Rebirth of the Thunder God

At the same time Namgung Hui and Beak Seolhwa were in Hubei Province.

People were still staying at the Cheongi Inn they had left.

"Sanga. Where did Seolhwa go, and why are you alone?"

At the question of the Moon Maiden Palace Lady, Yu Seolran, the Moon Maiden Palace disciple, Yi Sanga, answered.

"She just left me a letter and left. She said she's going on a short trip."

"A trip... Did she go out with that guy again?"

"Probably? Seeing as Lord Namgung Hui is also not here, it seems they went out together."

"Hoho. Good grief. I told her so many times, but well, she's won the martial arts tournament now. I guess I have nothing more to say. By the way, Sanga. What is that container in your hand?"

Startled by Yu Seolran's point, Yi Sanga hid the bamboo container behind her back and said.

"Ah. This? Shall I say it's just my hobby?"

"A hobby? Did you have any other hobbies besides stealing?"

"No! Palace Lady. Stealing! I'm just laying my hands on things that have no owner. Then are herbalists also thieves, and picking up money from the ground is also stealing?"

"Sanga has grown up a lot. To even talk back to me, the Palace Lady... Seolhwa might have left because she was upset with you."

"No way~~ It's probably because you were being all lovey-dovey with the Namgung family head."

Yu Seolran tilted her head at the word she had never heard before and asked.

"Lovey-dovey? What kind of bizarre word is that? By any chance, have you entered the Left-Path Demonic Gate?"

"No. I'm just interested in astrology and the I Ching these days."

"Oho. Then can you also see things like marital compatibility?"

At the word 'marital compatibility,' Yi Sanga tilted her head and whispered softly.

"Huh? I was just about to look into that..."

"Sanga. Let's have a talk with the Palace Lady after a long time. Follow me."

And so, Yi Sanga was dragged away by the hands of the Moon Maiden Palace Lady as if she were possessed by a ghost.

* * *

Namgung Hui, who had left the Hao Faction branch, walked while reading the information he had received from Dam Gihae.

[The Hebei Paeng family and the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild are in conflict.]

[The reason seems to be related to the attempted kidnapping of the Young Guild Leader. The Myriad Gold Merchant Guild is blocking the supplies going to the Paeng family.]

"Okwol. Did you tell Eun Seolrin before you left?"

"Where was the time to tell her? I just left a letter. The Emei Sect disciples are with her anyway, so is there anything I need to say? You seem to be quite close with her, so why didn't you say goodbye?"

"Close... That's right. Still, should I have told her? I thought you would say goodbye for me."

"Why me?"

"Because... we're friends and companions? And for some reason, Eun Seolrin and Tang Soso are a bit uncomfortable. But why are you smiling?"

Beak Seolhwa touched the corners of her mouth and said.

"Did I smile? I didn't smile."

"The corners of your mouth just curled up."

"I said I didn't smile."

"Chunsam. Did Okwol smile just now or not?"

"Fairy. She smiled. Chunsam saw it too."

"Really?"

"Really."

Beak Seolhwa, as if she still couldn't believe it, touched her face, but because of the disguise Namgung Hui had put on, she could only feel an awkward face.

"Well, whatever. It's possible to smile. Then I'll just read the rest of this."

[The whereabouts of the White Flower of the Four Flowers of the Martial World, Seo Munhye, have become unknown.]

'Come to think of it, I haven't heard any news since she ran out of our house. Don't tell me. Did something happen?'

Still, since she had stepped on the threshold of a first-rate master, she probably wouldn't have been harmed much.

But since he didn't know what variables and dangers lurked in the martial world.

On the other hand, he was also worried.

Since that had happened while she was a guest of the Namgung family, Namgung Hui also had a little bit of responsibility left.

'I'll have to put in a request to the Hao Faction or the Beggars' Sect later.'

[The Golden Flower of the Four Flowers of the Martial World, Hwang Sujin, is missing.]

[The Good Flower of the Four Flowers of the Martial World, Seong Sohui, is missing.]

'This is a bit strange. To think that the whereabouts of three of the Four Flowers of the Martial World are unknown.'

And funnily enough, it was said that Eun Seolrin had gotten the title of Silver Flower after this martial arts tournament.

Of all things, to be called a flower made of silver.

It seemed like she was being called some kind of money ghost, so it didn't seem like a very good title.

Well, the Golden Flower, Hwang Sujin, was also a nickname given in that context, so he couldn't say anything about the consistency.

'If the Hebei Paeng family had also kidnapped Eun Seolrin, then all the Four Flowers of the Martial World would have been missing?'

Looking at it this way, it seemed difficult to dismiss the disappearance of the Four Flowers of the Martial World as a simple coincidence.

The reason the Hebei Paeng family had targeted Eun Seolrin was to seize the financial resources of the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild.

Come to think of it, there was a high probability that the Golden Flower, Hwang Sujin, the granddaughter of the Golden Merchant Guild Leader, had also been kidnapped in that context.

'But they said there's a very high probability that the Hoicheon Association is behind the Golden Merchant Guild. This is getting interesting.'

Anyway. Just as he was about to think that there was no direct connection to Namgung Hui other than Seo Munhye.

'The Good Flower, Seong Sohui. Could she be the daughter of the Divine Physician Sect Leader?'

Her surname was the same as the successive Divine Physician Sect Leaders, and he had vaguely heard that the person called the Little Saintess of this generation was the daughter of the Divine Physician Sect Leader.

Although it was written as Good Flower, Seong Sohui's nickname was probably more often called the Little Saintess.

Now that it had come to this, he became curious as to whether the kidnapper was the same person, who it was, and what force it was.

But since it was information that even the Hao Faction couldn't grasp, he wondered how Namgung Hui could find out.

Wasn't it a difficult situation to even find Seo Munhye, who was related to Namgung Hui?

As Namgung Hui was about to fold the information paper and put it back in his robes, Beak Seolhwa grabbed his arm and said.

"I Jayeon. If you're done reading, can I read it?"

"Yes. Chunsam, you can read it too if you want."

"Thank you."

And so, Namgung Hui's party shared the information, then ran and ran, and finally arrived at Red Cliff Valley.

From here on, even the lakes commonly seen in Hubei Province were barely visible.

And the surroundings were lined with lush rocky mountains.

As Dam Gihae had said, it was a terrain where it was easy to fall and die if you misstepped.

At that sight, Namgung Hui immediately thought that it was a perfect place to hide.

Beak Seolhwa seemed to think the same, as she looked up at the rocky mountain and said.

"If we have food, we could hide here for days."

"Chunsam thinks he could last for years."

"Isn't that thanks to your martial arts? By the way, I Jayeon. Are you sure it's here and not Honghu Fortress?"

"As Dam Gihae said, if the Red Cliff Valley Master used a demonic art, it's almost certain. If the radical faction's spy that Chunsam mentioned stole the Two-Principle Heart Method, there's a high probability that he took refuge here. Well, if the Red Cliff Valley Master is a person of the Demonic Heaven, the situation would be different, but that wouldn't be bad either. Since we'd be taking care of a place that is hostile to Chunsam."

Of course, it could be different from Beak Seolhwa's perspective.

Since she had once been the Vice Cult Leader, Sosu Mahu, her position could be that of the Demonic Heaven, which was close to the Elder Faction.

But seeing as she was heading to the Blood Cult now, it seemed she was trying to give strength to the Young Cult Leader Faction rather than the Elder Faction.

Well, he could find out her intentions by going to the Blood Cult and seeing for himself.

"Then we'll enter Red Cliff Valley right away. Everyone, don't let your guard down."

"Alright."

"Got it."

Namgung Hui nodded and launched his body with the technique of the Bow Body Ejection.

He climbed the valley, stepping on the rock walls one by one.

As the mastery of his Wind God Steps deepened, the time he could stay in the air increased.

On top of that, as his body became lighter, he could move freely even in the air.

For some reason, it felt like he could move lightly even in the water with this movement technique called Wind God Steps.

After passing a few rocky mountains like that, he saw a pavilion built in solitude.

Indeed, unless one was a master of movement techniques like Namgung Hui, it would be an impossible domain to secretly climb a Red Cliff Valley like this.

It was obvious that if they had followed the path, they would have been seen at a glance from Red Cliff Valley.

Then, a shower of arrows or all sorts of hidden weapons would naturally pour down.

But Namgung Hui's party, who had safely climbed the rock wall, caught their breath for a moment and discussed their future plans.

"Jayeon. Are you just going to charge in head-on?"

Namgung Hui was about to say yes as usual, but then a good idea came to mind.

"Chunsam. By any chance, can you teach us the concealment technique you use? With that, I think we can infiltrate quietly."

"Chunsam can teach the fairy. But..."

"But?"

"Ugh... I shouldn't tell you... I'll definitely get in trouble..."

Muchi was caught in a conflict while looking at Namgung Hui's appearance.

A simple and honest appearance, to the point of feeling out of place for an agent of the Blood Cult.

A man so honest and kind that it felt strange.

Namgung Hui patted Muchi's back and added.

"If you're that scared, you don't have to tell me. I've learned a concealment technique, albeit clumsily. So don't worry."

"No! Chunsam will tell you! I'll take responsibility too."

"You don't have to take responsibility alone. I'll help you too."

As Beak Seolhwa also patted Muchi's shoulder, Muchi grinned and nodded.

"If the fairy says so, I don't think Jinwu will say anything. Then you two sit down. I'll teach you the Blood-Stopping Great Method step by step."

As Namgung Hui had guessed, the concealment technique that Muchi had learned was the Blood-Stopping Great Method, which slowed the heart.

It was a principle similar to the Turtle-Breathing Great Method, but a more profound study.

Of course, it would be possible because it was an ultimate technique created by the first cult leader.

'The background of its creation was to solve the food shortage.'

By slowing the heart, it was no different from a state of suspended animation.

If so, the consumption of nutrients would naturally decrease, so the required food would also have to decrease.

And so, following Muchi's teachings, Namgung Hui and Beak Seolhwa learned the Blood-Stopping Great Method.

On top of that, they also learned a few concealment techniques, and Namgung Hui realized that Muchi was not just a simpleton.

'His insight is very outstanding. His way of speaking seems to have come from brain damage due to the side effects of the Blood-Stopping Great Method.'

It was inevitable that there would be problems if the brain was not supplied with air for a long time.

He thought this might be a side effect of the excessive use of the Blood-Stopping Great Method.

In any case, the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had many side effects.

This was probably why it was called a demonic art.

"You two learn so well. To be honest, I expected the fairy to learn well, but it was amazing how well you followed, brother."

"Brother?"

"Didn't you call me brother earlier? There's no one around to hear, so I tried calling you that, but if it's uncomfortable, I'll change it back to husband."

"No. The title of brother is better. As you said, let's call each other that when we're alone."

As Namgung Hui's permission was granted, Muchi smiled brightly and nodded.

"Now that the preparations are over, let's go in. I'll take the lead. Okwol and Chunsam, you follow behind me."

The reason Namgung Hui volunteered to take the lead was.

He had even learned formations from the Hao Faction Leader and had a deep knowledge of mechanisms, so he could recognize traps if there were any.

As Namgung Hui had worried, a mechanism was installed at the entrance of Red Cliff Valley.

A thin silver thread was hung, and it seemed to serve the role of notifying of intruders.

This was at a level that even Muchi and Beak Seolhwa could recognize, so they skillfully avoided the silver thread and passed over.

And the next gate was a formation, but the life gate was too easy to see.

Because someone's clear footprints were clearly left behind.

'I just have to avoid those footprints.'

"Everyone, just don't step on the footprints."

"Why? Isn't that the life gate?"

"They've set it up to look that way. That's the death gate, and it's a formation that doesn't have a life gate. You just have to avoid the footprints and go in."

"Chunsam knew that already. It seems the fairy doesn't know formations. Chunsam will teach you later."

Beak Seolhwa, perhaps because she was slightly annoyed that she was the only one who didn't know formations, puffed out her cheeks.

Namgung Hui chuckled at that sight and then entered Red Cliff Valley.

Perhaps because they didn't set up a guard, there was no presence felt in front of the gate.

It seemed that Red Cliff Valley was that rugged.

And it seemed they trusted the formations and mechanisms.

And so, the moment they crossed the wall and entered the estate.

"Eup, eup!"

The suppressed groans of people were heard from inside a certain pavilion.

(End of Chapter)