novelraw Chapter 145 : Chapter 145
Chapter 145 : Chapter 145
Chapter 145 Treason (8)
The Emperor's procession reached the shrine safely, and preparations for the Heaven Worship Ceremony continued throughout the night at the shrine and its vicinity.
This shrine was built by the first emperor, who was called a sage king, and according to his command, it was a space open to the common people to offer sacrifices during peacetime. But now, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had cordoned off the area around the shrine, were so densely packed that the ground was not visible.
Jaun was also put on guard duty as soon as he arrived at the shrine.
The 13th Division, which had been on guard all night, was only able to take a very short break when the start of the Heaven Worship Ceremony was two sijin away.
"Do not let your guard down, and return half a sijin before the Heaven Worship Ceremony begins. Once the Heaven Worship Ceremony starts, no one can leave this place until it is over. So, prepare yourselves so there are no problems."
Upon receiving General Hwang's order, the 13th Division all bowed their heads. General Hwang's expression, as he looked at Jaun, was stiff with tension.
Jaun bowed his waist slightly once more and began to walk out of the shrine. He changed into everyday clothes and headed to the village outside the shrine.
The village, located not far from the shrine, was also full of people in various costumes. The people preparing for the Heaven Worship Ceremony, the merchants selling to them, and the common people who had gathered to add their hearts to the Heaven Worship Ceremony even from the outside, were making a huge noise.
After observing the situation outside for a while, Jaun turned his body and headed to the market full of temporary stalls. It was a suitable place to hide his body because a huge number of people had gathered.
'If I reveal my energy here, it will be hard to find me right away.'
Jaun turned his head, sat down in front of a stall selling warm somyeon, and ordered a bowl of somyeon. Then, among the people eating somyeon, he carefully began to spread his senses.
WHOOOOSH
Jaun's senses stretched towards the shrine. Jaun, who was feeling the energy of the Embroidered Uniform Guard filling the shrine and its surroundings, tilted his head.
'All those with blood energy are gathered on the outskirts. It seems the 13th Division is the only one close to the Emperor. In that case, the remaining of the seven swords guarding the Emperor... are the other generals planning to deal with them themselves?'
Even though the Heaven Worship Ceremony was not far off, he could not find anything unusual in the shrine and its vicinity.
The Eastern Depot had decided to occupy the interior of the Imperial Palace, so this place had to be finished off by the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard somehow. But in Jaun's eyes, the military strength was hopelessly insufficient.
'No matter how I look at it... I can't see an answer. What on earth are they thinking?'
Jaun scanned the area around the shrine once more, but he could not find anything in particular.
This time, as he was about to move his energy to the outside,
CLINK
As the somyeon was placed in front of him, Jaun withdrew his senses and came out of his thoughts.
The moment Jaun reached for the somyeon bowl in front of him, someone slumped down in the seat next to Jaun. Jaun let out a chuckle at the familiar energy he felt.
Soon, a small energy barrier was spread around Jaun and the person sitting next to him.
"Somyeon from a stall. Hmm. Was it really a coincidence that you chose somyeon among the many foods here? Or... a heart longing for someone?"
When Jaun turned his head, the Ice Rakshasa, dressed in the clothes of the Moyong Merchant Group, was smiling broadly.
"You suddenly disappear, then I get a message that you went to the grasslands, and now you're in the Imperial Palace. I really can't figure out what you're going to do."
The Ice Rakshasa turned her body to face Jaun. The Ice Rakshasa, who was staring at Jaun, shrugged her shoulders once.
"Wow. If I didn't know, I don't think I'd be able to recognize you. If you can change into an adult's body like this... can you change to my preference later?"
At the Ice Rakshasa's silly words, Jaun shook his head.
"...It's a dangerous place. Why did you come all the way here?"
At Jaun's words, the Ice Rakshasa shrugged her shoulders.
"Someone has gone into the lion's den themselves, so can we just stay comfortable? It's not just me. Over there."
When the Ice Rakshasa poked him in the side, Jaun turned his head. In the distance, he could see the bearded man groaning as he carried the merchant group's luggage.
"Miss Eun-wol is here too. A lot of people from Hero Jang Sam-sik's mountain fortress have also come down. We were preparing on the outside, just in case a situation arises where we might be needed."
Jaun let out a small sigh.
"I think I clearly asked you to stay in Beijing in the letter I left for the Hao Gate..."
"Hero Jang Sam-sik was making such a fuss, saying he had to do something since he was called upon with trust. I was too bored to just stay there, so I came out like this."
Jaun scratched his head and looked up.
"If it's the young lady and bearded brother, they should be able to protect themselves well enough. However, do not ever come near the shrine. If you see the situation here getting bigger, please flee. If a necessary situation arises, I will send a telepathic message."
"Okay. I came because I thought it would be less frustrating to see what's happening with my own eyes if something happens, so don't worry too much about us. I'll take care of myself without being in danger."
Jaun nodded and pushed the somyeon bowl in front of the Ice Rakshasa.
"Eat slowly and go back. I have to go in now."
The Ice Rakshasa, who was looking up at Jaun with regretful eyes, lowered her head to the somyeon.
"...Be careful. And come back safely. You must."
"Yes."
Jaun gently patted the Ice Rakshasa's shoulder once and got up.
Jaun, who turned his body and returned to the shrine, bit his lip hard.
'I'll end it on my own terms. I need to focus from now on.'
Jaun changed back into his Embroidered Uniform Guard uniform, took the spear he had received from General Hwang, and returned to the formation.
***
As the Heaven Worship Ceremony drew closer, a palpable tension began to flow in all directions.
Before long, the clear sound of a pyeongyeong was heard, and the curtain of a temporary shelter set up on one side was drawn with a rustling sound.
TAP TAP TAP
The Emperor, who had walked out from behind the curtain, looked ahead. The Emperor, holding a small wooden tray with three wine cups, began to walk slowly forward.
The Five Swords and the Commander followed the Emperor from about five steps behind, and following them, scholars dressed in ceremonial robes lined up and proceeded towards the shrine.
Ceremonial music began to play in time with the Emperor's steps. The sounds from various instruments filled the shrine.
TWEEET
LALALANG
The mouths of the scholars who were following behind in time with the ceremonial music opened.
"The way of Heaven is impartial and selfless, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked, and heaven and man respond to each other."
"The Son of Heaven offers his respects to the God of Heaven, who shines like jade, commands dragons and phoenixes, and rules the heavens by riding the clouds and wind."
The Emperor slowly walked forward, placed the wooden tray on the table in the center of the shrine, picked up a wine cup, and carefully poured it onto the table.
"As all things begin and the six qi originate, we have prepared the offerings according to the rites with reverence and care. May the pure and revered one accept our sincere offerings with pleasure."
Then, the scholars began to bring the prepared offerings and carefully place them on the table.
"Perform the 'Song of Harmonious Anticipation' and the 'Song of Radiant Harmony', and unfold the 'Dance of Civil Virtue'."
As the Emperor's mouth opened, the ceremonial music soon changed, and dancers came forward and began to dance.
As the dancers moved forward, the formation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard also moved a little closer to the Emperor.
Jaun turned his head and looked around. Since he was quite close to the Emperor, he could also see the back of the Emperor standing alone on the platform.
The Seven Swords and the Commander, who surrounded the Emperor on all sides, were kneeling right below the platform, and the huge energy emanating from them completely sealed off the area around the Emperor.
'That... even if everyone here joined forces, they couldn't break through.'
It was the energy that the elite of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had gathered with all their heart to protect the Emperor.
The energy swirling around the Emperor and his surroundings was so intense that it was visible to the eye.
'The grand plan is about to begin, so what on earth are they going to do?'
Jaun spread his senses once again. He tried to chase the blood energy in the surrounding energy, but right now, there was no one with blood energy within a twenty-jang radius of the Emperor except for the 13th Division.
'...What is this?'
Jaun raised his head in bewilderment and looked back.
The four generals who were supposed to be guarding the rear were nowhere to be seen. Only the Thousand Households Commanders, looking around as they waited for their missing superior, could be seen.
'General Hwang... where did he go? Was this the original plan?'
The Commander and the Seven Swords were solely focused on the Emperor, so there was no particular movement.
As Jaun tilted his head and looked around once more, the Emperor's mouth opened again.
"People only see the vastness and profundity of the firmament and the hiddenness of the spirits, but they do not know that there is no hidden place that is not revealed, even in a house or a dark room."
'...The prayer has begun.'
Jaun gripped his spear tightly.
Something was strange.
To ambush the Commander and the Seven Swords who were guarding the Emperor, there had to be at least a warrior of the same level as the Twelve Swords.
But right now, there was no one around this shrine with blood energy who possessed that level of martial prowess.
'The color of the signal flare?'
Jaun looked up at the sky.
"Indeed, if there is sincerity, there is existence, and if there is no sincerity, there is no existence itself. To commune with the Supreme Emperor..."
While the Emperor's prayer continued, a loud noise erupted from behind.
BOOM!
CHIIIIIIIIII
When he raised his head, a signal flare was rising into the sky.
BOOOOM
The signal flare that exploded in the sky scattered a blue light into the air.
'Blue?'
"...What is this during a solemn ceremony!"
The moment the Emperor stopped his prayer and turned around, the Seven Swords and the Commander went up on the platform and surrounded the Emperor.
"What lawless people are doing such a disrespectful thing!"
Jaun gripped his spear and turned his body back. The signal flare had gone off, but there was no movement in the surroundings.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard of the 13th Division looked around with bewildered eyes.
"Th-Thousand Households Commander. What on earth is this..."
Gwak Jong-do ran towards Jaun with a bewildered expression. It seemed they had also received the directive in the same way as Jaun.
Jaun narrowed his eyes, raised his energy to its peak, and spread his senses in all directions.
SWOOOOOSH
The hem of his clothes flapped violently in the huge energy emanating from Jaun's body, and Gwak Jong-do, who was standing beside him, was pushed back in surprise and fell on his butt.
The eyes of the Commander and the Seven Swords, who felt Jaun's fierce energy, simultaneously turned this way.
'The ones with blood energy are pulling back. Why?'
"Who are you!"
Following the Commander's loud shout, something strange was detected by Jaun's sharpened five senses.
'...Is this a burning smell?'
The moment Jaun's eyes widened, the Commander's complexion turned pale as if he had sensed something strange.
"Everyone, protect His Majesty!"
As the Commander's huge shout spread in all directions, the surrounding Embroidered Uniform Guard jumped onto the shrine without any hesitation and began to build a wall.
TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP
In an instant, a wall made of hundreds of people was erected around the Emperor.
Jaun, who was concentrating, opened his eyes wide.
'This energy is... not a firebomb, but a Thunderclap Bomb!'
The moment Jaun threw off his gold uniform, the Demon Dragon Robe spread wide.
Jaun's body, which had floated up, was instantly wrapped in the Demon Dragon Robe, and then the Millennium Silk that came out of Jaun's Ink Ring began to wind itself around the Demon Dragon Robe in layers.
The moment Jaun hid his body inside the Demon Dragon Robe like a sword wrapped in cloth, a huge heat began to erupt from the floor.
CRAAAAAAAAAASH!
BOOM!
BOOOOM!
With a deafening noise, the stone powder on the floor of the shrine where the ceremony was being held exploded, and fierce flames engulfed all directions.