When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 119
Chapter 119
“Sehwa. Ju Sehwa.”
Fortunately, he felt the same way as she did.
Every time she heard him speak her name, it felt as if new blood was coursing through her veins.
As Sehwa embraced him tightly once more, his fiery lips pressed against hers.
“…!”
He desperately entangled their tongues, devouring not only the remaining breath in her mouth but also every drop of saliva between their intertwined breaths.
Holding her slender body firmly with his strong arms, preventing her from pulling away, he pressed himself against her with an overwhelming force.
Sehwa’s head spun from his fierce movements.
The act itself, coupled with his urgency, amplified the heat between them.
He wanted to tear off their cumbersome clothes and embrace her naked body, just like when he was in his white tiger form.
But…
“M-Mother…”
Her mother was here.
As she forced the words out, his hand, which had been teasingly exploring beneath her clothes, stilled.
“......”
“......”
Unable to bear his disappointed expression, she lowered her gaze.
“When… are we getting married?”
Baek Giha, adjusting her disheveled clothes and placing a lingering kiss on the bare skin exposed by the night air, spoke in a husky voice, “I want to soon.”
“…Me too.”
“That’s a relief.”
“What is?”
“That I’m not the only one who feels that way.”
Nibbling on her earlobe, he whispered again, “I want to marry you soon.”
“But… what if I’m not accepted by the Baek Clan after we get married?”
“What?”
“My spiritual power is in a strange state right now. And even if I become a Divine Beast, I might end up looking… monstrous.”
“......”
“I don’t mind if you’re okay with it, but… I don’t want to cause trouble for those around you, so I’m just asking.”
Her insecure words contained an uncharacteristic hint of childishness, a plea for reassurance.
He chuckled, finding this new side of her endearing.
Pulling her close, he playfully nibbled on her lips.
“Are you saying that after hearing what Manyong said to your father? Didn’t you hear him say that he wished you would come to the Baek Clan and become our Divine Beast?”
“That was when I was in my white tiger form. But now, I might not even be able to transform into that.”
“I’m more worried that you’ll be too busy to get married. That you’ll reject me because I’m not good enough for you, or because your clan will object.”
“…? Why would I be busy? Because of revenge? Because of the Mystic Ruler?”
“There’s one more thing. What your father said.”
“?”
“‘Why do you say there’s no one else to be Clan Head? There’s you. If anyone should ascend to the position of Ju Clan Head, it should be you.’”
Her expression darkened even further as she recalled her father's words.
“That’s even more problematic. The position of Mystic Ruler requires proof of legitimate Ju Clan bloodline, how can I reveal my spiritual power in this state?”
“I don’t think it has to be that way.”
Recalling the joy he had felt upon discovering the small flowers and grass growing on the path, Baek Giha disagreed.
Sehwa seemed unconvinced.
But he felt as if some grand order, with a definite purpose, had been at work in shaping her spiritual power and appearance.
It was a similar premonition to what the Mystic Ruler had felt.
A premonition that something this world had been waiting for was being manifested through her.
Why her?
How was such a thing possible?
There was no point in questioning it.
The Divine Beast this world had been waiting for might not be her.
But the numerous coincidences that had been laid out were already firmly intertwined like gears.
So precisely that even hypotheticals like ‘if that hadn’t happened’ or ‘if she hadn’t done that’ were meaningless.
So he began to dream.
Of a time long ago, when Divine Beasts of all colors filled the world.
Of a world brimming with vitality, where they performed benevolent miracles, traversing the Mystic Realm and the Human Realm, miracles now only found in stories.
A world where no one fought over spiritual power, where no one was as sharp and ruthless as they were now. Wouldn't such a world return?
Those images seemed to overlap with the bluish, glowing scenery spread beneath the vast roof.
Even though this slender young woman…
So endlessly gentle with those she cared for, so relentlessly harsh on herself, so full of worries yet so decisive in her actions…
So fearless in her execution, yet so afraid of hurting those she knew…
This young woman, who had captivated him in his past life and continued to hold his gaze in this one… even though she seemed to be struggling to comprehend the fate that had been thrust upon her…
Worried about the difficult path that lay ahead of her, Baek Giha placed gentle kisses all over her face.
He pressed his warm lips against her soft skin, leaving his warmth behind like a brand.
That he would protect her, no matter what.
And that they would greet the new future together.
The not-so-distant future, filled with surprise, awe, and joy, hand in hand.
With that vow in his heart…
The next day, they were much more cautious on their way to Igang Province.
They had encountered the Mystic Ruler while rescuing her mother.
They believed their brothers were now in greater danger.
However, Ju Gayoon and Ju Gahan were already gone.
They had vanished without a trace, rendering all the plans they had meticulously devised for their rescue useless.
“It’s fine. It’ll be difficult to find them now, so let’s not waste any more time here and head to the Baek Clan.”
Cheon Sua waved her hand dismissively, as if there was no need to search for her sons now.
“Are you sure, Mother? What if my brothers are in danger—?”
“If they were, those outpost soldiers wouldn't be frantically searching for them, talking about desertion.”
Cheon Sua, sitting by the window on the third floor of their lodging, gestured with her chin.
Outpost soldiers were searching the surrounding shops and houses with grim expressions.
“They might be a bit inflexible, but they're not foolish. And they're quite capable, so they should be able to protect themselves.”
Even as she spoke, Cheon Sua couldn't hide her deep worry for her sons.
“So let’s go to the Baek Clan now. If our suspicions are true, giving the Mystic Ruler more time might be dangerous.”
Cheon Sua's firm gaze recalled the time she had married Ju Myoungyoon and joined the Ju Clan.
Arriving full of expectations, she had been deeply shocked by the Ju Clan’s atmosphere, so different from what she was used to.
The Ju Clan members, long accustomed to dominance, indolence, and pleasure, had a completely different set of values from other clans when it came to right and wrong.
To the Ju Clan, mystics without a clan weren't even considered mystics.
They were beings they could kill at any time without any remorse.
That arrogant mindset wasn’t much different when dealing with the Six Clans.
She was astonished by how they clung to their privileges without fulfilling their responsibilities and duties.
How could such people claim to be upholding the Mystic Realm?
She couldn’t even express the bewilderment she had felt upon realizing that this vast clan was barely being held together by a few righteous individuals like her husband.
“The sin of killing innocent children… the sin of prolonging his life through forbidden means, defying the Heavenly Mandate, despite being the Mystic Ruler…!” Cheon Sua’s voice was firm, her gaze unwavering. “And the sin of disrupting the order of the entire Mystic Realm and causing discord among the Seven Clans! He must be held accountable for all of it!”
They couldn't afford to miss the opportunity to create a new era.
Sehwa and Baek Giha felt their hearts burning as they listened.
“......”
“......”
Baek Giha and Sehwa exchanged glances.
In his past life, Baek Giha had become the Mystic Ruler, but that didn't mean he had become the true ruler of the Mystic Realm, just like the Ju Clan hadn't.
The position of the Ju Clan, who had ruled the Mystic Realm for so long, wasn’t something to be challenged lightly, no matter how much dissatisfaction there was.
It wasn't a matter of ten or twenty years, nor a hundred or two hundred years.
The notion that ‘this world lies beneath the feet of the Ju Clan’s Red Dragon’ was deeply ingrained in the minds of the mystics.
It was such an established truth that they couldn't even imagine it changing.
But what if they could reveal all the immoral acts the Mystic Ruler had committed?
It wouldn't be easy to convince those who refused to believe it, but if they could…
‘Then even the Six Clans would have justification!’
Justification to overthrow the heavens and turn the world upside down, justification to rally everyone to their cause!
“Let’s go. We have to hurry if we want to prepare for this.”
“Shouldn't we leave some kind of mark so my brothers can find us?”
“They’ll surely hear that their father has cleared out the residence and gone to the Baek Clan, so let’s go there and wait.”
Sehwa and Baek Giha nodded.
They had no way of knowing their brothers’ whereabouts, and they were leaving empty-handed, but their expressions weren’t entirely gloomy.
Their eyes shone with anticipation for the unexpected plan they were about to set in motion.
Taking the hostage they had knocked unconscious with acupuncture, they quickly changed course and headed for the Baek Clan.
They had much to prepare, but time was short. They had to hurry.
The white tiger, carrying them through the sky, sped away.
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