Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 498

Tales of the Spirit Blade – Part 2, Episode 207

Killing and being killed.

The dead scattered as vital energy beneath the heavens, nourishing those who survived.

‘One death for one life.’

I navigated the endless battlefield, killing my fellow disciples, again and again.

My hands were stained with their indelible blood, and the more they were, the more uncontrollably my power grew.

The grudges of the fallen clung to me, gathering as my strength, but their thoughts tormented me endlessly.

“Are you alright?”

It was Shinwi, fighting back-to-back with me.

And not just Shinwi.

Lin, Ah-geom, and Ye-dong were all fighting alongside me.

“I’m fine.”

I had to be fine.

My enemies were still endless.

It felt like I had fire in my mouth, a burning pain, but the battlefield offered no respite.

If I didn’t move, I would be forced to move.

Otherwise, I would die.

Clang!! Crash!

Thwack!!

I shattered an enemy’s sword and pierced their body. An enemy pierced by my spear burned and fell to ash.

It made little difference whether they were cultivators or my fellow disciples.

The more I killed, the more power overflowed.

Only pain remained.

“Kuh-huh!!”

Many cried out, begging not to die, not to disappear.

But I led them all to their deaths. The line between right and justice had blurred.

I merely tore their flesh to protect everything behind me.

“I curse you, San!! You too will meet a miserable end!!”

“Death is equal to all. I will follow soon, too. It’s just a matter of sooner or later, isn’t it?”

Slash!

The more fellow disciples I killed, the more heavenly vital energy scattered in the heavens.

I called it heavenly energy and absorbed it to increase my power.

Then I had to create an organ in my body to manage the excessive heavenly energy, and so I needed a vessel to pour it into.

A vessel to pour it into.

That was the beginning of the Origin Spirit.

A vessel made by gathering the thoughts and flesh of those who died by my hand.

I created countless Origin Spirits to relieve the tormenting thoughts that were eating away at me.

And I killed.

I killed, and killed again, and killed.

I poured out, poured out, and killed again.

So my power increased even more.

The difference in quantity wasn’t great, but it became even purer.

As it did, the world looked different.

Everything in the world looked like a single point. When I touched that point, the points all scattered into dirt and disappeared.

Soon after, I realized that those points were cultivators, beings like me, and my eyes welled up.

‘Were we such insignificant beings?’

I laid down my spear on the battlefield.

And I reached out and lit my flame, floating it up to the heavens.

And on that very day.

The war came to an end.

* * *

Many lives disappeared beneath the heavens.

It was a sorrowful thing.

The blood they shed soaked the earth, formed rivers, and flowed into the sea.

The heavens were filled with abundant energy, and as a result, those who elevated their realm surged. I was one of them.

“What are you doing here? Everyone is waiting for you. You’re the hero of the battlefield.”

The long war was over.

Festivals followed one after another.

As much as they had suffered in the long war, they enjoyed being alive even more.

“Are they that happy?”

The celestial fairies of the Heavenly Palace shuddered with joy. It was good that the long-lasting war had come to an end.

Now they were more free from the sudden death that could strike at any moment.

“It’s natural to be happy. They can now meet a complete death.”

“A complete death.”

Those who would one day return to the soil.

Perhaps what was important to them was a complete death.

“Why don’t you celebrate the victory of the war more now? Everyone is looking at you.”

“Alright.”

Many people looked at me.

Those who fought with me on the battlefield.

All with joyful smiles.

I had to raise a toast.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

I raised a glass with everyone and enjoyed the victory of the war.

After that.

Peaceful days continued.

I focused on the power I had gained in the battlefield and how to handle it.

My achievement reached a height that could not be surpassed, and in proportion, my power became immense.

Not out of arrogance, but in my opinion, I judged that there was no one beneath the heavens who could take my life.

Whether that was a blessing or a curse.

I could not judge.

[You will meet a miserable end.]

Whenever I thought of my death, I always remembered what the Phoenix had said.

A miserable end.

Why a miserable end?

“If I’m going to die anyway….”

I wanted to choose.

I couldn’t decide the beginning, but at least the end could be at my will.

“San.”

It was Shinwi.

“Your energy has become even purer. You’re still the only one who can reach the master first.”

To the master.

Beyond the heavens.

He must mean the Great Beyond [a higher plane of existence or enlightenment].

But I shook my head.

I am a lacking person.

The Great Beyond is not a place for someone like me.

I can still hear the voices of those who died by my hand. If the master saw me now, how much would he scold me?

Even if he disowned me, I wouldn’t be able to make any excuses.

I am not fit for the Great Beyond.

“Is something wrong?”

“Lin is hurt.”

“Lin? She should have gone into seclusion to sort out her enlightenment after the war.”

“Something must have gone wrong. It seemed like it would be best if you went to see her.”

“…Alright. I should.”

Lin is hurt, that won’t do.

I became anxious and crossed space to rush to Lin in one breath.

And then I suddenly realized.

‘Hadn’t I become indifferent to death?’

But why am I making such a fuss now?

My heart cooled rapidly.

But my feet were strangely fast.

As my words were fast, my heart also beat.

It’s strange.

“San…?”

I was already in Lin’s cave.

A place as dark as could be.

A pitch-black cave with not a single light.

I strode into it and grabbed Lin’s shoulder as she sat down.

“Are you alright?”

It’s dark, so I can’t see her face.

Only a vague shape can be seen.

But I could tell by her voice.

That she was very anxious.

“I heard you were hurt. So I came.”

“I see….”

Lin hugged me.

I hugged her as she was and sat down in a corner of the cave.

Looking at Lin in my arms, her condition was quite bad.

But fortunately, it was something I could do something about.

I put my hand on Lin’s abdomen and let my energy flow, and her condition began to improve.

I stayed in Lin’s cave for a while.

And after a while.

We got married.

We had many children.

The couple’s harmony was good, and they lived in peace and happiness in a corner of the Heavenly Palace.

Happiness.

Only then could I understand what the true meaning of that word was.

It was truly amazing that a child was born, and that the born child learned to walk and talk and developed their own thoughts and intentions.

Looking at the conception, birth, and growth of life was a very interesting melody from a parent’s point of view.

“Have they grown up so much already… At times like this, time is so cruel. It would be good if they grew up a little slower.”

“I agree. It would be good if they stayed in their mother’s arms a little longer.”

Before I knew it, the children had grown up.

Enough to take a place in the Heavenly Palace.

I didn’t like it very much, but I left it alone because that was what my children wanted.

I had no choice but to allow it when they said they would not disgrace my name, which was admirable.

Unlike my wandering old days, I became quite stable.

But as the blessing grew, the misfortune that would come later could only swell in my heart.

‘Is this what vague anxiety is like?’

Without any warning.

It slowly permeated me.

* * *

The main palace of the Heavenly Palace.

An old man with several swords appeared in the place where Ye-dong was.

It was Ah-geom, Ye-dong’s close friend.

“You’ve aged a lot.”

“Ye-dong. I have something important to tell you.”

“…Sit down.”

Ye-dong invited him to sit down, but Ah-geom did not sit.

“What do you have to say?”

“You also know that the heavenly energy of the heavens is being depleted.”

“Of course. The more the celestial fairies achieve, the more extreme the consumption becomes. Eventually, their growth will also stop. I was thinking that we should find another secret plan. They are the ones who have suffered the pain of war, and it is time to hone their strength so that they do not suffer such sorrow again.”

It was a statement worthy of the leader of the Heavenly Palace.

But that was not the answer Ah-geom wanted.

“What is your achievement level?”

“I… I’m probably similar to you.”

“Then what about San?”

“San… can’t be compared.”

Their power is about one step above the newly established celestial beings.

Compared to San, who slaughtered dozens of fellow disciples, it was truly insignificant.

“But we were also able to be here because of San. And he has been an idol of the fellow disciples since ancient times… Well, isn’t that not a surprising story? But why suddenly that?”

“It’s a hypothetical story.”

“How long have you and I lived together? Why are you hesitating so much? Tell me without reservation.”

“In the last war, many fellow disciples who had accumulated a lot of power died. But as a result, a lot of vital energy permeated the heavens, and San received that blessing. So he has one step left on the ladder to another sky that no one can covet.”

“…That’s right.”

“Then, if San were to die, how much heavenly energy would flow into the heavens?”

Thud!

Ye-dong jumped up from his seat.

“What do you mean by that?”

A voice filled with deep anger.

There was murder in his voice.

“Didn’t I say it was a hypothetical story?”

“Ridiculous! I know you’re taking celestial beings and turning them into swords [a metaphor for exploiting their power]. But I tolerated it. We were oppressed and on the verge of death! But it’s different now! Besides, San saved our lives…!!”

Ye-dong burst out with unbearable anger.

“Go. I have nothing more to say. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it, considering our past.”

“I said it was a hypothetical story. If San dies and his vital energy is scattered in all directions, we may also… be able to advance to the same realm as San.”

Then Ye-dong’s mouth closes tightly.

“You know it too. We and San are standing in different realms. In that realm closer to the master!! Don’t you want to step on that sky too?”

“I will rise with my own strength.”

“It’s impossible with the current heavens. San alone monopolized so much heavenly vital energy!”

“….”

Ah-geom said that and handed him a small dagger.

“What is it?”

“I brought a small gift, so please hold it once.”

“I don’t need a sword.”

“It’s a small dagger. Whether you make arrows or do something else, there’s no harm in having a dagger. As you said, I am also your fellow disciple like San, so please accept it as a token of my sincerity.”

Ye-dong sighed deeply and grabbed the dagger he was handing over.

Pick. Clatter.

The dagger that Ye-dong was holding rolled on the floor.

“You bastard…!”

There was a blade hidden in the handle of the dagger, so small that it was invisible.

The moment Ye-dong, who had been cut in the palm, was about to burst into great anger.

Thud, he collapsed.

His mind was intact, but he seemed unable to support his body.

“You’ll thank me later. What will change greatly if you stain your hands, already stained with the blood of your fellow disciples, even more.”

Ah-geom, who had seated the fallen Ye-dong, turned around and said.

“I’m doing it for everyone. Later, everyone, everyone in the heavens will be greatly indebted to me… And I will make the Heavenly Sword. And you too. Won’t you rise to a higher realm, higher than the current level!!”

Ah-geom’s eerie laughter slowly echoed in a corner of the Heavenly Palace.

“Later, you will be grateful to me.”