Rebirth of the Thunder God

The moment Namgung Hui heard those words, he recalled what the Lake Chao Sect leader had said about the second brother.

‘Could it be. Is it related to him?’

"Was he poisoned by any chance? I told him to be so careful……."

"That's probably not it. I heard it was overwork. They said he would wake up if he just got some rest. It must be accurate since the Divine Physician Sect said so."

"The Divine Physician Sect? If it's them, it must be certain. But why did they come all the way to our family estate?"

Namgung Hui was inwardly pleased to hear the name of the Divine Physician Sect, but he was also puzzled.

That place was a high-nosed group that the Namgung family couldn't even summon when they were at their peak.

They were a place that didn't even care about the demon heads of the Demonic Cult.

For such a place to visit the declining Namgung family?

He couldn't guess what their scheme was.

There was no way the second brother would have called them for the first brother.

‘Well, I can just check this too.’

As Namgung Hui was about to head to the main gate of the family estate, someone grabbed his arm.

"You, see me later."

When Namgung Hui turned around, Baek Seolhwa was glaring at him with a venomous expression.

Namgung Hui hadn't done anything wrong, but he felt a sense of unease.

"Why? I'll be busy, so let's talk now."

He had to meet his brother. He also had to check on the movements of the second and third brothers.

And above all, he had to visit his father who had come out of seclusion.

"It will only take a moment."

"Then let's talk here right now."

"This place is a bit… I'll tell you when we're alone. It will be better for you. I guarantee it."

"Is that so? I'll come find you after I unpack my things."

"Alright."

She was so serious, as if she was about to say something very important.

‘It wouldn't be bad to be on good terms with the Moon Maiden Palace at a time like this. I have to try my best to please Baek Seolhwa.’

Not only the second and third brothers, but the forces hostile to Namgung Hui had also increased.

The Heretic Alliance, the Green Forest.

These two places alone were not to be trifled with.

Even when the Namgung family was at its peak, they couldn't face them alone.

In the first place, the number of people was incomparable.

Not to mention the martial power of the masters.

The current leaders of the Heretic Alliance and the Green Forest were surely stronger than the Namgung family head.

But if the Moon Maiden Palace supported them, they wouldn't be able to move carelessly.

And if even one of the two moved, the Martial Alliance wouldn't just stand by.

As long as Namgung Hui or Baek Seolhwa didn't leave the family estate, there would be no danger for a while.

‘Of course, it would be a different story if they found out that I had smuggled out the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.’

Namgung Hui was planning to melt it and make a sword before that.

As he walked, thinking about this and that, he soon arrived at his residence.

Perhaps because Chohwa had kept it clean, not a single speck of dust could be found.

Namgung Hui took out a silver coin and said.

"Chohwa. You've worked hard all this time. Use this to buy something delicious with Choyeon. And buy some new clothes too."

"Can I really accept this? The family's finances……."

"It will get better from now on. I'll make it so. Don't you believe me?"

"Of course I believe you, Young Master. Then I'll use it gratefully. Hehe."

And so, Chohwa took the 10 silver taels and disappeared.

It was not a small amount, but Namgung Hui didn't feel it was a waste at all.

‘Well, I have this much gold.’

As soon as Chohwa disappeared, Namgung Hui took out the gold bars from his pocket and stacked them neatly in the room.

The room shone brightly for the first time in a while.

"Squeak. Squeak. (Is this your room?)"

"Yes. Don't go outside the family estate, just stay here comfortably."

"Squeak. (Alright.)"

Namgung Hui also took out the Thunder River Liquor he had brought from the Thunder Sect and placed it neatly on one side of the floor.

He had lost a bottle to Chichi on the way, so there wasn't much left, but nine bottles would still be useful when needed.

‘Come to think of it, the Divine Physician Sect leader didn't drink any other liquor, but he liked the Thunder River Liquor. He said it didn't give him a hangover and was good for his body.’

Being a physician, he was a man who cherished his own body.

Of course, the current Divine Physician Sect leader would be a different person, but since he was also a physician, he wouldn't refuse a liquor that was good for his body.

The Divine Physician Sect leader was a famous physician who could even revive the dead.

It wouldn't be bad at all to be on his good side.

Namgung Hui carefully placed the safe containing the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron under his bed and came out.

Chichi, as if he didn't want to be alone in the room, jumped onto Namgung Hui's shoulder.

Within the Namgung family estate, the existence of a spiritual beast wouldn't be particularly dangerous even if it became known.

And a mere squirrel the size of a fist wouldn't be seen as a spiritual beast.

Now it was time to meet Baek Seolhwa for a moment and then go to see his father and brother.

‘And I have to go and see the second and third brothers too.’

Namgung Hui headed for the Changyeon Pavilion, where the guests were staying.

Just as Namgung Hui had unpacked all his things, it seemed the guests had also been assigned their lodgings right away.

Seeing Choyeon, who was in charge of guiding them, coming out right away.

"Choyeon. Is everyone okay? Was there anyone who said they were uncomfortable?"

"Yes. There are no patients. And no one seemed anxious. On the contrary, they all looked relieved because it was the Namgung family. Our family has been famous for a long time, right?"

"That's true. Then it's a bit much for me to go inside, so could you call Seolhwa for me?"

"The young palace mistress? Ah~ Just a moment."

Choyeon's expression as she went inside looked slightly sly.

The way she was smiling while glancing at Namgung Hui was strangely annoying.

Baek Seolhwa came out right away, as if she had been waiting.

She didn't have much luggage either, so there wouldn't have been much to unpack.

"Seolhwa. What did you want to talk about? Should we move to another place?"

"Yes. This place is a bit… let's go somewhere quiet."

"Then. We should go there. Follow me."

Namgung Hui headed for the building where his mother had stayed in the past.

She was a mother he could no longer see, but it seemed okay to show her to a friend he had made for the first time in a while.

Baek Seolhwa, walking along the beautiful pond path, spoke as if in admiration.

"This place is like a different world. The atmosphere is completely different from other places."

"It's a place my late mother used to tend to. I brought you here to introduce you to a friend I made for the first time in a while."

Was it because of the red sunset? For a moment, Baek Seolhwa's face seemed to have turned red.

But Namgung Hui, knowing that a master like her wouldn't get sick, spoke calmly.

"There's no one listening here now, so tell me."

"Y-yes."

Baek Seolhwa showed a flustered expression for a moment, for some reason.

Even when facing the Tiger Subduing Fortress and the Lake Chao Sect, she had not been flustered at all.

As expected. She soon composed her expression and glared at Namgung Hui and said.

"You, the gold bars you took out earlier today. You secretly smuggled them out of the Tiger Subduing Fortress, right? Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"And you, you took that spiritual beast's egg or whatever, didn't you? Originally, spoils are kept by the one who took them. And I have to take care of those women too."

"Didn't you say we should split it in half? And what do you mean, take care of them? You're just going to make them work and exploit them here anyway."

"Do you have to talk like that? Anyway. It's not something anyone can do, taking in people with nowhere to go. So what do you want to say? You want the gold bars?"

"Yes. How much did you take?"

"I just took as much as I needed. Then you also took that spiritual beast's egg, so be satisfied with this one."

Namgung Hui had taken a whopping ten gold bars.

Of course, perhaps because of portability, their size was not that large.

But even one of them was large enough to be worth a thousand silver taels.

It was a waste to have readily given such a large sum of money to the merchants, but all of this was an investment.

Perhaps because Namgung Hui had readily given up the gold bar, Baek Seolhwa was still glaring at him with a suspicious gaze.

"Is there nothing more than this?"

"No. I told you to be satisfied with that one. And I don't have it right now. If you're so suspicious, you can search my pockets."

Baek Seolhwa was about to put her hand in Namgung Hui's pocket, but she shook her head and said.

"Alright. I'll be satisfied with this. It's quite unpleasant to search your body."

"Why? Are you afraid I'm dirty? This is a bit……."

It was then.

Suddenly, a cracking sound was heard.

"Chirp- Chirp-!"

"Squeak. Squeak! (The spiritual beast has hatched!)"

It seemed the spiritual beast had finally broken out of its egg.

Baek Seolhwa carefully held the small bird in her arms.

That appearance was like seeing a gentle mother, and Namgung Hui was slightly impressed by her different side.

‘She really looks like a heavenly fairy like this. Could it be that a fairy has undergone rejuvenation……?’

Namgung Hui shook his head, thinking it was absurd.

Chichi gently jumped down from Namgung Hui's shoulder and approached the baby bird with pure white feathers.

As expected of a spiritual beast, even though it had just opened its eyes, it let out a happy cry.

"Chirp- Chirp-"

"Squeak. Squeak."

It seemed they were greeting each other happily.

Namgung Hui approached Baek Seolhwa and said.

"Is this the spiritual beast I'm thinking of?"

"What is it?"

"It seems to be a Snow Mountain Roc. As far as I know, there's no other bird that craves cold ki."

Snow Mountain Roc.

As Namgung Hui said, it was a spiritual beast that craved cold ki.

He had heard that in the distant past, it had competed with the Vermilion Bird for the position of one of the four guardian gods.

Since it was a secret story passed down in the sect, it probably wasn't far from the truth.

In the first place, the founder of the Thunder Sect was said to be the Azure Dragon.

‘Looking at it this way, the Tiger Subduing Fortress was really rich. A spiritual beast's egg. Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron. And ten gold bars. They must all be from the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Guild.’

It seemed the Green Forest had gone all out and plundered them.

Perhaps the Heretic Alliance had also joined in?

The luggage was already loaded on the carriage, as if they had intended to launder and transport the funds using the Tiger Subduing Fortress.

The carriage they had ridden in was also unusually sturdy, so it was probably from the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Guild.

‘I wonder if I'll get caught sooner than I think.’

But he had no intention of returning it or having it taken away.

It was an object that had already come into his hands.

He intended to use the Hao Faction to the fullest and then shamelessly feign ignorance.

There was no evidence that Namgung Hui had taken it.

"Seolhwa. It seems you'll have to take care of the Snow Mountain Roc. I can go now, right?"

"You were lucky."

"And you're lucky too. To meet such a precious spiritual beast. Chichi is…… Ouch! It hurts. Why did this guy suddenly bite me?"

"Squeak. Squeak! (You were about to badmouth me!)"

As expected of a spiritual beast, its intuition was exceptionally good.

Namgung Hui, having his inner thoughts exposed, shamelessly continued.

"Badmouth you? I was going to praise you. I was going to say you're more precious. Since you're a spiritual beast I don't know, you're more precious. Right?"

"Squeak. Squeak. (I'll let it slide if you just give me some liquor.)"

As expected of a cunning fellow. He took this opportunity to get some liquor.

Still, there should be some liquor in the family estate, so it wouldn't be a big expense.

"Then Seolhwa. Give it a good name. And let's see each other later."

Baek Seolhwa, as if her mind was already taken by the Snow Mountain Roc, just nodded perfunctorily.

Namgung Hui, whether she did or not, really had business to attend to, so he immediately headed for the family head's hall.

‘Phew……. How long has it been since I've seen my father? Five years?’

It had been three years since his father had entered seclusion.

The last time Namgung Hui had seen his face after falling ill was two years before he entered seclusion.

In total, the last time he had faced his father's face was five years ago.

In his past life, he had also lost his parents at a young age.

Only his master was the Thunder God's teacher and parent.

But his master was not gentle.

He only taught martial arts and trained Namgung Hui harshly.

That's why the Lee Jasung of his past life was able to reach the realm of the Thunder God.

But even that felt empty at the end of his life.

‘Maybe that's why I was reincarnated like this.’

This life, I will live happily without regrets.

With that resolve, he entered the family head's hall.

When Namgung Hui entered, the corridor was full of warriors.

Since the Namgung family head had come out of seclusion for the first time in a while, there were bound to be a lot of people.

Those warriors greeted Namgung Hui's appearance with bright smiles.

"Have you come, Fourth Young Master?"

"Is my father inside?"

"Yes. He was waiting for you, Young Master. Please come in."

And so, following the guidance of the guard, he entered, and inside the family head's hall, it was not just his father.

‘A woman?’

And a very beautiful woman at that.

(End of Chapter)