Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 234

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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 234
Following the Geumsan Pavilion’s upper echelon into Honam, I changed direction eastward and traveled alone.
My destination was Gangseong Province, the region adjacent to Honam.
From Guangxi through Honam to Gangseong was quite a distance. Unlike usual, I moved without taking in the surrounding scenery, and word of my passage spread quickly.
“Tch. Can’t be helped. I’ll sell the horse at whatever price I can get and move immediately.”
At my declaration that there was no time to rest, Hoa, who hung from my shoulder like a bundle, let out a whimper.
“Meow, meow-ow….”
“What, what is it.”
“Mew! Grrr….”
“Tired? You’re asking why I’m in such a hurry?”
“Meow!”
I stroked the soft creature’s fur and muttered to myself.
“The pavilion members told me that more than five months have already passed since I left the family… I really need to hurry.”
Watching Hoa tilt her head in confusion, I chuckled softly.
I had spent time in a fantastical world that felt like a dream, separate from reality. Now it was time to return to the harsh human world where people clashed fiercely.
“The main family’s situation is precarious, and I need to gather intelligence on the Moyong Family and Twin Horse Alliance movements. I have to meet with Gae-bang to gather information, and then recruit that fellow.”
“Meow?”
“There’s no time to waste.”
According to the pavilion members, the Chamma members who had been offered recruitment were gradually entering the main family.
They needed to train together, and war preparations had to be made as well….
‘I really need to hurry.’
I exhaled sharply.
“I’d rather not borrow a horse again, so how about I use lightness skill and dash there while squeezing in some training?”
“Meow!”
“If I run like a madman for a day or two, it should be enough. Hold on tight, understand?”
“Meow meow!”
“Good. Here, a snack.”
I pulled out some grass roots I had brought along and tossed them into the air with a flick.
Whoosh!
Hoa leaped nimbly, caught the grass roots in her mouth, and landed back on my shoulder.
“Wow, you little thing. You’re a martial arts master in your own right. When we get back, I should have you spar with Seok-du.”
“Purr!”
Chuckling, I headed off to sell the horse.
The villagers who saw me going about muttered among themselves.
“Tsk tsk, how did such a handsome young master end up like this….”
“Shh! Don’t talk to him carelessly. You shouldn’t pay attention to crazy people!”
“B-but is that really a cat? Why is it so big? Could it be a tiger….”
* * *
Whoooosh!
I shot forward with a thunderous boom.
The surrounding landscape stretched and elongated, then transformed into a thin line before being rapidly swept away.
Unable to withstand the rushing wind, Hoa descended from my shoulder and clung to my back like a bundle.
Thanks to this, I could concentrate without worrying about him.
‘No matter how much qi is the source of all things, how does it lighten and burden the body? In the end, it’s all about directional force.’
The cultivation of lightening the body—martial artists commonly call it lightness technique or body-lightening technique.
But how could one actually make their weight lighter or heavier?
Perhaps at the level of the Three Venerables it would be different, since they say that realm is where impossibilities become fewer.
In the end, the answer lies in the directionality of qi.
The Thousand-Pound Weight doesn’t increase body mass—it directs internal energy downward to create that pressure.
Body-lightening technique works the same way; it doesn’t actually make the body lighter but redirects the flow of internal energy to create that sensation.
‘Martial techniques involving weight, speed, illusion… aren’t they all similar?’
My thoughts turned once more to martial arts.
Ever since my sensory perception rose another level, the Eight Divine Techniques became ingrained in my body, and I obtained Hyeon-cheon’s technique, this had continued.
Martial arts.
For the first time in my life, I began not training but exploring—understanding things I had previously accomplished through intuition or experience.
Whoosh!
The footwork of Heavenly Realm’s three divine techniques manifested at my feet.
On takeoff, using Extreme Limit Cloud Form.
In midair, using Heavenly Net Flowing Steps.
Upon landing, using Unshakable Stance.
With the understanding of martial principles combined with the inexhaustible power of the Heavenly Realm’s essence, my body began to exhibit unprecedented speed.
‘I could blend the Eight Divine Techniques too. If I even incorporate the method of creating foot strikes in midair… couldn’t I use footwork and body-lightening technique as offensive techniques?’
If qi flow is the core principle, couldn’t I infuse energy waves into my feet as well?
If that were possible, I could blend sensory perception and Four-Directional Limitless Technique too.
If everything were possible, I would already transcend the teachings of Heavenly Realm. A martial technique unique to me, like the Infinite Heavenly Wave, might be born.
‘I thought martial techniques were just about being practical and powerful… but this is more interesting than I expected.’
I didn’t know it then.
That my interest in martial arts, which began with creating the Infinite Heavenly Wave, had blossomed on Dragon Spirit Mountain.
And that this path led not to a mere martial artist, but to a master of the way.
Meanwhile.
Whoosh! Crash!
“Oof!”
A farmer planting rice in paddies arranged like steps on a hillside hurriedly steadied himself.
“W-what just happened?”
“What’s wrong with you!”
“I don’t know, what kind of mountain wind is this fierce…”
The startled farmers turned their heads about and saw something ascending the mountain.
“W-what is that!”
“I-is that a water dragon? Something dark climbed up the mountain in the blink of an eye!”
“Is that why the wind happened? Goodness! I’ve seen the dragon spirit!”
In that moment, a blessed legend began to stir through the mountain village, carried on the wind.
The village lay on the border between Honam and Gangseong.
Before long, I had crossed into Gangseong Province.
* * *
Namchang, the provincial capital of Gangseong.
“Grrrrr! Grrrrr!”
“Ah, you brat. I said I understand, didn’t I?”
“Yelp!”
Hoa, her fur bristling as if she’d just woken from sleep, whimpered. Ignoring her complaints, I had ridden madly forward, and the fierce wind had blown her mane in all directions.
“All right, all right. I’ll give you jerky, so be patient.”
“Growl!”
“Ah, your tastes are quite refined, aren’t they? I’ll ask the innkeeper for raw meat.”
“Yelp!”
“We’re out of medicinal herbs now, you beast!”
“Whine.”
Hoa followed me with long strides.
I retrieved the Dragon Head Medallion and Small Dragon Medallion from my robes and tied them to my waist, then wandered through the streets of Namchang.
Naturally, this was my method of making contact with the Gae-bang. Along the way, I distributed alms to beggars as well.
After circling around for some time, I found an inn with an inviting aroma and entered.
“Welcome—”
The innkeeper froze upon seeing me.
I tilted my head in confusion.
“What’s wrong? Ah, is it perhaps that animals aren’t allowed in here?”
The innkeeper trembled, his entire body rigid.
I reassuringly stroked Hoa’s head.
“Don’t worry. Despite appearances, she’s not the type to harm people. Right?”
“Grrrrr…!”
“Hiccup!”
The innkeeper, now ashen-faced, hiccupped.
I passed by him and sat at a table by the window.
Hoa quickly claimed the seat beside me, resting her front legs and head on my lap before closing her eyes.
Thunk!
I unsheathed the Qiankun Sword and leaned it against the table.
In an instant, the patrons’ gazes fixed upon me, but the moment I met their eyes, they all hastily looked away.
“Innkeeper! I’d like to order!”
“Y-yes! Y-yes… G-great swordmaster.”
“Hmm? Why are you so frightened? Has some villainous martial artist been causing trouble?”
“N-no, sir! It’s nothing at all!”
“Ah, is it because of this?”
I placed the Qiankun Sword on the table.
Thud!
At that heavy sound, the Innkeeper barely stifled a scream.
The scabbard of the Qiankun Sword was stained with the Iron Net’s venom and blood. No matter how much I scraped at it, it still looked like blood.
“Ah, my apologies. Even I must admit it looks rather unsettling.”
“….”
“But don’t worry. I’m not the sort of martial artist who casually harms people. Surely I don’t appear that way?”
“N-no, of course not! You’re truly… truly radiant, sir!”
“This staining on the scabbard isn’t blood—it’s venom. Well, there is some blood mixed in, but it’s not human blood, so don’t be concerned.”
An awkward silence fell over the room.
The Innkeeper forced a smile onto his face as if he might burst into tears at any moment.
That was when it happened.
Clatter!
Behind where I sat, someone roughly set down their chopsticks.
“Looks like some greenhorn from out of town.”
He lifted the bamboo hat on his head slightly with his index finger, then flashed a menacing smile.
“Did you think smearing blood on your scabbard would make you look impressive? Namchang practices the Yongdam Lake technique. Some country bumpkin shouldn’t strut about so carelessly….”
I picked up a wooden spoon and flicked my finger against it.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
There was a cracking sound from the man’s forehead. His bamboo hat shattered as a bonus. He crashed face-first into his noodle bowl.
“The noodles must be delicious if he’s diving in headfirst to eat. I’ll have the same.”
I looked at the Innkeeper with an unconcerned expression.
“Ah, and bring some bamboo leaf tea and dumplings too. Do you have raw meat? I’d like the kind with blood dripping from it. This one here is quite particular about his food.”
“Y-yes, right away! I’ll bring it immediately! If we don’t have it, I’ll go buy some!”
The Innkeeper shouted with utmost politeness and retreated.
I clicked my tongue and turned to speak with the guest sitting beside me.
“The Innkeeper’s job seems quite difficult. Don’t you think? He must have dealt with so many troublesome customers to be so fearful. Just look at that fool wearing a bamboo hat indoors—it tells you everything.”
“Ha, haha… Y-yes, it seems that way….”
The guest beside me answered with an awkward laugh and quietly vacated his seat.
Starting with that guest, the other patrons began leaving the inn one by one, abandoning their half-eaten meals.
I clicked my tongue.
“Tsk tsk! They haven’t even finished half their food before leaving. Was the aroma good but the taste disappointing?”
“Grumble.”
After a moment, the food I ordered arrived at my table.
Thin noodles, dumplings, and bamboo leaf tea.
The most typical dishes served at any inn.
Without much expectation, I put the noodles in my mouth and my eyes widened. Surprisingly, the food was delicious. Hoa also ate the raw meat with a satisfied expression.
I emptied the noodles in one go and drank the broth straight from the bowl.
“Ahhh…! That hit the spot!”
Bang!
The moment Dokgo Myeong set down his empty bowl, an old man was suddenly seated across from him at the vacant spot.
“You are Dokgo Myeong, the Black Dragon Lord?”
Dokgo Myeong nodded at the old man’s question.
“That’s right. And you are?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
I burst into laughter.
“Old man, don’t play games that aren’t even funny. It’s one of two, isn’t it?”
I pushed aside my noodle bowl and picked up a bottle of Zhuye Qing and a cup.
“The Moyong Family or the Blood Sect—which is it?”
“….”
The old man smiled faintly.
‘This old codger is testing me.’
I downed the liquor in one gulp.
It had been a long time since such a brutal and unexpected visit. The sensation felt strangely unfamiliar.
How had my whereabouts been exposed?
How had I fallen into this trap?
‘I’m not entirely sure.’
Anew, I felt the reality of stepping back into the martial world of Doshan Geomrim.
* * *
At the foot of a low mountain on the outskirts of the city, a beggar let out groans of pain.
“Ugh. These damned bastards. Which side are they from….”
“Leader! Are you alright?”
“Shut it, you fool! Lower your voice!”
Hwang Yeol-sam, the Iron-Staff Beggar and Bun-ta-ju of the Namchang branch of Gae-bang, who lay collapsed in the brush, breathed heavily.
His chest was torn wide open.
Strangely, the bleeding would not stop, and blue veins stood rigid at the wound site.
“Huff, huff… Tell me. Which bastards attacked you…?”
At Hwang Yeol-sam’s words, Bun-ta-ju grimaced.
“I couldn’t quite….”
“Ugh.”
Hwang Yeol-sam groaned and pushed his upper body upright.
“Wang Pal and Young-sam—haven’t they arrived yet?”
“No, not yet. They should have been here by now, but they’re late.”
Hwang Yeol-sam’s face hardened.
‘Could these bastards have….’
Just moments ago, the safe house and the meeting point had been completely raided by unidentified enemies.
The base itself wasn’t particularly well-hidden, but for both the safe house and meeting point to be compromised was impossible without an internal spy.
‘Damn it, I’m becoming paranoid. Though Hu Gu-dangju did issue a warning.’
He shook his head vigorously.
Recently, Hu Gu-dangju had issued a warning to all Gae-bang branches regarding spies.
But even so, I couldn’t shake my suspicion entirely.
‘If they’re truly late… if they’re very late, then I can afford to doubt them later.’
That was when it happened.
Rustle!
Leaves trembled as a presence made itself known.
The moment Hwang Yeol-sam gripped his staff tightly.
“Gasp! Huff! Boss! No, Dangju! Where are you!”
A voice called out urgently, deliberately kept low.
Hwang Yeol-sam answered immediately.
“Wang Pal! Over here! This way!”
“Oh no! Dangju! How did you end up here…”
It wasn’t a beggar, but rather someone dressed like an ordinary nobleman.
He was in disguise. This was Gaebangdo, tasked with monitoring the situation in case their base was compromised.
Hwang Yeol-sam asked urgently.
“What happened? Tell me.”
“Well, everything’s been raided. It’s clear there’s an internal spy.”
Hwang Yeol-sam let out a groan of anguish.
“And… I saw someone on the way.”
“Someone?”
“Dokgo Myeong. Moreover, I witnessed formidable masters gathering around him.”
“I heard he was coming this way… surely not?”
Hwang Yeol-sam’s expression twisted.
Wang Pal continued urgently.
“I was carrying the Yongdu Faction and Soryong Faction tokens at my waist, but I didn’t dare make contact. I was afraid of being caught by those villains.”
“If the enemies are targeting Dokgo Myeong… then attacking us was meant to clear the area from the start. They wanted to cut off information.”
“Yes, that appears to be the case.”
Hwang Yeol-sam’s eyes widened.
“Damn it, it was a trap aimed at Dokgo Myeong from the beginning!”

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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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