Almighty God of War - Chapter 91

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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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091

 

 

The meeting with the Emperor was scheduled for the very next day.

It was a schedule that conveyed the urgency of not being able to delay even a single day.

One could tell how desperate the Imperial Palace was.

Guyang Cheongang set out to prepare from early morning together with Shangguan Wana.

Hanlin Grand Scholar Moon Hongseo came out personally to greet them.

His face showed a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

“Prince Hahou, today my granddaughter’s fate rests in your hands.”

“I will do my utmost, Grand Scholar.”

The destination was Myeonghwa Palace, the quarters of Princess Myeonghwa.

Upon entering Myeonghwa Palace, a splendid yet quiet atmosphere greeted the party. However, within that quietude lurked the shadow of death.

The expressions of the palace maids were darkly sunken, and the footsteps of the eunuchs carried an air of caution.

Everyone knew that the owner of this place, Princess Myeonghwa, was in a dangerous state.

Emperor Changseong was waiting in the main hall of Myeonghwa Palace.

The Emperor in his early fifties possessed a dignified bearing, but today his face was shrouded in deep worry.

On both sides stood eunuchs including Chief Eunuch Jang In Sang-on and maids in attendance.

Moon Hongseo stepped forward and solemnly reported.

“Your Majesty, this person is the Divine Physician of Life and Death, Hahou Gang, who prevented the plague in Gangxi.”

Emperor Changseong’s gaze turned toward Guyang Cheongang.

Since he had already been notified in advance, there was no sign of surprise, and his eyes held a trace of expectation and hope.

“So you are the Divine Physician of Life and Death.”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Can you cure my daughter?”

Instead of answering, Guyang Cheongang bowed his head.

“Your Majesty, before we converse, please allow me to first examine Princess Myeonghwa’s pulse.”

“Permission granted.”

Guided to the inner palace, Guyang Cheongang’s eyes fell upon Princess Myeonghwa lying on the bed.

The seventeen-year-old Princess Myeonghwa would have originally been a beauty that could topple nations.

Long black hair, refined features, elegant grace…

But now her paper-pale face, deeply sunken eyes, and emaciated wrists spoke of the severity of her illness.

The Princess was unconscious, and the occasional harsh breathing sounds and bluish tint of her lips showed just how dangerous her condition was.

Guyang Cheongang carefully placed his hand on the Princess’s wrist and began examining her pulse.

‘Akasha, begin analysis.’

[Commencing pulse examination. Starting nanobot scan.]

After a moment, Akasha’s voice resonated in his mind.

[Doctor, the white blood cells in her blood have abnormally proliferated, destroying the bone marrow’s function of producing real blood. In 21st Century terms, this is terminal ‘acute lymphoblastic leukemia.’]

‘Is treatment possible?’

[It is possible. Using bone marrow regeneration with nanobots and pure yang true energy from the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art can completely cure it. However, it will take a long time.]

‘How long?’

[At minimum, one month.]

‘I shouldn’t use pure yin true energy?’

Although the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art was a divine art where yin and yang energies were balanced, due to its nature of being created to control the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, using pure yin true energy was much easier.

[Pure yin true energy lowers body temperature. Leukemia patients already have weakened immunity, and if body temperature drops, cellular metabolism and blood circulation slow down, further weakening immune function. This would hinder treatment.]

‘I understand what you mean.’

Having finished the pulse examination, Guyang Cheongang emerged from the inner palace.

Everyone’s gaze focused on him.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report regarding the Princess’s illness.”

Emperor Changseong leaned forward.

“Speak quickly.”

“I dare to request a private audience with Your Majesty.”

Instantly, the air in the main hall turned cold.

Chief Eunuch Jang In Sang-on’s face turned pale.

For someone of uncertain status to dare remain alone with the Emperor.

It was an absurd notion.

Even Moon Hongseo frowned.

“How insolent! How dare a mere physician before His Majesty…”

Sang-on tried to step forward, but Emperor Changseong raised his hand to stop him.

He was in a state of mind to grasp at any straw.

His beloved daughter’s life was at stake.

“Everyone withdraw. I must… hear what this person has to say.”

“Your Majesty! However…”

“I said withdraw!”

At Emperor Changseong’s roar, everyone bowed their heads and retreated.

Moon Hongseo and Sang-on, along with all the eunuchs and palace maids, left the main hall.

Now only Emperor Changseong and Guyang Cheongang remained in the main hall.

‘Akasha, use nanobots to create a space that blocks sound waves. Make it so the Emperor can sense it.’

[Understood. Deploying acoustic barrier.]

Suddenly, Emperor Changseong felt as if something invisible was surrounding him.

His expression hardening, he asked.

“What is this?”

“Your Majesty, I have erected a sound-blocking barrier to prevent our conversation from leaking outside. It is not dangerous.”

Emperor Changseong’s eyebrows twitched.

He felt mystified by Guyang Cheongang’s abilities.

‘Medical arts capable of repelling plagues, the ability to create new remedies, and martial arts that can block sound… He is truly no ordinary person.’

He asked.

“Can you treat the Princess?”

“It is possible.”

At Guyang Cheongang’s confident voice, Emperor Changseong’s eyes widened.

“Really? You can truly save my daughter?”

“Yes. However, it will not be an easy treatment.”

Emperor Changseong said.

“If you can treat her, what does time matter? If you can save the Princess, I will grant you great rewards.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Before that, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Guyang Cheongang slowly removed his human skin mask.

Seeing his sculpture-like handsome face revealed, Emperor Changseong furrowed his brow.

“Though I had circumstances that required hiding my identity with a human skin mask, I could not dare deceive Your Majesty.”

“Who… are you?”

“I am Guyang Cheongang, eldest son of the Nanchang Guyang Family.”

In Emperor Changseong’s mind came the memory of recently trying to send an imperial messenger, only to cancel the departure upon learning the Divine Physician had already left.

His ministers had definitely said that place was the Guyang Family Estate.

“Hmm…”

Guyang Cheongang said.

“The Guyang Family is currently facing a crisis of downfall. And various forces including my maternal grandfather, Trading House Master Dong Hyeondo of Geumtak Mountain Villa, are targeting my life. That’s why I had no choice but to hide my identity with a human skin mask.”

Emperor Changseong nodded.

“So you used the name Hahou Gang…”

“That is correct. However, I could not deal falsely with Your Majesty. Deceiving Your Majesty would be tantamount to treason.”

“Good. I will trust your sincerity.”

“Please let only Your Majesty know about my true identity. It’s inevitable that Hahou Gang being the Divine Physician of Life and Death will become known, but anything about Guyang Cheongang must remain absolutely secret. This applies even to Chief Eunuch Jang.”

It was almost a demand—words that would have shocked Sang On or Moon Hongseo if they had heard them, but Emperor Changseong readily nodded.

“Of course. I give you my word. And according to Grand Secretary Moon, you want a salt business license as payment for the treatment…”

“That’s correct.”

“Good. Save the princess. If you do, not only will you receive the salt business license, but…”

Emperor Changseong’s eyes blazed with intensity.

“I will become a shield protecting your family from Golden Tower Manor’s shadow. No one will dare to carelessly touch you or your family.”

Guyang Cheongang’s heart raced.

This was a far greater reward than he had expected.

“This is a pact between just the two of us—you and me.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Now tell me how you plan to treat the princess.”

Guyang Cheongang answered.

“Your Majesty, the princess’s illness is not simply a lack of blood. The source that creates blood—her bone marrow—is diseased.”

Emperor Changseong focused intently on his words.

“Evil energy has penetrated her bone marrow, continuously producing fake blood instead of real blood, causing her entire body’s vitality to decline.”

“How can you treat such a strange disease?”

“I will selectively remove only the root of that evil energy and help her body produce clean blood again.”

“Is such a thing possible?”

“Of course. However, this treatment will take over a month and require about two hours each day.”

“I already told you that time is not an issue.”

“Then I’ll begin treatment tomorrow.”

Guyang Cheongang continued in a calm tone.

“Your Majesty, please ensure no one interferes while I’m treating her, and you must also prepare special medicinal herbs for the princess to consume.”

“I’ll prepare everything. I entrust the princess to you.”

Guyang Cheongang put on his human skin mask again and released the Sound Isolation Barrier.

As the sound-blocking barrier was lifted, normal air flowed through the main hall.

Emperor Changseong shouted toward the outside.

“Everyone, come in!”

Moon Hongseo and Sang On cautiously entered and asked.

“Your Majesty, what has been decided?”

Emperor Changseong smiled with satisfaction.

“Hahou Gang says he can treat my daughter. Spare no support.”

Guyang Cheongang said to Sang On.

“I’ll begin treatment tomorrow. Please make the necessary preparations.”

“I shall do so.”

A bright smile appeared on Moon Hongseo’s face as he stood beside Sang On.

Guyang Cheongang’s steps were light as he left Myeonghwa Palace.

He had just concluded an enormous deal.

His steps couldn’t possibly be heavy.

 

* * *

 

The warehouse at Yeom Estate.

Guyang Cheongang remained alone in the warehouse, continuing his inscription work on the Heavenly Fire Solar Flame Formation.

Moonlight seeped through the window cracks, faintly illuminating the invisible nanobots moving on the oil paper.

Princess Myeonghwa’s treatment took two hours a day; during the remaining time, Guyang Cheongang practiced formations and secret arts here.

It was during his rest time.

[Doctor, there’s someone approaching from the east.]

Guyang Cheongang frowned.

‘Distance?’

[Currently 100 meters. They’re using lightness skills to climb over the wall. Their stealth technique produces almost no footsteps.]

After the Branch Blood Cave attack, Akasha had been constantly monitoring a 100-meter radius around the warehouse with a thousand nanobots.

This prevented him from putting full effort into his inscription work, but it was necessary to prevent another incident like before.

Rising from his position, Guyang Cheongang sat comfortably in his chair. Then he waited, facing the direction the intruder would come from.

[50 meters… 30 meters… The intruder has reached the warehouse’s outer wall.]

Swish—

The faint sound of someone climbing the wall could be heard.

It was a sound ordinary people could never detect, but it rang clearly in Guyang Cheongang’s sharpened hearing.

[Doctor, the intruder appears to be entering through the roof.]

Rustle—

The sound of roof tiles moving slightly could be heard from above.

Shortly after, a Black-Robed Masked Man leaped down from above with lightness technique as if riding clouds, landing silently on the floor.

[Doctor, analyzing the intruder’s data. Overall skeletal data including height and shoulder width, plus the pupil spacing and iris patterns of both eyes visible below the mask match 99.7% with Yeon Sahyeok’s data from our previous encounter on the official road. Determined to be the same person.]

Yeon Sahyeok was confident he had achieved perfect infiltration and was about to survey his surroundings.

At that moment,

“What reason does the noble heir of Geumsan-ru have for wearing a mask and even climbing walls to find me?”

Yeon Sahyeok’s body stiffened at the calm voice that came from the darkness.

Turning his head, he could see Guyang Cheongang sitting comfortably in a chair, bathed in moonlight.

Unless he had known he was coming and waited for him…

‘Could it be… this man is skilled enough to detect my presence?’

“Who did you… call me?”

Guyang Cheongang smiled slightly.

“Young Master Yeon, I’m a busy person. So I absolutely hate wasting time unnecessarily. If you don’t provide an adequate reason for this intrusion, I’ll be quite angry.”

Despite the content, his voice was as gentle as if meeting an old friend.

Yeon Sahyeok realized he could no longer deceive him.

He clicked his tongue inwardly and removed his mask.

“Prince Hahou, you really show many unexpected sides.”

Yeon Sahyeok’s face revealed under the moonlight was expressionless.

He too was accustomed to not revealing his inner thoughts.

Guyang Cheongang pointed to the chair across from him.

“Please sit. I’m busy, but let me at least hear why you came here at such a late hour, risking danger.”

Yeon Sahyeok did not sit in the chair.

“Prince Hahou, please spare me a moment of your time.”

Guyang Cheongang frowned and asked.

“What’s the matter?”

Yeon Sahyeok spoke in a calm tone.

“There’s someone who wishes to meet you.”

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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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