When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Youngsun and Youngmu rode without rest alongside the guards personally trained by Ju Myoungyoon.
They arrived at the estate as the setting sun descended.
The two sisters, who had never ridden horses for such a long duration, were completely exhausted.
"I'm really glad I ate two and a half bowls of rice this morning," Youngmu said, patting her trembling legs, thinking she wouldn't have been able to ride for so long otherwise.
Meanwhile, Youngsun asked the guards to block the entrance.
She signaled to Youngmu and carefully stepped into the darkened estate.
They moved cautiously, their spiritual senses heightened for any hidden presence.
Though sunset light streamed into the estate, perhaps due to their tension, even the bright interior felt eerily desolate.
Despite the moderate temperature, sweat beaded on their tense bodies as they suppressed even their breathing.
Yet no matter how quietly they searched the estate's interior, they detected no signs of life. Multiple checks confirmed the same.
Finally, Youngmu and Youngsun turned to each other with relieved smiles.
"Since it seems no one's here, let's change the barrier first."
"Youngsun, you go to the sealed room. I'll check if there are any issues with the storage where Young Lady kept her supplies."
Though protected by the same barrier, the main building and storage were some distance apart.
They nodded to each other and split up, heading down opposite corridors.
When changing the barrier, the estate would be completely exposed for half an incense stick's time until the new barrier took effect.
Wanting to quickly pass that half incense stick duration after confirming no one was present, Youngsun hurried her movements.
She passed through several illusion rooms and entered the sealed room secured by multiple layers of spiritual power.
Inside the narrow sealed room was a barrier stone emitting a reddish light.
Following Sehwa's teachings, she deactivated it, causing the small tablet-shaped barrier stone to crumble to powder.
Without wasting time, she placed a new barrier stone and carefully injected spiritual power according to the method she knew.
Whether due to her insufficient spiritual power or something else, the barrier stone wouldn't activate and establish the barrier despite her efforts.
She was anxiously pacing as half an incense stick's time passed without the barrier activating when suddenly, a red light burst forth signaling the barrier's complete formation.
The relief she felt in that moment was immense.
Finally exhaling a long breath, Youngsun's eyes curved into crescents.
"Good. Now let's head back."
Now that it was done, it didn't seem like such a difficult task—perhaps she had been too tense. She thought they should hurry back before Young Lady noticed their absence.
With lightened steps, Youngsun passed through the layered illusion rooms and emerged back into the estate's interior.
The setting sun outside was so vivid that the entire estate interior was bathed in a reddish glow.
'No, wait... This isn't sunset.'
It was too bright for sunset. Unless time had reversed, the sky couldn't be brighter than when they had arrived at the estate.
Startled, she threw open the paper doors.
In that instant, the heat that single thin door had been holding back rushed at her intensely.
"..."
Her stunned gaze swept around. Everywhere she looked was consumed by red flames.
Youngmu confirmed that all the supplies prepared by Young Lady were intact, with no signs of tampering.
She looked up at the sky. Though the storage was safe, the dissolved barrier had yet to fill the air again.
'Why is it taking so long?'
After securing the storage door with spiritual power so no one else could open it, Youngmu hurriedly walked toward the estate where Youngsun was.
But just as she was walking, almost running, the barrier firmly established itself again.
Finally, a long sigh escaped.
"What's this? We were too solemn about something that wasn't a big deal."
Youngmu's steps slowed as she muttered with traces of laughter in her voice.
Though it had been a while since they'd visited, the estate was well-maintained with everything necessary available within the barrier's bounds.
The fruit trees that she and her sisters had planted one by one in the past had grown considerably, their leaves lush and full.
She briefly took in the nostalgic sight of the red sunset reflecting on the large pond and the ripples created by fish swimming beneath.
But soon she realized something was wrong.
"...!"
She discovered bright red flames blazing around the estate.
The flames spread at a terrifying speed, engulfing the estate.
There was no time to think.
Hastily removing her outer garment, Youngmu soaked it in the pond water and covered herself from head to toe.
She ran toward the estate with frightening speed.
From a tree overlooking the estate, Seowol wiped the blood from her split lip.
Fearing she might miss the timing, she had rushed here without even taking time to consume a recovery medicine.
Her body was now in tatters after being discovered by Myoungyoon's guard warriors and engaging in physical combat.
Despite the pain, she had been so anxious about possibly missing that Youngsun woman.
She had to infiltrate during the brief moment when the barrier completely disappeared, so while maintaining spiritual power to temporarily block the barrier's formation, she had hurriedly dealt with the warriors, allowing several attacks to land in the process.
Fortunately, she managed to climb up to a tree overlooking the estate before Youngsun could exit the building.
'Now then, what would be the most painful way to kill that woman?'
While contemplating, Seowol recalled the red orb given to her by the Mystic Ruler.
The flame within the small orb called the Mystic Ruler's Fire would never extinguish until everything it touched had melted away.
'Since my body isn't in the best condition either, it wouldn't be bad to borrow the orb's power.'
Smiling from the tree, Seowol threw red orbs around the estate.
As the orbs burst, flames created from the Dragon's spiritual power slowly rose.
Unable to wait for the red flames to completely consume the estate, Seowol frantically threw the orbs at random. She intended to completely block any escape route.
Her efforts with all the orbs paid off—the flames instantly surrounded the estate without leaving even a finger's width of space.
It was then that someone, wearing an outer garment soaked in water and protecting their body with spiritual power, leaped into those flames.
Seeing this, Seowol's eyes widened before she broke into cackling laughter.
"To think such a madwoman exists. How grateful that she'd walk right into her death, all on her own."
The flames created by Dragon's spiritual power were completely different from ordinary flames. They would never extinguish, would spread to the body, and would cause extreme agony until death.
'It would be better if I could watch that scene directly.'
But well, this wasn't bad either.
Seowol didn't let her guard down like earlier in the day.
She checked multiple times to ensure there truly wasn't even a finger's width of space, that those trapped inside absolutely could not escape.
Only after being ten out of ten certain did she leave the place with swift steps.
A bright smile bloomed across her face as she leaped through the moonlight.
The color had completely drained from Youngsun's face.
No matter where she looked, there wasn't even the smallest hole for escape.
She tried to break through the flames with spiritual power, but whatever these flames were, they remained completely unaffected.
Like an unyielding iron wall, they surrounded the estate while gradually consuming the wooden structure as they drew closer.
'What should I do... Am I really going to die like this? Am I really going to die this way?'
Intense fear welled up, making her hands tremble violently.
Though she thought she had been prepared, when actually faced with it, her eyes stung and she wanted to collapse.
'No. If those branch family members were trying to kill Young Lady like this, how fortunate that she didn't fall into this trap.'
How fortunate that I'm alone in this terrifying moment, she desperately told herself.
How fortunate that no one else is in these flames with me.
It was as she was forcing these thoughts between her trembling lips that she saw it.
Beyond the red flames stood a dark shadow.
"Youngsun..."
Youngsun's mouth fell open. In her bewilderment, she burst out shouting.
"Why are you here?!"
"So-sorry... I'm sorry..."
Youngmu approached, showing tears unlike her usual self.
"But... but you..."
Seeing her sister hesitate, unable to speak, Youngsun struck her shoulder.
"You fool! Did you forget our promise? We agreed! We said we wouldn't look back. You should have left at least! Why did you come in here!"
"..."
Youngmu could say nothing and only cried. Youngsun's eyes quickly grew hot as well.
How could she not understand? Her feet must have moved on their own. In that moment, she probably couldn't think of anything else.
Born on the same day, they had rarely been apart.
Turning away while leaving such a sibling in the flames couldn't have been as simple as deciding to do so.
There was no time for this. Youngsun's gaze moved quickly, measuring where the flames were weakest.
"Come this way. I'll block it with my body. I'll try to somehow part the flames using clothes, and you pass through that gap—"
CRASH!
RUMBLE!
At that moment, one end of a flame-engulfed beam that had been holding up collapsed diagonally with the crumbling roof.
The falling debris completely blocked what might have been an escape route through the flames.
Their expressions rapidly darkened.
This... there was no way out.
Youngsun and Youngmu's devastated gazes met. They were probably thinking the same thing.
Despite saying they would be careful and cautious...
...yet they had created such an outcome.
Faced with this irreversible reality, Youngsun's chin trembled finely. Regret crashed over her like a storm.
"No matter what happens, you must absolutely live. You understand, right?"
Finally, tears burst from Youngsun's eyes as well.
Biting her lips to suppress her trembling, she slowly knelt on the floor.
She bowed her head toward where the estate stood.
"I'm... sorry, Young Lady."
Youngmu, her face drenched, also bowed toward the estate.
"Don't let me lose you two. Never let me know the misery of losing you."
"Though you said such words... I was foolish..."
Youngsun continued through her tears, barely managing to speak.
"I am truly sorry that I can no longer serve you."
"So-sorry, Young Lady. I'm sorry."
Their only worry now was how shocked and saddened the remaining people would be.
"Youngsun. I'm really glad I ate two and a half bowls of rice this morning. Right?"
What nonsense is she saying at a time like this?
Despite being covered in tears, Youngsun couldn't help but laugh at Youngmu's silly words.
Dear sisters.
Though they had fought plenty, in the final moment, she had come to her instinctively. Even knowing there was no way back.
"...Youngmu. I'm so glad you were born as my sister."
"Me too. Me too. Me too."
"We were so happy all this time, weren't we? The four of us with Young Lady?"
"There wasn't a day that wasn't joyful."
The rapidly approaching flames reached their feet.
The heat radiating from the blazing flames penetrated their skin.
It was so hot, so scorching that they wanted to dodge anywhere, but there was nowhere to go.
So they held each other tightly.
Even their tear-streaked faces grew hot from the flames, making it difficult to keep their eyes open.
"I-I hope Young Lady won't be too sad."
"And Youngchae."
"Let's wait together in the netherworld. Don't reincarnate first."
"Yes. So that someday, after a very long time when Youngchae and Young Lady come... Then together..."
Creak.
An ominous sound came from the end of the beam, half-collapsed to the ground and half-still hanging from the ceiling.
Their gazes reflexively turned there before returning to each other.
"I-I actually..."
Youngsun bit her lip until it bled, barely managing to continue speaking.
Her face contorted as she anticipated the horrible pain to come, tears flowing freely.
"I'm so grateful you came here."
For not being alone.
For not being alone in this terrifying moment.
They buried their faces in each other's shoulders. They embraced fiercely, as if about to break.
It was at that moment,
The burning end of the support beam, along with the collapsing roof, crashed down on top of them.
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