Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 279

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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 279
Whoooosh.
Cold wind tangled in the valley before scattering in all directions.
The ground remained frozen, and the mountain’s landscape was ashen gray. Spring still seemed distant.
Yet one spot halfway up the mountainside bloomed with verdant green. Flower buds peeked between tender leaves, and undergrowth sprouted through the fallen leaves below.
In the midst of it all stood a man.
“Huuuh.”
A prolonged, measured breath. The world seemed to breathe in rhythm with him.
The deep vital energy rippling across his entire body evoked the fresh vitality of a spring day.
The bearing of an immortal sage. If such beings existed, surely they would appear thus.
He was a man with thick eyebrows, a straight nose, and hair streaked with white, meticulously arranged without a strand out of place.
Even the wrinkles etched into his sculpted face harmonized perfectly. Though he appeared middle-aged, his ruddy complexion and upright posture made his exact age impossible to discern.
After considerable time had passed, the man’s lips slowly parted.
“You have arrived.”
His voice was clear and refreshing.
Crunch.
Immediately, the sound of footsteps on fallen leaves accompanied the appearance of an elderly beggar.
“Indeed, I have come. Have you been waiting long?”
An old man with a walking staff and a worn begging bowl at his waist—none other than Yongdu Sect Leader Bang Jong-san.
“Not for long.”
“New information arrived, so I delayed to deliver it all at once. If my arrival disturbs your cultivation, please take your time finishing and rise at your leisure.”
“It is no matter. How could I keep the Yongdu Sect Leader waiting?”
The man slowly opened his eyes.
Whoosh!
Something spread outward.
Whether it was a wave of energy or a sudden mountain breeze, none could say.
Simultaneously.
Flutter!
Something white like snowflakes brushed past Bang Jong-san’s eyebrows and drifted down.
Flower petals.
Bang Jong-san gazed around in admiration.
“Remarkable—the world remains so cold, yet this place alone enjoys an early spring.”
Bang Jong-san looked at the man with wonder.
The man bore many names.
In the upper realm, he was known as the Heavenly Insight Sage, one who perceived the future.
Among the Daoist schools of the Central Plains, he was called the Shadowless Sage, the last successor of the Complete Truth lineage.
And in the jianghu, he was known as one of the Three Sovereigns—the mysterious master called the Sword Immortal.
That name, not yet fully revealed to the world, belonged to none other than Baek Mu-heun.
“Is such a thing possible with the martial arts of the Hyunmun Jeongzong? Or is it something special to you, Sect Leader Baek?”
Bang Jong-san spoke while observing the place where Baek Mu-heun had entered his meditation.
“I’m still at an insufficient level. I fear I may have disturbed the Sect Leader’s qi perception.”
“Disturbed? To reach a state where you move in harmony with the vital energy of heaven and earth, yet still claim insufficiency?”
“To hear such words from the renowned Yongdu Sect Leader is hardly displeasing. I gratefully accept your praise.”
Beneath the unassuming and mysterious demeanor lay a quiet, unshakeable confidence.
Bang Jong-san let out a soft chuckle and opened his mouth.
“That aside, I’ve brought rather interesting news.”
“You’ve discovered the rats’ den?”
The rats’ den—a euphemism for the Jeongheol Sect’s secret branch.
“That would be dangerous news, not interesting. This is something else entirely.”
“The conference has concluded, it seems.”
“Indeed.”
Baek Mu-heun’s eyes gleamed with light.
The conference in Munan had already ended.
Both sides represented strength against strength. I had naturally expected it would take considerable time, yet the results had already emerged.
“Was the Sect Leader’s delay due to that?”
“Yes. What do you make of it?”
Bang Jong-san let out a low, amused chuckle.
“Jegal, Peng, and Hwangbo—all three took different positions and agreed to sign the joint petition. Moreover, it appears the Dokgo Household seized the initiative and shook things up.”
“Would you explain in detail?”
Bang Jong-san nodded and methodically explained the conference’s progression and results.
After the explanation concluded, he grinned and spoke.
“What do you think?”
“Shocking.”
“Shocking?”
“It concluded without complications. Had it been the Sword King, he would have chosen to force matters through sheer power. Could it be that young man, Dokgo Myeong?”
“Most likely. Sowing discord, inciting rebellion—exactly the sort of scheming that fellow enjoys.”
Bang Jong-san laughed with evident delight.
“What’s curious is how he gave the three great families a way to breathe. The Dokgo Household formed an alliance with the three families and agreed to receive their support…”
“The Dokgo Household’s monopoly will be somewhat restrained.”
“A clever move—he may have aimed for exactly that. Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that fellow’s head. To have the three family heads eating from his palm, no less. Hah!”
Baek Mu-heun’s eyes narrowed.
After pondering something briefly, he spoke.
“Eating from his palm…”
“What is it?”
“Did something happen to the Hwangbo Family?”
Bang Jong-san’s eyes widened.
“My, I was building suspense to surprise you. How did you know?”
“The Hwangbo Family Head was already deteriorating beyond repair. If he escaped the Jegal Family Head’s grasp, then Dokgo Myeong must have held something far sweeter in his hands.”
“Precisely. Currently, the Hwangbo Family is conducting internal reorganization and has agreed to temporarily seal their gates. Can you estimate the scope?”
Baek Mu-heun swallowed the exclamation threatening to escape between his teeth.
‘How can such a person even exist in this world?’
How long had it been since I last felt such a chilling sensation?
‘Dokgo Myeong, Dokgo Myeong…’
I had assumed he would be among the most renowned martial artists in the jianghu, the kind who earned the title of hero.
But I never imagined he could manipulate the household leaders like puppets on strings.
“In any case, the Shandong region will be in turmoil for some time.”
“There are already reports of people fleeing in the dead of night without clear reason. They’re cutting their losses and running.”
Baek Mu-heun nodded calmly.
A brief silence descended.
Baek Mu-heun murmured while gazing at the mountain landscape.
“So now… the true war will begin.”
“…”
Bang Jong-san fell silent.
The jianghu was always stained with blood, but the volume would be different now.
An era no one had ever experienced was approaching. The hinges of the door leading to chaos creaked open.
“Much blood will flow.”
At Baek Mu-heun’s words, Bang Jong-san’s expression became peculiar.
“In the tone of the Sect Leader, I sense something other than concern or worry.”
“Heh, you say concern?”
Baek Mu-heun, who had been laughing, shook his head.
“What meaning would there be in my worrying alone when the era itself demands blood?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Let the blood flow as it must.”
“…!”
“Do chaotic times birth heroes, or do heroes create chaos? The only thing that ever matters is what I will do.”
And perhaps that young man thinks the same way.
Though I had never met him face to face, I felt a powerful attraction emanating from that young man.
Baek Mu-heun turned to look at Bang Jong-san.
“I believe I’ve seen enough now.”
“Seen what?”
“That young man.”
Baek Mu-heun’s voice grew more serious.
“What if we had that young man show his face at the Secret Council?”
The Secret Council.
Also known as the Secret Righteousness Council, it was a gathering of masters from various jianghu sects.
But its true nature was a secret organization I had created to confront the hidden enemy—the Blood Sect—under the banner of righteous chivalry.
Bang Jong-san’s eyes gleamed.
“Would that be acceptable?”
“I welcomed the idea from the start. The Secret Council is a gathering where anyone with clear conviction and purpose can be admitted. No one would question Dokgo Myeong’s qualifications.”
“That’s fortunate. He wanted to meet the Sect Leader anyway.”
Yes, that’s how it was back then.
At that time, Dokgo Myeong wasn’t yet fated to become entangled with him.
But can I say the same now?
“Where is that young man now?”
“Why do you ask?”
“A young man with such capability deserves a personal visit as a matter of courtesy.”
Baek Mu-heun smiled.
* * *
Roooaaarrr!
A roar echoed along the mountain path.
It was Hoa’s cry.
When he was by my side, he was nothing more than an oversized cat, but running wild in the mountains, he was every bit the ferocious beast.
“Tsk, the creature’s been sleeping constantly lately, but now that we’re in the mountains, he’s gone completely wild. At least he should have some sense of territory—what’s he doing in someone else’s domain?”
“…You’re lecturing a beast about territory?”
“It’s just a figure of speech! Just a figure of speech!”
“Ah, yes.”
Since Dokgo Myeong and Namgung Sohwa could always find him no matter how fast they rode, I let Hoa roam freely. The creature seemed restless anyway.
For the animals living in these mountains, it would be like a bolt from the blue, but what could I do? Still, he’s a mystical beast—he should exercise some restraint.
“By the way, why are we heading back so quickly?”
“Yes, things will be hectic now. Every moment counts.”
“I see.”
“I should gather what information I can along the way, but by the time we arrive, war preparations will likely be in their final stages.”
On the way back, changing horses at the relay stations.
Though merely rumors, unsettling news kept reaching my ears one after another.
News that final negotiations between the Moyong Family and the Dokgo Household had broken down, news that warrior contingents from both families had clashed in the Jiangxi region resulting in casualties, and so on.
The most serious were the strange rumors related to the Moyong Family’s main branch.
That ghost horses from a previous era had been discovered near the family compound, that bizarre and eerie music echoed beyond the walls, that an entire village near Zhejiang had vanished in the dead of night…
Each time Namgung Sohwa heard such news, her face grew increasingly tense.
“Could these stories be true?”
“Who knows? They could be malicious rumors spread by the main branch, or they could be entirely real.”
Namgung Sohwa nodded.
“The commander said so too. That this war won’t be easy.”
“Yes. Though no one believes it no matter who I tell.”
I really went around proclaiming it loudly, but no one believed me.
Neither the Outer Hall Master nor the Elder Council Leader took it seriously. They seemed confident in victory.
‘They don’t understand war.’
Perhaps the Elder Council Leader understands it somewhat.
No, she too is old. The knowledge and wisdom she possesses are rooted in a bygone era.
What the Dokgo Household faced wasn’t a noble martial arts duel but a muddy, vicious brawl.
“But the Dokgo Household is strong. Besides, the Three Great Families promised their support too. Do you still think it will be difficult?”
“Things have already deviated significantly from my expectations.”
“Pardon?”
“I originally thought the Jeongheol Sect would abandon the Moyong Family to some degree.”
Yet the Jeongheol Sect had instead completely absorbed the Moyong Family.
Gae-bang and my allies didn’t seem to find anything particularly strange about it, but knowing the future as I do, I couldn’t help but wonder why they would go to such lengths.
‘They could simply discard it and hide again.’
In my previous life, the Jeongheol Sect swallowed the Moyong Family only after establishing their own alliance. Thanks to that, the Martial Alliance was formed, but the Central Plains had already suffered a devastating blow by then.
So what about now? I’ve already derailed their plans before they even began. Yet they’ve instead embraced the Moyong Family.
‘Because of this, the strategy hasn’t changed. This war will expose them to the surface, firmly establish the Martial Alliance, and prepare for a full-scale conflict. But….’
It feels ominous.
Will they really commit to an all-out war? That cunning Jeongheol Sect?
I’m uncertain what they’re truly after.
‘I can’t shake the feeling that they’re plotting something strange. I’ll know once I see it unfold.’
As I rode forward, my thoughts grew increasingly deeper.
If they threw their full strength at us with the intention of perishing together with the Dokgo Household… it wouldn’t be easy.
“Is it hypocrisy to hope that not too much blood is spilled?”
At my sudden words, Namgung Sohwa hesitated.
Clop, clop, clop.
For a while, only the sound of hoofbeats striking the ground continued.
Namgung Sohwa drew alongside me and spoke.
“Isn’t it simply hoping that meaningless lives don’t fall to the dust?”
I let out a soft laugh.
Soon I spoke with a noticeably lighter expression.
“By now, the armored soldiers should have arrived at Baek Yeon Cheolbang. The disciples have likely internalized their basic techniques well enough. It’s time to move to the next phase.”
The supply of true heavenly martial arts and healing elixirs shouldn’t take much longer either.
Namgung Sohwa asked with a worried tone.
“But will there be time for that?”
“There will be.”
“Why?”
“Because our confident Outer Hall Master and the Elder Council Leader have decided not to deploy the Demon Slaying Corps to the front lines.”
“Didn’t you have another plan then?”
“Plan? What plan? When the superiors give orders, what can we do? It’s just….”
Suddenly, my expression hardened.
I lowered my voice and spoke.
“Sohwa, we’re being tailed.”
“….”
“I can’t hear Hoa’s cries. No, this is….”
My eyes gleamed.
“An encirclement.”
Unlike before, no further explanation was necessary. She responded with a calm voice.
“Should we break through?”
Dokgo Myeong shook his head.
Then he reached toward the horse’s waist.
Clang!
The Hyeonchul Sword, separated into two halves and hung at his sides, merged into one in his grasp.
Dokgo Myeong, wielding the Hyeonchul Heavy Sword like a great blade, grasped the horse’s reins with his other hand as he spoke.
“You noticed and came to greet me. Show yourself. What business do you have here?”
Silence descended upon the mountain path.
A moment later, sounds of movement came from behind a tree.
A pale-faced old man in a white robe.
He shook his head slowly.
“I never expected you to see through it so quickly.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes narrowed.
“Moyong?”
“Indeed. I have no intention of fighting—I merely wish to have a brief conversation.”
It was yet another unexpected encounter.

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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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