Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 329

Nangseon Gihwandam – Part 2, Episode 38

The Thunder God, formed from Peng Ga-yeon’s Crimson Lightning, fluttered its wings and gently landed on the wine cup.

It was as if a real butterfly had appeared and taken its place.

It wasn’t just lightning; it was a butterfly, albeit with a slightly unusual appearance.

Beom immediately noticed that Peng Ga-yeon’s Thunder God was extraordinary.

He also realized that her Thunder God was made of Crimson Lightning.

Crimson Lightning.

A type of lightning he also had a deep connection with.

‘Crimson Lightning Lord, Hong-yeon.’

For a moment, his heart swelled, but he quickly regained his composure.

It was indeed the Crimson Lightning of the Crimson Lightning Lord.

However, he couldn’t be certain if it was related to Hong-yeon specifically.

Even in the Lower Realm, the tales of the Crimson Lightning Lord were famous.

So, it wouldn’t be strange if descendants had ascended to the Upper Realm and become one of the great families of the Water Realm.

‘It’s not even certain if Hong-yeon has ascended….’

There was no need to voice such speculation.

It wouldn’t be polite to ask such a personal question upon their first meeting.

“What do you think?”

After gathering his thoughts, Peng Ga-yeon asked for his impression of the Thunder God.

“It’s very beautiful.”

Beom’s impression was genuine.

Due to its inherent nature, most lightning not only affects its surroundings but also possesses a very aggressive tendency.

Lightning is rarely, if ever, described as calm.

Erratic, noisy, and powerful.

That is the common perception of lightning.

‘I’ve never seen a Thunder God like that before.’

But it was the first time he had seen one that didn’t even produce a thunderous sound like hers.

A Thunder God that hardly seemed like lightning at all.

That’s what Beom thought.

“You flatter me.”

She covered her mouth with her sleeve and smiled, as if slightly embarrassed.

Judging from her expression, gestures, and movements, she was undoubtedly a daughter of a prominent family.

Her tone was gentle, but she subtly touched on key points, using her questions to gauge Beom’s character.

Beom also responded appropriately, subtly strengthening the connection between Ho Jun-seong and the Peng family.

There was no harm in fostering such friendships, and Ho Jun-seong and Peng Ga-yeon, from what he had seen so far, were both exemplary Immortals.

“I’ve heard that Sangseo is regaining its former reputation these days, and that it’s all because Celestial Water Immortal has settled there. You must be very versatile.”

Her smiling face was captivating enough to make any man’s heart flutter.

However, Beom was more intrigued by her knowledge of Sangseo than by her beauty.

“Do you know Sangseo?”

Most people don’t even know where Sangseo is located.

The vastness of the Water Realm’s territory certainly played a part, but it was also due to the Sa family’s relatively small size and influence.

But perhaps she was indeed a daughter of a great family.

He couldn’t help but be a little surprised that she claimed to know Sangseo.

“Of course, I know it. In my grandfather’s generation, they were well-acquainted with the Sa family of Sangseo. I grew up hearing stories about them.”

Peng Ga-yeon gently moved the Thunder God, which had been perched on the wine cup, onto her finger.

“The Sa family has been a Fire Qilin [a mythical Chinese creature] clan that has wielded very powerful fire energy since ancient times. I heard that they made great contributions in the Immortal Slaughter War a long time ago, but that event led to great damage. My grandfather also received great恩 [an act of kindness or favor] from Sa-ga during the Immortal Slaughter War, so I have always heard about them.”

“The Immortal Slaughter War…?”

“Yes, it refers to the war waged by the beings of the Death Realm and the Collapse Realm in time with the Tribulation of Slaughter [a period of immense suffering and death]. Many people always face death when that time comes.”

It was the first time he had heard of it.

Even after examining the Sa family’s scriptures, there was no mention of such a story anywhere.

When Beom narrowed his brows, Peng Ga-yeon worried if she had overstepped.

“Did I make some mistake….”

“No. It’s just that I’m hearing this for the first time.”

“I see. It seems I’ve said something unnecessary.”

“No. It was an interesting story. It’s never bad to learn about the history of the family I belong to.”

When Beom’s reaction remained lukewarm, Ho Jun-seong interjected.

“The Immortal Slaughter War is a source of great pain in the Water Realm, so many families choose not to record it. It’s not unreasonable that Celestial Water Immortal doesn’t know about it.”

Moreover, he hasn’t been an Immortal for very long.

It was natural that he wouldn’t know.

“Besides, the Sa family shed a lot of blood in the Immortal Slaughter War, so they must harbor unbearable sorrow.”

* * *

At the same time.

In her room, Gyo Cheong put her hand to her temple and moved her lips, chanting softly.

Then, the Nascent Soul [a spiritual being] of the boy in front of her mirrored her actions, placing his hand to his temple and chanting the same incantation. Soon, something strange, resembling a salamander egg, flowed from the tips of their fingers and floated in the air.

What emerged from the Nascent Soul and Gyo Cheong’s head was none other than memories.

Specifically, her memories.

Immortals who live for tens of thousands of years accumulate countless memories and recollections.

No matter how powerful an Immortal’s memory is, they cannot perfectly recall every moment spanning millennia.

Therefore, they record or store memories in various ways, and Gyo Cheong was now sharing hers with the Nascent Soul.

“Yes, yes, Sangseo and the Sa family. Now I remember.”

The scattered memories in the air coalesced, returning to their proper places.

Only then did Gyo Cheong exhale with satisfaction.

“The Fire Qilin Sa family of the Immortal Slaughter War. Despite making great achievements on the battlefield….”

Due to unfortunate circumstances, the head of the family received the punishment of Tribulation of the Grave [a severe punishment resulting in demotion or death] and fell to the Lower Realm.

The other clans were scattered and dispersed, a family marked by misfortune.

Once a great family that occupied one of the Five Great Families, but now a small family that has been largely forgotten.

Moreover, it is a family on the verge of extinction, with only one descendant remaining.

“All the families in the Water Realm owe their lives to the Fire Qilin of the Sa family, yet no one seems to remember that.”

Gyo Cheong clicked her tongue and threw a piece of paper into the air, then raised her brush.

The writing, completed in a single stroke, flashed along with the talisman and disappeared into the sky.

“If Celestial Martial Immortal emerges from such a Sa family, interesting things might unfold.”

Gyo Cheong recalled the unusual appearance of Sa family’s Sangseon and smiled so deeply that wrinkles formed around her eyes.

“The Five Great Families might tremble in fear. The current Water Realm is undeniably weak. Heroes rise in times of chaos, and nations grow stronger through adversity.”

* * *

Meanwhile.

Cheonbeom finished the drinking party with the Immortals of the Peng family and went straight to find Saha.

He needed to verify the truth of the stories he had heard, and to see if she was already aware of them.

And if he could glean any information about the Peng family, he was eager to listen.

“Saha!”

When he burst open the door, she, who was in the room, was startled and sat down abruptly.

“Wh, what’s going on!”

“I have something urgent to ask. But….”

What was she doing?

Saha was levitating several articles of clothing in the air.

“Were you changing? Should I come back later?”

“No, it’s not that. I just bought some spare 궁장 [formal attire] from Hagon, so I was just looking them over.”

She quickly put away the clothes and invited him to sit down.

“So, what is it that you urgently want to ask?”

“It’s about the Immortal Slaughter War.”

“…How did you learn about that?”

“I heard it from the daughter of the Peng family.”

Saha hesitated whether to share the details or not, but ultimately decided to speak.

“The Immortal Slaughter War is one of the wars that not only the Water Realm but also the Immortals of other realms dread. The Death Realm and the Collapse Realm are perpetually steeped in slaughter, and inflicting harm is their very nature.”

Therefore, they are said to be subjected to the Tribulation of Slaughter just as we are subjected to the Heavenly Tribulation.

It is the Tribulation of Slaughter that they experience more frequently and with greater intensity than others.

The Tribulation of Slaughter is one of the most terrifying tribulations.

Unlike the Heavenly Tribulation or other Five Elements Tribulations, the Tribulation of Slaughter does not manifest immediately.

It accumulates within the body and manifests gradually over time.

When slaughter accumulates, it eventually overflows like an explosion, and one is consumed by that energy, developing a mania to kill everything around them, and there is no known way to subdue it.

“Most of those who experience the Tribulation of Slaughter for the first time choose to seal themselves away. Thus, they wait for the Tribulation of Slaughter to subside.”

However, once slaughter has accumulated, it does not dissipate easily.

The accumulated slaughter must be released in order to disappear.

But how easy is that?

A madman rampages and kills everything in his path; that is the Tribulation of Slaughter.

Because of their unique characteristics, the Death Realm and the Collapse Realm primarily receive the Tribulation of Slaughter, so if left unchecked, they would all descend into madness, and the Death Realm or the Collapse Realm would inevitably perish.

So, they reasoned that it would be better for Immortals of other paths to die rather than those walking the same path, and that marked the beginning of the Immortal Slaughter War.

“When they released those who had succumbed to the Tribulation of Slaughter into other realms, the consequences weren’t as dire for them.”

From the perspective of the Death Realm and the Collapse Realm, they were unleashing mad dogs, and these dogs were harming the forces of other realms on their own. Those who survived returned stronger, making it a more profitable endeavor than they had initially anticipated.

From that point onward, it was named the Immortal Slaughter War, and the war that unfolded at the opportune moment marked its true beginning.

“Thus, our family’s ancestors led the majority of Immortals into the Immortal Slaughter War. They shed much blood and many tears, but even amidst the chaos, hope emerged, and they secured victory for the Water Realm, or so I’ve heard.”

Thanks to this, many people in the Water Realm show utmost respect and gratitude when they see the Fire Qilin crest.

The name of the Sa family became prominent even in the Water Realm, but now that I reflect on it, that might be why they ultimately headed down the path of destruction.

“Too many people died.”

War is war.

The Sa family’s outstanding Immortals perished in frequent battles.

Nevertheless, they selflessly sacrificed themselves for the Water Realm and for the sake of their family.

“Because of that, the family’s power was greatly diminished, and it was gradually undermined by those who envied and resented the Sa family’s achievements.”

That animosity grew even more intense after the war concluded.

The head of the Sa family, who had always stood at the forefront of the battlefield, was falsely accused and suffered the punishment of Heavenly Fall [banishment from the heavens].

“The other collateral families were all scattered, and eventually disappeared without a trace.”

All that they received in return for sacrificing their bodies and working tirelessly for the Water Realm was betrayal.

“Do you know the saying ‘a rabbit dies, a dog is cooked’?”

“I know it.”

토사구팽(兔死狗烹) (Tosagupæng) [idiom meaning: to discard someone after they have outlived their usefulness]

It means that when a rabbit dies, the hunting dog that caught the rabbit is no longer needed and is boiled and eaten by the owner, referring to cases where one is used when needed and discarded heartlessly when not needed.

“The Sa family was 토사구팽.”

They were more dedicated than anyone else, and they practiced 협의 [righteousness/chivalry] more than any other family.

They were a ruthless and fearsome fire demon to the enemy, but a source of warm comfort to their allies.

“What returned to the family that threw their lives away like that was death again.”

When the invasion of foreign forces ended, the family that should have been praised more than any other was the first to be targeted.

There was no place in the Water Realm that had not received the help of the Fire Qilin, yet they turned their backs on the Sa family.

And as time passed, Sa-ga gradually declined and regressed.

Then now, Saha.

She is the only one left.

“Well, that’s the story.”

Saha said with a forced smile, as if it were a tale from a distant past.

But Beom, who was listening, felt a pang of bitterness.

Even though it wasn’t his personal burden, he felt deeply saddened. How must she feel inside?

Even though it was the actions of his ancestors, her difficult life as a descendant was pitiful and heartbreaking.

‘If you were going to be born, you should have been born properly in a better place.’

Of all the possible fates, she was born as the daughter of the Sa family and suffered such hardship.

In his previous life, at least he didn’t suffer because of his family.

“You said you were curious about the Peng family too, right?”

She changed the subject, as if uncomfortable with the somber atmosphere.

Beom had a lot to say.

Various emotions and countless words swirled in his mind.

But.

They remained unexpressed.

“Yeah.”

Beom quietly listened to Saha’s words, who was deliberately chattering.

But he couldn’t truly hear them.

He was simply organizing his thoughts.

He was solidifying his resolve.

Everyone in the Water Realm abandoned their恩 [gratitude] and concealed the past.

That realization was deeply etched in Beom’s mind.