Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 116

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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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Chapter 116
“Hmm.”
Dokgo Myeong paused before letting out a soft chuckle.
“Did you think I’d panic and answer just because you spoke with such certainty?”
Namgung Sohwa glanced sideways with an awkward smile.
“You saw through me?”
“Obvious, really.”
“You’re truly a fox.”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“If you want to ask something, just ask directly. Why twist yourself into knots?”
“Pardon?”
“You saw the Spear of Void technique in my sword form, didn’t you?”
“…!”
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes widened in shock.
She burst out loudly.
“Why, why would you answer like that?!”
“You asked the question yourself—what’s the problem?”
“What if I misunderstood something?”
“Then just tell me what you misunderstood. I’ll clear it up right away.”
Dokgo Myeong spoke to the blinking Namgung Sohwa with an indifferent expression.
“Do that from now on. Questions, misunderstandings, complaints—whatever. Instead of brooding alone and suffering, just speak your mind clearly and be done with it.”
Namgung Sohwa stared at Dokgo Myeong before letting out a hollow laugh.
“You’re truly a remarkable person.”
She glanced sideways.
“Is he always like this?”
Geum Seok-du sighed and shook his head.
“I have nothing to say.”
“Why is that?”
“What you’ve witnessed of the young master is merely a fraction of a fraction—a drop in the ocean. Even after seeing him repeatedly, he remains shocking. That is precisely who Dokgo Myeong is.”
At those words, Dokgo Ak, sitting beside him, nodded vigorously.
“Shocking doesn’t even begin to cover it—he’s dizzying. You should flee quickly if something feels off, Miss.”
“What are you two saying in front of me?”
“P-praise, sir.”
“Y-yes. Praise.”
“Oh, is that so?”
At the word “praise,” Dokgo Myeong’s expression brightened.
In that moment, Namgung Sohwa burst into laughter.
“Pfft! Hahaha!”
She wiped away the tears trickling down her cheeks and shook her head.
‘What a strange person. Perhaps that’s why strange people gathered together.’
Then again, wasn’t I just as strange a person?
‘That’s right. I’ve already become his subordinate, so there’s no reason to hold back.’
My heart felt noticeably lighter.
Namgung Sohwa took a deep breath and looked directly at Dokgo Myeong as she asked.
“Very well. Then let me ask you this. Do you know the Infinite Sword of the Celestial Void?”
“Perhaps.”
“…!”
Namgung Sohwa pressed her lips firmly together.
She swallowed hard and composed herself before asking in a measured tone.
“Could you explain why you say ‘perhaps’?”
“The roots of my swordsmanship may lie in the Infinite Sword of the Celestial Void. But it is now an entirely different martial art. There was a process of deconstructing and reconstructing the incantations and forms.”
“You mean a new martial art?”
“Moreover, an incomplete one at that.”
“Then… who exactly?”
Dokgo Myeong stared intently at Namgung Sohwa.
‘It was you.’
It was a thought I could not voice aloud.
On the battlefield, the members of the Demon Suppression Corps had created countless martial arts by pooling their minds together.
This swordsmanship was one of them.
But Dokgo Myeong did not speak of any of it.
“It cannot be known. Because those who created it can no longer be seen.”
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly as I said. Those who made it no longer exist in this world.”
She must have interpreted that as meaning they were dead.
Disappointment flickered across Namgung Sohwa’s expression.
“Then how do you know of it?”
“Because I was one of those who worked to create this swordsmanship. But I only identified the shortcomings—I contributed almost nothing myself.”
“I see….”
“Unfortunately, what you seek is not in my hands.”
Namgung Sohwa closed her mouth tightly.
When the Namgung Family experienced their catastrophic downfall, much was lost and much was leaked out.
She had hoped that the lost incantations and techniques might have been passed down completely to Dokgo Myeong, but it seemed that was not the case.
Namgung Sohwa smiled bitterly.
“I see. Thank you for telling me.”
“Do you believe my words?”
“You said to tell you directly if I couldn’t believe you. I believe you, so I’m not saying anything.”
Namgung Sohwa, speaking boldly, let out a slight sigh and continued.
“When I wandered through Gangho, I often saw cases like this.”
“….”
“There were wanderers who fortunately acquired the secret techniques of the Main Sect, and there were cases where the names were completely different but the roots were the same as the Main Sect. Like yours.”
“I see.”
“What the Moyong Family is attempting is to gather such techniques and create new martial arts from them.”
The difference was that they had kidnapped direct blood relatives to extract numerous martial techniques.
“Of course, your sword technique appeared to be considerably more refined martial arts compared to those, but still.”
“Learn my sword technique.”
“Pardon?”
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes widened in surprise.
Dokgo Myeong spoke matter-of-factly.
“My sword technique is also an incomplete martial art, but perhaps since the roots are the same, you might feel something.”
“That’s impossible. I am the successor of the Namgung Family. I cannot inherit a new martial lineage.”
Faced with her unwavering gaze fixed upon him, Dokgo Myeong let out a soft laugh.
‘She’s quite rigid, isn’t she.’
If it were me, I’d devour it without hesitation, yet she keeps refusing it.
Well, Dokgo Myeong thought it all unnecessary, but in this world, serving multiple masters or inheriting multiple martial lineages simultaneously was viewed the same as a child changing parents or abandoning their family name.
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“Fair point, I suppose.”
“So….”
“Nonsense. Are you in a position to be picky right now?”
Namgung Sohwa flinched.
“Yes, what?”
“Do you think you’re capable of restoring a half-destroyed martial art at your current level? And not just any third-rate technique, but the restoration of divine martial arts that were once considered the greatest under heaven?”
“Ah, well, that’s true, but….”
“If you want to grow stronger immediately, you must try everything you can! And why would this be a new martial lineage! The roots are the same from the beginning!”
That’s… a fair point?
While Namgung Sohwa’s eyes darted about uncertainly, Dokgo Myeong clicked his tongue and continued.
“You’re satisfied with strength that gets beaten down by some nobody like Moyong Lim?”
“Hey, you bastard! That’s too harsh!”
“Young Master! That’s not right!”
“Shut up, all of you!”
The objections of the two who suddenly interjected were suppressed by a single glance from Dokgo Myeong.
Dokgo Myeong looked at Namgung Sohwa with a more serious expression.
“Don’t try to gaze at the scenery above the clouds when you haven’t even reached the midpoint of the mountain. What you need to see now is the stone at your feet and the hill you must climb while sweating.”
“…!”
“Becoming stronger comes first. By any means necessary. Rebuilding your clan, becoming the greatest swordmaster under heaven, revenge—those come later.”
At Dokgo Myeong’s low, settled voice, Namgung Sohwa felt her heart pounding rapidly.
That was right. The order had to change.
I had to become stronger. Much stronger.
With strength that lost even to someone like Moyong Lim, I could never achieve my dreams.
It was a kind of enlightenment, a teaching.
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes shone with determination.
“I understand. Please teach me. No, I will work hard to learn it. That swordsmanship.”
“You’ve made a wise choice. You’ll grow stronger far more quickly than languishing over lost martial arts.”
Namgung Sohwa asked with a worried expression.
“But will it be alright? Even if that martial art is passed on to me?”
“I’m certain that person, who never completed this martial art, would want it to be inherited by you.”
“Do you think so?”
“Absolutely.”
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes, which had been gazing steadily into Dokgo Myeong’s, wavered. It was because an inexplicable longing and loneliness were glistening in Dokgo Myeong’s eyes.
But Dokgo Myeong soon returned to his usual expression and spoke matter-of-factly.
“Then let’s begin right away. Are you ready?”
“R-right now?”
“Strike while the iron is hot. Since you’ve decided, let’s go immediately.”
Namgung Sohwa straightened her posture with a resolute expression.
“I understand. I’m ready.”
“Good then… Seok-du and Ak-i, you two leave.”
“Understood.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Geum Seok-du and Dokgo Ak rose from their seats without hesitation.
The transmission of martial arts was fundamentally not to be shared with others.
Only the one receiving the transmission and the one transmitting it should be present.
“I’ll teach you the sword forms and techniques once your body has recovered. For now, first memorize the incantation.”
“Understood.”
Dokgo Myeong was certain.
That this incantation would be an incomparable opportunity for Namgung Sohwa.
For her, who had already reached the level of a first-rate master, it could become the catalyst to break through her limits.
“I know you won’t, but you mustn’t delay. You must learn quickly and grow stronger quickly.”
“Don’t people usually say to grow stronger step by step?”
“Your situation is different.”
“What do you mean?”
“Revenge—are you not going to pursue it?”
Namgung Sohwa’s face hardened.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed.
“I’m planning to engage those bastards in a confrontation in the near future. But with your current level, you won’t even be able to step into the arena.”
“…!”
“So if you intend to take your revenge with your own hands, you’ll need to grow stronger quickly. I have no intention of waiting for you.”
His tone was calm, as if speaking of something mundane.
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes trembled greatly.
‘Is he in his right mind?’
He spoke so easily of the annihilation of a clan, and moreover, the destruction of the Moyong Family—the hegemon of a region and the head of one of the Four Great Sects.
Yet with this man, it seemed he would attempt it calmly. No—it seemed he would actually accomplish it.
I clenched my fists tightly.
“I understand.”
My eyes gleamed with determination.
“I will grow stronger. Faster than anyone else.”
That conversation was enough.
Like a dull blade regaining its edge, my gaze became clear and sharp now that I had set my purpose.
A drawn sword does not rest—not until it has cut down everything it must, not until it returns to its sheath. And so I would remain endlessly keen.
Dokgo Myeong had thus obtained the most formidable martial artist in all the realm.
* * *
Past midnight.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been cultivating his inner force in the rear garden behind An-ga, slowly opened his eyes.
“A hall keeper from Cheonyi Hall?”
“I apologize for arriving without notice. I am Gab, branch director of the Wuhan branch.”
From the darkness, an unremarkable man in plain martial robes stepped forward.
Dokgo Myeong let out a soft laugh.
“For even the branch director of Bunta to make the journey here, it seems the Main Sect is in quite an uproar.”
“….”
“If you have something to say, speak it plainly without delay.”
“My apologies. The Main Sect has issued a recall order for you.”
My brow furrowed.
“An order? From whom?”
“It is a decision made by the Outer Sect and the Council of Elders.”
I let out a soft laugh.
“Listen, Wuhan branch director.”
My tone suddenly changed.
Gab trembled and lowered his head.
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Can the Council of Elders and the Outer Sect issue me orders?”
Gab’s eyes widened in shock.
I continued coldly.
“In this family, there is only one person who can give me orders.”
“…!”
“And that person does not issue orders to me.”
Gab immediately bowed deeply.
“I apologize. That was a careless remark.”
“Why apologize further?”
“….”
Gab swallowed dryly.
Though Dokgo Myeong’s official position was commander of the Musa Corps, he had in reality become the leader of one of the Main Sect’s three great factions.
Only the family patriarch could issue orders to such a person. Even if the Outer Sect and Council of Elders made a decision, unless they had convened the Baekgak Assembly, it could only be a request or recommendation.
“I’ll report back to you. The Moyong Family has lodged a strong protest against your activities, and in response, the Outer Sect and the Council of Elders are preparing the Baekgak Tournament while requesting your return.”
“Strong protest—how severe are we talking?”
“First, they’ve severed all transactions and connections with the Main Sect. Every business operation and branch the Main Sect maintains in Zhejiang has been driven out.”
“That must have stirred up quite a bit of anger among our elders.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded in acknowledgment.
“Understood. Go on.”
“…There is one more message I must convey to you.”
“A message? From whom?”
“It was transmitted through Wi Baek the Overseer, the Inner Sect Master.”
Wi Baek the Overseer? Why would he?
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Dokgo Myeong’s eyes.
“What did it say?”
“He said that while he understands you refuse to return to the family, he recommends you return with haste.”
“The reason?”
“Traces of a certain group departing from Zhejiang have been discovered. Given that their identity and affiliation cannot be determined….”
Dokgo Myeong let out a low chuckle.
“Has he unleashed the hunting dogs?”
“…The Overseer appears to have assessed it that way.”
“What’s their caliber?”
“It’s difficult to speculate. However, since the Moyong Family has surely grasped your martial prowess, they wouldn’t have sent a mediocre force.”
Gab finished speaking and carefully lifted his head.
Then he flinched in surprise.
Dokgo Myeong wore a sinister smile.
“They say the Overseer is the Family Head’s mind. Truly, there’s no denying it.”
“Sir?”
“Go back and tell the Overseer this: thank him for the gift. I’ll procure some fine wine, so let’s share a drink together with the Family Head sometime.”
“Yes, I shall do so.”
“Very well. You’ve done good work.”
“Please… take care of yourself.”
Gab bowed respectfully and vanished back into the darkness.
Dokgo Myeong fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on empty space as if lost in thought.
Silence descended.
Watching the moon’s descent, Dokgo Myeong murmured quietly to himself.
“Don’t return to the family? If I’ve already seized the justification, is he telling me to come back and ignite the spark that will turn this into all-out war?”
Turning over Wi Baek’s message in his mind, a soft laugh escaped him.
Was Wi Baek’s message to return truly meant at face value?
He is not a man who issues such warnings.
Moreover, he possesses the insight to know that even if he did warn me, I would only act contrary to his wishes, like a stubborn mule.
Then why did he tell me?
It is both provocation and proposal.
To create an opportunity to overturn this deadlocked great game.
“You need not speak—I was already resolved to do so.”
Dokgo Myeong smiled with a sharp grin.
Soon the drums of war would echo across the Gangho.

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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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