Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 292

A dazzling scene 펼쳐진 unfolded.

Amidst the interwoven mists and towering, bizarre rocks, a truly remarkable sight unfolded, as if icicles had sprung from the earth.

The dense fog of the Geonwon Sea, obscuring what lay ahead, added to its mystique, a fitting welcome for a newly ascended immortal beneath the heavens of the Upper Realm.

Cheonbeom’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

Upon his arrival, he found himself amidst a strange place formed of clouds, unable to discern anything.

Yet, he vaguely sensed that this place, imbued with a divine energy unlike that of the Lower Realm, was indeed where he was meant to be.

“Are you experiencing any discomfort?”

As Cheonbeom curiously surveyed his surroundings, So-seon, who stood beside him, inquired.

She was a beautiful being, adorned in elegant palace attire and celestial robes. Her name was Saha, and she was the leader of the So-seon procession.

Among the dozen or so So-seon in the procession, she was the one who greeted Cheonbeom.

Saha So-seon explained that she had come all the way to Geonwon Sea to welcome him and was now escorting Cheonbeom out of Geonwon Sea in a palanquin.

“I’m not uncomfortable… but I do have a few questions.”

He knew that Geonwon Sea was a place like an ocean made of clouds. But as a newly ascended being, Cheonbeom had countless questions.

“I shall answer anything you ask.”

Cheonbeom looked at them, calling themselves So-seon, and voiced his curiosity.

“What is a So-seon?”

At his question, Saha So-seon blinked her large eyes for a moment.

It was her first time welcoming an ascended immortal to the Upper Realm, and she was taken aback by his question about something so obvious here.

However, she soon composed herself and calmly provided an answer to satisfy his curiosity.

“So-seon (蘇仙). We are called that because it means an immortal who is revived or resurrected.”

“Revived? Is there another meaning?”

“No. It means exactly what it says.”

Cheonbeom’s brow furrowed.

If what she said was true, it meant that So-seon were not eternal beings.

‘Come to think of it…’

Cheonbeom’s eyes scanned his surroundings.

In the So-seon procession that had come to greet him, there was even a child holding a fan larger than himself at the front, perhaps to complete the ensemble.

He hadn’t given it much thought until he heard her words, but now that he knew the meaning of So-seon, he saw it in a new light.

‘So-seon age.’

Growth and aging.

In other words, they were beings who had not escaped 생자필멸(生者必滅) [the cycle of birth and death; literally, ‘those who are born must die’].

The Upper Realm was a place where gods ascended.

He was astonished that mortals existed in the Upper Realm and held the title of So-seon.

“Do you mean you even die?”

“We are beings who die and are reborn.”

Her answer only added to his frustration.

“That’s just like ordinary people.”

At that, Saha’s brow twitched.

“…So-seon are 아신(兒神) [child gods] born between gods. They are born with the blood of gods, but because they have not attained enlightenment, they carry 윤회 [reincarnation] within them.”

“To carry reincarnation within…”

“When we reach the end of our lifespan or our lives are in danger, we revert to being children and start our lives again.”

Saha’s expression was indifferent.

However, Cheonbeom could sense a bitter undertone in her composure.

Nevertheless, Cheonbeom’s curiosity was satisfied.

They were beings who were neither gods nor not gods.

He understood why they were acting like subordinates to him, an 상선 [High Immortal].

‘Interesting.’

New knowledge.

Everything Cheonbeom saw in the Upper Realm was new.

Geonwon Sea.

And So-seon.

He wondered what else awaited him.

There was no need to rush.

Cheonbeom asked Saha So-seon about various things, and she answered with all sincerity.

“Geonwon Sea is an ocean of clouds that has existed since the beginning of time. It is no different from saying that any place in the Upper Realm is built on the foundation of Geonwon Sea.”

She spoke of Geonwon Sea with reverence and a hint of fear.

When he asked why, she replied.

“Geonwon Sea is the place where the immortals who have existed in the Upper Realm must go in the end. Even the 원형신선 [Primordial Immortals], the 원선 [Prime Immortals] who have nothing to fear, mostly die when they enter Geonwon Sea, so it is naturally frightening.”

“Was it such a dangerous place?”

원형신선 [Primordial Immortals].

Who were the 원선 [Prime Immortals]?

They were the ones who held the power to control the Upper Realm.

Yet, Geonwon Sea was a place where even they could not guarantee their lives….

It didn’t quite resonate with him.

‘I don’t really understand.’

Cheonbeom’s eyes stared directly at Geonwon Sea, shrouded in 운무 [cloud and mist].

He didn’t see anything in particular.

Just 운무 [cloud and mist].

“It is a place for the Great Dao. Legend has it that Geonwon Sea is a place to achieve the final Dao.”

“The final Dao?”

“Long ago, a respected 수선 [Water Immortal] entered Geonwon Sea, and afterward, the heavens and earth shook, and a new sky opened. In the Upper Realm, they call that sky 대라 [Great Net] and believe that he became a 대라 신선 [Great Net Immortal].”

대라신선 [Great Net Immortal]!

Cheonbeom’s eyes widened.

“Since then, many immortals have entered Geonwon Sea, but….”

The sky has never opened again.

‘I’ve heard something precious.’

A legend is just a legend.

However, he couldn’t stop his heart from fluttering. Cheonbeom’s eyes turned to Geonwon Sea once more.

The ocean where dense 운무 [cloud and mist] rose.

The swaying mist and surging 운무 [cloud and mist] stirred his heart with warmth, unlike before.

But he soon suppressed his excitement.

‘There’s plenty of time.’

Cheonbeom is not a So-seon.

Nor is he a naive child.

There is plenty of time.

Besides this, there are many things he doesn’t know.

It was still his turn to see and hear many things.

It would be a shame to be captivated by just one thing.

The Upper Realm is vast, and what he doesn’t know is as numerous as grains of sand.

It’s fun to learn what you don’t know. He wanted to experience that fun a lot right now.

“Thank you. That was an interesting story.”

“It’s nothing.”

Saha smiled faintly.

She looked ahead again.

However, Cheonbeom spoke again.

“By the way, where are we going?”

“If we travel east for about a month, we will reach 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign] in the Water Realm. We are So-seon from there, and the High Immortal will become an immortal of 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign].”

Before ascending, Cheonbeom had heard a few things about the Upper Realm from Bong.

The Upper Realm is a heaven divided into five realms.

The Immortal Realm that we are familiar with is where humans go.

And the Water Realm is where 영수 [Spiritual Beasts] go. The rest are divided into places that suit their respective Daos.

붕마계 [Pengma Realm], 사계 [Death Realm], 충계 [Insect Realm], and so on.

There are several other realms besides these, but these are the main five.

Cheonbeom was originally a 영수 [Spiritual Beast], so it was natural for the beings of the Water Realm to welcome him.

‘An immortal of 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign]….’

In the Lower Realm, Cheonbeom is the founder of the 백산파 [Baeksan Sect], known as the greatest under heaven.

In the Lower Realm, he is so famous that everyone knows his name, and after ascending, he is revered as 금양대사 [Geumyang Great Master].

However, now that he had ascended and become an immortal of the Upper Realm, he felt a little bitter to think that he was just one of many immortals.

“Well, what kind of place is 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign]?”

Whatever he had become, Cheonbeom, who had a destination assigned to him, was still Cheonbeom. Wherever he set foot, whether it was on the edge of a cliff or in the heavens above, there was no need to discriminate as long as he pursued his own Dao.

The place called 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign] was just another step he had to take.

“상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign] is located in the south of the Water Realm, where the land is fertile and flowers and fields are in full bloom. It is a secluded place, so I am sure the High Immortal will like it.”

“Is that so.”

Cheonbeom nodded indifferently.

One month to the east.

The center of the Upper Realm is Geonwon Sea.

That meant that where Cheonbeom was now was only the entrance to Geonwon Sea.

‘상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign] in the south.’

The south of the Water Realm is close to the 충계 [Insect Realm].

In clockwise order, there are the Immortal Realm, Water Realm, 충계 [Insect Realm], Death Realm, and 붕마계 [Pengma Realm].

‘It seems there is no 접점 [point of contact] with the 충계 [Insect Realm].’

It’s just geographically close, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much 접점 [point of contact].

That’s what it seems like, considering it’s said to be secluded.

He couldn’t make a hasty judgment without knowing the situation, but there didn’t seem to be any major problems.

“Hmm….”

Cheonbeom looked at Tamhwa, who was wrapped around his wrist.

‘If it’s close to the 충계 [Insect Realm], I might have to take Tamhwa there sometime.’

Although she was currently in the form of Oryong, Tamhwa was a 충 [Insect].

He had a duty to show Tamhwa the 충계 [Insect Realm] at least once.

‘Even if that’s not the case, it’s good to look around various places to broaden your horizons.’

The 충계 [Insect Realm], of course, and the Immortal Realm as well.

In the Immortal Realm, there should be Cheonbeom’s disciple, Yeon-a. It was not convenient now, but he wanted to visit there later to check if Yeon-a was doing well.

Cheonbeom suddenly remembered something and asked Saha So-seon.

“By any chance, has any other immortal ascended to the Water Realm besides me?”

“I am sorry. The Water Realm is vast. Unless it is close to 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign], we have no way of knowing the details.”

“…Is that so.”

His face was filled with disappointment.

Saha lowered her head.

“I am sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault.”

“May I ask what it is for?”

At her question, he pondered for a moment.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“I am looking for an old… friend.”

He couldn’t find her even in the Lower Realm.

Since he saw her in 금환선향 [Geumhwan Seonhyang – Golden Ring Celestial Fragrance, a specific location or event].

Cheonbeom had been looking for her all along.

He wondered if she had ascended first, but there was no way to know.

Since that day, she had remained in Cheonbeom’s heart as if she were a burden.

“If you tell me her appearance and name, I will try to find her. My connections are not that extensive, so I cannot be sure, but if she is a High Immortal who has recently ascended, I might be able to find her.”

“I would be grateful if you would.”

He smiled and expressed his gratitude.

Saha didn’t know what to do with his hand that suddenly grabbed hers.

“I was too excited. I apologize.”

“It’s nothing.”

Saha’s face turned red.

Cheonbeom narrowed his eyes as he looked at her face.

‘Strange.’

Thinking so, Cheonbeom leaned deeply against the backrest.

The So-seon named Saha was very strange.

He didn’t know why either.

For some reason, she felt familiar.

It was a feeling he had felt since he first saw her.

But Cheonbeom had never seen Saha before.

That was literally it.

It was a face he had never seen before.

Moreover, this was the Upper Realm.

There was no way he could have seen her somewhere.

Yet, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, so his wariness heightened.

He wondered if all the So-seon of the Water Realm were like that, but he didn’t feel that way about the So-seon who were standing guard beside him.

Cheonbeom tilted his head but soon shook it off.

It had been about three hundred years since he opened the 천로 [Heavenly Path] and ascended to this place.

During that time, he had flown through the 천로 [Heavenly Path] as guided by his energy.

There was no way he wouldn’t be tired.

Cheonbeom, who had become a High Immortal and no longer needed sleep, still found that there was nothing better than sleep to relieve fatigue.

‘Shall I close my eyes for a moment?’

He couldn’t let his guard down, but the So-seon possessed the energy between the 태선 [Great Immortal] and 지선 [Earth Immortal] of the Lower Realm.

Even if a group of So-seon attacked him, they would not be a match for Cheonbeom.

Cheonbeom closed his eyes.

A month passed in an instant.

Buzzing, buzzing.

The palanquin shook.

“What’s going on?”

He frowned and asked.

Saha also narrowed her brow and revealed her emotions as she asked irritably.

“It’s the work of the lower ones. You don’t have to worry about it, High Immortal.”

Curious, he took a peek and saw men fluttering in yellow robes blocking the front of the procession.

A hesitant young So-seon stepped back, and Saha So-seon stepped forward.

“What is the meaning of this? This place is within the jurisdiction of 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign]. There is no reason for you to show your face.”

Her tone was gentle, but Cheonbeom sensed the anger hidden within.

As Cheonbeom thought, the two were not strangers.

Saha’s eyes became fierce as if she were looking at an irreconcilable enemy, and the man gave her a twisted smile.

“How can this place be under the jurisdiction of 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign]? Who can claim Geonwon Sea as their jurisdiction? In terms of location, our 용마골 [Dragon Horse Valley] in the southwest is closer than 상서(祥瑞) [Auspicious Sign] in the south, so it is only right that we serve the High Immortal over there!”

“Nonsense!”

Saha So-seon was furious.

“Aren’t you ashamed to have run away with your tail between your legs when you heard we had reached Geonwon Sea, only to change your words now!”

“I just didn’t think about it at the time. Now that I’ve realized it, shouldn’t I correct it?”

The man in the yellow robe of 용마골 [Dragon Horse Valley] said calmly and gave Cheonbeom a nod.

“Do you think such nonsense will work? It’s not too late now. I advise you to go back quietly.”

She growled, but the man didn’t seem to hear her.

“You can’t reason with her. Then how about this? Since we can’t come to a conclusion, why don’t we let the High Immortal choose?”

“What….”

The So-seon of 용마골 [Dragon Horse Valley] passed her and approached Cheonbeom’s palanquin, clasping his hands in front.

“Nice to meet you, High Immortal. I am Hwangson, the second son of the Hwang family, representing 용마골 [Dragon Horse Valley].”