Almighty God of War - Chapter 16

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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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016

After that day, Guyang Cheongang locked his door and secluded himself completely.

Even before, he hadn’t gone out often due to his frail health.

However, after stepping down from the position of young family head, his reclusive lifestyle became so severe that even his shadow was rarely seen.

Guyang Cheongang devoted all his energy to only two things.

One was cultivating the newly created Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art to heal his body and accumulate even a small amount of internal energy, and the other was decoding the secrets of the ‘Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting’ together with Akasha.

Nine Yin Severed Meridians was a terrifying disease where extreme yin energy accumulated in nine important major acupoints, eventually filling and blocking all meridians with cold ice, leading to death.

However, contrary to its frightening nature, the meridians weren’t completely blocked from the beginning.

There existed thread-like gaps, albeit extremely minute – if even those were blocked, a person couldn’t survive.

For the past three months, during the day he immersed himself in uncovering the secrets of the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting, while at night he pioneered new realms of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art directly connected to his survival – this was Guyang Cheongang’s main daily routine.

While cultivating this divine art he had created, he focused on two clear objectives.

First was to refine the true qi through the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art to make it extremely thin and sharp like a needle, then carefully flow it through those thread-like narrow passages of the nine major acupoints.

Continuously passing true qi through to widen those openings was work that required tremendous concentration and precise control.

Second was to absorb the dense, condensed, damp extreme yin energy at the first major acupoint closest to his dantian using the ‘Cold Energy Conversion System,’ the core principle of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art, and convert it into internal energy.

Not simply driving out or suppressing the cold energy, but making it his own power.

This was the core of his initial internal energy accumulation and the best method to treat Nine Yin Severed Meridians in his current situation.

On the first day, after finishing Energy Circulation and Breath Control and opening his eyes, Akasha spoke to Guyang Cheongang.

[Doctor, I have the results of a precise analysis of the accumulated data and your biological changes. It’s somewhat disappointing news – would you like to hear it?]

‘Tell me.’

[To completely purify the cold energy condensed in the nine major acupoints and restore the meridians to normal condition, it’s estimated that at least thirty years’ worth of pure and powerful internal energy will be consumed.]

‘Ugh… Thirty years?’

“Yes.”

Akasha paused for a moment, then continued in a bright voice.

[There’s good news too.]

‘What is it?’

[Each time you heal a major acupoint, there’s a high possibility that my system will also be activated step by step.]

‘New functions that couldn’t be used before will be unlocked?’

[Correct. I’ve confirmed the possibility of system evolution across a total of nine stages.]

‘Tell me in detail.’

Akasha presented a grand vision of system evolution across nine total stages.

When her explanation ended, Guyang Cheongang’s jaw dropped.

‘That’s incredible. From around the seventh stage, it would be questionable to even call it human.’

[…I’m hesitant to mention this because it seems like I’m bragging…]

‘But you’re going to say it anyway.’

[That’s true…]

‘Go ahead.’

[Since the nine-stage evolution has a complementary relationship with treating Nine Yin Severed Meridians, each stage of evolution requires an additional thirty years’ worth of internal energy.]

‘You mean I need internal energy that arithmetically adds up to those numbers?’

[Yes.]

‘That means… to break through the ninth stage, I’d need two hundred seventy years’ worth of internal energy…?’

[Correct.]

“Ugh…”

A groan escaped Guyang Cheongang’s lips as he felt momentarily dizzy.

At least thirty years’ worth of internal energy for each stage.

It was a staggering number.

The internal energy currently accumulated in his dantian was less than a year’s worth even at maximum estimate.

‘Thirty years’ worth of internal energy… How could I possibly gather that in a short time… No matter how innovative a heart method the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art is, transcending existing common sense, it’s an enormous amount that would take several years at minimum with normal cultivation alone.’

[I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you’d react like this…]

Guyang Cheongang felt his vision darken momentarily, but soon pulled himself together.

Getting frustrated over future problems that couldn’t be solved immediately was also foolish.

‘Akasha.’

[Yes, Doctor.]

‘Treating the first major acupoint is a later problem. We need to find ways to accumulate as much internal energy as possible in the current situation.’

[I think the same. And I have a method in mind.]

‘What is it?’

[Continuously maintaining the qi circulation of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art as naturally as breathing, even during daily life.]

‘Hmm…’

[Doctor, you currently devote one time period per day to cultivating the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art. But if you could perform Energy Circulation and Breath Control for all twelve time periods…]

‘I could see twelve times the internal energy improvement effect.’

[Theoretically, yes. The actual effect would need to be confirmed after it becomes possible.]

‘Is there a possibility of improving the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art in that way?’

[It’s difficult but not impossible. The Hologram Manual we’ve already secured is basically about performing qi circulation while moving.]

A smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

‘If there’s a possibility, we should naturally improve it.’

From Murim’s common sense perspective, the internal energy operation method the two (?) had conceived was a realm only possible after reaching the Transformation Stage.

However, neither Akasha, the crystallization of modern science, nor Guyang Cheongang, who had only accumulated crude knowledge through martial arts movies, could even imagine how remarkable this achievement was.

It was truly like a day-old puppy not knowing to fear a tiger.

But ignorance (?) sometimes breeds reckless courage.

They put their heads together once again and repeated research and experiments to achieve the goal of a ‘heart method system that circulates qi automatically during daily life.’

And finally, when nearly three months had passed since beginning their reclusive life, they made that seemingly impossible realm a reality.

Guyang Cheongang had reached a state where the true qi of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art circulated within his body as naturally as breathing, without needing special conscious effort.

It was something that would shock All Under Heaven, but they had no awareness of what they had accomplished.

While improving the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art, they didn’t neglect decoding the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting.

The secret transmission that was both the beginning of the Guyang Family and perhaps their last hope – one that even the First Family Head had devoted his entire life to barely interpreting just two Supreme Arts.

Over the past three months, Guyang Cheongang mobilized his genius intellect and Akasha’s transcendent computational abilities, though currently manifested in a limited state.

Like solving a complex cipher, he persistently analyzed the symbols, patterns, and qi flows hidden within the painting.

And as summer ended and autumn approached, miraculous results emerged.

Guyang Cheongang and Akasha succeeded in perfectly decoding two of the five Supreme Arts hidden in the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting.

These were the ‘Infinite Return to Origin Mind Method’ and ‘Gale Chain Palm’ that First Family Head Guyang Dam had discovered but were lost during the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic sects.

Furthermore, they achieved the feat of grasping the general outline and core principles of the remaining three martial arts that no one had found even a clue to for the past one hundred fifty years.

This was a truly brilliant achievement that no one in the Guyang Family’s one hundred fifty-year history had accomplished.

Particularly, the perfectly restored ‘Infinite Return to Origin Mind Method’ was tremendously helpful in improving the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art along with the manual.

As summer’s stifling heat faded and the leaves in the front courtyard began turning red and yellow one by one, the season entered full autumn.

Guyang Cheongang carefully wrote the last character of the two martial arts he had discovered from the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting in his book, then put down his brush.

Thud-

Then he exhaled deeply and stretched wide.

‘Phew… Now it’s finished.’

The long and arduous first phase of work that had continued for three months was complete.

Gone was his previous appearance of constant pallor and obvious signs of illness – now his complexion had a subtle healthy color along with vitality.

All of this was thanks to the effects brought by the Constant Qi Circulation system of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art, finally completed three days ago.

‘It took twenty days longer than expected…’

The work of finding the Five Ultimate Techniques hidden in the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting and improving the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art was a much more arduous process than anticipated.

Akasha spoke in a dejected tone.

[I’m sorry, Doctor.]

‘For what?’

[My current system activation level is extremely low, so I’m only demonstrating 1 percent of my capabilities. That’s why all analysis and simulation took longer than expected.]

‘How is that your fault? It’s because my internal energy is insufficient.’

Guyang Cheongang clicked his tongue and continued asking.

‘If you were in perfect condition, how long do you think it would have taken to complete all the work?’

[If I could use all my functions without restrictions, both tasks—decoding all the secrets of the ‘Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting’ and perfecting your Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art to optimal condition—would have been finished in a day.]

‘One day…?’

[Yes.]

Guyang Cheongang was momentarily speechless, then let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.

‘Hahahaha…’

Just one day—it was truly absurd.

But Akasha’s following words provided some comfort to his heart.

[But Doctor, even with these limited resources and harsh conditions, what we’ve accomplished is truly remarkable.]

‘Flattery?’

[Not at all, I’m being sincere. Without your extraordinary insight and unwavering determination, it would have been absolutely impossible. Even by my analysis… I think this is close to a miracle.]

Guyang Cheongang smiled bitterly and tilted his head sideways.

‘No matter how I look at it, that’s flattery.’

[I told you it’s not.]

‘Heh…’

Guyang Cheongang chuckled lightly and continued.

‘There’s no such thing as miracles in this world. Without your assistance, I couldn’t have achieved this alone. It’s because we worked together that we could come this far.’

His words were sincere.

Though it was slow, he and Akasha were steadily moving forward together, step by step.

The sky visible Outside the Window was still blue, but the sun was already tilting westward.

Guyang Cheongang asked.

‘Akasha, what time is it?’

[It just passed three in the afternoon.]

Akasha’s gentle voice echoed in his mind.

‘That should be fine for going to see Father.’

Over the past three months, without realizing it, Guyang Baek had settled in his heart not as a stranger but as a true ‘father.’

Perhaps the assassination attempt and the honest conversations that followed had gradually opened his heart, which had been tightly closed since falling into this world.

[Are you going to give him the secret manual today?]

‘Yes. Since I’ve finished writing it, I should deliver it now. There’s no reason to delay.’

[The Family Head will be very pleased!]

Following Guyang Cheongang’s change in address, Akasha also referred to Guyang Baek as ‘Family Head.’

The ‘Infinite Return to Origin Mind Method’ and ‘Gale Chain Palm’—the First Family Head’s lifelong masterpieces.

A faint smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s face as he carefully wrapped the two secret manuals, which contained all his hard work from the past three months, in silk wrapping cloth.

Holding the wrapped bundle in his hand, he rose from his seat with vigor.

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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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