Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 388

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 388
The presence of Dokgo Myeong and Dokgo Ak faded into the distance.
Baek Mu-heun slowly wiped the smile from his face and stared into the void with his lips pressed firmly together.
Darkness had settled over the inn.
“Sect Leader, is something troubling you?”
The innkeeper approached and bowed respectfully.
“Ah, it’s nothing of consequence. Just….”
Baek Mu-heun spoke calmly as he refilled his cup.
“He showed little surprise upon seeing the Heavenly Map.”
“…!”
“Even the Yongdu Sect Leader’s eyes widened like lanterns at the sight of it… Hehehehe!”
Baek Mu-heun laughed lightly and brought the cup to his lips.
His eyes gleamed sharply.
‘It wasn’t that he felt no surprise at all. But to this degree…’
In truth, he had deliberately shown it to demonstrate his capabilities. The map itself wasn’t what mattered—it was showcasing the power and organizational strength capable of producing such a map.
Yet he remained utterly composed.
‘Has he already witnessed something of this caliber?’
Could the Dokgo Family have accomplished such a task?
It wouldn’t be impossible for Geom-jon. One who had reached the realm of a demigod possessed both the insight and authority to make it possible.
But that wasn’t the real problem.
I prided myself on reading people, yet there remained one crucial passage in Dokgo Myeong that I could not decipher.
His way of thinking, his abilities, his actions, his goals… none of it could be pinned down.
There was a profound emptiness surrounding the secrets this young man possessed. Without uncovering that void, I felt I could never truly understand him to his depths.
‘Those brimming with secrets naturally draw people’s curiosity.’
Though he seemed unaware of it himself.
As Baek Mu-heun drained his cup, the innkeeper respectfully picked up the bottle and poured more wine.
“If it pleases you, I shall deactivate the formation and begin receiving other guests.”
“Ah, I fear I’ve kept you from your business far too long today.”
“Not at all.”
“Then I shall take my leave as well. Ah, I have a favor to ask of you.”
Baek Mu-heun handed the innkeeper a leather belt that lay upon the table.
Twelve short blades, their forms barely recognizable beneath layers of rust, were thrust into the belt.
“What is this…?”
“The Windheaven Short Blades. How meticulous of him. He remembered that old promise and brought them along after all.”
“The Windheaven Short Blades!”
The innkeeper’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Could you possibly mean the Windheaven Short Blades, one of the Ten Great Weapons of the Martial Realm?”
“Indeed. Those very Windheaven Short Blades. For those belonging to the Left Sword Faction, they are treasures worth staking one’s life upon.”
The Windheaven Short Blades.
Divine implements and weapons said to command wind and lightning in their mastery.
It was an item that had been gathering dust ever since Dokgo Myeong brought it from Mandeung-ga, and only now was it finally entrusted to Baek Mu-heun to unseal it.
“To entrust such a treasure so readily….”
“Hehe, even the Vagrant King of all the realm finds his eyes widening before a treasure like the Windless Blade.”
“Oh my, I apologize. I was out of line.”
The Innkeeper bowed deeply.
Baek Mu-heun shook his head dismissively.
“It’s fine. It’s a worthy object, after all.”
“It seems Dokgo Myeong has placed great trust in you.”
“Trust? Perhaps he simply knows. That no matter how precious a treasure may be, his own value surpasses it.”
That’s why he can entrust such things without hesitation and simply depart.
“That said….”
The Windless Blade was sealed with sorcery far stronger than anticipated. To make it usable, it seemed necessary to choose an auspicious day when yang energy was abundant.
“Even I find it difficult to discern this object at a glance. How did he know of it and come to possess it?”
The more one learns, the more secrets this young man reveals.
Suddenly, curiosity stirred within me.
‘What do you know of this realm, and how much?’
A mysterious smile playing at his lips, Baek Mu-heun slipped out of the inn and continued on his way.
Full of questions though it was, there remained one certainty.
Dokgo Myeong surely knew nothing of the ancient grudge deeply connected to his own blood.
Otherwise, he could not have remained so composed upon hearing that person’s name.
* * *
After securing a modest lodging and settling in, Dokgo Ak exhaled a weary sigh.
“Phew… What, what kind of person exists in this world….”
“What are you suddenly going on about?”
“The Sword Saint… I, I actually faced the Three Emperors….”
Dokgo Ak muttered like a man half out of his wits.
-Though the realm is boundlessly vast, there is but one who has inscribed the Way upon a single blade—the Sword Saint alone.
-When discussing the sword, save for the supreme masters of ages past, none stands higher than the Sword Saint.
When naming the greatest swordsmanship schools under heaven, the sect leaders of Huashan and Zhongnan, whose names were always mentioned, spoke of but one—the Sword Saint.
The deeds of subduing the Vagrant King, who was often mentioned among the Five Armies, in merely fifty exchanges and retiring him, and of single-handedly exterminating a heretical sect that had run rampant near Shanxi and Shaanxi, had long since become legend in the martial realm.
“This bastard certainly knows how to make a fuss. I told you beforehand that I’d be there.”
“B-but… I didn’t expect it to be that intense.”
Dokgo Ak swallowed dryly, recalling Baek Mu-heun.
‘A monster.’
Any martial artist instinctively gauges the distance between themselves and their opponent. Dokgo Ak did the same the moment he saw Baek Mu-heun.
And he felt as though a blade already hung over his throat.
The entire inn was under his will alone. Had he wished it, I could not have drawn another breath.
‘Yet this bastard engaged in a tug of war before such a person without showing the slightest intimidation….’
Was it merely a difference in martial prowess? Or audacity? Or perhaps experience?
Had it been me, I doubt I could have spoken properly from the tension.
‘How did that dull-witted fool from back then end up like this?’
When exactly did the gap between us grow so wide?
It didn’t seem this pronounced before that martial competition.
That’s when it happened.
Smack!
“Ow! Why are you hitting me again!”
“Because I can see exactly what you’re thinking. Are you entertaining foolish thoughts again?”
“D-did you really master mind-reading? You demon of a bastard!”
Dokgo Ak rubbed his shoulder with a grimace, nursing the blow he’d just received.
“Why are you cowering before some nobody with a fancy title? Who is your grandfather? Isn’t he known as the Supreme One? The Supreme One should rank higher than any Immortal!”
Ugh, that shameless brother of mine speaks such irreverence as naturally as breathing.
Yet hearing him say it like that really does deflate my anxiety. That dignified title suddenly felt like nothing special.
“He’s not just my grandfather—he’s your grandfather too.”
“Physically speaking, yes. But in other respects, it’s a bit ambiguous.”
“What are you talking about?”
Dokgo Ak let out a deep sigh.
Still, thinking about it that way seemed to ease the tension I’d been maintaining all this while.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled and spoke.
“Did you see it clearly?”
“…Somewhat.”
Dokgo Ak’s expression immediately turned serious.
“Have you always handled things this way? How do you even manage it?”
I watched as Dokgo Myeong drew the power map of the world with just a few words. I saw how he concealed blades within his speech, exchanging words with hidden meaning. I witnessed how he viewed the world through a perspective I found nearly impossible to comprehend.
This wasn’t just today—he must have been doing this all along.
In a position where even breathing felt tense, carrying such an immense burden on his shoulders.
‘That’s how the Cheonma Sect and the Protection Bureau came to exist.’
Nothing had come freely. The countless achievements Dokgo Myeong had accomplished must have been forged through countless suffocating struggles like today’s.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“Why, do I seem impressive to you now?”
“I already knew you were impressive.”
“This kid is creepy—why are you like this?”
“But why… did you show me this? You usually only showed this to Captain Namgung.”
Tap.
Dokgo Myeong gently placed his hand on the crown of Dokgo Ak’s head, who had shrunk back slightly.
“Little brother.”
“What?”
“You’ve said it often enough. That you want to watch and learn by my side. That you want to follow in my footsteps.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Dokgo Ak brushed away his brother’s hand. But he couldn’t deny it.
It had started as admiration.
Expectation, envy, and a hint of jealousy toward Dokgo Myeong had all been added to the mix.
Soon enough, that became his goal.
“Now that you’re becoming a military commander, you need to see things more broadly and look further ahead. You’ve grown enough—it’s time you observed and learned.”
“Huh?”
“It’s not enough to just be good at fighting, boy. Now earn your keep, earn it! Do you have any idea how much effort and money I’ve invested in you?”
Thwack!
“Ow! You crazy bastard! Why do you keep hitting me!”
“What? You’re cursing at me? Are you really talking back?”
“Stop! Please stop!”
Ak-i shrieked and flailed his arms as Dokgo Myeong pressed down firmly on the crown of his head.
I found myself anticipating this former ruffian’s growth more than that of the other captains.
‘Does Ak-i realize? That he is the greatest proof that I can change the future.’
Unlike the captains from my past life, this was a bond I had forged from the ground up in this lifetime.
‘So grow well. If you grow strong, it means I’m doing things right, doesn’t it?’
Dokgo Myeong smiled mysteriously and opened his mouth.
“No one in this world is born with everything possible. That’s not a matter of talent—it’s a matter of learning. Do you think Sect Leader Baek was always like that? He must have been beaten down from all sides to become what he is. You have every chance to succeed.”
“Then… what about you?”
“What? Why am I involved?”
“Because you should be! We’re not even that far apart in age!”
When Ak-i bristled, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes flashed.
“You brat! Of course I’m the exception! How dare you compare yourself to me?”
Ak-i clenched his teeth.
‘This guy’s words never match from beginning to end!’
But I had to endure it. I had to hold back.
The man was drunk right now. If I provoked him again, I might actually get hit for real.
‘Right, I need to treat this older brother as a special exception.’
Though he spoke carelessly, understanding his meaning perfectly was a basic requirement for the Cheonma Sect captains.
“So what am I supposed to do from now on? Am I going to that place called Milyeon too?”
“You’re not ready to go there yet.”
“Then?”
“Just do what you were already supposed to do.”
“What I was already supposed to do?”
“Training, you fool! Training! You’re already slacking off!”
Dokgo Myeong shouted loudly, then immediately broke into a grin, reeking of alcohol.
“They say there’s going to be another martial tournament here soon. Heh, I thought I’d destroyed everything, but it looks like they fixed it pretty quickly.”
He was the one who destroyed it, yet he could say such things. Truly incomprehensible.
“But why another martial tournament?”
“Apparently, this time even the posterior disciples of the Nine Sects and young masters from prominent families will be participating. You heard what Sect Leader Baek said, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard about it.”
Since it was the first major event after the war, they decided to hold it more grandly than ever to refresh the atmosphere.
“And you heard that I’m going to lend a hand to make the tournament even bigger, right?”
“W-well, we were in the same place, after all….”
Dokgo Ak froze for a moment.
‘Wait. Could it be… is he really saying this to me right now?’
In that instant, Dokgo Myeong suddenly lowered his arm and pulled Dokgo Ak into an embrace around the shoulders.
Crunch!
“Gack?!”
I thought my breath was being cut off.
This wasn’t a friendly shoulder embrace—it was more like being strangled! It was exactly like being bullied by some neighborhood thug!
“Little brother, listen to me.”
Dokgo Myeong spoke with a chuckle.
“I’m the kind of person who can’t tolerate things like ‘this much is satisfactory,’ ‘focus on gaining experience,’ ‘just do your best,’ or ‘the process is what matters.'”
“W-wait, let go of me…!”
“So when you participate in a tournament, what should you do?”
Dokgo Myeong smiled brightly.
“Of course, you have to… win first place, right?”
Shiver!
Dokgo Ak trembled.
“B-but wait, aren’t the posterior disciples from the Nine Sects and Three Families coming? Won’t the scale be huge?”
“Hmm? So what?”
“So what?! There will be tons of people called Dragons and Phoenixes and whatnot participating—how am I supposed to…!”
“Hehe, why has my little brother lost so much confidence? Don’t tell me you were thinking of losing?”
Flash!
How could anyone’s eyes possibly gleam with such a chilling blue light?
“N-no, of course not! Surely not! The incomparable Dokgo Ak! Dokgo Myeong’s captain! Cheonma Sect Third Squad Leader Dokgo Ak! You’re not actually thinking of losing to some young masters, are you?”
Dokgo Ak trembled.
“O-of course I’m not thinking of losing! What do you take me for!”
“Hehe, naturally.”
“But what if… what if I lose?”
“My, my little brother. Why are you thinking about ‘what ifs’?”
Shiver!
At the ominous tone, Dokgo Ak went rigid.
“There is no losing. It’s simply impossible. It’s something that won’t happen, so why worry about what ifs?”
“W-what?”
“Because if you lose, it’s the end, isn’t it?”
The end?
What kind of end? Could it be… the end of my life?
“Well then, I’m counting on you to win first place. I’m planning to tell Cheon I-gak to make this event absolutely grand.”
“Y-you really don’t need to go that far….”
“Don’t worry. If you win easily, it won’t be fun, right? I’ll do my best to drag out all those geniuses the Nine Sects have been secretly cultivating.”
Gulp.
Dokgo Ak swallowed hard.
‘Right, yes. Those posterior disciples are nothing but flowers in a greenhouse.’
Think positively.
I’ve been running around on the battlefield enduring hardship—surely I won’t lose to mere posterior disciples?
‘But if they’re posterior disciples of the Nine Sects….’
True cultivators who do nothing but eat and train.
They rarely show themselves in the martial world, refining divine techniques and secret arts accumulated over a thousand years….
‘Ah, but how much have I suffered and strived all this time?’
Surely I won’t lose.
I won’t lose… will I?
* * *
Time passed.
The martial tournament was now just one day away. It appeared that today, the secular disciples of each sect were organizing it and accepting registrations.
It was already planned to be held grandly, but when Dokgo Myeong made a substantial investment through Geumsan Pavilion, it became even more spectacular.
Whoosh! Boom!
As Dokgo Ak’s sword rang out from the courtyard behind the inn, Dokgo Myeong sat in meditation in his room.
‘Something feels within reach.’
I spent the entire day in cultivation, delving into the Beomyeong Divine Art based on the Cheonoe Realm.
The nameless sword technique, the Infinite Heavenly Wave Realm, even the footwork based on sensory nodes—all to complete what could be called the martial arts of the Dokgo School.
‘No, it’s already complete. It’s complete, but… why does something still feel lacking?’
Perhaps the fact that I haven’t yet named the martial arts aside from the Heavenly Wave Realm is why my subconscious feels they remain incomplete.
‘Is this my new wall?’
In my past life, I broke through the Dark Heaven Realm and perfected the Cheonoe Realm, shattering the wall of the Infinite Realm.
Perhaps in this life, the key to ascending the Infinite Realm lies in completing this new martial art.
‘Or perhaps….’
Dokgo Myeong slowly opened his eyes and sighed.
“It lies in opening the final secret realm.”
The Honcheon Realm.
I know the method. I simply cannot touch it recklessly.
That was when it happened.
Tap, tap.
Footsteps sounded, and someone spoke before the guest room door.
“Pardon me, guest. Someone has arrived saying they’re your traveling companion. What shall we do?”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed.
The guide had arrived.
The time had finally come.
Dokgo Myeong reached toward the hyeonchel heavy sword leaning against the wall, but after a brief moment of thought, simply rose to his feet.
“Let’s go right now.”
Upon arriving on the first floor, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes widened.
The guide was a face he recognized.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————