Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 185

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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 185
Within the crimson mist that shrouded the Deng Yong Platform, the haunting notes of the Ghost Valley Cry echoed ceaselessly.
Surrounding it, men and women clad in blood-red vestments frantically beat drums and rang bells, their movements frenzied and unceasing.
Crash!
At that moment, a pitch-black hand suddenly thrust through the blood mist, slashing diagonally across the space with a sharp motion.
A soft exhale.
Emerging through the torn formation was none other than the Black Bloodfiend himself.
A man hurried toward him.
The First General of the Black Bloodfiend, dressed in ceremonial robes.
“You have arrived. Though you are somewhat late.”
“The formation has been successfully opened, yes?”
“Yes, the Soul Heaven Blood Mist Formation has been perfectly deployed. Those who escaped the perimeter are being dealt with by our forces.”
The Soul Heaven Blood Mist Formation.
A supreme technique of the dark path—one that filled the formation’s interior with blood essence, twisting the upper dantian of all who entered within it.
Such tremendous effort was required that it could not be deployed easily.
“…Then what I witnessed was truly his inner demons.”
The Black Bloodfiend muttered softly, his gaze drifting toward the distance.
“What do you mean, my lord?”
“That man… hmm.”
The Black Bloodfiend suddenly paused, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The First General stepped forward with concern etched across his face.
“Are you well?”
“I am fine.”
The Black Bloodfiend withdrew far from the Soul Heaven Blood Mist Formation and sat in lotus position upon the flat ground.
“My lord, you have overexerted yourself. No matter your strength, constructing such a formation demands tremendous expenditure of energy. Why did you not withdraw immediately?”
“I needed to observe what kind of inner demons that man harbors within his heart.”
The First General examined the Black Bloodfiend’s complexion carefully.
“I see traces of malevolent energy between your brows. Your vital essence may be damaged. Allow me to prepare the healing artifacts.”
The Black Bloodfiend shook his head.
“It is nothing. Do not concern yourself—attend to your duties.”
The Black Bloodfiend remained in lotus position, his gaze fixed upon the Soul Heaven Blood Mist Formation.
The First General asked.
“What did you perceive from him, my lord?”
The Black Bloodfiend’s expression darkened.
“He carries a hell within his mind. I have never witnessed a heart so twisted, so utterly corrupted.”
In truth, inner demons were not extraordinary things. Just as light casts shadow, all people harbor dark thoughts—these are the inner demons.
Which meant Dokgo Myeong lived alongside the hellish landscape of that blood sea of corpses.
The First General spoke.
“If one bearing such a mediocre Heavenly Mandate has obstructed our sect’s grand design, that would be most peculiar indeed.”
“Your words hold truth. Yet even accounting for that…”
That was when it happened.
Boom!
The interior of the hemispherical formation trembled ever so slightly.
Silence fell.
The Black Bloodfiend rose to his feet, pushing the First General aside with a hardened expression.
“First General. Did you not say the formation was properly deployed?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Were there defects in the sacrifices?”
The First General shook his head firmly in response.
“One hundred and eight pure disciples born in intercalary months, who abstained from cooked food their entire lives and cultivated inner energy to first-rate mastery. Beyond that, there were also martial artists who died instantly from the thunderbolt pellets detonated by our subordinates, so there was no shortage of blood.”
The Black Bloodfiend’s eyes gleamed as he pointed beyond the crimson mist.
“Then why does that man still have his eyes open?”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes were open.
It meant he was overcoming the Jeongheol Sect’s formation through his own strength.
“…Could it not be that black outer robe serving as a defensive treasure?”
“No. He was not utilizing it completely.”
The Black Bloodfiend’s brow furrowed.
As his previously benevolent eyes narrowed, his face became that of a demon itself.
“He is neither a cultivator without accumulated karma, nor a master who has reached the realm to perceive beyond the Heavenly Principles—so how in the world… did he escape the delusion so quickly?”
“He should not have the power to destroy the formation itself.”
“Are you certain?”
“That is….”
“Heh heh, this is troublesome.”
The Black Bloodfiend shook his head with a hollow laugh.
‘All the plans entangled with that man have unraveled. What went wrong?’
The original plan was thus.
Dokgo Myeong would lose in the dispute with the Moyong Family, and around that time, the blood massacre would be triggered.
Then Dokgo Myeong would become a madman who triggered the blood massacre due to circumstances going awry, or at the very least, he could be held accountable. This was because Dokgo Myeong was the one who gathered people at Deungryongji.
From there, the Moyong Family was to seize the opportunity.
Using the deaths of Moryong Sohgyo and Moyong Aejeon as a pretext, they would sway public opinion to demand the truth from Gae-bang and the Dokgo Family, push both into a corner with their responses as excuses, and advance toward the establishment of the Martial Alliance.
‘Was Moyong’s preparation insufficient?’
That too fell within the expected range.
The problem was that Dokgo Myeong not only won the dispute, but also committed the extraordinary feat of bringing the Warlords to his side.
‘Even that would have been manageable. If only the blood massacre were triggered… I could have glossed over the trivial matters and maintained the overall flow as planned.’
But now he had even awakened from the heart demon of the Chaotic Heaven Blood Demon Formation.
The Black Bloodfiend soon realized.
‘It was him. That man was the variable itself. I was trying to extinguish fire with flames.’
In that instant, a cold gleam flickered in the Black Bloodfiend’s eyes.
“He must be killed.”
The First General’s eyes widened.
“Are you certain? The outcome will differ from the divine prophecy.”
“It is already done. One who escapes the omniscient divine word through power that has not reached its apex—such a person must be slain here. I shall bear the responsibility.”
“I shall obey. Let it be as you command, my lord.”
The First General bowed his head deeply.
“Is the Heavenly Net still maintained around Muhan?”
“Only control of the roads and waterways has been established.”
“Send word to tighten the encirclement in case he attempts escape.”
“Yes.”
“I shall enter the formation. Prepare to clear a path.”
“There is no need to rush, my lord. They may exhaust themselves wandering the formation.”
“We cannot afford to give him more time.”
The Black Bloodfiend harbored killing intent.
But then it happened.
Kuuuuuung!
A tremendous roar brought change.
“What is that!?”
* * *
Flash!
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes opened, and he gasped.
‘Where are they?’
The moment his eyes opened, he searched for his companions. Soon, he exhaled in relief.
“They seem fine. But what are they doing?”
Namgung Sohwa was weeping profusely, while Ye-hwa crouched and trembled violently.
Geum Seok-du appeared to be bowing to something, Cheolmu-baek simply stood, and Dokgo Ak was huddled as if being struck by someone.
‘Are they facing demons?’
The sight was ridiculous, yet the situation was far from amusing.
Dokgo Myeong surveyed his surroundings once more and furrowed his brow.
A foul stench, crimson mist, and occasionally the sound of ghostly wails.
Awakening was not the end. The mysterious formation remained intact.
‘This is not merely an illusion or a formation that induces delusion. The fact that the formation persists even after awakening means….’
There must be additional dangers within.
One could wander aimlessly within the formation, fight illusions, or encounter living disciples of the Bloodfiend Sect unaffected by the formation’s influence.
In that moment, Dokgo Myeong felt his heart sink.
‘Now that I think about it, we are not the only ones caught in this.’
Many casualties had been caught in the Lightning Bomb.
This was no time to waste. He had to awaken the captains and destroy the formation quickly.
“Hah, let’s try.”
In such a formation, self-awakening caused the least aftereffects.
But now time was of the essence. He had to wake them by force if necessary.
Woong!
Dokgo Myeong channeled his inner energy into the Dragon Scale Robe, then immediately seized Dokgo Ak’s wrist meridian.
The color of the flowing inner energy was deep crimson.
“Now then… I shall begin the Muscle Severing and Bone Breaking technique.”
A moment later.
“Gaaaaaahhhhh!”
“Kyaaaaahhh!”
“Ughhhh!”
With each distinct cry of agony, five people opened their eyes.
No matter how much I had controlled my strength, it still took time for their consciousness to fully return.
The Bloodfiend disciples all placed their hands on their heads with expressions of anguish.
“It feels like I had a long nightmare….”
“More importantly, is everyone alright? Circulating inner energy is proving difficult.”
Just as Dokgo Ak said, our physical condition was far worse than merely unwell.
Even breathing alone caused my inner energy to stagnate and my mind felt foggy. The effects of the formation array were a fact that needed no explanation.
Dokgo Myeong spoke.
“Everyone, focus. The situation is dire.”
Dokgo Myeong explained the situation concisely, cutting straight to the point.
The expressions of those present gradually twisted, and Geum Seok-du immediately opened his mouth.
“Then we are in grave trouble, Commander.”
“Why?”
“They intend to use you as a scapegoat. Now that casualties have mounted, this becomes a serious problem….”
Dokgo Myeong nodded at Geum Seok-du’s quick assessment of the situation.
“For that very reason, we must escape quickly. Though escaping itself will present problems.”
Dokgo Myeong continued, looking at Geum Seok-du.
“Among us, you have the highest understanding of formation arrays, do you not? Is there no way to break it?”
“I am completely ignorant when it comes to high-level formation arrays of this caliber.”
“Then how….”
It was at that moment.
“I know.”
“Eh? Ye-hwa?”
Ye-hwa spoke calmly while surveying her surroundings.
“Being constructed in the heterodox method, the structure differs from orthodox formation arrays. The axis of this formation likely consists of one hundred and eight… no, one hundred and eight disciples.”
As startled gazes poured toward her, Ye-hwa spoke without hesitation.
“Have you forgotten where I come from?”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
That was right.
Gwak Dae-ryong was not particularly knowledgeable in such matters, so he had momentarily forgotten.
From the beginning, Gwak Dae-ryong and Ye-hwa differed fundamentally—she was the true successor of Salgok, the esoteric sect that propagated the teachings of all manner of heterodox paths under heaven.
“There will be Bloodfiend disciples on the outside. A formation of this magnitude requires both the internal axis and external power to maintain. The enemies are likely surrounding us from without.”
“So escaping will still result in battle.”
Cheolmu-baek exhaled sharply through his nose.
Ye-hwa gazed at Dokgo Myeong and spoke.
“Delaying further will only create problems. There may be people defenseless against the illusions, and one hundred and eight disciples who form the axis of the formation.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded as if his resolve had crystallized.
“First, we move about and rescue people. If the one hundred and eight axes of the formation are human, we simply beat them down one by one and dismantle it.”
Ye-hwa shook her head.
“There’s no need for that.”
“What?”
“If it’s difficult to destroy the axes of the formation, we can simply shatter the ceiling and walls that cover it.”
“Is there a way?”
“We would need a special artifact or divine weapon with the power to destroy and annihilate. And…”
Ye-hwa tapped her chest lightly.
“I possess it.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed.
The Crimson Palace White Time.
A divine weapon named after the legend of a god of war who had struck down countless great demons—this legendary blade rested in Ye-hwa’s hands.
“Little one. You’re confident about this?”
“I’m uncertain.”
Ye-hwa shook her head vigorously.
“But I will succeed.”
She had become someone capable of speaking such words now.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been nodding, closed his eyes for a moment and fell into thought.
Even if they dismantled the formation, problems remained.
Outside awaited the Bloodfiend Sect, and they would not let him go. Even if he survived, he would bear the false accusation of being the mastermind behind the bloodshed.
Dokgo Myeong slowly opened his eyes.
“Ak, Mu-baek, Sohwa. How are your conditions?”
Whoooosh!
All three demonstrated their readiness through their auras instead of words.
Dokgo Myeong looked at Geum Seok-du.
“Seok-du. You remember the escape route?”
“Yes. Haven’t we prepared everything in case of unforeseen circumstances?”
Dokgo Myeong exhaled sharply and his eyes blazed with light.
“Good.”
Dokgo Myeong smiled wickedly.
It was merely a single smile, yet all the members of the Bloodfiend unit felt their tension dissolve at Dokgo Myeong’s expression.
Dokgo Myeong spoke with unwavering confidence.
“I’m tired of being manipulated. Let’s strike at the Jeongheol Sect bastards from behind, our way.”
* * *
The Black Bloodfiend was entering the formation, preparing to eliminate Dokgo Myeong.
But in that instant, a white line cut through the crimson mist.
BOOM!
A deafening roar tore through the air as if rending leather asunder.
The First General’s expression shifted in alarm.
“This can’t be!?”
Fortunately, the Chaotic Heaven Blood Martial Formation merely undulated violently once before beginning to stabilize again.
But that single strike was far from the end.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Lines of white light scattered across the uppermost curve of the hemispherical formation in an endless stream.
Crack! Crackle!
With each white line that extended, cracks appeared in the magical artifacts held by the sorcerers.
As if connected to those artifacts, the outer edges of the formation itself began to destabilize.
And the moment the ninth arrow shot skyward with precision.
SHATTER!
“Gasp!”
“Argh!”
The magical artifacts shattered into fragments as the sorcerers were hurled backward, spewing blood.
The Black Bloodfiend muttered with a twisted expression.
“I must… admit it. My judgment was gravely mistaken.”
The formation began to dissolve like melting ice.
Soon, through the shattered remains of the formation, a group emerged walking forward.
Remarkably, they were not the True Demon Army.
“We survived!”
“Carry the wounded!”
People. More people.
Countless martial artists.
One who appeared to be a Black Sect Disciple carried an elder of the White Path on his back, an old man supported a young man, female and male warriors alike, countless warlords indiscriminately mixed together, all bearing the unconscious from the formation.
Even the Geongon Sect members, who had clashed with them merely a double hour before, were now among their ranks.
Quite literally, the martial world was walking out.
The Black Bloodfiend’s eyes widened.
‘How is this possible?’
Not only had the formation been shattered, but how were the martial artists who should have been lying defeated now moving about unscathed?

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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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