Rebirth of the Thunder God

Namgung Hui, wondering if the stranger was a spy from the Association, secretly killed his presence and approached.

But the stranger was talking amicably with Yong Ucheon.

Of course, it could be a ploy to induce carelessness and then kidnap him.

Didn't they also give delicious things to lure children away?

Namgung Hui hid behind the wall of the inn and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Your Taoist name is Haun?"

"Yes, sir."

"How did you end up losing consciousness in the middle of the road? Where are the other Mount Hua Sect Taoists?"

"Um... that is... I was kidnapped, so I ended up alone. There's a brother who saved me, but he went to catch the kidnapper."

"By any chance, is that brother a young man with a pale, handsome face? He would have been wearing blue-colored martial arts clothes."

"Huh!? How did you know?"

Namgung Hui sensed that the other person had definitely come looking for him.

'Is he really a spy from the Association? If things go wrong, I'll have to launch a surprise attack.'

As the waiter brought the ordered food, he slyly handed a small note to the middle-aged stranger.

Then, he looked in Namgung Hui's direction and opened his mouth.

"Lay disciple. Come in."

Only then did Namgung Hui realize the stranger's identity.

'The Hao Faction Head used a disguise technique.'

Namgung Hui, having released his stealth, quietly entered the inn.

He naturally sat next to Yong Ucheon and ordered food.

"Waiter. One more bowl of beef noodles here."

He had also been starving for half a day, so he had to eat something.

Yong Ucheon, hearing Namgung Hui's voice, turned his head in surprise.

"B-benefactor!"

"What benefactor? Just call me brother comfortably. By the way, Faction Head. You've arrived quite early."

No matter how quickly the news of the Mount Hua Sect's incident reached the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild, he had thought it would be tomorrow at the earliest.

Because the people who had come in the four-horse carriage would need at least that much time to return.

But the Hao Faction Head, as if he had a separate source of information, had arrived at Mount Hua sooner than expected.

"On the contrary, I'm late. Well, we can't talk about the details here, so let's eat first. I'm also hungry after a long journey."

"Yes."

And so, Namgung Hui finished his meal and also ordered a Seobongju to reward Chichi.

It was a natural reward, as it was largely thanks to Chichi that he was able to find the Purple Mist Divine Sword.

"Kkik. (Hiccup.)"

Chichi, having emptied two bottles of Seobongju, let out a satisfied hiccup.

Perhaps because it was an inn led by the Hao Faction Head, the food and the taste of the alcohol were good.

The Hao Faction Head, rubbing his belly, sent a telepathic message to Namgung Hui.

-I heard you followed the spy from the Association. Did you have any gains?

The gains the Hao Faction Head was asking about were surely information rather than material things.

Namgung Hui also replied to the Hao Faction Head with a telepathic message.

-Before that, let me ask you one thing. What is the name of the current Black Tortoise Corps Commander of the Martial Alliance?

-Well, he's a mid-level master named Im Daepung. He's certainly among the top hundred masters. Although he's from a small to medium-sized sect and his background is rather weak, his personal abilities are outstanding, and he has secured the position of corps commander. Why do you ask that all of a sudden? Could he be a target?

Namgung Hui shook his head and replied.

-That's not it. The spy from the Association said that Im Daepung was his superior.

-Hahaha! The identities of all the Four Divine Corps Commanders are thoroughly checked. As for the other ordinary members, they don't handle important information, so it doesn't matter if they become spies. But for a corps commander-level figure, the quality of information they can access is different. For one, they can freely enter and exit the Martial Alliance's library. That man probably tried to sow discord before he died.

Namgung Hui also had his doubts.

That was why he had told the Hao Faction Head without hiding anything, but when the Hao Faction Head answered with such confidence, his suspicion about Im Daepung faded.

'Still, I need to be certain. I'll be visiting the Martial Alliance during the Martial Alliance tournament anyway, so I'll have to investigate thoroughly.'

The information the Hao Faction accessed was of a rather high quality, but that was limited to people who liked alcohol.

Low-level officials might leak information to waiters or courtesans.

But high-level martial artists, even if they drank, would drive out the intoxication or not open their mouths carelessly.

That was why, to get information from martial artists, the Beggars' Sect members were better.

The Beggars' Sect members could be considered martial artists in their own right.

And since they belonged to the organization called the Martial Alliance, they were well-versed in the information of martial artists.

Namgung Hui, inwardly reaffirming the necessity of the Thunder Liquor, decided to find out more from the Beggars' Sect, not the Hao Faction.

-Then just tell me what kind of person Im Daepung is and what kind of martial arts he uses.

-Well, that's not difficult, but do you really believe the discord-sowing?

-Don't they say to ask even a path you know? It's always good to be certain.

-Every time you're like this, your inside seems like that of a wily old master of the martial world. Well, since it's public information, I'll explain it right away. First, his unique martial art is the Heavenly Wind Sword Art, a fortuitous encounter he obtained 10 years ago.

This time too, it was 10 years ago.

What on earth happened 10 years ago?

Not only did Namgung Hui collapse, but the spies of the Association also began their activities in earnest.

'And coincidentally, its name is similar to the Heavenly Thunder Sword Art I created. I don't feel very good about it.'

-Besides that, he is a very high-minded martial artist who has rejected all marriage proposals. He is diligently serving as the Black Tortoise Corps Commander solely for the peace of the martial world. That's also why I thought it was a discord-sowing.

-If he gets married, can't he act as the Black Tortoise Corps Commander?

-Not necessarily, but if one has no family, wouldn't one have more time for work? It's true that the position of corps commander comes with various restrictions, even because of family.

-I understand for now. Seeing Haun dozing off, I should probably return to the Mount Hua Sect soon.

* * *

Namgung Hui, carrying Yong Ucheon on his back, headed for the Mount Hua Sect.

The Hao Faction Head, saying that his business with the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild was not yet finished, went back the way he came.

Namgung Hui had suggested they ride back together in the four-horse carriage, but he had refused with a strange smile.

'It was a very unpleasant smile. It even looked sly.'

It was as if a formation was installed in the Hao Faction Head's mind; he couldn't read what he was thinking at all.

In any case, he was able to arrive safely at the Mount Hua Sect with Yong Ucheon.

But the atmosphere of the Mount Hua Sect was somehow chilly.

Some of the existing disciples were also not seen, and the number itself seemed to have decreased.

Well, since the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the elders had left in advance of the Martial Alliance tournament, it was natural that there were fewer disciples, but it seemed that over twenty more had disappeared than before Namgung Hui had left.

Elder I Jeongsim recognized Namgung Hui and immediately ran over.

"Young Hero Namgung! Haun!"

When Elder I Jeongsim was within reach, Namgung Hui asked.

"Elder. The number of disciples seems to have decreased a lot. Where have they all gone?"

"They went out to catch the other spies. All the ones who received the goods from you were spies."

That number was about five, so it seemed fifteen had gone out to catch them.

But Namgung Hui had vaguely heard from Sa Ilcheon that he had ordered them all to commit suicide.

'They didn't commit suicide and fled? Could it be...?'

It could mean that their brainwashing was not absolute.

Could it be possible to win over the spies?

Of course, he wondered if there were any talents worth putting in that much effort to win over, but it seemed it wouldn't be bad to try if the opportunity arose.

"Then what will happen to the Mount Hua Sword Discussion?"

"Well, with the situation as it is, the direction has been set to not participate in this Martial Alliance tournament. And the Sect Leader told me to bring you as soon as you arrived. For now, Haun, you follow me, and you, go to the Purple Mist Hall."

It was a little surprising that he wanted to see Namgung Hui before his own son, Yong Ucheon.

Well, since Yong Ucheon had been in a state of continuous tension for half a day, it was right for him to get some sleep.

"Yes. Then I'll be on my way."

"Have a good trip."

"Brother. Have a good trip."

"Yes. Ucheon, you get some sleep."

"Yes!"

And so, Namgung Hui patted Yong Ucheon's head and headed for the Purple Mist Hall.

'Seeing as he's looking for me before his son, it must be because of that.'

As expected, when Namgung Hui arrived at the Purple Mist Hall, the Sect Leader was looking through the secret manual of the Purple Mist Divine Art in the chilly hall.

The Sect Leader slowly raised his eyes and said.

"You've come? It's humble, but sit there."

Perhaps because it was similar to the Namgung estate, the appearance of the Purple Mist Hall was even welcoming.

As Namgung Hui plopped down on the floor, the Sect Leader asked.

"Did you by any chance tamper with this secret manual?"

"How could I bring it without touching it? I didn't move it with my feet, so I must have touched it with my hands."

"...Are you making a joke now?"

"You seemed so seriously stiff, so I made a little joke. But seeing you get even stiffer, I must have made a mistake."

"If you know, then that's enough. For now, seeing you make such a joke, it doesn't seem to be your doing. Still, you must know something to have said that, right?"

A sense of desperation was felt in the Sect Leader's eyes.

A hint of longing was even felt, so this time he had to tell him the truth, not a joke.

Namgung Hui said in a very serious tone.

"When the family estate was engulfed in flames, the back of the secret manual was accidentally singed by the fire, and as soon as the fire touched it, wouldn't you know it, some writing appeared. That writing is probably what you are talking about, Sect Leader. Because I don't know the original incantations."

At Namgung Hui's Chichi-like acting, the Sect Leader couldn't grasp the truth.

'Well, it's not unheard of. If you apply the juice of a lemon, the letters only appear when it's singed by fire.'

Of course, he didn't know if they still used that these days.

He had overheard that the Jegal family sometimes used it, so he had tentatively brought it up.

As expected, a sect leader of a sect would not be ignorant of such things.

"Is that so? We didn't dare to think of singeing the secret manual with fire... It's only natural that we didn't discover it. Well, the Purple Mist (紫霞) sometimes looks like a burning sunset, so it is similar to the appearance of the back being singed by fire."

In terms of symbolism alone, the sunset has the meaning of ending the day.

The back of the secret manual also marks the end.

And since the sunset sometimes looks like it's on fire, it also sounded like an interpretation to burn the back.

'This sounds quite plausible for something I just made up.'

If he really singed the back of the secret manual with fire, would the message left by the Plum Blossom Sword God appear?

Or perhaps the love story hidden by Hak Daetong would come out.

Since Namgung Hui had also reinterpreted the Purple Mist Divine Art with Hak Daetong's story, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try holding it over a candle if the opportunity arose.

As long as he protected it from burning.

"Yes. Thanks to you, we have recovered two of the three great divine treasures of the Mount Hua Sect. And one of them has become even more advanced, so it's safe to say you are a benefactor of the Mount Hua Sect."

"To be precise, isn't it two divine treasures and one treasure?"

"One treasure? Haha. You're talking about Ucheon. Yes. He is my child, so he is a treasure."

"But as far as I know, the three great divine treasures of the Mount Hua Sect were the Purple Mist Pill, the Purple Mist Divine Art, and the Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Art. When did the Purple Mist Divine Sword become one of the three great divine treasures?"

"What are you talking about, something from 60 years ago? Naturally, after the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions ended, the Purple Mist Divine Sword, the symbol of the Plum Blossom Sword God, became one of the three great divine treasures. Well, there are other reasons besides that, but you don't need to know them."

Was it because of the symbolism?

Well, the affairs of another sect were not something Namgung Hui should interfere with.

Now he decided to receive his reward from the Mount Hua Sect in earnest.

"Then, since you called me a benefactor, I trust you won't end it with just words."

"If there's something you want, please say it. I will grant you three rewards, as long as they are within my power."

Namgung Hui, with a nonchalant expression, spoke as if it were no big deal.

"May I see the secret manual of the Plum Blossom Sword Art?”

(End of Chapter)