Almighty God of War - Chapter 67

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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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067

Du Family Head’s Annex Main Hall.

Guyang Cheongang, Jupyo, and the three generations of the Du family sat facing each other once again.

Their expressions were bright since the Thousand Seas Sect had been destroyed by the Water Alliance.

Du Weiping stood up and bowed deeply to Guyang Cheongang as he spoke.

“From today onwards, the main family swears to serve the Guyang Family Estate as the head family and will always raise our banner with the same heart under that name.”

This time, Guyang Cheongang did not refuse and bowed in return as he replied.

“Thank you. If father heard of the Family Head’s decision, he would be truly delighted.”

Guyang Cheongang, who had sat back down, continued speaking to the three generations of the Du family.

“For the time being, our relationship must remain secret. It would be dangerous to provoke my maternal grandfather at Golden Tower Manor.”

Du Weiping responded.

“Of course. But do you have any plan in mind for how to deal with the threat from Golden Tower Manor?”

Guyang Cheongang smiled and nodded.

“I do. Until the main family recovers its strength, grandfather won’t be able to pay attention to the family estate.”

Jupyo’s eyes lit up as he asked.

“What kind of method is that?”

“Now is not the time to discuss it. But when the time comes, you’ll naturally find out.”

The people closed their mouths with disappointed expressions.

Guyang Cheongang continued.

“I have a way to secure the funds to rebuild the family estate, so the Du family doesn’t need to worry about providing financial support.”

“…!”

At his words, the three generations of the Du family showed surprised expressions.

Knowing the situation of the Guyang Family Estate, they had been thinking of supporting the reconstruction funds themselves.

However, they had already been completely won over by Guyang Cheongang, so they didn’t argue.

Du Weiping asked.

“Even if funds are secured, we’ll need many warriors to rebuild our military strength. Since the head family doesn’t have the conditions to raise warriors, we might be able to help in that regard.”

Guyang Cheongang nodded.

“That’s exactly what I was going to ask you. Please train as many warriors as possible at the Du Family Estate. The main family will provide the necessary resources and martial arts, and I’ll also advance your Du family’s exclusive martial arts by one level.”

At his words, Du Weiping’s face momentarily hardened.

No matter how much Guyang Cheongang was the Grand Young Master of the family estate, speaking so casually about another family’s secret martial arts was improper.

This was a different matter from trusting him.

“Grand Young Master, what do you mean by improving our Du family’s martial arts?”

Reading his wariness, Guyang Cheongang smiled.

He asked Du Jeongkwang for a brush and paper.

Then he smoothly wrote down the incantations for two of the general four great martial arts of the Guyang Family Estate that he had restored and improved: the Transcendent Heart Method and the Wind Wall Seventy-Two Wave Sword.

“Please look at this first.”

He handed the completed manual, which took less than a moment to finish, to Du Jeongkwang and Du Weiping.

The two men who received the manual read through it with half-belief and half-doubt.

After a moment, their faces were soon colored with shock.

‘This can’t be…!’

Du Weiping couldn’t contain his amazement.

What was written in the manual was certainly the martial arts of the Guyang Family Estate, but so many things were different from what they knew that it was hard to call it the same martial art.

All unnecessary elements had been deleted, leaving only the most efficient and powerful flow.

This should be called recreation rather than improvement.

Only then did Du Weiping realize that Guyang Cheongang was someone who had no reason to covet the Du Family Estate’s secret martial arts.

What followed proceeded smoothly.

Without hesitation, Du Weiping orally transmitted and demonstrated all three of the Du family’s secret martial arts to Guyang Cheongang: the White Cloud Heart Method, Falling Stone Fist, and Crushing Stone Palm.

Guyang Cheongang perfectly memorized and understood all three martial arts with just one viewing and listening.

The three generations of the Du family were astounded by his genius.

“While staying with the Du family, I’ll completely recreate these three martial arts for you. I’ll also pass on four of the family estate’s martial arts, including the Transcendent Heart Method.”

When the discussion came to a close, Guyang Cheongang asked Du Jeongkwang.

“Elder, aren’t there any descendants of the other three branch families of Bongsin, Anui, and Yeogang that were destroyed in the Righteous-Demonic War?”

“There are some. But I heard they’ve lost their secret martial arts and have no funds to recover, so they’re barely maintaining their lineage.”

“Family Head.”

Guyang Cheongang looked at Du Weiping.

“They are also people of the Guyang Family Estate. And raising them up again is the path to strengthening our entire Guyang Family Estate.”

“Hmm….”

“Please take charge of helping the descendants of the other three families rebuild their families. We’ll provide all necessary funds from our main family.”

Du Weiping responded with a determined expression.

“I will follow the Grand Young Master’s will.”

Guyang Cheongang turned to Jupyo and said.

“Elder Master, please remain here in Payang and help the Du family gather the scattered retainers and descendants of other branches, raising them as pillars of the new Guyang Family Estate.”

Jupyo immediately understood the hidden meaning in Guyang Cheongang’s words.

‘The Grand Young Master’s thinking is correct. I’m known to be dead in Gangho. If someone like me suddenly appears at the Guyang Family Estate main family, how could that cunning old man Dong Hyeondo not be suspicious?’

His eyes deepened.

‘But if it’s the Du family here in Payang, that’s a different story. This place is relatively free from that old man’s surveillance network, so it can be made into a training ground for raising the family estate’s talent.’

“I shall do so, Grand Young Master.”

Jupyo continued with a serious expression.

“This old man will raise those who will become pillars of the family estate into tigers here.”

“Thank you, Elder Master.”

A faint smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

With the important matters settled, Guyang Cheongang spoke to Du Weiping with a much more relaxed expression.

“Family Head, the power of the Yangtze River Water Alliance is truly remarkable. The Thousand Seas Sect was dealt with overnight.”

“Indeed. People don’t call them the emperors of the waterways for nothing.”

Guyang Cheongang casually asked.

“By any chance… have you heard any rumors recently about some incident among the Water Alliance Leader’s disciples?”

Du Weiping shook his head.

“I haven’t heard such stories. But why are you curious about that…?”

“I thought I heard something related to that. It’s not very important, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

Guyang Cheongang said this and changed the subject, but strong suspicions were swirling in his mind.

‘Akasha, isn’t this strange? At Saam Peak Underground, Yeon Cheolrim clearly said he “set up a stage to kill his senior brother.” But there are no rumors in Gangho. What’s going on?’

[Yes, Doctor. I was analyzing that point as well.]

Akasha’s voice echoed in his mind.

[Combining Yeon Cheolrim’s statement, the peculiar assassination traces of “Sangong poison” and “Cheondul acupoint wounds” we discovered at Saam Peak Summit, and the current lack of information spread in Gangho, there’s only one conclusion.]

‘Tell me.’

[The probability that Yeon Cheolrim’s senior brother died at Saam Peak that day is over 98%. And he’s likely the young man who died with three escorts that we discovered.]

‘Then why isn’t the Water Alliance making any announcement? If Yeon Cheolrim is the second, then the person he called “senior brother” would be the Water Alliance Leader’s first disciple.’

[The most likely hypothesis is cover-up. But the reason is difficult to guess due to insufficient basic information.]

A cold smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

‘Anyway, it’s not a bad situation. I’m holding evidence of Yeon Cheolrim’s biggest secret—that he assassinated his senior brother.’

He knew exactly the weight this information carried.

‘Not right now, but I have a feeling that someday this will be put to important use.’

As promised, Guyang Cheongang stayed two more days with the Du family.

During that time, the lights in the Du family’s annex didn’t go out until late at night.

Guyang Cheongang completely recreated the Du family’s three secret martial arts into perfect new martial arts.

Improving the White Cloud Heart Method and others, which were far inferior in depth compared to the Nine Dragons Ten Thousand Mountains Diagram’s Five Ultimate Techniques and the family estate’s secret four great martial arts, was an easy task.

And in his spare time, he gathered the three generations of the Du family together to explain the core principles of the White Cloud Heart Method and others.

“…Therefore, the key to this part’s Qi Circulation route is not sending internal energy in a straight line, but rotating it in a spiral to concentrate that destructive power at one point.”

His teachings were without excess, always penetrating to the essence.

Du Jinseong went without saying, and even Du Jeongkwang and Du Weiping could gain no small enlightenment from his every word.

They were witnessing the miraculous sight of the fortress of martial arts they had built over their lifetimes crumbling like sandcastles before this young genius and being rebuilt anew.

And on the night before their promised departure.

Du Jinseong came before Guyang Cheongang and bowed his head deeply.

“Grand Young Master, I dare to make a request.”

In his eyes burned reverence that comes when one genius recognizes another, along with a fervent thirst for learning.

“These past few days, receiving teachings at your side, I have realized I was a frog in a well. The martial learning and wisdom I know is like a firefly’s light compared to yours. Please keep me by your side and give me the opportunity to learn of the wider world. Even as your attendant would be fine.”

The unexpected words left Guyang Cheongang flustered.

“Young Manor Lord, did the Manor Lord and Elder give permission?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

Guyang Cheongang looked at Du Jinseong with a furrowed brow, but it soon changed to a smile.

When a genius like Du Jinseong came of his own accord, there was no reason to refuse.

“Very well. If someone as talented as the Young Manor Lord helps me, you are always welcome.”

The next morning, Guyang Cheongang with Golden King on his shoulder and Du Jinseong rode horses out through the main gate of the Du Family Estate.

Du Jeongkwang and Du Weiping had agreed to Du Jinseong’s accompaniment.

Clop-clop- Clop-clop-

Guyang Cheongang and Du Jinseong wore ordinary-looking human skin masks, so no one could recognize who they were.

The distance from Payang to Nanchang was just under three hundred li.

If they urged their horses, they could reach it in three days, and even without doing so, five days would be sufficient.

Since there were no large mountains between the two cities, the two men rode south along the wide official road that merchants traveled.

The journey was surprisingly quiet.

Du Jinseong asked almost no questions.

Like most who were called geniuses, he usually greatly disliked others interrupting his contemplation.

Since he was like that, he figured the Grand Young Master before him, whose abilities he couldn’t even begin to fathom, would be even more so, not less.

So instead of words, he strove to capture Guyang Cheongang’s every movement and gesture with his eyes and heart.

Du Jinseong had an intuition that the days spent with Guyang Cheongang would be the greatest learning time of his entire life.

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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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