Almighty God of War - Chapter 28

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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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028

Even after the Black-Robed Masked Man completely disappeared into the darkness, Guyang Cheongang remained collapsed on the ground without moving for quite some time.

Only the cool silence of dawn lingered around the separate building.

[External threat eliminated. Beginning physical recovery protocol now, Doctor.]

Akasha’s calm but somehow weary voice echoed in his mind.

[We need to open the major blood vessels and pressure points of the twelve meridians that were sealed by the finger wind. However, the internal energy accumulated from the recent defense and energy absorption has been almost completely depleted. So recovery will take some time. Please endure just a little longer.]

As soon as her words ended, Guyang Cheongang felt tens of thousands of microscopic entities begin moving in unison within his body.

They were nanobots.

They flowed along his blood vessels and meridians, gathering at the blood vessel points that had been completely blocked by the Black-Robed Masked Man’s finger force.

The nanobots first concentrated on the pressure points that had been sealed first.

Like the hands of a surgeon performing precise surgery, they loosened the clumped energy with microscopic vibrations and stimulated the blocked blood vessels to guide the flow of qi.

Only after another quarter-hour had passed did the pressure points finally open, and his blocked breath burst out roughly.

“Kuk… Cough!”

Guyang Cheongang drew fresh air deep into his lungs and coughed violently.

Though he could breathe again, the paralysis and pain constricting his entire body remained.

Akasha and the nanobots’ work had only just begun.

[Pressure point opening complete. Now releasing the seal on the twelve major blood vessels.]

The nanobots moved to the twelve major blood vessels spread throughout his body and began breaking down and releasing the remnants of yin cold energy that stubbornly clung there one by one.

The process was far from smooth.

Each time a blood vessel opened, the twisted energies found their proper places, causing violent pain to sweep through his entire body.

Guyang Cheongang gritted his teeth and endured the agony.

Only after two hours had passed did the last blood vessel constricting his entire body finally open.

He staggered to his feet.

Approaching the small pond in the garden, he washed his blood-stained face with the cold water.

His reflection on the water’s surface was miserable. But the two eyes that appeared on that face were incomparably colder and more intense than before.

He glared in the direction where the Black-Robed Masked Man had disappeared with eyes burning with rage and muttered lowly.

“I will definitely repay this debt, Yin Wind Ghost Demon.”

The moment he was struck by the palm force, he could be certain that the Black-Robed Masked Man was the same person who had been tracking Divine Physician Hwata.

Today’s humiliation and pain were deeply carved into his bones.

Returning to the separate building to recover his body that had been twisted by torture, Guyang Cheongang immediately began circulating the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art.

His internal energy, having absorbed the yin cold energy contained in Yin Wind Ghost Demon’s finger wind and palm force, had increased by several months compared to before.

Thanks to this, energy circulation and breath control that was much smoother than before became possible.

‘Hmm…’

Through this incident, Guyang Cheongang realized one of the true possibilities that the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art possessed.

Originally, accepting the natural heaven and earth energy into the body to accumulate it was the orthodox way of internal energy methods.

The internal energy accumulated by a martial artist contained his unique temperament.

So the moment one tried to forcibly absorb it and merge it with one’s own, the different energies would clash and cause qi deviation – this had been the common knowledge of Murim until now.

The reason why energy thieves who learned yang-absorbing yin-supplementing or yin-absorbing yang-supplementing techniques to steal others’ internal energy met miserable ends was also because of this.

But the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art was different.

Through Akasha’s assistance, he could perfectly filter out the temperament or impure evil energy of the previous owner from the absorbed internal energy.

Moreover, he could purify it into pure energy and make it his own.

Additionally, he could choose to use either pure yin true energy or pure yang true energy.

Of course, now that he was accustomed to the cold energy of Nine Yin Severed Meridians, using pure yin true energy was more comfortable and natural.

His constitution, born with the cursed heavenly affliction, had paradoxically become a furnace optimized for absorbing others’ energy.

The problem was that neither Guyang Cheongang nor Akasha could imagine how tremendous this was.

While he was recovering his body through energy circulation and breath control for half a day, Elder Hwang, who had left Bamboo Forest Manor to monitor Hwaga Trading House, returned.

“Young Master, I discovered that over ten martial artists of unknown identity are staying in Hwaga Trading House’s separate building.”

“What about their identities?”

“I haven’t been able to determine that yet. However, judging by their aura, they all seemed to possess considerable martial arts skills.”

“Understood. Please continue to confirm who they are.”

Not long after Elder Hwang withdrew, a servant sent by Heo Ilbi came looking for Guyang Cheongang.

Heo Ilbi’s face was heavily sunken when they met again in the study.

“Gang-a, it seems what we feared has begun. Malicious rumors about Hwa Doryeong and Ryeong-a are spreading throughout downtown Nanchang.”

He paused briefly, then added with a bitter voice.

“At the same time, the medicinal herbs we tried to buy to make Dragon Pills… Hwaga Trading House is blatantly hoarding all of those supplies. According to the merchants, they’re drying up the supply of herbs that come to market.”

“How much inventory do we have left?”

“We can last about ten days.”

“That’s sufficient. Everything will be finished within that time.”

At Guyang Cheongang’s calm answer, Heo Ilbi showed a puzzled expression but didn’t ask further.

From that day on, Guyang Cheongang again secluded himself, manufacturing Dragon Pills while intensifying his martial arts training.

He began training in the three supreme techniques he had obtained from Divine Physician Hwata: ‘Heavenly Meteor Movement Technique’, ‘Elastic Flash Step’, and ‘Striking Dragon Golden Silk Hand’.

A virtual reality space designed by Akasha unfolded in his mind.

Within it, he repeatedly refined the three supreme techniques as if spending decades or centuries.

Imagination directly translated into bodily movement.

Akasha directly controlled his neural network and musculoskeletal system to implement the most perfect and efficient postures and movements.

To deploy these three martial arts required the secret internal energy method left by Divine Physician Hwata.

But Guyang Cheongang did not learn it.

It was possible to substitute by incorporating the principles of that heart method into the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art.

When the ‘virtual training’ that seemed long but actually took less than an hour ended, he could already deploy the three martial arts freely like a martial artist who had refined them for decades.

His internal energy, having recently experienced consecutive fortuitous encounters, had grown to a five-year level.

Thanks to this, Akasha’s physical control ability had also reached an amazing level – without this, such results would have been impossible.

[As you’ve realized, Doctor, I can now perfectly reproduce any martial art you see by directly assisting your physical movements. Of course, this requires the prerequisite that your internal energy can support it.]

‘To perfectly deploy martial arts requires secret internal energy methods. I could incorporate the old man’s martial arts into the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art because there were secret manuals. But other martial arts can’t be done that way, right?’

[That’s not correct. Even without knowing the secret internal energy methods, I can deduce over 90 percent of their principles based on the data from the Heavenly Secret Blood Manual and the Life and Death Scripture. Based on that, I can modify the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art.]

‘Whoa… That’s not just genius level…? I feel like I’m becoming a monster.’

Five days later, Dong Taegu, the general manager who was second in hierarchy at Hwaga Trading House after the head, came to Bamboo Forest Manor.

Dong Taegu, facing Heo Ilbi, said.

“The head told me to convey that since the young master’s foolish actions were done out of his admiration for Miss Heo Choryeong, he will take full responsibility.”

He continued with a bitter smile.

“Also, he said he would offer ten thousand taels of silver as both a wedding gift for the young master and Miss Heo, and as an apology for the young master’s rudeness.”

Heo Ilbi refused without hesitation.

“I refuse. After kidnapping Ryeong-a, disrupting commerce, and even using the despicable tactic of hoarding medicinal herbs, now you talk of marriage! Tell him to know shame.”

That evening, after Dong Taegu politely withdrew, Elder Hwang returned.

“Young Master. The martial artists staying at Hwaga Trading House are Jin Mun, the Half-Dragon Sword Master who is the sect leader of Half-Dragon Sword Gate in Hubei and Hwa Doryeong’s master, along with his disciples.”

He added with a furrowed brow.

“Half-Dragon Sword Master Jin Mun is a supreme master counted among Hubei’s Ten Great Sword Masters. In this old man’s view, his martial prowess is a level above Master Heo.”

After briefly falling into thought, Guyang Cheongang immediately went to find Heo Ilbi.

He was greatly surprised to hear that Jin Mun was helping Hwaga Trading House.

“Jin Mun… It seems they’re trying to create a situation where the master steps forward to help his disciple…”

“Uncle, I think their goal is a martial duel. They plan to corner you into a situation you can’t refuse, then defeat you on the dueling stage.”

Heo Ilbi fell silent.

If Jin Mun stepped forward directly, even he couldn’t be confident of victory.

Guyang Cheongang, who had been quietly watching him, suddenly asked.

“Uncle, could you teach me the secrets of Bamboo Forest Manor’s secret sword technique, the Twenty-Eight Bamboo Sword Forms, and the Flying Swallow Sword Technique that Elder Sister Choryeong learned?”

It was a request that would be impossible according to Murim’s moral code.

But Heo Ilbi, knowing well that he had no intention of stealing their secrets, didn’t get angry.

Instead, curious about what Guyang Cheongang was thinking, he asked back.

“What are you trying to do?”

“I believe I can study these two sword techniques and improve them in a way that enhances their power.”

“What did you say?”

An expression of disbelief appeared on Heo Ilbi’s face.

It was an absurd statement that completely defied the conventions of Murim.

However, Guyang Cheongang continued speaking with a calm expression.

“I know it would be hard to believe. But these aren’t empty words, so please give me a chance.”

Having witnessed his exceptional genius many times since childhood, Heo Ilbi fell into thought for a moment before asking.

“Are you confident?”

“If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have mentioned it at all.”

Heo Ilbi burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha, I feel as if I’ve been possessed by a ghost. Fine. Follow me.”

He led Guyang Cheongang to the training room.

There, he taught Guyang Cheongang the incantations of the sword techniques, then demonstrated the Twenty-Eight Forms of Bamboo Sword and Flying Swallow Sword Technique at a slow pace.

Guyang Cheongang watched his sword dance with bated breath while conversing with Akasha.

‘You’re converting all these movements into data, right?’

[Yes, I’m recording everything including three-dimensional motion analysis, muscle usage patterns, and even the flow of internal energy. Both sword techniques focus on variations in sword forms.]

‘Think about improved sword forms too.’

[I’m already doing that. The 19th form has overly flashy rotational movements that prevent proper force from being applied to the sword. There’s also a risk of losing balance.]

‘How much stronger do you think it would become if improved?’

[The possibility of delivering a critical strike would increase by 33%.]

‘Not bad.’

[The 6th Form of Flying Swallow Sword Technique has a physically unstable trajectory. Instead, if we adjust the angle by just 2.7 degrees and convert it to a thrusting attack, we could improve destructive power by 27%.]

When Heo Ilbi was about to repeat the sword techniques again after finishing his demonstration, Guyang Cheongang stopped him.

“I’ve seen enough, Uncle.”

Heo Ilbi couldn’t help but be shocked by the fact that he had memorized all the sword forms and incantations from just one demonstration.

Guyang Cheongang returned to his room and spent the entire night with Akasha studying the Twenty-Eight Forms of Bamboo Sword to the level of dismantling and reassembling them.

Akasha simulated the sword technique movements with 3D modeling, while Guyang Cheongang completely overhauled the sword techniques from the ground up based on the martial arts theory he had acquired so far.

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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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