When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 218
Chapter 218
“Eek!”
In that instant, the Mystic Ruler scratched the ring on his third finger with his nail and flicked his wrist.
Whoosh!
The poison contained within the ring spread, instantly enveloping them in a hazy mist.
“!!”
Cheonryeong hastily retreated, but blood vessels had already become prominent around his face like spiderwebs. His eyes and nose burned as if on fire.
Such a foolish mistake! To make such a blunder when I almost had him!
Seeing his condition, the Mystic Ruler, his eyes gleaming fiercely, hurriedly searched his pockets.
‘This wretched creature…’
The poison would be melting Cheonryeong’s eyeballs. Yet, despite the excruciating pain, Cheonryeong held his sword steady, even holding his breath.
‘Even in that state, you're trying to locate me by sound?’
“You call yourself the Mystic Ruler?”
Cheonryeong’s jaw trembled as he shouted through the pain.
“None of the previous Mystic Rulers ever protected themselves or asserted their authority through means other than Spiritual Power. Do you still consider yourself the Mystic Ruler after resorting to such cowardly tactics?!”
Forcing his eyelids open, Cheonryeong looked around with bloodshot eyes. However, his vision, completely obscured by the poison mist, couldn’t make out anything.
“If you have even a shred of pride left, kill me here! Otherwise, I will chase you to the ends of the earth!”
“…”
“Are you afraid of me now that my eyes are injured, and running away with your tail between your legs?! I swear, if you don’t kill me here, your future will be far from peaceful!”
Ignoring Cheonryeong’s shouts, the Mystic Ruler used all his remaining Spiritual Power to muffle his movements and stealthily retrieved all the signal flares he had brought from his pocket. He’d packed them thinking they might be of some help, however meager, after he had exhausted all the Spiritual Energy prepared in the safe house.
‘You fool. Shout all you want. Those are the words of a survivor.’
Barely concealing his killing intent, he glared at Cheonryeong.
‘Kill you and leave? Of course I will. Not only will I kill you, but I will absorb every last drop of your blood and flesh right here!’
The Mystic Ruler gathered all the signal flares in his hand and pulled the strings all at once.
Because he’d used all his Spiritual Power to suppress the sound, the intense flames that erupted from the small flares only flickered silently. However, he couldn’t conceal the heat.
Detecting his position from the momentary flicker, Cheonryeong threw himself into the flames.
“!”
Sizzle—
Undeterred by the heat that instantly seared his skin, Cheonryeong plunged straight through and thrust his sword into the Mystic Ruler's abdomen.
“…Guh!”
Bright red blood gushed from the Mystic Ruler’s mouth like a fountain, splattering onto the cracked Spiritual Energy construct he had discarded on the overgrown ground.
A layer of light surfaced over the fading construct, and the power contained within it launched a full-powered counterattack.
Boom!
As the Spiritual Energy construct exploded into dust, using the last of its power, Cheonryeong was violently thrown backward.
His bright red lips parted weakly amidst his completely mangled skin. Black blood, mixed with pieces of his internal organs, flowed down in streams.
“…Gasp… Gasp…”
Propping himself up with trembling arms, Cheonryeong groped around with his unseeing eyes, desperately trying to locate his target.
The faint presence of the Mystic Ruler he had sensed earlier had vanished completely.
Is he dead?
No. I have to confirm the body.
Cheonryeong started searching for the Mystic Ruler, his hands fumbling across the ground.
‘That stubborn bastard…’
He’s still moving after being hit by five signal flares and taking a direct counterattack from the Spiritual Energy construct?
The Mystic Ruler, his face ashen, covered his mouth as he watched Cheonryeong still frantically searching for him.
“Is he dead? Mystic Ruler!! …Cough!”
Red blood trickled down between his fingers, but the Mystic Ruler dared not even groan.
‘S-Spiritual Power or not, I have to get out of here.’
He ripped off his outer robe and tightly wrapped it around his exposed abdomen, carefully moving away from Cheonryeong.
“Are you running away?! You're going to turn tail and run, leaving me in this state?!”
As if sensing something, Cheonryeong started shouting furiously.
“A damned thing like you sat on the Mystic Ruler's throne, pretending to be a dragon! That's why the Ju Clan is in this state! Even the heavens will know your treachery! You will die more miserably than anything in the Mystic Realm!”
Cheonryeong’s voice, filled with the chilling glare of his bloodshot eyes, pursued the fleeing Mystic Ruler relentlessly.
“You reap what you sow! The consequences of all the wicked deeds you’ve committed will come crashing down on you! Do you hear me?!”
‘That, that wretched worm! Who’s talking to whom now?’
Even as he stumbled away, the Mystic Ruler gritted his teeth, unable to contain the rage boiling within him.
I am the Mystic Ruler. You can’t even begin to fathom the hardships I’ve endured, protecting the Mystic Realm for so long while sitting on the Mystic Ruler’s throne!
Do you think I enjoyed it?!
Do you think I sacrificed my son willingly?!
A creature like you, who knows nothing of the long years of suffering, dares to try and kill me?!
“Mystic Ruler!! You will regret it if you leave without killing me! You will definitely regret it!”
Cheonryeong had shouted so loudly that even from this distance, the damned curse still seemed to cling to him.
‘Damn it. Damn it.’
That lunatic. That damned wretch.
I just need to reach the next safe house. There’s bound to be medicine there.
He dragged his feet, desperately pushing forward, but each step felt like his insides were burning.
‘Not yet. I can't die yet! I can't die!’
How could I die here, as nothing, after all I’ve sacrificed to survive?
He couldn’t die. Absolutely not.
Just as he managed to drag himself to a place where Cheonryeong’s voice couldn’t reach, something slowly materialized, blocking his path.
White cloth fluttered within a bright halo of light. As if stepping out from a gate in the air, someone appeared, clad in pure white, neatly pressed ceremonial robes like clouds covering the sky. They stared directly at the Mystic Ruler with deep, tranquil blue eyes.
The Mystic Ruler’s eyes widened.
“Y-You… How are you here…!”
He instinctively recoiled, as if to flee, but another halo of light appeared behind him, and red, ornate robes billowed like flower petals. His face pale as a corpse, the Mystic Ruler barely managed to turn around.
A face that was like a terrible nightmare stared calmly back at him.
His legs gave way, and the Mystic Ruler collapsed onto the ground.
“S-Sehwa. W-Wait. J-Just listen to me.”
He pleaded with the two figures who appeared before him.
“I know. You must hate me. B-But I had no choice. You don’t understand yet, the kind of situation where you have to do things you absolutely don’t want to do, out of necessity… B-Baek Giha, you understand, don’t you?”
He sensed neither chilling killing intent nor the overwhelming pressure of Spiritual Power from the two staring at him. No hatred, no anger. But that was what frightened him even more. He trembled uncontrollably, gripped by a fear of death closer than he had felt even when Cheonryeong’s sword pierced his abdomen.
“You, you understand the burdens of those in power, don’t you? There are things that are unavoidable. Isn’t that right? And also… Yes! It was arduous, but it was thanks to me that you two met, that your betrothal was arranged. Isn’t that so?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Acknowledge the efforts I’ve made for the Mystic Realm. Don't just focus on my faults. Consider the contributions I’ve made to the Mystic Realm-.”
Just then, the woman’s red lips parted, and a voice emerged for the first time.
“Don't worry. This is not my revenge.”
“What?”
“Paying the price is simply providence.”
The woman’s white hand reached out towards the Mystic Ruler’s abdomen, covered by his robe.
“You will judge your own sins.”
Five-colored light blazed from Sehwa’s white fingertips.
“!!!”
A horrific scream tore from the Mystic Ruler’s throat.
Footsteps followed, treading on the gently swaying grass.
Cheonryeong, gasping for breath, his body exhausted, tensed.
Had the Mystic Ruler returned? Had that bastard come back to finish me off?
But even after some time had passed, he sensed no hostile intent from the approaching figure who had completely masked their presence. They seemed to be getting closer, yet there was no trace of Spiritual Power.
“…I apologize, but… I don’t know who you are…”
Even after he spoke, the other person showed no reaction. Instead, they amplified their presence slightly, allowing him to pinpoint their location. Whoever this was, it certainly wasn’t the Mystic Ruler.
“…May I ask you something…?”
Cheonryeong struggled to speak between ragged breaths.
“…”
The approaching figure remained silent, but Cheonryeong asked again, undeterred.
“Have you… by any chance… cough, cough… seen a young man… with an abdominal wound… around here?”
He didn’t think the Mystic Ruler was nearby. He couldn't sense the distinct breathing or Spiritual Power he had carefully memorized. But then again, who knew? Perhaps that tenacious creature wasn’t fleeing, but playing dead somewhere close to avoid pursuit.
“I have.”
“L-Lady Sehwa?!”
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