Almighty God of War - Chapter 156
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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156
Gung Seo-ryeon walked toward Guyang Cheongang.
Her steps were slow, but a strange sense of pressure could be felt.
The atmosphere was like a lioness sizing up her targeted prey.
Standing before Guyang Cheongang, she opened her mouth.
“Are you Instructor Jang Woomyeong, called the Sea Heaven Death God?”
“That’s right.”
Gung Seo-ryeon’s gaze intensified.
“I heard you single-handedly annihilated the Blood Tiger Corps.”
Guyang Cheongang nodded with an expressionless face.
“I did.”
“I’d like to see it.”
“…?”
“Your martial arts, I mean.”
At those words, the atmosphere became taut like a drawn bowstring.
However, Guyang Cheongang still answered with an indifferent expression.
“If the opportunity arises.”
“…I see.”
Gung Seo-ryeon nodded and turned around.
Shangguan Wana watched her retreating figure and inwardly sighed.
The group moved to Jupyo’s office.
A table was prepared in the spacious main hall, and both sides sat facing each other.
On the Dongryeong Salt Field side: Shangguan Wana, Yeom Pung, Jupyo, and Guyang Cheongang.
On the Horse Alliance side: Gung Seo-ryeon, Gang Pil, and two attendants.
Shangguan Wana spread out the documents she had prepared.
“First, let me state the premises of this negotiation.”
Her voice was calm.
“First, the Horse Alliance must pay one hundred thousand nyang for Master Gang Pil’s ransom and compensation for damages to the main villa. Second, Dongryeong Salt Field will provide the Horse Alliance with partial salt distribution rights. Third, both sides will maintain mutual non-aggression and friendly relations going forward.”
Gung Seo-ryeon nodded and asked.
“What scale of salt distribution are you thinking of?”
“Two hundred thousand nyang in silver annually.”
“….”
Gung Seo-ryeon’s gaze wavered slightly. But it was only for a moment.
“Please continue.”
“The distribution margin will be fifty percent under standard conditions. Therefore, the Horse Alliance’s net profit will be approximately one hundred thousand nyang annually.”
“The net profit generated in the first year is to be paid as the price for Master Gang’s return.”
“The damages our main villa suffered while subjugating Baekgyeong Bang are enormous. So isn’t that only natural?”
Gung Seo-ryeon remained silent for a while.
Her fingers lightly tapped the table. It was a regular, cold sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth.
“I’ll accept it.”
The negotiation continued.
Detailed conditions were decided one by one: distribution routes, payment methods, quality control, and so on.
These were handled by those who came with Gung Seo-ryeon.
They threw sharp questions at every clause, and Shangguan Wana responded with prepared answers.
Two hours passed this way.
As the negotiation was nearing its end, Gung Seo-ryeon, who had been silent, asked.
“How do you plan to handle disputes that arise during distribution? Our alliance thinks a mediation body might be necessary.”
Shangguan Wana shook her head and answered calmly.
“We’ll clarify each side’s scope of responsibility, and each will resolve problems within their scope. If major disputes arise that can’t be resolved… we can just terminate the contract. That’s cleaner.”
At these cold words, Gung Seo-ryeon’s gaze sharpened.
Though Dongryeong Salt Field’s scale was incomparably smaller than the Horse Alliance, they held the upper hand in this place.
Shangguan Wana’s words made that crystal clear.
Gung Seo-ryeon slowly nodded.
“Let’s… do that.”
Then she looked back at Gang Pil.
“Disciple.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“Was the Blood Tiger Corps truly annihilated?”
Gang Pil’s face hardened.
“…Yes.”
“All five hundred?”
“…Yes.”
“How long did they last?”
Gang Pil answered through gritted teeth.
“…Less than two hours.”
“I see.”
Gung Seo-ryeon nodded with an expressionless face.
As evening approached, both sides reached an agreement.
Shangguan Wana placed two copies of the prepared contract on the table.
“With this, all clauses have been finalized. Once both sides affix their seals….”
“Wait.”
Gung Seo-ryeon interrupted.
“Before we seal it.”
“…?”
Shangguan Wana looked at her with a tense expression.
Gung Seo-ryeon’s gaze turned to Guyang Cheongang.
“I’d like to have a martial duel with Instructor Jang.”
The air in the main hall instantly froze.
Shangguan Wana’s face hardened.
“What do you suddenly mean by that?”
Gung Seo-ryeon continued in a cold tone.
“It’s not a negotiation condition. It’s personal curiosity. I simply want to directly confirm how strong someone who single-handedly annihilated five hundred Blood Tiger Corps members is.”
Her eyes gleamed sharply as she continued.
“Of course, you may refuse. But I want to know exactly what kind of opponent our alliance is joining hands with.”
Shangguan Wana’s gaze sank deep like a lake.
Then Guyang Cheongang’s voice seeped into her ear.
[Young Lady, don’t be alarmed.]
Shangguan Wana maintained her composure outwardly while inwardly listening to Guyang Cheongang’s words.
[They came to measure our military strength. If we’re weak, they’ll overturn this place and launch a full attack.]
Shangguan Wana bit her lip and clenched her fists.
She had thought they wouldn’t attack Dongryeong Salt Field again, enduring more losses after already losing five hundred Blood Tiger Corps members.
After all, the Horse Alliance wasn’t the only major power in All Under Heaven.
If their strength weakened, it would become difficult to compete with the other Four Evils of All Under Heaven.
Therefore, Shangguan Wana had been somewhat optimistic about the negotiation results.
But that was a miscalculation.
‘If they calculate they can occupy us without major losses, the Horse Alliance won’t hesitate to launch an attack….’
Guyang Cheongang’s sound transmission came again.
[Young Lady, do not worry. I will make them understand that they too must shed tremendous blood to occupy this place.]
Shangguan Wana looked at Guyang Cheongang.
A calm smile hung on his face as he looked at her.
‘…I must trust this man.’
When she nodded, Guyang Cheongang spoke to Gung Seo-ryeon.
“I accept, Blood Battle Leader. When shall we do this?”
Gung Seo-ryeon stood up and answered.
“Right now. Let’s finish this before the night grows deep.”
“Good. Then let’s go to the training ground.”
The two people left the main hall.
Shangguan Wana and Yeom Pung, Jupyo, and the Horse Alliance warriors including Gang Pil followed behind them.
Cold moonlight gently illuminated the training ground.
Between Guyang Cheongang and Gung Seo-ryeon standing at its center, an invisible tense energy flowed.
Gung Seo-ryeon’s hand slowly moved toward the sword at her waist.
Her movement was slow, but the momentum contained within was heavy like the calm before a storm.
Srrrrring-
The blade drawn from the old scabbard emitted a light as cold as frost.
Along with a chillingly clear sword cry, the air that had filled the training ground became thick with freezing killing intent.
The momentum emanating from Gung Seo-ryeon’s entire body was so intense it was difficult to face, as if she herself had become one giant sword.
From that momentum alone, Guyang Cheongang realized she was a master who had reached the upper level of the supreme realm, standing at the threshold of the Transformation Realm.
Gung Seo-ryeon asked.
“Won’t you use a weapon?”
To her ice-cold question, Guyang Cheongang merely shrugged his shoulders lightly.
Far from drawing a weapon, he didn’t even place his hand on the handle of the Supreme Sword at his waist.
“If necessary.”
At that indifferent answer, Gung Seo-ryeon’s expressionless eyes filled with bone-chilling killing intent.
“…You will surely regret it.”
At those words, Guyang Cheongang smiled faintly.
“Long nights bring many dreams. Let’s begin.”
As soon as Guyang Cheongang’s words ended, Gung Seo-ryeon’s form became blurred.
Whoooosh-!
The three-zhang distance was closed in an instant.
The moment she kicked off the ground, she had already reached right in front of Guyang Cheongang.
‘Fast!’
Jupyo’s eyes, watching from the edge of the training ground, deepened.
Even he, a supreme master, couldn’t follow Gung Seo-ryeon’s movements.
Swish-!
Sword energy shimmered like heat waves from the tip of Gung Seo-ryeon’s sword cutting through the air.
Though it hadn’t yet reached sword energy projection, its sharpness seemed capable of cutting through steel like tofu.
The Dry Heaven Asura Demonic Arts and the Heavenly Thunder Falling Demonic Sword Style.
It was the secret demonic arts of the Horse Alliance, known to be too heavy and fierce for a woman to learn, making it unsuitable.
But her achievement had already reached ten stars, seeming about to reach its peak soon.
Rumble-!
Like lightning falling from the sky, her sword poured toward Guyang Cheongang with terrifying momentum.
Continuous sword strikes unfolded in an instant, targeting Guyang Cheongang’s entire body.
Pride rose in the eyes of Gang Pil and the Horse Alliance warriors gathered on one side of the courtyard.
‘As expected of the Fourth Miss!’
‘That’s the true face of the Iron Blood Sword Maiden!’
But Guyang Cheongang merely stood in place, indifferently watching Gung Seo-ryeon’s sword.
“…!”
Gung Seo-ryeon’s gaze wavered momentarily.
‘What is he thinking?’
Though doubt arose in her heart, she didn’t stop her sword, instead putting even more internal energy into it.
Kwaaa-!
Sword energy containing lightning energy touched Guyang Cheongang’s body.
At that moment.
Chiiiiing-!
The sword energy couldn’t penetrate his body and bounced off three inches away.
Something invisible was surrounding him.
‘Protective Body Energy…!’
Gung Seo-ryeon’s complexion changed as she gritted her teeth.
She had never imagined she would face martial arts that were practically a symbol of Transformation Realm masters here.
Shangguan Wana watched the martial duel with sweaty palms.
‘That woman is really strong…’
Gung Seo-ryeon’s sword was lightning-fast, making it difficult for Shangguan Wana’s eyes to even follow the sword’s trajectory.
‘If I had been the opponent, I wouldn’t have lasted even one second.’
Cold sweat ran down her spine.
Guyang Cheongang was leisurely handling such a Gung Seo-ryeon.
A thin bead of sweat formed on the forehead of Gung Seo-ryeon as she stepped back.
‘This won’t work.’
She lowered her sword diagonally toward the ground and breathed deeply.
Huuuu-
Black energy rose like mist from her entire body.
She had pushed the Dry Heaven Asura Demonic Arts to its limit.
Rumble-
Beneath her feet, the solid earth cracked like drought-stricken rice fields, raising clouds of dust.
Gang Pil muttered quietly.
“…The Fourth Miss is using her full power. Well, even the Fourth Miss can’t afford to be leisurely against Instructor Jang.”
Tension was evident in his voice.
He knew well how harsh the cultivation Gung Seo-ryeon had undergone to reach this level.
Gung Seo-ryeon moved again.
Shrieeeek-!
Her sword targeted Guyang Cheongang simultaneously from five directions.
It was the ultimate technique of the Heavenly Thunder Falling Demonic Sword Style, Five Consecutive Lightning Rings.
East, west, south, north, and dead center.
The sword energy pouring from all directions left no place to escape.
But Guyang Cheongang still didn’t move.
He merely raised his right hand lightly.
Spot-
His hand slowly but perfectly traced a circle in the air.
Kaaang-!
The five sword energies were sucked into the invisible whirlpool created at his fingertips, then scattered in all directions.
He had deflected the sword energy using part of the principles of Ten Thousand Tribulations Unchanging, a defensive technique of the Absolute Three Swords.
Gung Seo-ryeon retreated again.
This time, three steps.
Her breathing became rough.
‘A warrior of… a different dimension.’
She had learned the sword since she was three years old.
Until now, she had fought countless strong warriors and won most battles.
She had tasted the bitterness of defeat a few times, but it was always after a close match.
But the man before her now…
‘No matter how hard I try, that man doesn’t waver.’
Frustration surged from deep within her chest. But she suppressed it.
She, who was called the Iron Blood Sword Maiden, could not give up at this level.
‘Just one more time!’
She slowly raised her sword above her head, preparing for her final strike.
Kukukukuku-
The energy emanating from her sword vibrated the atmosphere as bluish lightning flowed along the blade.
It was the final technique of Cheonjongnakryeomaseoksik, Lightning Strike Heaven Fall.
A tsunami of sharp blue sword light infused with Geoncheonsuramamong struck down upon Guyang Cheongang.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwang-!
Thunder shook the Training Ground as the earth’s surface struck directly by the sword energy flipped over and dust clouds soared like clouds.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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