Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 93

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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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The Demon Sovereign.
One of the Five Emperors and the pinnacle of the Tianshan Demon Cult.
Having earned the title of one of the strongest beings in the Martial World, the power he possessed was, without exaggeration, practically divine.
Especially unlike the Orthodox and Evil Factions, the martial arts of the Demon Cult carried an alien quality, and because they emphasized destructive power, they were often called Evil Arts.
Among them, the martial arts wielded by the Cult Master was the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Not only did it impose tremendous burden upon the body, but without proper mastery, one could not live long. Those who had mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and lived past forty were scarcely more than four or five in all of Central Plains history.
Sa Do-hak, standing here now.
He was one of those few.
From childhood his body had been forged to become Cult Master, and he had mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, surviving now well past sixty. Because of this, no one doubted that he contended for supremacy among the Five Emperors.
And yet Sa Do-hak…….
‘One blow? One blow!’
Sa Do-hak had encountered countless martial arts throughout his life. He knew well that among the masters of the Demon Cult, the Orthodox and Evil Factions, and even the masters beyond the pale, few could stand beside him. He also knew with certainty that he was a powerhouse second to none.
But it had been one blow.
Though it came as a sudden ambush, he had been sent flying and lost consciousness in a single strike.
“My Protective Aura…… breached so easily…….”
“Hehehehe.”
Masters of Sa Do-hak’s caliber fundamentally maintained a Protective Aura around themselves at all times. Partly to guard against ambushes from unknown quarters, and partly because as one’s level increased, such protection naturally became second nature.
But Dan Woo-hyun’s fist had no need for such Protective Aura.
The Protective Aura shattered with shameful ease.
And there was no time to evade the incoming fist.
Him—Sa Do-hak!
He suppressed the fury roiling up inside him.
Yet now that he had awakened, the thought of exacting revenge on that man consumed his mind.
Grinding his teeth, he began to rise from where he lay.
Namgung Cheon extended a hand.
“Easy now. There’s a young child in this place. One mustn’t cause a disturbance where children are present.”
“You damned Orthodox dog! I’ve been wronged so grievously I could spit blood, and you’re here grinning like an idiot?”
“Hehehehe.”
Namgung Cheon laughed with genuine pleasure.
The legendary Sa Do-hak had been struck down.
If Dan Woo-hyun had subdued such a man with a single blow, then his martial prowess had already ascended to heights that Namgung Cheon’s mind could no longer grasp.
‘Beyond Heaven…… three thousand perhaps? At such a young age?’
Even as the descendant of a Martial God, this was extraordinary power. Then what of the Martial God himself, whom they said surpassed three thousand—did he rise higher than the very heavens?
The more he thought on it, the more absurd it seemed.
“Who exactly is this man?”
“The master of this estate.”
…
Sa Do-hak clutched his throbbing head.
That wasn’t what he was asking.
He’d suspected as much since regaining consciousness—why else would he have journeyed all the way from distant Tianshan to find such a powerful recluse?
What Sa Do-hak truly wanted to know was…….
“Hmm? What happened to your arm?”
Sa Do-hak suddenly tilted his head and asked. At first, in the heat of his fury, he hadn’t noticed properly, but now he saw that Namgung Cheon’s left arm was missing.
Moreover, the Sword Emperor’s aura had diminished so greatly from what Sa Do-hak had witnessed in the past as to be almost unrecognizable.
If he wished, he felt he could kill the man with a single blow now. Was this truly the one called the Sword Emperor, the strongest of the Orthodox Faction?
Namgung Cheon shrugged at the confused stare.
“It came to pass.”
“Has your dotage finally caught up with you? ‘It came to pass’? An explanation is in order, old man!”
“Hehehehe.”
Namgung Cheon stroked his beard with his right hand and laughed.
His tone remained gruff.
Yet his eyes trembled violently.
One of five absolute rivals in all the realm.
The Sword Emperor—one of them, whom Sa Do-hak had thought none but himself could overcome. And yet his left arm had been severed.
Though he tried to hide it, Sa Do-hak’s expression had paled considerably.
“It was merely the consequence of standing atop the world for far too long.”
“You’re saying…….”
Sa Do-hak’s expression darkened.
He hadn’t spoken the rest aloud, but the Sword Emperor was far from foolish enough to miss his meaning.
Someone had betrayed him. Or perhaps one of those he’d made enemies of had struck with meticulous preparation and flawless execution. His lost left arm was surely the proof of it.
Sa Do-hak let out a hollow laugh.
If only the Demon Cult had been consistent—loosening their grip when they should, crushing with overwhelming force when necessary, instilling fear—such things wouldn’t happen. He clicked his tongue in regret.
“Tsk, tsk. And here I thought you had more dignity than this in your old age.”
“Heh, heh, heh—what is life but a fleeting thing? Fortunately, my Internal Energy is returning, so I call it heaven’s fortune.”
“San Gong Dok?”
“Indeed. A rather vicious strain, too.”
“I’d like to see the faces of whoever did this to the Sword Emperor of all people.”
“Heh, and you’re the one saying that?”
He watched Sa Do-hak rise from his seat with a muttered complaint.
An old rival. They’d grown together so long that it would hardly be strange to say so—they knew each other far too well.
Perhaps they understood each other even better than Mo-yong Hyuk-mun, whom they’d raised alongside.
They had clashed countless times, fought more death matches than could be counted.
The two had always conversed with their blades, opened their hearts through steel. Though they walked different paths now, none could claim to know him better.
So Sa Do-hak would understand. Despite the smile on his face, he would know exactly what lay in Namgung Cheon’s heart at this moment.
“Very well. In any case, let us set aside your troubles for now. But first—where has this cursed master gone?”
“Hm? Are you thinking of trying again?”
“Of course! That’s precisely why I’ve come all this way!”
Sa Do-hak laughed sharply.
His anger at falling in a single strike had cooled somewhat.
After all, though many revered the Five Emperors, he couldn’t be certain that no one in hiding surpassed them.
Dan Woo-hyun was a man who could draw him even higher. This opportunity could not be squandered.
The fighting spirit that had long slumbered kindled once more.
“You’d do better to let it rest.”
“No, no. This time I’ll win. I’m certain of it.”
Sa Do-hak radiated confidence.
He’d been caught off guard by a surprise move—this time he wouldn’t be careless. He’d decided: if that man had felled him in one strike, he would do the same in return.
With such thoughts, Sa Do-hak turned his gaze.
The door to the room where Dan Woo-hyun had been opened, and a man stepped inside.
“I thought you’d be bedridden for days. You look perfectly fine.”
“You!”
Sa Do-hak shot to his feet.
In that instant, Demonic Qi churned through his body. The moment he laid eyes on Dan Woo-hyun before him, Righteous Qi surged to meet it.
He seized the sword resting by the bedside and launched himself forward in one explosive motion.
There was no stopping him now.
Had anyone tried, they’d never have kept pace with his speed. Even Jang Sam-tae, who prided himself on his Light Body Technique, seemed unlikely to match the swiftness Sa Do-hak displayed at this moment.
Then, in the room, a flash erupted.
“Huh?”
Something was wrong.
The man who should have been before him had vanished.
Sa Do-hak’s eyes widened. He’d rushed forward at maximum speed the moment he spotted him—there was no way he could have dodged in that split second.
And besides, however spacious the room was, it was still just a room.
There was nowhere to escape to.
Then, from behind, came a bone-chilling sensation.
He spun around in alarm.
“Where…? Gone?”
But turning around revealed no trace of Dan Woo-hyun. Did that mean all of this was a dream or illusion, and he’d thrown himself at phantoms?
The absurdity of it made the corners of his mouth tremble.
Then a voice called out again from behind.
“Over here!”
Sa Do-hak spun around in shock, sword rising. His movement was heavy with intent—to strike down whatever stood before him in one decisive blow.
But what met his eyes was a small girl.
She held out a modest bowl of food, her expression utterly bewildered at whatever was unfolding in this room.
Sa Do-hak barely managed to halt his descending hand.
His eyelids trembled violently.
“What…what is this?”
Yet Dan Woo-hyun had appeared before him once more.
The man he’d thought had vanished now stood beside Dan So-mi. Considering there had been no one there mere moments before, such a thing should have been impossible.
His expression turned vacant, as though possessed by a ghost.
“Eat. It’s your punishment for drawing a sword in my home.”
“Punishment?”
Dan So-mi looked up at Dan Woo-hyun with a pouty glare.
True, it probably didn’t taste as good as what Jang Sam-tae had made, but she’d still brought food she’d prepared with genuine care. Yet he was calling it punishment and telling her to eat it.
Dan So-mi’s shoulders drooped, her eyes glistening with tears.
“What are you doing?”
Dan Woo-hyun placed a hand on top of Dan So-mi’s head. He didn’t seem intent on comforting her with words, nor did he appear eager to eat the food she’d brought with enthusiasm.
He simply stroked her hair gently, offering comfort through touch alone.
“It’s not a punishment. It’s delicious! I tasted it myself to make sure the seasoning was right!”
Dan So-mi held out the bowl once more toward Sa Do-hak, who still hadn’t spoken. His words still stung a little, but when she’d tasted it, the food was actually quite decent.
Besides, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t make a simple bowl of porridge properly.
“……I see.”
Sa Do-hak let out a small sigh.
Part of him wanted to lunge at Dan Woo-hyun once more. He couldn’t quite grasp what had happened just moments before.
But this was a room with a child present. Moreover, she’d made porridge for him despite his injuries.
With those bright, sparkling eyes, she’d held out the bowl—and he wasn’t old enough yet to refuse such a gesture so callously.
Also, having never known family throughout his years, he found himself weak against such a young girl.
Sa Do-hak reached out and accepted the bowl.
“Thank you, child. I am Sa Do-hak.”
“I’m So-mi! Dan So-mi. Hehe.”
“Haha, a lovely name. How considerate of you to make porridge for me.”
Dan So-mi broke into a beaming smile, a faint flush appearing on her cheeks. Seemingly shy at the praise, she turned away and hid her small frame behind Dan Woo-hyun’s back.
Sa Do-hak watched her and sighed once more, then brought a spoonful of the porridge to his lips.
“Gah-k-k-ack!”
In that instant, his mouth erupted as though a floodgate had burst open.

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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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