Among the eight stars of Cheonchuk, Ratna Fortress was the poorest and most barren land. The only reason its bleak history had continued without being severed was thanks to the Moon Queen’s mountain-like power.
Generation after generation, the children of this land were born with frail bodies as if carrying a heavenly curse, and the Moon Queen had protected those small lives with her own holy power. If the Moon Queen had not existed, this land would have been nothing but death long ago.
To the people, the Moon Queen was a living god and religion itself.
—Three days later, a new Moon Queen will be chosen.
As the coronation ceremony of the new Moon Queen drew near, people began heading toward the Crescent Palace one by one with faces full of hope, like dry blades of grass waiting for sweet rain.
The endless procession stretching across the dusty road looked like a long brown snake.
An old man clutching his tattered clothes, a gaunt middle-aged woman carrying a sickly child on her back. Walking itself seemed difficult for them, yet their eyes shone like unquenchable lanterns.
The procession was not noisy but solemn.
Even the occasional dry coughs and children’s whimpers sounded like part of a prayer directed toward the Moon Queen.
Their footsteps formed one massive wave heading toward the Crescent Palace.
Ssssssk.
While the pilgrims walked with reverent steps toward the holy ground, an entirely different, sinister movement was beginning inside the Crescent Palace.
It was because of the masked shadows that were secretly heading toward the treasure vault.
They were none other than Bu Eunseol and Yu Cheongrim.
The location of the sacred object was the deepest part of the Crescent Palace, protected by mysterious mechanisms, and the entrance was cleverly hidden.
It was said that only the Moon Queen could open the door using her holy power.
Rumble.
However, Yu Cheongrim naturally found the entrance and entered.
He had visited this place countless times to try and steal the sacred object.
“By the way, what does the sacred object even look like?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Yu Cheongrim, who had been running with a tense expression, suddenly stopped and let out a sound.
“That is an excellent question…”
Then, with a serious face, he said,
“No one knows.”
“No one knows?”
“There are rumors that it is a small jade flute containing the essence of the moon, and others say it is a pair of deep, dark orbs that hold all the stars of the night sky.”
“You’re trying to steal something when you don’t even know what it looks like?”
“That sacred object has never been shown to the outside world even once because it requires the Moon Queen’s sacrifice as collateral.”
Yu Cheongrim’s expression grew grave.
“That is why, even though six thieves who called themselves the greatest in the world came here, none succeeded. The interior is also filled with mechanisms that are nearly impossible to disable. But since the Lord is with me, I believe we will definitely be able to break through.”
Bu Eunseol asked as if something had occurred to him, “By the way, why are you trying to find the sacred object?”
“Why?”
“Is there something you desperately want?”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Then why are you so obsessed with the Crescent Palace’s sacred object?”
Yu Cheongrim spoke with the most serious expression.
“My Lord, have you ever heard this saying? ‘Because there is a mountain, one climbs it. Because there is a brush, one uses it.’”
He spread both hands with a solemn face.
“The sacred object of Ratna Fortress is a treasure that no divine thief has ever been able to steal. I simply wish to prove my worth and ability through it.”
It was nothing but grandiose nonsense.
Bu Eunseol suddenly missed So Okrim.
‘Agh! Only that mouth of his is alive!’
If she were here, Yu Cheongrim’s lips would have stretched from floor to ceiling before he could finish spouting such nonsense.
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol swallowed a groan and asked, “So you’re saying you’ll be satisfied with just stealing the sacred object?”
“Of course.”
Yu Cheongrim thumped his chest.
“I have spent my entire life as a thief, so I have obtained all kinds of treasures. Gold and jewels no longer excite me.”
He continued confidently, “The only thing that makes my heart burn is challenging the impossible.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol swallowed another deep groan.
He finally understood everything.
Why So Okrim, before talking to Yu Cheongrim, had so cruelly and mercilessly punched him first.
To draw the truth out of a mouth that was nine parts bluff and nonsense, the only method was to beat him so hard that the swelling wouldn’t go down for days.
Bu Eunseol stopped talking at length and entered the entrance, beginning to break through the secret mechanisms together with Yu Cheongrim.
Saaaaaah.
As soon as the door opened, quicksand that seemed to suck in everything in the world flowed from the entrance.
If one could use qinggong, the quicksand constantly emitted a powerful suction force, making it difficult to cross. If one tried to leap over it clumsily with light footwork, they would be sucked under the sand and disappear without a trace.
“It’s nothing special.”
However, Bu Eunseol’s inner energy had reached an unfathomable level, and he had trained various techniques to counter suction forces, so it posed no real problem.
Swish!
Ignoring the quicksand’s suction in a single breath, he passed through the gate, revealing a storage room filled with various antiques.
As Bu Eunseol carefully examined the piled antiques—
“Let’s hurry to the next gate.”
Yu Cheongrim said with an urgent expression.
“There are a great many gates here. If we don’t hurry, the coronation will end.”
‘You’ve passed through the gates before.’
It was not surprising.
After all, being a thief also meant being a master of superior movement techniques and stealth. Bu Eunseol noticed that Yu Cheongrim had already passed a certain level of the gates here but showed no reaction and simply nodded.
The next gates included a space that amplified sound hundreds of times, blood-sucking leeches, and areas that poured down arrows if the stones were not stepped on in the correct order. There were also invisible thin wires and places that released fragrance that caused unconsciousness.
Thud.
However, to Bu Eunseol, who had broken through all kinds of traps so far, these were not particularly difficult gates.
Then, at one point, he suddenly stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?”
“Yu Cheongrim.”
Bu Eunseol’s face showed a mix of absurdity and irritation. Yu Cheongrim avoided his gaze like a puppy that needed to pee.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Unable to endure Bu Eunseol’s solemn stare any longer, Yu Cheongrim pulled out an old, antique wine cup from his chest and set it down.
“Wait, when did this get into my chest?”
“Yu Cheongrim.”
“Hahaha, habits really are scary. These are all useless things…”
Every time he reached into his clothes, all sorts of antiques poured out.
Wine cups, pottery, and sometimes scrolls with unknown writing.
‘Ugh!’
If So Okrim were here, her large fist would have landed squarely on Yu Cheongrim’s face.
Bu Eunseol missed her terribly today.
“Why are you stealing this when it won’t even sell for money?”
“It’s become a habit—”
Yu Cheongrim, who was about to spout more nonsense, saw Bu Eunseol’s red eyes and quickly corrected his expression.
“It sells for good money if I take it to the Central Plains.”
Antiques from Cheonchuk were traded at high prices in the stolen goods market.
“By the way, why doesn’t the Moon Queen think of selling these? If she did, living conditions here would improve a lot.”
When Yu Cheongrim tried to change the subject, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
“The poverty, disease, and famine of Ratna Fortress are not at a level that can be solved by selling a few antiques.”
The biggest reason Ratna Fortress was so poor was the severe drought that had continued for decades. Even if they sold all the antiques here, it could not solve the fundamental problem.
“I see.”
Yu Cheongrim scratched his nose and pointed to the door opposite.
“We don’t have much time, so we should hurry.”
This gate had a thousand characters scattered and engraved across all sides, with some arranged in specific positions carrying meaning.
It was a question-and-answer gate that required solving riddles. The problems here required not only deep knowledge of astronomy and geography but also outstanding wisdom and profound insight.
Only the highly knowledgeable and intelligent could pass.
Bu Eunseol, having removed his mask, solved them all using his innate insight, knowledge, and the wisdom passed down from his grandfather.
But the problems kept generating endlessly.
Finally, on the second day.
Rumble.
A mysterious door engraved with the shapes of countless treasures appeared.
“It looks like we’ve arrived!”
Yu Cheongrim also threw off his mask and exclaimed.
“Even though it hasn’t opened, I can feel energy flowing out. This must be where the sacred object is.”
However, even after waiting a long time, the massive stone door made of what looked like water did not open. They tried pushing and pulling using the engraved treasure shapes, but the door remained completely immovable.
“Why won’t this open?”
Yu Cheongrim grumbled, then struck it with palm force.
“Ouch!”
He rolled on the ground clutching his swollen palm. The stone door was harder than diamond, causing his palm to swell badly from the impact.
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol examined the stone door for a while, then injected the Endless Heavenly Light Art.
Mysterious ancient characters began to appear on the door.
They were ancient oracle bone script.
Yu Cheongrim, who had been groaning on the floor, quickly ran over and read the characters.
“This door cannot be opened by one person alone. A greedy person and a person without greed must combine their strength.”
Yu Cheongrim’s eyes widened.
“My Lord, what does this mean?”
Bu Eunseol pondered for a long time.
“A person with many desires and a person with no desires…”
After deep thought, he nodded.
“Yu Cheongrim, pull the treasure shape.”
Bu Eunseol said calmly.
“I will push.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a riddle connecting human nature with the action of opening the door.”
Bu Eunseol explained.
“A person without greed has no interest in treasures and will be altruistic, so they will push. A person with greed will naturally try to pull the treasure.”
“Ohhh.”
Yu Cheongrim let out a gasp of admiration and pulled the raised treasure shape.
At the same time, Bu Eunseol pushed the door with all his strength.
Finally, with a bright light, a massive stone chamber was revealed.
“Wait, please wait a moment.”
True to his nature as a thief, Yu Cheongrim did not enter immediately even though the door had opened. He carefully inspected the interior and checked for traps.
“It seems safe to enter.”
As they stepped inside, a sacred atmosphere filled the air.
No obvious treasures were visible.
In the center stood an altar, and on it was placed a hemispherical bowl. The bowl was smooth, as if carved from the dark side of the moon, and emitted a deep black light whose depth could not be fathomed.
And inside it…
There was not the dazzling jewel or ancient orb Yu Cheongrim had mentioned. Instead, it contained a pitch-black liquid.
The liquid evoked the chaos before the birth of the universe, dyed in profound darkness.
Even more bizarre was that the liquid constantly changed shape in unpredictable ways.
It would remain calm like still water, then suddenly swirl into small vortices. Sometimes it would shoot up sharply like the tip of a needle, and at other times it would scatter like mist into fine particles, creating illusions.
“What?”
Yu Cheongrim’s eyes widened as he stared at the black liquid that inspired both awe and fear.
“Why is this here?”
“You know what it is?”
“Back when you destroyed the main base of the Infinite Realm in the past, and the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest collapsed…”
Yu Cheongrim spoke with a fearful expression.
“In a secret chamber deep within the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest, something like this was stored.”
“You broke into the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest?”
“Rather than breaking in, I did some investigation…”
Having trained in the path of thieves, he spoke in a low voice.
“It looked like a very mysterious object, so I tried to take it and nearly died. In the end, I couldn’t take it.”
“Why?”
“Because the moment I touched it—”
At that moment, the door on the opposite side of the stone chamber opened, and a white shadow appeared.
“So you finally made it all the way here.”
With a calm voice, a woman wearing clothes that radiated mysterious light appeared.
It was the Moon Queen.
Step. Step.
Even though she had seen Bu Eunseol and Yu Cheongrim enter the area where the palace’s sacred object was stored, she did not seem greatly surprised and simply walked out.
“You’ve worked hard.”
She had known from the beginning that the two would come here.
“Thanks to you, I was finally able to retrieve the sacred object that I could not take out until now.”
Yu Cheongrim immediately understood the situation and shouted.
“You used us?”
“It seems that way.”
“Why?”
The Moon Queen spoke astonishing words.
“Because I could not take out the sacred object myself.”
She continued calmly.
“The next Holy Light has not appeared for a long time. During that period, I had to overexert my power to resolve the drought.”
The Moon Queen’s expression darkened.
“As a result, I lost all my holy power and can no longer even open the door sealing the sacred object.”
“But we have no holy power?”
“If one has no holy power, they must reach the extreme in martial arts, as well as the extreme in wisdom and insight.”
She stared directly at Bu Eunseol and said, “Only when a person with many desires and a person with desires combine their strength can the door containing the sacred object be opened.”
“So you were waiting for us to take out the sacred object.”
After listening to the story, Bu Eunseol spoke, and the Moon Queen nodded.
“Exactly.”
If everything she said was true, then she was another person capable of reading the heavenly signs and seeing the future.
“I do not have the ability to read heavenly signs or foresee the future.”
As if seeing through Bu Eunseol’s inner thoughts, the Moon Queen narrowed her eyes.
“However, as the Moon Queen, I can see general things related to the next Moon Queen.”
When the next Holy Light appeared, she could see the future through signs or dreams.
She had already foreseen everything—from Soyo and Bu Eunseol coming here to the two of them finding the sacred object.
“Hahaha. Unfortunately, we were not trying to steal the sacred object.”
“You weren’t trying to steal it?”
“Of course not. We only wanted to confirm something.”
Yu Cheongrim, who had been looking at the Moon Queen, glared at her coldly.
“I heard the name of this sacred object is ‘Sacrifice’?”
He continued in a cold voice.
“And to use the sacred object, one must offer themselves as sacrifice.”
“You know a lot about our palace’s sacred object.”
She did not deny it.
“That is correct. Only the Moon Queens who inherit it generation after generation can use this sacred object, and they must sacrifice themselves.”
“Then it would be simpler to sacrifice a woman from the Central Plains who has nothing to do with this rather than sacrificing yourself.”
Yu Cheongrim was certain.
The Moon Queen had no intention of sacrificing herself to use the sacred object, which was why she tried to make Soyo the new Moon Queen.
With a fierce shout, he pointed at the Moon Queen.
“Is this your scheme?”
Maybe because he had stretched his hand too violently?
Or because of his natural habits?
The items hidden in his chest poured out with a clatter.
They were special clay used to make fakes, liquid used to quickly harden them, and powder bottles used for coloring.
“Haha.”
Yu Cheongrim, who had been pointing at the Moon Queen with a solemn expression, scratched his head.
A person like the Moon Queen who collected antiques would naturally recognize these materials.
“Why were these in my chest? Ah! That old man from the Miao Village said he would sell them cheap, so I bought them on the spot. This is a misunderstanding.”
As he spouted nonsense, the atmosphere grew even colder.
Bu Eunseol put a hand to his forehead.
If the Moon Queen had not been here, he would have shut Yu Cheongrim’s cunning mouth himself.
“About fifty years ago, I might have thought the same.”
At that moment, the Moon Queen spoke in a calm voice.
“But I have lived long enough. Moreover, if we think of the people of Ratna Fortress, wouldn’t it be better for a young leader to guide them for a long time?”
“You intend to sacrifice yourself?”
“There is no need to call it a sacrifice.”
The Moon Queen spoke with a calm expression.
“The previous Moon Queens used the sacred object to help Ratna Fortress before they died.”
“Lies. Isn’t this sacred object known as the one that can find anything?”
Yu Cheongrim did not let go of his suspicion.
“What does drought have to do with the sacred object?”
“The drought in Ratna Fortress is not a recent issue.”
The Moon Queen spoke calmly.
“This sacred object of sacrifice can bring down rain, so whenever the drought became severe, the Moon Queens would take out the sacred object.”
“And to the people, rain was something they desperately sought, something that could not be exchanged for anything else.”
She let out a deep sigh.
“However, as generations passed, the context of drought disappeared, and only the phrase ‘can find anything’ remained.”
Bu Eunseol, who had been listening silently, spoke.
“So the phrase ‘desperately seeking rain’ was broadly interpreted as ‘finding anything’?”
“That is correct.”
The reason Ratna Fortress had been able to maintain its existence until now was because every generation, the Moon Queens had sacrificed themselves to use the sacred object.
At that moment, Yu Cheongrim asked, “Then you really intend to sacrifice yourself to use the sacred object?”
“If we can escape this long drought, it would actually be a cheap price.”
Seeing the Moon Queen’s calm smile, both Bu Eunseol and Yu Cheongrim could say nothing.
Her noble sacrifice felt as if it would be tarnished by their words.
In the end, Yu Cheongrim’s prediction was wrong.
The Moon Queen was truly a good and noble person.
“This coronation ceremony will become a festival for Ratna Fortress.”
The Moon Queen smiled faintly as she lifted the sacred object.
“Because we will welcome the joyful moment of escaping the long drought.”
She looked at Bu Eunseol with a mysterious expression.
“You worked hard. To protect this palace and its people.”
When Bu Eunseol said nothing, the Moon Queen gave a benevolent smile and slowly disappeared deeper inside.
“Th-this…”
Yu Cheongrim was at a loss for words.
The Moon Queen’s death was secondary.
In the end, because of his wrong judgment, Soyo would have to become the next Moon Queen, wouldn’t she?
“My Lord.”
Yu Cheongrim prostrated himself and apologized.
“I’m sorry. Because of me, you made the wrong judgment—”
“No, it’s fine.”
Surprisingly, Bu Eunseol was extremely calm.
“She will not become the Moon Queen. Instead, I have a favor to ask.”
His eyes deepened as he recalled the information he had obtained through the Four Holy Clans before coming here.
“During the upcoming coronation ceremony, I will attend as the Martial Soul Society Lord.”
“Martial Soul Society Lord? You mean as the Lord?”
“That’s right. I have already made all the plans.”
“What do you—”
Bu Eunseol continued his explanation with a serious expression.
***
The rumor spread that a rain-bringing ritual would be performed in accordance with the enthronement ceremony of the newly born Moon Queen.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of Ratna Fortress’s people became solemn. They knew that performing the ritual meant the Moon Queen would use the sacred object and sacrifice herself.
Finally, the day the new Moon Queen would be born arrived.
The palace interior was filled with hundreds and thousands of people, yet no one dared make a sound.
Only occasional suppressed sobs could be heard.
A high altar had been built in the palace, and on it was a smooth, black, hemispherical metal object.
Inside it was contained the pitch-black liquid.
The perfectly still surface was deep and dark, as if holding the abyss of the universe.
The name of this sacred object was ‘Sacrifice.’
It was the most primal and tragic medium of a contract that granted wishes in exchange for life.
Step. Step.
The Moon Queen slowly walked toward the altar.
Wearing simple yet dignified clothes, her eyes were calm. With every step she took up the stairs, the people’s shoulders hunched further, and the elders shed silent tears.
Because this noble woman was about to offer herself as a sacrifice to bring rain to the barren Ratna Fortress.
Standing before the altar, the Moon Queen took a moment to steady her breathing.
Then she slowly raised her head and looked at the people.
Their eyes were filled with a mixture of sorrow, despair, and a faint thread of hope.
“Soon, a new Moon Queen will be born.”
The Moon Queen spoke in a clear voice.
“To celebrate that joy and blessing, we will perform the rain-bringing ritual.”
Having finished speaking, she smiled faintly.
Her smile was warm, as if sharing the last remaining warmth.
Finally, the Moon Queen turned her gaze to the bowl. Her right hand slowly, very slowly, reached toward the black liquid.
Thud!
The people could not bear to watch and all knelt down, bowing.
Bu Eunseol also lowered his head in respect.
As if time itself had frozen, the tip of her finger touched the pitch-black surface.
At that moment, the Moon Queen’s complexion turned pure white, and
Hsssss.
With a strange sound, her life force began to evaporate and disappear.
Just as her eyes were about to slowly close—
Thunder roared from the distant sky.
At the same time, a black shadow and a red shadow each fell below the altar.
Their eyes gleamed with a strange light, and ominous energy poured from their entire bodies.
They were none other than Vajra Khan, the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King and the Illusion Dream Fortress Lord, Rahula of the Cheonchuk Eight Tyrants.
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