When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 160
Chapter 160
A pungent smell of decay filled the lightless, hidden chamber.
His fingertips, brushing against the wall for support, felt damp.
The silence was deafening.
Cheonryeong, having stealthily entered the passage, suppressed even his breathing.
He had to be careful, lest he alert anyone hiding in the darkness.
He moved cautiously through the darkness.
After a while, he heard a faint sound of breathing coming from afar.
Confirming that there was only one person, he quickly approached, taking a candle from his pocket and lighting it.
Worried about the sudden light hurting the person's eyes, he covered the candle with black gauze, dimming the light.
“You… came…”
Someone, lying on the floor, their body covered in wounds, spoke, their lips parched.
The foul smell permeating the chamber was coming from their wounds.
“I brought medicine.”
Cheonryeong gently lifted the person’s upper body and poured the medicine he had taken from his pocket between their dry lips.
He then took out another bottle and applied it to the festering wounds and decaying skin.
But despite the potent medicine from the Ju Clan's Mystic Ruler’s residence, there was little improvement.
The person's expression softened slightly, as if the pain had subsided.
“I’ve made the necessary preparations. I’ll take you out of here tonight, so please bear with it a little longer.”
“R-Really? I’m… I’m getting out…? Finally…?”
“Yes. Since no medicine seems to be working, I’ll take you to the Jang Clan. Their healing powers might be able to help.”
“I… see…” the person whispered, their voice raspy.
“Let’s go… Let’s…” They reached out a withered, wrinkled hand and clutched Cheonryeong’s robe. “Let’s go… Please… get me out of here…”
“It’ll be tonight.”
Cheonryeong looked down at the familiar face, the aged face of the Mystic Ruler, a face any warrior serving this residence would recognize, and nodded.
“So please trust me and wait a little longer, Young Lord Kyunghyun.”
“Yes… I trust you… Of course… I trust you…”
Tears welled up in the old man’s wrinkled eyes.
Why was he here?
When would this excruciating pain that consumed his body end?
Why was he in this state?
His voice trembled with questions he couldn’t understand.
The one who wore his father’s face and was called Ju Kyunghyun nodded weakly.
Baek Giha blinked slowly, his eyes unfocused.
He couldn't comprehend what he had just heard.
“What are you talking about?”
“We heard it too. We thought she was just ‘the consort most cherished by the Corrupt Dragon,’ but it seems that wasn’t the case.”
“Even so, isn't it a bit of a stretch to say she’s his lifeline? If that were true, they would have kept her locked up somewhere.” Baek Giha added, still unable to grasp the situation, “Or at least kept her somewhere under the Corrupt Dragon’s control.”
“Wasn’t she already? The Corrupt Dragon took both the Fifth Consort and the Mystic Ruler, who were half-dead, from right under our noses.”
“But then he would have taken the First Consort as well.”
“Anyway, there’s no point in speculating. Let’s just ask her directly.”
“Directly…? The First Consort? Do you think she’ll answer truthfully?”
“Who knows? She seemed desperate to die, so she might tell us anything in exchange for a guaranteed death.”
A hostage for a hostage.
That was why Sehwa had been so furious when she told her parents about her brothers.
Because the First Consort, possessing Sa Yeonju’s body, was in her hands.
Or rather, Baek Giha had captured her while chasing after Sehwa, who was pursuing the Fifth Consort in her Divine Beast form. He had found the First Consort among the unconscious warriors.
Since she was possessing Sehwa’s cousin, they had decided to leave her fate to Sehwa.
‘And that woman… is the Corrupt Dragon’s lifeline?’
Since being captured by Baek Giha, the First Consort had been confined within his barrier, then brought back to Baekseok Residence and imprisoned.
Baek Giha, agreeing to meet the First Consort, left the room with Sehwa.
The three sisters, who had been waiting outside, followed them.
The First Consort was being held in a well-appointed room on the upper floor of Baekseok Residence.
Multiple barriers prevented even the servants from entering.
When Sehwa and Baek Giha entered the room, the First Consort was sitting by the open window, drinking.
The table was laden with food, but none of it had been touched, only empty bottles littered the floor.
Choi Jangmyung, who had been standing guard in the corner of the room, looked up at Sehwa’s arrival, a flicker of joy in his eyes, before quickly lowering his gaze.
Baek Clan warriors had been guarding the hostage initially.
But Choi Jangmyung had taken over after arriving at the Baek Clan.
They had decided to entrust him with guarding the First Consort since, as her vassal, Sehwa would be able to sense if he used his spiritual power.
The First Consort glanced at them as they entered.
She was so drunk that she had to struggle to keep her eyes open. “What brings you here? Have you finally found a use for me?”
She poured the pungent liquid from a slender bottle into a cup.
“Thank you for the unlimited alcohol. I have no regrets, even if you cut off my limbs and kill me now.”
Sehwa pulled up a chair and sat down next to the First Consort.
She looked at her coldly and asked, “Do you know that you're possessing my cousin's body?”
“This body?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, that’s why she looked so familiar when I saw her on the street. I see.”
“Don’t you have anything to say? You’re in my cousin’s body.”
“What am I supposed to say? I’m just using the body of someone who was locked up in a hidden chamber. It means she was a criminal.” The First Consort shrugged. “I don’t know what she did, but she wouldn’t have had any hope of seeing anyone again, locked up like that. She should be thanking me for letting her see her family again, even if it’s just her body.”
“So you’re saying I’ll never see my cousin again?”
“I don’t know. But no one’s ever returned from that place, so I doubt it.”
“......”
“Why? Do you want her back? This body?”
Seeing Sehwa’s silence, the First Consort chuckled. “I’ll give it back if you want. It’s not that useful to me anyway. Just give me another body to switch to, and I’ll return it. Ah, but…”
She paused, as if remembering something, then smiled cruelly, licking her lips. “I want that woman. The owner of the Spirit Orb I consumed. The Elder Madam, I think. Was she, perhaps…” Her eyes met Sehwa’s, “…your mother?”
Youngchae’s face hardened instantly.
“You…!”
Sehwa raised her hand to stop Youngchae from lunging forward and looked at the First Consort, seemingly unaffected by the provocation.
“I also want my cousin’s body back. Of course I do. I cherished her.”
Despite her calm expression, her voice was laced with a hint of sadness. “But unfortunately, I can’t. I have a reason to keep you in that body.”
“A reason?”
“Yes.” Sehwa looked the First Consort up and down and chuckled. “I have to return you to the Ju Clan in perfect condition, don’t I?”
“…!”
The First Consort’s relaxed expression vanished.
Sehwa added, her voice laced with mock sympathy, “You’re very precious to the Ju Clan. How could we possibly fight them?”
As if she knew exactly what the First Consort feared most…
And as if she deeply regretted having to do this…
“So I’m going to return you safely, without a single scratch. I'm even providing you with a barrier so you won’t die.”
“…Y-You…”
“You’re going back to the Ju Clan, perfectly healthy and alive. How does that sound? Happy?” Sehwa's eyes gleamed, seeing the First Consort's frozen expression.
The Ju Clan’s Mystic Ruler’s residence had been bustling for days, preparing for the Young Lord’s inauguration ceremony.
Music filled the air, and the servants couldn’t hide their excitement for the grand event.
Meanwhile, behind layers of barriers, within the hidden chamber’s entrance…
…the air was thick with the acrid smell of fire and the stench of blood.
The heat emanating from within was scorching.
A trembling voice nervously reported, “A message arrived from the Yeo Clan. They’ve captured one of the Mystic Ruler’s consorts and are demanding that the Ju Clan accept them as allies in exchange for her life…”
Screech—
The Corrupt Dragon thrashed about, unlike usual.
Its scales scraped against the stone walls, creating a sharp, grating sound.
A raspy laugh, like sandpaper grinding against metal, echoed through the chamber.
—I can't let them live… I can’t forgive them…
Suddenly, a torrent of blood erupted from the Corrupt Dragon’s gaping maw, as if its internal organs were being ripped apart.
“!!”
The attendant, his face pale with terror, pressed himself against the wall just as a powerful shockwave ripped through the chamber.
Boom—!!!!
And in Seodong Province of the Yeo Clan, bordering the Ju Clan territory…
One of the Yeo Clan warriors standing guard at the outpost looked up at the sky, puzzled by the sudden darkness.
“…What’s that?”
Just a moment ago, the sky had been clear.
Now, dark clouds were rapidly gathering.
“Is it going to rain?” he murmured.
Just then, a bright light flashed through the clouds, as if the sky itself was splitting apart, without even a rumble of thunder.
As the warrior stared at the strange phenomenon, his eyes wide…
A thousand lightning bolts, originating from the dark clouds that had completely covered the sky, struck the earth.
—!!!!
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