Rebirth of the Thunder God

Although Namgung Hui was investigating and thinking about various things publicly, his ultimate goal and top priority was to win the martial arts tournament.

Simply finishing in second place was not an option.

He had to win at all costs to receive sufficient attention from the public.

In that process, exposing and eliminating the forces of the Hoicheon Association might just be a secondary element.

After all, his final objective was to find a suitable marriage partner.

The list of suitable marriage partners he had received from Jegal Geon didn't really have anyone he liked.

In Namgung Hui's eyes, they all seemed to be lacking in one way or another.

'Has my standard become too high because of Seolhwa...?'

Namgung Hui suddenly wondered if he might end up living alone for the rest of his life, but he doubted that would happen if he won the martial arts tournament and even secured a seat among the Seven Dragons.

Besides, he was more handsome than anyone else.

Slapping his own cheeks, Namgung Hui headed to the tournament waiting room.

Since he had registered early, his match was also scheduled early.

His number was 7, so his turn would be around the fourth match.

Namgung Hui sat in the waiting room, waiting for his turn.

Although it was only the preliminaries, the crowd's excitement was palpable as many outstanding young martial artists were participating.

The spectator seats were already full.

Among the crowd, he could see Heon Wonsu and Yelu Guang waving their arms.

Unfortunately, Beak Seolhwa's group was competing in the women's division, so they were not visible in the stands.

"Alright~! Let's begin the preliminaries of the 6th Martial Arts Tournament~~!!"

""Waaaahhh!!!"

As soon as the announcer finished speaking, thunderous cheers and applause erupted from the crowd.

The heated atmosphere was so intense that it reached the waiting room.

Watching the duels of such prominent young martial artists in real-time must be a truly rare spectacle.

In an era with few forms of entertainment, an event like this was bound to be in the spotlight.

'And there's nothing as fun as watching a fight. Well then, shall I watch too?'

"You've waited a long time~! It's been a full two years waiting for this day, so that's not an exaggeration. Well then, I can't delay any longer, so let's start the preliminaries~~! The first match is between Young Master Hwangbo Seong of the Hwangbo family and Young Master Chu Hajin of the Jongnam Sect! Please welcome them with a warm round of applause~!"

-Clap, clap, clap!!

Amidst the pouring applause, a man of sturdy build and a man who looked nimble ascended the stage from the left and right, respectively.

The crowd's attention was inevitably drawn to the larger man.

It wasn't just because of his large frame, but because his identity was the Fist Dragon, Hwangbo Seong, one of the Seven Dragons.

Hwangbo Seong boasted a solid physique, broad shoulders, and handsome features.

In contrast, the Jongnam Sect disciple, Chu Hajin, had a rather small build, befitting his nimble appearance.

Perhaps because of this, there was a natural lack of expectation.

"Aish. I'll lose my money if I bet on this round."

"It's the opening match, so let's just enjoy the show. But you never know. That Jongnam Sect young master might cause an upset."

"Tsk, tsk. You lose your bets every time because you have no eye for these things. Who is that Hwangbo Seong? He's a young martial artist who holds the title of the Fist Dragon of this generation, and you think he'll lose to a mere disciple of the Jongnam Sect? Not a chance."

As the crowd predicted Hwangbo Seong's overwhelming victory, the announcer continued.

"Then, I will count to three and begin the duel~! One! Two! Three! Begin!"

-Sreung.

With the word "begin," the Jongnam Sect disciple, Chu Hajin, drew his sword.

The Jongnam Sect, along with the Mount Hua Sect, was a sect that represented Shaanxi Province.

Although it was overshadowed by the fame of the Mount Hua Sect, the Jongnam Sect actually had a deeper history than the Mount Hua Sect.

It was practically the successor to the Quanzhen Sect.

The founder of the Mount Hua Sect was also a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect, so the two sects could be considered cousins.

But the past was the past.

The current Jongnam Sect's fame had somewhat faded.

Chu Hajin must have entered this tournament to reclaim it.

Only by opening the lid could one see how much they had developed during the recent peaceful days.

Hwangbo Seong looked at Chu Hajin and sneered.

"Of all the opponents, I get a brat who couldn't even make it into the Seven Dragons. I've lost my chance to get noticed."

"Does the Hwangbo family fight with their mouths instead of their fists?"

"Oh? Your three-inch tongue is sharper than a sword. Is that natural, since the swords of the Jongnam Sect are old and dull? Mwahahaha! Then come at me, brat."

Hwangbo Seong raised his large hand and beckoned Chu Hajin tauntingly.

One should not fall for such a provocation.

But Chu Hajin, perhaps thinking his sect had been insulted, immediately executed his footwork and flew forward.

-Swiiik! Kang!

They clashed in an instant.

Sparks flew in all directions upon impact.

As if the sparks had spread, the crowd's fervent cheers poured out.

Chu Hajin's sword momentum was fiercer than expected.

Although it was only half a step, Hwangbo Seong was pushed back.

"I can't be pushed back by a brat. Brace yourself!"

Hwangbo Seong tightened his fist guards and shot out a fist wind.

To be able to create wind with a simple fist strike.

Namgung Hui smiled warmly at the sight of the fist artist.

He was a rare, proper fist master.

But Namgung Hui's smile did not last long.

He had known who the winner of this match would be from the moment they stepped onto the stage.

-Kang! Kang! Kang!

Several clashes came and went.

When one pushed, the other was bound to be pushed back.

The one who was on the defensive for a long time was not the seemingly weak Chu Hajin, but the confident Hwangbo Seong.

"This can't be! I'm being pushed back by a mere brat!"

Unable to accept it, Hwangbo Seong wrapped his fist guards with fist ki and threw a punch.

Originally, not only strong ki but also sword ki was forbidden in the tournament, so Hwangbo Seong had broken the rules.

Perhaps that was why.

It happened so suddenly and swiftly that not only the referee but also the martial masters in the audience were so surprised that they unknowingly lifted their buttocks from their seats.

But their worries were unfounded.

Chu Hajin stepped with his footwork as if flowing like water and smoothly deflected the fist ki.

"You slippery eel! I won't go easy on you anymore..."

"Hwangbo Seong is disqualified!"

The referee's declaration made the atmosphere turn cold.

"..."

As silence fell among the crowd, Chu Hajin sheathed his sword and cupped his fist.

"It was a good match, Young Master Hwangbo Seong."

Was it really a good match? It felt like there was a thorn in his words.

Hwangbo Seong replied with a look as if he had swallowed a thorn.

"What? A good match? Are you mocking me right now? You don't seem to know that a duel and a real fight are different, do you? Shall I show you?"

As Hwangbo Seong tried to attack again, a staff member who was waiting behind him jumped onto the stage and stopped him.

"Seong. It is your loss. Accepting defeat is a virtue a man must possess."

"And who are you... Murong Junseong?"

"Yes, it is I. It seems to be my turn now, so would you please step aside?"

At the name Murong Junseong, murmurs could be heard from the audience.

Just as Hwangbo Seong was surprised to see his face, Chu Hajin's expression also changed this time.

"You said you were Young Master Chu? It is our turn now, so please step down."

"I understand."

It was a very polite attitude, unlike how he had treated Hwangbo Seong.

It meant that the atmosphere emanating from Murong Junseong was different from that of Hwangbo Seong.

It felt like a mature and refined ki.

As Chu Hajin exited, Hwangbo Seong glared at his back before stepping down from the stage.

Only then did the announcer, seeming to have the situation under control, proceed with the next match.

"Alright, alright. The second match will be between Young Master Murong Junseong of the Murong family and Young Master Tang Jinhyeok of the Sichuan Tang family~!"

Since Murong Junseong was already on the stage, Tang Jinhyeok entered the stage alone after him.

Heavenly Dragon Murong Junseong versus Poison Dragon Tang Jinhyeok.

The crowd cheered for another spectacle and placed their bets.

As soon as the voices of the martial masters died down, Tang Jinhyeok opened his mouth.

"You. If you enter like that first, what am I supposed to do?"

"Haha. My apologies. Then, as punishment for my mistake, I will concede the first three moves. How about it?"

"Wouldn't that just make me look bad? And our compatibility is not good at all. I'll just forfeit."

At the word "forfeit," the crowd began to murmur again.

Someone who had bet a large sum on Tang Jinhyeok even stood up and shouted loudly.

"What do you mean, forfeit! Are you even a man! Just fight already!"

Tang Jinhyeok ignored the crowd's shouts and walked up to the referee.

"I forfeit."

The referee stared blankly at Tang Jinhyeok, who was forfeiting without even fighting.

Then, he snapped to his senses and asked.

"Are you serious?"

"A man's word is his bond. I will step down now."

Before the referee could even declare anything, Tang Jinhyeok left the stage.

As he did, he glanced at Namgung Hui in the waiting room with a subtle gaze and muttered under his breath.

'The mastery of the Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers is not yet deep. Don't be disappointed.'

Namgung Hui, who had clearly read his lips, simply smiled.

'The Poison Dragon is Tang Soso's older brother. It hasn't been long since he received the manual for the Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers, so it would be difficult to use it in a duel yet.'

Besides, there was no reason to reveal his ultimate technique in a duel.

The Tang family was at a significant disadvantage in a tournament where the use of poison was also restricted.

Nevertheless, his courage to participate was commendable.

As Murong Junseong also stepped down from the stage, the announcer quickly continued.

"We will proceed immediately to the third match~! It is a match between Young Master Cheonghak of the Wudang Sect and Young Master Jin Myeongho of the Divine Land Fortress!"

The crowd knew of the Wudang Sect, but they didn't seem to know much about the Divine Land Fortress, as they were busy tilting their heads and asking each other.

"Where is this Divine Land Fortress again?"

"It seems to be a new sect. But to be matched against Cheonghak of the Wudang Sect, they have really bad luck."

"He's Cheonghak, who vies for the top spot among the Seven Dragons. Tsk, tsk. That's really too bad. I won't win much money on this round, whether I bet or not."

Finally, a face Namgung Hui knew appeared.

The Young Fortress Lord of the Divine Land Fortress, Jin Myeongho.

He thought that his martial arts were by no means inferior to those of the Seven Dragons and that he could compete with them, but the crowd seemed to think differently.

And for good reason. The Wudang Sect was a leading sect even among the Nine Sects One Union.

The young martial artist representing them would naturally be the best among the Seven Dragons.

Even in Namgung Hui's eyes, his ki was truly admirable.

'The Wudang Sect had so many ultimate techniques. From the Ten-Section Brocade that Sosu Mahu praised so much, to the Taiji Wisdom Sword that even my sworn brother acknowledged. And even the Two-Forms Heart Art that I once coveted.'

Each and every one of them was a peerless divine art.

And were those the only martial arts that represented the Wudang Sect?

The Cloud-Riding Stride, which seemed to move on clouds.

The Taiji Fist, which contained the mysteries of Taiji.

Even the Art of Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees, which maximized the principle of "the soft can overcome the hard."

Countless martial arts represented the Wudang Sect.

So it was no wonder that he was receiving the full expectation of the crowd.

But Jin Myeongho paid no heed to such gazes and prepared for the duel.

"Young Master Cheonghak. It seems I am the inferior one, so may I take the first move?"

"Please do."

Grin.

Jin Myeongho, who had been smiling, disappeared in an instant as if he had been extinguished.

And when he reappeared, he was right behind Cheonghak. So close that their noses could touch.

(End of Chapter)