Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 240

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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 240
“I have returned, Sect Leader.”
Dokgo Myeong immediately bowed before the Saheon Sect Leader.
“Welcome back.”
“Yes.”
“Rise now.”
“Hehe.”
Dokgo Myeong stood up with a chuckling laugh.
Dokgo Wi-hak examined his son, whom he hadn’t seen in half a year, carefully from head to toe.
He had hoped to find him uninjured and unwell, grown even stronger and more dignified and commanding in bearing—
“….”
Dokgo Wi-hak’s eyes narrowed.
Disheveled hair, loosened martial robes, a faint smell of sweat.
Commanding bearing and all that nonsense—this descendant of a noble household showed not a trace of dignity.
‘Money isn’t lacking, so what in the world has he been doing to arrive like this….’
Dokgo Wi-hak glanced subtly to the side.
In truth, only the two of them weren’t sitting in this place.
“Uhhh.”
Some man brought from who knows where stood with vacant eyes, unable to gather his wits.
“Grrrr, grrrrr!”
Beneath the table, a creature of unknown species was rubbing its body against Dokgo Myeong’s feet.
“….”
Dokgo Wi-hak swallowed down a sigh rising from the very depths of his lungs and spoke.
“When greeting an elder, one should first put one’s clothes and hair in order.”
“Eh? Oh! My goodness, I came in such a rush that… I apologize.”
“No.”
Only then did Dokgo Myeong, realizing his state, begin to straighten his martial robe’s front and his disheveled hair.
“Did you encounter bandits on the way?”
“That’s not it. I’ve been unlucky—I’ve never actually encountered bandits.”
“Isn’t that the opposite of what you meant to say?”
“Ah, if I encountered bandits, I could earn some pocket money. How fortunate that would be!”
Dokgo Wi-hak’s eyes twitched slightly.
Having finished tidying his hair, Dokgo Myeong added with a smile.
“I became like this from using lightness technique on the way.”
“Why didn’t you procure a carriage?”
“Cheon I-gak kept following me, you see. I thought I’d slip in and check on how these ones were doing….”
Only then could Dokgo Wi-hak understand why the young man his son had brought had such a vacant expression.
An ordinary person with no inner energy to speak of had experienced the lightness technique of a martial master who had reached enlightenment—what else could be expected?
“And most importantly, I did so to practice in my spare moments.”
“Practice?”
“I’ve been finding it enjoyable to learn martial arts lately.”
It was unexpected.
That he would speak such words from the mouth of someone who had only viewed martial arts as a means to grow stronger, and that he was smiling with genuine joy.
‘Did this remarkable growth stem from a shift in his mindset?’
Dokgo Wi-hak’s eyes gleamed.
In fact, he had already discerned his son’s martial prowess upon entering this new realm.
His gaze, his gait, his posture, his physique.
There was not a single flaw to criticize.
He had been exceptional before, but unlike those days when he was merely sharp, he now emanated the aura of a flawless martial master.
‘And above all….’
That immense vital energy.
An endless condensation of qi had taken root in Dokgo Myeong’s dantian.
It was gratifying growth.
Truly satisfying.
Yet Dokgo Wi-hak also perceived the hardship that lay beneath such growth.
“You’ve endured much.”
Dokgo Myeong flinched for a moment, but soon let out a small laugh.
“It was nothing much.”
“I see.”
Dokgo Wi-hak nodded and continued.
“Once you’ve finished your business….”
“…?”
“When you have some leisure time, let us spar.”
Dokgo Myeong flinched once more.
“Forgive me, what did you just say?”
“I said let us spar.”
Clink.
Dokgo Wi-hak replied calmly and lifted his teacup.
“…Huh.”
Dokgo Myeong’s mouth fell slightly open.
Punishment, a test of skill, instruction bestowed.
These were the words he usually spoke.
But to spar.
At those words, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes sparkled.
“…Hehehehe.”
“…?”
“The time has finally come when I can land a blow on the Sect Leader.”
Dokgo Wi-hak’s brow furrowed.
“You still have far to go, so do not be presumptuous.”
“Hehehehehehe.”
At Dokgo Myeong’s sinister smile, Dokgo Wi-hak shook his head as if he couldn’t help himself.
He then turned his gaze to the side.
“Forgive me. It’s been so long since I’ve spoken with my son that I neglected to attend to our guest.”
Jo Ryang-ui snapped to attention and waved his hand dismissively.
“No, no. Please don’t concern yourself.”
“Mm.”
“And please, speak comfortably. How could I address the father of my lord with such formality?”
Dokgo Wi-hak nodded.
“Then I shall do so. Does that suit you?”
“Yes, I find this more comfortable as well.”
Jo Ryang-ui swallowed dryly.
‘They’re so different, it’s almost unbelievable.’
At first glance, they hardly seemed like father and son.
Unlike the unconventional Dokgo Myeong in every way, Dokgo Wi-hak exuded dignity even in the smallest gestures.
Their features were similar, but their temperaments were as different as water and fire.
‘Though, the fact that he didn’t change his expression when looking at my face suggests they might be more alike than I thought.’
Either way, it was clear that both father and son were extraordinary individuals.
Then, Dokgo Wi-hak spoke carefully.
“May I ask you one thing?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I heard you’re Jo Ryang-ui… Are you perhaps the scholar Yuan Ming who gained renown as a master calligrapher in Kangso?”
Jo Ryang-ui blinked in surprise before belatedly nodding.
“I wouldn’t call myself a master calligrapher, but… I do use Yuan Ming as my courtesy name. Do you know of me?”
“Indeed I do. I even possess the collection of poems you wrote at eighteen.”
“What?”
“For a talent like yourself to aid Myeong-i, it seems that boy has been blessed with good fortune.”
“Ah…”
Jo Ryang-ui could only open his mouth slightly, at a loss for words.
“I ask for your continued support. He’s a lacking child who needs much help from those around him. Having someone like you would ease my worries considerably.”
Dokgo Wi-hak turned to look at Dokgo Myeong.
“Have you arranged everything, including his lodgings?”
“I plan to do so.”
“This man is more remarkable than you think. You must not neglect those who walk a different path than you.”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Jo Ryang-ui gazed at Dokgo Myeong and Dokgo Wi-hak with a bewildered expression.
Then, he felt something welling up inside him.
‘I’ve never heard words like that in my entire life.’
He knew immediately that these weren’t mere pleasantries.
Every word Dokgo Wi-hak spoke carried genuine recognition and respect.
An indescribable emotion surged through me. Yet a grown man could hardly redden his eyes without reason, so I suppressed my feelings while coughing repeatedly to mask my composure.
Dokgo Wi-hak noticed this but pretended not to.
“That aside.”
His gaze shifted toward Dokgo Myeong’s abdomen.
“…How did you come to bring a mystical beast here?”
As if recognizing the call, Hoa, who had been perched on Dokgo Myeong’s thigh, poked her head out over the table.
“Kyaeng!”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled.
“Ah, you mean her? Come up here, Hoa. You should greet him.”
“Krung?”
“Greet. I said greet him.”
“Kyaeng!”
Hoa suddenly leaped onto the table and prostrated herself in the direction where Dokgo Wi-hak sat, as if performing a bow.
It was as though she remembered what Dokgo Myeong had done moments before and mimicked it.
Dokgo Myeong’s mouth opened.
“I met her at Seonsan, and since she kept following me, I brought her along. But how did you recognize that she’s a mystical beast?”
“The aura she radiates is far too auspicious for an ordinary creature.”
“Really? Auspicious? I don’t feel anything like that.”
Dokgo Wi-hak shook his head.
“She radiates the same essence as you. Since it’s the same, you cannot perceive what is identical to yourself.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes brightened as he locked gazes with Hoa.
“Is that so?”
“Kyaeng?”
“My suspicion was correct. You did help her, didn’t you?”
“Krung!”
My son chattered with the mystical beast as if words truly passed between them.
Dokgo Wi-hak’s eyes gleamed as he observed Hoa.
‘Golden fur, fangs, the visage of a tiger with a lion’s mane and eyes as clear as a lake… Could this be the legendary Geum-ye?’
Born of dragon’s blood, capable of distinguishing right from wrong, a mythical being possessing the power to purify corruption.
Whether that was truly the case remained uncertain, but the mere fact that a mystical beast followed his son seemed to carry profound significance.
Dokgo Wi-hak regarded his son.
“You don’t seem inclined to rest now that you’ve returned to the household after so long. What do you intend to do next?”
“Well, first I should show off to the Sect Leader… and I need to visit the children.”
Dokgo Myeong grinned.
“Very well, do so then. The newly arrived Cheonma Sect Members have been waiting for several days now.”
“There’s much to attend to. I shall take my leave.”
“Go.”
Just as Dokgo Myeong and Jo Ryang-ui rose from their seats.
Dokgo Myeong suddenly exclaimed.
“Ah, that’s right!”
“Why do you ask?”
“Did all the goods that came to Geumsan Pavilion make it to Saheon Pavilion?”
“I heard some items required careful storage, so they were placed in Geumsan Pavilion’s warehouse. Sect Leader Son’s complexion looked rather pale…”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“Sect Leader, I’ve brought some exceptionally fine wine that I’ve been aging for our Sect Leader. Do look forward to it. Hehehehe!”
“…?”
Dokgo Wi-hak suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
* * *
When Dokgo Myeong arrived at the main residence, he found not Dokgo Cheon but Wi Baek.
“The household head is currently away on a journey.”
“What? Away? Where to?”
“He did not disclose his destination or when he would return.”
“I see…”
“He departed quietly with only the Black Dragon Sect Leader, without even informing the family of his absence. Few in the main house know of this, so I would appreciate your discretion.”
“How could that possibly remain secret?”
“It won’t, but there’s still a difference between silence and spreading word.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded vaguely.
‘Still, a sudden departure? That’s unexpected.’
If someone of Dokgo Cheon’s caliber had moved, it was no trivial matter. Without exaggeration, he was a man whose every step could shake the heavens themselves.
Yet on the other hand, it might not be something so complicated after all.
‘Perhaps he departed not as the household head Dokgo Cheon, but as the swordsman Dokgo Cheon.’
To complete the sword technique he had shown me.
‘What is this feeling?’
Dokgo Myeong suddenly realized he was experiencing a profound sense of regret. Knowing he could not tell Dokgo Cheon about what had happened at the sacred grounds, he felt an unexpected pang of disappointment.
He let out a small sigh and spoke.
“I understand. Did he leave any message for me?”
“As it happens, I was about to relay it. May I tell you now?”
“Yes.”
Wi Baek spoke calmly.
“Seize it all.”
“…?”
“That is all.”
“That’s… everything?”
“Yes, that is everything.”
Dokgo Myeong blinked blankly for a moment, then broke into a slight smile.
“Well, that’s certainly encouraging.”
In the end, Dokgo Myeong had to turn back without seeing Dokgo Cheon.
Seize.
It was one of the phrases he had seen at the sacred grounds. The unspoken words were to fight and claim victory.
For Dokgo Myeong, standing at the threshold of a long struggle ahead, it was a message beyond measure.
“Now that I think about it, were all the arrangements I requested before my departure completed?”
“Yes, they were finished about a month ago. Currently, those who arrived from outside are gradually taking their positions.”
“Is that so?”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly and began rubbing his hands together.
Crack-crack-crack!
At that moment, lightning struck again from the dark clouds pressing down upon the Dokgo Household.
With the brilliant flash at his back, Dokgo Myeong bowed to Wi Baek and moved forward.
* * *
Perhaps it was the dark clouds hanging over the sky.
The room was filled with the dense darkness of midnight.
Flash!
In the ominous atmosphere, a single beam of light suddenly pushed back the darkness for a fleeting moment.
The sound followed a step behind.
Boom-boom-boom!
The thunder was so loud it felt as though the world itself would collapse.
Flash!
Lightning struck once more.
The darkness in the room was driven back again.
And in that brief instant, the silhouette of a man was revealed.
Crack-crack-crack-crack!
After a long moment, as thunder echoed from the distant sky, the man slowly rose from his seat.
How many steps had he taken?
The man stopped in his tracks.
“….”
“….”
The man was not alone in the room.
People trembling with fear, their backs to the window, stared at the man standing before them.
Tap! Tap-tap! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
The water droplets striking the window soon turned into a downpour.
The man slowly opened his mouth.
“Have you all been well in my absence?”
The man smiled wickedly.
That name which struck fear into all who heard it.
It was none other than Dokgo Myeong.
The Cheonma Sect members facing him could only squeeze their eyes shut.

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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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