Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 293

Nangseon’s Romantic Fantasia – Part 2, Chapter 2

Cheonbeom stared at the Royal Grandson with an expressionless face. He didn’t know what Yongma Valley was, nor did he know about the Hwang Clan.

However, he wasn’t foolish enough to misunderstand the situation unfolding before him.

Cheonbeom was a Sangheo Celestial who had ascended to the Upper World after experiencing considerable hardship.

He could infer the general relationships just by observing the current scene.

‘The Water World isn’t so different, after all.’

His interest quickly diminished.

Even celestials formed clan societies, and power struggles were inevitable.

If that weren’t the case, they wouldn’t be putting on this display in front of him.

“Unlike the Sa Clan, if you come to Yongma Valley under the guidance of the Hwang Clan, I assure you it will be a much better situation than staying in Sangseo where you have nothing. Of course, I don’t intend for this to be just empty words.”

So said the Royal Grandson, as he retrieved a small wooden box from within his robes.

The wooden box appeared to be of high quality, with a turtle pattern engraved on it, seemingly made of aged oak.

Click.

When the wooden box was opened, it revealed what appeared to be a soft handkerchief.

It looked like an ordinary handkerchief.

A distinctive feature was the embroidery of an intricate, indecipherable pattern in red thread.

Cheonbeom realized immediately that it was no ordinary object.

“It is a Celestial Treasure.”

“!!”

Cheonbeom didn’t know the significance, but seeing Saha Soseon’s shock, it was clearly a remarkable item.

“I am still learning about the Upper World and do not yet know the value of this treasure. Would the scion of the Hwang family enlighten me on the worth of this Celestial Treasure?”

“Of course, Celestial!”

The Royal Grandson was overjoyed.

In contrast, Saha’s face was clouded with gloom.

“Celestial Treasure means exactly what it says. It refers to a treasure frequently used by Celestials.”

The meaning was simple.

A Celestial’s treasure.

In other words, it was a treasure with power that a Celestial-level being could utilize.

“It is an ancient treasure, so I cannot know its specific name, but after appraisal, it has been identified as a high-grade Celestial Treasure. It can block attacks from other Celestials, and even withstand a single blow from a Fragrant Celestial [a high-ranking celestial being]!”

Cheonbeom’s eyebrows twitched.

“You’re saying you’ll give me such a valuable treasure?”

“Of course!”

The Royal Grandson said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Cheonbeom glanced at Saha, who remained silent.

“May I ask a few questions?”

“I will answer with complete sincerity.”

“Judging from your actions, you are Soseons [celestial aspirants] belonging to a clan, and you’re doing this because there’s some benefit to taking me with you, correct?”

“Of course. Having one more Celestial in one’s clan can deter disputes with other clans and strengthen defenses against external invasions, so naturally, bringing you in is a great benefit to us.”

“Hmm… I see.”

If the Lower World was a place where cultivators joined groups by establishing sects, here, the clan formed that central structure.

‘Making an ascended Celestial a Celestial of one’s own clan to prevent disputes between clans and defend against external forces…’

Cheonbeom stroked his chin, amused.

“Of course, in addition to this, we will spare no effort in assisting the Celestial’s cultivation. Unlike the Sa Clan of Sangseo, our Hwang Clan has many other Celestials, so there will be many opportunities to share enlightenment and guidance.”

“Hoo….”

In other words, the Sa Clan of Sangseo, where Saha Soseon belonged, didn’t have a single Celestial.

The Royal Grandson glanced at Saha’s darkening face, seemingly dying of amusement, and continued to speak incessantly.

“Moreover, Sangseo is close to Chunggye, where frequent battles occur. Did Saha Soseon inform you of that fact?”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

Saha’s face turned pale.

He hung his head like a sinner and bit his lip tightly.

“I knew it!”

The Royal Grandson clapped his hands as if he had known it all along and sneered coldly.

“Most of the area has been devastated by frequent battles, so there’s nothing to see. If you go to such a desolate place, you won’t receive any special assistance. You might become food for the Seonchungs [celestial insects] that constantly invade before you can even achieve the Great Dao [the ultimate enlightenment], and even if that doesn’t happen, there’s no reason to go to a place that will obviously hinder your cultivation.”

The Royal Grandson’s words made sense.

The cause and effect were well-reasoned, and through the conversation, he highlighted the advantages of Yongma Valley and the disadvantages of Sangseo, thoroughly emphasizing which was more beneficial.

Unlike the Royal Grandson, Saha was silent.

The Soseons of Sangseo around him also had darkened faces.

Cheonbeom crossed his arms.

“What do you have to say about that?”

He asked Saha.

She closed her eyes tightly as if bracing for the inevitable.

When Saha Soseon remained silent, the Royal Grandson sneered and spoke instead, as if he knew it would happen.

“The Celestial is unfamiliar with the situation in the Water World, so he must have been trying to lure you to Sangseo by exploiting that fact. It’s obvious. Which Celestial would willingly join a clan that’s already ruined? Staying in a declining clan would only lead to hardship.”

“Ruined! Your words are a bit harsh. Our Sa Clan is not ruined.”

“I see. It was merely in the process of being ruined.”

Saha clenched her fist.

It seemed that their decline was indeed true.

She then took a deep breath.

And then she knelt down.

“Celestial, I apologize for not informing you of this in advance. But I swear on Sangseo, I have never lied to you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Seonchungs often appear in Sangseo, but they can be handled by the Soseons. And the Seonchungs appear mostly far away from where the Celestial will be staying, so they will not interfere with the Celestial’s cultivation. The reason I didn’t mention it is because I was confident that I could keep the promise I made to the Celestial.”

The Royal Grandson shook his head with a sneer, as if there was nothing more to hear.

After pondering for a moment, Cheonbeom looked at the Celestial Treasure in the wooden box held by the Royal Grandson.

“Sa Soseon.”

“Yes.”

“The Hwang family has prepared a small token of sincerity for me, but does the Sa family have nothing similar to offer?”

“We, we… we don’t have the resources to offer a treasure like the Celestial Treasure. But one thing I can assure you is… more sincerely than any other clan, no, I can say that we will dedicate everything to the Celestial!”

“Ha! Dedicate everything… Are you perhaps suggesting you’ll dedicate your body? As far as I know, that’s the only thing the Sa Clan has left to offer, haha!”

Even in the face of the Royal Grandson’s sarcasm, there was no wavering in Saha’s eyes.

Cheonbeom quietly stared at her.

‘This is troublesome.’

It was difficult to decide.

Going to the Hwang family was somewhat unappealing, and going to the Sa family was also ambiguous.

Honestly, since he didn’t know anything about the situation in the Water World, it didn’t seem like a good idea to make a decision now.

‘It’s because I’m ignorant.’

He didn’t yet understand the Water World.

That’s why he couldn’t decide.

There might be other, better clans to join besides the Hwang and Sa clans.

If not, wandering around as a Nangseon [a wandering celestial] might not be a bad thing.

Being affiliated with a clan meant being bound to that clan.

Being entangled and restricted.

If he could avoid being bound by such things, he preferred to do so.

He had become a Celestial, but he didn’t know what the Celestials of the Upper World did to live.

That’s why Cheonbeom had simply followed Saha Soseon’s lead.

But looking at how things were going, it seemed like he couldn’t continue like this.

“Do I necessarily have to join any clan?”

When he asked that, Saha and the Royal Grandson blinked, surprised, and then answered.

“O-Of course.”

“Why is it so obvious?”

It wasn’t obvious to Cheonbeom, but it seemed obvious to them.

“The Celestial is a Suseon [an ascended cultivator] who ascended from the Lower World. Then, of course, you have to undergo the Initial Tribulation [a celestial trial], but how can you undergo the Initial Tribulation as a Nangseon?”

“Initial Tribulation?”

“Yes. Ascended Suseons undergo the Heavenly Tribulation [a trial by heaven] a thousand years after ascending to the Upper World. It is called the Initial Tribulation, and it is such a powerful Heavenly Tribulation that it cannot be endured by one’s own strength alone, so ascended Suseons usually overcome the Heavenly Tribulation together with the help of their clan. If you face the Initial Tribulation alone, almost all will perish.”

“….”

It was a story he had never heard before.

“Perhaps the Lower World where the Celestial originated had limited knowledge of the Upper World.”

“You speak as if there are multiple Lower Worlds.”

“Of course. I am aware of more than a few Lower Worlds.”

“…I see.”

It was a fact he hadn’t known.

“Then are there multiple Upper Worlds as well?”

“I do not know about that.”

“Hmm… Anyway, you’re saying that the power of the clan is needed to withstand that Initial Tribulation, so I can’t wander around as a Nangseon.”

“That’s right. Once you endure the Initial Tribulation, the subsequent Heavenly Tribulations depend on timing and luck, so I understand it depends on heavenly fortune.”

Cheonbeom nodded.

The Royal Grandson and Saha had astonished faces, as if they were surprised he knew so little.

Cheonbeom coughed awkwardly.

“Then….”

The Royal Grandson asked subtly.

It was a veiled request for him to make a decision now.

‘I have no choice but to join a clan.’

Anyway, according to the current information, joining a clan had become a prerequisite.

He had to prepare for the Initial Tribulation that would arrive a thousand years from now.

‘Considering the various factors, it is more reasonable to join the Hwang Clan.’

Cheonbeom frowned as he looked at Saha.

“I….”

The moment Cheonbeom opened his mouth.

Weeeeeeeeee!!

The sound of insects vibrated from all directions.

“Oh, Seonchungs!”

“A swarm of Seonchungs at this time….”

The Seonchungs resembled giant overturned cauldrons.

They looked like beetles.

Watching them fly in swarms, it was as if cauldrons were soaring through the air.

The Soseons buzzed with alarm.

The Royal Grandson’s eyes widened like lanterns, and he staggered back, while Saha glared at the annoying creatures as if looking down on them.

It was a starkly contrasting reaction.

The Royal Grandson seemed to fear the Seonchungs, while Saha seemed to despise them.

“What are you doing! They’re coming! Prepare yourselves and realign the ranks!”

The Sa Clan’s Soseon procession retrieved armor from beneath their fluttering robes and armed themselves as if they had never been flustered.

Strangely, they didn’t take out any weapons, but they all seemed to prefer martial arts, banging their fists together.

Even if they were Soseons, were they still gods?

Every time they bumped their fists, a sound like striking steel rang out.

Saha was no exception.

She tied her hair up tightly and rushed straight at the Seonchungs.

It was a swift movement.

Kwaang!! Her fist slammed directly into a Seonchung.

Chwaak! The hard carapace shattered, and when she pulled out her fist from inside, the Seonchung’s crimson blood splattered everywhere.

Unlike her delicate appearance, she moved like a beast.

‘She inherited the bloodline of a divine beast….’

She was indeed a force of nature.

With her in the lead, the Sa Clan’s Soseons also began to fight fiercely with the Seonchungs.

“Get rid of those buggers quickly!”

The Royal Grandson hid behind the Soseons and issued commands.

His dignified appearance was nowhere to be found; he looked like a frightened mouse.

At his command, the Hwang Clan’s Soseons also began to fight the Seonchungs.

They mainly practiced body strengthening techniques, so they fought directly with their bodies without using treasures.

‘That’s impressive.’

If they were going to fight with bare fists like that, it would be more effective to return to their true forms and fight, but they didn’t do that.

At most, there were only a few incomprehensible scales on their fists.

It seemed to be the influence of body strengthening techniques.

‘Gauntlets, huh.’

Before he knew it, small gauntlets were equipped on Saha’s hands.

Her gauntlets began to spew fire and attack the Seonchungs.

The fire spewed from the gauntlets moved and swirled as if it were alive.

Her flames soon gathered into a single circle and emitted a dazzling light.

“Crude, but….”

It resembled a small sun.

“Interesting.”