Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 7

Mount Baek’s Summit.

The massive cave where the Mountain Lord resided, known as the Thousand Tiger Stronghold, was now the destination of a striking figure. A tiger with entirely black fur and piercing yellow eyes ascended to that place.

One of the tiger’s eyes bore three long scars, a testament to battles fought and won. Its aura and bearing were nearly identical to those of Mount Baek’s Mountain Lord, radiating power and dominance.

The black tiger, having reached the Thousand Tiger Stronghold, tilted its head, a flicker of puzzlement in its gaze.

[Didn’t I say I would come to find you?]

Then, a woman in black mourning clothes, who had appeared as if from nowhere, bowed her head respectfully and said,

“How could I not have informed him?”

It was the Changui [a type of spirit or attendant] who had previously met with the Mountain Lord.

[But why is the Mountain Lord nowhere to be seen?]

“Perhaps, he is avoiding a confrontation with Master Black Fury.”

The massive black tiger was none other than the master of Black Cliff Mountain.

Black Fury.

This black tiger had been utterly defeated in a previous duel with the Mountain Lord. He had been building his strength, honing his skills, all to challenge him again. He had even sent word in advance to ensure everything was perfect for their rematch, but the Mountain Lord, who should have been there, was absent, which was naturally disheartening.

[Is that so?]

“If not, why else would the master of Mount Baek not show himself?”

It was a flattering remark, but Black Fury felt a surge of pride nonetheless.

‘That tiger-like bastard is avoiding him!’ This thought alone made the corners of his lips rise in a predatory grin.

[Indeed. He must have run away, afraid of Black Fury! Hehehehehe!]

The Changui glanced at her master with a pitiful expression for a fleeting moment before bowing her head again, concealing her true thoughts.

After laughing heartily for a while, Black Fury calmed his twitching lips and said, his voice still laced with amusement,

[I was going to make the Mountain Lord’s belly face the sky this time… It seems I’ll have to postpone it! What a coward, running away like that……]

“Shall we return, then?”

[No, there’s no need for that. I’ll wait here! If he struts around like the master of Mount Baek, he’ll have to show up eventually!]

Black Fury laid his belly down in the Mountain Lord’s Thousand Tiger Stronghold, a pleasant smile plastered on his face, though his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

[I can’t wait for him to appear. Hehehehehe!]

-Please don’t laugh like that…….

* * *

While Black Fury was misunderstanding and reveling in his perceived victory.

The Mountain Lord was setting out on a journey with Choa.

Hwajang Village was located beyond several mountains, making it a dangerous path for ordinary people.

This was because mountains were dangerous places where one could be attacked by bandits, wild beasts, and, rarely, even spiritual beings.

However, that was not the case for the Mountain Lord.

Spiritual Object (靈物), Spiritual Harmony (靈和), Spiritual Knot (靈結), Spiritual Life (靈命), Spiritual Calamity (靈劫), Spiritual Origin (靈原).

He had reached the realm of Spiritual Object among these six stages, achieving Oneness (一通) [a state of perfect unity and power].

A spiritual beast becomes a Spiritual Object after experiencing many years and gaining enlightenment, and upon becoming a Spiritual Object, it obtains an inner core.

This is called Oneness, and due to the inner core, one immediately gains a divine power.

Usually, they acquire a divine power that matches their specific characteristics and undergo a transformation, gaining a robust body.

Therefore, even a mountain journey fraught with danger for humans was of no concern to the Mountain Lord.

“Husband.”

[Why]

‘Oh, I shouldn’t have answered…….’

It seemed she had already become accustomed to it. The Mountain Lord was filled with self-reproach for having responded to being called “husband.”

“Those people are following us.”

[I know.]

There were people glancing and following them, seemingly intrigued by the sight of a tiger carrying a white-haired child.

An old man with snow-white hair and a child about Choa’s age.

As long as they weren’t bothersome, he didn’t care whether they followed or not.

From the start, the Mountain Lord was a tiger who didn’t pay much attention to others, and he didn’t have the 余裕 [leeway or capacity] to spare them any mind as he was busy with his journey.

‘They seem to have learned some martial arts, so they can take care of themselves.’

The path the Mountain Lord was taking was a small mountain near Mount Baek.

It was a valley called Hundred-Foot Gorge (百尺谷).

It was named Hundred-Foot Gorge because a hundred foreign enemies who tried to cross it to invade the territory in the past had disappeared like a mirage.

The Mountain Lord was well aware of its origin and existence but paid it no mind.

The hundred foreign enemies were a group of martial artists with a specific purpose, but unfortunately, they were annihilated by a spiritual beast residing in Hundred-Foot Gorge.

However, that spiritual beast had long since left this place, and there were no spiritual beasts residing in this insignificant location.

“Hello!”

Choa, riding on the Mountain Lord’s back, waved her hand towards the back.

The child following beside the old man also waved back, a bright smile lighting up his face.

Judging by the bright-looking boy, it seemed the old man was taking him around as a disciple.

An unnecessarily heartwarming atmosphere.

The Mountain Lord’s brow furrowed, a sign of his displeasure.

After walking like that for a while, they settled down in a suitable place as it grew dark. The Mountain Lord swiftly caught a blind deer nearby.

For the Mountain Lord, who lived as a tiger, hunting animals was essential, and after living for quite a long time, this much was easy for him.

“Ooh!”

But Choa’s eyes sparkled with admiration, as if she was impressed by such a display from the Mountain Lord.

[Hmph!]

The Mountain Lord, inwardly pleased, stiffly raised his head and threw a hind leg to Choa.

Choa, staring blankly at the deer’s hind leg dripping with blood, looked at the Mountain Lord and opened her mouth.

“Husband, Choa can’t eat that raw.”

Thinking about it, unlike himself, Choa was human. It might be okay for him to eat it raw, but Choa was still a child, so she might get sick.

There was also the risk of parasite infection… In any case, it was better to cook it.

‘It’ll probably be gamey too.’

[Don’t you know how to make a fire?]

“No…….”

The Mountain Lord, looking awkwardly at the sullen Choa, looked towards the old man and the child preparing to camp nearby and said,

[Give them that and get some fire.]

The Mountain Lord didn’t need to eat every meal. Animals were different from humans, and some could move without any problems even after starving for a month.

Moreover, the Mountain Lord was a Spiritual Object, so he could endure hunger for several months.

“Okay!”

Choa carried the deer’s hind leg, which was as big as herself, and ran to them.

After talking with them for a long time, Choa brought back fire, gathered fallen leaves to light it, and skewered pieces of meat on another branch to roast.

[What took you so long?]

“That child is the same age as me. So, so, we decided to be friends. His name is Bicheong!”

‘Bicheong? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before.’

Bicheong, Bicheong… The Mountain Lord pondered the name for a moment but couldn’t remember it in the end.

Sizzle, sizzle.

The sound of the meat roasting created a rhythm in the quiet night sky.

The smell of meat tickling the tip of the nose made the wild animals’ noses twitch.

However, they couldn’t easily approach because of the Mountain Lord’s aura beside Choa, and they only swallowed their saliva.

However, it seemed that Choa was the same, as a rumbling sound echoed from her stomach as well.

He just thought she was very hungry and tried to ignore it, but Choa seemed very embarrassed by it, blushing and talking nonsense.

“Husband, really… If you were hungry, you should have eaten your meal sooner…….”

Out of the blue, wasn’t she implying that the sound came from the Mountain Lord’s stomach!

There was no one else around, just him and Choa. The Mountain Lord was dumbfounded and slightly opened his mouth to look at Choa.

Choa was waiting for the meat to cook with a sulky expression.

Her face was a little red, so it seemed she knew what she was saying.

[What nonsense. It came from your stomach.]

Where is she trying to sell drugs [a metaphor for making up stories]?

“No, it didn’t? It was from Husband’s stomach?”

[Geez… Such a sound can come out when you’re hungry. There’s no need to be embarrassed.]

“No, it’s not!”

[I’m not deaf. Don’t shout so loudly. And do you think I wouldn’t be able to distinguish the sound from my stomach when it’s just you and me here?]

Was it because the little girl was also a woman that she knew how to be embarrassed?

It was quite cute to see her doing such pointless things.

However, Choa puffed up her cheeks, looking at the Mountain Lord, who didn’t go along with her without noticing.

“……Husband is stupid!”

Choa shouted that and ran into the bushes, holding the meat skewer in her hand.

Even in the midst of that, she must have been hungry.

[…….]

Towards the Mountain Lord, who was blankly watching Choa disappear into the bushes with a dumbfounded expression, a woman’s clear voice spread out.

-Aren’t you going after her?

[Why would I?]

– Isn’t she the Mountain Lord’s consort?

[Consort, my ass. You know everything, why are you trying to tease me so much?]

-Even so… Wouldn’t it be a big problem if a young child roamed the mountains alone at night?

[Domojam will protect her.]

If it was that treasure imbued with Bosung’s scent, even ordinary evil spirits wouldn’t be able to approach it.

-Domojam can repel evil spirits, but it can’t chase away spiritual beasts. The Mountain Consort hasn’t yet awakened her spiritual powers. Besides, if she gets lost, wouldn’t the journey become longer?

[……That too would be that child’s fate.]

It was a reckless answer.

-Then, was it also fate that led you to make me like this?

[…….]

The Mountain Lord didn’t say anything to the question of whether it was fate that had made her a Changui.

[Why are you so concerned about that child?]

-Well, I just don’t want to serve a master who isn’t honest with his feelings.

[What nonsense…….]

Just as he was about to say something.

“Hehe… I thought you were a spiritual beast, but you were a monster that eats people.”

The old man, who had approached unnoticed, drew a sword from his back and pointed it at the Mountain Lord!

[What are you?]

He already had a headache because of the annoying brat, and what was this guy now?

The Mountain Lord twitched his tail in displeasure and moved, his eyes narrowing.

“I am Cheongdosan of Kunlun [a mythical mountain range and a school of Taoism].”

The old man, fluttering his long robe, raised his spirit and glared as if he would stab the Mountain Lord at any moment.

Kunlun Mountain.

It was a group that practiced martial arts, aiming to become Taoists and immortals at the end.

If so, it was understandable that he was pointing his sword at the Mountain Lord.

The martial artists of Kunlun Mountain were famous for being sensitive to the presence of ghosts, and they were known for exorcising them.

‘Annoying.’

Swoosh.

Beside the Mountain Lord, a pale spirit gathered and formed the shape of a woman.

She was a woman who appeared to be only about twenty years old, wearing black mourning clothes and with hair as dark as night cascading down like a waterfall.

Cheongdosan pointed his sword at the Mountain Lord and looked at the beautiful woman beside him. On the outside, she looked no different from a human, but she was a ghost with a powerful ghostly aura.

A Changui, who was an evil spirit, was naturally the worst of the worst.

That was reason enough to swing his sword.

“I don’t know why you have a child with you, but that must also be for some sinister reason. I swear on the name of Kunlun Mountain that I will end your life!!”

Cheongdosan’s cry echoed loudly. He seemed to be no ordinary person, and despite his old age, his spirit was tremendous.

However, the Mountain Lord indifferently looked at the old man’s spirit, gestured to the woman, and got up from his seat.

[Hwaran. You brought him here, so take care of it.]

“I will. Are you going to escort the Mountain Consort?”

The woman called Hwaran put her hand on the jewel hanging on her necklace and took out a sword.

The sword she took out was an old sword with missing teeth that looked like it would break at any moment, but what the woman was wearing around her neck surprised the old man.

“Gongjeonggang (孔停陸) [a legendary artifact]!”

Gongjeonggang.

Wasn’t that a treasure of the world that Taoist immortals carried around, said to be able to hold anything regardless of size!

[It’s not a good time to rest, so I’m going to digest some food.]

“Yes, I suppose so. While you’re at it, how about holding a wedding and truly accepting her as your consort?”

[Don’t talk nonsense.]

The Mountain Lord ended the conversation as if he didn’t care whether the old man was surprised or not, disappeared into the bushes, and the Mountain Lord’s Changui, Hwaran, smiled sweetly at the old man, whose expression was full of tension.

It was a beautiful smile that was enough to captivate even an old man, but the ghostly aura she exuded was extremely eerie.

“S, Master! I will help too! Those guys must have been trying to do something terrible to Choa!”

“Stand back! This is not a place for you!”

Between the two, it seemed that the Mountain Lord and Hwaran were already considered bad guys, and Choa was treated as a victim who had been deceived by them.

Hwaran smiled in disbelief, and the little boy Bicheong’s brow furrowed.

“May I ask you something?”

Perhaps it was because he had seen Gongjeonggang, but the old man’s tone had become quite polite. Hwaran, who couldn’t have missed the change, smiled and pointed her sword at the old man.

“Wasn’t it the custom for Taoists to ask questions after subduing their opponents?”

The old man’s eyebrows shot up at the woman’s tone, which mocked the Taoists as a whole.

“Then I shall do so.”

The old man’s figure disappeared in an instant and appeared behind Ran.

It was the Dragon Shape Step (龍形步) [a martial arts technique] that Kunlun Mountain boasted, a footwork created by following the movements of a dragon.

‘This is the end!’

No matter how much the opponent had a treasure of the world, he had never felt that his skills were lacking.

He steeled his heart and unleashed his killing intent.

There was not a single tremor in the sword heading for her nape. He would cut off her neck and separate her body and head in one fell swoop!

Clang!!

“How can this be!”

Squeak!

She clashed swords, sparks flying, and smirked at the old man.

“Those who have learned some martial arts always make that kind of expression. They can block it, but they’re always surprised and shocked. They talk about realms, but there seems to be no difference.”

Hwaran shook her head as if she was pathetic and scattered her sword.

* * *

Thud! Bang!

‘She’s excited to be fighting after a long time.’

The Mountain Lord frowned and walked leisurely, tracking Choa’s scent.

This brat wasn’t even afraid of the dark mountains and had gone far away.

After a while.

The Mountain Lord frowned as he saw Choa sitting under an old tree, eating meat with her cheeks puffed out.

[Is it good?]

“Hiccup!”

Surprised, she patted her chest, as if the meat had gotten stuck in her throat.

After patting her chest for a long time with her face turning red, Choa finally swallowed the meat and looked at the person who had called her.

“Husband!”

Did she think he was sulking, but wasn’t that the case? She smiled brightly as she looked at the Mountain Lord who had come to find her.

But then she turned her head away with a flick! And made a nasal sound.

“Hmph!”

He didn’t know what tune to dance to, but it seemed she was sulking.