Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 443

Tales of Nangsungan – Part 2, Episode 152

“You must be Divine Immortal Yu. A Nangseon [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation], is it…”

The woman, who introduced herself as Hwayang, couldn’t seem to shake the smile from her lips, as if something was endlessly amusing.

It could have been a feigned attitude, but Cheonbeom quickly sensed that wasn’t the case.

“You’re quite amusing. It’s rare to see such a bold Nangseon… Heh.”

Hwayang covered her mouth with her sleeve as she laughed. Though she wore an iron mask, the way her eyes curved like crescent moons suggested she was genuinely entertained.

“Considering you forced your way through the Geumeunbyeonun [likely a defensive formation or barrier] with sheer power, you didn’t kill any of the Mangakjeong soldiers, so it doesn’t seem like you hold any particular grudge. But it’s not like you’re completely indifferent either…”

Hwayang’s red lips curved into a smile.

Her gold and silver hair fluttered in the wind, displaying a subtle charm.

“Would you like to have some tea?”

“I would.”

A strange atmosphere hung in the air.

Huhae was itching to say something. What was this talk of Nangseon and Divine Immortal Yu all of a sudden?

They had destroyed a part of Mangakjeong, yet the daughter of the Mangakbyeonwang [Lord of Mangak] was smiling and offering hospitality as if it were nothing. Huhae and Sabi couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

“Escort our guests.”

“Understood.”

At her command, the soldiers obeyed without a word.

Huhae and Sabi exchanged glances, shrugging as if to say they didn’t know what was going on.

As a last hope, they looked to Cheonbeom’s face, only to find him wearing a faint smile as if he found the situation amusing as well.

At that sight, Huhae and Sabi were speechless and silently followed behind.

A short while later.

Cheonbeom, guided by Hwayang, entered a pavilion where they were alone.

Huhae and Sabi, watching from a distance, along with the nameless Guiseon [earth immortal] who had followed them, strained their ears to hear what they were saying, but it was no use. It was as if a barrier had been erected, blocking out all sound.

“It’s a strange thing indeed, Princess Hwayang of Mangakjeong personally serving tea…”

“Is it really that surprising?”

It was said that Princess Hwayang’s tea-making skills were exceptional, and she didn’t serve just anyone. Unless you were a late-stage Hyangseon [celestial immortal] or a WonseontaeSa [grand master immortal] of incredibly high status, it was nearly impossible to receive tea from Princess Hwayang.

“Princess Hwayang’s talents as a cultivator are beyond question, and she’s skilled in many other areas as well, earning her the title of a multi-talented beauty. Her beauty is such that anyone would fall in love at first sight. Therefore, seeing her, let alone being served tea, is a rare occurrence.”

For an ordinary cultivator, being served tea by the princess would be a story to tell for the rest of their life!

“Then why does she wear that mask?”

“It’s said that Mangakbyeonwang himself had the mask made of mysterious iron because she was too beautiful. There was a time when everyone was clamoring for her hand in marriage! Not only Hyangseon, but even WonseontaeSa who were a match for Mangakbyeonwang were captivated by her beauty and asked for her hand!”

But they were all rejected.

“It was quite a commotion. Anyway, she’s been wearing that iron mask ever since.”

“Did it really have to go that far? Just how beautiful is she…”

Huhae turned his head towards the pavilion as if wanting to see her for himself.

Then, Sabi pinched his side.

“Ah! Ouch! Ouch, ouch! That hurts!”

He looked at her, wondering why she was doing this, but Sabi didn’t even glance at him, instead opening her mouth to the Guiseon.

“Judging by the fact that she’s still wearing the iron mask, she hasn’t gotten married yet.”

“That’s right. She’s been turning away men for various reasons. But the higher their cultivation, the more stubborn cultivators tend to be. There’s someone who’s been pushing for marriage for thousands of years, and we think she’ll probably end up marrying him.”

“Him? Who is it?”

“It’s Okbyeolcheonwang [Celestial King Okbyeol] of the Four Realms, a close friend of Mangakbyeonwang… Have you heard of him?”

“I’ve never heard of…”

“Okbyeolcheonwang?! That, that she’s going to marry Okbyeolcheonwang?”

“What, do you know him, Hu brother?”

“Of course! Okbyeolcheonwang is famous not only in the Four Realms but also in the Upper Realm…”

Huhae looked around and whispered into Sabi’s ear.

“He’s the worst of the worst among the evil immortals. He sees cultivators’ lives as nothing more than ants.”

There was a famous anecdote.

Okbyeolcheonwang’s blunt weapon technique possessed such tremendous power that anyone unlucky enough to be nearby would be torn apart and killed just by being grazed by it. One day, while passing through the Immortal Realm, he killed some cultivators who were nearby.

Okbyeolcheonwang didn’t care, treating them like ants, but soon after, a WonseontaeSa he had never seen before chased after him, trying to kill him. He was a famous Wonseon [Venerable Immortal] in the Immortal Realm, and the person Okbyeolcheonwang had killed was his beloved child.

The two were so powerful that they couldn’t come to a conclusion, but since then, the relationship between the Immortal Realm and the Four Realms had become as hostile as could be.

“Most WonseontaeSa are known for being devoid of personal feelings, but Okbyeolcheonwang sees everything as a stone unless it’s something he’s interested in, which is why he’s called Okbyeolcheonwang.”

His blunt weapon technique is as beautiful as a falling star, but anyone who gets too close will be killed.

“I feel bad for the princess. To be married off to such a terrifying Wonseon… But how do you know so much about other people’s marriages?”

“Princess Hwayang is famous in many ways, so it would be strange not to know about her in the Four Realms.”
Mangakbyeonwang had many children, but most of them were subject to the Salbeop [a method of culling or testing potential heirs], making it impossible to know what their future held, so he was quite worried about how to choose a successor.

“But then one day, Princess Hwayang was born. She appeared suddenly, so there were rumors that she was a bit strange… But what were we talking about? Why am I the only one rambling on?”

At the Guiseon’s question, the two shrugged as if to say they didn’t know.

“Anyway, now that we’ve been served tea by the princess, we probably won’t suddenly start fighting. That’s a relief.”

For some reason, it seemed like she had taken a liking to the princess, so they could rest assured that nothing dangerous would happen.

They had almost had a heart attack when she suddenly threw the Ssangmyeol [likely a powerful weapon or technique].

“That might be a bit different?”

The Guiseon chuckled at their relieved attitude.

“Why?”

“Didn’t I say earlier that Okbyeolcheonwang has been trying to marry Princess Hwayang for thousands of years? Do you think someone with such cruel methods would leave someone who received tea from the princess alone? He’ll probably die without a sound in the near future. He grabbed me by the collar and shook me, so serves him right! Hahaha!”

* * *

“The tea is excellent.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The two savored the tea for a while.

Thanks to the barrier, no sound from the outside could be heard.

So, naturally, the only things that could be heard were each other’s breathing.

Or the sound of drinking tea.

And the sound of their robes brushing against each other.

‘How strange.’

He thought they would talk about various things while drinking tea.

But Princess Hwayang didn’t ask anything.

She simply savored the tea with a satisfied smile.

Clink.

Beom put down his teacup.

“You don’t ask anything.”

“Because I don’t want anything.”

She was implying that, unlike her, Beom had come seeking something.

Come to think of it, that was true.

Cheonbeom was the one who wanted something, not her.

“I came here looking for someone.”

“Someone?”

“Yes, an old friend of mine. The owner of Mangakjeong has a hobby of collecting all sorts of rare and precious things, and I heard that there are truly many things here.”

Whether it was objects, people, or anything else.

He was indirectly implying that they had taken Saha.

“Indeed, my father has such a hobby.”

She said, as if bringing all sorts of miscellaneous things to fill Mangakjeong was a burden, overflowing with treasures.

“Are you interested?”

She seemed to be talking about treasures.

“What I’m interested in is my friend, not treasures.”

“To cause such a commotion and say that you’re only interested in your friend… How amusing. It’s good for a man to have courage. But just because you say so doesn’t mean I can hand over something from Mangakjeong so easily.”

“Then I’ll have to cause an even bigger commotion.”

At that, Princess Hwayang’s lips curved into a wide smile.

“There are many men who are confident in their skills. I’ve been here for a long time and have seen those who fall into two categories.”

“How are they divided?”

“I call those who have courage befitting their skills ‘bold’.”

“And those who don’t?”

“I call them reckless.”

The princess was curious as to which of the two the man sitting before her was.

“To act that way knowing who the owner of this place is, is it recklessness, or is it boldness?”

She smiled with curiosity.

Just because she was a princess didn’t mean she had a good personality.

Beom couldn’t figure out what she was thinking.

But he knew that she was not someone to be taken lightly.

“I thought we could resolve this with words, but it seems that’s not the case.”

“If everything in the world could be resolved with words, wars wouldn’t happen. Only those with power can possess things. Isn’t that the simple law of the jungle?”

The reason she was being so aggressive was probably due to the difference in their positions.

She was managing Mangakjeong in place of Mangakbyeonwang.

If she were to arbitrarily hand over something from Mangakjeong, it could tarnish Mangakbyeonwang’s name.

It was a natural course of action.

“If you’re my opponent, I don’t think I can control my strength. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

He had to show her his strength.

‘It’s a natural course of action.’

That’s what the world of cultivators was like.

“It’s unsightly for a man to use his full strength against a woman, isn’t it?”

Princess Hwayang smiled sweetly and said, “If possible, please be gentle…”

As she carefully held the teacup with both hands.

At that moment.

The teacup began to bubble and boil, with pure white steam rising in billowing clouds.

In an instant, a mist filled the pavilion.

At the same time, the illusion of a beautiful goblin with two horns began to appear behind her. The illusion twisted for a moment and let out a shriek, turning into a light pink cloud that filled the pavilion.

A short while later.

Beom, who had been sitting still, closed his eyes for a moment and opened them, only to see himself instead of the princess.

Beom was surprised inwardly.

“Is this the princess’s divine power?”

Then the princess, in Beom’s form, replied.

“Yes. Isn’t it fun?”

What was in front of him was himself.

And he had become the body of a weak and frail woman.

‘Did the princess and I switch bodies?’

The power that had been filling him had disappeared without a trace, and only an unknown, subtle energy was present within his body.

It was probably the princess’s energy.

“My divine power is a bit special. I just didn’t want to train like others. So, I thought there was a very simple method.”

Taking over the body.

“It’s a very excellent body. With this, I understand that boldness of yours in charging into Mangakjeong alone. Divine Immortal Yu is one of the strongest Hyangseon I’ve ever seen.”

It wasn’t a pretty sight to hear a woman’s voice coming from his face. But she seemed excited, clenching her fists a few times and taking out a few treasures from her chest.

At the same time, the scenery inside the pavilion changed, turning into a dark and gloomy place with bizarre rocks laid out bleakly.

The faint purple moonlight was impressive.

Beom realized that the changed scenery was somewhere in the Four Realms.

He had heard of it before.

It was said that the Four Realms were cursed lands where the sun didn’t shine. That’s why there was only an artificially created purple moon.

“Amazing treasures and divine power. The body is as hard as Geumgangbulgoe [Diamond Buddha Body], and the flowing blood contains powerful primordial energy, as well as the potential to transform into anything. How… how can a Hyangseon in the early stages be like this…”

She clicked her tongue in amazement, but soon looked at Beom, who was in the princess’s body, and couldn’t hide her bitter smile.

“Seeing what you possess, my body and divine power seem truly insignificant.”

“The princess’s are also excellent.”

When he glanced down slightly, Hwayang blushed in Beom’s form.

“It’s my first time using this divine power… I’m embarrassed.”

Beom spread his hands. He clenched them and clicked his tongue.

It was a weak, weak body.

The skin was fair, and the energy residing throughout the body was that of the Four Realms.

It was an amazing divine power.

To think that it was a divine power that swapped bodies with each other.

“It’s an amazing divine power, but are you sure you’re okay with this? The princess’s body will be hurt.”

“Are you worried about me right now? I don’t think you should be.”

Whoong.

Energy surged.

Mysterious iridescent lights gathered around Hwayang in Beom’s form.

It was the light of Gyuncheonogwang [likely a powerful technique or energy].

“You should be worried about yourself.”

Then, she extended her fist.

Kwaaaaaaa!!

A powerful gust of wind devoured the atmosphere as it rushed forward.