Chapter 79: The Legend of the God of War

Night had fallen over Lu Ming’s dormitory.

Lu Ming stood before the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the moonlit scene outside. Yang Jun, meanwhile, stood at attention in the room, chest out and posture rigid.

Only after a long silence did Lu Ming finally turn, casting a glance at Yang Jun as he spoke in a measured tone. “You were born with extraordinary talent, yet you have no proper method to enter the path. Isn’t it a shame to let your gift go to waste?”

Yang Jun blinked in surprise, then replied, “I’m not sure what you mean, Instructor.”

“You possess an innate core—a prodigy in the martial arts—yet you rely only on brute force. That is a terrible pity.”

As soon as these words left Lu Ming’s lips, Yang Jun’s face went pale. He stared at Lu Ming, dumbfounded.

The secret of the core within his body was one he had never shared with anyone—not his parents, not even his grandfather. As a child, he possessed strength far beyond his years, though he never understood why. As he grew older, he began to sense the difference within himself, realizing that his dantian harbored something wholly unlike others.

He had always feared revealing this, lest he be labeled a freak, and so he kept the secret hidden. Later, he learned that it was a core capable of storing power—the very source of his strength, the supreme secret of a martial artist. All the more reason to keep it to himself.

This secret belonged to him alone. Now, hearing Lu Ming expose it so casually, he found it hard to believe.

Lu Ming smiled at the stunned Yang Jun. “There are no secrets from me when I choose to know something.”

Indeed, with the Eye of Insight, there were few mysteries left in the world for him. Save for reading a person’s thoughts, the Eye could pierce through nearly all concealment.

After a moment’s daze, Yang Jun exhaled deeply. “Instructor Lu, you truly are remarkable. I have never told another soul about this secret, yet you discovered it.”

Lu Ming smiled faintly and did not pursue the subject. Instead, he said, “You have a rare gift—one with real potential. I possess a body-refining art that suits you perfectly. Are you interested in learning it?”

At once, Yang Jun’s face lit up with joy.

Given Lu Ming’s abilities and awe-inspiring power, anything he taught was bound to be a peerless technique. Moreover, Yang Jun had been stuck at a bottleneck for a long time. He was not born into a martial family and had only practiced military combat arts. And yet, thanks to his innate core, he had already risen to the ranks of a war marshal, on par with the grandmasters.

Still, he had yet to comprehend his own “Way”—that is, he had not yet developed his unique martial skill as a war marshal. This was the barrier that held him back.

Now that Lu Ming offered to teach him a secret art, how could he not be delighted? With such instruction, Yang Jun was confident that it wouldn’t be long before he comprehended his own martial technique and became a true war marshal.

“I am willing,” Yang Jun answered without a moment’s hesitation.

Lu Ming’s expression became solemn. “This technique is profound beyond measure. With your talent, if you practice diligently, you will one day achieve greatness—greatness beyond your imagination. But you must have a deep understanding of this art, and you may not reveal it to anyone. This method involves certain secrets and must be kept strictly confidential.”

“Yes, Instructor. I will obey your instructions and keep it absolutely secret.”

Yang Jun understood that such techniques were rarely shared with outsiders. Martial families all had their exclusive methods, transmitted only to their own kin, with the most vital arts reserved for the core members. For Lu Ming to offer him such a technique, secrecy was only natural.

But he was mistaken—Lu Ming was not afraid of the art being leaked. He possessed the memories of a mighty dragon, and with the dragon’s lifespan of tens of thousands of years, he was a living history of the cultivation world. Within those memories, the number and variety of cultivation methods were vast beyond imagination, inexhaustible. Even if this art were spread, Lu Ming would not care.

What concerned him was that these arts belonged to the world of cultivation, their power immense and not native to this world. Once people discovered their wonders and traced them back to him, endless troubles would surely follow. The more one knows, the more one realizes their own ignorance.

Lu Ming believed that this world held too many unfathomable people and events; it was best to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Even with his extraordinary fortune, who could guarantee he was truly invincible? If he could have such encounters, why couldn’t others? Yang Jun’s innate core was proof enough.

This was what truly worried him.

Hearing Yang Jun’s reply, Lu Ming nodded. Then, with a surge of spiritual power, he branded the “Eight Gates Body-Refining Technique” into Yang Jun’s mind.

Yang Jun felt a wave of dizziness, and after a moment, a new stream of information appeared in his consciousness. He quickly scanned the contents.

As he finished reading the technique, he could not help but draw a sharp breath.

Lu Ming spoke slowly, “The human body has the Opening Gate, Rest Gate, Life Gate, Wound Gate, Obstruction Gate, Scene Gate, Shock Gate, and Death Gate. Ordinarily, these eight gates are closed. This body-refining art can open them for you. Once all eight are open, you will master the Eight Ultimate Forms, which possess the power to move mountains and fill seas. Cultivate well.”

Yang Jun, immersed in the profundity of the Eight Gates Body-Refining Technique, now worshipped Lu Ming with utter devotion. The power described within this art was simply too great, unlike anything that should exist in this world.

According to the method, when one reached the final stage—when all eight gates were open—no demon could withstand, no god could resist. Such power was truly awe-inspiring.

Yang Jun was left speechless by the magnitude of this technique. If he mastered it, he felt he could sweep aside all obstacles upon the earth.

Lu Ming, seeing Yang Jun’s dazed expression, spoke again.

“You must already sense the might of this art. Train diligently. With your talent, you are destined for great achievements. So long as you gain even a small mastery of the Eight Gates Body-Refining Technique, becoming a War God will be within your grasp.”

“War God!”

At these words, Yang Jun finally came to his senses.

War God—the highest honor and title for a soldier. In the entire New Huaxia City, only one War God had ever emerged—a legendary figure, idol of all soldiers.

Back at the founding of New Huaxia, the land was ravaged by foreign invaders, the people suffering beneath the flames of war. All across the country, the populace could bear neither slaughter nor shame and rose in resistance.

At that time, a young man named Qin Xu joined the ranks defending the nation. Starting as an ordinary soldier, he performed extraordinary feats and, within half a year, was promoted to reconnaissance platoon leader. He led his men through impossible missions—there was nowhere he could not go, no intelligence he could not obtain, no task he could not complete.

He once ventured alone into the enemy camp, assassinating the enemy’s main commander amid an army of ten thousand, and returned unscathed. On another occasion, to cover his unit’s retreat, he single-handedly held off an entire regiment in the mountains, crippling them before making his escape.

His exploits and legendary deeds were too numerous to count. The military sought to promote him further, but he refused, saying, “I am a warrior, best suited to the front lines, not to command from the rear.”

Promotion beyond that would have meant leaving the battlefield for a command post, so he declined the offer to become a battalion commander.

In the ensuing years, as the army fought across the land, he amassed countless merits. The higher-ups tried repeatedly to promote him, but he always refused for the same reason. The military had no choice—if not position, then rank. Thanks to his achievements, his rank soared from platoon leader to general, and even division commanders saluted him—a miracle in military history.

When the war ended and the people of Huaxia claimed victory, New Huaxia was founded. Yet on the very day of celebration, he removed his uniform, left a letter of resignation, and vanished without a trace.

The entire military lamented his departure, but he was bestowed with the highest honor: War God.

To become a War God was the dream and utmost honor of every soldier. It was the goal Yang Jun had always strived for. Now, with the Eight Gates Body-Refining Technique, at last he felt confident he could follow in the footsteps of that revered predecessor.

Yang Jun gazed at Lu Ming, eyes shining with admiration and excitement, his lips quivering with emotion.