Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Long Nights Bring Long Dreams
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Martial God (89)
If the night is long, dreams are long too.
To the north of the Chacha Kingdom lies a graveyard at the pass leading to the pastures of the Heavenly High Citadel Cha Clan.
It was a public cemetery in use for thousands of years. Now, fifteen hundred new graves had appeared there. Hundreds of people had gathered in front of the cemetery.
As Ak Muyoo and Ara descended, everyone turned to look at the two of them.
"There's hostility in their gazes."
Ara said.
"That figures. This all happened after I showed up."
Ak Muyoo replied calmly.
When people face a sudden calamity too great to bear, they want to shove the blame onto someone. It seemed he had become that 'someone' for them. In truth, he and Luha were the ones who had drawn them into it.
"You're here?"
Arak Siru greeted Ak Muyoo.
"I'm glad you're healthy."
"It's regrettable for them. It feels like I'm the only one who survived."
"You're the one who has to shoulder their grief, Your Highness. You must live."
Ak Muyoo placed two heads on the altar, lit incense in the censer, and bowed.
"Who's a Central Plains man to perform rites here!"
An angry shout rose from the crowd.
"It's your fault, Central Plains man!"
"It's the Central Plains man's fault!"
The people gathered before the graveyard yelled.
"No, it's not... this person..."
"Leave it."
Ak Muyoo stopped Arak Siru.
"It's not your fault."
Arak Siru said, her face on the verge of tears.
"They need someone to vent their rage on too."
"Get out!"
"Get out!"
"Leave our country!"
The people kept shouting.
"Let's go."
Ara pulled Ak Muyoo along.
"Yeah."
Ak Muyoo followed Ara's lead.
Even after Ak Muyoo had walked far away, the people continued to yell.
"For the man who risked his life fighting for them..."
An irritated Ara fumed.
"Survivors are the ones who bear the blame. And this incident did happen because of us."
"You know that's not the whole story. That Parap bastard..."
"That's war for you. It always starts over something trivial and snowballs. That's why, if you don't want war, don't give them any pretext from the start."
A short while later, the two arrived at the north gate.
When Ak Muyoo looked up at the north gate, it opened immediately.
"Please come in."
The man he had met before bowed toward Ak Muyoo.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Ak Muyoo waved and kept walking.
Moments later, Hyunwoo Storm Manju passed nearby.
"Father King!"
He heard someone calling, but Ak Muyoo continued on.
"Father King!"
The call came again.
"Isn't that calling you?"
"It's not me. They're calling the Father King."
"You're the Father King."
"Huh?"
Ak Muyoo scratched his head.
"You're not ready yet."
"Looks that way."
Ak Muyoo turned around. The one calling him was Geohwa. Soon, Geohwa ran up to the two.
"Mother wants to see you."
"As you can see, I'm a mess. Tell her I'll visit after washing up."
Ak Muyoo pointed to his clothes. His hair and clothes were crusted with dried blood.
"I'll take you there."
At that moment, a carriage approached the two. Manju Jeokhwa rode inside.
"Won't this dirty your carriage?"
Ak Muyoo said.
"What are you saying? Get in."
"Thanks. Truth is, walking is tough right now."
"You must have suffered greatly."
"You brought back Parap and Adalta's heads."
Geohwa said from the driver's seat.
"......"
Manju Jeokhwa stared at Ak Muyoo with blank eyes.
"I may not know much, but I do land my hits."
"You took hits?"
"To lure him in, I let him land a few."
"Even one hit from Parap would've cut a man in half."
"I told you, my durability is top-notch. More importantly..."
"He's alive."
"That's a relief. Did you tell her?"
He glanced at Geohwa outside, asking if he had told her she was his daughter.
"Yes."
"She must be pretty pissed..."
"That was the first time I said it."
"Kids are like that."
"I'm thirty-two years old?"
Geohwa's voice came from outside.
"I'm getting comforted by your mother right now, so could you be quiet?"
"Comforted?"
"I just came from the graveyard where they told the Central Plains man to leave the country."
Ak Muyoo said, petting Sabujong beside him.
"Really?"
Manju Jeokhwa asked, surprised.
"The hostility was so thick I couldn't speak. If they'd been stronger, I might've died there."
"......"
Manju Jeokhwa quietly watched Ak Muyoo. She hadn't expected things to unfold that way.
"It'll be hard to change their minds, right?"
"Time will make them forget."
"I suppose so."
"Are you heading to the Heavenly High Citadel Cha Clan?"
"Forge first."
"Why the forge...?"
"I'm a delicate soul."
"Hm!"
Manju Jeokhwa chuckled. Ak Muyoo meant he lacked the confidence to face the hostile stares from the Heavenly High Citadel Cha Clan folks.
The carriage headed straight for the forge.
"You're back alive."
Ironwood greeted him with a smile.
"How's your body?"
"It's almost fully healed."
"Good to hear."
"I'd like to wash up..."
"There's water inside. You can wash there."
"Thanks."
Ak Muyoo went inside.
"Heat the water?"
Ara asked.
"Cold water might be better right now."
"Got it."
Ara nodded.
"Were you injured?"
Ironwood asked Ara.
"He took hundreds of Adalta's blade auras bare-handed."
"Bare-handed against blade auras?"
Ironwood's eyes widened.
"He must've gambled on the Protective Aura and Black Demon Vajra Body. He won in the end, though."
"I'll take a look."
Ironwood went inside. At that moment, Ak Muyoo had just finished washing his clothes and was about to enter the tub.
"Did you acquire the Heavenly Demon Vajra Body?"
Ironwood asked.
"That's what it's called?"
"You didn't know?"
"I felt the Black Demon Vajra Body wasn't the whole thing. I recalled entrusting my body to the corpse during its completion, so this time I entrusted it to battle spirit."
"How was it?"
"Felt like death at first, then no sensation."
"So you consider it complete."
"Not sure. I'll know next time I take a hit."
"You're... planning to take another hit?"
"I've got natural toughness. Oh! I met some Zamacheon folks. Called themselves the Hundred Radiant Demons. Ring a bell?"
"My great-grandfather was their leader. He came to the desert seeking the Fear Demon Ancestor's relic and settled here."
"Why not go back?"
"Not sure on details, but probably some power struggle."
"Not that he didn't go back—he couldn't."
"Looks that way."
"Macheon was the same. Not that he didn't return—he couldn't. Milun too."
"I see. Wash up and come out."
"Prepare some food."
"Food?"
"My stomach's stuck to my back."
"......Understood."
Ironwood went outside. Ak Muyoo washed diligently. He even put Sabujong in the tub to rinse off the blood.
"Dry my robe?"
Ara came in and asked.
"Is it okay to barge in on a married man bathing?"
"You're ridiculous."
Ara smirked, dried Ak Muyoo's clothes with Three Thousand Flames, and left. Ak Muyoo dressed and came out. A lavish meal was set on the forge table.
"How does a lone old man have such a spread?"
Ak Muyoo's eyes went wide.
"I prepared it."
Manju Jeokhwa said.
"You cook too?"
"What kind of talk is that? Did you think I couldn't cook?"
"You're the head of a clan. Clan heads don't cook—they eat what servants prepare."
"Do you know why that kid grew so big? Because I fed him well."
Manju Jeokhwa pointed at Geohwa.
"Anyway, thanks. Dig in."
Ak Muyoo ate. Manju Jeokhwa hadn't lied. The food was tastier than anything he'd ever had.
"Delicious."
Ak Muyoo gave a thumbs up.
"I told you I was a good cook."
Manju Jeokhwa said proudly.
"Feeling neglected?"
Ironwood asked.
"Huh?"
"You got an earful, right?"
"It's nothing... but..."
"But what?"
"Never mind. Let's eat."
Ak Muyoo returned to his food.
"I have a favor to ask."
After the meal, Ak Muyoo said.
"Go ahead."
"Teach me how to make Dark Current Arrows."
"......Understood."
Ironwood nodded.
From that day, Ak Muyoo stayed at Ironwood's forge, eating and sleeping there while learning to craft Dark Current Arrows. At night, he scribbled away. What he wrote were the martial arts formulas from the Heaven Earth Sun Token. In truth, he'd never seriously pondered martial arts formulas in his life. This was his first time. He thought deeply, occasionally asking Ironwood questions. His understanding of martial arts deepened.
In five days, the two produced five hundred Dark Current Arrows.
They packed them neatly into boxes.
After finishing, Ak Muyoo headed to the Heavenly High Citadel Cha Clan.
"You must've been really upset."
Luha said apologetically.
She had visited the forge a few times, but Ak Muyoo was immersed in work, so she left.
"Anger happens. I might've done the same in their shoes."
"Thanks for understanding."
"It's no big deal."
Ak Muyoo left.
That night.
Ak Muyoo brought brush, ink, and paper again.
To organize the martial arts formulas he'd scribbled at the forge over the past few days. Soon, he began writing.
"Done."
Ak Muyoo smiled satisfactorily at the two thick books. He hadn't just mechanically copied the formulas. His decade of combat experience was woven in.
"Now..."
Ak Muyoo looked at the sky. It was exceptionally blue today.
"Maybe it'll work out..."
He took the completed books and went to Luha.
Luha sat at the spot where she had once watched the Heavenly Mountains with her late husband, sipping tea.
"Um..."
"Ah! Come in."
Luha turned and smiled brightly at Ak Muyoo.
"I... have something to say."
"Go ahead."
"Well, you see..."
"Why stammer? Speak freely."
"Well... if it's okay with you, I'd like to stay here."
Ak Muyoo's face flushed red.
He had planned to say, 'I want to live with you,' and even practiced. But he couldn't bring himself to say it and settled for wanting to stay.
"......"
Luha fell deep into thought.
Then she turned to gaze at the Heavenly Mountains and the wardrobe holding her husband's clothes.
"Truth is... I've tried desperately to erase that man all this time. Bathed with you, scrubbed your back... But I couldn't let him go. If I'd met you first instead of him... I guess I still need more time. I'm truly sorry."
"I understand."
Ak Muyoo nodded.
"It feels like I used you. I'm so sorry."
"No. Oh! Here."
Ak Muyoo held out a book.
"This is..."
"I copied only the martial arts from the Heaven Earth Sun Token without current owners. I'll give one to Ironwood too, so no need for Your Highness."
"I... only seem to receive."
"No. I'll go."
Ak Muyoo left the room.
Luha gazed toward the Heavenly Mountains. Tears streamed from her eyes.
Leaving the Heavenly High Citadel Cha Clan, Ak Muyoo headed straight to the forge.
"Here."
"What's this?"
"Martial arts from the Heaven Earth Sun Token."
"You had the Heaven Earth Sun Token too?"
"Didn't I say I ate the inner core that guy left?"
"I heard from Jeokhwa."
"It was among his belongings."
"So the Heaven Earth Sun Token itself..."
"I gave it to her."
"It found the right owner."
"This has only the martial arts from vanished sects or nations engraved on the Heaven Earth Sun Token. No one will complain if you learn these."
"But why give it to me?"
"Don't you have a gift for your daughter?"
"......Wasn't it you who said a father doesn't teach killing techniques?"
"Haru said it. Not killing techniques—self-defense arts."
"Thank you."
"Build a martial hall and teach her from childhood. Make it so no nation or faction dares belittle the Chacha Kingdom."
"I will. But..."
"What?"
"Are you leaving?"
"Well... this place is really nice. I get why Great-Grandpa Iron settled here. So I dreamed a bit..."
"But..."
"It was just a dream, like I said. Anyway, take care."
"Take this."
Ironwood held out a book.
"What is it?"
"My great-grandfather's martial arts."
"Why me?"
"It's a dual-wield sword art. No one to pass it to."
"......Thanks. I'm off."
The next day, Ak Muyoo prepared to leave.
If the night is long, dreams are long too.
Leaving sooner for each other's sake was best. After goodbyes here and there, retrieving his gear from the mountain cave, noon had long passed.
Puuuuh! Puuuuh! Puuuuh!
As he loaded the camels, horn signals blared three times in succession. Ak Muyoo paused and listened.
Puuuuh! Puuuuh! Puuuuh!
It was the signal for enemy attack.