Rebirth of the Thunder God

-Ting! Ting! Clang! Clang!

'About 20 people in total, a 13 vs 7 fight.'

With his ki sense enhanced by the Purple Thunder Ki, he could clearly discern not only the number of people but also the state of the battle.

It was only natural, but the group of 13 was pushing back the group of 7.

Namgung Hui flew without delay.

-Swish! Swish! Swish!

As he unfolded the Wind God Step, the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

Passing through a dense forest in a moment, he arrived at the open space in Mount Huang, the source of the noise.

13 bandits were pushing back 7 members of an escort service.

Namgung Hui, knowing full well whose fault it was without even looking, immediately threw himself at the bandits.

At Namgung Hui's sudden appearance, one of the bandits turned his head and shouted.

"Who are you!"

"I am the Thunder God who has descended to discipline the bandits."

"What? Thunder God? Hey guys, isn't this a retard, not a Thunder God?"

"Hahahaha!"

The bandits' curses and laughter echoed loudly.

Namgung Hui, perhaps because of the insult, raised his ki like lightning and threw a palm strike at the bandits.

-Rumble!

The bandit who had spat out the curse, perhaps because he was quick-witted, immediately opened his mouth and shouted.

"Fuck! Everyone, scatter to the left and right!"

At the leader's command, the bandits scattered in all directions.

For bandits, their command system was too well-established.

Their discipline was so tight that it was like watching soldiers of a military unit.

And above all.

'That leader is quite something. Could he be a member of the Asura Axe?'

His ki was definitely superior to that of the Crouching Tiger Fortress master he had met before.

At least, he was above the level of a peak master.

This was a martial prowess that Namgung Hui had not expected.

Namgung Hui drew his sword and approached the escort service's formation.

The Thunder Burst Palm was inefficient against enemies scattered like that.

And since it consumed a lot of internal energy, he couldn't use it often.

As Namgung Hui approached the escort service's formation, someone recognized him and spoke to him.

"I didn't expect it, but isn't that Hui?"

Namgung Hui turned his head and saw a familiar face.

A man who looked to be in his forties.

"Uncle?"

It was Namgung Hui's younger uncle.

His name was Namgung Jincheon, the younger brother of the current Namgung family head.

He was probably relying on the escort service to help the young family head, Namgung Chan.

"Hoho. As Yeon said, you've really changed beyond recognition. Your appearance, and I can't even read your ki."

As Namgung Jincheon had said, this was the first time they had met since Namgung Hui had risen from his sickbed.

It was by no means strange that he couldn't recognize him.

For a nephew to appear as a master overnight was something hard to believe, and it would be strange if it were.

"Then the people here must all be from the Azure Sky Escort Service."

"That's right. We were attacked by the Green Forest bandits on our way back from an escort mission. The one who looks like the leader is said to be a member of the Asura Axe. He was tougher than I thought, so we were having quite a bit of trouble."

The Asura Axe was a group of only 10 elite masters in the Green Forest bandits.

In a way, they were more valuable than the 18 fortress masters.

He had heard that they wouldn't move unless it was an order from the Green Forest bandit leader.

It seemed the Azure Sky Escort Service had been ambushed because of the friction that had occurred before.

'I'm not without my share of the blame. I was the one who cleaned out the Crouching Tiger Fortress.'

From the Green Forest bandits' perspective, they had lost ten gold ingots, the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, and the egg of an unknown spiritual beast, so it wasn't strange that they were burning with anger.

'Even I would chase them to the end. The value of each one is enormous.'

The matter of someone else taking what was yours would be quite infuriating.

For the Green Forest bandits, who were always in the position of taking, they would be doubly angry.

Moreover, since the Crouching Tiger Fortress had also been almost annihilated, it was a reasonable act to attack the Azure Sky Escort Service to boost morale.

"Uncle. Please leave this to me and watch from behind. I will show you how much I have improved."

Namgung Jincheon looked at Namgung Hui's energetic eyes and then nodded.

"Alright. I heard from Yeon that your achievement is extraordinary, so I'll leave this to you. But if it seems dangerous, we'll help."

He wondered if that would happen, but since it was a possibility, he nodded.

"Then I'll be on my way."

While Namgung Hui and Namgung Jincheon were talking, the Green Forest bandits had fully formed their ranks.

It was so orderly that it was like watching a military formation.

Of course, since Namgung Hui didn't know the military tactics of a military unit, he just felt that way.

"Unlike the Crouching Tiger Fortress, you're not a ragtag bunch. Hairy, you're a member of the Asura Axe?"

"And you must be the one who robbed the Crouching Tiger Fortress. It's good to meet you, brat!"

The bandit from the Asura Axe spat on his hands and gripped his axe.

With a sound of creaking leather, he swung his axe around.

He swung it with such great force that it felt like a typhoon was rising.

Namgung Hui entrusted his body to that wind and unfolded the Wind God Step.

-Whoosh! Swish!

The huge axe cut through the spot where Namgung Hui had been and chased him closely.

A nimble movement despite his large body.

The movement technique of a peak master was not restricted by body size.

On the contrary, the weight added to the acceleration.

With the addition of rotational force, the axe became even faster.

Namgung Hui had to protect the group behind him, so he couldn't keep retreating like this.

He gave a small nod and drew the Thunder God Sword.

-Shhhring.

With a clear and cold sword cry, it met the axe.

-Kaang!

Sparks flew, and Namgung Hui's body stood tall.

The bandit from the Asura Axe looked at Namgung Hui in surprise as he fully received his great force.

"You're quite something for a little brat. Let's see if you can take this too!"

The bandit from the Asura Axe, his pride wounded, this time raised his axe above his head and spun it around.

The axe, with the addition of gravity to its rotational force, headed for Namgung Hui's head.

-Swish!

The air trembled and let out a scream.

Just as Namgung Hui's head was about to be split like firewood.

Namgung Hui immediately used a phantom-like movement and took the bandit's rear.

-Swish!

This time, Namgung Hui's Thunder God Sword stabbed at the bandit's broad back.

The bandit from the Asura Axe, with an unbelievably swift movement, rotated his body and struck the Thunder God Sword.

-Clang!

With a dull clashing sound, a series of exchanges went back and forth.

-Clang! Clang! Kang! Kang!

In the feast of sword ki and axe ki, flashes of light poured out.

It was like the ridiculous sight of a large bear persecuting a small animal, but the large bear could not gain the upper hand.

In that confrontation, Namgung Hui suddenly changed his stance and swung his sword.

-Rumble!

With a sound of thunder, a purple sword ki flew out.

Perhaps because it was a sword ki shot so quickly, the bandit from the Asura Axe reacted late.

-Slice!

A clump of beard fell off.

As his cherished beard was cut off in vain, the bandit's face flushed, and he threw himself at Namgung Hui.

Namgung Hui, judging that this was the decisive moment, faced him and they clashed.

In an instant, the large bear and the small squirrel crossed paths.

-Flash!

With a flash of lightning, Namgung Hui's position and the bandit's position were switched.

"Fuck... to a brat like this..."

-Thud.

The member of the Asura Axe died with a large hole in his chest.

He had defeated a peak master in less than twenty exchanges.

And since he was a member of the Asura Axe, he wouldn't have been lacking in experience.

'It's definitely different because it's the Purple Thunder Divine Art. If it had been the Divine Thunder Art, I wouldn't have been able to gain the upper hand like this.'

That's how much the Divine Thunder Art, combined with the Purple Mist Divine Art, boasted a more powerful aspect.

The same was true for the members of the Azure Sky Escort Service who were watching Namgung Hui from behind.

Namgung Jincheon's eyes widened in surprise, and then he had a smile on his face.

'Is that really Hui? It's like he's been reborn as a different person. Still, seeing as he takes after his sister-in-law, it must be Hui. Did he really get a fortuitous encounter after being struck by lightning? I should also go where lightning strikes...'

As Namgung Jincheon was having such a rather strange thought, Namgung Hui looked at the bandits surrounding him.

"You guys, hurry up and attack. I have no intention of letting you all live."

"You piece of shit. Hey guys! Attack!"

Namgung Hui did not underestimate the bandits.

Because the momentum of these bandits rushing at him was more intense than that of a single peak master.

Even a first-rate master could easily be defeated by a third-rate martial artist if they were careless.

Even a first-rate master dies with a single sword strike.

The same was true for a peak master.

If their neck and heart were cut, they could not survive.

Moreover, the bandits had established a systematic formation.

Their method of attack was also on a different level from the ragtag bandits.

Namgung Hui, feeling a slight sense of incongruity at the sight of the bandits, unleashed a Thunder Burst Palm at the front.

-Rumble, boom!!

With a deafening roar, dust rose.

The members of the Azure Sky Escort Service, who were watching from a distance, were surprised by the roar and moved even further away.

Namgung Hui, with a satisfied smile at the wise judgment of his group, this time swung the Thunder God Sword.

-Swish! Pabababak!

The purple sword ki scattered into pieces and flew away.

Its appearance was like that of cherry blossoms falling from a tree.

It was similar to the Plum Blossom Sword Art, yet a little different.

Naturally, since it was a form inspired by the Plum Blossom Sword Art, it was bound to be similar.

'The name of the form is Thunder Flower Full Bloom.'

Just as the Purple Thunder Divine Art had grown a stage, Namgung Hui's Heavenly Thunder Sword Art had also advanced several stages.

He had been inspired by the Plum Blossom Sword Art.

And recently, he had gained enlightenment by re-establishing the latter half of the Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers.

'The Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers can be applied differently. For now, I'm satisfied with just the Plum Blossom Sword Art.'

Although it was the first time he had used the form in a real battle.

Looking at the current state of the bandits, there seemed to be no part that needed to be supplemented.

The consumption of ki was moderate, and the range and power were also satisfactory.

Among the 12 bandits, only one was still breathing, and Namgung Hui quietly approached him and gave him eternal rest.

"Uncle. Let's go back."

Only then did Namgung Jincheon, who had finished his delusion, reply hastily.

"Yes. Let's go."

* * *

The Azure Sky Escort Service was located not far from Mount Huang.

According to Namgung Chan, who had established the Azure Sky Escort Service, he had chosen the location because the scenery was beautiful and the official roads were well-developed, making it good for carriages to travel.

But the location of the Azure Sky Escort Service was also close to the Heretic Practitioners' Alliance.

Namgung Hui was very worried about this.

Although it was Anhui Province, the power of the Namgung family had weakened.

On the other hand, the reality was that the territory of the Heretic Practitioners' Alliance was gradually expanding.

That was why the Azure Sky Brigade protected the Namgung estate, and the Azure Sky Brigade protected the Azure Sky Escort Service.

Since half of the family's power was stationed at the escort service, it could be seen as a huge investment.

Perhaps it was because of that bold investment that the Azure Sky Escort Service had made a profit.

As they arrived at the Azure Sky Escort Service, warriors rushed out from the wide-open gate.

They all boasted brilliant eye lights, and even without anyone telling him, they looked like the warriors of the Azure Sky Brigade.

"Chief Escort! Were you perhaps attacked?"

Namgung Jincheon's appearance was not that of a person who had smoothly completed an escort mission.

His clothes were already soaked with sweat.

And his hair was not neat and was fluttering in the wind.

"Nothing happened. We just met a member of the Asura Axe, so everyone, put your worries away."

"That's a relief... Yes? The Asura Axe, you say? Those guys are at least peak masters..."

Namgung Jincheon's cultivation was not low, but it was slightly lacking compared to the members of the Asura Axe.

Moreover, he was at a numerical disadvantage and his body was tired from the escort mission.

Realistically, it was close to impossible to win.

"Hahaha! Yes. You probably won't believe it. I also had a hard time believing it even after seeing it myself. Here is the Thunder God who saved us."

"Th-Thunder God?"

Although he had said it himself, Namgung Hui's face grew hot when he heard that title from his uncle.

At the pouring gazes of the Azure Sky Brigade, Namgung Hui scratched the back of his head and said.

"Haha. It's been a long time, everyone. Namgung Hui, the youngest son of the Namgung family. I pay my respects to the heroes of the Azure Sky Escort Service."

As Namgung Hui performed a fist-and-palm salute, the Azure Sky Brigade belatedly returned the salute.

"We greet the youngest young master!"

Although Namgung Hui's appearance had changed somewhat.

His beautiful face still remained in their minds.

As he grew up, he came to resemble the beautiful appearance of the great lady, a quality they could not forget even if they tried.

"I heard from Miss Yeon, but you've really changed beyond recognition."

"Don't they say, 'new day, new day, another new day'? It's the law of nature to change day by day."

"No, but there's a limit, isn't there? To become a different person in an instant like this..."

The Azure Sky Brigade member's words were not finished.

Because someone suddenly ran out from inside the estate and interrupted his words.

"Aunt!”

(End of Chapter)