Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 332

Tales of the Divine Swordsman – Part 2, Episode 41

The cloud-formed staircase extending from the Tongcheon Water Palace draped over several spires rising in the lower sky.

These spires, elongated in the four cardinal directions, were the towers that connected to the Tongcheon Water Palace.

Most families were waiting in advance, but the Sa family was unaware.

“How would I know without having been here before?”

He answered shamelessly to my sidelong glance.

Cheonbeom sighed softly, and as he was about to leave, Hojunseong called out to him.

“Let us go together. I had Soseon prepare in advance.”

I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Cheonbeom was growing more fond of Hojunseong.

Paeng Gayeon was also present, which was awkward, but unavoidable.

As they approached the spire together and began to ascend the stairs, many cheered.

These were the residents of the lower sky and those who had gathered to watch the Seondo [immortal cultivation] competition.

With not many things to enjoy, they didn’t pass up such a grand event.

I had heard that Soseon, being almost demigods, lived longer than ordinary humans in the lower realm and experienced more, making them active in seeking entertainment.

It seemed the rumors were true, as many were gathered in the lower sky.

“Did you know that stairs originally represent the path of asceticism?”

One step at a time. Ascending, disciplining oneself, dividing boundaries, and building up stages.

“Therefore, another name has emerged for the Tongcheon Stairway.”

Paeng Gayeon, ascending the Tongcheon Stairway, grinned and said,

“Bultcheon (不天).”

Not (不) Heaven (天).

Meaning, a place that is not heaven for those who are not worthy.

“It means that if someone unworthy ascends, that place is not heaven.”

Saha’s brow furrowed at the meaningful words. Hojunseong as well.

Careless words could greatly offend the listener.

I couldn’t know exactly why Paeng Gayeon said such a thing, but I understood what she meant.

Cheonbeom chuckled and replied,

“I suppose so. If someone unworthy ascends, that place will surely be hell.”

It is a place where those with outstanding talent and ability gather to compete.

Whether there is heaven or hell in the place above the stairs depends entirely on oneself.

Beom and his party immediately stepped onto the Tongcheon Stairway and began to ascend.

There was no time to hesitate.

For the path he walks is his great dao [path or principle].

* * *

Somewhere in the upper realm.

In a damp cave, above a lake, countless red threads were intertwined.

There, a woman was shaking a peculiar bell in her hand, ceaselessly moving her lips and chanting incantations.

The woman, wrapped in white cloth, shook the bell and danced gracefully, stepping on the red threads above the lake.

Clang.

As she danced on the numerous red threads and shook the bell once more, the scenery changed.

It was no longer inside the cave, but beneath a golden sky.

A dazzling dance unfolded beneath the radiant sky.

Suddenly, one of the red threads snapped with a sound like a broken geomungo [Korean zither].

In an instant, the scenery returned to the cave, and the woman’s face turned bitter.

The severed red thread turned black and fell into the pitch-black lake.

The severed red thread never resurfaced.

* * *

It is called the Sangseon Martial Competition.

As the name suggests, the basic rule of the Martial Competition is that various divine artifacts and treasures cannot be used.

Only the martial arts of the Sangseon [high-level immortals].

Only martial arts-related techniques are allowed.

For example, the Gyuncheon Bohwa that Cheonbeom has mastered also falls into this category.

It is both a divine artifact and as much a part of his body, so it is treated as a related technique.

This is because most immortals in the Water Realm master body strengthening techniques and value martial arts more than immortal techniques.

The reason is probably because their divine beast form is their true form, unlike frail humans.

In any case, as soon as Beom entered the Tongcheon Water Palace, he had to participate in the preliminaries.

This was because so many families’ immortals had participated.

Even if the Tongcheon Water Palace was vast, there was no space to accommodate all the families and their dependents, numbering over three digits.

Therefore, they quickly began to hold preliminary rounds to narrow down the number to a dozen.

In just one day, nearly half of the 867 immortals were eliminated.

Half were eliminated in the first preliminary round, and half of the remaining were eliminated in the second preliminary round.

A total of 217 families survived.

Among them were Cheonbeom and Saha.

“I was expecting to compete with genuine Janjan Gyeongjeong [a powerful artifact] at the Martial Competition…”

The preliminary rounds were held with replicas.

Of course, Cheonbeom won easily, and Saha won somewhat precariously but still proudly.

“Genuine Janjan Gyeongjeong is a treasure recognized even within the Water Realm. It’s not something light enough to be put out for preliminary rounds.”

“Is it like the Gucheon Wolbo [another powerful artifact]?”

“Gucheon Wolbo… hmm… well, I don’t know if it’s that level of treasure, but it’s definitely not something light.”

“Is there that big of a difference?”

“There is. In the first place, it hasn’t been long since genuine Janjan Gyeongjeong was used in competitions.”

“What does that mean?”

“Originally, Janjan Gyeongjeong was a treasure passed down from Daera, so its significance is as great as its divine power. It is said that it has overcome the Water Realm’s crisis several times during various wars.”

Such a great item.

Beom was newly surprised.

“But why are they holding a competition with it?”

“Because selecting and training superior Sangseon to become Hyangseon [fragrant immortals, a higher rank] is for the benefit of the Water Realm.”

Indeed, the Water Realm is vast.

There are thousands, tens of thousands, or perhaps even more Sangseon in the Water Realm.

There are bound to be hermits.

And if they are brought into the palace and made into Hyangseon, the Water Realm will become even more solid, so it is a natural choice.

Just having excellent immortals can do many things, and even if they fight because of their respective families’ affairs, they will eventually have to step forward if the Water Realm is in danger.

“For now, rest today. You must be tired from the continuous preliminary rounds. The Martial Competition will be held again in three days.”

Beom, who had grabbed Saha as she was about to leave, sat her back down in her chair.

“Why?”

“I want to know the basis of your main technique.”

“Suddenly?”

“The time has come, and it seems like it will be too late if not now.”

It would be difficult to find a suitable time if not now.

There are three days until the main competition.

It’s an appropriate amount of time.

“The time has come? My main technique has been passed down through the Sa family for generations. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but…”

“It may be poison or benefit to you. But perhaps this was a technique that should have gone to you rather than me.”

Tuk, tuk [sound of tapping].

쿵! [sound of a heavy thud]

Huuuung!! [sound of a resonating hum]

He instantly placed pressure points on her shoulders and back and extended his palm.

The decorations in the room were immediately blown away by Cheonbeom’s energy wave, and the windows and doors flapped like the wings of a Peng bird [a giant mythical bird].

The fluttering doors returned as if rewinding time when Beom scattered his energy again, creaking shut.

“I met someone in the lower realm who carried the karma of Cheonrak [a fallen celestial being]. He called himself a sinner, but now it seems that he was not.”

Saha’s eyes widened.

She didn’t know what he was talking about.

“He is someone I can call a teacher. Although he could not become a teacher because he does not raise disciples, he is like a hermit to me.”

His name is Gi.

“He seems to be one of your ancestors.”

The Hwagirin family in the Water Realm has only been the Sa family, both in the past and now.

It should have been done before, but now I only regret conveying it.

“It is the Taecheon Oeyang Divine Art [a powerful martial art]. How you use this is up to you.”

The Taecheon Oeyang Divine Art has 1 to 12 stars.

Cheonbeom is also a difficult technique that he has not yet progressed beyond 6 stars.

I am conveying all of its incantations.

I hope you will continue his legacy.

Cheonbeom placed his hand on her back and transmitted the flow of the incantations.

Two hours passed in an instant.

Sweat beaded on Saha’s forehead, and her whole body was as hot as a fire.

She was in the process of creating Hwajeong [a state of enlightenment] in addition to the original jade.

There is nothing more I can do.

Beom slowly withdrew his hand.

Saha was still muttering incessantly, perhaps still pondering the incantations, and her eyes were also half-open.

Beom quietly closed the door and went out.

There is no point in disturbing her now, and the preliminary rounds are over, so he intends to wander around the Tongcheon Water Palace for a while.

This is a separate palace located in the east of the Tongcheon Water Palace. It was a separate palace given to those who visited the palace, given to families.

And if you walk a little from here, there is an immortal from another family next door.

But there is no need to become close.

They are all on edge, and they don’t know when they will lose in the competition and return to their hometown, so they think there is no point in building friendships.

For that reason, Beom found a garden that was commonly used within the separate palace.

He wanted to take a walk in the garden and organize his thoughts for a while.

“You were here.”

A welcome face approached.

“We meet again.”

“I thought you would come. It’s nice to see you again in the palace.”

The man who shook hands with Beom was Yang Hwi, the Cheonmu General [celestial martial general] whom he had seen in the Sangseo [a government office] before.

“I was cheering you on from afar. Not that you needed any cheering.”

Beom just smiled.

As he said, the immortals in the preliminary rounds were no match for Beom.

Most of the immortals who ascended from the lower realm had not mastered body strengthening techniques.

And even those whose hometown was the Water Realm could not do anything against Beom’s strengthening.

His body was trained with Gyuncheon Bohwa and various secret techniques, and moreover, he became an immortal by achieving the extreme of Bunhap Sugeol [a high level of martial arts].

Ordinary immortals of the same rank were not his match at all.

‘I wonder if I can find out who created Bunhap Sugeol.’

Perhaps I can find out if I become a Cheonmuseon [celestial martial immortal] and am in a position to examine various scriptures.

“But what brings you here? It doesn’t seem like you just came to greet me.”

The position of Cheonmu General does not seem so light. Especially when the Martial Competition is in full swing like now.

“No. No matter how busy the Martial Competition is, I have this much time. I am also someone’s son and the head of a family.”

“Ah, I see.”

Yang Hwi is the son of the Yang family.

It seems that he has a family and a clan, so he is making time.

He took some time out to visit.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Yes. See you next time.”

“Oh, right.”

Yang Hwi handed over a bracelet.

“I came to find you because of this, but I’m forgetting things as I get older.”

It was a bracelet decorated with gold trim and strange jewels around it.

Beom stared at the jewels and felt like he would be sucked in without realizing it.

It is not an ordinary item at a glance.

“What is this?”

“When you advance to the main competition, you will use genuine Janjan Gyeongjeong. At that time, the contestant’s consciousness will be sucked in, and that bracelet fills the absence of consciousness…”

In short, it was a bracelet to prevent side effects.

“I see. Is Janjan Gyeongjeong such a dangerous item?”

“Haha, everything depends on how you use it. The basis is that everything is used for benefit. This is just out of excessive caution.”

Cheonbeom nodded slightly.

“What happens if I don’t wear this?”

“Hmm… well, those whose consciousness was sucked into Janjan Gyeongjeong on the battlefield never returned. I don’t know what will happen either.”

He says such eerie things so brightly.

As Beom became uncomfortable, Yang Hwi laughed and walked away.

“The point is, you just need to wear the bracelet well. In the first place, you can’t even participate without the bracelet.”

He warned again with a strange look.

“The main competition starts in three days. There is a saying that the morning of the palace is fast, and the mind of an immortal is even faster.”

It’s a meaningful statement.

Yang Hwi smiled strangely and said goodbye.

“The Cheonmuseon selected from the Sangseon Martial Competition is thirty. A thousand Sucheon [water spirits] may work under me.”

“Please take good care of me when that time comes.”

Yang Hwi answered that he understood and disappeared.

Cheonbeom, left alone, muttered while looking at the bracelet he had handed over.

“Participation is impossible…”

The morning of the palace is fast, and the mind of an immortal is even faster.

There is no way he would not know what that means.

“Does that mean it could be stolen?”