Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 30

Nangseon’s Romantic Fantasia – 29

Same time.

“I have completed the order as you commanded!”

An old man was prostrated on the floor.

Around him, the cloying stench of blood and chunks of flesh were scattered everywhere. Judging by the attire of the corpses, they appeared to be female monks from the Emei Sect.

Just then, a man standing before the old man suddenly plunged his hand deep into the abdomen of a corpse.

“Hiek!”

The old man, startled, made a sharp sound.

The old man, with his deeply wrinkled face, was Manho, who had once known Sangoon.

“There are no useful ones. Is this all?”

The man cut open the abdomen and took out something that looked like a bead from inside.

It was the golden core of a Taoist, created upon reaching Doseon [a high level of spiritual attainment in Taoism].

He looked at it with a displeased expression and then threw it to the ground. The Taoist’s golden core soon billowed with hazy smoke before bursting and disappearing.

“The golden cores of Doseon guys are too weak. It would take a Biseon [an even higher level of spiritual attainment, bordering on immortality] to regain my former power…”

The man muttered to himself and then looked at the trembling old man.

“Ah, there are still many Doseon! There are also Sword Immortals!”

The old man, seemingly terrified, swallowed hard and shouted loudly.

The man had skin as red as blood, and with a bald head and long horns, he resembled a demon.

“I know, so shut up.”

The man took out a candle from his pocket.

He held it under the noses of the corpses and moved his lips, causing wisps of grayish smoke to rise from their noses and mouths.

Soon, an jade-colored flame lit on the candle, and the man went to each of the dead bodies, repeating the same action.

‘He’s taking their souls!’

Even Manho, who had experienced the ups and downs of life, was taken aback by the man’s act of devouring the souls of the dead. Calming his startled heart, Manho opened his mouth haltingly.

“S, Samgui-nim [Respectful title for Samgui]. The thing you p, promised me…”

“Don’t rush me. Unlike humans, I, Samgui (Three Ghosts), do not break promises.”

“Yes! O, of course. Heh heh!”

The candle was much larger than before, flickering while emitting a bizarre moan. He looked at it and slowly opened his mouth. The candle emitted a ghostly wail and then, in an instant, vanished into Samgui’s mouth.

* * *

-Sangoon.

-What.

-Are you going to keep doing that?

-I have to do as a mere Sword Immortal tells me. What choice do I have?

Sangoon was gathering spirit herbs as ordered by the Doseon of the Ice Palace.

If there was a rare spirit herb among them, he would secretly put it in the Gongjeong River to fill his belly. Since there was nothing else to do, he had to have some fun.

-Oh! Isn’t this a Gwangryeongcho [a rare spirit herb] that sprouts only by consuming the spiritual power of Gwangryeongmugon!

-Yeongnae Mountain is indeed Yeongnae Mountain. To see such rare spirit herbs. But isn’t that Gwangryeongcho a mad grass that drives you crazy if you eat it wrong? How can you put that in your pocket?

-Heh heh, Hwaran. No matter how much you pretend to know in front of me, this Sangoon knows twice as much as you-

“Hey! What are you doing with your hands! Can’t you hurry up!”

“…….”

“Hey! What’s wrong with this guy!”

“…I’m sorry. I’ll hurry.”

Sangoon lowered his head with a sour look and quickly brought the spirit herbs to the Doseon.

-Keuheuheu!

Hwaran’s laughter made his face turn red and blue. But there was nothing he could do in his position as a Sword Immortal.

-You’re being punished for showing off. Aren’t you?

-Shut up.

Muttering with his lips pouted, Hwaran’s laughter grew louder.

The one who scolded Sangoon was the only male immortal (男仙) of the Ice Palace, Taoist Taechan, who was in the Later Stage of Doseon.

“Disciple Yeon.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

“Can you set up a Hwanjin (幻陣) [Illusionary Formation]?”

The sudden request to set up a Hwanjin startled not only the female immortals but even the Sword Immortals, who reached for their swords.

“…I understand.”

Disciple Yeon reached for the Gongjeong River, which she wore like a bracelet on her wrist.

As an amber light burst forth, she took out dozens of treasures with bronze mirrors attached to long rods.

-It’s Gyeonghwanpae (鏡幻貝) [Mirror Illusion Shells].

The female immortals, as if familiar with it, picked up the Gyeonghwanpae and inserted them here and there.

There were a total of 13 Gyeonghwanpae.

Taoist Taechan attached a talisman to the Gyeonghwanpae in the center and moved his lips.

Then, the mountain range, which had been lush with trees, rippled. The Taoists of the Ice Palace all sat cross-legged, put their hands together, and chanted spells.

The Sword Immortals, not knowing what was going on, drew their swords and guarded their surroundings.

“Disciple Baekryeon. Please stand guard in case something happens.”

Seonja Baekryeon nodded slightly. Seeing this, Taechan closed his eyes and concentrated his mind.

At that moment, the Gyeonghwanpae suddenly emitted pure spiritual energy.

The mirrors flashed brightly, and soon a thick fog gathered, and a chilly wind blew.

As the situation turned strange, Sangoon secretly took out a ginseng that looked like a person from the Gongjeong River.

-Hide until I say it’s okay.

-What’s going on?

It was a ten-thousand-year-old child ginseng, Mansam, that he had obtained.

Sangoon gave some instructions, and Mansam nodded and disappeared into the ground.

After organizing his thoughts, Sangoon pulled out a sword from his waist.

It was an unknown sword that he had taken from a Sword Immortal, but it was not a bad sword.

“Sword Immortals, split into groups of five and guard the perimeter of the Hwanjin!”

Taechan suddenly ordered.

The Sword Immortals looked at each other and formed pairs before stepping into the fog.

There were fifteen Sword Immortals besides the ten who came from the Ice Palace, so they had to split up.

Sangoon stepped into the Hwanjin with the Sword Immortals he had roughly made eye contact with.

‘It’s called guarding, but…’

It was no different from being bait, wandering around the Hwanjin until the situation was over.

The Sword Immortals were unaware of this and were full of expectations. It was a natural reaction, as they might become disciples of the Ilwol Gate if they made a contribution.

‘Are they believing what that guy said?’

The Doseon set up a Hwanjin.

That meant that something dangerous had appeared to them as well.

They should know that it was not a place for Sword Immortals to step in, but they were so blinded by merit that they each drew their swords and eagerly looked around.

Sangoon turned his eyes away from them and suddenly swung his sword into the air. Flames soared from his sword, creating a Fire Path (火道) along the blade before disappearing.

It was the Jinhwa Sword Art (鎭火劍訣) [a specific sword technique focused on fire manipulation] that he had learned on the way to Banggok.

“Kkaeaeaeck!”

At that moment, the scream of a monster echoed.

The monster, split in two in an instant, was a locust the size of a human torso, a Hwangchung (蝗蟲) [a type of giant locust].

“To cut down an Il Tong Spirit Insect [a low-level spirit beast] in one strike… You’re quite skilled.”

He smiled slightly at their admiration and cut open the Hwangchung’s belly, putting the inner core in his pocket.

‘Hwangchung don’t usually travel alone.’

Moreover, they wouldn’t have set up a Hwanjin for just Hwangchung.

How strong was his divine sense that he sensed a presence that even Sangoon couldn’t feel?

It showed that Taechan’s training was deeper than expected.

‘Because of the Hwanjin, I can’t even feel the presence, let alone see what’s there.’

Even if he sent out his divine sense into the air, the Hwanjin would interfere with it, making it difficult.

The screams erupting from here and there only served to illustrate the gloomy situation.

He felt like he could figure it out if he put his mind to it, but that would require revealing his hidden power, which was a bit troublesome.

‘Does it matter?’

As the saying goes, Gadonggaseo (可東可西) [meaning ‘it doesn’t matter which way you go’], it doesn’t matter whether they live or die.

Rather, if it becomes a scene of carnage and he can move alone, that wouldn’t be bad either.

As a spirit beast, he won’t have many opportunities to come to Yeongnae Mountain in the future.

So, if there are opportunities to be gained, it would be good to seize them now.

-Hwaran. What are the ways to break a Hwanjin?

-The first is to find and destroy each of the Gyeonghwanpae. Or break the eye of the Hwanjin… Or destroy the Hwanjin itself with a powerful divine power.

-Is there a way for me to sneak out alone?

-How could there be such an easy way? The Hwanjin itself is designed to prevent enemies from escaping.

Tsk.

Clicking his tongue, he abandoned the Sword Immortals fighting desperately and began to walk wherever his feet led him.

Since there was nothing he could do, he decided to take this opportunity to properly experience the Hwanjin.

In the future, he might have to deploy a Hwanjin himself, so it wouldn’t be bad to gain some insight.

* * *

“Senior Brother, why did you even set up a Hwanjin? You didn’t have to go this far for just Hwangchung.”

Disciple Yeon said, looking at Senior Brother Taechan.

No matter how many Hwangchung swarmed together, it wasn’t enough to set up a Hwanjin.

Maintaining the Hwanjin alone wastes a lot of spiritual power. It was like using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken to deal with mere Hwangchung.

“Have you heard of Yoyukchohak (搖六貂謔) [Shaking Six Sable Mockery]?”

“Yoyukchohak? I’ve never heard of it.”

The other female immortals also blinked their eyes, nodding their heads as if they were the same.

“Yoyukchohak is a demon beast that was greatly renowned in the Manbo Era [an ancient era in the story’s world]. They are famous for moving in groups, instinctively using the divine power of Hwanjin to mock their opponents before killing them cruelly. They were eradicated early on due to their cruelty, so they are rare these days.”

“Are you saying that demon beasts can deploy Hwanjin?”

“Yes. But fortunately, they are Il Tong demon beasts, so we can catch them if we don’t let our guard down. Their inner cores are very helpful when refining Gyeonghwanpae, so we can make the Hwanjin even stronger!”

Taechan fluttered his robe and sent a talisman flying.

“I will rush out as soon as their strength wanes, so the disciples should maintain the Hwanjin, and Disciple Baekryeon should stand guard as before.”

Getting up from his seat, he suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising and thought.

‘In the Manbo Era, when Hwanjin was not yet prosperous, a Seonin [a type of immortal] created Hwanjin by observing Yoyukchohak! If we catch and refine them, a Bogu [a powerful magical artifact] might be born!’

Hiding his joyful heart, he disappeared into the misty fog.

* * *

Same time.

Kwang!

A sudden explosion shook the bushes.

Immediately after, a sharp voice echoed loudly through the mountains.

“Stop, hand it over to me! I can spare your life!”

“Ha! Even a snot-nosed kid wouldn’t fall for such lies!”

What was running with his eyebrows fluttering was Byeokryeop of the Mudang [a Taoist sect].

But unlike his spirited cry, his complexion was not very good.

His long robe was soaked with blood and dust, indicating that he had been in a fierce battle. The Doseon and numerous Sword Immortals who had been by his side were nowhere to be seen.

‘This is a disaster.’

He never imagined that the Doseon of Mount Tai would wield such a powerful Bobe [a magical treasure or artifact]. He was caught off guard and suffered in an instant.

He was barely escaping alone, but Byeokryeop’s face was turning pale as the pursuit closed in on him every moment.

At that moment.

Byeokryeop’s eyes widened as he suddenly looked back and threw himself away.

Kwaang!

A pile of dirt scattered, and trees were caught in the explosion and soared into the sky.

The smoke slowly cleared.

At the center of the explosion, a round sphere with layers of talismans stacked on it floated gently. That must be the Taetanbo (太彈寶) [Grand Explosive Treasure] that Mount Tai (太山) boasts of.

‘Damn it…!’

Byeokryeop quickly kicked off the ground.

The Taetanbo was a Bobe in the form of a bead, and each time it was impacted, the attached talismans would cause a large explosion.

Byeokryeop also possessed considerable Bobe, but it did not surpass the Taetanbo, so there was nothing he could do. There was no point in colliding head-on, as it would only damage his own Bobe.

“Hahaha! Is running away with your tail between your legs the teaching of the Mudang!”

Gritting his teeth.

To think he would even insult another sect. How is he going to handle the aftermath if this gets out! After lamenting for a moment, Byeokryeop bit his lip.

‘He’s planning to Sakjugulgeun (削株堀根) [to uproot everything/eliminate completely].’

To him, he must be a root of disaster that must be killed and eliminated.

Even if he handed over the Geumjangjitae [Golden Palm Earth Tablet] willingly, he would surely kill him.

Otherwise, it could lead to a dispute between sects and a Seondojun (仙道戰) [Immortal War], so how could he not?

Even he would have gladly committed Sarinmyeolgu (殺人滅口) [killing everyone to silence them].

“Heot!”

Before he knew it, the surroundings were filled with fog.

“Hwanjin?”

He had entered a Hwanjin without realizing it.

Byeokryeop, whose face had turned pale, smiled deeply enough to make wrinkles appear after a moment.

He thought the guy had deployed a Hwanjin to kill him, but upon closer inspection, it was a Hwanjin deployed by a Doseon from another sect.

“Hahaha!”

Byeokryeop rejoiced greatly and walked into the misty fog.

After a while.

“This is…”

The Doseon of Mount Tai, Gojun (顧遵), looked at the Hwanjin with a troubled face.

“Senior Brother, what do we do? He went into the Hwanjin.”

“This is… Ice Palace! It’s the Ice Palace’s Baekbingjinyeonmu (百氷晉撚霧) [Hundred Ice Advancing Twisting Mist]!”

After pondering for a moment, Gojun looked at his junior brothers’ faces for a moment before nodding.

“I’m going in.”

“But!”

“I have a plan. Follow me without saying another word! We must kill the Ice Palace as well. Not even the word ‘Geum’ from Geumjangjitae must be revealed!”

As Gojun entered after saying that, his junior brothers also disappeared into the misty fog.

Sreureuk.

As they disappeared, a new figure appeared.

A man with red skin and a wrinkled old man.

They were Samgui and Manho.

Samgui looked at the Hwanmu with an interesting expression and sneered.

“It’s just a Hwanjin deployed by Doseon.”

And then, he took out dozens of centipedes from his pocket and chanted a spell towards the Hwanjin.

Then, the centipedes grew three times larger and turned into red streaks of light, flying into various parts of the Hwanmu.

“May I ask?”

Samgui, glancing at the old man, twisted the corners of his mouth while looking at the Hwanmu.

“It’s simple. This Hwanjin is the Ice Palace’s Baekbingjinyeonmu. It’s the Hwanjin of the sect to which that bastard belongs.”

Samgui, who had been boiling with murderous intent, suddenly gathered his energy.

“My Bokchung (蠱蟲) [Gu insect/poisonous insect] will find the Bobe and twist the Hwanjin even more. If that happens, they won’t be able to control this Hwanjin.”

“Are you saying you can do that to someone else’s Hwanjin?”

“It’s just something made by Doseon. There’s nothing this Samgui can’t take. Now, enough with the chatter. I need to devour their souls as soon as possible to regain my original power.”

Samgui entered the Hwanmu with an eerie laugh, and Manho, the old man, followed him with a face full of tension.

A nameless weed that had been watching all of this swayed and disappeared into the Hwanmu.