Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 476

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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 476
The next day, I learned that Dokgo Hwi-hwa had been making the rounds with Shin Heum to meet with the Sect Leaders of her faction.
From the fact that no further contact came after that, I could infer that things had unfolded exactly as I had anticipated.
I saw through Dokgo Hwi-hwa’s heart clearly enough, but I didn’t bother visiting her again. If I went to see her now, it would only crush her pride.
So what I was troubled about now was something else entirely.
‘When I took her pulse, I felt absolutely nothing.’
Dokgo Hwi-hwa’s qi and blood were in a state similar to that of the Baekryeon Sect’s Sado, whom I had attended at his deathbed not long ago.
Age-related decline.
Not poisoning, not illness—something no human could escape.
‘But she collapsed far too suddenly, or so I was told….’
No matter how weakened by age, a master of Dokgo Hwi-hwa’s caliber would have sensed her own physical condition. For those who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, “sudden collapse” was something that almost never occurred.
The problem lay in that word—”almost.”
So I had even taken her pulse myself, but….
‘Nothing came up. So why does this feel so unsettling?’
An inexplicable sense of discord washed over me.
The only issue was that even my sensory perception had given no response.
Tap, tap!
I drummed my index finger on the table and narrowed my eyes.
‘My sensory perception isn’t omnipotent either. It has a fatal weakness.’
That weakness was precisely this: it was vulnerable to things I had never experienced before.
“Perhaps I’m overthinking this because I’ve experienced so many things.”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.”
Suddenly, Dokgo Jo-hak’s voice came from the front.
Snap!
He snapped the brush in his hand and shouted irritably.
“Why do you keep coming to my office and doing this! It’s not enough that you’re wandering back and forth making a mess—why are you drumming on the table! I even gave you the Dharma Protector’s office, so why are you doing this here!”
“It’s just boring being alone.”
“What?”
“To be frank, as Vice Sect Leader, I can go anywhere I want, can’t I?”
“Do you really want to die?”
A murderous glint flickered in Dokgo Jo-hak’s eyes.
I didn’t even blink.
“You, Uncle? I’m Wuji now, Wuji realm. Ah, you haven’t reached it yourself, so you wouldn’t know?”
Grrrrind!
A chilling sound of grinding teeth echoed through the room.
“Oh my, you’ll damage your teeth that way. Teeth are one of the five blessings, you know. You should be more careful.”
Dokgo Jo-hak squeezed his eyes shut with an expression of utter frustration.
‘Heaven is truly indifferent!’
Why in the world did Heaven grant such tremendous power to that cursed bastard!
Dokgo Jo-hak, who had been irritably massaging his stiffening neck, let out a single word.
“So, from your perspective, the Elder Faction will splinter into pieces?”
I opened my eyes slightly and nodded.
“Likely so. It seems Shin Heum has already lined his own pockets.”
“That doesn’t seem like him….”
“As the saying goes, we may fathom the depths of ten fathoms of water, but never the depths of a man’s heart.”
A brief silence settled over us.
Soon Dokgo Jo-hak chuckled and spoke.
“Since our Deputy Sect Leader understands human nature so well, surely you realize I could hold the sword hilt backwards?”
“Hold it backwards?”
“How else would one understand a man’s heart?”
“You know that Chong-sa’s son serves under me, don’t you?”
“You mad bastard, are you holding his son hostage?!”
“No, it’s just a figure of speech. And if he betrays me, well, what can I do about it?”
He spoke as though helpless, yet why did his eyes gleam so brightly?
Dokgo Jo-hak suddenly touched his face. Why was that? A memory of being beaten by that unfilial wretch long ago surfaced.
Dokgo Jo-hak quickly changed the subject.
“About what I said regarding being cautious of Gun.”
“Yes.”
“Now that things have come to this, there’s nothing more to be cautious about, is there? Everything has already been settled.”
Dokgo Jo-hak dipped a fresh brush in ink and began playing with it as he continued.
“Shin Heum will become the head of the Elder Faction, and we’ll maintain good relations with the old Outer Faction. The Elder Council Leader will entrust his loyal followers to our Dharma Protector Division.”
“It won’t be that simple.”
“Out of spite alone, he’ll lend us his strength. We just need to be ready to accept it.”
In truth, the numbers in each faction already favored Dokgo Un-hak’s group. This factional struggle had ended in the Outer Faction’s victory.
But the Dharma Protector Division didn’t care.
Even if we were outnumbered in the overall count, securing a majority was all that mattered for our independence. We hadn’t gone through all this trouble to establish the Dharma Protector Division as an independent organization for nothing.
“The old Outer Faction and the Dharma Protector Division. The structure is already decided, and since your brother will certainly become the Sect Leader, there’s no need for further caution. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s true.”
“….”
Dokgo Jo-hak lifted his eyes from the documents and glanced sideways at me.
Soon, setting down his brush with a sigh, he opened his mouth with a grave expression.
“If you have something on your mind, just say it.”
“Yes?”
“I, Jo, U-sa, and most of the others are here to support you. You need to speak clearly so we can follow along, don’t you?”
“….”
“Why are you so wary of Gun in the first place?”
I couldn’t answer immediately and fell into thought.
Because that reason stemmed from uncertain speculation rooted in my past life.
“It’s just a feeling.”
“A feeling?”
“Once I’m certain of something, I’ll tell you without reservation.”
“Mm.”
“I simply don’t want to plant unfounded preconceptions in your mind.”
“It’s better to avoid preconceptions… Yes, I understand what you mean.”
“….”
“I don’t know what you’re being so secretive about, but I trust you’ll tell me once you’re certain.”
I nodded silently and quietly recalled memories from my past life.
‘I had heard news on the battlefield later. About the new household head who rose to power in the Dokgo Family.’
Officially he was called Geom-jon, but people whispered and added two more characters before that name.
Regicide.
The meaning of that word was precisely….
‘The heinous act of murdering one’s parents or lord.’
Because the war was still raging, I had heard rumors passed along through hearsay.
Not long after news of Dokgo Cheon’s death reached us and Dokgo Un-hak rose to the position of household head.
A succession of deaths befell the Dokgo Household.
Attacks from the Jeongheol Sect, battles with the Shinheol Sect, deaths from old age, illness, and worsening internal injuries—the reasons varied, but by a strange coincidence, the pillars of the family died one after another.
And among them was Dokgo Un-hak, the household head of that era.
When he died, naturally a new person rose to the position of household head.
‘That person was Dokgo Gun.’
It was an age when human lives were as worthless as flies, so it could have truly been a remarkable coincidence.
But coincidence typically occurred only after such causes accumulated and compounded.
* * *
The Cheonma Sect scattered to various locations under my command, and many of them were stationed at the Dokgo Family performing their duties.
And when they heard that I had returned to the family, they naturally came to find me.
‘It seems everyone has been through quite an ordeal.’
My mood lifted briefly upon seeing my subordinates who had grown considerably.
‘…What in the world has been happening here?’
Bewilderment crossed my face.
“Krahaha! The Captain is watching us! Fight to the death! Fight!”
“How dare you raise your head before me? I’ll pickle you today!”
A group of martial artists engaged in a friendly(?) sparring match in the training grounds.
And over in that corner….
“The meridians circulate vital qi through the acupoints to nourish the human body….”
“…the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang and the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin and the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin….”
“Central Plains martial arts originate from the Shaolin Seventy-Two Techniques… and striking through acupoints via true force is a Northern School technique….”
Those I had entrusted to the martial arts department due to their insufficient fundamentals were muttering while holding books with hollow eyes.
“Hey, your captain just arrived and you’re still just reading books….”
“Don’t interrupt us!”
“We must memorize! We absolutely must!”
“I’m an idiot! An idiot! Aaaagh!”
With my spirit dampened, I reluctantly stepped back.
“Ah, yes. Yes. Study hard.”
But if that’s the case, why did you come here and do this?
And what in the world did Ak do with the children I left in his care?
“…Why have all of them turned out like this?”
The very aura they emanated had transformed completely.
Those I had entrusted to the Beon-cheon Myeol-sa-dae and my father to deepen their mastery of orthodox martial techniques—they lacked nothing.
Even those I had placed in the Martial Arts Division, who possessed practical talent but lacked knowledge and fundamentals.
‘They’ve definitely grown stronger. The children in the Martial Arts Division have stabilized their qi pathways thanks to reinforced foundations, and those under my father and other units have developed far more stable footwork.’
They had all endured hardship and progressed beyond my expectations.
It was all good.
It was all good, but why….
“Come on, come on. I’ll destroy you all! Kahahaha!”
“Huh? Injured? I’ll kill you!”
Why had they become like that….
These were still members of the Martial Alliance, yet now anyone could see they were nothing but back-alley thugs or heretical disciples of the Paedobyeon.
‘Are these the ones I placed in the Beon-cheon Myeol-sa-dae? I only asked them to push hard with orthodox martial training, so why on earth….’
I watched a man wielding his spear mercilessly while laughing wildly.
“Your mouth! Let me see your mouth! I’ll smash it!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The young man Yang Un-rang, who could be said to rival even Song Uk and Ban An in skill.
This one also appeared half-mad. No, he had become completely insane.
‘If these are like this, what about the others?’
Surely only these were particularly severe? If not… I was afraid to even think about it.
I turned my head halfway and asked.
“What exactly did you do to our children?”
Someone standing behind me grinned and spoke.
“What did I do? I didn’t do anything. I just trained them as you asked!”
“As I asked? I asked you to establish the foundation of orthodox martial techniques, yet somehow they’ve all become ruthless Black Blade heretics?”
“Kahahaha! Why worry about such trivial details! They’ve grown stronger, haven’t they?”
A scarred, slender beauty laughed loudly.
Need I say who? The pride of the Dokgo Family, or rather, the mad dog—Dokgo Yeon.
“You said I could handle them as I pleased under Chun’s authority. So I just pushed them a bit harder.”
“Our unit’s training is already quite intense, so what exactly did you do?”
“I taught them the fundamentals from scratch, just as you said.”
Could those fundamentals possibly be the kind that destroys the upper dantian?
“What exactly did you….”
“Nothing special. Fundamentals are always learned through the body!”
That’s true. Fundamentals are about making the body react rather than the mind, aren’t they?
“So I engraved it into their bodies!”
“…What do you mean, how?”
“I taught you through martial combat until your dying breath! Every time you made a mistake, I added half a shichen of training! So you’d react even in your sleep! So you’d react even in the outhouse!”
“…?”
“Ah, and I took care of those fellows who entered the martial arts department too! How is it, little brother! Isn’t gratitude alone insufficient? Hahaha!”
Dokgo Myeong stared at Dokgo Yeon with vacant eyes.
Wow, my older sister really….
“You did all that for me? This is truly moving?”
“Right? I did well, didn’t I?”
“Thank you! Fundamentals really must be learned through the body!”
“Krahaha! I knew you’d understand!”
True to the Dokgo name, they were both cut from the same cloth.
* * *
“Is the Beon-cheon Myeol-sa-dae also being prepared?”
“Yes, the reorganization is nearly complete, and we’re preparing the deployment within the Martial Alliance.”
For the first time in quite a while, I walked alongside Dokgo Yeon, conversing with her.
Naturally, the Azure Plan included the main house as well. It seemed several martial squads from the main house were scheduled to be deployed under the Martial Alliance.
“Our Myeol-sa-dae has considerable renown, so it appears we won’t be split apart but rather maintained intact.”
“Since our movements are perfectly synchronized, there’s no need to tear us apart.”
“Hmm, and….”
“Speak freely. Why are you hesitating so unnaturally?”
Dokgo Yeon paused before asking cautiously.
“Another war isn’t far off, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Those creatures that appeared in Qinghai Castle?”
“We’ll deal with the heterodox sects first.”
“Heterodox sects? The Paedobyeon?”
Dokgo Myeong nodded, and Dokgo Yeon’s eyes gleamed.
“Then it’ll be the Jeongheol Sect next.”
“If the Jeongheol Sect makes another move before then, we’ll target them immediately.”
“Finally… a chance for vindication.”
Scritch.
Dokgo Yeon scratched the spear shaft she habitually carried with her fingernail—the Gwan-cheon Spear, one of the legendary weapons of the martial world that she’d been granted in the merit distribution of this past war.
She still hadn’t forgotten the humiliation from the previous war. She had sworn and sworn again that this time, she would not be the one on the receiving end.
“By the way… you’ve grown stronger again?”
“Ugh, you can tell that too? I wasn’t trying to boast, really.”
Dokgo Yeon made a sullen expression.
If she were hiding her strength, that would be one thing. But she was openly displaying it and asking to be noticed.
“At that rate, couldn’t you reach the Rebound Returning Perfection realm?”
“If you tell me to, I will. But why bother?”
Why deliberately suppress her strength to such a degree?
And then I end up receiving strange disrespect for no reason. If I have power, why would I hide it?
Dokgo Yeon’s eyes sparkled anew as she studied Dokgo Myeong.
‘I can’t even gauge where or how to strike. That young boy from back then has somehow become this strong…. Isn’t he far too powerful now?’
He was simply walking with his guard down, yet she could find not a single opening. No matter when or how she tried to attack, she could only envision herself being subdued.
“The Wuji Scripture, is it? I never even considered challenging it.”
“If you didn’t consider it before, why not try now? Someone of your caliber should be able to ascend it.”
“Really?”
“You either do it or you don’t. There’s no ‘really’ about it.”
“Hehe.”
Dokgo Yeon laughed with genuine delight.
Then Dokgo Myeong suddenly spoke up.
“But the household has become quite quiet, hasn’t it?”
“Has it?”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes swept across the surrounding landscape.
The very atmosphere itself had changed.
Rather than tension, there was a certain tranquility that hung in the air.
With Dokgo Cheon absent, and both Dokgo Jo-hak and Dokgo Un-hak—who used to stir up trouble daily—now devoted entirely to the Martial Alliance, it was only natural.
As for Dokgo Hwi-hwa, who had overseen the Elder Faction, there was no need to mention her.
“Yes. The main house was always a place where the wind never rested, wasn’t it?”
“It was reasonably quiet before you started causing a commotion?”
….
“But I was rather surprised.”
“About what?”
“That you said you’d go see your brother.”
Dokgo Myeong turned his head.
The Outer Faction was visible in the distance.
Just as Dokgo Yeon had said, he was now heading to see Dokgo Gun.
“I simply… wanted to shake things up a bit.”

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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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