Almighty God of War - Chapter 179

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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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179

When Guyang Cheongang’s party arrived at the foothills of Cheonbo Mountain, the surroundings were already shrouded in the thick curtain of night.

In the night sky, stars were densely embedded like scattered jewels, and through the forest came a cool breeze that would ease the heat of early summer.

The air at the mountain’s base was quite cool, but the faint sound of insects breaking the silence added to the night’s atmosphere.

Guyang Cheongang stopped at the entrance to the mountain path and slowly turned his head to look back at Cheonbo Mountain.

The ridgeline of the massive mountain range hidden in darkness stretched long like a sleeping beast.

‘I spent four months in this place.’

The day he left the Guyang Family Estate seemed like yesterday, yet a year and a half had already passed.

In that time, he had also turned twenty, and much had changed.

The trials he experienced while wandering Gangho had transformed him into a completely different person from when he left the family estate.

Feeling the wind that fluttered the hem of his long robe as it passed, Guyang Cheongang opened his mouth toward Jongnoeu.

“Chong Sohyeop, it seems we must part ways here.”

At those words, Jongnoeu’s complexion instantly darkened.

A faint tremor crossed his delicate face.

“Guyang Daehyeop… I would like to go with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Heavenly Death Department and Gunma Alliance are targeting you. I know well that Guyang Daehyeop’s martial arts are strong, but it’s difficult to face ten enemies with one hand. I want to add my meager strength.”

In Jongnoeu’s eyes was deep concern along with an earnest will to help.

She was imitating a man’s speech, but she couldn’t completely hide the affection dwelling in her pupils.

Guyang Cheongang had long since seen through her identity, but now he simply pretended not to know and shook his head with a gentle smile.

“I’m grateful for the sentiment. But this matter is entirely my responsibility. There’s no need for Chong Sohyeop to deliberately choose a dangerous path.”

“But…”

“I’m really fine.”

Jongnoeu bit her lower lip tightly.

There were countless words that had risen to her throat, but she could only swallow them in the end.

She knew it herself.

That her skills, having just reached the pinnacle, would only be a burden to Guyang Cheongang, a master of the Transformation Realm.

If Guyang Cheongang’s martial arts became dull or his movements restricted while protecting her, that would be a worse result than not helping at all.

Her mind clearly understood, but her heart kept saying something different.

‘Must we part like this…’

Gangho was like a vast sea – once the currents split, meeting again was close to a miracle.

Guyang Cheongang would return to his family estate, and she would return to Sinsu Euirim.

Though the threads of fate might connect them to meet again someday, no one could guarantee when that would be, or if they might never see each other until death.

Jongnoeu felt a corner of her heart growing painful.

She had maintained composure throughout her life, meeting and parting with countless people.

In Gangho where meetings and farewells were daily occurrences, she had considered indulging in sentiment a luxury.

But now was different.

The woman’s heart tightly hidden beneath men’s clothing trembled strangely.

‘Why am I like this…’

She asked herself, but no answer came.

However, one thing was certain.

The three characters of Guyang Cheongang’s name had been carved into her life like an indelible brand that would never be erased.

Jongnoeu gazed at Guyang Cheongang with trembling eyes for a long time, then let out a long, heavy sigh.

“Huu… I understand.”

After a moment of heavy silence, he raised his head with determination and spoke.

“Guyang Daehyeop, actually I am… a person of Sinsu Euirim.”

At those words, a sharp light flashed in Guyang Cheongang’s eyes and surprise crossed his face.

Sinsu Euirim.

The world’s greatest medical arts sect and a place called the holy land of physicians.

But Guyang Cheongang’s surprise wasn’t simply due to that sect’s reputation.

Jongnoeu continued speaking.

“Whenever it may be, I will wait for the day Guyang Daehyeop visits our sect. Sinsu Euirim will always welcome you as our most honored guest.”

Guyang Cheongang asked in a serious tone as if confirming something.

“By any chance, what relationship do you have with Divine Physician Hwata Jong Gawi, Elder Master?”

His voice carried not curiosity, but the weight characteristic of someone with deep connections.

This time Jongnoeu trembled lightly throughout her body in shock.

“…How do you know my grandfather?”

Seeing that reaction, Guyang Cheongang burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha! I see! So Chong Sohyeop is Elder Master Jong’s grandson!”

Finishing his words, Guyang Cheongang lightly extended his hand and demonstrated the Dragon Subduing Golden Binding Technique.

Swoosh-!

Delicate silver-white energy rose from his fingertips.

It was sharp as a needle yet contained warm life force that seemed capable of reviving all things.

Confirming that energy, Jongnoeu muttered half-dazed.

“Th-this is… grandfather’s supreme art, the Dragon Subduing Golden Binding Technique… How do you know this…?”

The Dragon Subduing Golden Binding Technique was a secret among secrets that only direct descendants of the Jong family within Sinsu Euirim could learn.

Yet the man before her eyes was reproducing it even more perfectly than Jong Gawi himself.

Guyang Cheongang withdrew the technique and gently explained.

“A few years ago I had a connection with Elder Master Jong, and was gratefully able to receive the Divine Hand Secret Transmission and Life and Death Medical Classic.”

Jongnoeu’s eyes widened beyond measure.

The Divine Hand Secret Transmission and Life and Death Medical Classic.

Weren’t these the root and greatest secret manuals of Sinsu Euirim?

The reason she had risked danger to seek Pungnimgok was also related to that.

Guyang Cheongang continued speaking.

“Though I didn’t formally establish a master-disciple relationship with Elder Master, I serve him as my lifelong master in my heart.”

Instantly, both of Jongnoeu’s cheeks turned red like ripe apples.

The person she hated to part with more than death was actually connected like her grandfather’s disciple.

She suppressed her surging emotions and bowed with a cupped fist salute.

“Then Guyang Daehyeop is no different from my martial uncle. This martial niece greets you again.”

Guyang Cheongang lightly waved his sleeve.

An invisible gentle pressure softly supported Jongnoeu’s waist as she tried to bow.

“Chong Sohyeop and I are of similar age, so how could we follow the relationship of martial uncle and niece? And from now on, please don’t call me Daehyeop.”

“Then… what should I call you?”

Jongnoeu, her cheeks flushed, gazed at him with star-like sparkling eyes.

Guyang Cheongang slowly removed the bamboo hat covering his head and answered.

“Since I seem to be younger, how about comfortably calling me younger brother?”

Jongnoeu blushed and asked back without declining.

“…I am twenty-two this year, but Guyang younger brother is…?”

Guyang Cheongang’s complexion revealed under the moonlight was clear and deep.

He answered with a faint smile.

“Twenty.”

The moment she faced his revealed face, Jongnoeu fell into the illusion that her heart had stopped.

Though she had guessed he had handsome features from just the jawline visible under the bamboo hat, she had never imagined he would be such a peerless beauty.

Skin like white jade without a visible pore, eyes with distinct black and white that seemed to draw one in, and lips red as fresh blood.

Guyang Cheongang’s appearance was beautiful enough to be called an enchanting demon.

“Ahem, ahem…”

Perhaps embarrassed by Jongnoeu’s half-dazed gaze looking at him, Guyang Cheongang awkwardly cleared his throat.

He changed the subject and asked with a puzzled expression.

“If it’s Elder Jongga’s family, there shouldn’t be a lack of medical classics, so why did Elder Brother venture all the way to the dangerous Pungnimgok?”

It was a question he threw out remembering what he had heard four months ago about Jong Noeu possibly trying to obtain a medical scripture that might be in Pungnimgok.

It didn’t make sense that Sinsu Euirim, one of the three great medical arts sects under heaven, would thirst for medical arts secret manuals.

A dark shadow instantly fell across Jong Noeu’s face upon receiving the question.

Though her expression was blurred due to the darkness of night, her faintly trembling voice alone was enough to feel how devastated her state of mind had become.

“That’s related to my grandfather.”

“You mean Elder Jongga?”

“Yes. My grandfather… left five years ago carrying the Divine Hand Secret Transmission and Life and Death Scripture, and hasn’t returned to this day.”

Despite Guyang Cheongang’s suggestion to speak casually, Jong Noeu still couldn’t bring herself to speak informally and maintained her respectful tone.

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes darkened.

“Are you saying Noya is in a missing state?”

“Yes. For the first year, everyone thought grandfather had gone on his usual travels around the world to practice medicine or search for precious medicinal herbs.”

“Hmm…”

“But even after two, three years passed, we found not even news, let alone any traces. It was a year ago that father, exhausted from waiting for grandfather, issued search orders to all his disciples.”

“You couldn’t find even a clue?”

Deep worry colored Jong Noeu’s voice.

“Yes. We found nothing at all. I came to Pungnimgok while following grandfather’s trail. With the Divine Hand Secret Transmission and Life and Death Scripture missing, I held hope that I might gain an opportunity to obtain a medical scripture comparable to them.”

A worried expression appeared in Guyang Cheongang’s eyes upon hearing those words.

After being lost in thought for a moment, he spoke with a grave expression.

“Elder Brother, I think I need to tell you about when I met Noya.”

“Was there something special that happened?”

“Noya was being pursued by someone at that time.”

Jong Noeu’s expression instantly hardened like a stone statue.

Guyang Cheongang slowly brought out the vivid memories of that day.

“Noya said there were those chasing him. Though he never said why until the end, it was clear that he was walking the path between life and death.”

Jong Noeu’s complexion turned pale as a corpse.

Guyang Cheongang’s words continued like driving in a nail.

“His disappearance is surely deeply related to those who were pursuing him then.”

Jong Noeu’s face turned blue with indescribable fear.

She spoke desperately.

“I must return to Euirim immediately and inform father of this fact!”

Five years since Jong Gawi disappeared.

The search had lost direction and fallen into a maze, but now a clear clue had finally been grasped.

The single fact that there had been pursuers would completely change the entire scope of the search.

Guyang Cheongang nodded.

“Of course you should do that.”

“But… how can I leave younger brother alone on this dangerous path…”

Guyang Cheongang smiled gently and brushed away her worry.

“I’m fine, Elder Brother. Rather than worrying about me, put all your strength into finding Noya. I want to help immediately too, but…”

Guyang Cheongang paused and looked up at the night sky.

Stars that seemed ready to pour down were reflected in his eyes.

“Right now I must return to the family estate. I’ve been away from home too long, and there are urgent matters piled up within the family that need handling.”

He looked at Jong Noeu again and spoke with a voice full of conviction.

“However, as soon as I finish the family matters, I’ll rush straight to Sinsu Euirim.”

“Younger brother…”

“Finding Noya is not someone else’s business. It’s my business. I will definitely search together with you.”

Jong Noeu’s eyes filled with warm emotion.

It felt as if the bolts of her heart, which she had kept tightly locked while living as a woman disguised as a man, completely melted away at Guyang Cheongang’s single statement.

“Thank you, younger brother. I’ll wait.”

Jong Noeu respectfully performed a cupped fist salute, then kicked off the ground as if shaking off lingering attachment.

Whiiiiik-!

Her body movement became a single gust of wind and disappeared into the darkness.

Guyang Cheongang remained in place until Jong Noeu’s retreating figure completely vanished into the darkness.

‘Noya is not someone who would pass away so easily.’

Only after confirming Jong Noeu had completely disappeared did Baek Muok, who had been silently keeping his place nearby, carefully speak up.

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“That person. She’s actually a woman, isn’t she? Then should I call her Uncle Jong or Aunt Jong?”

A bitter smile spread across Guyang Cheongang’s lips at his disciple’s unexpectedly sharp question.

“Until she reveals that she’s a woman herself, call her Uncle.”

“Yes, Master.”

Though his answer was clear, Guyang Cheongang looked up at the dark night sky again and murmured softly.

“One cannot know where relationships are formed, and the flow of cause and effect is also endless.”

He had saved the dying Jong Gawi, and Jong Gawi had bestowed his secret transmission containing everything as repayment.

And again in Pungnimgok, he had saved Jong Noeu, the Elder Master’s blood relative, and Jong Noeu had cared for Baek Muok like her own body for three months as repayment.

“They say ‘Heaven’s net is vast and wide, sparse yet nothing escapes’…”

The passage about how heaven’s net appears wide and sparse, yet embraces the cause and effect of all things without letting a single mesh escape, resonated in his heart.

Guyang Cheongang looked down at his disciple standing beside him and spoke solemnly.

“Muok.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Gratitude and grudges are among the heaviest values for a martial artist living in Gangho. If you receive kindness, you must repay it by tying grass and holding a ring in your mouth, and if you incur resentment, you must surely pay the price.”

His following voice was soft like the night breeze, but the meaning contained within was resolute like a sharp blade.

“Engrave gratitude in your heart, and engrave grudges in your head – never forget them.”

“I will keep that in mind, Master.”

Baek Muok’s eyes sank deeply.

Guyang Cheongang gently patted his disciple’s head as if proud.

This boy born with the energy of heavenly death was a genius who grasped ten thousand branches of logic as soon as he was taught.

There was no need to explain at length with repetitive words.

Just then.

From beyond the bushes beside the quiet forest path, aged yet prickly grumbling suddenly burst out.

“Tsk tsk, it’s the end times, the end times. A greenhorn whose blood hasn’t even dried on his head is sitting there teaching a snot-nosed brat.”

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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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