When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 97
Chapter 97
"!!"
Startled by the unfamiliar voice, Youngchae reflexively turned around.
This room was one of the warriors' quarters.
Considering the possibility of another attack, they had carefully moved rooms and only allowed the most trusted servants to quietly come and go.
They had hidden the young lady away, securing the doors tightly and adding extra shutters to prevent any light from escaping.
Yet into such a room, someone who shouldn't be there had stepped in, making sounds that shouldn't be heard.
The uninvited guest, wearing a broad smile, strode toward Youngchae.
"Did you think I wouldn't find her if you hid her like this? You underestimate Seowol."
Seowol?
"But why is that young lady in such a state? Step aside first. Seowol doesn't have time, so if you move right now, I'll at least spare your life."
Though she had no real intention of sparing anyone.
Finding it amusing to watch someone retreat to save their own life, Seowol pulled out a whip from her robes.
Youngchae's expression instantly hardened.
Only she and Sehwa were in this room. If she was being told to step aside, then the target must be...
Quickly grasping the situation, Youngchae hastily grabbed the sword hanging on the quarters' wall.
Shing.
She threw away the scabbard and pointed the blade forward. Seowol's eyes narrowed mockingly.
"So that's how you want to play it?"
"If you want to get near the young lady, you'll have to kill me first."
"Does an ant really think it can be threatening by acting serious?"
Despite her scoffing, Seowol frowned.
She had wasted quite some time finding this room.
The Mystic Ruler was already furious about the fruitless use of fire, and if she wasn't careful, she too might...
Meanwhile, Youngchae gripped the sword handle even more firmly.
Seeing the face that showed absolute determination not to move aside, Seowol's expression turned vicious.
"You're rushing to your death. You want to join your sister, is that it?!"
Whoosh!
In an instant, the whip flew at an invisible speed, drawing a bright red line across Youngchae's face.
"!"
Before she could even clutch her painful cheek—
Thwack!
This time, a spiritual power-infused kick strongly struck Youngchae's cheekbone. Simultaneously, the black whip tightly coiled around her slender neck.
"...!!"
Her lungs, robbed of breath in the blink of an eye, desperately demanded air while remaining immobilized.
Youngchae struggled, swinging her sword, but the difference in skill was all too clear.
"See? You should have moved when I told you to."
Curling her lips up, Seowol raked her nails down Youngchae's face.
Riiip!
"...!!"
The attacks targeting her face were relentless. It was because Seowol remembered that other sister she had killed too cleanly, without proper torment.
"Hnngh, kugh!"
The leather whip around her neck seemed about to snap Youngchae's neck at any moment.
Clang!
Having dropped her sword, Youngchae struggled once more while pulling at the whip.
Pleased by this sight, Seowol's eyes gleamed maliciously as she wrapped Youngchae's hair around her hand. When she yanked it as if to tear off the scalp, Youngchae's body trembled violently.
"Ah, this is it. This is how I should have killed that bitch."
How satisfying it was to see her shaking with a bright red face while drenched in cold sweat.
With cruel eyes gleaming, Seowol kicked the back of Youngchae's knees in one motion, forcing her to kneel. She stepped on her ankle with spiritual power.
Crack! Crunch!
As the bone shattered, Youngchae let out a scream that couldn't even form into sound.
That's when it happened.
BANG!!
Just as the door to the adjacent room burst open violently, something struck Seowol's face with tremendous force.
Along with the intense sound, a beam of light shot out in a straight line, searing and sizzling as it burned one side of Seowol's cheek.
"Kyaaak!"
"Youngchae! Get down!"
After confirming that her sister had broken free from Seowol's weakened grip, Youngsun grabbed the end of the flare gun that Youngmu was holding out and aimed carefully once more at Seowol's face as she rolled on the floor.
Bang!
But having sensed the danger, Seowol's dodging speed was faster.
Half of Seowol's face had been completely ruined in that brief moment from the direct hit of the flare.
Swallowing the pain of her flesh melting, Seowol's gaze boiled with malice.
"You..."
Her gaze, filled with rage, exploded the moment she saw Youngsun, whom she thought she had killed.
"YOU!!"
That wench—even feeding her dismembered body to dogs wouldn't satisfy her anger—was alive and well!
Youngchae didn't miss the momentary distraction in Seowol's excitement.
Even with her shattered ankle, she picked up the sword and lunged at Seowol.
"You crazy bitches!!"
Seowol's dagger pierced Youngchae's shoulder. She drove the dagger downward with force.
"!!"
Terrible pain shook Youngchae's body as her muscles were completely torn.
Clang!
The sword fell from Youngchae's hand.
However, Youngchae maintained her grip on Seowol without leaving any openings.
"You pair of bitches! Let go! I said let go!"
The dagger stabbed into Youngchae's body again and again. Red blood sprayed each time the sharp blade was thrust in and pulled out.
The pain made her vision explode in white. But Youngchae absolutely refused to let go of her grip.
If she could just hold on like this, someone would come.
Youngsun and Youngmu, gritting their teeth, also crawled over and grabbed onto Seowol's legs.
With two flares having gone off, someone was bound to come running.
Seowol's face contorted as she judged that time was running out.
Because these damned women were clinging to her arm holding the dagger, she couldn't get a proper angle to stab with the sword.
But it was different with that other one grabbing her leg. Youngsun's neck was right under Seowol's blade.
'Right. Let's see if you can keep holding on while watching your sister's neck get cut.'
Gritting her teeth, Seowol now brought the dagger down toward Youngsun's neck.
Just as the blood-soaked dagger was about to pierce the pale neck—
Ching!
An arrow that flew in from somewhere knocked away Seowol's dagger.
"!!"
Seowol's gaze reflexively followed the arrow's trajectory.
Baek Manyong, the Chancellor of the Baek Clan, was glaring at her with a terrifying expression on his hardened face.
His hand, which had quickly nocked another arrow to the bowstring, moved once more.
Twang!
The arrow, infused with spiritual power, flew menacingly.
Ju Myoungyoon returned to the estate in a very short time.
Covered in blood, he had raced back at full speed until his body felt like it would break.
But the estate was already in chaos.
Casualties scattered everywhere, and red blood splattered across the courtyards, staining everything.
'No, Sehwa!'
Without even dismounting, Myoungyoon rushed straight to the separate quarters.
The separate quarters were also a mess. The shutters that had been closed were smashed, and the thick door was hanging by one side.
The scene inside wasn't much different from outside.
Baek Manyong was tending to Youngchae, who was in a horrific state, infusing her with spiritual power.
"Elder..."
Youngsun, who was leaning against the adjacent room's doorway catching her breath beside the unconscious Youngmu, whispered when she spotted Myoungyoon.
"The young lady is safe. She's safe. Please don't worry."
True to her words, though the room was in shambles, Sehwa lay on the bed just as pale as before.
Upon confirming his daughter's state, the corners of Ju Myoungyoon's eyes flared up.
In that moment, many memories flashed before his eyes.
The memory of first entering the estate to meet the Mystic Ruler. The memory of repeating to himself that he must protect the Ju clan's bloodline while roaming the battlefields.
The memory of those days when he had to focus solely on the enemies while turning away even from family, though it was desolate and lonely guarding the frontlines for ten years.
'Is this...'
He clenched his teeth as he recalled that long time.
'Is this the price for that time, Mystic Ruler.'
He had told his daughter it was fine. That his past life was nothing compared to her remaining time.
Though he said that, handling things according to that thinking was absolutely not easy.
What would he do about the other soldiers who trusted him, and what about his territory's people?
Even though he learned of the Mystic Ruler's atrocities and plans through Sehwa's words, leaving this place wasn't a decision that could be made so easily.
But.
'Is this truly how you're going to treat me, Mystic Ruler.'
Red blood dripped from his tightly clenched hand.
His gaze blazed fiercely before settling back to calmness.
That's when Youngsun reported one more thing between labored breaths.
"Elder, the young lady is safe, but..."
Her gaze dropped with guilt.
"We lost the Divine Dragon's spirit orb."
Ju Myoungyoon approached Youngsun, who couldn't even lift her head.
"It's alright. You did well."
He helped her to the bed to lie down, then approached Chancellor Baek.
Baek Manyong was holding one of Sa Youngchae's hands, sustaining her life by infusing spiritual power.
"Chancellor, I'll do it."
"No, this much is fine."
The chancellor's face was also a mess, showing what kind of battle had taken place. And...
"Youngchae..."
Youngchae's condition was even worse.
Her horrific state revealed how fierce the fight must have been.
For now, the most important thing was to hold out until Baek Giha returned.
Ju Myoungyoon took command of the remaining people and organized the house.
Then he locked all the doors and did not respond to any calls from outside.
Baek Giha returned just after midnight two days later.
The massive divine beast descended silently in front of the separate quarters, its form melting into the darkness.
No one was asleep inside the separate quarters.
As the appointed time drew near, everyone had gathered to wait for him.
Without time to say anything, Baek Giha crushed the white tiger's fang he had brought with spiritual power.
After mixing that powder into water, he carefully raised Sehwa's unconscious body and poured it into her mouth one spoonful at a time.
"Will it work?"
"We must hope so."
But even after she had drunk all the water in the cup, there was no particular response.
The grotesque wounds showed no signs of healing, and Sehwa's consciousness did not return.
Though no one said it, they all hardened their expressions while trying not to show their disappointment.
That's when it happened.
"...!!"
Pure white spiritual power that started from her feet instantly enveloped Sehwa's slender body.
Just like when she had become the white dragon, the spiritual power that grew into the shape of a flower bud completely swallowed her.
"!!"
Once again, a fierce wind swept through the room.
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