Almighty God of War - Chapter 36

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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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036

Guyang Cheongang sat in lotus position in one corner of the room.

However, his mind was focused on something other than cultivation.

The menacing aura of the Murim warriors filling the inn made his nerves stand on edge.

He spoke to Akasha.

‘Akasha, if we can’t grasp this situation, we don’t know what variables might arise tomorrow on our way to Daeyang Mountain Island. We need at least minimal information.’

[I think the same, Doctor.]

‘Can you eavesdrop on the conversations of the Murim warriors in this inn? We need to know what purpose brought them all here.’

[Yes, Doctor. It’s possible.]

Akasha’s voice that followed became more serious than usual.

[The maximum control range of the 30 nanobots currently operational is a 15-meter radius, so we can only collect conversations from the adjacent room and the corridor on the lower floor. And maintaining this system consumes about five years’ worth of internal energy per 10 minutes. It’s a very burdensome task that uses one-third of your internal energy in a short time, Doctor.]

Guyang Cheongang’s brow furrowed slightly.

Five years’ worth of internal energy in 10 minutes.

But he didn’t hesitate.

The value of information was worth more than that.

‘It doesn’t matter. Collect as much information as possible within 10 minutes.’

[Understood.]

Immediately, the nanobots left his body and silently scattered through door cracks and minute fissures in the walls into the inn’s corridors and adjacent rooms.

Shortly after, the noise and conversations heard within the limited range began to be organized in his mind as meaningful information through Akasha’s high-performance filter.

“…Is the story about a divine weapon aura appearing on Daeyang Mountain Island really true?”

“More than a few people have seen auspicious energy rising from the island at three-day intervals since half a month ago. They say it was faintly visible last night too.”

“So is that really a divine weapon aura? It could be something else.”

“How would I know?”

“Damn, are we late? They say all the famous ones from Gangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Anhui Province have already entered the island.”

“We still have a chance. We need to get our hands on the divine weapon aura before more people arrive!”

[Doctor, 10 minutes have passed. The internal energy consumption is considerable. It would be best to stop now.]

At Akasha’s warning, Guyang Cheongang ordered the eavesdropping to cease.

Though it was a short time, he had obtained sufficient necessary information.

‘Phew…’

He stopped his qi circulation and let out a long breath.

Due to consuming a considerable amount of internal energy, his whole body felt languid and dizzy.

Guyang Cheongang stared at the darkness with a stern expression.

‘Everyone’s destination is Daeyang Mountain Island… The timing isn’t good…’

It was fortunate that people’s purpose wasn’t the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade.

But the number of those who had entered or were trying to enter the island was beyond imagination.

‘Though it’s an unwelcome situation, I shouldn’t think of it only negatively. While everyone is distracted by the hot bait called divine weapon aura, I can quietly do my own work.’

The next morning before dawn, before daybreak.

In the pitch-black darkness, the sound of someone quietly knocking on the door was heard.

When he opened the door, Elder Hwang stood there with his collar dampened by night dew.

After confirming Heo Choryeong and Guyang Cheongang who had just awakened, he spoke in a greatly lowered voice.

“Young Master, Miss. I spent the night going between the inn’s kitchen and stable, eavesdropping on the Murim warriors’ conversations. I found out why they flocked here like clouds.”

His eyes became intense as he continued speaking.

“They say that since half a month ago, mysterious auspicious energy has been rising toward the sky from Daeyang Mountain Island at three-day intervals. Some say they saw rainbow-colored pillars, others say they heard sounds like a dragon’s cry. It seems rumors have spread far and wide that this is a sign of the legendary divine weapon aura appearing.”

“Divine weapon aura?”

Heo Choryeong asked in surprise.

“Yes, Miss.”

Elder Hwang nodded and continued.

“The rumors seem to be spreading like wildfire. Hearing these rumors, all the warriors from nearby Gangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Anhui Province have been flocking here. Many have already entered Daeyang Mountain Island, and more people will gather as time passes.”

Elder Hwang added with a worried expression.

“Young Master, entering the island mixed with those ruffians after daybreak is very dangerous. So I took precautions in advance.”

Guyang Cheongang asked with a puzzled expression.

“What did you do?”

“I slipped some silver taels to an old fisherman in this village and secured a small fishing boat to carry us to Daeyang Mountain Island. Since this old man can handle the rowing, we’ll be able to move quietly while avoiding other people’s eyes.”

Guyang Cheongang was impressed by his thoroughness.

“Well done, Elder. Then let’s depart right now.”

The stale air of the inn was filled with the smell of alcohol and rough breathing from the Murim warriors that had continued all night.

They were either still in deep sleep dreaming of getting their hands on the divine weapon aura, or drunk and unable to come to their senses.

Leaving the inn, Elder Hwang led Guyang Cheongang and Heo Choryeong not to the dock, but to a place hidden by reed forests at the village’s edge.

There, an old, small fishing boat was secretly hidden.

The small boat with Elder Hwang holding the oar silently glided out of the reed forest.

Soon they entered the thick dawn fog of the vast Poyang Lake whose end couldn’t be known.

All around was filled with milky white fog where one couldn’t distinguish even an inch ahead, and the only sound heard was the regular sound of Elder Hwang’s oar cutting through the water.

After one hour passed, the outline of a huge island began to faintly appear beyond the fog.

It was Daeyang Mountain Island.

Elder Hwang, as if he knew the geography of this place thoroughly, drove the boat toward the base of a deserted cliff without a moment’s hesitation.

When the boat reached a small shore made of gravel, hidden by the sheer cliff, he jumped down and tied the rope securely.

‘Elder Hwang seems to know this island’s geography well? I knew he wasn’t an ordinary servant, but to even know this island’s hidden terrain is…’

Guyang Cheongang briefly harbored questions about his secretive past.

However, knowing that he wouldn’t get answers even if he asked, he immediately dismissed his curiosity.

The moment he set foot on the island, Guyang Cheongang felt something vibrating minutely within his body.

‘Akasha, this feeling is…?’

[The Pure Yin Energy of your Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art is weakly resonating with an unknown energy source somewhere on the island, Doctor. It’s too faint to pinpoint the location, but it’s definitely a reaction to the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade.]

In the end, they had no choice but to search.

But they couldn’t just wander around aimlessly.

‘Akasha, monitor my physical changes. I think we can move in the direction where the resonance becomes strongest.’

[Understood, Doctor. I’ll track the resonance wavelength in real time.]

The sheer cliffs and dense primeval forest of Daeyang Mountain Island created an eerie atmosphere as if something might jump out at any moment.

When they had taken a few steps into the island’s interior, Heo Choryeong, who was leading and surveying the path, suddenly stopped and turned to look at Guyang Cheongang.

Her eyes held suspicion along with worry.

“Gang-je, but how exactly do you plan to find the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade on this vast island? Is using resonance as you told Father really possible?”

Guyang Cheongang nodded with a faint smile.

“It’s possible. As I told Uncle, the cold energy of Nine Yin Severed Meridians reacts to objects with the same properties. Like magnets attracting each other. I plan to find the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade by observing my body’s reactions.”

Heo Choryeong looked at him with blank eyes.

‘He wouldn’t be lying to me… I know Younger Brother isn’t someone who speaks falsely, but it’s really hard to believe…’

It didn’t make sense when she first heard it, and it was the same now hearing it for the second time.

Seeing Heo Choryeong’s reaction, Guyang Cheongang inwardly smiled bitterly.

What he said wasn’t exactly a lie, but it was ambiguous to call it the truth either.

What was reacting to the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade wasn’t the cold energy of Nine Yin Severed Meridians but the Pure Yin Energy of Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art.

Anyway, Guyang Cheongang left her gaze behind and stood in one place, closing his eyes.

He operated the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art and heightened all his bodily senses to the extreme.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and pointed to one side of the forest.

“This way. It’s very faint, but I definitely feel a clear attraction.”

At his confident appearance, no one raised further questions.

Elder Hwang silently nodded and surveyed the path ahead, while Heo Choryeong followed behind him with eyes filled with awe.

Thus, Guyang Cheongang began heading toward the island’s depths, using the Pure Yin Energy of Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art like a compass.

How long had they walked?

As the forest gradually thinned and they approached the central part of the island, Guyang Cheongang felt the subtle resonance echoing within his body growing increasingly stronger.

‘Akasha, are my senses correct? It feels like we’re getting closer.’

[Yes, Doctor. This matches my analysis as well. As we approach the target location, the special wavelength that resonates with your internal energy circulation is gradually amplifying.]

Akasha’s following voice was calm as usual.

[The amplitude of the current resonance waves has increased by 17% compared to our initial landing point. At this rate, there’s over a 96% probability that the energy source is located at the center of that mountain peak ahead.]

From the distance, the murmuring of countless people began to be felt along with various types of energies mixing together.

Guyang Cheongang’s group, having emerged from the forest, observed the gathering of people from afar.

That place was the central region of Daeyang Mountain Island, where a low mountain of about two hundred zhang in height rose up.

The highest mountain peak was composed entirely of strange rocks without a single tree, resembling a giant overturned bowl.

Below that mountain peak, well over five hundred martial artists had gathered in various groups.

Guyang Cheongang asked inwardly.

‘Akasha, gather information about them.’

Before five seconds had passed, Akasha’s voice echoed in his mind.

[Currently, over five hundred seventy people have assembled. Based on their attire and the formation of their affiliated groups, they appear to be divided into roughly four or five groups.]

Akasha’s analysis was cold and objective.

[While I don’t have information about flags or emblems, after collecting specific words from conversations among the surrounding martial artists and cross-analyzing them, the largest group to the east appears to be the ‘Anhui Namgung Family,’ those wearing Taoist robes and holding Pine Pattern Ancient Swords to the west are the ‘Hubei Wudang Sect,’ and the warriors to the south seem to belong to the ‘Hunan Hengshan Sect’ and ‘Zhejiang Zongli Family.’]

‘It seems even the great sects and prestigious families couldn’t contain their greed.’

Guyang Cheongang’s group stood behind the crowd of heroes, observing the situation like spectators.

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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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