold to a Demonic Immortal, and I haven’t heard from her since. We weren’t originally on good terms, but perhaps because we had been sold together and traveled a long way to get here, we had grown fond of each other.”

“So you bet on me?”

Aengdu smiled without a word.

It was a detached and pitiful smile of a woman.

“I felt that my life had reached a dead end with nowhere else to go.”

She was destined to be sold to the Churyeong Cult’s Vice-Leader anyway.

She was destined to disappear without a trace like her friend who had been sold off earlier.

Even if she wasn’t used as a plaything and exploited by the Vice-Leader’s Dual Cultivation Technique [a method of cultivation involving sexual practices], she would be abandoned when she was no longer useful.

No matter how precious and beautiful a toy is, one eventually gets tired of it.

“It’s a gamble… but I trust my gut, and I trust my eyes.”

“Trust your eyes?”

“You must know that my cultivation is at the Illusion Immortal realm. That’s why the Vice-Leader is so eager to covet me.”

“So?”

“I was captivated by the power and realm of the Cheon Seonsa [Celestial Immortal], who sent the Vice-Leader into a near-death state with a single punch, as well as his immeasurable divine powers and his audacity.”

“You risked your life for just that?”

“Either way, I was going to die. Isn’t that the fate of a courtesan in Aengro House?”

But her calculations were missing one crucial thing.

“Okay, let’s say my power is above the heavens, and I can single-handedly defeat the entire Churyeong Cult. But do you think I will take you?”

No matter how beautiful she is, she is still an Illusion Immortal and a courtesan.

She is not a woman who would catch Cheonbeom’s eye.

Frankly speaking, this conversation with her is just a way to pass the time.

He has no feelings or emotions for the courtesan named Aengdu.

All he has is a fleeting curiosity, like watching a swarm of ants passing by on the street.

“Well, I can’t guarantee that. But if someone with such a great capacity as to wage war against the Churyeong Cult would overlook a woman’s help, then my eyes were wrong, and that will be my fate.”

“You’re talking nonsense. You dare to try to seduce me with your seductive tongue.”

“If you think so, then cut off this humble one’s head right now.”

She was extremely audacious.

All of her words and actions seemed to be predicting Beom’s actions.

As expected of a courtesan, she seemed to be quick at grasping the other person’s personality and nature.

“If Cheonbeom cuts off her head, he would be admitting that he is small-minded and a petty person who would overlook a woman’s help.

The older and higher in status a person is, the more likely they are to have a sense of responsibility and inferiority about their actions.

She must be thinking about that and acting like that.

“Isn’t she an interesting woman? She’s said to be the most famous courtesan of Aengro House, and it seems that’s not an exaggeration.”

Guieumna찰, who had been silent, also laughed as if she found it amusing.

“May I take her with me?”

“What do you want with this child?”

“I’m short on useful treasures, so I was thinking of making her into a zombie.”

“Stop talking nonsense, and let’s get up.”

“Hmm… shall we?”

Suddenly, Cheonbeom and Guieumna찰 got up from the table and began to prepare.

Then, Aengdu was puzzled and began to feel nervous because thousands of auras were rapidly approaching around Aengro House.

She had risked her life on him, but even she couldn’t help but feel nervous at this point.

“The reason you live so desperately is probably to avenge your sect that was destroyed.”

Cheonbeom said, leaving her behind.

Soon, the door in front of him opened on its own, and a thick fog filled the area, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead.

“This must also be fate.”

Cheonbeom, without hesitation, stepped into the fog and threw a small stone from his sleeve to Aengdu.

It was a mysterious stone that shone in three colors.

No, should it be called a jewel?

“T-this is….”

“Yongnoe [a mythical jewel].”

“Y-Yongnoe?! Is it really the Yongnoe I know?”

“If you still want to change your fate, it wouldn’t be bad to take that and run to the Hwaseon Sect of Yukdong, give my name, and ask them to accept you as a disciple.”

Since her aptitude isn’t bad, she might become a Taeseon [Great Immortal] with the divine power of Yongnoe.

“M-may I humbly ask for the honorable name of the Seonsa?”

At that question, he turned around.

Soon, his beard disappeared, and his skin became that of a young man.

His eyes turned red, and his hair and robe turned black, returning to his original appearance.

“Cheonbeom.”

Cheonbeom said.

“I, Cheonbeom, am the one who destroyed the Hogo Sect, one of the six great sects of Dongguk, and the target of your revenge.”

Aengdu had a surprised look on her face.

No, Cheonbeom, leaving Hogo behind, disappeared into the fog with Yehu.

After a while.

All sorts of loud noises and screams rang out in Aengro House, but they all disappeared like ghosts as the sun rose.