Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 35

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

***

Crash!
Ma Dok-jin’s body flew backward, splintering several trees before slamming into the earth. Any ordinary person would have been pulped beyond recognition.
Yet his breath still clung to him, unmistakably present.
‘What… what exactly did I just witness?’
Gwon Mujin’s eyes snapped open as he stirred from unconsciousness, suddenly aware of the collision that had roused him.
His gaze fixed on Dan Woo-hyeon, standing motionless before them. He’d anticipated strength from their first meeting, but to handle him like a toy—and to cast Ma Dok-jin aside as if he weighed nothing?
‘Who in the world is this man?’
Gwon Mujin wasn’t the only one trembling with shock. Namgung So-hye’s entire frame shook as she watched the scene unfold.
This was no clash of masters at their peak. It was one-sided violence, plain and simple—nothing more, nothing less.
Namgung So-hye stared at Dan Woo-hyeon with eyes wide with dread.
He turned toward the fallen Ma Dok-jin.
“Ugh…”
Ma Dok-jin groaned and slowly pushed himself upright. His body wavered dangerously—he nearly toppled over several times before managing to steady himself.
His legs trembled violently beneath him, as though the strength to stand had abandoned him entirely.
“Impossible! I’ve been overpowered by sheer force!”
Ma Dok-jin could not accept what he was witnessing. He acknowledged the man’s strength, certainly.
The Jianghu teemed with martial artists as numerous as grains of sand; it was only natural that stronger ones existed.
Which was why he had cultivated his power ever since his Realm seemed to stagnate.
He had honed himself to wield this large sword like a willow branch, with terrible speed.
Yet against the man before him now, everything failed him.
His strength, his destructive force, every shred of pride he could muster—all of it had been annihilated.
Without even bothering to wipe the blood trickling from his forehead, he raised the large sword again toward Dan Woo-hyeon.
“This is madness! It doesn’t make sense!”
“Fool.”
Dan Woo-hyeon let out a hollow laugh.
Valor was admirable enough, but there were barriers that valor alone could never breach.
Whatever Ma Dok-jin attempted, he could never prevail against him.
Such was the chasm between them.
“A large sword should move with weight, with simplicity. Training your strength to pursue speed was actually a reasonable idea—but it was precisely the method that destroyed the blade’s advantages. By focusing on swiftness, your strikes lose their full power… and that changes everything.”
Dan Woo-hyeon lifted his sword lightly, a smirk playing at his lips.
A large sword was never meant to pursue speed; its true purpose was to crush an opponent with a single devastating blow.
But Ma Dok-jin had chased speed. He’d strengthened his body to handle the large sword with perfect control, channeling destruction through that velocity.
Lesser fighters crumbled before his relentless wave attacks and had no choice but to yield.
But true masters of a certain caliber?
Everything changed.
His speed, ultimately, fell short of swordsmanship itself; his destructive power couldn’t match a properly wielded large sword. A master who kept his wits could defeat him easily.
“What nonsense are you spouting, you fool!”
In that instant, Dan Woo-hyeon took a single step forward, anchoring his stance.
Whoosh!
“…?!”
His form vanished from sight. No—just as Ma Dok-jin thought he’d disappeared, he materialized directly before him.
Startled beyond measure, Ma Dok-jin desperately raised his large sword, only to have a blade pregnant with tempestuous force bear down upon him.
Boom!
A deafening roar shook the very earth. Ma Dok-jin was hurled backward without even a cry, his body careening through brush and timber until it vanished from sight.
Among the countless trees and undergrowth he tore through, nothing remained visible.
Dan Woo-hyeon casually recovered his sword and tossed it at Namgung So-hye’s feet. The moment his first strike had connected—the battle was already decided.
“Do you know martial arts?”
“I’ve never said I didn’t.”
Dan Woo-hyeon replied with playful cheek to Namgung So-hye’s trembling question.
Come to think of it, his logic was sound.
Not once had Dan Woo-hyeon ever claimed he hadn’t studied martial arts.
“Could you be… with the Black Sword Society?”
“Don’t waste your curiosity on pointless matters. There are times in this world when you must see without looking, hear without listening.”
“Ugh…”
The chill in Dan Woo-hyeon’s gaze made Namgung So-hye swallow hard, feeling as though the breath had been squeezed from her lungs.
“Still, you were lucky. Even with that arrogance-laden swordsmanship of yours, you didn’t die facing him—isn’t that itself a stroke of fate?”
“Arrogance…….”
She’d heard something similar the first time they met.
Namgung So-hye had believed herself free of any such conceit, yet Dan Woo-hyeon’s gaze seemed to perceive something in her that she could not see.
The frustration burned, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.
By then, Dan Woo-hyeon had already turned away and was vanishing into the distance.

“Ugh……!”
Gwon Mujin, sprawled among the undergrowth, pushed himself to his feet. Ma Dok-jin had been defeated. Utterly, devastatingly defeated.
The Jianghu was not short of masters, yet who could possibly reduce Ma Dok-jin to such a state?
At the very least, one would need to be ranked among the Five Emperors Seven Stars Ten Worthies.
But those men were not young.
Which meant this man had reached such a realm at an age far younger than any of them.
The more he thought, the more his entire body trembled.
A man who could never be made an enemy.
And precisely for that reason, a man more terrifying than any other.
And yet…….
‘A man who can lift me even higher!’
Gwon Mujin struggled to his feet and began to pursue Dan Woo-hyeon. Even walking was an agony, yet he pushed forward, unwilling to lose sight of him.
Dan Woo-hyeon, moving ahead, furrowed his brow and came to a halt.
“Why do you follow?”
“Ugh…… Allow me to remain by your side.”
“No.”
Dan Woo-hyeon flicked his hand dismissively.
A tremendous gust erupted from the gesture, hurling Gwon Mujin backward. He tumbled across the ground, groaning under the force of that wind.
To possess such power in a mere gesture?
‘Perhaps this master is far greater than I imagined.’
Gwon Mujin stirred again. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright and staggered forward toward Dan Woo-hyeon, fighting to keep his balance.
When he reached the motionless figure, Gwon Mujin collapsed to his knees with a sharp crack, bowing his head deeply.
“What is this?”
Dan Woo-hyeon’s eyes narrowed to slits, his voice cutting and vicious. His displeasure hung like a blade in the air itself, the very space around him growing sharp and hostile.
It was like being pierced by countless awls—needles of force lancing through every part of Gwon Mujin’s body.
Prick-prick—!
Even drawing breath felt impossible beneath the crushing weight of that power.
It was a terror so profound that merely standing before it seemed beyond his strength. His voice faltered and died, yet Gwon Mujin summoned every ounce of his will and forced his mouth open.
“Take me with you!”
“I said no.”
The finality of those words struck him like a blow, and tears welled in Gwon Mujin’s eyes.
Why, then, had he been spared and brought here, only to be shown such hope and then denied it?
If he had seen nothing, known nothing, perhaps he would have simply remained as he was—following Ma Dok-jin as always, content in his ignorance.
“If you will not have me, then at least let me d——!”
Thud—!
The sensation of something driving deep into his abdomen was the sort of agony that would kill any ordinary man without question.
“Gaaaahhh……!”
Gwon Mujin’s breath caught in his throat as his teeth clenched against the unbearable pain. No matter how hard he fought to maintain consciousness, his body offered no resistance, no mercy.
His vision swam and dimmed, and all strength drained from his limbs.
‘Damn it……!’
Thump—!
In an instant, his mind went dark and he collapsed.
“Hmm…….”
Dan Woo-hyeon had witnessed every moment.
The young man showed promise—not only had he reached a considerable realm at such a tender age, but the resentment burning in his eyes reminded Dan Woo-hyeon of himself in years long past.
That was the gaze of one who had once been willing to do anything to climb higher.
There was merit in a martial artist’s pride, but…….
‘Dangerous.’
Dan Woo-hyeon knew it well.
Those who carried such eyes were the most perilous.
Those consumed by an absolute will to ascend never looked at the world around them.
Of course, Gwon Mujin had not yet reached such a point.
But the potential was there, thick and unmistakable.
“If you cannot master your own mind, you won’t last long.”
Pursuing strength alone accomplishes nothing.
If he fails to grasp this, he will be consumed by desire and walk a path he should never tread. With talent like his, it was inevitable that the Jianghu would be turned upside down. This much she could foresee.
Perhaps it would be better to kill him?
Dan Woo-hyeon’s hand rose slightly.
For a moment he wondered if that might actually be the kindest thing he could do for this one, but then he shook his head and withdrew his hand.
Killing was nothing—not even work—and it wasn’t as if it had to be done. He had no desire to steal a life on mere impulse.
‘I am not one of the Eight Immortals.’
Those who ascended to the Celestial Realm and forever watched over Joong Won from on high.
Had they seen Gwon Mujin, they would surely have taken his life for the sake of Joong Won.
But Dan Woo-hyeon was not one of them, and he did not wish to do as they would.
He harbored no desire to protect Joong Won, nor did he wish to interfere heavily in anyone’s life.
All things, he believed, would proceed of their own accord if simply left to their natural course.
So long as it did not harm him directly in his own sphere—so long as no actual damage came to Dan Woo-hyeon himself—he remained indifferent.
He left the unconscious man where he lay and turned to go.
Crunch-crunch—
As he descended the mountain path, much came into view.
Namgung So-hye, still trembling; Ma Dok-jin and Gwon Mujin, unconscious and foam flecking their lips; Ma Dok-jin’s subordinates scattered on the ground; and the corpses of the Lake South Five Swordsmen.
‘It’s like gazing upon the Jianghu of old.’
Dan Woo-hyeon smiled at the thought.

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