Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 65

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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 65
A man stood before a cliff that rose as if carved by a blade.
Boom! Crack-crack-crack!
With a single casual stroke, a massive sword mark was etched into the cliff face.
It was a sword strike that transcended human limits. Areas the blade never touched split open, and countless fractures spread like lightning had struck.
Whoosh! Thud!
The man sheathed his sword and quietly observed the cliff shedding stone fragments.
“It has been a while since I’ve seen you train with such intensity, Father.”
“Hmm? Ah, Gun has arrived.”
Dokgo Un-hak turned around.
His son, Dokgo Gun, stood there with his characteristic warm smile.
“A while? As a swordsman, I have never ceased my training.”
“Yet it has been quite some time since I’ve witnessed you devote your full strength to cultivation.”
“Ha ha, is that so?”
Boom! Crack-crack-crack!
Behind the father and son’s conversation, the cliff wailed in protest.
A single stroke had made the mountain tremble.
It was a sound that proved the epithet “Sword King,” the foremost of the Five Armies, was no exaggeration.
“Has something troubled your mind, Father?”
“I simply felt the urge to wield my sword.”
Dokgo Gun smiled silently.
Dokgo Un-hak let out a scoff and turned his gaze away.
“My son should know how to indulge his parents’ deceptions.”
“What do you mean, Father?”
“Never mind.”
Dokgo Un-hak clasped his hands behind his back and spoke without hesitation.
“That foolish younger brother of mine returned from the Gangho. So I wielded my sword to test myself.”
“You speak of Uncle Wi-hak?”
“Fortunately, it seems my sword no longer carries hesitation.”
Dokgo Un-hak wiped the hilt of his blade with a satisfied expression.
Soon his gaze turned toward his son.
“But what brings you all the way here?”
“Yeon is moving together with Myeong-i, it seems.”
Dokgo Un-hak’s eyes gleamed.
“What do you make of it?”
“Yeon will not simply provide escort duties.”
“Still, there should be no major problems. That one is quite clever. And clever ones are always weak against children like Yeon, whose way of thinking is difficult to comprehend.”
Even as he spoke, Dokgo Un-hak furrowed his brow.
Something felt unsettling, yet he could not pinpoint exactly what troubled him.
“But what word comes from the Council of Elders?”
“This morning, the Sect Leader held a breakfast gathering with the elders.”
“How disappointing—she didn’t invite me. When I was young, she used to take me everywhere.”
Dokgo Un-hak chuckled lightly.
“Once Dokgo Yeon returns, something interesting is bound to happen one way or another. It’s about time the family got a little lively.”
“That’s unfortunate. I’ll have to return to my duties soon, so I won’t be able to witness that spectacle.”
“Then hurry up and finish your business before you go. Ha ha!”
Boom! Crash! Rumble!
Dokgo Un-hak smiled as he watched the cliff crumble, sending up clouds of dust.
* * *
Sip-jeon-mu-go means absolute perfection without flaw.
Within the Dokgo Family’s long history lay countless martial techniques, all of which were housed in the Sip-jeon-mu-go.
But that place contained far more than just the Dokgo Family’s techniques. In fact, they made up less than half of what was stored there.
Secret manuals that the Main Sect had annihilated other families to obtain, subjugated clans to seize, or outright plundered.
The Sip-jeon-mu-go was a space packed with so many secret manuals that they could fill ten massive chambers and still have room to spare.
“It’s truly a space overflowing with secret manuals—a treasure trove beyond compare for any martial artist.”
“But… is it really alright to give those away so freely?”
“I received permission from the Family Head. Who would dare object?”
Clop, clop, clop!
Dokgo Yeon continued speaking at ease, riding without holding the reins.
“By the way, I didn’t know you very well. You should have mentioned it beforehand.”
“Mentioned what?”
“That you won’t budge an inch without proper compensation? Well, it’s your way of doing things, so I won’t meddle… but doesn’t it make you look a bit petty?”
“…Won’t budge an inch? Who said that?”
“Your subordinate did.”
“My subordinate?”
Creak!
Dokgo Myeong’s neck turned very slowly.
And soon his eyes met those of Geum Seok-du, who was breaking out in cold sweat.
‘We’ll talk later.’
Dokgo Myeong turned his head back with a forced smile.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I’m not that petty. I’m actually quite generous.”
“Then why did you refuse the martial duel?”
“…”
“Well, I understand. There’s nothing wrong with looking out for yourself. It does seem a bit stingy, though.”
“No! That’s not it!”
“Sure, sure. Let’s leave it at that.”
“I’m telling you, it’s not!”
“Anyway, the Sip-jeon-mu-go should be more than enough, right?”
Dokgo Yeon puffed out her chest proudly and laughed, her expression saying ‘Your mouth is watering, isn’t it? I know everything.’
“The Sip-jeon-mu-go…”
“There’s no need to hesitate. You absolutely cannot refuse. So stop dragging this out and do it right now….”
“Hmm, I’m not particularly interested.”
“A martial match with me… what?”
“I’m simply not interested.”
Dokgo Yeon’s expression turned incredulous at my blunt response.
“I have no intention of learning new martial arts right now.”
“Who said anything about you learning? The Musa Corps will need martial arts to distribute.”
“That’s already taken care of. We have plenty of usable techniques.”
“You’re still young and don’t understand yet, but do you think every martial art comes from the divine techniques and secret arts stored in Sip-jeon-mu-go?”
I chuckled softly.
“A man who masters a third-rate martial art suited to his body is far more terrifying than one who half-heartedly learns divine techniques and secret arts.”
“What?”
“Martial arts themselves aren’t what matters. What matters is the person learning them and finding the right martial art for that person.”
I knew this better than anyone.
Before I learned the Cheonoe Gyeong, I survived on the battlefield without any divine techniques or secret arts.
‘And I already know several martial arts.’
In its early days, the Demon Slaying Unit was a unit that was useless in many ways. While many members had learned martial arts, they were often too low-level or lacked proper foundations.
So we had to create something from nothing.
The members would put their heads together, deconstructing or combining what we already knew, acquiring martial arts from enemies, or even creating them from scratch.
Every martial art created that way bloomed on the battlefield.
‘Those that failed to bloom had to be buried in the ground along with their masters.’
The other divine techniques and various martial arts could be examined later. By then, I would be able to freely access Sip-jeon-mu-go without needing anyone’s permission.
“Anyway, I don’t need martial arts right now.”
“Sip-jeon-mu-go doesn’t only contain martial arts!”
“Pardon?”
“From the fifth chamber onward, we keep records of various secret histories of the Gangho and countermeasures against the martial arts of various renowned schools that the Main Sect has researched over a long time!”
“…What? Countermeasures? Why would something like that exist?”
“Only an idiot wouldn’t prepare them. How would you know who you’ll fight and when?”
“….”
Right, this was the Dokgo Family.
Truly magnificent! The greatest family under heaven indeed!
“Wait, do those records also contain information about unusual martial arts?”
“Of course!”
“….”
My eyes gleamed.
I wanted to obtain information about the origins of my unique martial art, the Cheonoe Gyeong.
‘If it’s the Dokgo Family’s Sip-jeon-bi-go, wouldn’t there be at least some clue?’
-You certainly have plenty of leisure time. You haven’t even awakened half of the sensory realm, yet you’re curious about the origins of your school?
-Still, shouldn’t a disciple know at least the history of their school?
-When the time comes, you will know whether you wish to or not.
It was something my master had once said.
‘When the time comes? I never figured it out until I died.’
My master was the most unpredictable eccentric I had ever encountered.
Age, name, birthplace—he never revealed a single thing.
I didn’t have the leisure to ask either.
But the more I practiced, the more I came to understand.
The Cheonoe Gyeong was no ordinary martial art.
‘In this life, to complete the Cheonoe Gyeong that I failed to perfect in my previous life, I need to learn whatever I can.’
The Cheonoe Gyeong held many secrets. To grow stronger, I had to uncover them all.
I nodded calmly.
“Very well.”
“What? Hahaha! That’s right! Well thought!”
Dokgo Yeon laughed so hard her body bounced in the saddle.
Then she suddenly stopped.
‘Wait, isn’t something odd about this?’
When she offered to spar with him, gratitude would have been the least he could show…
Dokgo Yeon’s eyes narrowed as she glared at me belatedly.
“You’ll need to entertain me thoroughly. I won’t go back on my word, but if I’m disappointed, I’ll demand payment.”
“That might be difficult.”
“What?”
I let out a slight smirk.
“Because you won’t be able to simply enjoy yourself.”
“…Hahaha! I’ve heard you’re mad, but I didn’t expect this much. Fine! Let’s go right now!”
Dokgo Yeon urged her horse forward at speed.
“Jang Mu-ak! I’m leaving this place to you! No escort needed! I’ll be back within half an hour at most!”
“Tsk, here we go again. Demon Slaying Unit! Dismount and prepare camp nearby!”
At Dokgo Yeon’s command, the Demon Slaying Unit moved with perfect coordination.
“Dokgo Myeong! Follow me.”
Dokgo Yeon galloped ahead first.
* * *
A mountain path some distance from the main road.
Dokgo Yeon stopped on a slightly flat stretch of ground—neither a clearing nor level terrain, just a moderately even surface.
“This spot will do. Let’s tie the horses here.”
After tethering the horses, Dokgo Yeon faced me with an iron spear slung across her shoulder.
“Dokgo Myeong.”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
Dokgo Yeon smiled coldly, and a hint of killing intent seemed to flicker in that smile.
“Sparring often brings unforeseen accidents.”
“That’s true enough.”
“How convenient that this mountain path is so desolate… If I truly wished to kill you, why did you follow so obediently?”
In that moment, Dokgo Myeong let out a soft chuckle.
Dokgo Yeon’s expression hardened instantly.
“You’re quite confident, aren’t you?”
“I’m simply not very frightened, that’s all.”
“If you’re only at ease because I’m your cousin, then I’m disappointed.”
Whoosh! Crack!
The moment Dokgo Yeon’s shoulder shifted, her spear whirled in a great arc, pointing directly at Dokgo Myeong.
“You don’t seem to know that the world calls me a madwoman.”
“I already told you—I’m not frightened.”
Dokgo Myeong spoke with perfect composure.
“Because I’m not the sort of person who dies so easily.”
“What? Hahahaha!”
Dokgo Yeon burst into satisfied laughter.
“Still, you should work on your acting.”
“Hmm?”
“Your intimidation tactics are far too transparent when you’re trying to provoke tension.”
A playful smile tugged at the corner of Dokgo Yeon’s mouth.
“Kekeke! Yes, this is how it should be. I’d heard you were mad, but I never knew you were this magnificent!”
Who’s calling whom mad?
More importantly, who is this?
Seok-du, surely it’s not you?
You’re truly finished.
“Do you know why I’ve been so obsessed with testing myself against you?”
“What is it?”
“You haven’t learned the martial arts of the Main Sect, have you?”
That Dokgo Myeong had not mastered the family’s martial techniques was already common knowledge among those who mattered.
In truth, even the untrained eye could discern it easily. His inner cultivation, external techniques, footwork, momentum, and every refined posture were distinctly separate from the martial arts of the Dokgo Family.
“In Zhongyuan, there exist tens of thousands of martial arts, but ultimately their roots number only two—the Daoist and Buddhist schools.”
“…”
“Through generations, those roots have grown into trees and formed a forest—what we call the martial world. Among them, some branches have grown taller than their original trees, yet no one can deny that their source lies in the Daoist and Buddhist teachings.”
Beyond Daoist and Buddhist martial arts, there existed demonic cultivation and secular martial techniques.
Yet when one traced their origins, they were merely distortions or reinterpretations of orthodox methods. Ultimately, the roots of Zhongyuan’s martial arts converged into two paths.
“But I sense nothing from you. What exactly have you learned?”
“How can you see anything when you haven’t even fought me yet?”
“One can tell from the aura alone. The energy emanating from you carries a scent I’ve never encountered in Zhongyuan.”
Dokgo Yeon’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
“That’s why I wanted to fight you so badly. I sensed that your martial arts might hold the key to breaking through the wall I’ve encountered.”
“Then allow me to ask you something as well.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why are you so obsessed with martial arts like someone who’s lost their mind?”
Dokgo Yeon blinked for a moment.
She tilted her head as if pondering, then opened her mouth.
“Hmm… I’ve never really thought about it that way.”
“…?”
“I tried it and it worked well. What could be more fun than this?”
Dokgo Yeon exhaled sharply through her nose.
“Now get into position. I’ll give you three seconds as a courtesy, considering your physical condition.”
“You’re not going to ambush me while you’re saying that, are you?”
“What kind of person do you take me for!”
“Well then, I won’t be shy about it.”
Tap!
Dokgo Myeong slowly lifted his feet.

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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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