Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 278

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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 278
“You said you’d be leaving, but why rush off so quickly?”
Hwangbo Cheong personally poured tea into Dokgo Myeong’s cup as he spoke.
“I have many matters left unattended back home. Besides, with the family in such turmoil, an outsider’s presence would only add to the inconvenience, would it not?”
Dokgo Myeong let out a dry chuckle.
Hwangbo Cheong’s expression darkened.
“There’s no need for such caution. Would the family’s benefactor truly be so stingy?”
“I’m grateful for the sentiment alone.”
Hwangbo Cheong offered a bitter smile. There was no stopping someone determined to leave.
“Will you depart immediately?”
“Yes, there’s no need for you to see me off.”
“Nonsense. I haven’t even properly entertained you—I cannot fail to escort you out.”
“If you insist, then.”
And so Dokgo Myeong made his way to the main gate alongside Hwangbo Cheong.
The family compound was in disarray. Construction was underway in various places, and the expressions of the household members bore traces of tension and confusion.
‘This household has its own struggles.’
One could discern much from the faces of the servants.
‘Still, it’s better than my past life.’
In my previous life, the Hwangbo Family had to relinquish its name. The martial alliance established by the Moyong Family and Jeongheol Sect fell to the Martial Alliance, and the family’s fortune declined so severely that it scattered to the winds.
At that moment, Hwangbo Cheong spoke.
“Do you remember what I said? That we must change how we live going forward?”
“Yes, of course.”
“That will come to pass. The main family will change.”
…
“Over the coming months, we’ll reduce external affairs and undertake a comprehensive internal reorganization. As for the war with the Moyong Family, we’ll only provide the assistance that was already agreed upon.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“So you don’t misunderstand.”
Confusion flickered in Dokgo Myeong’s eyes.
Hwangbo Cheong continued calmly.
“I didn’t become your ally merely to repay a debt.”
“Then?”
“It means the main family now has blood debts to collect from the Jeongheol Sect. The household members know this as well.”
…
“The previous generation Family Head left us with words of wisdom: whether forgiveness or vengeance, leave no ashes behind.”
“You mean leave no lingering resentment?”
“And also, once you begin, see it through to the end.”
If you choose to forgive, forgive completely. If you choose vengeance, pursue it thoroughly without regret.
“The Hwangbo Family will transform. You need not worry.”
Dokgo Myeong let out a hollow laugh.
“I apologize for my rudeness.”
Yes, much has changed.
Even in decline, the Dokgo clan remains a prestigious lineage. There’s no need for worry.
Soon, the figure of Namgung Sohwa waiting for him near the main gate came into view.
Just as Dokgo Myeong was about to open his mouth for a final farewell, Hwangbo Cheong suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“I’ve been debating whether to bring this up, but would it be alright if I asked one last thing?”
“Yes? Ah, please go ahead.”
“If it’s an impertinent question, feel free to ignore it. But tell me—do you perhaps have a separate master outside of the Dokgo clan?”
My expression stiffened involuntarily.
After staring at Hwangbo Cheong for a moment, Dokgo Myeong slowly began to speak.
“Why are you curious about that?”
“A long time ago, I once saw someone wielding martial arts similar to yours. And that person was not of the Dokgo clan.”
“…!”
“When I was still young, he came to our main residence and requested a martial exchange. He said he wanted to experience the Hwangbo clan’s fist techniques to perfect his own martial arts. He had remarkable spirit.”
Though his voice was soft, it carried weight. Hwangbo Cheong seemed to remember that time vividly.
“It was so long ago that I wasn’t entirely certain, but seeing you brings it back. Powerful footwork, unusual techniques and movements, and those distinctive three-in-one true energies.”
“…!”
My eyes widened.
Could it be my Sect Leader?
Had that cursed Master actually set foot in the Hwangbo residence?
“Did you fight him directly?”
“I was too young then. I only watched from a distance as my father engaged him.”
“Do you perhaps remember his name?”
“Why would you ask me that?”
“The truth is, I only had a brief connection with my Sect Leader.”
“I see.”
Sensing there was more to the story, Hwangbo Cheong shook his head gently.
“Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing. What I heard was also an alias.”
“An alias… you say?”
“He introduced himself to my father as Mu-il.”
Dokgo Myeong’s expression fell with disappointment.
‘That’s absolutely not a name my Master would use.’
Mu-il. No matter how you heard it, it was an alias. Even if it were his real name, he would have changed it to something more refined and rarely used.
“You said you had a martial exchange. What kind of exchange was it?”
“It was strange.”
“Strange…?”
“How should I put it? Even thinking back on it now, I wonder if it wasn’t a dream. When I think about it, the fact that my father sparred with a stranger of unknown origin was itself peculiar.”
Hwangbo Cheong’s gaze grew distant. His eyes were hazy, as if recalling a very old memory.
“At first, it wasn’t such a fierce exchange. It was merely a matter of testing techniques and methods. But soon my father engaged with all his strength, as if facing a worthy opponent he’d rarely encounter in his lifetime.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It felt like they were exchanging their martial arts down to the very foundation. Though they clearly used different martial arts, it flowed together harmoniously—not like a fight, but like a perfect coordination.”
“I’m having trouble understanding this.”
Dokgo Myeong’s expression darkened.
“That’s the only way I can explain it. To my young eyes, this man Mu-il appeared to walk the earth, breathe, and throw his fists just like my father did. Looking back on it, I even wondered if I’d fallen under some sorcery—it was such a beautiful and fantastical sight.”
“Did the previous generation perhaps lose to him?”
Hwangbo Cheong’s brow furrowed slightly before he let out a hollow laugh.
“You have great faith for someone who doesn’t even know the name of a mere acquaintance.”
“Ah, that wasn’t what I meant. My apologies.”
I had inadvertently blurted out, “Your father lost to our Sect Leader, didn’t he?”
But from Dokgo Myeong’s perspective, it was a natural question.
‘If he truly were that person, the Hwangbo Family Head wouldn’t be the problem.’
If Mu-il were truly the Sect Leader, a fight shouldn’t have even been possible.
“If I must say, my father achieved victory, but it was essentially a draw. They stopped first and withdrew with courtesy.”
“….”
“After that incident, my father inspected the main family’s martial arts. From the very foundation.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. I only heard later from the elders of the sect that the main family’s martial studies grew significantly.”
Around then, Hwangbo Cheong seemed to recall something and exclaimed, then spoke.
“Come to think of it, after the match ended, my father asked this man Mu-il several questions.”
“Do you perhaps remember what he asked?”
“I think he asked if he was a general of the military. He denied it. The next question was even stranger. He asked if he was perhaps a descendant of the Secret Sect.”
“!”
The Secret Sect.
That name—the very one I had been contemplating—had emerged.
“Do you remember what he answered?”
“I don’t recall the exact answer well. But… I do remember he denied it firmly.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes deepened.
The vague explanations were words he couldn’t properly understand.
Why had Mu-il requested a match with the Hwangbo Family, and why had he held such a conversation with the previous Family Head?
‘…You said Heavenly Exterior Scripture shares fundamental similarities with many martial arts of the Central Plains.’
Was Mu-il truly the Sect Leader? At the very least, was he from the sect?
If so.
Or even if not.
‘Why did he cause such a commotion while traveling, yet make no contact whatsoever?’
Dokgo Myeong’s voice grew quiet.
“Thank you for telling me. However, I know so little that I have nothing to offer you in return.”
“Is he truly connected to your sect?”
“I’m not certain. But if someone of your standing as Family Head felt a sense of familiarity, it does seem likely.”
“What a shame. I had hoped this long-standing curiosity might finally be resolved.”
I too wanted to know.
The true identity of Heavenly Exterior Scripture and the Sect Leader, and their true purpose.
And the true nature of that living, breathing monster-like true energy that had burst forth when I fell into demonic possession.
‘Our fates are intertwined. When the time comes, we shall meet. As that person said.’
I had no idea what he was doing hiding away so carefully, but if we ever met, it seemed I’d need to grab him by the collar and have a proper conversation.
For that, I’d need to be sufficiently equipped with either reputation or martial prowess. If my Sect Leader was as I knew him, he’d probably reduce me to a pulp first before even considering taking me as a disciple.
“I should be heading out now. If I keep my deputy waiting any longer, she looks like she could kill someone with just a glare.”
Far off in the distance, Namgung Sohwa, who had been waiting for quite some time, was glaring at me with an expression as cold as the biting wind.
“Is that so? She treats me quite respectfully, though.”
“Even someone like me would show respect to an elder who recovered family lands and assets, wouldn’t you think?”
“…That’s a fair point.”
“In any case, I’ll be taking my leave. Please take care of yourself.”
“I’m grateful for everything.”
“No need for such formalities.”
* * *
Dokgo Myeong and Namgung Sohwa traveled on horseback, riding mounts borrowed from the Hwangbo Family.
They had originally offered a carriage, but I refused it outright.
With no escort, what if trouble arose on the road back with just the two of us? I simply asked them to help us use the relay stations instead.
And so, riding along the return path.
Namgung Sohwa suddenly asked a question.
“What were you discussing so seriously?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were having an incredibly grave conversation with the Family Head right before we left.”
Namgung Sohwa glanced sideways, studying Dokgo Myeong’s expression.
It seemed she had been observing him rather than simply angry from waiting.
“Was I really speaking so seriously?”
“You were as grave as when we encountered those Jeongheol Sect disciples.”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly and replied.
“It was about my martial lineage and my Sect Leader, so I suppose I couldn’t help myself.”
“Your martial lineage and Sect Leader? Ah….”
She had heard it mentioned in passing before, but it was a topic that always seemed to slip away vaguely.
Curiosity flickered in Namgung Sohwa’s eyes.
“What kind of person is this Sect Leader of yours?”
“Unpredictable, incredibly rough and crude, yet remarkably refined and elegant all at once.”
“Pardon?”
How could such a person possibly exist in this world?
Then, suddenly, Namgung Sohwa thought to herself.
‘Ah, it’s none other than this man he taught. He could very well be a monster of the Three Heads and Six Arms….’
If that were the case, the differing evaluations made sense.
As Namgung Sohwa nodded quietly to herself, Dokgo Myeong narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“What is it? Your expression looks quite displeased.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“In any case… he was an enigma. Before I truly understood the Family Head, I thought he was the greatest swordmaster under heaven.”
“You’re speaking of Elder Sword Master? To that extent?”
Namgung Sohwa was startled.
The Sword Sovereign who seemed to pierce through all existence itself, gazing down at the world from beyond the clouds.
She was saying he could be compared to Dokgo Cheon.
“I don’t know what the reality is. That’s simply how I perceived it at the time.”
“…I see. Still, if he was capable of creating and teaching the Heavenly Beyond Scripture, he must certainly be no ordinary figure.”
“Creation, you say. I’m not even certain this martial art was truly created by a single person.”
Dokgo Myeong clenched and unclenched his fist.
Since he began transforming his own enlightenment into martial techniques and practicing them, one conviction had taken root within him.
‘The Heavenly Beyond Scripture is not a martial art that a single genius could create.’
It wasn’t because of the depth of the martial art or its unconventional form and structure.
To compile so many martial techniques and bind them into one, I became convinced that even a genius of legendary proportions could not accomplish it in a single generation.
If that were so, then surely….
“Ugh, I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
Dokgo Myeong stretched languidly and redirected his thoughts. Trying to piece together a puzzle with so little evidence made his head throb.
Soon he casually changed the subject.
“Regardless, this matter concluded without major complications. How did it feel?”
“I realized the road ahead is long.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“I feel the same way.”
Even with Dokgo Un-hak pressing forward so forcefully, they cowered because of his reputation and ability.
Reputation in the martial world was influence itself.
Through this war, I had to make my name resound across all heaven and earth.
And….
“Let’s search for that branch family member who changed their surname after the war with the Moyong Family ends.”
“Yes.”
Her revenge was now within reach.
“When we shatter the Moyong plaque, only then can we reclaim so much.”
The family’s former territories, the secret manuals of the main house that they stole.
And even the remains of her family that she had no choice but to abandon and flee from.

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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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