Rebirth of the Thunder God

"W-why are they coming out from there?"

"No! What kind of trickery is this? Why are the keys I hid here?"

Namgung Hui, instead of answering, patted Chichi who had returned to his robes and sent a telepathic message.

-You've worked hard. Chichi. I'll give you the Thunder Liquor later.

-Kiik. Kiik. (Alright. I've worked hard for the first time in a while, so I need to take a nap. Don't wake me up.)

From the moment Murong Yeonhui had mentioned the keys to the secret repository, Namgung Hui had not forgotten their existence for a single moment.

The secret repository of the merchant guild.

Because a thick and intense smell of money was wafting from it.

Before leaving the merchant guild, Namgung Hui had immediately asked Chichi to retrieve the keys.

In this field, even the Shadowless Divine Thief would be no match for Chichi.

As expected, Chichi had safely found all the keys.

Of course, Chichi's ability was not omnipotent.

Once it left the vicinity, its detection ability dropped significantly.

He had asked it to find the Golden Turtle Divine Pill in the imperial palace's secret repository before, but Chichi had said it was too far and couldn't find it.

It was a real shame.

Namgung Hui, unable to reveal the existence of the treasure detector, just responded with a smile.

"That's a trade secret. A woman's secret is a precious thing, so don't try to dig it out."

At Namgung Hui's words, Beak Seolhwa shivered as if she had goosebumps.

But no one noticed or saw it.

Because the attention of the party was already all focused on Namgung Hui.

"I'm really curious about that secret. But well, since you've even found the keys, there's no need to pry, right? My grandfather has woken up. And we've recovered the keys. Now, even if it's the Hoicheon Association, there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Still, you should be careful of the person called the General. Murong Junseong is also a Transcendent master, so you should also be careful of him."

Not only that. It wouldn't be strange even if more members of the Murong family flocked here.

And it was still unknown how the Hoicheon Association would accept and respond to this situation.

They might supplement with more masters, or the First General might get directly involved.

But that didn't mean Namgung Hui could stay at the Golden Merchant Guild forever.

Now that Muchi's identity had been exposed, he had to leave this place as soon as possible.

Because both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions would rush at Muchi.

Namgung Hui asked Seong Sohui.

"Little Saintess, are you going back to the Divine Physician Sect?"

"No! The Saintess must go with me."

Before the Little Saintess could answer, Muchi strongly objected.

He had told Namgung Hui before.

That the Little Saintess was like the Saintess of the Divine Cult.

He had a history of asking Namgung Hui to confirm it.

"Chunsam. This isn't something to be so stubborn about. And even if the Little Saintess is the Saintess you're talking about, her own will is the most important thing."

"..."

As Muchi shut his mouth like a mute who had eaten honey, Seong Sohui continued.

"I don't have anything to do for a while. Since I've finished my biggest mission, treating the Golden Merchant Guild Leader. Then, if Mr. Chunsam just asks, there's no reason I can't accompany you to the Blood Cult."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Namgung Hui nodded slightly.

In the past, the Divine Physician Sect had also taken care of and treated the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which was called the Demonic Cult.

Regardless of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic factions, all patients could receive treatment from the Divine Physician Sect.

That was why the Divine Physician Sect was a highly respected sect in the martial world.

And since they had many supporting forces, no one even dared to touch them.

'Hmm... If things go wrong at the Blood Cult, I'll just take her and escape.'

He hoped things wouldn't turn out that way, but you never know with people.

Hadn't he not known what would happen to Beak Seolhwa, his friend and enemy right in front of him?

It was possible that she would become the Vice Cult Leader like in her past life.

Or she could just drop off Muchi and leave.

Of course, Namgung Hui did not think the situation would end so simply.

The reason he had come all this way was probably because Beak Seolhwa was planning to do something important at the Blood Cult.

Hadn't Namgung Hui also chosen to infiltrate to grasp the movements and internal information of the Blood Cult as much as possible?

Although there was a simple transaction with the Pungun Merchant Guild, revenge on the Dugu and Ouyang families who had plotted against the Namgung family was also important.

For that, their information was more crucial than anything else.

He had exchanged opinions with Hu Gai of the Beggars' Sect for this purpose.

If he had to deal with the Hoicheon Association secretly, he had to respond strongly to the Blood Cult from the front.

Since there was almost no information revealed yet, he had to destroy their other plots before they could be hatched.

"Then we can head to Guangdong Province together. A lot of time has been delayed, so let's leave right away. Miss Hwang. If we have a chance later, let's see each other again."

"Not 'if' we have a chance. We must see each other. You said you'd introduce me to your friend from the Tang family."

"Ah. That friend's name is Tang Soso, so if I'm busy and can't come, go and use my name."

"Oh! You were friends with the Poison Phoenix? That's a great connection."

"On top of that, now that I've gotten to know the Golden Flower among the Four Flowers of the Martial World, it's become really great. Besides that, there are other Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes I know, so my connections are not to be taken lightly."

"You seem to have come out after only training in the mountains, but you know a lot of people. Are you really from the Namgung family...?"

Namgung Hui, thinking he had revealed too much information, cupped his fist with an awkward smile.

"Then, I wish you good luck in your martial path. Miss Hwang."

"Yes. I also pray for your safety. This young lady, Miss Seol, Little Saintess, Mr. Chunsam. Goodbye, everyone."

One by one, they all said their goodbyes to Hwang Sujin and left.

As four people suddenly disappeared, a lonely wind swirled in the already empty clearing.

As Hwang Sujin's hair fluttered in that wind.

A faint smile appeared on the face of Murong Yeonhui, who was lying on the floor, and then disappeared.

* * *

Namgung Hui's party, who had left the Golden Merchant Guild, had been running for half a day, so they took a short rest on a wooded mountainside.

Namgung Hui caught his breath and asked Seong Sohui.

"Little Saintess. By any chance, do you know the power to deliver death?"

"Deliver death? I'm not sure what you mean."

As Seong Sohui tilted her head, Namgung Hui grinned and said to Muchi.

"Chunsam. Look at this. The Little Saintess says she doesn't know how to do such a thing. If you're going to insist she's the Saintess even when you go to the Blood Cult, you'd better give up."

"No! I definitely saw it. Saintess. Didn't you deliver death when you caught the centipede before?"

"A centipede? Ah. I did catch one at Red Cliff Valley before. Are you perhaps talking about physically taking a life like that?"

"No. It's a sacred power."

"There's no way I have a sacred power that's not even in my medical arts. By the way, when are we eating? It's already been half a day since we left the merchant guild."

As she said, Namgung Hui's party had been running all day from the Golden Merchant Guild to Guangdong Province.

And that was without even eating, in order to get out of Hunan Province as much as possible.

Namgung Hui looked at the mountain ridge and answered.

"Once we pass that Mount Yizhang, we'll enter Guangdong Province, so it should be fine to eat then. Just bear with it a little longer. You too, Chunsam."

"Alright. Chunsam can bear it well."

Seong Sohui nodded while being carried on Muchi's back.

"Then, Mr. Chunsam. Please bear with it a little longer."

"It's not a hardship. It's something I naturally have to do."

"Then shall we rest a bit and start again? Okwol. It's okay to start, right?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Why? Do you have to go take care of some business?"

At Namgung Hui's question, Beak Seolhwa made a pathetic expression.

"Sigh... That's not it. Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what... Huh?"

While Namgung Hui was talking with Muchi.

He felt a number of presences beyond Mount Yizhang.

Although they were still a mountain away, the momentum was clearly felt.

And since they were riding horses, a faint rumbling of the ground was also felt.

Dadadak. Dadadak. Dadadak.

Namgung Hui, feeling that presence, narrowed his eyes and said.

"It seems the Blood Wolf Brigade of the Heretic Alliance is coming. How do they know our location and are chasing us?"

"We'll have to meet them and ask. For now, what's important is that their numbers are not small."

"On top of that, if the Heretic Alliance Lord is also coming, it's going to be difficult."

It was questionable whether Namgung Hui could face the Heretic Alliance Lord even if he showed everything he had.

Moreover, since he was hiding his identity and martial arts, it was impossible to face him alone.

He would have to join forces with Beak Seolhwa to achieve a stalemate.

Still, since Muchi was there, he might be able to face them to some extent, but the Heretic Alliance Lord was not alone.

'If I try to run away now, there will be guys chasing me from behind.'

A net cast from heaven and earth.

The dense net of heaven and earth spread by the Hoicheon Association was not to be taken lightly.

In the first place, the fact that they knew Namgung Hui's location and were chasing him was a passage that showed their encirclement was already formed.

'Then I'll have to break through head-on. Guangdong Province is right in front of me, and I don't feel like turning back.'

Namgung Hui, having made his decision, sent a telepathic message to Beak Seolhwa.

-Seolhwa. If it comes to it, we might have to reveal all our martial arts. As far as I know, the Heretic Alliance Lord is a master who has far surpassed the Transcendent realm.

An old monster who could be considered a master of the previous generation.

Since he was a master from the era of the Thunder God, his realm was something that even Namgung Hui could not fathom.

Although he was weaker than Namgung Hui at that time, now that 60 years had passed, his internal energy would have become several layers deeper.

And the mastery of his martial arts would also have deepened.

In a way, he might be the strongest opponent in the current martial world.

If the Unorthodox and Demonic Factions could have been included in the Martial World Ranking, he would have been at the very top.

Beak Seolhwa replied to Namgung Hui's telepathic message.

-We have nothing to hide from each other now, but is it okay for our identities to be revealed to that person called the Little Saintess?

-That's why I'm saying, wouldn't it be better to tell Muchi to take the Little Saintess and head to the Blood Cult? With Muchi's movement technique, I don't think he'll be caught by the Blood Wolf Brigade.

Unless they give up their horses.

It would be difficult to catch up to Muchi's swift lightness skill with the speed of a horse.

Of course, if they abandoned their horses and performed a lightness skill together, the story would be different.

'From the forced march from Zhejiang Province to here, they probably don't have much stamina to spare.'

Muchi had mainly learned the martial arts used by the guardian martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

It meant he had learned a demonic art from which the first Heavenly Demon had removed the side effects.

It meant that there would be no problem even if it went on for a long time.

However, since he would have to carry Seong Sohui and keep running, he might be a little slower.

"Chunsam."

"Why do you call?"

"The enemies are surrounding this place, and if you judge that it's difficult to face them, take the Little Saintess and leave right away. Got it?"

"Alright. I trust you two."

"Little Saintess, if you've heard, don't be surprised even if an enemy appears from now on."

"An enemy, you say. Has the place called the Hoicheon Association already chased us?"

"Probably? The Blood Wolf Brigade of the Heretic Alliance is waiting on the other side of the mountain. And there will be forces of the Hoicheon Association behind us."

As soon as Namgung Hui's words ended, as if to prove their existence.

A group of horses was seen coming over the mountain ridge.

Blood Wolf Brigade.

As if to represent the appearance of a blood-colored wolf, their martial robes and even their horses were all bright red.

Red Hare Horse.

Along with the Ferghana horse, a breed called a famous horse among famous horses.

The reason Namgung Hui had judged that they would not dare to abandon their horses and chase Muchi was.

'Because the value of those horses is a whopping 5,000 nyang of silver per horse.'

To see such horses in a group was a magnificent sight.

While Namgung Hui was admiring the appearance of the Blood Wolf Brigade, an old man appeared behind them.

Although his hair was white and his face was full of wrinkles, his stubborn eyes and straight back showed that he was no ordinary person.

Not only that. The sharp and fierce gaze that shot out from his eyes, along with the ki that could not be read at all, was so sharp and fierce that it could suffocate someone.

Such a Heretic Alliance Lord stopped his horse in front of Namgung Hui's party and said.

"Are you the one who killed my disciple and grandson, Cheong?"

The person the Heretic Alliance Lord pointed at was naturally thought to be Muchi.

But surprisingly, his fingertip was pointing at Namgung Hui.