Rebirth of the Thunder God

“Hu Gai. Is this gentleman Young Master Namgung Hui?”

Namgung Hui turned his head at the voice coming from behind him.

The tone wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.

He had also seen the face in passing before.

‘He was one of the people sizing me up when I registered for the martial arts tournament.’

A man who appeared to be his subordinate had called him ‘Young Master.’

Even at a glance, he looked like the child of a rather noble house, and the ki flowing from him was anything but ordinary.

The scion of a prestigious family.

No, simply calling it a prestigious family felt like an insufficient explanation.

He sensed a subtle difference from the other descendants of prestigious families.

‘It’s not distinct, but I can faintly feel immortal ki. Is he carrying a Dharma treasure? Or has he learned immortal arts?’

Or perhaps he had consumed a spirit elixir made by an immortal.

Well, that wasn’t the important part.

Hu Gai nodded and introduced Namgung Hui.

“Yes. This handsome young master here is Lord Namgung Hui. And this distinguished young lord here is Young Master Jin Myeongho, the Young Fortress Lord of the Divine Land Fortress. Come now, everyone, let’s exchange greetings.”

Despite the Drunken Beggar’s explanation, Namgung Hui only grew more puzzled.

The Young Fortress Lord of the Divine Land Fortress.

It was a title he had never heard before in his life.

Namgung Hui offered his greetings to Jin Myeongho.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, but I have been bedridden for a long time and am not well-versed in the current state of the martial world. If you’ll pardon my rudeness, could you tell me what kind of place the Divine Land Fortress is?”

“Haha! It’s not difficult. It’s easiest to think of it as a newly emerged sect. If you dig a little deeper…”

“If I dig deeper?”

“You can think of it as a sect established by a mysterious figure for the sake of peace in the martial world.”

‘Is that why I felt immortal ki?’

Namgung Hui nodded as if he understood.

“By the way, is there a particular reason you sought me out?”

“It’s nothing major. To be honest, I enjoy investing in talented individuals. I came to establish a connection with a man who will become one of the future Seven Dragons.”

“Are you saying you expect me to ascend to the rank of the Seven Dragons?”

“Yes. You are more than capable. I am confident it will be an inevitable result.”

Namgung Hui himself was naturally confident, but this was the first time someone other than Beak Seolhwa had evaluated him so highly.

“Thank you for thinking so highly of me. If you’re going to place a bet, I will be sure to repay you handsomely.”

“Hahaha! Excellent. I shall wager my entire fortune on you, Young Master. You mustn’t pretend not to know me after you become one of the Seven Dragons, alright?”

“You, Young Fortress Lord, are far too modest, possessing skills that could very well place you among the Seven Dragons. You are the one who mustn’t pretend not to know me after you’ve made a fortune. You’ll have to buy me a meal at least.”

“Of course. And next time, let’s speak more comfortably.”

“No need to wait until next time. Let’s do it right here. Jin Myeongho.”

“As expected of a scion of the Namgung family. I like your straightforwardness. Well then, I must go and observe other talents. Let’s meet again later.”

Cupping his fist in salute, Jin Myeongho disappeared with his subordinate.

Perhaps it was because he had felt the immortal ki from him.

Though it was but a brief encounter, Namgung Hui felt a sense of favorability.

“Young Master Namgung. And do you remember what I mentioned last time?”

“If you’re talking about finding the sacred artifact of the Demonic Cult, I remember. Why? Did you find a clue?”

“It’s not much of a clue, but it’s said there was a suspicious person among those who crossed over from Guangdong Province into the Central Plains.”

“A suspicious person? From the Blood Cult, perhaps?”

“That is the most likely possibility. They said he fled swiftly, avoiding the Beggars’ Sect’s inspection.”

‘Could that person be the one who killed the Heretic Alliance Leader’s disciple?’

“Then you must have gotten a description of his appearance.”

“Yes. He is such a distinctive man that a portrait is unnecessary. They say he is a giant of a man, a full seven feet tall.”

“Seven feet tall? Is he truly human? They didn’t see wrong?”

“It wasn’t just one or two people who saw him. In any case, someone that conspicuous won’t be wandering around carelessly, so please keep that in mind.”

“True, if he came out to secretly search for something, he wouldn’t go anywhere near where people are. Alright. Then I’ll tell you the information I just received. That man probably killed the Heretic Arts Alliance Leader’s disciple. I just brought the body, so if you want to take a look, feel free.”

“I have no desire to perform an autopsy in place of the Vermilion Bird Troupe. Also, I investigated the list of the Demonic Cult’s sacred artifacts in the Martial Alliance’s archives. Would you like to see it?”

This was a topic that piqued Namgung Hui’s interest.

Hadn’t he clashed with Demonic Cult members dozens, even hundreds of times, and picked up quite a bit of information about them through hearsay?

Even if he didn’t know the detailed stories behind the sacred artifacts, he had seen their forms quite a few times.

“Alright. Let’s see it.”

“I specifically chose one with detailed illustrations. Here, take a look.”

Namgung Hui accepted the rather thick booklet that Hu Gai held out.

[Sacred Artifacts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult: A Comprehensive Guide]

[Sacred Artifact of the Cult Leader: Asura Statue]

[Currently destroyed and no longer exists]

Asura was the name of the god worshipped by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

He thought he’d heard it originally came from another religion.

He didn’t know the details, but he felt like he had vaguely heard it from someone.

‘Did Sosu Mahu mention it in passing? Then again, she was the only one who would have told me such things. We were mortal enemies, but we still had quite a few conversations.’

Back then, he had only seen her as a simple, wicked witch, but after reading the Cult Leader’s diary, it seemed even she had a story of her own.

Well, she was dead anyway, and a person he would never see again, so there was no need to dwell on it.

He shifted his gaze to the next sacred artifact of the Demonic Cult, and as if to render his previous thought meaningless, the symbol of the Vice-Leader appeared.

It was an all-too-familiar necklace.

[Symbol of the Vice-Leader: Mark of the Northern Sea]

[Lost after the death of Sosu Mahu]

‘The name of that old necklace is the Mark of the Northern Sea? What a grand name. Well, the name of the cold Northern Sea does suit it.’

It was less a symbol of the Vice-Leader and more like a personal symbol of Sosu Mahu.

Well, they might be one and the same, but it didn’t seem to hold much significance.

With no special explanation provided, Namgung Hui moved on to the next item.

[Sacred Artifact of the Saintess: Sacred Flame]

[Symbolizes a blue flame and is said to be unquenchable. Therefore, there is a high probability that it still exists. It is not certain whether it is a tangible flame or something symbolic. Further investigation is needed.]

‘I’ve heard of the Sacred Flame before. I thought it was more of a symbol worshipped by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult than a symbol of the Saintess, but since the Saintess managed it, it’s not exactly wrong.’

Next up was the martial art that was all too obvious and was practically synonymous with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult itself.

[Heavenly Demon Divine Art]

No other modifier was needed.

It was a peerless divine art that only the Cult Leader, the Heavenly Demon, could learn, and it was what had spread the infamy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

It was a supreme martial art of unfathomable depth, one that couldn’t be carelessly labeled a demonic art.

Naturally, the only people besides the Heavenly Demon to have seen the manual for such a divine art would be the Young Cult Leader, so this was not left behind in any drawing or record.

The rumors circulating in the world were all there was.

Even the Thunder God had rarely witnessed the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Whenever his sworn brother and the Heavenly Demon fought, he was always exchanging blows with the Vice-Leader, Sosu Mahu.

‘Still, the ki waves I felt from a distance boasted a momentum so powerful it made my skin tingle.’

If even the Thunder God felt this way, how must ordinary Orthodox Faction members have felt?

There were even those who wet themselves in fear; the aura emitted by the Heavenly Demon was beyond imagination.

If such a Heavenly Demon Divine Art were to appear, a bloody catastrophe might truly erupt.

It was the symbol of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult about which there was the least information, but it was something that had to be found faster than anything else.

If one were to learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, they would secure a legitimate claim.

And since they would also possess actual military power, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to claim to be the successor of the Demonic Cult, unify the factions, and lead them.

‘If such a legendary divine art were to appear, a bloody catastrophe on par with the Great War of Righteousness and Evil might occur. The Hoicheon Association, the Martial Alliance, and even the Blood Cult. A three-way battle would unfold with great intensity.’

Besides that, there were symbols representing the Black Wind Corps Leader and various other organizations, as well as martial arts, but most of them were things Namgung Hui already knew.

Furthermore, some of the martial arts were suspected to have flowed into the Hoicheon Association, so they didn’t hold much significance.

“Drunken Beggar. I’ve had a good look. Thanks to you, I have a sense of what to prioritize in my search.”

“Oh. What is Young Master Namgung’s opinion?”

“Naturally, the first priority is the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. The second priority would be the Sacred Flame. Frankly, the things related to the Vice-Leader have weak legitimacy and symbolism, so there’s no need to go out of our way to find them. It would be a different story if it were the Young Cult Leader’s.”

The Vice-Leader could never become the Cult Leader.

Only the Young Cult Leader who learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art could succeed the Heavenly Demon and become the next Cult Leader.

Therefore, it was safe to say that the symbolism of the Vice-Leader had simply faded into the background.

In the first place, if it had been an important symbol, it wouldn’t have ended up in the hands of a mere antique dealer.

“I think a little differently. I believe the items related to the Young Cult Leader are the top priority.”

“Why do you think so? It’s not even mentioned here.”

“That’s precisely why. The fact that it’s not recorded here means that the Young Cult Leader was surely not captured by the Martial Alliance during the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.”

“I see. Is that how it is? That makes sense. But that in itself is a problem. How do we track down a Young Cult Leader about whom we have no information?”

“That is also a valid point. However, if the legitimate successor survived, they would have likely learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.”

“In the end, it all comes back to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Alright. I will also do my utmost to pursue the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.”

The Blood Cult, mad with revenge, acquiring the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?

A truly tremendous bloody catastrophe would befall the martial world.

Unlike the wicked and secretive schemes of the Hwacheonhui.

A full-blown, overt tragedy would be a foregone conclusion.

If that happened, no matter how thick-skinned Namgung Hui was, it would be difficult for him to build a peaceful family.

The Namgung family was, after all, a martial family belonging to the martial world.

“Excellent. Then we shall pursue the Heavenly Demon Divine Art on the outside and root out the Hoicheon Association’s spies on the inside.”

“It would also be good to make the two forces clash. There’s nothing as satisfying as wiping your nose without using your hands.”

“Then I will go and issue orders to the disciples of the Beggars’ Sect. I will stop by again when more information is gathered.”

Namgung Hui nodded and flicked a few silver coins to Hu Gai.

“Don’t run around so busily all the time. Wet your throat once in a while. Next time you’re free, I’ll treat you to a proper meal.”

“Haha! Excellent. Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

As befitting Hu Gai of the Beggars’ Sect, he disappeared with swift and light steps.

Before he could even register the faint scent left behind, Namgung Hui was lost in thought.

‘Come to think of it, I feel a sense of unease. The strange feeling of déjà vu I’ve been getting while looking at Seolhwa doesn’t seem like something I can just ignore.’

The traces of the Sosu Demonic Art he had felt at the Namgung family estate.

It was too far from the Purple Mist Divine Art to have been performed by Dugu In.

As his understanding of the Purple Thunder Divine Art deepened, he couldn’t help but realize what an absurd conjecture that was.

But that was also strange.

Why would a person from the Moon Maiden Palace, one who had even undergone age reversal, know the Sosu Demonic Art?

‘Did the previous Moon Maiden Palace Lady somehow obtain the Sosu Demonic Art? Since they are both martial arts of extreme yin ki, I can’t rule out that possibility.’

Still, there were points that didn’t sit right.

The somehow familiar sword path and sword momentum were by no means an orthodox martial art.

A fierce, practical, and unconventional sword art.

It was as if he were watching the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

‘I’ll have to set a day and interrogate her later.’

While Namgung Hui and various others were organizing their respective duties and plans, time flew by in an instant, and the day of the martial arts tournament preliminaries arrived.

(End of Chapter)