Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 364

Nangseon’s Romantic Fantasia – Part 2, Chapter 73

“Burp.”

Tanhwa patted his bulging belly and burped contentedly.

When Cheonbeom started to stroke Tanhwa’s head as if he were his own daughter, the Venerable One shook his head with a smile.

“What a peculiar bond.”

To hear that their connection had been ongoing since the Lower World, even the Venerable One, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, couldn’t help but be amazed.

Bokchung becoming an excellent Sangseon [a high-ranking celestial official], and Chungseon still following his master despite that.

“It’s not an easy bond to come by.”

He affirmed, looking at Tanhwa with affectionate eyes.

‘Bokchung’s fate is to be enslaved and exploited, bound by magic from before his spiritual awakening.’

Therefore, when they later ascend to the ranks of gods, most tend to kill their masters and seek their own lives.

However, Tanhwa was not like that; rather, he followed him as a master or even a father, which only made the Venerable One marvel.

“A descendant of Tam…”

His notoriety spread far and wide, not only in the Lower World but also in the Upper World, as the most ferocious of the ferocious beasts.

The one who tried to swallow the sky but ended up swallowing himself.

It was only natural to be curious.

“Are there no descendants of Tam in the Upper World?”

“It wouldn’t be accurate to say there were many, but there were some. After all, he was a notoriously evil being. Even if he was a vicious beast causing harm, one couldn’t deny his immense power.”

Many cultivators took interest, and upon hearing that he was a descendant of Tam, everyone wanted to get their hands on him.

They sought to glimpse the traces of Tam flowing in his blood, took him as a disciple, or researched him through various experiments.

However, most of Tam’s lineage were destined to be short-lived because of the greed inherent in their bloodline.

“In their infancy, they could somehow suppress it, but once they grew a little older…”

It was impossible to suppress.

Wasn’t Tam himself the one who ate and ate until he devoured himself?

His descendants were greatly influenced by this, and most couldn’t resist their greed, meddling in various things until they all met an early demise.

As a result, the bloodline naturally thinned and began to disappear, and now it’s a reality that they can’t be seen.

“Tanhwa doesn’t have any of that, except for being a bit of a glutton.”

“It seems so to me as well. I don’t know if this child is just special… or if it’s because you raised him well.”

Cheonbeom thought of Tanhwa as his daughter.

‘It might be because he’s still young, but who knows what will happen later…’

You never know.

Knowing this, the Venerable One didn’t want to say anything that might jinx it.

“Anyway, seeing Tanhwa’s appearance earlier, you’ve really raised him well. Originally, he was an Ogong [a type of celestial insect] with Tam’s blood, right? To raise him into an Oryong [a powerful dragon-devouring insect] that eats dragons, I understand why you cherish him so much.”

Originally, the natural enemy of dragons is the centipede’s poison, but even in the Upper World, Oryong are rare.

One of the prerequisites for an Ogong to become an Oryong is to devour thousands, even tens of thousands, of dragons.

Even if it’s not a dragon, the same goes for a gyoryong [a dragon-like creature] that inherited the dragon’s blood.

No matter how much the centipede is the natural enemy of the dragon, there aren’t many centipedes that can do that.

In any case, the Venerable One praised Tanhwa and Cheonbeom, who raised him, to the point of exhaustion.

“Haha, why are you praising me so much?”

“No, no, this is truly something to be praised for. There are few who have a harmonious relationship with Bokchung like you, and even fewer who have raised him so wonderfully.”

“Ahem, I didn’t do anything. I’m not just saying this because he’s like my daughter, but it’s thanks to Tanhwa for growing up so well on his own. He’s smart and has a kind heart, and when you look at him, you can’t imagine how pretty his heart is. Before, when my condition wasn’t good, he held back from eating what he wanted and gave it to me.”

Originally, parents are stingy with their own praise but become talkative when it comes to praising their children.

Even Cheonbeom, who wasn’t very talkative, unloaded a bundle of child praise like a burst dam when it came to Tanhwa.

“Not only that, but if Tanhwa had the power to suppress his peers who didn’t listen to him, he could have, but he didn’t, and he maintained a harmonious relationship. Even old men suppress others with force in today’s world, and that’s all I could show.”

Cheonbeom confessed his always apologetic heart along with praise.

“Tanhwa’s capacity is broad and deep, and he may become a Da Luo Divine Immortal [a high-level immortal] in the future. Anyway, he has enough potential.”

The Venerable One closed his mouth.

If he agreed any more, he felt like he would hear all sorts of things.

“Anyway, now that things are roughly settled, let’s leave. Tanhwa must be full, and there’s no reason to stay any longer.”

“Yes, let’s.”

As they were about to set off again, Tanhwa whined to be carried on his back, so he carried him and used Dunsul [a type of magical transportation] to split the sky.

* * *

Underground of the Great Heaven Palace.

The Great Heaven Military Officer once again seeped into the darkness.

The reason was the sudden disappearance of the Head of Civil and Military Affairs of the Water Palace.

She knew that it was in the Chunggye [a chaotic realm] through the secret technique hanging on Yeonghwabi, but she couldn’t know whether Cheonbeom was alive or dead.

[He is alive, so don’t worry.]

The returned answer was fortunate amidst misfortune.

[It’s Chunggye… rather, that place is better than the Sugye [the water realm].]

“What do you mean?”

[Chunggye is a place where the law of survival of the fittest is strongly established. But surprisingly, there aren’t many who harbor ulterior motives. Rather, it can be seen as clean. A lot of time has passed, but Chunggye is the only place that maintains its primordial appearance.]

“Are you saying that place is more suitable for the Head of Civil and Military Affairs?”

[I’m saying there’s a lot to gain. Besides, he’ll be back soon. Send him to the Seon World [the immortal realm] then.]

“Why are you sending him to the Seon World?”

[The law of causality is calling him to the Seon World. Going there is better than being in the Sugye. A man should see a wide world.]

Unable to understand, the Great Heaven Military Officer chose to agree rather than ask again.

It was impossible for her to fathom her intentions even if she asked.

There was that much of a wall between her and herself.

“Then I…”

[Saha, was it?]

“Yes, I am currently serving as a Jong 6-grade Seonsalsinjang [a low-ranking celestial guard].”

[It would be good to raise the Sa Clan. For the sake of the Sugye and for your sake.]

Leaving only those words, the voice disappeared, and soon, light shone around the dark surroundings.

“For my sake…”

The Great Heaven Military Officer smiled bitterly, chewing on her words.

* * *

Manmanchungro.

A place where ten thousand times ten thousand, an uncountable number of insects gather.

That is Manmanchungro.

In such a Manmanchungro, a mystical animal with white fur, not an insect, appeared.

A fox of ordinary size with soft-looking white fur.

It was Cheonbeom’s Bibi.

And behind the fox, Cheonbeom and the Venerable One revealed themselves.

“This is Manmanchungro.”

Ordinary buildings are not easily seen on the land of Chunggye.

Ordinary thatched houses, palaces, or pavilions do not exist.

Most of them were made by creating huge towers out of mud or living inside trees.

It was truly primitive, but it could also be said to be nature-friendly.

What is the primordial energy of heaven and earth in the first place?

That’s what they call the energy of heaven and earth, and that’s Seon energy [immortal energy].

They live in trees, live in mountains, live underground, or live in clouds.

The place where you can’t find traces of pavilions and palaces that are commonly seen in Sugye is Chunggye.

Cheonbeom was gradually becoming accustomed to Chunggye’s lifestyle.

“Manmanchungro is a fierce place to live, eating and being eaten!”

The Venerable One suddenly shouted excitedly.

Then, someone responded from behind a randomly grown tree.

“And above the Seonchungs [lesser insects] there are Chungsuns [greater insects], and above the Chungsuns, the Chunggun [insect lords], called Guns, reign!”

The man who suddenly appeared was a Chungsun whose whole body was dyed green.

“Do you know him?”

“No, I just saw him for the first time.”

When Cheonbeom gave him a glare, he smiled awkwardly and replied.

“That was like a ritual of Manmanchungro. It’s the rule to say it like this.”

Cheonbeom, who was a little surprised, soon agreed.

It seems they have their own rules.

Soon, the faint presences began to reveal themselves in an instant.

“They’re starting to gather.”

Cheonbeom was nervous, thinking that the Chunggun who ruled Manmanchungro might appear, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

What he felt were the appearances of Chungsuns and numerous Seonchungs.

But something was a little strange.

“Why are they showing killing intent?”

They exuded a fierce killing intent and narrowed in as if looking at prey.

“You are strong, so it’s okay. I acknowledge you. But you are not. Express your strength!”

One of the Chungsuns with a green appearance pointed at Cheonbeom and shouted.

‘What nonsense is that?’

Unlike the embarrassed Cheonbeom, the Venerable One nodded as if it were natural.

“Even in Chunggye, Manmanchungro has a bit of a harsh code. I’m also curious about how strong you are, so go wild for a while.”

“Are you telling me to fight them now?”

“If you don’t fight, you won’t be recognized by them. If you’re not recognized, you can’t meet the Chunggun, and you can’t live here. But if you fight once, they’ll consider you a neighbor worthy of recognition.”

Cheonbeom understood after hearing the Venerable One’s words.

Chunggye, where the law of survival of the fittest is strongly established, expresses itself with strength.

And they live with those who have the strength they recognize as neighbors and friends.

It was a very simple and clear code.

“What if I lose fighting them?”

“Even if you lose, if you have enough strength to be recognized, you’ll become their neighbor. But…”

If you don’t have that power, you die.

“The weak are just prey.”

Cheonbeom looked at the large and small Seonchungs and the Chungsuns who were in the form of Talhyeong in front of him.

The numerous scars on the bodies of the Seonchungs in Manmanchungro are connected like records of their lives.

Each of the Seonchungs here had a sharpness that could not be seen in the Sugye.

It was different from the Un Eun Ogong or the Nancho Dangrang he had encountered in Chunggye.

If they were unrefined raw forms, the Seonchungs here were refined and processed shining ones.

Each one felt a formidable momentum and pride in their own power.

“You, like me. But I am stronger than you. Can you be my neighbor?”

The way he spoke was strange, but he knew what he was trying to say.

“Good. I’ll play along.”

He hadn’t properly used his strength since his body recovered.

These guys here aren’t bad.

It seems like there’s no need to control his strength.

As Cheonbeom took a stance, the Seonchungs quietly took their places in a circle.

Then, the most ferocious-looking of the Seonchungs stepped forward.

It was a beetle with a heavy body and a brown carapace gleaming all over.

‘Do the Seonchungs of Manmanchungro have intelligence?’

He didn’t know for sure, but it seemed so.

“My neighbor’s name is Jongrin. Tremendously hard. Your attacks won’t work!”

He was so sure of himself when he said that.

Still, he didn’t seem to be an ordinary Seonchung, and his whole body was full of scars.

You could tell how he had lived just by looking at the scars on his carapace.

“Start, Jongrin!”

The beetle called Jongrin roared.

The moment Cheonbeom was about to move.

Tanhwa, who was next to him, moved first.