When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 173
Chapter 173
“C-Chief Servant! It’s spreading! We can’t put it out!”
“You idiots! What’s your spiritual power for?! Use it! More!” The Chief Servant, his face ashen, shouted, even though he knew it was futile. He had already tried everything to extinguish the fire that was now consuming an entire building.
Kaboom!
Just then, another building exploded in flames.
“!!”
“C-Chief Servant!” The servants, who had been frantically trying to douse the flames with water and spiritual power, cried out in alarm as they saw the red flames erupting from another building. “W-What should we do?! That… that building was full of ceremonial items…!”
The Chief Servant, at a loss, could only stare blankly at the blaze, his jaw trembling. ‘…I’m dead when the Mystic Ruler finds out…’ The inauguration ceremony was scheduled for midnight. ‘And all the ceremonial robes and items are burning…’
Just then, he heard hurried footsteps approaching, and a group of people appeared, almost running. “What’s going on here?!”
“M-Mystic Ruler!”
The Chief Servant, seeing Ju Kyunghyun, rushed towards him without hesitation, throwing himself at the Mystic Ruler’s feet. “Mystic Ruler! Kill me! Please, kill me!”
“What are you doing?! Put out the fire! Now!!!”
At the Mystic Ruler’s roar, the warriors following him scattered, pouring their spiritual power into the burning buildings.
But their efforts were futile.
The flames, as if determined to consume everything in their path, showed no signs of abating.
“Useless fools!!” But even the Mystic Ruler couldn’t do anything.
If he were in his original body, he would have enough spiritual power to control these flames.
But he was currently in his son's untransformed body.
“Bring the consorts! Now!!” At his command, the servants scattered, rushing to summon the Eight Consorts.
Kaboom!
Bang!
Two more buildings exploded.
Why was this happening?
‘Baek Giha!! Ju Sehwa!!!’
Who else could it be?
‘That barrier in the annex was a decoy! They were outside all along!’
The Mystic Ruler’s face was contorted with rage, his eyes burning.
His gaze, filled with killing intent, turned towards the annex where the Baek Clan’s barrier shimmered.
“You!” He kicked the Chief Servant, who was still groveling at his feet. “Yes, Mystic Ruler!”
“Have the consorts put out the fire when they arrive! Understand?! Send the warriors to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings!”
“Yes! Mystic Ruler!”
“And Second Corps Commander!”
The Second Corps Commander immediately stepped forward. “Bring the witnesses who came for the inauguration ceremony to Baek Giha’s annex! Now! It doesn’t have to be everyone, just hurry! If you’re late, I’ll flay you alive!”
“Yes, Mystic Ruler!” The Second Corps Commander rushed off.
The Mystic Ruler then turned to the Captain of his guards. “Gather the warriors and follow me! We’re going to the annex!”
“Yes, Mystic Ruler!”
Since the other buildings had only just caught fire, it meant that those two were still outside the barrier.
This was a race against time.
‘If I can show the witnesses those two emerging from the burning buildings, covered in soot, I’ll have my justification!’
Kaboom!
As if to confirm that it wasn’t over yet, another building exploded.
The Mystic Ruler, gritting his teeth, ran towards Baek Giha’s annex.
He ordered every servant and warrior he encountered to join him, forming a tight circle around the annex.
‘You think you can get away with this?!’
The Mystic Ruler’s eyes gleamed with a murderous intent.
The barrier, weakened by the constant attacks, finally shattered.
Choi Jangmyung gritted his teeth. Protecting the Divine Beast’s Spirit Orb was his top priority, even more so than concealing his masters’ absence.
Shing!
Just as he tucked the Spirit Orb into his robe and drew his sword, the barrier around him crumbled.
And at the same time, figures lunged at him from outside.
“!”
Choi Jangmyung unleashed his spiritual power, swinging his sword with all his might.
But his attack was absorbed by a five-colored barrier that suddenly appeared.
“Whoa there.”
Someone disarmed him.
The partially destroyed barrier was restored, solid and white as a wall of snow.
“You should know who you’re attacking before swinging your sword.”
“You’re back!” Choi Jangmyung exclaimed, recognizing the newcomers, his voice trembling with relief. “Are you alright?”
“Yes. We set the fires at intervals, so they still think we’re outside. But we need to change our clothes. Quickly!”
Their clothes reeked of smoke.
Even their spiritual power couldn't completely mask the acrid smell of the spiritually enhanced flames.
Choi Jangmyung hurriedly brought water and clothes.
After dousing their hair and bodies with water to wash away the smell, they dried themselves with their spiritual power.
Just as he incinerated their discarded clothes…
Thump!
Something struck the barrier again from outside.
The Mystic Ruler, arriving at the annex, glared at the still-intact barrier, his jaw tightening. ‘They haven’t returned yet…’ But something was wrong.
The warriors he had left behind were gone.
“!”
‘No way…’
His warriors wouldn’t leave their posts without his orders.
Then what did their absence mean?
That those bastards had already dealt with the warriors and returned inside the barrier.
The Mystic Ruler clenched his fists, his anger boiling.
‘But I won’t let them get away with this. I have justification on my side!’
He lowered his voice and instructed the warriors behind him, “When the witnesses arrive, tell them you saw Baek Giha and Ju Sehwa coming out of the burning buildings. Tell them that the spiritual power fueling the flames was the Baek Clan’s wind power. Understand?!”
“Yes, Mystic Ruler!”
“Now hurry and attack the barrier again!”
Whether the shockwave from the collapsing barrier injured Baek Giha, whose body was already weakened…
Or if he accused them of trying to sabotage the ceremony by destroying the residence…
Or if they lowered the barrier themselves before it was destroyed, he would activate the artifacts and drain their spiritual power…
Either way, the situation was in his favor.
‘With the buildings in ruins, the barrier will seem even more suspicious. I can detain them under the pretext of an investigation and buy myself more time!’
He was prepared to use all the Ju Clan's treasures, even if it meant depleting them completely.
His master hadn't told him how to damage a Divine Beast’s body, perhaps worried that he might use it against him, but…
‘Once I have Baek Giha trapped in the hidden chamber, I can subdue him with the artifacts. And after offering him to my master, I’ll learn how to do it by watching him devour Baek Giha. He won’t be too angry, even if I consume Sehwa first, as long as I offer him Baek Giha.’
And if he could just learn how to cripple a Divine Beast's body, like what had happened to Baek Giha, he wouldn't have to serve that Corrupt Dragon anymore.
A sly smile touched his lips as he finished his calculations.
Just then…
He heard hurried footsteps approaching.
The Second Corps Commander was rushing towards him, followed by several Ju Clan elders and the clanless mystic leaders.
“Y-Young Lord!”
Flushed from running, they asked, breathlessly, “What’s going on?! Why did you summon us so urgently?”
“Look at this, Elders!” The Mystic Ruler gestured towards the barrier with his arm, unable to contain his anger. They followed his gesture, their eyes widening. “…Isn’t that the Baek Clan’s barrier? Why is the Baek Clan’s barrier erected in the Mystic Ruler’s residence?”
“Did you hear the explosions earlier, Elders?”
“Explosions? Was that loud noise an explosion?”
“What’s going on? Is someone attacking us?”
As if waiting for their questions, the Mystic Ruler gestured towards the warriors behind him. One of the warriors, his face contorted, spoke in a trembling voice, “I know you won’t believe me, but I saw it with my own eyes… Clan Head Baek… coming out of the burning building and hiding inside this barrier…”
“!”
“And… Ju Sehwa, Elder Myoungyoon's daughter, was with him…”
“Are you… saying they set the buildings on fire?”
The Mystic Ruler, not giving them time to think, continued, “You all know I haven’t had much time to prepare since suddenly inheriting the position of Mystic Ruler.” He put on a sorrowful expression. “And none of the Six Clans, even though I personally sent them invitations, showed up. Even Baek Giha only arrived today, on the day of the ceremony…”
The Mystic Ruler’s eyes reddened as he clenched his fists. “And they did all that to destroy the ceremonial items and sabotage the inauguration? The Ju Clan might have lost some of its former glory, but it's still the Ju Clan! How can I endure such humiliation?!”
One of the elders asked, his voice filled with concern, “Are you sure it was Baek Giha?”
“Everyone here saw it! And why would a Divine Beast like Baek Giha erect a barrier in the middle of our territory? To protect himself from our attacks? Because he’s afraid?”
The Mystic Ruler shook his head and continued, his voice filled with indignation, “They put up this barrier as soon as they entered the annex. It was a decoy! They were setting fire to the residence while pretending to be inside the barrier!”
The Ju Clan elders' expressions hardened.
“Erecting a barrier in the middle of our residence… and if it’s true that Baek Giha destroyed the ceremonial items… this is unacceptable!”
“Indeed! It’s a declaration of war!”
“That daughter of Elder Myoungyoon… she said she was going to the Baek Clan, then she didn’t, and then Elder Myoungyoon suddenly took her place… It was all very strange… Perhaps they were conspiring with the Baek Clan all along.”
Seeing the elders reacting as he intended, the Mystic Ruler’s eyes gleamed.
‘You think you can escape with such flimsy excuses? Ju Sehwa. Baek Giha. I won’t let you get away this time, no matter what!’
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