Chapter 13: Bound Before Chunhwaru

After a moment, Jawoon was bound by the Manryeongsak, the Myriad Spirits Rope.

The rope, woven from the souls of ten thousand monsters, perfectly sealed his spiritual energy, leaving him unable to move. If he had his primordial spirit, even the Manryeongsak could not have subdued him, but that was not the case now.

Jawoon did not resist. Bound by the rope, with Day-Commander and Night-Commander behind him, he headed for Chunhwaru.

Passing through the Sun-Moon Gate and the Cloud Bridge on the way to Chunhwaru, the immortals living in the Heavenly Palace saw Jawoon being dragged along in bonds. Jawoon walked with his head held high as if it were nothing, but the faces of Day-Commander and Night-Commander, who were escorting him, turned red. They could not understand the Heavenly Emperor’s blatant intent to humiliate Jawoon, and they felt ashamed of themselves for doing this under his orders.

Their reflections appeared in the Star River, flowing beneath the Cloud Bridge. Geomun, seeing the two generals walking with their heads bowed low, slowed her pace slightly and stood by Jawoon’s side. The two walked in step as naturally as if their confrontation at the Sun-Moon Gate had been a lie.

“Judging by their attitude, it looks like the ones being dragged away are those two generals, not the Master of Cheonryeongji.”

“Is that so?”

At Geomun’s words, Jawoon glanced at the generals standing a step behind him. They could not even meet his gaze and hung their heads.

“There’s no need for that. They are simply carrying out orders.”

“But you were quite terrifying in front of the Sun-Moon Gate earlier.”

“They were ordered to humiliate me, and I did not want to endure unnecessary humiliation. It was unavoidable. Our interests differ, so we clashed.”

The two generals following behind bowed their heads even lower.

“They seem ashamed. Though if you think about it, I’m the one who should be ashamed.”

Geomun spoke while slightly bowing her head with a smile to those in the distance who were looking at her in shock. At her words, Jawoon asked Geomun with a puzzled look:

“Why should you be ashamed?”

“Didn’t I find the Master of Cheonryeongji’s weakness and make you submit?”

“You did.”

“…Anyway, you’re mischievous too, Master. Making me say it out loud.”

At her self-deprecating tone, Jawoon looked at Geomun with a puzzled expression.

“The role the Mother Goddess gave you is to discover others’ weaknesses. How could that be shameful?”

At that moment, music began to drift from afar. As Jawoon turned his head at the sound, Geomun, who had wanted to change the subject anyway, quickly answered:

“It’s the sound coming from Chunhwaru.”

“I was curious anyway. Why order me to bring a criminal bound, and to Chunhwaru of all places, rather than Manhwijeon or Hyobeopgak?”

Geomun stepped a few paces ahead again. Jawoon watched her back. Without answering, Geomun walked on for a while, then stopped before the stone gate with the plaque of Chunhwaru and spoke:

“That too. Isn’t it meant to insult the Azure Dragon Divine Lord?”

As soon as they passed through the round stone gate, the scenery changed.

The pavilion, built of two stories without walls or windows, was one of the most beautiful buildings in the Heavenly Realm. The ivory pillars were carved with dragons and phoenixes, and the jade tiles were densely inlaid with gold cloud patterns. The railing made of white stone, whiter than snow, was engraved with peonies. The octagonal eaves had flower-bud wind chimes of different shapes at each end, adding elegance whenever the soft spring breeze passed.

Not only that. Chunhwaru stood in the center of a huge garden filled with flowers that never wilted in any season. Passing through the garden carefully tended by flower fairies, Jawoon stood before the Chunhwaru building and looked around. There should have been divine generals, soldiers, or attendants serving the Heavenly Emperor on the first floor and in the garden, but there was no one around. Only laughter and music echoed continuously from the second floor.

“…A banquet…”

They told us to bring the Azure Dragon Divine Lord bound, and now they’re holding a banquet? Night-Commander muttered with discontent. Day-Commander, standing next to him, pulled at the hem of his robe to silence him. But perhaps she had already heard, because Geomun smiled and said:

“The Heavenly Emperor gathered all four Guardian Divine Lords earlier and is enjoying some rare entertainment.”

Then Day-Commander quickly stepped forward, gave a military salute, and said to Geomun:

“Geomun Star Lord. Night-Commander and I will return to the Sun-Moon Gate.”

“Hm?”

Geomun looked back at them with a puzzled expression. Night-Commander, seemingly surprised by Day-Commander’s words, looked at him, then quickly clasped his hands and bowed his head just like him. Confirming that Night-Commander had bowed, Day-Commander continued:

“Day-Commander and Night-Commander exist to guard the Sun-Moon Gate. When the soldiers and generals all fell, we had no choice but to escort Star Lord and the Master, but…”

At the word “escort,” Geomun raised an eyebrow briefly, then lowered it and wore an expression of interest.

“Now that we have arrived safely at Chunhwaru, we would like to withdraw.”

“You two…”

Just as Geomun was about to say something to them, Jawoon cut her off.

“Let them.”

“Master?”

“Their mission is over. I’m bound by the Manryeongsak, so I can’t resist like I did at the Sun-Moon Gate. There’s no need to keep them here. And more than anything…”

Jawoon, still bound, looked up at Chunhwaru and said:

“The Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise are up there. Even if I cause trouble, those three are enough to subdue me, aren’t they?”

Hearing Jawoon’s words, Geomun nodded and gestured to the two generals.

“Since the Master says so… you two generals may withdraw.”

As soon as Geomun finished speaking, Day-Commander and Night-Commander bowed to the two and withdrew. The two generals vanished from sight in an instant, and Geomun let out a small sigh.

“Aren’t you being too considerate of them?”

“If you’re cut by a sword, would you blame the sword? Even if you blame it, you should blame the one holding it.”

At Jawoon’s calm voice, Geomun drooped her eyebrows into a frown and spoke as if sighing:

“Is that why you didn’t kill any of the soldiers or generals at the Sun-Moon Gate?”

“I just didn’t want to take unnecessary lives.”

At that moment, a black crane came trotting down the inner stairs of Chunhwaru, clasped both hands, and bowed deeply.

“The Heavenly Emperor commands Geomun Star Lord to come up to the upper floor of Chunhwaru.”

“I shall.”

As Geomun stepped toward the stairs, the black crane silently bowed to Jawoon and followed Geomun back up to Chunhwaru.

Left alone, Jawoon stood still and looked toward the distant direction where Dongseolji was. The tall willow trees blocked his view, hiding both Dongseolji and Yeongbojeon, which would be there.

With his body bound and the place he could reach in a single stride right before him, his frustration grew.

“Oh, Geomun’s words were true. You really brought him bound.”

At that moment, an exclamation came from above. Jawoon looked up and saw the Heavenly Emperor sitting on the railing of the pavilion. When their eyes met, Jawoon bowed his head.

“Haha. I felt killing intent at the Sun-Moon Gate and thought you wouldn’t be able to bind him. Geomun’s skill is impressive.”

Even with the voice coming from above, Jawoon remained still. Then there was a short click of the tongue.

“But. I called him a criminal, yet his knees are so stiff.”

Immediately after, a wind blew, and blue energy gathered on either side of Jawoon, taking human form. The two figures grabbed Jawoon’s shoulders, kicked the backs of his knees to force him to kneel, and pushed his head down to look at the floor.

At that moment, from inside Chunhwaru, there was the sound of a chair scraping, followed by a thud as something fell over.

“Vermilion Bird Divine Lord, sit. Why are you so angry? Black Crane, set the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord’s chair upright again.”

“Yes…” Black Crane’s small reply was heard.

Jawoon blinked slowly, looking at the floor. He felt neither anger nor humiliation. He simply endured the situation quietly, like a person who had lost all emotion.

“Your Majesty. Why is the Master of Cheonryeongji here in such a state?”

A low, calm voice was heard. It was Black Tortoise’s voice.

“Did I not say? He is a criminal.”

The Heavenly Emperor, still lounging on the railing, took a sip of wine and spoke as if it were nothing. Black Tortoise, who had calmed Vermilion Bird with a glance as she glared at the Heavenly Emperor, asked again:

“Forgive my boldness, but what crime has the Master of Cheonryeongji committed? If you tell me, I will weigh the severity and punish him myself.”

As Black Tortoise spoke with clasped hands, the Heavenly Emperor tossed the empty wine cup behind him. Geomun, standing to one side, caught it with both hands.

“First crime: daring to defile Manhwijeon with blood.”

At those words, Black Tortoise’s brow furrowed. Jawoon bleeding in Manhwijeon was already several years ago in the mortal realm’s time. Moreover, it happened because the Heavenly Emperor tried to forcibly take his name, and Jawoon had no choice but to use his own blood to resist.

The Heavenly Emperor continued, still looking down at Jawoon below Chunhwaru:

“Second crime: persistently submitting petitions for several years.”

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