Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 404

Nangseon Gi Hwan Dam – Part 2, Episode 113

“Where are you taking me?”

Cheonbeom asked, startled.

The shopkeeper and the unknown man looked at him, puzzled.

“The Dark Music Prison doesn’t maintain itself; this slave will be used as firewood.”

“Firewood?”

“Yes, the furnace magic tool that generates the special clouds of the Dark Music Prison requires suitable firewood, and ordinary firewood cannot maintain such divine power. So, we obtain suitable firewood and put it into the furnace. This slave may not be worth much, but he is at the Upper Immortal stage, so it’s better to use him as firewood for the Dark Music Prison than to just kill him.”

‘So, the name of this dark prison is Dark Music Prison,’ Cheonbeom thought.

He hadn’t known because he wasn’t interested, but this place was run by a cultivator from the same sect as Maegyeol of the Dark Music Sect, whom he had seen before.

“Since he’s an Immortal and about to die anyway, it’s more efficient to use him as firewood. If the blood and flesh of an Immortal can help build the walls and roof, this slave will surely be able to close his eyes in peace. Well, of course, he won’t be as good as the firewood we usually use.”

Less than firewood.

How lamentable is this?

Because war is breaking out, the value of life is like a stone fallen on the street.

Cheonbeom looked at the old Immortal with blank eyes, his heart heavy.

‘That’s right.’

To think he’d see him here.

And in this state.

Back in the Lower World, there was a name that cultivators couldn’t help but hear at least once.

The Great Daibeop Master [Great Dharma Master].

Hwanmong Seonsa [Illusion Dream Immortal].

In the Lower World, there was no one who didn’t know him, and even ordinary people spoke his name.

Even the enemies and rivals who fought with Cheonbeom would often yield before Hwanmong’s name.

‘I wondered how such a great person was living after ascending…’

‘Life is full of surprises.’

Who would have known it would turn out like this?

“How much is he?”

Cheonbeom asked, unable to take his eyes off Hwanmong.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m asking how much the firewood costs.”

“Hmm….”

The shopkeeper looked at Cheonbeom strangely and then answered.

“One Don for a bundle of firewood.”

One Don is one-tenth of a Nyang of Wongeun [a unit of currency], and ten times the price of one Pun [another unit of currency].

A bundle of firewood is said to be twenty bundles, but even so, it’s expensive.

‘It must be because ordinary firewood can’t maintain the Dark Music Prison.’

“Then how much is that old Immortal?”

“That guy… five Pun.”

“Five Pun?”

Firewood is one Don.

But a living old Immortal is five Pun.

“He’s dying, and his remaining divine power is weak due to his injuries, so even if he’s used as firewood, he won’t be very good, so five Pun. Isn’t that a fair price?”

“…Five Pun, here.”

“Yes? Are you saying you’re buying him? He’s a dying Immortal….”

“I decide how to use him. Not someone else.”

Cheonbeom took out five Pun of Wongeun from his pocket and handed it to the man who had brought the old Immortals.

“Release the Geumje [a type of magical restriction].”

“Tch… you’re a strange one. Well, I got the price, so I’ll do that much.”

The man strode over and placed his hand on Hwanmong’s forehead, slowly withdrawing it, and black smoke escaped from his forehead.

“You should put another Geumje on him. He’ll go crazy when he comes to. Oh, but he’s going to die soon anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

He chuckled like that.

His behavior is vulgar and lacks any manners.

“Cheol Namsim of the Hyeonmu Sect. If you need more Immortals, come find me.”

Cheol Namsim said that and disappeared.

And just in time, Yeon-a, who had paid the price, passed by the man.

“Master, did you get the goods… oh, who’s this old Immortal?”

He seemed to have lost consciousness as the Geumje disappeared and collapsed to the floor.

Soon the floor was soaked with blood.

It seems the Geumje had been blocking the blood.

“Master?”

Cheonbeom kept his mouth shut at Yeon-a’s face demanding an explanation.

* * *

“Bait fallen on the floor.”

“Baekgeonbun is here.”

“What are those?”

“Hmm… they seem to be old Immortals. I’ve heard that there are many clans that employ old Immortals in the Immortal Realm because wars often break out. The hats and headgear we’re wearing also indicate our status.”

Tamlang and Geonbun were wandering around Hyeonmu Fortress, ostensibly looking for Gyewolseon, the Yeon Gi Master, but they were just playing around.

“Old Immortals? Are they food?”

“Hmm… in a way, you could say they’re similar. Judging by their appearance, they’re Upper Immortals, not Mixed Immortals. Since this is a Mixed Immortal area, perhaps they were captured as hostages in a war and branded as old Immortals.”

“I see. So, you’re saying they’re like you.”

“Yes? I’m not an old Immortal, though?”

Tamlang looked back and forth between the old Immortal with the brand on his face and Geonbun.

“That brand would suit you well too.”

“…Even if it’s Tamlang, I won’t stand still if you try to brand me.”

“Hmm? Then what will you do?”

“I’ll tell the Fortress Lord all the corrupt things Tamlang has done so far!”

“Foolish. I, Tamlang-gun [a title of respect], have never committed corruption.”

As he said with a sneer, Baek Geonbun replied with a triumphant look.

“You can’t say you don’t know that you’ve emptied the food and alcohol in Gyewolseon’s place without the Fortress Lord’s knowledge, can you?”

“How did you know that!”

“I barely managed to calm the Moon and Martial Immortals, whose dissatisfaction was at its peak, thanks to you drinking decades’ worth of alcohol by yourself. But if this fact gets into the Fortress Lord’s ears….”

He glanced at Tamlang, who seemed to want to avoid that at all costs.

“Cowardly bait….”

“That’s how the world is.”

“But even if a small bait knows that fact, what can it do to me? The guy is already small, and he’s even smaller and weaker. Even if he reveals my corruption, he won’t be able to do anything!”

“But the Fortress Lord is also the one who provides the alcohol that Tamlang likes. If you displease him, he won’t give you any of the alcohol you like.”

“Hmm….”

In Tamlang’s head, alcohol and battle began to fight, coexisting.

At some point, alcohol had become something indispensable within him.

Tamlang pondered for the first time.

And he made a decision.

“Cowardly guy.”

“You’re the cowardly one, Tamlang… didn’t you try to brand my face even though I didn’t do anything?”

“I thought the concept of putting a mark on my bait wasn’t bad. I’m not bad.”

He said that and strode away.

Baek Geonbun sighed as usual and followed him into a tavern.

“The taste of alcohol is very good today!”

Inside the tavern, many people were already seated, and among them, a large man was drinking from a jar of alcohol with delicacies from land and sea in the center.

“I make money and drink alcohol with those damn Upper Immortals, so I can’t be happier, hahaha!!”

The surrounding cultivators frowned as if it were noisy, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Welcome. How many people are you?”

“Two. But it’s a bit noisy.”

The waiter, who rushed over in a hurry after being given a look, frowned as if he couldn’t help it.

“He’s a thug from the Dark Music Sect. He catches and sells Upper Immortals on the battlefield and drinks all day. But he’s the son of the Dark Music Sect’s Sect Leader, and his skills are impeccable, so no one can say anything.”

Baek Geonbun just thought that there was always one thug who lived as he pleased wherever he went.

“Shall we go somewhere else?”

He asked Tamlang, but he was already striding away.

And then he sat down in front of the man called the thug from the Dark Music Sect and picked up the jar of alcohol next to him and drank it down.

“Kyah, the taste of alcohol here is very good too! Hey, cowardly bait. You come too.”

Then the atmosphere instantly turned cold. Baek Geonbun didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t care much.

He usually seems like a lacking friend, but Tamlang is clearly a Fragrant Immortal [a high-level immortal].

Even if he’s a thug from the Dark Music Sect, he seems to be an Upper Immortal at first glance.

No matter how much of a thug he is, what can he do in front of a Fragrant Immortal?

“Hurry up and come? This is the alcohol I prepared for you!”

What’s he so proudly saying is his when he’s stealing someone else’s alcohol?

Baek Geonbun was dumbfounded, but he laughed and approached Tamlang.

And that’s when it happened.

Baek Geonbun’s eyes widened as he took a step.

What was reflected in his eyes was Tamlang being punched by the thug.

Thud!

Crash!

“Huh?”

Tamlang, who fell to the floor with the side dishes with a dumbfounded look, stroked his cheek with his hand.

He had a face that didn’t understand what had happened.

“What crazy bastard is throwing ashes on someone else’s table and stealing their food…? Hey, do you know who I am? I’m Cheol Namchim, the youngest of the three sons of the Dark Music Sect’s Sect Leader!!”

Clang.

When Cheol Namchim knocked over the table, the remaining food fell and caused a commotion.

And Baek Geonbun, who was watching the scene, thought.

‘This is bad.’

Soon Tamlang slowly got up.

“Lacking bait.”

Gulp.

It was the same voice as usual, but Baek Geonbun felt different than usual.

His voice, which always seemed to be half out of his mind, sounded particularly clear now.

“Don’t move a step.”

The doubts only increased, but Baek Geonbun did not try to resolve them.

“What crazy bastard dares to raise his neck here… ?”

Hooong!!

Suddenly, a strong wind blew from Tamlang’s body. Soon, the wind that swept through the entire tavern and spread out disappeared as if nothing had happened.

Cheol Namchim, who frowned as if wondering what it was, continued to speak.

“Even if you have the realm of a Fragrant Immortal, do you think you’ll be safe in this Hyeonmu Fortress after touching Cheol Namchim, the son of the Dark Music Sect’s Sect Leader? No way!! You’ll pay dearly for daring to mess with me!!”

“Bait sometimes makes mistakes. They make strange assumptions if they are left alone without being eaten. The impossible assumption that they will not die.”

“You’re crazy.”

Cheol Namchim cursed, calling him crazy, and shouted at the waiter.

“Bring the Dark Music Sect’s elders right now. Tell them there’s an ignorant Fragrant Immortal who stole my, Cheol Namchim’s, alcohol!”

But the waiter didn’t move.

Cheol Namchim’s impression instantly soured, but soon his face turned white.

“Ah… ah… aaaaagh!!”

Thud.

That’s because his arms and legs were finely cut off like meat pieces.

Not only that.

Squeak, koo-goo-goong!!

Not only all the cultivators in the tavern, but the tavern itself was cut off by something sharp and began to collapse.

Koo-oong, kwaaaaang!!

As the tavern completely collapsed and crumbled, Cheol Namchim saw Tamlang with the rising moon behind him.

“They make assumptions… they assume they won’t die just because they’re full and haven’t been eaten.”

“Y-you bastard!! Do you think you’ll get out of here alive after doing this in Hyeonmu Fortress!!”

The sight of him wriggling with his arms and legs cut off is quite a sight.

The corners of Tamlang’s mouth twisted.

“Keep struggling, you bait.”