Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 38

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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 38
Time flowed swiftly.
The tumultuous Geumbun Seso Ritual had come to an end, and the Jingcheng Alliance gradually regained its vitality.
One by one, the guests who had arrived at the Jingcheng Alliance took their leave.
Dokgo Myeong also prepared to depart.
“You’ve gone through so much trouble. I’m truly grateful, Myeong Sohyeop.”
“Please, don’t mention it. You’ve had the harder time of it.”
Kang Yeop-cheong accompanied Dokgo Myeong to the front gate of the Jingcheng Alliance alongside Im Cheong-gun, seeing him off.
Im Cheong-gun, standing beside them, spoke with a hollow laugh.
“You could stay a bit longer. Why are you in such a hurry?”
“I’ve eaten my fill and drunk my fill, so it’s time I headed back. Besides, I suspect things will get rather noisy back at the family estate over this matter.”
“…Ah, yes, I suppose that’s true.”
Im Cheong-gun nodded in agreement.
From the Dokgo Clan’s perspective, this was an unprecedented calamity.
They’d sent two young direct descendants to maintain appearances, only to have talk of war circulate and word spread that they’d made a pact with the Paedobyeon Leader himself.
On top of that, they suddenly announced the end of trade negotiations—truly a shocking turn of events.
“More than that, isn’t the Jingcheng Alliance the real problem? It seems like things will get quite busy from here on.”
“Yeop-cheong will do well.”
“Hmm…”
Both Im Cheong-gun and Dokgo Myeong’s gazes turned toward Kang Yeop-cheong simultaneously.
In truth, Kang Yeop-cheong faced the greater burden. He would need to formally assume the position of Alliance Leader and build trust with the sect members.
Moreover, five sect members had been lost in this incident.
Recovery would be extraordinarily difficult. Without question, there would be much to handle—dealing with the involved sects, punishing those responsible, and preparing defenses against the Paedobyeon.
The road ahead was fraught with hardship.
“You need not worry.”
Kang Yeop-cheong’s eyes gleamed as he smiled with confidence.
“Next time, I shall invite you not in this chaotic atmosphere, but to offer you a proper reception. Please look forward to it.”
Dokgo Myeong let out a soft chuckle.
The clumsy demeanor from before had vanished, replaced now by a dependable gaze befitting a true man.
“That sounds good. Well then, I really must be going now.”
“Yes, travel safely. I’m truly grateful, Sohyeop.”
“Until next time.”
Dokgo Myeong waved his hand briskly and rejoined the Dokgo Clan’s entourage with ease.
“We depart!”
As Dokgo Myeong returned, Seo Ryun, the captain of the guards, called out.
Thus the Dokgo Clan’s delegation began to advance gradually forward.
Kang Yeop-cheong and Im Cheong-gun, master and disciple, quietly watched their departing figures.
“Yeop-cheong.”
“Yes, Master.”
“So a hidden dragon was living within the Dokgo Clan.”
“….”
Kang Yeop-cheong nodded.
Or perhaps this was no longer a dormant dragon, but one already ascending to godhood.
Yet fear did not grip him.
For that dragon had chosen to regard them as friends.
“I must strive all the harder to be a friend worthy of such honor.”
“Haha.”
Im Cheong-gun patted his disciple’s shoulder affectionately.
Kang Yeop-cheong smiled and turned to leave.
* * *
The road back was crowded.
Processions from other sects departing the Jingcheng Alliance were scattered throughout.
Thus the delegation proceeded at a leisurely pace. There was no particular reason to hurry as there had been before.
“Phew, finally heading home. I thought I’d die from exhaustion.”
Dokgo Myeong stretched languidly inside the carriage.
From the very first venture into Gangho, I had thought my bones would break.
Still, I had gained quite a lot. Thinking of the spirit herb I had carefully tucked away in my bosom, a satisfied smile crept across my face.
‘Heh! I haven’t even eaten, yet I’m already full.’
Dokgo Myeong smiled, basking in the pleasant sunlight.
“Hold on, let’s talk for a moment, Dokgo Myeong.”
Of course, that was only until Dokgo Ak burst into the carriage.
“What are you planning to do from now on?”
Dokgo Ak clicked his tongue and plopped down in front of Dokgo Myeong.
Tap-tap-tap!
He bounced his legs noisily while gnawing at his lips—utterly restless.
What’s all this racket about now?”
“How can you sit there so calmly?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This whole affair! How do you plan to clean up the mess when we return to the Family?”
“Mess? Clean up?”
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head in confusion.
Dokgo Ak burst out shouting.
“You spoke recklessly of war, sided with the Jingcheng Alliance, and on top of everything, made enemies of the Paedobyeon! The Family Head must have heard of it too… Damn it!”
“What are you saying?”
“Why do you keep pretending not to understand?”
“No, I mean.”
Dokgo Myeong leaned forward with a grin.
“Why should I be the one to clean up this mess?”
“What?”
“I didn’t do anything, did I?”
Dokgo Ak’s eyes widened in shock.
“What? You did nothing? You, you orchestrated everything!”
“Do you have proof?”
“…!”
Dokgo Ak’s body swayed.
“You, you… surely you didn’t… do all this just to…?”
Dokgo Ak’s mouth fell open.
“Well, you’ve worked hard.”
Pat, pat!
At the hand patting his shoulder with a smirk, Dokgo Ak trembled violently.
“Yes… that’s good.”
“Huh?”
“Only someone of my caliber could take responsibility for something like this.”
Soon Dokgo Ak’s eyes gleamed with determination.
“Then I’ll make you have no choice but to acknowledge me!”
What is he suddenly saying?
Dokgo Myeong blinked.
His condition seems to be deteriorating by the moment?
But at that instant, Dokgo Myeong’s face hardened.
“What, what is it? Why suddenly…?”
At the chillingly cold gaze, Dokgo Ak flinched.
Dokgo Myeong stood up abruptly.
“Be quiet. It’s not because of you.”
“What?”
That was when it happened.
“Stop! Everyone stop!”
From outside the carriage came Seo Ryun’s urgent cry.
Thud!
The carriage came to an abrupt halt.
Dokgo Myeong slowly opened the carriage door.
“Young Master! My apologies. Right ahead…”
Seo Ryun rushed over, raising his voice urgently.
“Never mind. I felt it too.”
“Sir?”
Dokgo Myeong stepped out of the carriage, furrowing his brow.
Whoooosh…
The texture of the air had changed. A sinister killing intent clung to the wind that blew toward them.
The procession had entered a mountain path. That ominous aura emanated from directly ahead on the road.
Dokgo Myeong’s lips curved into a smile.
“Ah, so that’s why our departure was so quiet.”
Ahead on the path, a group of people stood blocking the way.
Dokgo Ak, who had descended after them, spotted it and widened his eyes in surprise.
“What… what are those guys? Huh? That uniform…”
“The Paedobyeon.”
Dokgo Myeong answered.
Then a man from the Paedobyeon group stepped forward and approached them.
The man stopped directly in front of the Dokgo Family’s procession and opened his mouth.
“I am Jeong, Commander of the Paedobyeon’s Shadowless Unit. I apologize for blocking your path.”
Seo Ryun stood before him with his hand resting on his sword’s hilt.
“What business does the Paedobyeon have blocking the Dokgo Family’s way?”
“…”
Jeong closed his mouth and gazed at something.
His gaze, dripping with hostility, was directed at Dokgo Myeong.
“Young Master Dokgo Myeong. The Leader wishes to meet with you.”
At Jeong’s words, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed with interest.
* * *
Despite everyone’s opposition, Dokgo Myeong accepted Wi Mu-jin’s invitation.
Wi Mu-jin sat perched on a flat, broad stone placed to the side of the path.
“What kind of ruffian behavior is this, blocking the road like some back-alley thug?”
Dokgo Myeong spoke bluntly and laughed with a sneer.
“Ah, but what’s the difference? You’re from the same heterodox sect, aren’t you?”
Whoosh!
The already tense atmosphere froze cold.
The Paedobyeon’s warriors displayed their killing intent with furious eyes.
Wi Mu-jin chuckled.
“I can’t tell if you’re fearless or just mad.”
“Enough. What’s your business?”
“I simply wanted to speak with you. In the Jingcheng Alliance, there are too many eyes watching, making it difficult to arrange a meeting.”
“You don’t want to continue the fight we couldn’t finish back then?”
“That would be nice too, but…”
He shook his head dismissively.
“Never mind. I’m not in the mood.”
At those words, the Paedobyeon warriors glanced at Wi Mu-jin with surprised expressions.
The Battle King had backed down from a fight.
The very fact that he had brushed aside such an arrogant provocation so casually revealed his profound interest in Dokgo Myeong.
“Do you drink?”
Wi Mu-jin suddenly raised a wine bottle and asked.
Seo Ryun hurriedly whispered to Dokgo Myeong.
“Young Master, this is not advisable.”
To stand facing each other like this was already problematic, and now to drink?
The danger of poison was secondary; the real issue was that a heretical sect member was engaging in a drinking contest with me. It was something that should never have happened.
Yet Dokgo Myeong stared directly at Wi Mu-jin and opened his mouth.
“It should be good wine, at least.”
“Are you particular about your wine?”
“No, if I’m drinking with some heretical sect nobody, the wine should at least be decent, shouldn’t it?”
“It’s Dragon’s Tear Wine. This should suffice.”
Wi Mu-jin swirled the bottle casually.
A premium vintage presented only to the imperial court.
Dokgo Myeong walked over with heavy steps and plunked himself down before the Paedobyeon Leader.
* * *
“Jeong. Everyone withdraw.”
“Seo Commander. Fall back.”
At the commands of Dokgo Myeong and Wi Mu-jin, who sat facing each other, the commanders of both groups widened their eyes.
“Leader! But…”
“Young Master!”
However, Dokgo Myeong and Wi Mu-jin did not retract their words.
“If you keep surrounding us like this, I’ll get indigestion from the wine. Quietly withdraw.”
“Young Master. Your opponent is the Paedobyeon Leader.”
“That’s an order.”
“…!”
Thus both the Shadowless Unit and the White Tiger Guards withdrew beyond ten paces.
Wi Mu-jin and Dokgo Myeong shared wine cups in silence.
Wi Mu-jin watched Dokgo Myeong, who drank continuously, with a peculiar gaze.
“You truly have no fear.”
“Of what?”
“Don’t you consider that poison might be in the wine?”
Dokgo Myeong frowned.
“I already dislike drinking with a heretical sect bastard, and now you keep ruining the taste of this fine wine with such talk?”
Gulp!
Dokgo Myeong drained his cup in one go and spoke.
“If I wanted to kill someone I despised enough to poison fine wine like this, I would have thrown my fists at them long ago.”
Wi Mu-jin’s thick eyebrows twitched.
He regarded Dokgo Myeong with curious eyes.
“Interesting. You understand me very well.”
“How could I not know the greatest martial artist under heaven?”
“No. You knew me from the very beginning, didn’t you?”
“…”
Wi Mu-jin continued.
“Was this entire affair aimed at me from the start?”
“Why do you think so?”
“I’m not entirely sure. You might call it intuition.”
Wi Mu-jin smiled, toying with his wine cup.
Though he called it intuition, his eyes gleamed with absolute certainty.
“Even I, Wi Mu-jin, was thoroughly defeated without any means to counter it. This could not have happened unless everything was already arranged.”
Wi Mu-jin’s eyes blazed with intensity.
“Do you harbor a grudge against me?”
The sudden question made Dokgo Myeong pause.
Wi Mu-jin stared intently at Dokgo Myeong’s lips.
After a moment, Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth.
“A pointless question.”
“Why is that?”
Dokgo Myeong drained his cup in one gulp and met Wi Mu-jin’s gaze directly.
“What if I did?”
A memory of the past that never occurred, and a future that would never come to pass.
During the war with the Twin Demon League, when the Paedobyeon struck the Martial Arts Alliance from behind, leaving the Demon Slaying Unit in dire straits—the scene tore through his mind.
-You bastard! Open your eyes! What are you doing!
-Captain. I’m done for.
-Forget about revenge. Later, let’s give that unlucky thug a proper taste of hell.
Dokgo Myeong opened his tightly shut eyes and exhaled a long breath.
It was something that never happened anyway.
This was merely an excuse.
“…Or if I didn’t, would anything truly change?”
Wi Mu-jin fell silent for a moment.
Then he grinned wickedly.
“No, nothing would change.”
“You see? I simply dislike what you desire.”
Curiosity flickered in Wi Mu-jin’s eyes.
“What I desire? You claim to know this?”
“Dominion over all under heaven.”
The surroundings fell silent.
This time, Wi Mu-jin could not maintain his composure.
“Hahahaha!”
Laughter burst forth from between his lips.
It was his secret ambition—something the elders of the sect, his brilliant subordinates, and even his disciples dared not speak aloud.
Yet this young master, whom he had never seen before, had pierced through it without hesitation.
“How did you know?”
“I simply saw it.”
“I see.”
Wi Mu-jin’s laughter ceased abruptly.
In that same instant, the sinister gleam in his eyes deepened considerably.
“…Over two hundred years since the great war.”
The Paedobyeon Leader spoke in a languid voice.
“An age of peace has arrived. But is it truly so?”
“….”
“Because of this peace, everyone hoards their strength. The Cheontian Society of Sichuan, the Nine Sects of Zhongyuan led by the Four Great Families and Three Renowned Schools, your Dokgo Clan, and… my Paedobyeon as well.”
Wi Mu-jin’s eyes turned cold.
“Each acts for their own gain, and nowhere does righteousness exist. Thanks to this, the Gangho has become like a towering haystack. A mere spark would ignite the flames of war across this haystack.”
Though unspoken, all knew the truth.
Every faction in the Gangho was building their strength.
Clack!
Wi Mu-jin set down his wine cup.
“The world is already in chaos. An unprecedented struggle for dominion of the realm will unfold, so how could I not welcome it?”
Dokgo Myeong narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
“So you intended to use the Jingcheng Alliance as a sacrifice to begin?”
“Merely the Jingcheng Alliance? No. This is… yes, merely a warm-up exercise.”
Wi Mu-jin spoke, resting his arm upon his raised knee.
“I lost this time.”
“….”
“But what you accomplished was nothing more than buying time. In the end, the Jingcheng Alliance will fall into my grasp.”
Whoooosh!
He neither summoned his inner force nor revealed killing intent. Yet the very aura emanating from him made the air itself tremble.
And Dokgo Myeong watched this with a scoff.
“Try it.”
“….”
“As long as my eyes remain wide open, you won’t succeed.”
Dokgo Myeong’s gaze and Wi Mu-jin’s gaze clashed in the empty space between them.

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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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