Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 54

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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 54
“Run! Keep running! Don’t be late!”
“We’re at the entrance to Chendaifeng! Move!”
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
There had never been such chaos.
Martial artists gathered near Guhuashan were rushing forward in swarms.
“Out of the way, you worthless dogs! How dare you interfere with the Butcher Sword School’s event!”
“Tch, the Seven Butchers? The Butcher Sword School came too?”
“The Blood Harvest Corps! Those demons from Blood Mountain Valley!”
Regardless of sect, clan, orthodox or heterodox affiliation, wanderers or otherwise—an astounding array of figures was running like madmen.
To put it kindly, they resembled migratory birds flocking through the sky, but honestly, they looked more like a swarm of rats scurrying about.
And among them was Dokgo Myeong’s group.
“Faster! What’s the exact location!”
“An iron gate half-buried in earth and rubble was discovered below Chendaifeng! That’s where the entrance is!”
“Got it! Let’s move! Geum Seok-du, keep up with us!”
“Yes!”
Whoosh!
Dokgo Myeong, Seo Ryun, and Geum Seok-du kicked off the ground.
“How did this happen? An entrance suddenly discovered?”
As Dokgo Myeong shouted while running, Seo Ryun hurriedly explained.
“A group of wanderers was digging through the earth and caused a collapse, revealing the entrance beneath.”
“They were working in the middle of the night? No, more importantly, how did word spread to the base of the mountain so quickly?”
“That… I cannot say. I heard the commotion myself and rushed here immediately.”
Mountains at night are perilous.
Even for martial artists with keen night vision, this holds true.
‘It’s possible those foolish wanderers, unafraid and reckless, stumbled upon it. But how did people at the mountain’s base learn of it so quickly?’
Perhaps they detected it through noise or the movement of torches? That was certainly possible.
But even so, how could such chaos erupt all at once, as if by prior arrangement?
“Ah, we’ll know once we get there! Just run!”
“Yes, yes!”
“Oh my, you’re going too fast, Young Master!”
Dokgo Myeong increased his pace even further.
And then it happened.
“Inoooooom!”
Ahead of them.
A middle-aged man with a stubborn expression and a face full of wrinkles blazed with fierce eyes.
Hyeon Un-jin of the Hwangshan Sect.
He blocked the path and unleashed a piercing gaze.
“So you’re Dokgo Myeong of the Dokgo Clan!”
Hyeon Un-jin, radiating killing intent, fixed his gaze upon the approaching Dokgo Myeong.
‘Sharp eyes and fierce momentum—that’s definitely him!’
*Shing!*
Hyeon Un-jin drew his beloved sword.
“You know your crimes! Kneel this instant and…!”
*Clang!*
“I apologize….”
“….”
“….”
“M-Master! They ignored us and ran off!”
“Th-This is infuriating!”
Meanwhile.
Dokgo Myeong blinked and turned to look at Seo Ryun.
“Didn’t someone just call my name?”
“….”
Seo Ryun broke into a cold sweat.
That old man—I only caught a glimpse, so I can’t be certain, but if my suspicion is correct….
“Stop right there! You wretch Dokgo Myeong!”
“Argh! What is this old fool!”
“Out of the way! All of you!”
*Crash! Boom!*
Dokgo Myeong turned his head toward the sudden commotion behind them.
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
People… were flying through the air.
Unlike the others who scattered to avoid conflict, Hyeon Un-jin charged forward like a wild boar, sending people flying left and right.
At that moment, Dokgo Myeong’s and Hyeon Un-jin’s gazes met in mid-air.
“You wretch! Stop this instant!”
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Who is that old man?”
“He is Hyeon Un-jin. The master of the Hwangshan Sect disciples who had a confrontation with you—I mean, who clashed with you not long ago!”
“Ah!”
“What shall we do?”
“What do you mean ‘what shall we do’? We don’t have time for this. We’re already running late!”
Dokgo Myeong’s group tore through the marketplace at breakneck speed.
Upon reaching the entrance to Guhuashan.
The chaos there far exceeded what they’d witnessed in the marketplace.
“Move! I said move!”
“Argh! My leg!”
“Run!”
Dokgo Myeong’s brow furrowed as he came to a halt.
“Damn it. This is an absolute mess.”
“This is…”
From the mountain’s base to its midway point, martial artists bearing torches stretched out in lines like columns of ants.
With everyone rushing along the limited mountain paths, a tangled chaos had unfolded before them.
“Is there another route? Isn’t there another way?”
“The other paths are already crowded with people. There is another direction, but the terrain is treacherous.”
Crash! Boom!
At that very moment, Hyeon Un-jin came rushing from behind.
Two people flew through the air with a single sword strike.
The epithet “Blade of Calamity” was no mere exaggeration. Even from this considerable distance, the ferocious sword energy made the air tremble.
“Young Master! What should we—”
“That looks good, doesn’t it?”
Gleam!
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes brightened as he gazed toward Hyeon Un-jin.
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a dense crimson aura erupted from Dokgo Myeong’s entire body.
“Gasp!”
Seo Ryun had no time to protest.
Dokgo Myeong crouched his upper body and thrust one shoulder forward, then kicked off the ground.
Crash!
“Get out of the way, you fools! Unless you want to die!”
“Ahhhhh!”
“What—what is happening?!”
Like a wild boar charging forward, the martial artists blocking Dokgo Myeong’s path tumbled down in a cascade.
“Y-Young Master! What are you doing?!”
“Stop wasting time avoiding people and climb! Clear them all out!”
“…”
Seo Ryun squeezed his eyes shut.
The pride of a martial artist… the dignity of the Dokgo Clan…
‘I don’t know anymore.’
The greatest problem was that even Seo Ryun found this method not entirely disagreeable.
“I shall take the left flank!”
“That’s it! Now we’re talking sense!”
Boom!
Seo Ryun cast aside his hesitation and raised his sword, scabbard and all.
* * *
Guhuashan, Chendaifeng.
A hole the size of a house gaped open in the sloping ground.
Whoooooosh!
Wind rushing into the cavity released an ominous howl. The pitch-black darkness lurking within the pit resembled the gaping maw of some ravenous beast.
“Get in! Move quickly!”
“Hurry! Many have already entered!”
“Giwang’s legacy must be ours!”
“Out of the way!”
Those rushing to enter, those trying to block them, those already locked in combat.
Here, at Guhuashan, the sacred ground of Buddhism.
Upon this auspicious spiritual mountain, legendary for its tales of the Stone Buddha, an unspeakable atrocity was unfolding before all eyes.
“Hehehehe, from this moment forward, no one shall pass this threshold.”
And the architects of this carnage sealed the entrance.
Murderers thirsting for blood.
The Blood Harvest Corps of Blood Mountain Valley.
“By what right does Blood Mountain Valley block this place!”
“Right? Why should we care about such things? If you wish to enter, try breaking through us.”
Hahahaha!
Then, seven men walked along the mountain path.
“Do you truly believe ten of you can stop us, when the entire Blood Harvest Corps could not?”
“The Seven Butchers?”
“That’s right. We are they.”
Seven masters of the Butcher Sword School, a renowned Anhui clan, each a first-rate expert.
Those trapped between the forces brightened with hope.
The Seven Butchers had earned a reputation no less formidable than the Blood Harvest Corps.
“We are not outside Bidong, nor inside it. There is no reason to fight here. Do you truly wish to spill blood?”
“Of course. How often do we get the chance to taste the blood of righteous sect disciples! We must wet our throats this time! Kahahaha!”
A warrior of the Blood Harvest Corps laughed mockingly.
“These mad killers are determined to drink their fill of retribution.”
“Very well. Let us taste that drink together.”
“All hands! Draw your blades!”
Kahahaha! Come then!
The murderous villains of the left path and seven masters of the Butcher Sword School.
As the two forces clashed with raised weapons.
Crack!
A crimson beam pierced through the battlefield with a thunderous boom.
“Aaaahhh!”
“Ughhhh!”
Whether lightning had struck or a cannonball had flown.
Suddenly, with a flash of red light, two of the Seven Butchers were sent flying, while four of the Blood Harvest Corps murderers tumbled pathetically across the ground.
“Huff, huff… Ah, I’m exhausted!”
“Master, are you alright?”
“I’m fine. More importantly, this is the right place, isn’t it, Seok-du?”
“…Yes, yes. It matches the location marked on the Jangbodo quite closely!”
The mercenaries’ eyes widened in shock.
It was neither lightning nor cannon fire.
Three men emerged from the billowing dust.
‘Who in the world are these fellows….’
‘What? When did this happen?’
‘No, more importantly, where did they come from?’
The mercenaries’ gazes turned toward the young man wreathed in brilliant vital energy like flames.
“…!”
Only then did the mercenaries notice the steep mountain path of Guhuashan that the young man must have climbed.
It was desolate and empty.
The martial artists who should have been struggling up the mountain path were nowhere to be seen. Only the injured and unconscious lay scattered about….
“Huh? What’s this? Why are these fools still here instead of going in?”
The young man who had created this carnage.
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head in confusion and trudged toward the entrance.
“You! How dare you! You cannot cross this threshold without the Blood Harvest Corps’ permission!”
One Blood Harvest Corps member, oblivious to the situation, rushed forward indignantly.
Whoooosh!
He flew through the air.
“What is this guy?”
Dokgo Myeong dusted off his hands.
Seo Ryun wore an uncomfortable expression.
“Ah, the Blood Harvest Corps, they say….”
“Who are they? Are they famous?”
“Just… they exist. Those kinds of people.”
“Then that’s fine! Let’s hurry inside!”
Whoosh!
Dokgo Myeong dashed into the entrance, leaving the chaos behind.
“Uh….”
“….”
A moment of silence fell.
‘Who are those guys?’
‘What? What just happened?’
‘No, more than that….’
The mercenaries’ gazes quickly turned toward the now-open entrance.
“Now’s our chance!”
“The path is clear!”
“G-Go in! Advance!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The figures who had been waiting at the entrance began pouring in like a flood.
* * *
It was not dark.
The first few steps from the entrance were so pitch-black that one could barely see an inch ahead without torches, yet the interior was suffused with a soft crimson glow.
“…What is this? Why is it so bright?”
“Look at that, sir.”
Geum Seok-du pointed toward the upper wall.
“There are grooves carved into the wall. Given the smell of oil, it appears oil flows along these grooves, and they seem to be lit, providing the light.”
Geum Seok-du’s eyes gleamed as he examined the wall surface.
“This is extraordinary craftsmanship. To construct brickwork in such an underground space and install such facilities is simply unbelievable….”
Geum Seok-du became convinced this was Giwang’s secret chamber.
No craftsman other than one who had enjoyed incomparable renown across generations could have created such a space.
“Moreover, the air doesn’t feel stale, so it seems ventilation is working as well. Truly remarkable…!”
“We can admire it later. Should we just proceed straight ahead? Was there nothing else written on the Jangbodo?”
“No, this isn’t an interior map, after all.”
“We’ll have to go and see.”
“Indeed.”
“Then as we go, let me think…wait.”
Dokgo Myeong stopped dead in his tracks.
“Is something wrong, sir?”
Dokgo Myeong stared intently ahead and muttered.
“It’s too quiet.”
“Sir?”
“There’s no sign of anyone. I can excuse those who entered earlier being far away, but I can’t sense even the presence of those who should have entered by now.”
“Now that you mention it!”
Seo Ryun startled and spun around sharply.
That was true.
The entire space was quiet—far too quiet. No matter how wide the corridor, in such a confined underground space, not a single sound could be heard.
“There must be quite a few people nearby. Even if they were trying to be silent, some presence should….”
Whiiiiing!
In that instant, the hair on my arms stood on end.
The smell felt wrong, the sound felt wrong, and the sight before me felt wrong.
A warning from my sensory instinct.
The unease emanating from the space had reached its peak.
Dokgo Myeong shouted urgently.
“Seo Ryun! Geum Seok-du! Stay close to me!”
“Yes!”
“Sir?”
Unlike Seo Ryun, who responded immediately to the command, Geum Seok-du, who had been lagging behind to admire the sights, froze with a vacant expression.
And in that moment.
A deafening roar erupted!
The entire space began to be engulfed in white mist.
“Argh! Young Master!”
Geum Seok-du flailed about, swallowed by the fog.
Dokgo Myeong’s face twisted sharply.
“Damn it! Really! Get your head in the game!”
“Young Master! I can’t see anything! Where are you! Your subordinate who swore to share life and death with you is in danger——!”
The word “——!” cut off abruptly. Geum Seok-du, who had been only a few zhang away, had completely vanished from sight and presence.
“It’s a formation array, Young Master!”
“Sigh, really.”
Dokgo Myeong sighed and extended his leg forward.
“You mustn’t, Young Master! What are you trying to do right now!”
Seo Ryun started in alarm and blocked his path with his body.
“I need to bring that fool back.”
“You mustn’t. If you get caught in the formation array, it will be catastrophic.”
“I won’t get caught. It’s fine.”
“That’s impossible—— Gasp!”
With a heavy thud!
Despite Seo Ryun’s restraint, Dokgo Myeong hurled himself unimpeded into the mist.
“Tsk!”
Seo Ryun, releasing a small grunt, moved to follow without hesitation.
But in that moment.
A sharp crack!
“I’m about to bury you here. Are you going to get your head straight!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“If you space out again, I’m leaving you behind, so get it together!”
“…Yes.”
“Y-Young Master!”
Through the mist, Dokgo Myeong emerged, gripping Geum Seok-du by the collar of his neck.
“Y-Young Master? How on earth did you break through the formation array?”
Seo Ryun’s mouth fell open.
“Formation array?”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled.
A resonant hum filled the air!
A blue light gathered in Dokgo Myeong’s eyes.
It was a sign of the Hyocheongong’s sensory perception activating.
“Breaking through a formation array of this level is child’s play!”

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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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