Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 56

Tales of the Divine Swordsman – Chapter 55

She was grinning.

Perched atop a massive beast skull, she was the epitome of a demonic sorceress.

‘I was hoping to avoid her if possible.’

She was the last person he wanted to encounter.

Originally, she was someone Yu Jeong would face, and later, an adversary in the Upper World.

A person who was hard to kill even if you tried.

‘But now…’

It was worth a shot.

Right now, she was just a nascent immortal, and her treasures would only be at that level.

“Greetings. I am Guieumna Chal, Yehu.”

Despite her smiling greeting, he remained silent. There was no point in exchanging words with her, as they were destined for a deadly battle.

Besides.

‘No need to leave a bad impression.’

Her obsession was almost pathological.

She never forgot the person she had marked and would try to kill them at any opportunity. Knowing her nature, there was no benefit in engaging with her.

“Oh my. Isn’t it impolite for a man to ignore a lady’s greeting?”

In response to her words, he quietly drew out his treasure. Ryugokja pulsed with energy in his hand, ready to leap out at any moment.

Guieumna Chal nodded in satisfaction as she watched it.

“So, you possessed a treasure of that caliber to deal with my Three-Foot Goblin Horse. I put quite a bit of effort into making it… But alas! It can’t be helped! I can just take it back and refine it, can’t I?”

She giggled, then suddenly hardened her face and spread her hands wide.

In her hands, a massive, three-foot-long pair of scissors appeared. Gripping the scissors, Guieumna Chal grabbed a handful of her hair and snipped it off.

‘What is she doing…’

He didn’t know what she was up to, but since it was Guieumna Chal, he couldn’t help but be wary. San-gun sent Ryugokja, which had been circling in his hand, flying forward.

Smirk.

Guieumna Chal smiled and scattered the cut hair. With a chilling grin, she formed a hand seal, and the strands of hair suddenly swelled to dozens of feet.

‘I don’t know what it is, but…’

I’ll just destroy it before it’s completed!

Bang!!

Clatter, clatter, clatter!!

“What!”

Dozens of black hands burst out from one of the undulating strands of hair, blocking Ryugokja.

To block the treasure, Ryugokja!!

Even if he didn’t know for sure, those scissors were no ordinary item.

“Hahaha!”

Guieumna Chal roared with laughter, her face flushed.

She suddenly gathered the hair onto the skull she had been riding.

The skull soon became one with the hair. It grew in size, making grotesque noises.

“How is it! Isn’t it magnificent?”

“Bullshit.”

At this point, San-gun had no choice but to go all out. Her skull was a powerful treasure even in its bone state. But now, it was becoming flesh, skin, and fur, transforming into a massive water buffalo, so he couldn’t stand idly by.

Around him, the red prayer beads and Ryugokja floated in the air.

The jet-black Nine Ring Blade rested in his grip.

The appearance of the treasures, exuding powerful spiritual energy, made Guieumna Chal smile strangely.

Now in the complete form of a water buffalo, her treasure scattered an ominous aura.

“Now, go.”

She tapped the water buffalo’s flank with her hand, and the snorting buffalo charged towards San-gun.

Thump, thump, thump!

The water buffalo, as large as a house, stomped the ground as it approached with earth-shattering force.

As the water buffalo rushed in, he instantly formed a hand seal.

Then, Tamhwa Ogong, hidden around him, unleashed golden threads.

Swoosh!

The water buffalo suddenly unleashed black lightning from its two horns, striking the golden threads that shot out in all directions.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!!

San-gun’s eyes widened, and the black lightning that touched the golden threads surged directly towards Tamhwa Ogong.

Tamhwa Ogong was caught between a rock and a hard place. But then, San-gun stepped in front of Ogong and sliced the golden threads with the Nine Ring Blade.

Slash!

Squeak, squeak!

Tamhwa Ogong tumbled backward, and San-gun hurled the Nine Ring Blade towards the black lightning.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!

The black lightning and the Nine Ring Blade clashed, spreading in all directions.

San-gun, watching the scene intently, moved his lips and chanted an incantation.

Then, ghostly mists poured out from the Nine Ring Blade, and hundreds of ghosts rushed out to confront the black lightning.

“Oho!”

Guieumna Chal exclaimed as if she had seen something interesting.

Despite her reaction, San-gun frowned and pointed at the water buffalo with his index and middle fingers. Then, the red prayer beads and Ryugokja simultaneously headed towards the water buffalo.

“I won’t allow it!”

She waved her sleeves, and dozens of one-foot-long flying swords poured out like rain.

As Guieumna Chal’s flying swords clashed with San-gun’s treasures, loud noises and flashes of light filled the air. It was a dazzling sight, like watching a battle between immortals.

“Damn it.”

But San-gun couldn’t help but curse.

As expected, Guieumna Chal was no pushover.

As the princess of the Guigang Sect, she also possessed numerous treasures.

‘This won’t do.’

As time passed, San-gun was at a disadvantage. Moreover, the formation on the floor, which he had seen with the Danryeong Geumjeong, was about to activate.

If he delayed any longer, he too would become food for the formation.

There was no time.

He had to deal with her quickly and escape this place.

Realizing this, San-gun instantly threw the Gongjeong River into the air.

Whirr, light burst from the flying Gongjeong River, and two red carp appeared. It was the Taehwaryeong couple.

“San-gun, this is!”

“There’s no time!”

Having reached the realm of spiritual transformation, their fins had grown like wings, and they were swimming in the air.

He moved his lips and instructed Myeonghwa and Yanghwa.

Then, Myeonghwa and Yanghwa opened their mouths and spat out fireballs.

The red fireballs swelled to several yards in size in an instant, a powerful fire-attribute divine ability using the extreme yang fire of the Taehwaryeong.

San-gun also watched this and opened his mouth to spit out Bongak Cheonghwa. Nine streams of blue flames suddenly transformed into bluebirds and plunged into the fireballs, instantly causing blue blossoms to bloom.

Taking a breather, he ceaselessly moved his lips and chanted a spell, and Myeonghwa and Yanghwa also dripped with sweat as they moved their lips.

From the blue fireballs, a phoenix with massive blue wings flapped its wings and soared into the air.

It was the Bonghwasuyeom (Phoenix Beast Fire Flame), one of the final incantations of Byeoljaesu Mugyeon, created with San-gun and the Taehwaryeong’s flames.

“Oh dear.”

Guieumna Chal frowned, showing her displeasure as she looked at the blue phoenix.

It seemed to be a divine ability created by combining the treasures floating around him, and the surrounding temperature was already rising exponentially, her lips were drying, and her skin was burning.

The Hwanjin was already unstable, and it seemed to be weakening further due to that phoenix.

Moreover, it was clear at a glance that it was no ordinary flame, so even Guieumna Chal couldn’t ignore it.

“Very well! If the gentleman is burning so passionately, how can I, a maiden, simply stand by…?”

Guieumna Chal, who was about to shout as she took out a bundle of talismans from her chest, suddenly faltered.

It was because his blue phoenix was flying towards the ceiling of the cave, not towards her.

“Could it be!”

At that moment, the phoenix’s cry, which seemed to tear the ears, echoed, and the blue flames dominated the area as the world shook.

Kaboom!

San-gun had 미리 [in advance] gathered Myeonghwa and Yanghwa, summoned his treasures, and wrapped his entire body in the green silk of the purple gourd to defend himself.

The Hwanjin had already weakened as much as it could.

He had focused his attack on one part of it with the flames of the Taehwaryeong and San-gun, destroying it.

He had no reason to confront Guieumna Chal in the first place.

It wasn’t that he didn’t covet her treasures, but it was more important not to become food for the formation.

Besides.

Once the Hwanjin was lifted, he would no longer be alone.

“Ha!”

As the explosion subsided and the Hwanjin was lifted, Guieumna Chal was dumbfounded.

To think that he would try to destroy the Hwanjin in that situation! It was absurd and infuriating, but laughter came first.

He had completely played her. But for some reason, she didn’t dislike it.

Guieumna Chal blushed and looked at the man.

His cold eyes, gleaming red, stared at her.

Anyone else would have been terrified, but for some reason, her body tingled.

Smirk.

Guieumna Chal raised the corners of her lips and surveyed her surroundings.

The Hwanmu had lifted, and the Taoists were appearing one by one, looking around.

There were still nascent immortals present, and the Hwanjin had no means to restrain them.

“Hehe.”

She summoned her treasures.

She strode towards the teleportation array and destroyed it with a flying sword.

Then, she suddenly took out a smoking pipe from her chest, lit it, and put it in her mouth.

Thin, white smoke rose, swirling around her.

“May I know the esteemed name of the immortal?”

San-gun stared blankly at her before opening his mouth.

“…Daeho.”

He was about to say Yu Jeong but stopped.

Even if he hid it now, she would soon find out.

“Daeho….”

Guieumna Chal repeated the name, smiling and bowing her head.

“I hope to see you again.”

Snap.

As she flicked her finger, the smoke from the smoking pipe enveloped her and disappeared.

“Hoo-”

Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

The nascent immortals around him were bewildered and asked him what had happened.

San-gun calmly told them the truth, and they were startled.

* * *

Two days later.

The story of Guigang Sect’s Guieumna Chal’s attack spread far and wide throughout the Banggok area.

Many nascent immortals had died, and rumors spread like wildfire that Cheonjamun had joined hands with the Guigang Sect.

But among them, the name of the Taoist who had single-handedly stopped Guieumna Chal and saved the lives of the nascent immortals rose high.

-You don’t seem to be in a good mood? There are many rumors that a new hidden dragon has emerged in the Immortal World.

-Shut up. Hidden dragon my ass.

San-gun unintentionally gained fame.

Nascent immortals visited him several times a day to express their gratitude.

Not only that, but they realized he was a Nangseon [a wandering immortal] and sent him messages from all over, or came directly to try to recruit him into their sects.

How many nascent immortals in the Immortal World could single-handedly stop Guieumna Chal?

If he was a Taoist with such powerful divine abilities, his future would be bright, so everyone coveted him.

‘I’m so anxious I could die.’

But rather, the more attention the Taoists paid to him, the more uncomfortable San-gun felt, as if he were sitting on thorns.

If they found out he was a spirit beast, their goodwill would instantly turn into hostility, so how could he not be?

But that was only temporary.

When they learned that he, who had saved the lives of the Banggok nascent immortals, wanted Hae Bongseok [a rare spiritual stone], other sects rushed to find it.

Most sects had used up Hae Bongseok in the last war, but not all.

San-gun could now obtain Hae Bongseok just by sitting still.

“It will just take a little time.”

He sat on the bed and took out a piece of paper from his chest.

It was a piece of paper smaller than a hand span, but he smiled as he looked at it.

“If it weren’t for Sawoljehang, I wouldn’t have been able to get my hands on this.”

It had been half a month since he had copied the Chukjibu [a legendary artifact] of the Manbo Era once.

The Chukjibu, made by a renowned immortal, was copied, and the two pieces were combined by injecting spiritual power into them.

If he copied it about six more times, he would be able to have a complete Chukjibu.

San-gun carefully put the Chukjibu into the Gongjeong River, hardened his face, and after some deliberation, took out three cocoons wrapped in golden threads.

“Hmm….”

These were Guieumna Chal’s Three-Foot Goblin Horses.

Since they were originally made into zombies, they could be used again by reattaching their heads and breathing souls into them.

“I thought there would be something special about being called Guisun Magangsi (Returning Tamed Demonic Zombie), but there isn’t.”

Creating a zombie from a Taoist’s corpse required miscellaneous materials and evil energy.

Typically, the zombie would be left in a graveyard for about 100 days and created using a formation.

But he didn’t want to go through the trouble of making a zombie.

‘There’s no need to put in so much effort for so long.’

He took out the Nine Ring Blade from his chest and moved the Guimu [ghost seal].

But the ghosts didn’t come out because he had intentionally adjusted it to only emit the evil energy of the ghosts.

There was no need to go through such a troublesome process when he had the Nine Ring Blade, which was nothing more than a collection of evil energy.

He nodded, drew a formation on the ground, and laid the Three-Foot Goblin Horses in the center.

He couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about the creatures that looked like babies.

But he couldn’t refuse a creature that could be helpful in a world where anything could happen.

He stared at the Three-Foot Goblin Horses for a moment before taking out a candle from the Gongjeong River.

It was a candle that had gathered the spiritual consciousness of Taoists, and when he blew on it, the candle flew into the Three-Foot Goblin Horses.

Immediately after, the evil energy of the Nine Ring Blade poured out, enveloping the Goblin Horses, and the formation flashed.

After a while.

Inside the formation, the three-foot-tall Goblin Horses were back to back, and nine orbs floated around them.

On top of the orbs, blue spiritual consciousnesses were sitting cross-legged, palms together.

The nine spiritual consciousnesses and the inner core slowly circled the Goblin Horses, injecting blue spiritual power, but the spiritual consciousnesses didn’t look too good.

They had their eyes closed, but the fact that they were narrowing their brows showed that they were undergoing a very difficult ritual.

Suddenly, the spiritual consciousnesses stopped putting their palms together and clung to the inner core. Then, the circling inner cores stopped abruptly and instantly entered his mouth.

“Hoo- This won’t work.”

San-gun shook his head and sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

“There are various prohibitions in place, making it difficult to break through.”

Hwaran said, wiping San-gun’s sweat with a towel.

As she said, various forbidden arts and prohibitions were already in place on the Three-Foot Goblin Horses.

It was difficult to make them his own without erasing these.

The evil energy of the Nine Ring Blade had completely restored the zombie’s body, but that was a separate issue.

But this was also a problem that time would solve.

“If I only had Hae Bongseok, I could break through these prohibitions, and there’s no need to rush.”

It was only a matter of time before Hae Bongseok came into his hands, and if he could get his hands on it, he could copy it with Sawoljehang, so it could be used effectively.

Having finished his thoughts, he took out a golden orb from his chest and floated it in the air with telekinesis.

It was found in the corpse of the nascent immortal who seemed to have been attacked by Guieumna Chal, and it was the Roejidan (Thunder Earth Pill) that appeared in the armory.

Divine abilities basically start with the Five Elements (五行) [metal, wood, water, fire, and earth]. And there are things that are derived from the Five Elements, among which thunder is considered one of the more powerful divine abilities.

“Thunder is compatible with me, who has fire energy, so it wouldn’t be bad.”

A rare item that had refined the inner core of the Roejiryong.

It was true that it was lacking compared to Bongak Cheonghwa.

But if the two were combined, the story would be different. If thunder was added to Bongak Cheonghwa, which was originally a powerful fire-attribute divine ability, it would be the icing on the cake.

San-gun swallowed the Roejidan.

The Roejidan, which had already entered him, settled between the inner core and the spiritual consciousnesses, crackling with thunder.

Hwaran gazed at him deeply before looking at her own hands.

She looked at him with an indescribable expression before disappearing with a rustle.

Half a day later.

“Taoist. A guest from Cheonjamun is requesting an audience.”

The attendant in charge of him approached politely and informed him. San-gun, who had slowly raised his eyelids, got up from his seat and headed to the main hall.

Blue lightning flashed and disappeared around his body.