Soul Summoning Sword Spirit

Chapter 6: Cultivating the Sword Spirit (1)

Cultivating both sword and spirit.

Gugwi and Yeon Sohye finally arrived at the Cold Wolf Sect.

A thick mist veiled the cliff, and through it, grand buildings faintly emerged.

Gugwi widened his eyes.

A massive gate made of wood and stone gradually appeared through the mist.

Above the gate, ancient letters were engraved. But moss had overgrown them, making it hard to read.

‘To think a place like this is hidden in the mountains.’

It was an unbelievable sight. Gugwi kept glancing around in awe.

Yeon Sohye gently tapped his shoulder.

“Surprised?”

“It’s amazing.”

“It is. This place is called the Citadel Above the Clouds.”

Pride resonated in her voice.

As they stepped into the inner grounds, a strange energy coiled around their bodies. It felt as if a cold breeze brushed his skin, as if an icy hand was burrowing into his bones.

When Gugwi listened carefully, he heard a faint whisper from somewhere.

‘What’s that sound?’

It was mixed with the sound of the wind, making it indecipherable.

“I hear something.”

Gugwi looked at Yeon Sohye and spoke.

Unfazed, she replied nonchalantly.

“It’s the aura of the Cold Wolf Sect touching the Realm of the Threshold.”

She looked around and added,

“There are many wandering spirits here. Unless you’re a Soul-Summoner, you can’t even sense them… Yet you recognized it right away because of the Gatekeeper’s bloodline? Here’s a piece of advice—keep the fact that you carry the Gatekeeper’s bloodline thoroughly hidden here. Even now, pretend like you can’t hear what you’re hearing. Just act normal. Got it?”

A chill crept up Gugwi’s neck.

Invisible eyes were watching him. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Soon, disciples of the Cold Wolf Sect came to greet them.

Their eyes were filled with suspicion and curiosity.

One young disciple approached Gugwi.

Wearing a black martial arts uniform, he spoke in a low voice.

“You’re that person’s son?”

Before Gugwi could reply, Yeon Sohye pushed the disciple aside.

“Keep your nonsense to yourself.”

She took Gugwi and walked further into the citadel.

The disciples whispered among themselves.

“He’s the son of an executive from the Heavenly Sound Cult, right?”

“I heard he’s the son of one of the Eight Generals from the Twelve True Armies.”

“Why would the son of the Eight Generals come here? He must be crazy. Doesn’t he know this is enemy territory?”

Their voices faintly reached Gugwi’s ears.

It seemed many rumors about him had already spread.

‘Eight Generals? Father was one of the Eight Generals… The eighth among the Twelve True Armies… That’s quite a high rank.’

Questions surged like a tide, but Gugwi kept a firm expression. ‘Act normal.’ Yeon Sohye’s advice echoed in his mind.

Inside the citadel, the sect leader, Un Hojin, appeared.

He wore a gray robe and carried a sword. His gaze was as sharp as a blade.

As he approached, even the surrounding air seemed to grow heavier.

Un Hojin scanned Gugwi from head to toe.

“You really are Guun’s son. You look just like him.”

His deep, weighty voice reverberated through the room.

“Guun was of the Gatekeeper’s bloodline. Did you inherit that blood?”

“I’m not sure? I’ve never heard of the Gatekeeper’s bloodline before.”

Gugwi disliked how casually his father was being referred to as “Guun.” Calling a deceased father by name so carelessly—

“He didn’t tell you about the Gatekeeper’s bloodline?”

The sect leader looked at Yeon Sohye.

“No. That’s not something I could decide on…”

Yeon Sohye trailed off.

In truth, she had already told Gugwi. She had warned him repeatedly to hide his bloodline if he came to the Cold Wolf Sect.

She had protected his secret.

“The Gatekeeper’s bloodline isn’t passed down by blood. It’s passed from spirit to spirit. Whether you have it or not will be revealed in time.”

“If it’s passed from spirit to spirit… What does that change?”

Gugwi asked.

“We say we guard the flaw in the Realm of the Threshold. But entering the realm itself has its limits. However, someone with the Gatekeeper’s bloodline is a gatekeeper of the Realm. They can enter at any time and communicate with spirits. For us, there’s one chance. But for the Gatekeeper’s bloodline, there’s infinite chances. It’s a huge difference.”

“Hm!”

Gugwi let out a quiet hum.

“But even if you do have the Gatekeeper’s bloodline… you can’t become a disciple of the Cold Wolf Sect with just lineage.”

“What must I do?”

“You must take a test.”

The sect leader stared directly at Gugwi.

“A test to determine if you’re a Soul-Summoner. To see if you can resonate with the Realm of the Threshold. The test will be conducted in a secret location. Take him. We’ll talk after the test.”

Receiving the sect leader’s signal, Yeon Sohye grabbed Gugwi’s hand and led him.

“You can do this. Don’t worry.”

But Gugwi didn’t miss the slight tremble in her fingertips.

‘What is she afraid of? She seems scared.’

A disciple guided Gugwi.

He led him to the rear of the citadel. The main gate was crowded with disciples in training and performing rituals, so the test had to be conducted quietly, away from interruptions.

A narrow corridor appeared ahead.

Its entrance was hidden between stone walls covered in vines. Damp moss made the ground slick underfoot.

Gugwi stepped forward cautiously.

Cold air seeped through the stone walls, brushing against his face.

At the end of the corridor, where a flickering candle burned, the disciple stopped.

When he pushed open the door with his hand, the old wooden door creaked as it opened.

As they entered, a peculiar scene unfolded.

In the center sat an old incense burner, and next to it, rows of brown jars. Each jar contained dried herbs, and their sharp scent filled the room.

The walls were built of black stone, and faint patterns shimmered on their moist surfaces.

Gugwi’s heart slightly quickened at the sight of the patterns.

They looked as if they were alive, black lines entwining and flowing into strange shapes.

In one corner of the room stood a small altar.

Around the altar, red and blue patterns intertwined intricately.

The disciple motioned for Gugwi to bow.

When Gugwi bowed, the disciple quickly stepped forward and lit the incense burner.

Snap! Sssss...

The herbs ignited, releasing a curling smoke.

Thick smoke enveloped the room… Gugwi's eyes stung. He tried to hold his breath, but the smoke pierced into his nose and tickled his throat. Yet his body gradually felt lighter, as if it had been bathed in warm water. It felt like a gentle warmth was seeping beneath his skin.

The disciple spoke softly.

“Many have failed this test. Focus!”

His gaze pierced into Gugwi.

“Steady your mind.”

Gugwi took a deep breath.

He had no choice. Sect Leader Un Hojin had appeared. Was he going to personally oversee the test?

Un Hojin pointed to the altar.

“Sit there.”

Gugwi hesitated, then slowly stepped up.

The ritual began.

When Un Hojin lit the incense burner, dense smoke rose. The sound of a wind instrument echoed lowly, filling the room.

Gugwi closed his eyes and focused his mind.

The sound of wind echoed in his ears. It grew louder until it filled his hearing entirely. The scent of incense pierced his nose, and the smoke made his throat sting. Slowly, his consciousness was drawn into the Realm of the Threshold. He felt as if his body remained on the altar.

Only his spirit drifted through a dark dimension—a strange sensation.

Suspended in pitch-black darkness… his body floated in the air. It was the same place he had been before. The Realm of the Threshold. But entering it this time was quite different from how his father had taught him.

In the Realm of the Threshold, Gugwi had to find a specific spirit.

In the darkness, countless souls floated in hazy lights.

Blue lights, yellow lights, red lights… each soul had its own color.

He listened closely.

A faint groan echoed from somewhere.

A dim energy pulled him in.

“Yeongso?”

Gugwi called the name.

A light approached from afar.

A trembling blue light moved toward him. Like moonlight wavering underwater.

He heard the resonance of a soul.

“Yes, it’s me. Yeongso, a disciple of the Cold Wolf Sect. Died three days ago.”

Yeongso’s voice trembled.

He had died while trying to save a fellow disciple during a battle against the Heavenly Sound Cult.

His lingering regret was dying without knowing whether the companion he had tried to save had survived.

Gugwi looked into the light.

The flickering glow faintly revealed sorrow.

“Your companion is safe. You can rest now.”

Yeongso’s light gently trembled, then slowly faded away.

Yeon Sohye had said that a Soul-Summoner’s role was to resolve the regrets of the dead. If it had not been more than seven days since death, fulfilling their wish would allow them to pass on peacefully.

Gugwi felt warmth in his chest.

When the ritual ended, Gugwi opened his eyes.

Un Hojin was looking down at him.

“You understood the essence of the test.”

A rare smile surfaced on his face.

“Soul-Summoning isn’t about stealing souls. It’s about understanding them and granting them peace.”

Gugwi exhaled.

That might be true.

He remembered using General Madal’s sword technique. Was that also an act of granting peace?

Un Hojin spoke in a heavy tone.

“Your father, Guun, was an executive in the Heavenly Sound Cult.”

That much he already knew. He had even heard about the Eight Generals. But he feigned ignorance.

“What?”

Un Hojin calmly continued.

“He betrayed the cult after witnessing how they distorted Soul-Summoning. He stole an important secret manual and came to the Cold Wolf Sect, but he never joined our sect.”

Gugwi’s hands trembled.

Guun had hidden in the mountains to escape pursuit by the Heavenly Sound Cult.

Disguised as a hunter, he raised Gugwi. They lit fires in a small hut, and Guun taught Gugwi how to use a bow. But the Heavenly Sound Cult eventually found him.

Un Hojin asked,

“Do you know the secret manual?”

Gugwi thought of the worn-out book hidden in his clothing. Its leather cover was frayed.

He had a feeling that revealing it would be dangerous.

“I don’t.”

He shook his head.

Something told him he must not speak of it.

“Haha! You’ve sent Yeongso’s soul to a good place, so I’d say you passed the test. Let’s hold the initiation.”

The sect leader said.

The initiation was held.

In a spacious courtyard, the disciples of the Cold Wolf Sect had gathered tightly. They wore black martial arts uniforms and stood quietly in rows.

Along the edge of the courtyard, red flags fluttered in the wind, bearing the sect’s symbol. On the flag, a sword and a moon intersected—powerful yet serene.

Un Hojin slowly stepped in front of Gugwi.

His gray robe fluttered slightly in the breeze.

He unfolded a scroll in his hand and began reading the sect’s regulations.

“A disciple of the Cold Wolf Sect dedicates themselves to the sect and bears the responsibility of maintaining the balance of the Realm of the Threshold…”

His deep, firm voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

The disciples bowed their heads and listened attentively.

Gugwi knelt down.

The moment had come to swear allegiance.

“I shall follow the will of the Cold Wolf Sect.”

Gugwi’s voice trembled slightly.

Un Hojin nodded, looking down at him.

To others, it might have sounded like a common disciple’s vow. But Gugwi’s heart was in turmoil. His father’s past, the secret manual, and the fate he had to shoulder swirled in his mind.

Thus, he became a member of the Cold Wolf Sect.

After the ceremony, Yeon Sohye approached.

“You must absolutely act normal. Your real training will be conducted in secret, away from others.”

Her voice was nearly a whisper.

Gugwi followed her.

Yeon Sohye led him to a hidden underground chamber. It was located behind the Soul Hall, at the end of a narrow passageway concealed in a cliff.

When she pushed open the door between rock crevices, damp air brushed against his face.

Inside the passage, it was dark, and the sound of dripping water echoed underfoot.

Entering the chamber, candlelight flickered.

The walls were plastered with yellow talismans, and the air carried a strange scent. In the center stood a round stone plate, and above it, a faint blue glow hovered.

“This is the training place.”

Yeon Sohye pointed to the stone plate.

“Here, you’ll train in the basics of Soul-Summoning—entry, resonance, and spirit contact. You already know how to do them all, but… learn our methods. Forget the Gatekeeper’s way for now.”

Her eyes gleamed.

She hesitated briefly, then added,

“The Heavenly Sound Cult targeted Uncle Guun because he was of the Gatekeeper’s bloodline. Until you master this art completely, don’t give your trust to anyone. Not even… me.”