When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Startled by the sudden surge of power, the musicians quickly raised their trembling hands and began playing again.
The Mystic Ruler wasn't a benevolent ruler.
If they were caught not performing their duties properly, their lives could be in danger.
Driven by this desperate need, the music that had been interrupted began to fill the large banquet hall once again.
Regardless of the musicians’ distress, the others were simply eager for the Mystic Ruler to enter and satisfy their curiosity.
There was a lady, but two men who were involved with her.
Their curiosity, already inflamed when they had discovered her existence, now burned like lava.
When the Mystic Ruler finally entered the banquet hall, everyone rose from their seats and bowed towards him.
The old man's dry eyes swept past the Baek clan head, who was seated below his own seat, before they abruptly stopped.
“!!”
Everyone was bowing, so only Baek clan head, who had already finished his brief greeting, noticed the old man’s eyes widen.
The old man's throat vibrated intensely but quickly composed himself.
The Mystic Ruler's body started to move forward step by step. The gold tassels on his scarlet robe shimmered luxuriously in the firelight, as if filled with spiritual power.
But even this old man couldn’t completely hide his emotions when he passed by Sehwa.
His smoldering gaze briefly turned to the woman’s head, lowered in a bow, and then to her long hair trailing to the floor.
After a brief exchange with the Baek Clan Head, the old man instructed everyone to be seated, and the Young Lord rose to signal the beginning of the banquet.
In an instant, the music changed to a more lively tune, and dancers filled the center of the banquet hall.
The dancers, all wearing identical clothes, began to display their best dances but failed to capture the attention of those who had gathered.
"So, Baek Clan Head, what brings you here?"
As the old man directed his voice to the Baek Clan Head, everyone at the upper seats turned towards them, their ears perked up.
A calm, soothing, and composed voice followed, revealing the speaker's personality.
"It is as you already know, Mystic Ruler."
"Aha. To take my son to the Baek clan."
The old man, letting out a low rumble, reached for a wine bottle from the table in front of him.
"You too, have a drink."
The Baek Clan Head extended his wine cup and received wine from the Mystic Ruler.
“When others receive wine from me, they would say how honored they are. Do you have none of that, Baek Clan Head?"
"I am honored."
"You're a friend who doesn’t know humor."
Unable to drink because of his mask, he placed the cup on the table.
"Why are you wearing that mask?"
"There is a reason."
"I want to know what that reason is."
"Mystic Ruler. My respect for you stems from the fact that this is Ju territory."
"What is that?"
"You are not my master. This is to say, please be clear about that fact."
Thump!
The old man slammed his wine cup on the table as if he was about to break it.
Those in the banquet hall froze.
The old man gnashed his teeth and added.
"That is an insolent thing to say, Baek Clan Head. Do you know why the Mystic Ruler is the Mystic Ruler? It is because I am the master of this entire mystic realm. Do you think you can break the rules of the mystic realm just because you had one victory?"
“The mystic realm has always repeated the process of individuals becoming a family's history, and then that family's history becoming the entire mystic realm’s history. I've already begun walking a different path than before, and there's no rule saying that those steps can't change the rules of the mystic realm that have been followed since the beginning.”
"What did you say?!"
"Of course. These are simply my personal opinions, so the Mystic Ruler doesn't need to be upset. However, as I hold the position of leader of the six clan alliance, opposing the Mystic Ruler, I hope you can understand that I cannot treat you as I used to."
Baek Giha, his voice neither too fast nor too slow, added while looking at the Mystic Ruler.
"It is a temporary position until the disappearance case is resolved. If that problem is resolved, my Baek clan and the five other clans will once again strive for the prosperity of the mystic realm under the Mystic Ruler."
"..."
Baek Giha’s calm eyes were hidden behind the mask, making them impossible to see properly.
But everyone could clearly see the Mystic Ruler’s menacing, bloodshot eyes.
It was as if the old man was ready to tear the Baek clan head to pieces.
But the old man's expression soon disappeared as if it had never been there.
Haha. The old man laughed quietly and picked up his wine cup again, as if nothing had happened. “Yes. I acknowledge that I was too careless. Of course, it must be quickly resolved. That’s why my son is going to that place.”
He confirmed that Baek Giha had picked up his wine cup as well before swallowing his drink in one go.
“And now, let the daughter of Elder Myoungyoon come forward.”
At that, Ju Sehwa, in no particular hurry, stepped forward and knelt before the Mystic Ruler.
"You've completed your exuviation."
"Yes. It is all thanks to the Mystic Ruler's protection and benevolence."
“How far can you extend your power? Show it to me here.”
Sehwa bowed her head and replied.
“I have just completed my exuviation, so I’m still unfamiliar with my power. I am worried that I might mess up the banquet hosted by you, Mystic Ruler.”
"You can’t control it? Is that what you mean?"
“Yes. Therefore, if the Mystic Ruler would permit it, I will practice controlling my power quickly and then, at the next banquet, present myself in a manner that would not bring shame to the Ju clan.”
"..."
"For now, I wish that the Mystic Ruler's great kindness might overlook my inadequacy."
The old man’s eyes narrowed.
‘If she has as much power as it seems, her control would be strong as well.’
His cold gaze once again verified the size of the spiritual power rippling around Sehwa.
‘Could it be that her foundation is small, and only the power that's being emitted is large, while I’m mistaking that for great power?’
That’s when it happened.
A servant hurriedly entered and bowed to the Mystic Ruler, whispering something in his ear.
"...Spirit stones... carriage... trade..."
"..."
"..."
Others couldn't hear the whispered words, but Sehwa and Baek Giha, who were both exuding spiritual power, could catch a few words from the servant's mouth.
As Baek Giha's gaze reflexively turned to Sehwa, Sehwa curled her lips into a smile under her lowered head.
‘The timing is perfect.’
Having known about the presence of ‘those following her’ that Youngchae mentioned, she had made slight modifications to her plan.
She also knew how significant her appearance was.
Thus, she put on a mask for Baek Giha in order to monopolize all of the old man's suspicion and attention.
And she had arranged for the news about the spirit stones to reach the old man after he had entered the banquet hall.
‘Even if I had only demonstrated my power a while ago, once he realizes the fact that I had such a large supply of spirit stones, he'll see me differently.’
The suspicious old man would certainly think that she was perhaps preparing for another exuviation to become a divine beast.
And if he knew that someone with a high possibility of becoming a divine beast was next to him, the old man would never let her go to the Baek clan.
He would surely want to secure time to forcefully steal and absorb her power.
'But since my trip to the Baek clan has already been widely publicized and Baek Giha is also here, he doesn't have time to carefully weigh his options, since he risks losing his son if he makes a wrong move.'
Therefore, he would inevitably attempt to find out how much power she possessed now.
And that was exactly what she was waiting for.
'Quickly. Quickly test me. Test me already.'
Even in that brief moment, the old man's keen eyes never left Ju Sehwa.
Soon the old man gave his order.
“Since both Baek Clan Head and I are here, you do not need to worry about anything. So show me your power here.”
“……”
“Quickly.”
As Sehwa still seemed reluctant even after his order, the old man changed his tactics.
Flames surged from his hand. The smoldering orange spiritual power quickly transformed into a beautiful, large sword.
"Hold this."
The old man pointed the hilt of the sword towards Sehwa.
His obsession to confirm her power right here, right now, was clear in his eyes.
“It won’t be difficult. Just take the sword and release your power. The divine sword will help in regulating your power.”
“How dare I touch the divine sword that you use, Mystic Ruler…”
“I have given you permission. Take it quickly.”
Of course she would.
This was the moment she had been waiting for.
Even as she walked slowly towards the divine sword, her heart was pounding wildly, out of control.
The combination of several powers inside her were already beyond imagination.
However, she couldn't fully trust in her ability to control her spiritual power while handling the Mystic Ruler's sword.
So, before coming to the banquet hall, she had swallowed the blue turtle's spirit orb, which she had wrapped in spiritual power so that it wouldn't melt before she wanted it to. She had also brought the golden bull's spirit orb that Baek Giha had left behind.
'It has to work.'
She slowly approached the divine sword and grabbed its hilt.
'No, what am I thinking? I have to make it work.'
She gritted her teeth and released all the spirit orbs that were being protected by her spiritual power.
The spirit orbs, rapidly absorbing into her body, released enormous power.
Her original power, already flowing through her body, did the same.
The release of all that power at once resulted in a massive shockwave that slashed through the banquet hall.
Poong!!
Kwaang---!!
Following that, a brilliant light that made it impossible to open one's eyes covered the banquet hall.
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