Return of the God of War - Chapter 4

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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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Episode 4: I Still
This is not a place to settle some trivial dispute between two mere apprentices.
There was no reason for the Sadocheon’s Master himself, Muk Yeojin’s father, to travel here with his own retinue merely for such a matter.
‘Father has come here to gauge whether I am the offspring of a dragon ascending to heaven in Mangdam Hall, or the whelp of an earth serpent crawling into the dirt.’
If that were so, then the stance he should take would not be to bewail some petty false accusation and protest his innocence.
‘What I must show here’
was the confidence to press his convictions even among hundreds of Sadocheon’s senior members without flinching.
It was a will as unbreakable as tempered steel—one that would not bend even if isolated alone in the heart of enemy territory.
Muk Yeojin answered with unflinching composure, drawing his chest up proudly.
“Had it been an ambush, had it been a true battlefield, your brother would have already lost his life by my hand. In that sense, he should live on hereafter, and has gained the lesson to protect his trivial life even once. Should he not, in fact, bow his head and thank me?”
“How dare you!!”
It was Muk Byeongho’s mother, Hye Rangyeong, who could no longer contain her fury.
Along with her—
Muk Iyeon, Muk Byeongho’s elder sister and Captain of the Jeokrang-dae, and her members’ eyes kindled with a faint murderous intent.
In that instant.
“Captain of the Jeokrang-dae, step forward.”
As the Master of Sadocheon’s chilling voice rang out, not only the Jeokrang-dae members who had been sharpening their gaze but even Hye Rangyeong’s body stiffened.
Muk Iyeon, Captain of the Jeokrang-dae, stepped forward with an unruffled expression.
“To brazenly harbor murderous intent before my very eyes. Your members’ discipline is quite remarkable.”
……
Muk Iyeon answered by lowering her head.
“From this moment, the Jeokrang-dae shall cease all assigned duties immediately, and all members are to enter Sealed Chamber Training for one year. Furthermore, you are stripped of your position as Captain. Do you object, Captain?”
“I do not, Master.”
“Withdraw.”
Muk Iyeon rose from her place with the same composed expression.
But Hye Rangyeong was the woman who had long ridden on her daughter’s coattails, wielding the Jeokrang-dae like her own limbs.
Now severed of all four limbs in an instant, she could not hide the distortion that twisted across her face.
“Master! How could you do this to me!”
At that, Muk Woomyeong regarded her in silence.
Simultaneously, the corner of his mouth twitched as though to rise into a smile.
It was a warning from Muk Woomyeong.
A warning not to cross any further line.
At that sight, the color drained from Hye Rangyeong’s face in an instant.
At last, biting her lip until blood seeped forth, she turned her head and glared at Muk Yeojin with eyes that could kill.
Muk Woomyeong shifted his gaze back to Muk Yeojin and asked.
“How does it feel, my youngest? To suddenly acquire a clear enemy?”
“Before the greater cause, there are neither eternal enemies nor eternal allies. I shall not trouble myself greatly over it.”
A strange light flickered across Muk Woomyeong’s eyes.
“Hmm? Your words suggest that if circumstances demand it, you could even join hands with the White Path across the Janggang River?”
“Should it be necessary, I would do so gladly.”
At Muk Yeojin’s reply, the atmosphere of the Training Ground, already hushed, grew colder still.
Among the senior members of Sadocheon gathered here, some belonged to the Orthodox Faction, but the vast majority were those born of the Black Path—hardened warriors of the Heretical Sect.
There were no shortage of those who ground their teeth at the mere mention of the White Path, enough to rouse them from sleep.
Though they dared not show it before the Master, it was certain they would not view Muk Yeojin favorably in their hearts.
Muk Woomyeong tapped the armrest of his seat lightly with the index finger of his left hand.
It was something he did when he felt a certain interest stirring.
“I don’t know about other things, but you seem quite skilled at making enemies.”
“I shall take that as a compliment.”
……
Muk Woomyeong, momentarily at a loss for words at such brazenness, opened his mouth again.
“Your words from years ago come to mind now.”
‘Words I said?’
Muk Yeojin’s mind raced.
‘What did I say to Father?’
In truth, for Muk Yeojin, it was not merely years but decades and more ago, so it would have been strange to recall it immediately.
In the moment he strained to dredge up the memory, Muk Yeojin caught a peculiar hope glimmering in his father Muk Woomyeong’s eyes.
‘……!’
In that instant, he was able to recall what he had said.
Then too, his father had regarded him with those eyes, and the moment the answer came, his father’s hope had vanished like a mirage.
“Back then I asked you what kind of world you desired, and you answered that you wished for a peaceful world.”
That was true.
“I wish we could all get along. If a peaceful world were to come, Mother and Father would be able to live happily together too.”
So young Muk Yeojin had said.
One could dismiss it as the answer of a naive child, ignorant of the world’s ways, but to the master of the great Sadocheon—
it had marked him as a useless son in Muk Woomyeong’s eyes.
“I feel I must ask you again, youngest. What kind of world do you wish to see?”
Muk Yeojin considered this. He had already endured every conceivable hardship the world had to offer.
He knew well that a peaceful world where everyone got along was nothing but a foolish fantasy.
He could have spat out an answer satisfying to his father on the spot.
‘But that alone would not suffice.’
Muk Yeojin intended to firmly imprint himself upon the pillar members of Sadocheon gathered here.
After a moment’s deliberation, he resolved to give an answer that would overturn everyone’s expectations.
“I still wish for a peaceful world.”
The moment Muk Woomyeong heard his son’s reply, his disappointment was plain to see.
The hope that had kindled in his eyes faded in an instant like light going out.
Muk Woomyeong’s lips curled slightly as he pressed further.
“How naive. Do you truly believe such a world could exist?”
“Yes. I am certain it can.”
Only then did a smile settle across Muk Woomyeong’s face.
In that moment, Muk Yeojin’s value had plummeted to insignificance in the eyes of the Sadocheon master.
With a face full of laughter, he turned to his youngest son and asked:
“Then tell me—how would you bring peace to this world of ours? With Sadocheon and the Murim Alliance, those Demonic Path dogs in the distance, and beyond that, all the independent sects and bureaucratic forces?”
His tone made clear such a thing was impossible.
As if in agreement, Muk Yeojin felt the mockery of the countless people surrounding him echo from all directions.
Yet Muk Yeojin remained perfectly composed.
For this too was within his calculation.
He steadied his breathing and delivered the answer he had prepared.
“An Absolute Ruler must exist.”
Thud.
Muk Woomyeong’s smile froze in place.
After a moment of silence, he spoke:
“An Absolute Ruler, you say?”
“Yes. If a ruler so overwhelmingly powerful were to stand alone in this realm—one who brings men trembling to their knees merely at the sight of him, unable to meet his eyes—then the Central Plains would know peace.”
It was a heretical proclamation to hear from a child of twelve winters.
“Hmm.”
Muk Woomyeong’s interest was kindled anew. “So you mean that if Sadocheon were to unify the Central Plains, peace would come? Is that your meaning?”
Muk Yeojin shook his head.
“Cubs in a den whose master hibernates, doing nothing but baring fangs at one another—such creatures can never become a true ruler.”
The wolf was the symbol of Sadocheon’s warriors.
During the six years the Sadocheon master had been in seclusion, it was an unmistakable challenge to the faction’s officers, who had only devoured their own while tearing at each other’s throats.
“So you say Sadocheon alone is unfit even to dream of unifying the Central Plains.”
“…….”
Muk Yeojin said nothing, yet everyone present understood his silence as affirmation.
In the eyes of every martial artist gathered in the Great Martial Training Ground, hostility blazed toward Muk Yeojin.
Had their master not been present, any one of them might have drawn steel without it seeming out of place.
The atmosphere was so charged that silence itself seemed to cut like blades.
How much time had passed?
It was the Sadocheon master’s tremendous laughter that shattered the endless quiet.
“Kek… kahahaha!”
His hearty laugh left the officers, especially those closest to the master, unable to hide their shock.
In all their years attending him, they could count on one hand the times they’d heard him laugh so loudly.
“Kekeke, so then—what shall we do with these cubs that played master in a masterless den? Tell me.”
“We must pull out all their teeth and claws, beat them until they never dare crawl again. And perhaps twist the necks of a few, to serve as examples.”
At Muk Yeojin’s words, those assembled gasped in spite of themselves.
By one interpretation or another, Muk Yeojin had as good as announced a purge before all the officers of Sadocheon.
Some, struck by pangs of conscience, went visibly pale.
At this point, Muk Woomyeong grabbed his belly and burst into laughter.
“Kahahaha!”
“…….”

He had barely broken into laughter before it all came pouring out.
His laugh echoed across the arena for a long moment, then cut off abruptly.
When he looked back at his father’s face, not a trace of a smile remained.
“Becoming an Absolute Ruler isn’t simply a matter of reaching a high level of Martial Achievement.”
“I understand that well.”
“You understand? So you’re saying you’ll become this Ruler?”
“If it becomes necessary, I will.”
“Not ‘if it’s possible,’ but ‘if it’s necessary’—how presumptuous, how arrogant and baseless of you.”
“I’ll accept that as praise.”
……
Muk Woomyeong, who had been staring intently at Muk Yeojin, finally spoke.
“This impudent son needs some discipline. Hmm—youngest one, what’s your name?”
Muk Yeojin clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘This man doesn’t even know his own children’s names.’
Now he understood why Muk Byeongho beside him had never been called by name either.
“My name is Muk Yeojin.”
“I decree one year of confinement for Muk Yeojin in the Punishment Chamber of Mangdam Hall.”
That was all.
Having finished his pronouncement, Muk Woomyeong rose at once and moved to leave the training ground.
It was then.
“I… ah… Father, I…”
Muk Byeongho, who had been restless throughout the confrontation unlike at the start, spoke in a trembling voice.
Muk Woomyeong paused, tilted his head for a moment, then instructed one of his attendants.
“Give that boy some healing salve for his wounds.”
“Yes, Lord Sadocheon.”
“And tell Madame Hye and Madame Namgung that it’s been a while since they’ve seen their children. I’ll permit them to stay at Mangdam Hall for today.”
With those words, Muk Woomyeong, Lord of Sadocheon, departed.
The crowds that had filled the Great Martial Training Ground dispersed like a receding tide.
Some among the Jeokrang-dae, caught in the confusion, attempted to unleash shallow auras at Muk Yeojin, but when he neither dodged nor resisted and accepted them calmly, they only looked foolish for their efforts.
The moment the Lord of Sadocheon vanished completely from sight, Muk Yeojin exhaled deeply.
Ahhhh!
He could only sigh with relief at the thought that he had climbed over a great mountain immediately upon his return.
‘I did it.’
In today’s confrontation with his father, Muk Yeojin had achieved everything he desired.
He had successfully drawn the attention of the Lord of Sadocheon.
And the rumors that had long called him a mere lapdog beneath a tiger would disappear after today.
But most importantly, the greatest reward was none other than this:
‘Confinement in the Punishment Chamber.’
To the uninformed, it might seem a harsh punishment, but it was in fact an enormous gift.
A fact known only to a select few within Sadocheon—and to Muk Yeojin, who had lived through the future.
The Punishment Chamber of Mangdam Hall was originally a training chamber where Lord Sadocheon Muk Woomyeong had conducted Sealed Chamber Training during his childhood.
His early comprehensions and insights had been preserved intact in the secret alcoves of the chamber.
For martial artists like Muk Yeojin who had only just begun their journey into the martial way, it was an opportunity of fortune among opportunities, something gold itself could not purchase.
Muk Yeojin clenched his uncalloused fist tightly.
“A flawless first step.”

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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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