Almighty God of War - Chapter 73

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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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073

Guyang Baek’s expression hardened.

“Hmm… The profits from the Evil-Repelling Divine Pills and the Yang Dragon Pills and Yin Dragon Pills provide sufficient funds for reconstruction, and the manufacturing and sales of the Evil-Repelling Divine Pills have also elevated the Main Family Estate’s reputation. Yet you say it’s still not enough?”

“Yes. We still haven’t secured sufficient military force.”

Guyang Cheongang nodded and continued speaking.

“Father, if we drive them out now, given Grandfather-in-law’s temperament, there’s a high possibility he’ll take it as a declaration of war.”

“…That’s likely.”

“Right now, even combining the Main Family Estate’s military force with the returned Elder Master Ju and the Du Family, it’s woefully insufficient to withstand Golden Tower Manor’s full-scale attack. A reputation that’s merely a shell is useless before overwhelming military might.”

At his son’s cold assessment, Guyang Baek let out a frustrated sigh.

“Haah…”

Guyang Cheongang continued with a gentle smile.

“Don’t be too frustrated. Three years will be sufficient.”

“Three years?”

“Yes. During that time, Elder Master Ju will train elite warriors at the Du Family Estate.”

“Hmm…”

“Father, use the wealth and reputation gained from the Yang Dragon Pills and Evil-Repelling Divine Pills to attract talented individuals from Gangho. Of course, it would be best if they came of their own accord.”

Guyang Baek’s eyes flashed with light.

“If talented people come to the Main Family Estate of their own volition, even Father-in-law couldn’t stop that.”

“Exactly. By cultivating people both internally and externally like that, we’ll be able to completely escape Grandfather-in-law’s influence within three years at the latest.”

After pondering for a moment, Guyang Baek asked with a worried expression.

“Isn’t there a possibility that he might interfere with my gathering of talent and cut off the Du Family Estate’s growth?”

A cool yet confident smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

His eyes deepened as he continued.

“Even if he suspects us, Grandfather-in-law won’t have the leisure to pay attention to the Main Family Estate and Payang Territory for a while. I plan to turn his gaze very far away, to somewhere else entirely.”

Guyang Baek asked nothing more about his son’s confident words.

He had already acknowledged that he couldn’t handle Guyang Cheongang.

Moreover, he had reached the point where he would believe it even if his son said a deer was a horse.

So what Guyang Baek needed to do was trust his son absolutely.

Another month or so passed.

The Black Death was completely eradicated, and the production of Evil-Repelling Divine Pills was also halted.

Since the stockpiled surplus inventory was sufficient, Guyang Cheongang returned the Cheongi Alchemy Furnace’s automatic production system back to manufacturing Yang Dragon Pills and Yin Dragon Pills.

Minor(?) news also arrived that incompetent officials from the Black Death outbreak regions, including the Lord of Namchang, had been exiled one after another after receiving the Emperor’s wrath.

In the tranquility that returned to the Guyang Family Estate, Guyang Cheongang assigned Du Jinseong a certain mission, then secluded himself in the separate building, dedicating himself solely to martial arts training.

The battle with the Blood Spirit Demon, the Heavenly Sea Ark’s sect leader he had faced on Blood Pearl Island, had brought him victory along with the painful realization of his limits.

Although he had won, many regrets remained, and he had keenly felt his own inadequacies.

‘The Gale Chain Palm has tremendous speed, but even when I overlapped seventy-two palm strikes multiple times, its power still couldn’t match the Blood Spirit Demon’s palm force. How can I maintain speed while adding more destructive power?’

[As I mentioned before, destructive power is mass times acceleration, Doctor.]

Akasha’s clear analysis unfolded in his mind.

[If speed has already reached its limit, then you must now increase the mass.]

‘Increase the mass of qi? How would that… Ah! Compression!’

A realization struck Guyang Cheongang’s mind like lightning.

[Correct. You compress more energy particles into the same space to increase density. If you can compress this to liquid, and furthermore solid density, its power will be beyond imagination. This is most likely the essence of what the warriors of this world call gang qi .]

Based on Akasha’s theory, Guyang Cheongang began compressing the qi in his dantian.

How many days had passed?

All his meridians circulating the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art continuously screamed, unable to withstand the enormous pressure that pressed down like Mount Tai.

Then at one moment, the tremendous pressure of the compressed qi lost its way and went berserk, surging like a tsunami toward the fourth major acupoint of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

Kwaaaaaa!

With the sound of a massive wall collapsing, a new path opened.

[Doctor, I’ve confirmed the opening of the fourth severed meridian. Congratulations!]

Akasha’s voice was full of excitement.

[This activates my system’s fourth stage. The maximum maintenance time for maximum combat mode extends to 20 minutes, and the wide-area environmental data analysis function is activated.]

This was actually a natural result.

Guyang Cheongang had reached the peak realm after his battle with the Heavenly Sea Ark’s sect leader.

To advance from here to the transcendent peak realm, he needed to gain what warriors called ‘enlightenment.’

And that enlightenment was directly related to how to increase qi density to create ‘gang qi.’

By breaking through the fourth major acupoint of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, Guyang Cheongang finally vaguely grasped the principle of gang qi.

This meant he had crossed the threshold of the transcendent peak realm that had seemed so distant.

The world was still lingering at winter’s end, but within his body, a new spring had already begun.

It was a great leap that no one knew about except him and Akasha.

* * *

Golden Tower Manor, Dong Hyeondo’s inner palace.

Like black stones placed on a go board, the air in the room had settled heavy and cold.

Chae Munseong, the head of the intelligence organization Blood Spider Web, was kneeling as he continued his report.

“…Thus, the plague was completely suppressed by the Evil-Repelling Divine Pills made by the Guyang Family Estate, and the name Divine Physician of Life and Death is shaking Gangho. That reputation has already spread beyond Jiangxi Province throughout the entire Central Plains.”

Dong Hyeondo silently lifted his teacup and took a sip.

No emotion appeared on his face, so Chae Munseong felt such pressure that he could barely breathe.

“What about the Imperial Court’s movements?”

“That’s the most concerning part, Sect Leader.”

Chae Munseong swallowed dry saliva as he continued.

“The Imperial Court has begun showing great interest in the Divine Physician of Life and Death, and rumors are widespread that they’ll soon send an imperial envoy to confirm his identity and commend his achievements.”

“The Emperor is interested in the Divine Physician of Life and Death… It must be because of the Crown Prince’s illness.”

“I also think that’s highly likely.”

“Guyang Cheongang must not meet the Crown Prince.”

Thud.

Dong Hyeondo set down his teacup.

His eyes gleamed colder than ever before.

‘The Imperial Court… I must cut off his growth before that boy connects directly with the Imperial Court.’

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

‘What a waste of a child. Truly such a waste. If that talent had bloomed under my hand, this manor could have easily looked down upon All Under Heaven… However, if I cannot obtain him, I ultimately have no choice but to cut off his head.’

An eerie light flickered in the corner of his eyes.

“I cannot allow any more variables. Kill Guyang Cheongang.”

Chae Munseong flinched and asked carefully.

“Right… now, you mean? Even though Guyang Cheongang’s identity hasn’t been revealed, the Grand Young Master is the Divine Physician of Life and Death who has the people’s hearts of All Under Heaven behind him. If we try to harm him, Golden Tower Manor could become the enemy of all Gangho.”

“Fighting without justification isn’t what we do.”

Dong Hyeondo continued with a sneer.

“However, the world’s greatest assassin organization doesn’t need justification. Only money.”

“You intend to move Blood Sea?”

“That child is worth paying such a price.”

Dong Hyeondo continued in an ice-cold tone.

“Commission the elimination of Guyang Cheongang. Since the plague has been eradicated, there won’t be any problem even without that child. Pay whatever price the Blood Sea’s leader desires.”

“Understood. However, if the Grand Young Master dies, there will be no way to obtain the Evil-Repelling Divine Pills’ secret formula.”

“Guyang Baek probably knows the formula too. Later, after completely taking over the Guyang Family Estate, we can just obtain that formula.”

He added a final warning.

“And the fact that we, Golden Tower Manor, are the client must never be revealed to those Blood Sea bastards. Understood?”

“…I will obey your command, Manor Lord.”

Chae Munseong bowed his head deeply.

* * *

A welcome guest visited Guyang Cheongang’s quarters where he had been devoted solely to training.

It was Du Jinseong, whom he had sent to the Imperial Capital with a mission before entering martial arts training.

“Grand Young Master, Miss Shangguan is pushing forward with preparations for the new business and said it should be ready to start before spring ends. She also asked that you visit the Imperial Capital whenever convenient.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Two Brothers.”

Guyang Cheongang nodded.

“Not at all.”

Guyang Cheongang turned his gaze toward the window.

The garden, tinted with tender green, came into view.

‘Fortunately, everything is proceeding according to plan… Now I should make my move too.’

Rising from his seat, Guyang Cheongang went to find Guyang Baek in the training room.

“I need to leave the family estate for a while.”

“…Again?”

Guyang Baek’s following voice carried a worried tone.

“This time it’s related to Father-in-law, isn’t it?”

“That’s correct.”

“Can’t you tell this father what plan of yours could put that man in a difficult position?”

Guyang Cheongang smiled slightly.

“If rumors spread widely throughout Jianghu in a few months that Golden Tower Manor has encountered a major problem, that will be my answer. At that time, Father can believe that my plan is proceeding smoothly.”

Guyang Baek sighed inwardly.

‘Having a son who’s too outstanding is also a problem…’

But he couldn’t erase his worries as a father.

“Haha… What tremendous scheme are you plotting? Fine. I won’t ask. However, you must return safely this time too. If something happens to you, what would be the point of all this?”

“Please don’t worry.”

“Alright, when will you leave?”

“I plan to spend time with Cheongi and Cheongcheong today after so long, then leave early tomorrow morning.”

Guyang Baek felt moved by his son’s warm heart, caring for his younger siblings while fighting against a massive enemy for the family’s safety.

“Do so.”

Leaving the study, Guyang Cheongang spent that afternoon forgetting all his plans and enjoying time with his younger siblings.

* * *

On a dark night, in the eastern district of Nanchang where decent houses were densely packed along the main road.

In a secret chamber located at the back of a modest house tucked inside an alley.

In that place where not even a single candle was lit, two men were having a conversation.

A dry, emotionless voice spoke first.

“Number Seven, kill Guyang Cheongang before tonight ends.”

The one giving the order was Ten Shadow Master, the Nanchang supervisor of the assassin organization Blood Sea.

A voice cold as a snake immediately responded.

“Understood, Lord.”

The man called Number Seven.

He was one of the most capable assassins in Blood Sea.

“Lord, may I ask one thing?”

“Speak.”

“Placing one thousand taels of silver just as advance payment on the head of some young fool who could die from Nine Yin Severed Meridians at any time. I can’t understand what the client is thinking. This is almost an insult to our Blood Sea’s reputation.”

His words carried pride that such an easy mission was beneath him.

A faint sneer appeared on the Lord’s lips.

“You’ve become talkative, Number Seven. Unlike you. Change your thinking.”

He flicked his finger in the darkness.

“The client didn’t place one thousand taels on that bastard’s life. They priced the political repercussions his death would bring and the difficulty of disguising that death as a perfect natural death.”

“…!”

“The client wants Guyang Cheongang to die quietly from his chronic condition, Nine Yin Severed Meridians. Without traces or rumors.”

The Lord’s following voice wrapped around the secret chamber coldly.

“One thousand taels is the price for that perfect performance. Do you understand?”

Number Seven spoke in an ice-cold tone.

“Guyang Cheongang will quietly close his eyes from his chronic illness tonight.”

“Go.”

Number Seven’s figure silently disappeared into the darkness.

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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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