Almighty God of War - Chapter 17

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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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017

As he entered the front courtyard of the main building, the first to spot him was his youngest sister Guyang Cheongcheong with her lush twin braids.

“Big brother!”

Cheongcheong, who had been playing house with a maid beside the flower bed, immediately hopped over like a rabbit and wrapped her arms around Guyang Cheongang’s waist.

Though Guyang Cheongang swayed momentarily from the child’s unexpected charge, he soon gently patted his sister’s small back.

“Brother, where did you go? Cheongcheong missed you so much!”

At the child’s innocent words, a warm smile naturally appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

“I had things to do, so I had to endure missing you.”

As he spoke, he grabbed the child’s chubby cheeks with both hands and stretched them out.

“Ow ow ow!”

Just then, Guyang Cheongi, who had been sweating profusely while swinging a wooden sword at the training ground on one side of the courtyard, spotted Guyang Cheongang and hurried over.

“Elder brother! You’ve come out?”

The boy examined his brother’s complexion with undisguised joy on his face.

Guyang Cheongang patted both younger siblings’ heads in turn.

During his seclusion, he had visited the main building only a handful of times.

At most two or three times, and even then just briefly showing his face, so it had been well over a month since his siblings had seen him.

Guyang Cheongang spent some affectionate time chatting with his siblings after their long separation.

He listened to Cheongcheong’s chattering boasts and didn’t spare praise for Cheongi’s martial arts training.

But he couldn’t just keep playing like this forever.

“Cheongi, Youngest. I have something to discuss with Father, so I need to go in first. Let’s meet again later.”

Though his siblings looked disappointed, they soon nodded.

Guyang Cheongang patted their heads once more, then adjusted the wrapping cloth containing the secret manuals and headed toward Guyang Baek’s quarters.

A moment later, Guyang Cheongang sat facing Guyang Baek in the training room.

“Father, after researching the secrets of the ‘Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Painting’ for the past three months, I’ve achieved some small results.”

Guyang Baek’s eyes widened.

“Is that… really true?”

“Yes.”

Guyang Cheongang unwrapped the cloth and handed Guyang Baek the two secret manuals containing the ‘Infinite Return to Origin Mind Method’ and ‘Gale Chain Palm’.

In Guyang Baek’s eyes as he received the two secret manuals with trembling hands was a mixture of burning emotion, regret, and indescribable awe toward his son.

What he held in his hands was the essence of the family’s secret traditions that he had longed for decades but could never even find a clue to.

“You… you truly accomplished this! Heaven has not abandoned our Guyang Family Estate!”

Guyang Cheongang carefully explained the secret manuals from beginning to end so Guyang Baek could understand easily.

After finishing his explanation, he continued in a calm tone.

“What I’ve decoded is only two of the Five Ultimate Techniques. To find the remaining three supreme arts, I’ll need about another six months.”

“I’ve waited forty years, so why couldn’t I wait six months? I only regret that your intention to learn medical arts will be delayed.”

Guyang Cheongang spoke with a worried expression.

“I’m concerned that Grandfather might notice Father practicing these techniques.”

“Though I can’t compare to you, I’m not foolish enough to be caught by Father-in-law. Don’t worry.”

“We should also consider the possibility of information leaking through Mother.”

At those words, Guyang Baek firmly shook his head.

“Gang-a, I trust your mother. She’s not someone who would abandon us and move only according to Father-in-law’s will. Having devoted herself to our family for the past thirteen years, she’ll gladly serve as a shield to buy us time.”

Seeing his confident appearance, Guyang Cheongang inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘Father firmly believes in Mother. I know she cares for me, but with Dong Hyeondo’s pressure being intense…’

He said.

“I trust Father. But we can’t rely solely on the shield Mother will provide. Aren’t all the warriors and servants in charge of the family’s security people sent from Golden Tower Manor? Is it alright to leave them as they are?”

Guyang Baek spoke with a stern expression.

“Rashly touching Father-in-law carries the risk of alerting the enemy. Provoking him could bring greater disaster, so we have no choice but to leave things as they are for now.”

A heavy silence flowed for a moment.

Guyang Cheongang spoke lightly as if to change the atmosphere.

“Father, I’ve been cooped up in my room for too long. So I’d like to get some fresh air outside for a while.”

“Do you want to go on a journey?”

“Yes.”

Guyang Baek looked at him with worried eyes and asked.

“Will you be alright with your frail body?”

“Thanks to practicing the decoded Infinite Return to Origin Mind Method, my physical condition is much better than before. If it’s not too far, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Hmm…”

After pondering Guyang Cheongang’s words, Guyang Baek spoke.

“Then how about visiting Uncle Heo who lives in Nanchang?”

Guyang Cheongang frowned.

His memory of the uncle with the surname Heo was vague and elusive.

‘Akasha, who is Uncle Heo?’

[I think he’s probably referring to Bamboo Sword Master Heo Ilbi. Since the dead Guyang Cheongang’s memories are unclear, I don’t know much about him either.]

‘Heo Ilbi… now I remember a little.’

The Heo family of Bamboo Forest Manor, while not reaching the level of the Ten Great Families, was one of Nanchang’s renowned martial arts clans.

The manor lord there, Bamboo Sword Master Heo Ilbi, was one of the supreme sword masters in Gangxi’s martial arts world.

Bamboo Forest Manor was a family that had maintained deep friendship with the Guyang Family Estate for over a hundred years, and particularly the current family head Heo Ilbi and Guyang Baek had been close friends since childhood.

Guyang Baek continued speaking.

“That place is in the center of Namchang City, overflowing with sights to see and food to eat. Moreover, it’s only half a day’s distance from here, so you can rest as long as you want at Uncle Heo’s Bamboo Forest Manor before returning.”

The Guyang Family Estate was located in the southeastern outskirts slightly outside Nanchang, so it was far from the city center.

“I’ll do that, Father.”

The next day, Guyang Cheongang on horseback set out on the official road toward Nanchang with Elder Hwang holding the reins.

Nanchang, reached after about half a day’s journey, was indeed bustling with activity befitting its reputation as Jiangxi Province’s premier city.

Passing through streets crowded with countless people and carriages, the party reached Northern Boulevard, famous as a wealthy district.

In the deepest and most secluded location there, an elegant and dignified mansion surrounded by beautiful bamboo groves revealed itself.

The calligraphy on the signboard reading ‘Bamboo Forest Manor’ hanging at the entrance conveyed a spirit as sharp as a sword yet as upright as bamboo.

True to the name ‘Bamboo Forest’, thousands of green bamboo trees stretching straight toward the sky formed dense forests inside and outside the manor.

“Please inform him that the eldest son of the Guyang Family Estate has come to see the manor lord.”

When Elder Hwang spoke politely to the gatekeeper, the heavy main gate opened wide before long.

While being guided by a servant along the winding bamboo path toward the inner residence, Guyang Cheongang was once again amazed by the scale and beauty of Bamboo Forest Manor.

The rare flowers and ornamental stones planted throughout the garden, and the bamboo swaying in the wind making gentle sounds, were like a painting in themselves.

‘The difference between families that didn’t directly suffer from the Great War of Good and Evil and those that did is this great.’

Recalling the desolation of the Guyang Family Estate, Guyang Cheongang inwardly swallowed his bitterness.

During the Great War of Good and Evil, Bamboo Forest Manor, being located within Namchang City, avoided great disaster and could maintain its strong influence.

In contrast, the Guyang Family Estate, which took a direct hit, sadly walked the path of decline.

Upon entering the main hall of the inner residence, a middle-aged man with a gentle impression who still retained the handsomeness of his youth sprang up from his seat to welcome them.

“Oh, Gang-a! How long has it been!”

This was Heo Ilbi, the lord of Bamboo Forest Manor and the supreme sword master renowned throughout Gangho as the Bamboo Sword Master.

“Uncle, have you been well?”

When Guyang Cheongang politely bowed, Heo Ilbi affectionately grasped his shoulders.

“Hehe, this is like your own home, so you can be comfortable. Sit down first.”

He continued speaking while carefully examining Guyang Cheongang’s complexion.

“But Gang-a, your complexion looks much better than when I met you several years ago. Could it be that there’s improvement in your Nine Yin Severed Meridians?”

Guyang Cheongang replied with a faint smile.

“Thanks to your concern, I’m gradually getting better. That’s why I was able to come all the way to Nanchang to see you, Uncle.”

“That’s truly welcome news! How delighted your father must be!”

Heo Ilbi’s joy came from genuine sincerity.

As Guyang Baek’s childhood friend, he had always felt sorry that his nephew-in-law Guyang Cheongang was sickly.

Just then, a clear and melodious voice accompanied by light footsteps came from the direction of the inner residence.

“Father, do we have a guest?”

The stunning beauty of marriageable age who appeared was Heo Choryeong, Heo Ilbi’s only daughter.

The moment Guyang Cheongang saw her, he unconsciously felt his breath catch in shock.

A pure and noble beauty like a single winter plum blossom that had just bloomed on a snowy field in the depths of winter.

The nickname “Snow Flower Flying Swallow” that the people of Gangho had given her was by no means an exaggeration.

‘She’s incredibly beautiful. If this were the 21st century, she would put female celebrities to shame a hundred times over…’

Heo Choryeong’s eyes widened when she spotted Guyang Cheongang.

“Gang-a?”

Guyang Cheongang cupped his hands in greeting and replied.

“Sister Choryeong, have you been well all this time?”

“It really is Gang-a!”

Heo Choryeong approached almost at a run.

If it had been the old Guyang Cheongang, he would have blushed at her dazzling beauty and kindness, unable to speak properly.

But he was no longer that boy from before.

“But your complexion looks much better than before?”

Heo Choryeong also easily noticed the change in Guyang Cheongang.

“Thanks to the help of many people, there has been some improvement in my Nine Yin Severed Meridians.”

“That’s truly wonderful.”

A bright smile bloomed on Heo Choryeong’s face.

Sitting across from him, she asked with curious eyes.

“Gang-a, what have you been doing lately? Are you still just reading books in your room?”

“It’s not much different from before. I spend most of my time reading quietly.”

At Guyang Cheongang’s answer, Heo Choryeong spoke with a pitying expression.

“Still, you should go out and see the sights sometimes. Oh, come to think of it, this seems to be Gang-a’s first time coming to Nanchang, right?”

“That’s correct, sister.”

“Then I’ll give you a proper tour of the city.”

At Heo Choryeong’s suggestion, Heo Ilbi joined in with a pleased smile.

“That’s a very good idea. Ryeong knows every corner of Nanchang like the back of her hand, so if you receive her guidance, you’ll surely have an enjoyable time.”

“I couldn’t trouble you to that extent…”

When Guyang Cheongang tried to decline, Heo Choryeong waved her hand.

“What kind of disappointing words are those? I’ve been bored lately with nothing particular to do anyway. I’m actually more grateful that Gang-a came.”

At her words, Guyang Cheongang could no longer refuse and bowed his head.

“…Then I’ll ask for your favor, sister.”

Heo Ilbi looked at the two with a satisfied expression.

“Then starting tomorrow, our Choryeong will show you around Nanchang, so Gang-a, you should rest well. Even though your health is better than before, absolutely don’t overdo it.”

“Yes, uncle.”

In the warm and peaceful atmosphere of Bamboo Forest Manor, the seeds of a new connection had sprouted.

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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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