Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 143

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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 143
“Dokgo Myeong, how on earth did you figure it out?”
Dan-wi’s demeanor shifted in an instant.
From the clumsy swordsman emerged the chilling voice of a true master.
Dokgo Myeong drained his cup and let out a low chuckle.
“Hey, is that really how you should react?”
“What?”
“When someone hits the mark, you’re supposed to say ‘What are you talking about?’ Even without a war looming, you’re making mistakes. Why so sloppy?”
….
“Look at that—caught red-handed and now he’s silent.”
Shhhhh!
A pungent alcohol stench suddenly emanated from around Dokgo Myeong.
Simultaneously, his intoxicated companions’ complexions and pupils sharpened rapidly. They had expelled the drunkenness through their inner energy.
Yang Cheol and Dan-wi opened their mouths without any hesitation.
“I didn’t expect to be discovered so easily… You are indeed formidable.”
“Quite composed, I see.”
“We had no intention of fighting from the start, so being discovered matters little. Allow me to reintroduce myself. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Yeong-myeol, the Third Army Commander of the Jeongheol Singyeong.”
Yang Cheol—or rather, Yeong-myeol Army Commander—eyes gleamed.
“How embarrassing to reveal your identity now that you’ve been caught.”
“It is the way of adults to overlook such things once discovered, Dokgo Myeong.”
“Don’t play games. What adult conversation can come from blood-crazed lunatics?”
….
The atmosphere grew tense at Dokgo Myeong’s sarcasm.
Namgung Sohwa and Dokgo Ak exchanged glances, but Dokgo Myeong merely shrugged in response.
Unwilling to waste the precious alcohol’s effects like his companions, Dokgo Myeong casually rested his chin on his hand and turned his gaze to the other Jeongheol Sect member.
“If he’s the Army Commander, then who are you—the one wearing Dan-wi’s face?”
“I am the First General of Yeong-myeol Army.”
“Still traveling in pairs, I see. So where are the real Yang Cheol and Dan-wi?”
“Do you wish to know?”
“No, truthfully I don’t care. But…”
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head.
“Was everything that unfolded before my eyes orchestrated by you all?”
“That’s impossible. It was mere coincidence. Even I didn’t foresee it. Who would have thought someone could kill a man by throwing a wine cup…”
Yeong-myeol Army Commander chuckled softly.
“Originally, the sect’s orders were to observe the situation and approach you separately. But since we’ve been discovered, we proceeded this way instead.”
Judging by the expressions of the Black Tiger Sect and Six Martial Sect members crowded into the inn, it didn’t seem to be a lie.
About half of them remained unmoved by Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s words, while the other half blinked with expressions saying ‘What? What is he talking about?’
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“Enough with the games. Let’s get to the point. What brings you to seek us out so boldly?”
“Your tone is quite presumptuous toward a military commander.”
The guard wearing Dan-wi’s face spoke coldly.
Dokgo Myeong simply ignored him cleanly, and the Yeong-myeol Army Commander let out a hollow laugh before continuing calmly.
“Young Master, if you would answer just one question, this meeting shall end peacefully as it is.”
“Speak.”
“How is it that you know so much about us?”
“You won’t believe me even if I tell you the truth.”
“I will believe you.”
“Very well then. I’ll tell you. I saw it all in my previous life. Your Grand Commander’s head fell by my hand, and I was the one who took the most of your soldiers’ lives in war. Would you believe me if I said you were my top priority target?”
“Young Master Dokgo Myeong. Please do not underestimate us so. Are we not currently showing you courtesy?”
“You see? You don’t believe me. I could have simply obtained this information by chance, could I not?”
“We know far more about this martial realm than you think, and we control much of it. The information of our sect has simply not yet reached your ears, that is all.”
At those words, Dokgo Myeong’s expression changed drastically.
“So you’ve already dug in that deeply. It wasn’t just the martial world then. Could it be the upper realm?”
“….”
“Moreover, it was the Jeongheol Sect’s Army Commander who came first, not Moyong. Your command structure isn’t unified. Either there are other Demon Lords at the level of the Black Bloodfiend Army already embedded in the Central Plains, or there are those among you with differing intentions.”
The atmosphere grew even more silent.
A chill settled in the Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s eyes.
“You know far more than expected.”
“If you didn’t want to be known, you shouldn’t have revealed yourself before me.”
“….”
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander stared at Dokgo Myeong intently.
“Young Master Dokgo Myeong. May I make a proposal?”
“Go ahead.”
“From now on, speak no nonsense and answer only my questions. Then I shall withdraw without taking your life. Unlike the other commanders, I am a most reasonable man, and I always keep my promises.”
“Quite presumptuous. Do you truly believe a subordinate commander can decide my life and death?”
“Of course.”
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander suddenly gestured to the guard.
Wheeee!
The guard placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled.
From that signal, the noise around the inn suddenly dropped sharply.
“Wh-what?”
“Wh-what are those things?”
The Black Tiger Sect and Six Martial Sect disciples, unable to comprehend the situation, looked outside the inn in confusion.
The passersby who had been moving back and forth on the street outside wiped their expressions clean and began walking steadily toward the inn.
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander still wore a courteous expression as he spoke.
“Approximately one hundred men. And once the fighting begins, the Black Tiger Sect and Six Martial Sect will respond as well. Your martial prowess is so exceptional that I had no choice but to prepare extensively for this conversation. Now, will you answer?”
Suddenly, Dokgo Myeong burst into loud laughter.
In the silent atmosphere, only Dokgo Myeong’s laughter echoed loudly.
“What is so amusing?”
Dokgo Myeong, who had been laughing endlessly, abruptly stopped.
“Has everyone always opened their mouths when I’ve employed this method before?”
“Generally, yes.”
Dokgo Myeong spoke in a low, murmuring tone.
“You and the Jeongheol Sect still understand me only fragmentarily.”
“What did you say?”
“I am different from anyone you have ever encountered. I am Dokgo Myeong.”
It began with Cheolmu-baek.
Crash!
As Cheolmu-baek overturned the table, two sword lights streaked forth—one toward the Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s neck and another toward the general’s chest.
“…!”
“Gasp!”
For all his title as commander, the Yeong-myeol Army Commander managed to avoid instant death by thrusting the short staff from his waist forward with the speed of a hunting dog.
But the general was not so fortunate.
Slash!
“Cough! Grrk!”
His neck was severed along with the tavern’s window frames in a single strike, and he lost his life in vain.
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s eyes widened as he let out an old man’s cry.
“You dare commit such insolence…!”
The rest of his words never came.
A hand shot forth faster than speech, grasping his face with brutal force and slamming it into the ground.
Crash!
“…Ugh!”
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander felt his breath and vision cut off momentarily before returning, and he was seized with horror.
‘What just happened to me?’
He had seen nothing.
Not a single sign—no warning of movement, no shift in energy, no hint of action.
Dokgo Myeong’s martial prowess far exceeded the sect’s intelligence.
‘Transcendent realm…?’
As he reeled from this shock, Dokgo Myeong’s lips parted.
“Sweep them all away. There is no need to show mercy.”
“Yes.”
“Since we intend to visit the Black Tiger Sect and the Six Martial Sect as well, there is no need to conceal ourselves. I leave it to your judgment.”
“Understood.”
“As you command.”
Then came the explosion.
Crack! Boom!
Cheolmu-baek shattered the wall toward the window with a single swing of his axe, flinging back all the Six Martial Sect members who came rushing in.
“Open your blood gates!”
“Gasp!”
A command echoed out, but it was a meaningless shout.
There was no one who could even momentarily halt Cheolmu-baek’s charge and the relentless barrage of his axe strikes. Each time the blade gleamed, two bodies soared through the air, spraying blood.
Crash! Clang clang clang!
I threaded my way through the Black Tiger Sect swordsmen that filled the inn.
Despite being surrounded, none dared touch me, and only my blade sang through the air, claiming the lives of my enemies.
Dokgo Ak spoke with a smirk.
“I suppose I’m not needed?”
Contrary to his casual words, Dokgo Ak immediately kicked off the shattered window and launched himself upward.
His black sword sharply slashed through the jade-faced demons.
Ching! Clang clang clang!
And weaving through the chaos of the sudden battle was someone else.
It was Geum Seok-du.
He appeared and disappeared like a phantom, scattering poisoned darts, nets, and toxins, and with that alone, the fighting of the other three became far easier.
“Ugh! Kugh!”
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander struggled against it all, yet could not dislodge the single hand pressing down on his face.
‘What is this? It’s as if a mass of metal the size of a house is crushing me!’
It was the immovable footwork, the Bulyo Jeonglib, and the power of Seongcheon.
‘I must escape first!’
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander gripped his staff like a dagger in reverse and drove it straight into Dokgo Myeong’s unguarded ribs.
Boom!
The Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s eyes widened.
An enormous rebound force shot through his fingertips, and his hand slid along the staff.
The impact doubled with the force of his strike. The pain of his palm skin tearing forced the Yeong-myeol Army Commander to release the staff.
Whoosh!
Dokgo Myeong, looking down at him with contempt, opened his mouth.
“I seem to have been underestimated. The one hundred and eighth commander among one hundred and eight? Did you truly think that merely this would be enough to make Dokgo Myeong speak?”
Dokgo Myeong brought his face close to the Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s ear.
“Now there is nothing more to hear from you. What you know is far less than what I know.”
The struggling Yeong-myeol Army Commander barely turned his head to the side, his lips moving.
“Foolish infidel! I am a martyr, so I do not fear death. But if you harm me, you will continue to receive the attention of our sect. Are you certain of this?”
“That is precisely what I desire. Continue to be manipulated by me.”
“…!”
“Then before long, you will receive a visit from me.”
The moment the Yeong-myeol Army Commander’s eyes widened and he tried to speak again.
Boom!
With the white radiance of the Huicheon Qi bursting from Dokgo Myeong’s palm, he went limp.
Dokgo Myeong rose smoothly and brushed the blood from his hand.
Then he lowered his body slightly and kicked off the ground.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
“Gasp!”
“Run! Flee!”
Dokgo Myeong cut through the enemy ranks like a war chariot.
Boom!
With the thunderous crash, soldiers collapsed like sheaves of grain.
Even the blood-crazed Jeongheol Sect disciples had no choice but to falter.
“The night grows deep. Let’s finish this quickly.”
By now, Dokgo Myeong had reached a realm where the enemy’s numbers hardly mattered.
* * *
One night was enough.
All the Jeongheol Sect disciples were subdued, and the plaques of the Black Tiger Sect and Six Martial Sect were shattered.
Ju Won-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“Do you have some disease where your tongue sprouts thorns if you sit still for even a moment?”
“What are you talking about?”
“How long have I been gone that you’ve already toppled two sects? You should’ve just beaten up a few of them and called it a day. Why did you have to uproot them entirely?”
“Ah, so you’re saying….”
“Do you know? Usually, destroying just one sect earns you a reputation as a calamity. But a young man who’s ventured into the martial world less than ten times has destroyed three sects? This is practically a legendary feat.”
“Ah, this man. Their leaders were the Jeongheol Sect’s Army Commander and his disciples!”
“Then why did you destroy the sects?”
“If something’s rotten, you have to uproot it. Before the rot spreads to everything around it.”
Dokgo Myeong laughed coldly.
Ju Won-gwang’s expression darkened instantly.
“Even if something’s rotten, you must leave it until it changes on its own. If you uproot the pillar immediately, the house collapses.”
“What about the people living in that house while you’re procrastinating?”
“There is a time for all things, as they say.”
“While waiting for the right time, everyone will fall ill. If a pillar must eventually be removed, don’t delay—break it now.”
…
Silence fell for a moment.
Ju Won-gwang exhaled a deep sigh.
“I’ll station one of our main branch’s county-level division leaders here. Is that acceptable?”
“What’s the rank of county-level?”
“Just below provincial rank. Promising young talents gain practical experience at that level.”
“Yes, that should suffice.”
“Let’s drop this subject. More importantly, the Army Commander came looking for you?”
“Yes.”
Ju Won-gwang’s expression changed.
The Army Commanders were those whom even they could barely keep pace with through blood and sweat. Yet Dokgo Myeong had already defeated two of them.
Ju Won-gwang looked at Dokgo Myeong.
“…They’ve begun targeting you from a different direction.”
“That’s not necessarily bad.”
“Phew, you really are audacious.”
“More importantly, how is the matter I asked you about progressing?”
“Hmm….”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, before I say that, there’s someone I need to introduce… Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”
“What are you talking about?”
That was when it happened.
“I’m here, you fool. What are you doing not coming to greet me?”
An unfamiliar voice echoed from within the courtyard.
Boom!
In an instant, Dokgo Myeong’s companions, who had been scattered throughout the courtyard attending to their tasks, rushed toward him as one.
The old man who appeared before them let out an exclamation.
“Are these really just young pups? Why do these little ones reek so strongly of blood?”
A stubborn-looking middle-aged man approached the group with a crooked grin.
Upon spotting him, Dokgo Myeong narrowed his eyes, standing at an angle.
“Greetings, young master. I hear you’ve been grabbing my disciple by the collar and shaking him around?”
“Who are you?”
“I am the Patriarch of the Open Sect.”
Bang Jong-san, the Dragon Head Patriarch of the Open Sect, had come to find Dokgo Myeong.

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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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