Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 158

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Was there a martial artist in the Murim who did not know the name Namgung So-hye?
She was the eldest daughter of the Namgung Clan, the pillar house of the Eight Great Families and the true seat of the Sword Emperor.
Though her name was not spoken aloud in these times, the Namgung Clan remained etched in the minds of many as a prestigious Orthodox Faction family.
As the eldest daughter of such a house and bearing the name Namgung So-hye, she had earned renown for her superb martial prowess and beautiful countenance.
The position she had obtained while still young within the Murim Alliance itself was enough to mark her as no trivial opponent.
The men recoiled in shock.
But then.
Slash!
In the moment they retreated, an extended blade cleaved through another man’s body. Spraying blood ignited fresh terror in their hearts.
“Ugh……!”
The expression of the man who seemed to be their captain hardened.
This was nothing like what he had been told — that they need only deal with constables. The mere presence of Namgung So-hye had plunged this entire affair into far worse circumstances.
He knew full well how much devastation a single high-level martial artist could wreak.
‘Should we withdraw?’
Thud-thud!
At that moment, Kwon Mu-jin, who had been standing behind Namgung So-hye, stepped forward.
Watching the captain’s hesitation, a faint smile played at Kwon Mu-jin’s lips — unmistakably a sneer of contempt.
“It is the command of our lord. You will all die.”
“You madman! Are you truly foolish enough to think you can look down on us on the strength of Namgung So-hye alone?”
The man’s rage flared.
Namgung So-hye was indeed formidable, but they themselves were no mere weaklings.
If they were willing to pay the price in blood, they could manage to kill her.
“Hm?”
Even as these thoughts occupied him.
His eyes went wide.
The Dual Blades that Kwon Mu-jin held in both hands.
They looked far too familiar.
Long ago, during the conflict with the Heterodox Sect, a man had stood in his path.
The weapons that man had carried bore too great a resemblance to these.
Now that he looked again, those eyes and that face stirred recognition.
“Could it be…… Sso…… Sso-ssang-do?”
“You know me?”
“Damn it!”
“So you do.”
The man spat a curse and gnashed his teeth.
What was the meaning of this?
They were only supposed to capture the arrogant Hyun-ryung and be done.
They were only supposed to kill any constables who got in the way.
Fortune had turned to folly.
Namgung So-hye, and now Kwon Mu-jin as well — this situation was not merely dire. It was as though the gates of hell itself had opened.
If he wanted to live, he would have to run.
“Flee……!”
“Did I not tell you to abandon thoughts of flight!”
A tremendous roar erupted.
From the rear, Hong Won-chang bellowed with vast power and launched himself through the air, landing in their midst.
Boom!
The earth cratered deeply — and it was clear the damage came from more than mere weight.
Armed with a full decade’s worth of Martial Power gained through Spirit Elixirs and Inner Elixir Field cultivation that he had purchased for his son Hong Jin-rang, Hong Won-chang swept his blade through their ranks without hesitation.
Confidence?
No, it was not that.
The moment he sensed the enemy’s spirit falter, his instinct told him to press the advantage.
Hong Won-chang’s blade sang through the air.
Slash-slash-slash-slash!
“Ahhhhh!”
“Gaaahhh!”
Though he could not match the swift dominance of Kwon Mu-jin or Namgung So-hye, what he did possess was enough to shatter the will of frightened men utterly.

Namgung So-hye and Kwon Mu-jin rushed forward toward those who were backing away in fear.

***

“Father! Look at this!”
Dan So-mi held up a small stone she’d found somewhere, and though it was tiny, its shape was remarkably beautiful.
Dan Woo-hyun accepted it and drew out his Short Blade.
There was a particular reason Dan So-mi always brought such things to Dan Woo-hyun.
Scritch-scritch!
As the blade moved this way and that, the small stone was carefully carved away. Dan So-mi watched intently with bright, eager eyes, and her face lit up with joy.
Before long, an astonishingly precise image had been etched into the little stone.
It was a picture of a small child picking up a stone by the riverside.
“Wow! Thank you so much! It’s so beautiful!”
“Ha, I’m grateful you’d say so.”
Dan So-mi’s room held many objects.
Most of them were creations of Dan Woo-hyun’s, and these carved pieces were likewise his handiwork.
Once, when Dan So-mi had taken one to show off to Hong Jin-rang, several merchants had become so eager to buy it from her that they’d made a fuss.
Dan So-mi accepted the stone with a smile and carried it to her room.
It seemed she intended to add it to her collection.
“That dexterity of yours hasn’t faded, has it? Heh heh heh.”
Namgung Cheon, who had drawn near, chuckled.
He knew Dan Woo-hyun was skilled with his hands, but he hadn’t realized he could carve images into something so tiny. Thus Namgung Cheon quietly offered forward the stone he held.
“What’s this?”
“Could you do the same for me as well?”
……
“I’d appreciate it.”
Dan Woo-hyun let out a long sigh.
It wasn’t particularly difficult work, but it grew tedious whenever the old man came asking. It required considerable concentration.
Moreover, what this old man always asked to have carved was invariably the same.
“I’d like it to be So-hye’s likeness.”
It was Namgung So-hye, of course.
So dearly did he cherish his granddaughter that most of the carved pieces hanging in Namgung Cheon’s room bore her face or her likeness.
“If you care for her that much, why not go along with her?”
Dan Woo-hyun murmured as his hands began to move across the stone.
He doted on Dan So-mi just as much as Namgung Cheon doted on Namgung So-hye.
Yet the thought occurred to him that being apart must weigh upon the old man’s heart.
After all, Namgung So-hye had gone to the battlefield.
At that remark, Namgung Cheon laughed and settled beside him.
“Don’t you know? That child was born to be a martial artist.”
“I know.”
“Once one draws the blade, one must entrust one’s life to the sword’s providence. Life and death are matters of fate and her own skill—she must forge her own path. And she needs real combat experience.”
“Hasn’t she already gained enough from the missions the Murim Alliance assigns?”
“Heh heh heh, can the tasks handed down by the Alliance truly be called real combat?”
Namgung Cheon knew well.
Many had refrained from giving her dangerous assignments out of deference to the Sword Emperor’s wishes.
But to grow, one had to wage battles where one’s life hung in the balance.
“And now she does?”
“Who can say……?”
Since he didn’t know the nature of the opposition, he couldn’t speak with certainty, but one way or another, she had committed herself to the battlefield. That alone satisfied Namgung Cheon.
But Dan Woo-hyun smiled.
“This matter isn’t truly about Namgung So-hye and Kwon Mu-jin at all.”
“What?”
“Even if only one of them had gone, it would have been sufficient.”
Dan Woo-hyun, who knew the abilities of both better than anyone, was well aware that this task was far easier than child’s play.
The opposition, however, was entirely ignorant of their capabilities, so whoever they had sent would not be particularly formidable either.
“Then……could it be?”
“Yes—Hong Won-chang.”
Hong Won-chang served Dan Woo-hyun in a different sense than Jang Sam-tae did.
If Jang Sam-tae remained at Jang Yuan out of devotion and reverence toward Dan Woo-hyun, Dan So-mi, and his conscience, Hong Won-chang possessed an unquestioning, blind loyalty to Dan Woo-hyun alone.
Yet the moment he believed he had gained nothing in proportion to the loyalty he had offered, he might just turn his back.
Given Hong Won-chang’s calculating nature and his ambition for advancement, it was certainly possible.
So this time, he’d sent him to test his own abilities.
“He hasn’t even crossed forty, has he? For someone to achieve greatness…… it seems rather late.”
“Then why do so many martial artists begin learning martial arts in childhood?”
“Because not only does the body maintain greater flexibility, but proper training from a young age allows for faster mastery.”
Dan Woo-hyun nodded.
That was precisely why so many teachers accepted young disciples, speaking of talent and aptitude.
While certain talent mattered, fundamentally what Namgung Cheon said was the truth.
“True enough, but even as one grows older, effort can overcome stiffness of body. The real question is how quickly one can internalize what’s learned through actual combat.”
“……Hmm, now that you mention it, that doesn’t seem wrong.”
Namgung Cheon nodded as well.
No matter how rigid a person’s body had become, constant practice would gradually loosen it.
It was only slower than with children—there was no fundamental obstacle to mastering martial arts.
“Hong Won-chang will move forward. This fight is merely his first step.”
“Hoh…… You intend to continue using him?”
“I do not cast aside those who follow me.”
“Hehehe, I see.”
Namgung Cheon smiled warmly.
Dan Woo-hyun showed a harsh side at times.
Having observed him from nearby, he was certain of this much.
Had he deemed someone among those at Jang Yuan unnecessary, he might have cast them out without hesitation.
Yet this man now sought to gather a few such people into his fold.
This was quite a favorable change indeed.
“You’ve changed, my friend.”
“Changed? Me? I remain as I’ve always been.”
“Isn’t that to be expected?”
Dan Woo-hyun had not yet recognized his own transformation.
Because he remained himself at all times, he could not perceive the gradual shifts within him.
But those who watched from beside him could discern some measure of that change.
“Be that as it may, where exactly have Jang Sam-tae and Ma Jang-gang gone?”
“An errand.”
“It’s taking rather long, isn’t it?”
Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Though he’d called it an errand, it had been months since he’d last seen them.
Considering that until now, the people of Jang Yuan had never been absent for more than three days, it seemed Jang Sam-tae had ventured somewhere quite distant.
Last time, he’d assumed they’d return quickly, but if it was taking this long, it meant there was another reason at work.
“Is there perhaps another matter at hand?”
“As I’ve said before, if there is something, there is something; if there is nothing, there is nothing. And if all is well, there’s nothing better than that.”
Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
These were words spoken by none other than Dan Woo-hyun himself.
Not a single word from his lips could be dismissed lightly.
But for now, it had to be let go.
No matter how he asked, he would receive the same answer.
Dan Woo-hyun’s words were that guarded.
“Well…… you’ll handle it all properly, I’m sure. Ah, did you hear that news?”
“What news?”
“I heard the Heterodox Sect forces that invaded Shaanxi have withdrawn.”
Dan Woo-hyun gave a slight nod.
Whether they withdrew or not, whether bloody battles erupted or not—his expression didn’t change, as though he felt not the slightest stir.
He simply caressed the stone quietly and opened his mouth.
“That’s fortunate, then.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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