Rebirth of the Thunder God

Namgung Hui enjoyed the passing wind from the rattling carriage.

Even in Namgung Hui's hazy memory, the surrounding scenery was quite familiar, so he should be able to arrive home soon.

-Whoosh…….

"Have the plum blossoms bloomed already?"

"No. It's still a long way off for the plum blossoms to bloom."

"Is that so? I must have smelled it wrong. By the way, how much longer until we arrive?"

"I think we can arrive right at lunchtime. What should we do for lunch? Should we eat inside? Or should we eat out?"

Just as Namgung Hui was about to answer.

Baek Seolhwa subtly pushed her shoulder forward and asked.

"Is your home-cooked food delicious?"

"Well. I've been lying down and just got up, so I haven't eaten much."

On top of that, Chohwa, Choyeon's younger sister, had prepared many special dishes, so it was more delicious than the usual meals.

"Then let's eat out and then go in. We'll be staying at home for a while, so we should eat out before we go in."

"What do you mean, for a while? How long are you planning to stay?"

"I'm not saying I'll be staying, I'm talking about those people over there. They have to stay at the Namgung family estate from now on."

"You're not going to take them to the Moon Maiden Palace?"

"I asked them, but they said they don't want to suffer and learn martial arts at the Moon Maiden Palace. They're old, and the Namgung family estate is a good enough place to take refuge in."

Namgung Hui, as if he agreed with Baek Seolhwa's words, nodded.

‘With this as an excuse, I can take all the silver, so it's a good thing that also serves a purpose.’

"Then there's an inn I know, let's have lunch there and then go in."

At Namgung Hui's words, Baek Seolhwa looked at him with a distrustful expression.

"A place you know? Is it an old memory by any chance?"

"Old? In a way, it would be old. It's a place I visited ten years ago."

The inn that Namgung Hui recalled was not an inn from his Thunder God days, but an inn he had visited with his current blood relative, the young lord Namgung Chan.

Namgung Hui, having experienced the situation at the Mount Huang inn this time, also thought that many of the memories from his Thunder God days were useless.

Even mountains and rivers change in ten years, so it would be strange if things didn't change in sixty years.

Choyeon, who was next to him, also seemed to have guessed which inn it was, and clapped her hands and continued.

"Ah! By any chance, Young Master, are you talking about the Famous Inn?"

"Oh. Choyeon knew too. Yes. I ate there with my brother before, and I still can't forget it."

"Then I'll bring Chohwa too! Yahoo~!"

Choyeon, without even waiting for Namgung Hui's permission, ran off to the Namgung family estate.

‘It must mean she's that excited.’

As expected of someone from the Flying Swallows, her lightness skill was top-notch.

Namgung Hui shook his head and said to Baek Seolhwa.

"Then let's go to the Famous Inn."

* * *

"Benefactor. We will all wait in the carriage."

"What do you mean by that? How can we go in and eat, leaving you all behind? We'll get indigestion."

The woman shook her head with a sorrowful expression.

A clear refusal.

She was looking at Namgung Hui with a rather stubborn face.

Then. A man who was walking towards the inn looked over Namgung Hui's party and said.

"Hah! My, my. Since when did beggars start frequenting the Famous Inn? Tsk. It just ruined my appetite. Ptooey! I'll have to come back another time."

A man spits on the ground and disappears.

The woman followed the man's back with her eyes and continued.

"Look at that. We will clearly only be a nuisance."

The woman leading the group, Nam Sang-ah, turned her body and headed for the carriage.

Namgung Hui let out a deep sigh and grabbed her arm.

"Let's go buy some clothes first. It will take some time for Choyeon to come anyway."

"I'm fine…… Ouch."

It was virtually impossible for a woman who didn't know martial arts to shake off Namgung Hui's hand.

Namgung Hui decided to buy new clothes for all the women on this occasion.

He hadn't had the leisure to do so because of the chase, but Namgung Hui was also slightly uncomfortable with the stench coming from their bodies.

‘I was inconsiderate.’

Namgung Hui searched his memory and headed for a nearby cloth store.

Come to think of it, Namgung Hui's clothes had also become small because he had gone through the bone transformation.

[Hyehwa Cloth Store]

Namgung Hui's memory was not wrong, and he had found the right place.

Namgung Hui handed a silver coin to each of the women standing timidly behind him and sent them into the cloth store one by one.

Even with their shabby appearance, if they showed a glittering silver coin, the owner of the cloth store wouldn't be able to kick them out.

Namgung Hui looked at the last remaining woman, Baek Seolhwa, and said.

"Seolhwa. You should buy a set of clothes too."

"Are you buying it for me?"

"You have money too. Didn't you see I just spent a lot of money?"

"Tsk. A man being so petty."

"What kind of era is this that you're talking about men? You're the young palace mistress of the Moon Maiden Palace, you should set an example."

"Oh~ is that so? Fine. Fine. I'll just buy it myself."

As Baek Seolhwa huffed and went into the cloth store, Namgung Hui tilted his head as if he didn't understand.

"Why is she suddenly like that? Is she sulking because I didn't buy it for her? No way. She's the young palace mistress, she wouldn't be like that……."

Baek Seolhwa also didn't understand why she had suddenly said that.

‘I must be crazy. Why would I ask that guy to buy me clothes…….’

Baek Seolhwa hit her own head.

For some reason, from the moment Namgung Hui called her name, she had felt a feeling that was difficult to describe in words.

It was as if her chest was tickling, as if she had suffered an internal injury.

‘It's a similar feeling to when I was hit by that guy's palm strike before.’

As she was recalling the past, someone suddenly whistled and approached Baek Seolhwa.

"Whew~! Wow. Did a fairy descend from heaven? Where did such a beauty suddenly pop out from? Miss. Where are you from? Did you really descend from heaven? Me too. Hahaha!"

The young man made a joke that wasn't even funny, and perhaps because of that, Baek Seolhwa found the man's speech very unpleasant.

"Hey. I'm not in a good mood right now. Get lost when I'm being nice."

It was too troublesome to even warn him about getting hurt.

She just wanted to get rid of the annoying man in front of her as soon as possible.

The man, as if he had no sense, grinned, showing his white teeth, and pushed his head forward.

"Miss. You don't seem to know me. I'm from the most successful sect in this area. I don't know if you've heard of it. It's called the Lake Chao Sect."

At the words "Lake Chao Sect," Baek Seolhwa's eyes also lit up with interest.

‘The former sect leader of that place died at my hands, right? Probably.’

"As expected! There's no way you wouldn't know our sect. Hahaha! Then miss. No. Young lady. How about a cozy meal with me……."

"Kyaak! Let me go!"

The young man, annoyed that his words were cut off by the scream, turned his head with a huff.

"Boys! What's all this commotion!"

"Young Sect Leader! These wenches are very suspicious. They all look like beggars, but they all have silver coins! They must have stolen it from around here!"

"What? Beggars have silver coins? Then confiscate it all. It was probably stolen from our business establishment anyway."

The Lake Chao Sect martial artists rushed and surrounded the women.

Namgung Hui, who had just entered the cloth store, was surprised by the sudden situation and shouted.

"You guys. What are you doing? Right now?"

"And who are you? Are you the leader of the beggars here?"

"Beggars? Ah. It might look that way. I'm sorry, but we're not beggars. Could you please step aside?"

Namgung Hui was about to add, 'if you don't want to get beaten,' but he didn't want to stir up trouble unnecessarily.

Now that he was the youngest son of the Namgung family, not the Thunder God, it wouldn't do any good to create a tiring situation.

After all, they were a prestigious family that had to be mindful of their reputation.

"Hmph! How can I believe that? We'll know once we confiscate the silver coins and go to the government office. Tie them all up!"

Namgung Hui was about to subdue them with force, but since Baek Seolhwa was close to the one giving the orders, he asked her.

"Baek Seolhwa. What have you been doing all this time without helping?"

"When did I not help?"

-Rustle. Rustle.

The moment Baek Seolhwa finished speaking, a thin layer of ice began to form around them.

And the Lake Chao Sect martial artists who were trying to tie up the women suddenly stopped moving as if they had become stone statues.

"Y-young Sect Leader! My body won't move!"

"What is this. This block of ice. Could it be a demonic art?!"

"Kids these days are still going on about demonic arts. Hey. Namgung Hui. Just beat those guys up. Isn't it your family's territory anyway?"

"Namgung? Family? Ha! I'm the young sect leader of the Lake Chao Sect, you think I wouldn't recognize someone from the Namgung family? Where are you lying from."

Namgung Hui shook his head and threw all the Lake Chao Sect martial artists outside.

It wasn't that difficult, as their bodies were all frozen by Baek Seolhwa's yin ki.

Namgung Hui looked around at the women and asked.

"Is everyone okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Yes. Benefactor……. We're fine."

Perhaps because they were called beggars, the women looked very dejected.

They must have been tormented by the bandits, so they were bound to be scared when they saw the Lake Chao Sect martial artists.

The young sect leader of the Lake Chao Sect, even though all his disciples had been knocked out, continued speaking calmly.

"Hey. You seem to have learned quite a bit of martial arts, but you could die if you really impersonate the Namgung family."

"You're the young sect leader of the Lake Chao Sect? Then you wouldn't not know me, would you?"

"Ha! No matter how much the Namgung family has fallen, it's still one of the Five Great Families. Would someone from a place like that wander around looking like a beggar like you? Think about it logically. You have to say something that makes sense. Besides, your name is Namgung Hui? There's no such name in the Namgung family. The Eldest Young Master Namgung Chan, the Second Young Master Namgung In, the Third Young Master Namgung Sang. There are three of them."

"You missed one, the Fourth Young Master Namgung Hui. That's me. And you, if you're going to attack, attack, and if you're going to get lost, get lost quickly."

"I can't face the two of you alone. Alright. I'll be on my way. And Miss Seolhwa. Let's have a meal together next time. Hahaha!"

As the young sect leader pretended to be cheerful and turned around to go out, Namgung Hui and Baek Seolhwa suddenly hit him on the back of the head.

And at the same time.

-Thwack!

"Why did you suddenly pop out?"

"And you, you spoke as if you were going to let him go. Why the surprise attack? I never said I would let him go."

At Baek Seolhwa's retort, Namgung Hui was lost in thought for a moment.

‘That's right. Why did I suddenly hit that guy? For some reason, I didn't like his last words.’

Namgung Hui ultimately couldn't come to a conclusion as to why he had done it.

But Baek Seolhwa was different.

She was in a bad mood because that arrogant guy called the young sect leader was hitting on her, but above all.

‘How dare he call my name. The arrogant thing.’

And so, when even the young sect leader of the Lake Chao Sect fainted, a disciple who had come to his senses hurriedly carried him on his back and retreated.

"Now that we've chased away the horseflies, let's buy some clothes. And Seolhwa. You pick one too, I'll buy it for you."

"A man's word."

"Is as good as his bond. Come on. Let's hurry up and buy them and go eat."

* * *

"Young Master~~~!"

"Chohwa. It's been a while. Have you been well?"

"Yes. I've always been well. By the way, is the person next to you Miss Seomun Hye? You're as beautiful as the rumors say. I thought a fairy had descended from heaven."

"She's not Miss Seomun Hye. Didn't you hear from Choyeon?"

Chohwa glared at Choyeon, who was busily eating, and said.

"I didn't hear anything from my sister. Then who are you?"

When Namgung Hui glanced at Baek Seolhwa, Baek Seolhwa cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

"Ahem. I am the young palace mistress of the Moon Maiden Palace, Baek Seolhwa. It's nice to meet you, Miss Chohwa."

"Huh? Miss? I'm just a maid, please speak comfortably. Huh? But why is the young palace mistress with the Young Master?"

"I guess we just got entangled because we were struck by lightning on the same day. Let's eat first. I'm hungry."

"Ah. Alright. I have something to say too, I'll tell you after we eat."

As Namgung Hui picked up his chopsticks to eat, there were still people who hadn't picked up their chopsticks.

"Come on. Don't be shy and eat as much as you want. This Famous Inn is our family's business establishment, so there's no need to be shy."

The Famous Inn was one of the businesses managed by the Namgung family.

It could be seen as one of the few sources of income for a martial arts family.

That's why the young Namgung Hui had also eaten here.

And so, Namgung Hui was able to put food in his mouth when everyone had picked up their chopsticks.

‘Oh! This place hasn't changed. Yes. There are always things that don't change.’

Namgung Hui inhaled the food as if he were possessed.

He didn't forget to subtly digest the food with his Pure Thunder Essence.

-Munch, munch.

And so, the food that had been piled high was gone in an instant.

Everyone's stomach was bulging out like a tadpole's, so it seemed they had eaten their fill.

Some of them blushed and bowed their heads, as if they were embarrassed, but Namgung Hui rather found that amusing.

Baek Seolhwa also wiped her mouth with a satisfied expression and said.

"I'll have to come here again next time. It's a rare gem of a restaurant."

"You're not going to come with that guy called the young sect leader from before, are you?"

"What?! Why would I go with a guy like that?"

"No. That guy from before said he would buy it for you. A person who would refuse something for free……."

It was then.

Just as Namgung Hui was about to continue, the door of the inn was roughly opened, and people began to flock in.

"That's him!"

(End of Chapter)