Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 141

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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 141
Dokgo Myeong and his companions did not leave the estate immediately but settled in for a while.
Everyone decided to enjoy a moment of respite, their minds finally finding peace.
“It feels like we’ve climbed over a great mountain.”
Namgung Sohwa gazed at the sky, her eyes slightly reddened.
For her, this was the first step of her revenge, and a moment where she glimpsed her own unprecedented growth.
“Indeed, I’ve never experienced a battle like this before. Remarkable.”
“To think we defeated the assassins of the Moyong Family on our own. No one suffered grievous wounds, and I never imagined I’d become this strong.”
“I felt the same way.”
Cheolmu-baek, Dokgo Ak, and Geum Seok-du likewise looked up at the sky and nodded.
“But is the young master truly all right?”
Geum Seok-du’s words brought a brief silence.
Dokgo Ak let out a scoff and spoke.
“What wouldn’t be all right? He reached the Ascending Realm at that age. He was probably just overwhelmed adjusting to his elevated cultivation.”
Cheolmu-baek shook his head.
“That’s not it.”
“What then?”
“It burst forth, did it not?”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward Cheolmu-baek.
“There was a trace of endurance in his eyes. Because he was seeing the past rather than the present, what he could no longer contain came pouring out.”
It was rare for Cheolmu-baek to speak at such length.
“The past.”
It made sense, yet something felt off.
“Now that you mention it, has Myeong Sohyeop ever been like this before?”
Namgung Sohwa looked at Geum Seok-du and Dokgo Ak.
Both of them took on peculiar expressions.
“I’ve been with the young master for quite some time, but it’s only been about a year. So I’m not entirely certain.”
“I see.”
“However.”
Geum Seok-du spoke matter-of-factly.
“The young master has always been a man of great frustration. He’s not one to endure much, yet he always seems to be driven by something.”
…
Dokgo Ak shook his head.
“I grew up with him, but I don’t truly know. He wasn’t always like this. Everything changed suddenly one day.”
“Hmm.”
Namgung Sohwa exhaled softly and rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought.
This was the first time Dokgo Myeong had lost control of himself to such a degree.
Though he might appear like an unbridled colt at times, Dokgo Myeong was ruthlessly disciplined when it came to himself.
“Come to think of it, we all know very little about Sohyeop, don’t we?”
Dokgo Ak chuckled softly.
“He’ll have something to say this time. He’s the type who brazenly glosses over things, so he’d rather just spill everything out.”
“Well, that’s true….”
“So let’s just wait for him a bit, shall we?”
Everyone looked at Dokgo Ak with surprise at his unexpectedly straightforward remark.
“Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“You’re quite good at calling him ‘brother,’ aren’t you?”
“Exactly. Young Master Ak, why do you only call him ‘brother’ when he’s not around?”
“When did I ever call him ‘brother’!”
“Just now.”
“….”
Then Geum Seok-du tilted his head.
“Come to think of it, where did Young Master go? Why is it so quiet… Ugh! Why are you doing this, Young Master Ak!”
“You madman! I was finally getting some peace and quiet after so long! Every time you say something like that, he shows up as if he was waiting for it…!”
That was when it happened.
Something suddenly fell from the sky.
Crash!
“Gasp! What is it!”
“Is it an enemy?”
Everyone jumped to their feet.
Something rose from the courtyard where it had fallen.
“Ha! You lot are really something, really something. What are you doing here?”
Naturally, it was Dokgo Myeong.
They all let out a sigh at once.
‘Why does he fall from the sky when there’s a perfectly good door? Doesn’t he know how to open it?’
‘Seeing his face, it’s starting.’
‘Ah, I knew this would happen.’
Dokgo Myeong sauntered out and stood before the four huddled together.
Glare!
Dokgo Myeong stared at them in turn with his fierce eyes wide open.
“Young Master, you’ve arrived? Where did you go….”
Geum Seok-du trailed off.
It was because Dokgo Myeong had brought something bundled up.
“What is that?”
“What else? Training equipment.”
“That was not what I wanted to know.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded and quickly turned his gaze away.
“What are you all doing? Come on, Cheolmu-baek. Why don’t you tell me?”
“We were taking a brief rest.”
“Ah! Were you enjoying yourself like an immortal?”
“It’s not enjoying myself like an immortal, but rather resting….”
“That’s what you call taking it easy, you bastard!”
“….”
“Tch! You’re all stuffed and satisfied, aren’t you? Rest? What the hell did you do to deserve rest?”
In that instant, Dokgo Ak bristled.
“Hey! We suffered plenty this time too! Cut, stabbed, even swallowed poison… We just got out of bed and you won’t even let us rest a little?”
“Right, well said. After getting beaten like that by those small-time nobodies, you want to rest?”
“What, what? Small-time nobodies?”
Who? The Assassins of the Moyong Family?
A killing squad mixed with numerous first-rate masters and even an upper-tier expert—and he calls them small-time nobodies?
Dokgo Myeong swept his gaze across the four of them.
“I opened this fight thinking you could handle those guys. So why are you all so relaxed about defeating them?”
“Well….”
“If your bodies are healed, you should be thinking about moving again! You lot!”
Dokgo Myeong snorted dismissively.
“Now that we’ve caught those guys, we don’t have time to rest anymore. Don’t you understand?”
“What do you mean?”
“When you catch a strong opponent, an even stronger one emerges. When you catch that stronger one, an even more powerful one appears. That’s the Gangho. Our enemies are probably wondering right now how much force is necessary to kill us.”
“….”
“And do you really think you were sufficient this time? Really? The Dokgo Ak I know, and you all—you’re not that kind of people, are you?”
The atmosphere grew solemn.
Dokgo Ak’s expression visibly hardened.
‘I know too. In the end, Dokgo Myeong suffered the most.’
What irritates me most about Dokgo Myeong is this.
That he always speaks the truth, no matter what.
‘I said with my own mouth that I wanted to fight him and see things from his perspective, but I couldn’t even come close.’
That’s why I’m irritated, and that’s why the mood turned solemn.
“If it were me, I’d just train all day and night—eat while thinking of training, train while sleeping, that’s how it’d be. Anyway, I don’t know what you young people are thinking these days. Rest, you say. Unbelievable!”
…Why does this bastard have to add unnecessary remarks like some old codger when the mood is finally good?
What’s the point of being so pedantic?
‘I actually preferred when he was a bit depressed.’
‘Wow, I was actually worried about this guy.’
Regardless of how everyone’s faces twisted, Dokgo Myeong’s nagging poured out relentlessly like a monsoon rain.
“You lot. You rest when others rest, play when others play, and then you think you’ll grow stronger….”
“We get it! We’ll train! My ears are bleeding for real!”
“Should I start running?”
“Fine! We’ll do it!”
“I’m good. Should we spar?”
“You just read more books, you bastard! I’ve already seen how you use your internal energy!”
“….”
And so their training began.
Just another ordinary day around Dokgo Myeong.
* * *
Time passed.
Though I seemed ready to leave the estate at any moment, I surprisingly settled in and remained for quite some time.
Then came a certain day.
Though we hadn’t made any formal arrangement, everyone gathered at the same place whenever mealtime arrived, and before picking up my utensils, I broached the subject.
“Let’s go drink some wine today.”
It was a thoughtless remark, yet everyone’s reaction was peculiar.
“Yes, let’s have a drink.”
“That’s right, Young Master. How is it that someone who loves wine hasn’t touched a drop for days?”
“Should I bring some? Baijiu? Huangjiu? Qingju?”
I was taken aback.
“What’s gotten into you all? Did you want wine that badly?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Shh! Shh! Young Master Ak! Please!”
“Uh, uh-huh.”
Watching them whisper amongst themselves, I tilted my head in confusion.
“No, let’s just go to an inn and drink. Setting up a wine table is bothersome.”
“…You won’t fall into a state of demonic cultivation while drinking, will you?”
“You won’t suddenly start beating up commoners and rolling your eyes back, will you?”
“Damn it, you lot! Am I some kind of demon cultivator who learned the techniques of a horse-headed demon? Why would I fall into demonic cultivation at random like that!?”
Thus the five of us headed toward an inn in the town’s bustling district.
Geum Seok-du ordered the food, and Namgung Sohwa ordered the wine.
Since Geum Seok-du was quite skilled at cooking, he ordered the food exceptionally well.
Namgung Sohwa, who had mentioned loving wine, lived up to her name by seeking out a potent yet delicious wine to order.
Though five of us gathered to drink, it wasn’t particularly boisterous.
Mostly Cheolmu-baek listened, Geum Seok-du chattered, Dokgo Ak grumbled, Namgung Sohwa struck at the heart of things, and I laughed heartily.
Looking at it this way, each of us had a strong personality, but the combination worked well.
Well, excluding Dokgo Ak, this was already a combination I’d tested once in my previous life, so it couldn’t be helped.
As everyone grew slightly tipsy, I gazed outside and spoke.
“It’s not a small town, but there are quite a few martial artists around.”
“That’s true. Though their skill levels don’t seem particularly high.”
Surprisingly, it was Geum Seok-du who said this.
Feeling a slight buzz, I called for the innkeeper.
“Yes! What can I do for you?”
“There seem to be quite a few martial artists about. Are there any Gangho sects in this region?”
“Ah, not immediately nearby, but at a reasonable distance there’s a local sect called the Yukmun School.”
“Orthodox?”
“Yes, they should be orthodox.”
I regarded the sword-bearing martial artists with a peculiar gaze.
“A backwater village calling itself part of the Gangho.”
“But this is the largest town in the region, sir.”
“Go fetch more wine, will you.”
“Yes! Hehe!”
The five of us continued drinking, eating, and making a ruckus without pause.
That’s when commotion erupted outside the inn’s windows.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the street.
“Hey! You innkeeper bastard! I didn’t even get a sip before you spilled it! So you spilled it in your own establishment, didn’t you? Then why are you taking my money?!”
“S-sir. I apologize. I won’t take it. And the table fee, I’ll really pay it by the end of this week… Ugh! Argh!”
“Damn it, you think I’m doing this over the table fee? You’re saying things that’ll make the neighbors misunderstand!”
“P-please…”
“By the way, this innkeeper has a daughter, doesn’t she?”
A man who looked unmistakably like a Black Sect Disciple was slapping the female innkeeper across the face repeatedly as he spoke.
The innkeeper had come trying to stop him, but he was being beaten as well.
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes blazed with cold fury as she rose from her seat.
Dokgo Myeong grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back down.
“…I’ll just go stop them. Don’t interfere.”
“Just sit there.”
“…”
Namgung Sohwa sat down silently. I thought her straightforward nature would never change.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly and called the innkeeper again.
“Is that from the Yuk Mun Sect?”
“No, sir. He’s a local Black Sect member.”
“There’s a Black Sect here?”
“Yes, they call themselves the Black Tiger Sect.”
“Good grief, Black Tiger? Anyway… I understand. Go fetch another cup. It’s going to break, so I’ll compensate you.”
“Pardon? What’s going to break?”
“This.”
Dokgo Myeong lifted the cup.
Then he flicked it lightly toward the street, like tossing a pebble into water.
Whoooosh! Boom!
In an instant, the wine cup that had been drifting lazily suddenly accelerated like a fired cannon and shattered the Black Sect Disciple’s skull.
“Gasp! I’ll bring another right away.”
The innkeeper jumped in shock and brought another cup.
Dokgo Myeong filled the cups for his companions and himself to the brim, then spoke.
“Everyone around me has walked a crooked path in life. You all know that, right?”
“Are you drunk, sir?”
“Isn’t this demonic intoxication?”
“Demonic intoxication it is, you bastard. Bring a net.”
“I’ll grab his arms first.”
Dokgo Myeong’s brow furrowed sharply.
“No, I’m telling you! He didn’t come! And martial artists can experience demonic possession once in a while—do you want to keep going until we’re all dead?”
“Are you certain?”
“Absolutely. Listen to me, you bastards.”
Dokgo Myeong continued, pointing accusingly like a drunkard.
“You’re all outcasts from the world’s path. A tyrant who trampled those beneath him, a gambler without pride trying to pay off his family’s debts, an heir of a Noble Family who gave up and tried to take his own life, a desolate man despised in both his hometown and Zhongyuan who first found joy in fighting.”
“….”
“The reason you’re all like this isn’t because you each had something you wanted to do, but the world put a noose around your necks and prevented you from doing it? That’s why you strayed from the world’s path. Just like I once did.”
Once?
Everyone’s eyes widened.
And then.
A low murmur rose.
The commotion outside was growing increasingly intense. Someone had been struck by a drinking cup and their head had split open—it was inevitable.
Amid the chaos, Dokgo Myeong’s mouth opened once more.

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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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