The God of Death and the God of War - Chapter 77

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Evil Hegemon Martial God

 

Chapter 77

 

A silent and dark night.

 

A time when most ordinary people would be asleep.

 

But Sadocheon’s Tongseong County branch was still brightly lit.

 

To be precise, the branch leader’s office was still brightly lit.

 

“Phew…”

 

Jeok-un cracked his neck and let out a long sigh.

 

Though he was someone who wouldn’t tire even after fighting for seven days and nights without rest, it was a different story when documents were his opponent.

 

He had only been doing paperwork for a few days, yet he was utterly exhausted.

 

On the desk, reports and documents were piled up like a mountain.

 

‘I can’t believe I’m really doing this…’

 

Originally, Yang Gang was the branch leader of Sadocheon’s Tongseong County branch.

 

So Jeok-un would have liked to dump everything on Yang Gang or Jang Bo-heom.

 

‘But the matters are too important for that. I had no choice.’

 

If he didn’t tie things up properly, there was no telling what kind of side effects might emerge later.

 

Well, thanks to sitting in front of the desk for several days struggling with the work, he could finally see the end.

 

All of this was for the normalization of Tongseong County.

 

As you know, the government recognized Sadocheon as the ruler of Tongseong County.

 

But government recognition and effective control were completely different matters.

 

Tongseong County had been a disputed territory among three major forces for decades, with large and small grudges intertwined as solidly as rock.

 

For that reason, as Sadocheon became the ruler of Tongseong County, all these grudges also became Sadocheon’s responsibility.

 

If he roughly glossed over the grudges, there would likely be aftershocks.

 

And the corresponding consequences would have to be borne by the common people and Sadocheon.

 

That’s why Jeok-un personally wrestled with documents and racked his brains.

 

There were definitely parts that couldn’t be solved with force alone.

 

For the common people, it was a matter of daily life and survival.

 

Therefore, Jeok-un took measures to prevent the grudges built up among martial artists from spreading to the common people.

 

“It seems the pruning of Tongseong County’s sects is finally finished.”

 

In seriously disputed areas like Tongseong County, when integrated into any force or when existing forces failed to defend and retreated.

 

The basic approach was to completely devastate the entire area.

 

Because if people remained, large or small, they could act as variables.

 

They could either work as spies or become weights that upset the balance at crucial crossroads.

 

Therefore, they would remove or expel all organizations, targets, and individuals related to hostile forces.

 

However, among the pro-Martial Arts Alliance or Heukpaesong sects established in Tongseong County, Jeok-un left alone all except those who wouldn’t hesitate to harm common people.

 

He didn’t just leave behind the non-dangerous, small-scale places.

 

Jeok-un had acted the same way before his regression when organizing Sapyeollyeon and expanding its territory.

 

‘Would blindly driving them out make things safer? It would only create new grudges and discord. For stability, tolerance is definitely necessary.’

 

This was Jeok-un’s conviction formed through dealing with subordinates of all backgrounds spanning both righteous and evil paths.

 

If he ostracized those who had belonged to enemy forces in the past, wasn’t Jeok-un himself originally born from a Jeongpa family?

 

For these reasons, even after Hyeon-un Jin-in and Dan Gyo-ik left, Jeok-un had to handle such matters in his office for several days.

 

Such work had to be handled directly by the final decision-maker, and he had to bear the responsibility himself.

 

“This is really the end.”

 

Jeok-un said this as he placed the last remaining scroll on the pile of reports beside him.

 

With this, he had completed all the work he needed to do as the chief administrator.

 

So.

 

Grin.

 

This meant Jeok-un was now free to do whatever he wanted.

 

“Hehe, I can finally take out ‘that thing’.”

 

A gleam appeared in Jeok-un’s eyes.

 

Even while processing reports, he had been waiting for this moment.

 

That’s why he had dismissed all the guard forces and told them not to come near the office.

 

Thud-

 

Jeok-un pulled out a wooden box from under his bed.

 

Whoosh.

 

Though the box had clearly been indoors, it was lightly covered with frost.

 

At the same time, an overwhelming cold energy emanated from within.

 

It felt as if winter itself was trapped inside the box.

 

Click!

 

Jeok-un opened the box.

 

And he confirmed the object inside that was looking back at him.

 

“It’s been a while, Snow Soul Hand Guard.”

 

That’s right. The object in the box was the divine artifact recovered from Heukpaesong, the Snow Soul Hand Guard.

 

* * *

 

Snow Soul Hand Guard.

 

This mysterious divine artifact boasted a truly eventful history.

 

First, if we mention its original owner, it would be correct to say it was the Northern Ice Palace.

 

However, the Sacheon Dang Family encountered the Northern Ice Palace, slaughtered them, and seized the divine artifact.

 

The Northern Ice Palace was one of the Four Outer Palaces existing outside the Central Plains, and had signed a peace agreement with the Martial Arts Alliance.

 

They recognized each other’s existence and resolved to respect and not invade each other’s territories.

 

Then a question inevitably arises.

 

The Sacheon Dang Family was clearly a member of the Martial Arts Alliance, and they had preemptively attacked the Northern Ice Palace to seize the divine artifact.

 

This was a violation of the agreement by the Martial Arts Alliance side.

 

But why did the Ice Palace, though furious, endure it?

 

The reason originates from where the Ice Palace obtained the divine artifact.

 

‘Their luck was absolutely terrible. They encountered the Dang Family bastards on their way out after obtaining the hand guard.’

 

The place where the Northern Ice Palace obtained the divine artifact was precisely Sichuan, and definitely an unnamed cave belonging to the Dang Family’s territory.

 

After a long pursuit, the beings of the Ice Palace acquired the Snow Soul Hand Guard in that cave.

 

Then, while trying to return to the Ice Palace, they had the divine artifact stolen by the Sacheon Dang Family.

 

Because they had first violated the agreement with the Martial Arts Alliance by infiltrating the Central Plains and conducting operations in the Sacheon Dang Family’s territory.

 

Though they lost the divine artifact and the palace disciples met their deaths, the Northern Ice Palace had no choice but to swallow their tears and retreat.

 

Because the justification was on the other side.

 

‘Actually, they didn’t retreat, but endured hardships while waiting for the right time.’

 

Anyway, afterward, the Snow Soul Hand Guard changed owners from the Dang Family to Sadocheon, from Sadocheon to Heukpaesong, as is well known.

 

Eventually, it came into Jeok-un’s hands.

 

Actually, looking only at the flow of changing owners, the Snow Soul Hand Guard seemed like a cursed object.

 

Because it kept driving its owners to death.

 

“Well, that’s not wrong.”

 

Jeok-un muttered quietly while recalling the secret of the Snow Soul Hand Guard.

 

Suddenly, the last words of Hae-il Gweon-gwang and Seo Do-yeom, whom he had killed, came to mind.

 

-P-please spare my life. Then I’ll tell you the secret of the Snow Soul Hand Guard that I discovered.

 

-This is a secret that even the Ice Palace bastards who were the original owners don’t know. W-with this power, I saw the path to Hyeon-gyeong.

 

Seo Do-yeom said this while begging for his life.

 

Though it seemed like he was babbling anything just before death, it was definitely true that he had discovered the secret of the Snow Soul Hand Guard.

 

‘He obtained a fragment of that power and rose to the position of Elder in Heukpaesong.’

 

Though he was now dead, beaten by Jeok-un on Extreme Bliss Island, before his regression, Seo Do-yeom had risen to the position of Elder in Heukpaesong.

 

He had become one of the top ten strongest among Heukpaesong’s hundreds of thousands of members.

 

Seo Do-yeom had truly found the secret hidden in the Snow Soul Hand Guard.

 

But his end was miserable.

 

During the fierce battle between Sadocheon and Heukpaesong, he was torn to pieces by that ‘Sorceress’ who had become the new master of the Northern Ice Palace.

 

If Jeok-un took this power, it was obvious he would end up the same way.

 

However.

 

‘Come if you dare.’

 

Jeok-un didn’t care at all.

 

No, should he say he’d rather they came?

 

After all, to reclaim another of the Seven Divine Weapons, he’d have to face the Northern Ice Palace bastards one way or another.

 

“Well then, let’s devour it.”

 

Swoosh!

 

Jeok-un said this as he drew up his energy.

 

At the same time, he gazed at the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets and concentrated his vision.

 

He wasn’t wearing them, just holding them against his chest.

 

Swoooosh!

 

The cold energy of the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets surged as if trying to pierce through Jeok-un.

 

But the gauntlets’ cold energy couldn’t penetrate the barrier formed by Jeok-un’s internal energy.

 

Whooooosh!

 

Then a change occurred.

 

The patterns carved on the surface of the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets began to shake chaotically.

 

The forms that had been engraved on the surface, appearing to be simple patterns or decorations, gradually shook and rearranged themselves.

 

The changes that repeated countless unions and separations finally.

 

‘They’re forming text.’

 

Completed into the form of characters he had never seen before in his life.

 

The moment text he had never seen before was completed.

 

Ssssssh!

 

From the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets, an incomparably powerful energy began to emanate.

 

This was the secret and essence contained within the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets.

 

Heat filled Jeok-un’s eyes.

 

‘To complete the mission, I need to return the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets to Sadocheon. But I’ll take the core for myself.’

 

Clearly, the goal of this mission was the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets themselves.

 

There was no instruction to bring back this power contained within.

 

He could give away the shell as much as they wanted.

 

Swoooosh!

 

Jeok-un released the barrier formed by his internal energy.

 

Then, as if it had been waiting, the energy emanating in the form of text instantly enveloped Jeok-un’s entire body.

 

Whooooosh!

 

A cold that could freeze him to death immediately poured forth.

 

However, Jeok-un merely found it ticklish.

 

‘Your power being inferior to Wol-ha has already been fully revealed.’

 

Jeok-un waited for all the energy of the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets to enter his body, then.

 

‘Submit to my will.’

 

He grabbed the cold energy by the scruff and began to swing it around.

 

Ssssssh!

 

The cold energy writhed as if trying to resist Jeok-un’s will.

 

However, Jeok-un had no intention of allowing such rebellion.

 

Jeok-un grasped the cold energy by the hair and twisted it in reverse.

 

And so began the Great Circulation.

 

As the Great Circulation got on track, the gauntlets’ yin energy began to rise ominously.

 

This was not the power of the divine artifact itself.

 

It was a fateful encounter arranged by the original owner of the gauntlets, the one who created the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets, for future generations.

 

At the same time, it was also true power that had been dormant using the gauntlets as a medium.

 

That energy was extremely extraordinary.

 

The true power contained in the gauntlets could structurally only be a portion of the whole.

 

But the whole reflected through that portion was.

 

‘…The same as the achievement I reached before my regression?’

 

Jeok-un smiled slightly at this unfamiliar surprise he was experiencing after so long, and thought.

 

You were a greater existence than I thought, ‘Bing Bai Wu Di.’

 

The first palace master of the Northern Ice Palace, Bing Bai Wu Di.

 

A great existence who came alone to the Central Plains hundreds of years ago and shook Gangho.

 

The energy left behind by Bing Bai Wu Di was the true essence of the Soul-Freezing Gauntlets.

 

‘Indeed, you deserve the title of Di (Emperor).’

 

Huang (Emperor) and Di (Emperor) originated from the Central Plains’ divine Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

 

Yet to bestow the title of Di (Emperor) upon a foreign figure.

 

This would be evidence of just how powerful he was.

 

Whooooosh!

 

Then, a tremendous change occurred within Jeok-un’s body.

 

‘This is…!’

 

Something even Jeok-un hadn’t anticipated.

 

Suddenly, the harmony of yin and yang began to form within his body.

 

What caused this unexpected phenomenon that even Jeok-un hadn’t foreseen was none other than the dormant power sleeping in his three meridians.

 

‘It’s resonating with the dormant energy of Geumnyeongseol!’

 

The energy of Geumnyeongseol, which still had half its power remaining, was going wild upon meeting Bing Bai Wu Di’s energy.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————