Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 144

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

Chapter 144
An old man with barely a whisper of presence shuffled forward with heavy steps.
That’s what made it all the more unsettling. Someone who should have commanded attention appeared utterly ordinary.
Clang!
Cheolmu-baek stepped forward, positioning himself ahead of Dokgo Myeong, and opened his mouth.
“Is this old man an invited guest? If not, I’ll throw him out.”
For Bang Jong-san, it was a staggering affront. The renowned Dragon Head Sect Master was being treated as an unwelcome intruder by an unknown frontier wanderer.
Yet even that made some sense.
After all, he truly was a frontier wanderer.
But the reactions of two people who knew full well the weight of the title “Sect Master”—Dokgo Ak and Namgung Sohwa—were absolutely remarkable.
Clink!
Both of them stood behind Dokgo Myeong, their thumbs already sliding their blades slightly from their sheaths. Their intent to draw at a moment’s notice was unmistakable.
‘Now these are interesting.’
Bang Jong-san’s eyes gleamed with delight.
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn strange, Geum Seok-du stepped forward.
“It is an honor to meet the renowned Dragon Head Sect Master. I am called Geum Seok-du.”
“….”
Bang Jong-san examined Geum Seok-du from head to toe without a word.
An unremarkable appearance, features like a street thug from some back alley. He seemed the least impressive of the group.
‘Yet this fellow made no sound when he moved.’
His footwork was exceptionally refined.
‘Interesting indeed, and his eyes run deep as well.’
Not the eyes of a street thug. These were the eyes of a scholar—someone with profound learning and vast experience.
“Your eyes reek of ink and study, yet your hands are those of a gambler?”
“Pardon?”
“So you’re the one they call the Round-Faced Wind Wanderer.”
“The Round-Faced Wind Wanderer? What is that?”
“Your alias, fool. You haven’t heard it before?”
“So I’ve acquired an alias. Though ‘Round-Faced’ is rather blunt about my lack of hair. I would have preferred just ‘Wind Wanderer’ alone….”
“A nameless gambler from a Zhejiang village has become a renowned figure of Gangho. Your ambitions are boundless. But such fortune is rare—don’t be so ungrateful.”
Geum Seok-du’s eyes widened slightly in an expression of ‘How did you know?’
Yet he soon nodded his head.
“So the Sect Master knows of me? That is even more of an honor.”
“Tsk tsk, this one’s got nerve.”
He’d tried to provoke him, but the man simply brushed past it smoothly.
“Ah, but that’s not the important matter. Sect Master, if I may be so bold, might I ask what brings you to visit us?”
“Just wanted to see your faces. Is there somewhere I’m not allowed to go?”
“Ah, of course not.”
Geum Seok-du glanced back at Dokgo Myeong.
Dokgo Myeong let out a quiet chuckle.
“This beggar’s master, you say? I’ll make way for you.”
“Yes. Please come inside, Lord Bangju. I shall bring tea at once.”
Geum Seok-du retreated quietly.
Namgung Sohwa and Dokgo Ak released the tension from their thumbs, and Cheolmu-baek stepped back several paces like a bear entering its den.
‘Not even a flicker at the name Gaebangyong Duyubangju.’
These are truly amusing fellows, aren’t they?
I find them quite delightful.
These days, the young are either full of complaints and grievances, or if they possess ability, they’re cunning and lacking in spirit.
Yet their temperament was quite peculiar and extraordinary.
Moreover, though they had only recently come together, I could sense a profound bond and loyalty among them.
It was then.
“A madman next to a madman next to a madman…. Did they gather of their own kind, or is it a case of birds of a feather….”
Ju Won-gwang sidled over and muttered in a tone that was neither quite admiration nor quite lamentation.
“Still, our master certainly has impressive standing, and we nearly embarrassed ourselves just now.”
“Disciple. Are you embarrassing your master at this very moment? Today I shall use your head as a practice target for the striking staff.”
“Gasp!”
Then the master of this extraordinary group stepped forward.
“I am Dokgo Myeong of the Dokgo Family. It is an honor to meet you.”
Bang Jong-san’s head turned.
The power he concealed yet could not fully hide—his overwhelming temperament—was plainly evident.
“Had it not been for that disciple of mine, you would have been turned away at the gate. It is not easy to see the face of a junior in Gangho. Tsk, tsk, tsk!”
“I apologize. It seems I’ve grown this way from witnessing harsh circumstances of late.”
“Apologize for what? I came without even sending word ahead.”
“What brings you to visit us here?”
“I heard that a young one was running about committing all manner of atrocities like a reckless fool, so I came to see for myself.”
The bluntly spoken words cast a chill over the atmosphere.
Dokgo Myeong stared directly at Bang Jong-san.
“Atrocities, you say? Who commits them? Me?”
“Then who else?”
“I have no memory of acting contrary to righteousness.”
“That is precisely the problem. You severed the neck of a noble bloodline during the Follower Exchange, set fires in the night streets, and now you’ve scattered entire sects to the winds—yet you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong?”
Dokgo Myeong laughed softly.
“Have you come to judge right and wrong?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Bang Jong-san laughed heartily.
Then his voice grew calm and measured.
“Throughout history, it has not been madmen who have disturbed Gangho, but those who possessed their own sense of justice.”
“And so?”
“Which are you?”
Bang Jong-san asked with a senile chuckle, as if he were a doddering old man.
Everyone’s expression froze as if doused with cold water.
Dokgo Myeong simply chuckled softly.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’ve had a meal. If not, please join us.”
Bang Jong-san grinned widely.
“What do I look like to you? Even if I’ve already eaten, I won’t refuse if you set food before me.”
“Seok-du! Go to the Yu Family Inn and have them deliver some food!”
“Yes, I’ll be right back.”
Bang Jong-san spoke.
“What about drinks?”
“Bring Geomnam Spring wine!”
“Ah! You know fine spirits when you taste them?”
* * *
Since it was mealtime, Ju Won-gwang and his companions all gathered around and continued eating.
Bang Jong-san deliberately placed rice and side dishes into his own wooden bowl and mixed them together roughly.
Crunch, crunch!
He scooped a large spoonful of the mixture, which now resembled dog food, into his mouth and chewed. Satisfied, Bang Jong-san broke into a pleased grin.
Dokgo Myeong asked.
“Why do you insist on mixing it that way?”
“I’m the king of beggars under heaven, so if I eat with refined etiquette, wouldn’t it feel wrong? When others see a beggar observing formality, they mock him for it.”
“No one here will say anything about you maintaining proper manners.”
“That’s not the point. A person must live true to their station.”
Bang Jong-san chuckled softly.
“I’m wondering if you’re all uncomfortable eating with me because of my presence? Is it difficult to share a meal with a beggar?”
“Not at all. Our disciples also come back from training looking like beggars themselves.”
Crack!
While Cheolmu-baek remained indifferent, Dokgo Ak and Geum Seok-du widened their eyes in alarm, and Namgung Sohwa glared at Dokgo Myeong with a look that could kill.
Ju Won-gwang, sitting beside Bang Jong-san, belatedly retrieved the wooden bowl hanging from his waist, filled it with food, and began mixing it roughly like his master.
Bang Jong-san struck Ju Won-gwang’s head with his spoon.
Thwack!
“Ow! Master, why again in front of everyone…?”
“Tsk, tsk!”
Bang Jong-san didn’t even glance at Ju Won-gwang and looked at Dokgo Myeong instead.
“You see? This one is naturally like this. He’s not cut out to be a true beggar. Even as a beggar, he dreams of rising in the world. Only when his position becomes ambiguous will he pick up the bowl again.”
Dokgo Myeong laughed.
“Isn’t that a kind of survival strategy?”
“Survival strategy, my foot.”
“Master, just because one is a beggar doesn’t mean they must live miserably. I intend to become the greatest beggar in the world.”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
“What are you looking at? Just eat your rice, you fool!”
“…Yes.”
Ju Won-gwang grumbled and began eating his rice.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been quietly observing the two beggar disciples’ meal, opened his mouth.
“Do you have an extra bowl, sir?”
“Why? I do have one.”
“Give it to me, Won-gwang.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Dokgo Myeong received the bowl from Ju Won-gwang and, just like them, dumped in a generous amount of side dishes and rice before mixing it all together.
Ju Won-gwang’s eyes widened in surprise, while Bang Jong-san’s expression darkened.
Bang Jong-san asked.
“Why are you eating like that? Are you planning to become a beggar too?”
“I’m just curious what it tastes like.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded as he took a full spoonful of the well-mixed rice and chewed it slowly.
When eating this way, it seemed important to fill one’s mouth completely. When everything mixed together at once, the flavor became strange yet somehow pleasant.
“How is it?”
“Not bad.”
“Really? You have talent for this. But we don’t eat it for the taste—we eat to survive. Why did you decide to follow our example?”
Dokgo Myeong swallowed and spoke.
“I’ve always been this way. When I find people I like, I poke my head in to see how they live, and if I don’t approve, I meddle. I try things out and gain experience.”
“Experience? Is this what you call understanding?”
“Nothing so grand as understanding. I just tried it once without attaching any special meaning to it.”
“…”
Soon, the other companions also glanced around cautiously before fetching large bowls from somewhere and began mixing their food to eat.
For a while, there was only the sound of rice being scooped and the crunching of chewing.
Bang Jong-san let out a hollow laugh.
‘How can such a beggar-like situation even exist?’
The sight of young men flaunting their impressive martial skills eating like beggars stirred peculiar feelings. Especially since two of them were the bloodline heirs of the greatest noble family under heaven, and the remaining one was a descendant of a noble family, albeit one that had been destroyed.
“Won’t you eat, Master Bang?”
“You said you had alcohol. When are you bringing it?”
“Ah, shall I pour you a cup now?”
Dokgo Myeong tilted the bottle, but Bang Jong-san simply sat there blankly.
“Drinking from a cup—how long will it take to taste the alcohol properly? Just give me the bottle.”
“Kha! Truly, the legendary Dragon Head Bang! How magnanimous you are. Here’s the bottle.”
“Why are you flattering me so much?”
“Well, I need to make a good impression. I might owe you greatly in the future.”
Bang Jong-san chuckled and drank directly from the bottle for a while without even a toast.
Dokgo Myeong likewise gulped down his alcohol and then carefully opened his mouth.
“You arrived a bit later than Won-gwang today. Did you stop somewhere on the way?”
“You went around to see the sects you brought down.”
“Is that so?”
Bang Jong-san nodded.
He asked abruptly, wearing a meaningful smile.
“Why did you do it?”
“Not about the Bloodfiend Sect, not about the alliance we just formed—you’re asking about this first?”
“An alliance? I haven’t given my approval yet.”
“I heard you granted full authority.”
“Heh, why are you like this? Such things can change in a heartbeat depending on a few words from me. Tsk tsk!”
“I see.”
“And this is the most important matter. Most of ‘us’ are old-timers, so we tend to ask about such things first.”
Us? What could that mean?
Before I could ask back, Bang Jong-san continued.
“Answer me. Why did you do it?”
“The Black Tiger Sect was extracting tribute so harshly. Whenever I bought meals, I always thought the prices were too expensive, but it was because of the Black Tiger Sect’s loan sharking and tribute demands.”
“Is that so?”
Dokgo Myeong turned his gaze toward Geum Seok-du.
“Besides that, they were generally bad people who did most of the things you’d expect from the underworld.”
“Villains deserving of universal condemnation.”
“Quite frustrating indeed.”
“What about the Jade Martial Sect? They’re a righteous faction with two hundred years of history.”
“Regardless of how many years or whether they’re righteous or not, those bastards made a non-aggression pact with the Black Tiger Sect. The disciples knew about it, so they didn’t intervene.”
“Hmm, and?”
“That’s all.”
“That’s the only reason you completely devastated two sects?”
“Do you need another reason?”
Bang Jong-san nodded.
“Is that your way?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me tell you something.”
Bang Jong-san set down his wine bottle with a thud.
His eyes gleamed sharply.
“The Black Tiger Sect extracts tribute quite heavily, but they don’t engage in illegal activities like human trafficking, drugs, stolen goods, poison, or murder. And they’re quite capable, so they maintain adequate security and serve as a deterrent to prevent vicious underworld forces from other regions from entering. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Now that they’ve fallen, new underworld forces will enter this region. Next, the Jade Martial Sect.”
“….”
“They made a pact with the Black Tiger Sect because they feared this region would become chaos. Because the two factions’ power was balanced. If they fought, it would be mutual destruction, and then this region would be ruined by the complex aftermath.”
“Yes, that would be the case.”
“What you did was nothing but reckless vandalism done on a whim. Do you admit it?”
“Yes, I admit it.”
Bang Jong-san’s eyes widened at the swift acknowledgment.
Dokgo Myeong responded with confident composure instead.
“But then, should we simply ignore such things?”
“Are you suggesting this was some act of chivalry?”
“Chivalry? No. I simply didn’t like what I saw and acted on it. But if we’re born human and witness such suffering yet remain silent, can we truly call ourselves human?”
“A true human must consider what is truly right.”
“Senior. What I’m saying is—let’s weigh this properly.”
“Presumptuous. I’ve never been your senior.”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“Then let’s say Master Bang. People like you and me who possess power—we paint grand designs. Of course, I’m not saying you’re wrong. Shouldn’t the world flow toward greater good that way?”
“Then why did you act as you did, knowing this?”
Dokgo Myeong met Bang Jong-san’s gaze directly.
“What of the blood and tears shed in the meantime?”
“A trite counterargument. True, it’s not right. But if we simply handle matters by emotion, it invites greater catastrophe.”
“Of course. But how can we presume to weigh great suffering against small suffering?”
“What?”
“For the victims, their entire world has collapsed. When such people give up, another Black Tiger Sect or Six Martial Sect is born. In the end, it merely repeats. Isn’t that the Gangho of today?”
“Then what do you propose?”
“We must find a way. Isn’t that the duty of those in power? If you know a problem exists yet do nothing but ignore it, then I’ll simply overturn everything from the ground up and start anew.”
Bang Jong-san’s eyes narrowed.
“The way of petty men who know nothing of the world yet covet small gains and lose great ones.”
“Master Bang.”
Dokgo Myeong let out a scoff.
“How can you judge the magnitude of another’s burden when you’ve never stood upon that scale yourself?”
The air above the table grew cold.
Then Ju Won-gwang spoke with a broad grin.
“Master, didn’t I tell you? This one is genuine. A man who transcends the logic of orthodox and heterodox, right and wrong.”
“Indeed, I see it now myself.”
“…?”
What in the world is happening here?
Bang!
Just as Dokgo Myeong was bewildered, Bang Jong-san suddenly slammed the table and roared.
“You brat!”
“…?”
“Passed! I like this bastard immensely! Hahahaha!”
Bang Jong-san burst into hearty laughter.
“Master Bang?”
“Master be damned! Call me Senior. Hehehehe!”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes widened.

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