Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 79
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 79
Clang!
At the sudden metallic sound, the Black-Robed Men’s gazes shifted back toward Dokgo Myeong.
Dokgo Myeong was leisurely rising to his feet, having freed himself from the iron chains and shackles.
“Did you think binding my limbs would be the end of it?”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled, slowly rotating his wrists and ankles.
Pop! Crack!
The sound of bones realigning echoed from both his wrists and ankles.
He had dislocated his joints to slip free from the restraints—a technique performed with such ease that it was clearly not his first time.
The sword-bearing Black-Robed Man let out a hollow laugh.
“How did you track us? I confirmed multiple counter-surveillance sweeps.”
“There exists something in this world called a tracking scent.”
Dokgo Myeong withdrew something from his robes and waved it about.
It was a small fragrance pouch.
“Creating such an object, let alone deploying it, cannot be an easy feat.”
“That fellow possesses an extraordinary array of talents.”
Dokgo Myeong gestured toward Geum Seok-du at the entrance.
“Well done! But where is Seo Sect Leader?”
“I have arrived, Young Master.”
Whoosh! Thud!
A man landed gracefully at the entrance, unlike Geum Seok-du.
White Tiger Sect Leader Seo Ryun.
The way he held his sword resembled a great tiger in its majesty.
“You filthy rats! Not only did you dare desecrate the Main Sect, but you dared draw weapons against the Young Master’s person!”
His thunderous voice dripped with fury.
The sword-bearing Black-Robed Man’s eyes darkened.
“You anticipated this from the beginning and laid a trap?”
“You despise exposure of your organization’s location more than anything. Even more than the Cult of the Divine Blood.”
“….”
“You would have been suspicious at first. But once the scriptures were mentioned? You would have no choice but to take the bait, setting everything else aside. That is your nature.”
Whether Jeongheol or the Cult of the Divine Blood, what made them difficult to contend with was their fanaticism.
Yet simultaneously, that very fanaticism became a weakness when exploited properly.
“I detected no signs of other forces mobilizing.”
“Of course not—the orders were only just issued while we deceived your attention. Still, reinforcements should arrive within the hour.”
“You reveal such information quite readily. What is your purpose?”
Dokgo Myeong paused briefly before speaking with amusement in his voice.
“I wonder why myself.”
Beneath the mask, the Black-Robed Man’s expression twisted.
‘He knows far too much about our sect.’
It was not merely a matter of possessing information.
They knew habits and ways of thinking that were difficult even for disciples to understand. That was the greatest problem.
‘How?’
What exactly did they know, how much, and in what way?
‘No, this isn’t the time for this.’
If discovered, I had to flee.
Not to save my own life, but because I couldn’t bring shame upon the Main Sect if I were captured.
The Black-Robed Man pivoted on his heel.
Thud!
Yet in that moment, my feet wouldn’t move, as if rooted to the ground.
‘…Shouldn’t I try to understand him, no matter the cost?’
Shouldn’t I at least kill him and silence him?
The Black-Robed Man hesitated, unable to act decisively. The thought even crossed my mind that this very hesitation might be what he intended.
In that instant, I caught sight of Dokgo Myeong’s face—he was smiling wickedly.
“Running out of time, aren’t you? Right?”
The Black-Robed Man’s face twisted.
Whoooosh!
A foul stench swept through the cave.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes widened as he thrust both hands forward without hesitation.
Boom! Crash!
Both arms snapped back. More than that, Dokgo Myeong’s body flew upward and slammed into the cave wall.
Screech!
The man tore off his mask savagely and laughed aloud.
“Hahahaha! How foolish. Now that I think about it, there was no need to hesitate.”
Whoosh!
The surroundings grew slightly darker.
It was from the energy flowing from the man’s blade. Like ink spilled into empty space, an inky aura was painting over the interior of the cave.
“If it takes time to kill you, then I simply kill you and take my own life afterward. What’s the problem?”
Roooar!
A tide of inky force crashed down, threatening to swallow Dokgo Myeong whole in an instant.
A chilling sword aura flickered like flames in all directions.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed.
“The Shadow Demon Sword. I suspected you weren’t an ordinary disciple, given that you infiltrated the Black Dragon Sect, but are you one of the Blood Generals?”
“You know even this! It was indeed the right choice to kill you!”
Crack! Whoooosh!
As time passed, the ominous energy pouring from the man’s entire body grew fiercer.
Geum Seok-du’s expression at the entrance turned ashen.
‘H-how can a human body contain such internal power?’
Screeeech!
A sword’s cry should be clear and pure, yet this man’s blade produced a sound like that of demons from hell itself.
‘I feel like I’m going to be sick.’
This was not a matter of strength versus weakness.
The edge of his qi technique had merely grazed me, yet nausea welled up in my throat. My inner energy trembled, and my vision blurred with dizziness.
That was when it happened.
Boom!
Dokgo Myeong stamped his foot down.
Whoosh!
Along with that heavy stomp, a crystalline energy spread outward in all directions.
Like dawn breaking through the darkness of night, the oppressive and stagnant aura of the man was driven back.
“All you do is run your mouth.”
“…?”
“Wasn’t time precious to you? Why aren’t you attacking?”
Dokgo Myeong spoke with a sinister grin.
“I’ll kill you!”
Crash!
A deafening explosion swept through the cave.
* * *
In terms of pure martial prowess, Jeongheol was far inferior to the Cult of the Divine Blood. This was because Jeongheol’s blood cultivation techniques themselves emphasized deception and misdirection.
Moreover, with numerous restrictions sealing both true qi and martial techniques, it was inevitable that reaching mastery was difficult and power was diminished.
Yet Jeongheol possessed masters nonetheless—the one hundred and eight Blood Army Commanders.
One of the main forces of Jeongheol, a Blood Army Commander known as the Shadow Commander Yalul-ryeong, drew his sword.
Swish! Clang!
As Yalul-ryeong extended his stomp forward, he unleashed a rapid sword strike.
Clang!
The moment they collided, Dokgo Myeong’s right hand was sent flying backward uncontrollably.
The sword strike had shattered the protective barrier of the Heavenly Transformation technique.
“Young Master!”
“White Tiger Sect Leader Seo Ryun. It seems I should be your opponent.”
“That voice… could you possibly be…?”
Boom!
At that moment, a thunderous sound erupted from Seo Ryun’s direction as well.
Dokgo Myeong glanced over there, his eyes brightening.
‘That side is fine.’
Seo Ryun was strong. Besides, I had already given him a rough understanding of the Black Bloodfiend Beast’s characteristics, so he should manage.
The problem was here.
“How dare you let your guard down!”
Rumble!
The tip of the Narrow Peak Sword that had been far away suddenly appeared before my eyes.
I deflected it with my left hand using Jecheon-gi, and scattered it with my right hand using Heavenly Transformation.
Crack! Boom!
The Narrow Peak Sword shifted to defense, blocking the path of my fist strike.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes flashed with intensity.
Crack!
Dokgo Myeong straightened his extended fist and seized Yalul-ryeong’s shoulder.
Just as he was about to dislocate the joint using Jecheon-gi, Dokgo Myeong released his grip and leaped backward.
Boom!
A damp, ashen aura erupted where Dokgo Myeong had been standing.
He had kicked upward in that split second.
“Good instincts.”
“How shameless—falling into a trap like a fool, yet still pretending to be impressive?”
“You bastard!”
Heh.
Dokgo Myeong laughed and brushed off his hands.
‘He’s strong. Not at the peak level.’
Among at least one hundred and eight Blood Army Commanders, he ranked in the upper-middle tier.
In other words, he was a supreme master who had just touched the threshold of the Ascending Realm.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Countless thrusts came flying without warning.
Dokgo Myeong’s hands grew urgent.
Jahagyeol, Jecheon-gi.
Swift, yet gentle.
With soft, pushing motions, the fierce sword strikes scattered in all directions.
But he couldn’t deflect everything.
Slash!
Flesh flew and blood sprayed.
A sword strike he failed to evade slammed into his shoulder.
Boom!
Yalul-ryeong kicked Dokgo Myeong’s trembling body backward.
Dokgo Myeong staggered as he retreated.
Yalul-ryeong’s eyes flashed as he unleashed a powerful strike.
Crash!
Dokgo Myeong was sent flying backward.
The difference was unmistakable.
The level of inner energy control, the magnitude of power, the degree of physical conditioning—all of it.
‘I’ve won.’
Yalul-ryeong was certain of victory.
His boldness and courage were beyond reproach, but his objective level had not yet reached the Ascending Realm.
And yet.
‘Why does this feel so ominous?’
That was the moment.
“That’s enough. Now I’m starting to understand.”
“What?”
Boom! Crash!
Dokgo Myeong’s form blurred.
A direct confrontation.
White vital energy flooded my vision.
‘Foolish.’
The gap in cultivation was obvious, yet he still sought a head-on clash.
Yalul-ryeong casually shook his blade free.
Boom! Screech!
“…!”
In that instant, Yalul-ryeong’s eyes widened as if they might split.
Sting!
His forearm burned with pain.
Dokgo Myeong’s technique had cunningly evaded the sword’s trajectory and carved across his forearm.
Thud!
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly and charged again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each strike erupted with a deafening roar.
And with each explosion, Yalul-ryeong’s body was driven back step by step.
‘What is this?’
Dokgo Myeong’s movements had accelerated.
No, wait.
Dokgo Myeong’s capabilities shouldn’t allow for such speed.
Then what?
‘…Am I the one falling behind?’
Only then did Yalul-ryeong realize something was terribly wrong.
Between each motion.
Between each step.
At every junction, Dokgo Myeong was burrowing in, severing the flow of his technique entirely.
‘Coincidence? No, not just once or twice. This is…!’
A word that should never have surfaced appeared in Yalul-ryeong’s mind.
Counter-technique.
His sect’s divine art had been countered.
Yalul-ryeong’s pupils trembled fiercely.
“That’s impossible!”
The thought spilled from his lips, and Yalul-ryeong’s blade traced a bold arc.
Crash!
Blood sprayed from Dokgo Myeong’s chest.
That was all—merely a graze.
He seemed to have known exactly where the blade would stop.
I can see it.
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly and spun his body around, driving his back leg upward.
BOOM!
“Ugh!”
The kick produced a sound like cannon fire.
Yalul-ryeong’s jaw snapped to the side, blood spraying from his mouth.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes locked onto Yalul-ryeong.
I can see it perfectly. The Shadow Sword Technique. Yes, what a pathetically mediocre swordmaster.
Whoosh!
Dokgo Myeong pushed off the ground with his feet.
Unlike the Guangji Cloud Form, the wind sound was soft and subtle.
It was the Cheonryu Yubo—the infiltration footwork.
“Gah!”
Yalul-ryeong hastily regained his balance and thrust his blade forward.
Whoosh!
At the same moment, Dokgo Myeong vanished like a phantom.
To the ground.
Dokgo Myeong had suddenly dropped low, evading the sword strike.
Again!
The movement was readable.
In that hesitant instant, the crouching Dokgo Myeong rammed into Yalul-ryeong’s waist like a charging buffalo.
CRASH!
“AHHHHH!”
Only when his internal organs were shaken did a groan finally escape Yalul-ryeong’s lips.
Boom! Boom!
Dokgo Myeong pressed his assault relentlessly.
Now blood began to appear on Yalul-ryeong’s body.
“RAHHHHH!”
Yalul-ryeong screamed desperately, drawing upon his inner power.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes flashed.
Countless sword shadows in ink-black hues materialized before him.
Boom! CRASH!
Dokgo Myeong staggered backward, coughing blood.
No matter how clearly the swordmaster’s techniques were visible, there were limits to how quickly one could react.
Blood dripped continuously.
Dokgo Myeong kept bleeding.
His lips were torn, his mouth was split open, and blood welled up from his throat.
Yet the corners of his mouth curved upward.
Laughter.
It was unmistakably laughter.
Boom! Boom! Screeeech!
In that instant, the ashen qi that filled my vision split sharply to both sides.
“…!”
Through that gap, Dokgo Myeong thrust his fist forward.
Advance and attack.
The unyielding martial art—the fists of Hwacheon Strike came crashing down like artillery shells upon Yalul-ryeong’s chest.
“Krraaagh!”
Crash!
As if struck by a carriage, Yalul-ryeong flew backward through the air.
Again.
Once more, the attack pierced through a needle-thin opening.
‘I cannot deny it any longer. This man has experience researching counters to the Shadow Demon Blade.’
I have never encountered anyone like him.
Of course, countering itself is not impossible.
However, countering is fundamentally an act of piercing minute gaps with a precise awl.
But this man was different.
He was more like a hammer, or a war chariot.
He crushed the gaps entirely as he attacked.
And Yalul-ryeong could not accept this situation.
“Krraaaagh! How dare this wretched heretic covet the sacred blade of our sect!”
Kwaaaaaang!
At the reckless slash, Dokgo Myeong faltered.
A sword strike far faster than anticipated came flying, forcing him to halt his offensive.
“Beyond killing you, I shall bore holes through your limbs and watch you crawl like a worm! Today I shall wet my throat with your blood!”
Shrieeeeek!
With the furious cry, the whites and pupils of Yalul-ryeong’s eyes stained ashen gray.
Demonic qi invaded the upper dantian. Or rather, he allowed it to invade.
As if the person himself had transformed, his voice now dripped with viscous killing intent and madness.
Kwagagagagaga!
The entire cave trembled.
The inner force aura was shaking the mountain itself.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————