Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 320

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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 320
“Goodness, this takes so much effort. So much effort.”
Dokgo Myeong muttered with a hollow sigh, watching Namgung Sohwa lost in a trance as she wielded her blade.
Life is truly difficult.
How much easier would it be if one simply accepted what was good and let things unfold as they would, living carelessly?
‘But that’s precisely why I remain attached to the Cheonma Sect.’
The inner demon had arisen from the entanglement of vengeance. Had I purely enjoyed martial arts and trained without such burdens, I would never have harbored such concerns.
Living as I do, there are moments when I realize that the cruelest force in my life is not others, but myself.
Those who lived heavy lives felt this most acutely. Even living itself was arduous, yet the things buried in one’s heart kept catching the eye, refusing to be ignored.
‘It would be easier to turn away.’
Yet by deliberately stopping to face it, the burden becomes heavier, and shame arises from the very fact of feeling that burden. In truth, only the truly strong can turn back and take responsibility.
But that aside.
‘Is it beginning soon?’
Namgung Sohwa sat in lotus position with a vacant expression.
From her entire body, immersed in cultivation, the Cangong Qi poured forth endlessly.
Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth slightly.
“So, what are all of you doing here?”
“….”
“These people?”
“Ahem!”
Rustle!
Four figures emerged, parting through the undergrowth.
The remaining managers.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled.
“If you have spare time, train. If training is too difficult, rest. What are you doing here?”
“Well, it’s just….”
“We were a bit worried about her.”
“Huh? Weren’t you two just saying you wanted to go see something?”
“Ah, you reckless fool.”
“You have no sense of the situation.”
“What, what?!”
“To surpass me like this. I must redouble my efforts.”
As the managers each spoke their piece, the surroundings quickly grew noisy.
How many years had they spent together? It seemed all the managers were subtly paying attention to Namgung Sohwa’s changes.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled and turned his gaze forward again.
“Hm?”
At that peculiar reaction, the managers’ gazes also turned toward Namgung Sohwa.
‘What?’
‘Hmm?’
The managers’ expressions grew slightly strange.
Dokgo Ak immediately cried out with a gasp.
“Insane! What, what is that!”
Waaaah!
Threads of blue light were unraveling from every inch of Namgung Sohwa’s body.
If it were merely radiance, I could dismiss it. After all, when masters break through realms, they naturally cause a commotion with phenomena like the Five Qi Converging to the Origin or the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, blooming flowers and forming halos.
But….
“Why, why is she levitating in mid-air while sitting in lotus position!?”
“Ugh! What, what is that!”
“Sister!”
She was flying through the sky.
Not merely flying, but hovering at eye level while continuously releasing terrifying waves of energy.
“Is, is that supposed to be okay?”
“Ah, Captain! I’m losing my mind, truly! What have you done now!”
“I didn’t do anything!”
“Then what is it? Why is she doing this!”
“How should I know! Go ask her family elders in the afterlife!”
“Wow, spouting heresy as naturally as breathing.”
“But Captain, you’re the strongest among us—if you don’t know, who would!”
“Shouldn’t we grab her and bring her down?”
“What if she enters a demonic trance!”
“Ah! Stop your infernal noise! Be quiet! You’re just getting in the way!”
Only after Dokgo Myeong bellowed did the managers finally close their mouths.
“These people never do anything peacefully! This is why I can never rest easy!”
Dokgo Myeong shouted and began examining Namgung Sohwa with his senses. Naturally, the managers wore expressions of disbelief.
‘Does he have no conscience?’
‘He caused such chaos when he underwent his own transformation. This is nothing compared to what he did.’
Dokgo Myeong stared intently at Namgung Sohwa before releasing a sigh of relief.
“Phew, fortunately this appears to be a characteristic of the Heavenly Void Great Flame Divine Art.”
“Pardon?”
“In short, there’s no problem.”
That was when it happened.
Gooooooh!
The threads of inner force spreading in all directions rapidly began being drawn back into Namgung Sohwa’s body.
Boom!
Immediately, a violent gust of wind swept through.
“Cough! Cough!”
“Ugh, what is this.”
A haze of sand rose up.
Only after someone used force to blow the sand dust skyward did the surrounding scene become visible.
“Haaah….”
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes slowly opened as she sat in lotus position.
Soon she trembled slightly.
“Huh? What? Why is everyone here?”
She looked around at the group with a bewildered expression.
“Oh! Did I spend several days in meditation?”
“No… that’s not quite it…”
Dokgo Ak wore an awkward expression.
In the strange silence that followed, Cheolmu-baek spoke.
“Congratulations.”
“Pardon?”
“On achieving the Great Accomplishment.”
Only then did Namgung Sohwa’s eyes widen as she let out an exclamation.
“Ah!”
Her mind felt clear, as if a veil had been lifted.
The techniques that once required painstaking effort now seemed as simple as breathing, and my spirit, vital energy, and body felt as though they would respond as one.
The unity of essence, energy, and spirit.
The ascended realm.
Even if the distinctions between levels were meaningless, how could one not treasure such an achievement?
Namgung Sohwa looked at Dokgo Myeong with an overwhelmed expression.
“C-Captain!”
“…”
“Is it… is it really true? Did I really…?”
Dokgo Myeong grinned and opened his mouth.
“Before that, don’t you have something to say?”
“…What?”
Dokgo Myeong’s lips curled up with the expression of someone who had caught his prey.
“You were complaining about every hardship under the sun, saying you weren’t in the mood for this. Where did that dejected person go? Hm?”
“…!”
“You were moping around alone, digging into the ground, and now look at you blooming with laughter? If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to lift my head. Ha! Now that I think about it, you guys, do you know what she said to me earlier…?”
“W-Wait! You’re really going to do this!?”
“And why did you act that way toward me? I was trying to help, but you just sulked alone, talking about consideration and whatnot…”
“Ah! Please don’t!”
Watching Dokgo Myeong laugh with glee, Namgung Sohwa had to writhe in self-reproach.
Wasn’t it natural to be sentimental in the early morning, only to feel embarrassed upon waking? Now that clarity had returned, the memories of my own words and actions came flooding back, and my face burned as if it might burst.
“Anyway! Answer me!”
“My, our Sohwa sure knows how to change the subject.”
“Come on!”
“What is it?”
“Is this… is this really the end?”
Namgung Sohwa asked with a trembling voice.
“Is this really all there is to it? Slipping through like a snake over a wall?”
Namgung Sohwa asked this while examining her body from different angles. She still seemed uncertain.
“I told you. It’s already complete—what more would changing it accomplish?”
“That means….”
“Are you still asking me for answers? You know this better than anyone, Sohwa.”
“…!”
Namgung Sohwa’s eyes widened.
She immediately drew her sword.
Whoosh!
The heavy flow of Daeyeon Divine Force.
Neither the force nor the blade wavered.
In truth, there was no need to test it this way.
‘I didn’t need to compare myself to others, nor did I need to feel burdened by what I’m trying to accomplish.’
Namgung Sohwa broke into a radiant smile.
Only then did Dokgo Myeong speak.
“Congratulations. You’ve now joined the ranks of a true master of the generation.”
“…!”
Dokgo Myeong turned to look at the managers.
“All of you need to be careful now.”
“….”
“Sohwa has leaped ahead first? From now on, she’ll be ahead of all of you in sparring records, won’t she?”
The realm of ascension.
Namgung Sohwa was the first to touch beyond it.
Steel must be heated and hammered to become a sword. The more she had wavered, the harder and sharper a blade she would become.
“….”
A fierce intensity ignited in the eyes of the managers watching Namgung Sohwa.
They were comrades who could stake their lives for one another, but competition meant something different. They cared for each other more than anyone, yet simultaneously desired to surpass one another.
‘Next, it will be me.’
‘Being first to go doesn’t mean being first to arrive at the end.’
‘Someday, I too….’
The managers’ eyes gleamed.
Dokgo Myeong watched them with a faint smile.
‘You’re all not far behind, you lot.’
Everyone simply needed the right catalyst.
Yet I can’t help but feel sorry that you’ll find that catalyst on the battlefield.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been smiling bitterly, suddenly opened his mouth.
“Let’s try to keep things just like this going forward.”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t let it become too heavy, don’t let it become too serious—keep it light, and sometimes even a bit deflated, you know?”
“…?”
“That way, once everything is finished, we can have a proper celebration over a drink without any awkwardness, don’t you think?”
Yes, this is exactly the right amount.
This atmosphere of something being just slightly off—isn’t that precisely what the Cheonma Sect is?
‘But….’
It’s truly a shame.
Today is perfect just like this, yet now it’s slowly coming to an end.
‘I need to prepare and depart soon.’
The battlefield awaited them.
* * *
Namgung Sohwa had about a day’s time before she would break through her realm and consolidate her enlightenment.
During this period, the entire Cheonma Sect halted their training and rested as much as possible.
And on the promised seventh day.
Someone from the main family arrived to take charge of Namchang.
“Elder?”
“Good to see you.”
It was Eon Yeop-pyeong, the family head of the Eon clan, who stood as the foremost among the old meritorious officials.
“I heard you were wounded in the battle with the Moyong Family Head. Are you well?”
“Word of that reached you?”
“It was quite the commotion.”
“They say there are no secrets in this world, yet I specifically asked them not to spread it. Everyone made a fuss over what was merely a glancing wound.”
I’m more ashamed of being wounded by that rootless fool in the first place.
Eon Yeop-pyeong muttered similar sentiments before getting to the main point.
“I’ve brought as much of the requested supplies as possible.”
“Ah, the main family’s situation is quite stable then?”
“The Geumsan Sect Leader’s capabilities are quite impressive.”
“Ha, Son Gang has truly become a capable man.”
“You’ve played far too significant a role in this war. Our elders’ expectations for you are truly immense.”
As Eon Yeop-pyeong was conducting a handover inspection, walking through the barracks where the wounded were gathered, he suddenly stopped.
He gently grasped Dokgo Myeong’s hand with his wrinkled fingers.
“May I ask you one thing?”
Eon Yeop-pyeong spoke in a subtle tone.
“Please, go ahead.”
“Did you perhaps already place your bets on everything beforehand?”
“Pardon?”
Crack!
Eon Yeop-pyeong applied force to the hand he held, his expression maintaining a gentle smile.
“I can’t fault you for reaping the rewards of foresight and monopoly. However, you must be somewhat moderate and tactful about it, mustn’t you? Do you understand?”
“I’m not sure what you mean, sir…?”
“Not long ago, the Overseer discovered suspicious activity among merchants who were handling supplies—from trivial matters like tent cloth, charcoal, and medicinal herbs for the barracks, to armor and daggers.”
“….”
“I hear you’re merchants who’ve frequently met with the Geumsan Sect Leader, and have quite a bit of influence with him? Moreover, in the process of using the family’s public funds, there were unauthorized medicinal herbs and such….”
“What are you saying, sir? I’m someone who threw myself into the battlefield to save lives. Would I really scheme to pocket something like that? This is truly a grave misunderstanding.”
“Breathe and speak.”
“….”
Eon Yeop-pyeong’s voice dropped sharply.
“So do it in moderation. Moderation.”
“Hehe, I’m not sure what you mean, sir.”
“Yes, for now it’s acceptable.”
Dokgo Myeong broke into a cold sweat.
Wow, I got caught. Our family Overseer really is sharp—too sharp, isn’t he?
But the fact that he said nothing even after catching me means this level is acceptable, doesn’t it?
‘Our Tae-im is doing well.’
Dokgo Myeong smiled and spoke.
“In any case, that remark means all the things I requested have been approved.”
“They’ve been distributed in abundance. By now, they should have reached the front lines.”
That’s good then.
And I’ve managed to line my pockets a bit in the process—there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?
“The Three Great Families also deserve credit for providing military funds instead of troops.”
“The Three Great Families….”
“It was the Jegal Family Head’s intention.”
He apparently judged that securing his share when the war ends and merit is divided was more important than dealing with the aftermath of the attack.
In any case, why are there so many people harboring snakes in their bellies?
“In any case, if it’s been sufficiently distributed to the front lines, then the last remaining concern has been eliminated.”
“Are you certain of the main family’s victory?”
“Of course.”
“I heard recent battle reports haven’t been coming in?”
The last information I received was that the Pacheonggun and the Left Army had clashed. With Gae-bang’s intervention blocked and Jeongheol disciples running rampant, information from the front lines had dried up completely.
“We will still win. We’re simply moving quickly to ensure victory.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Eon Yeop-pyeong nodded.
“Then, while you’re at it, how about taking one more person along?”
“Pardon?”
“There’s someone who wants to join the Cheonma Sect. I brought them myself. They should have arrived by now….”
Eon Yeop-pyeong’s gaze turned toward something in the distance.
A familiar face was approaching that way.
“It’s been a while.”
At that calm voice, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes widened.

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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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