Rebirth of the Thunder God

"Chunsam. Where did the Little Saintess go, and why are you alone?"

"The Little Saintess went to pick some flowers for a moment."

"Pick flowers? Ah, she went to relieve herself."

Sometimes, when women went to relieve themselves, they would say they were going to pick flowers to avoid embarrassment.

Seong Sohui aside, Namgung Hui still had questions, so he asked again.

"By any chance, did the Heretic Alliance Lord not chase you?"

"I haven't even seen that old man's shadow."

"Phew... That's a relief. But how did you shake off the Blood Wolf Brigade? I didn't even hear the sound of their horses' hooves as they chased you."

"That wasn't me, the Saintess used something. When she sprinkled a strange powder, the horses struggled and collapsed one by one. I think she delivered death."

If something happened to the Red Hare horses, which cost 5,000 nyang of silver each, the pursuit would be difficult.

Of course, some might have entrusted their horses to their comrades and performed a movement technique.

But was Muchi just ordinarily fast?

On top of that, the forced march from Zhejiang Province to Hunan Province would have left their stamina wanting.

'Or the Blood Wolf Brigade members might have been poisoned as well. The poison made by the Divine Physician Sect is hard to detoxify.'

The poisons of the Sichuan Tang family, excluding the Ten Great Poisons of the Tang family, were relatively well-known in terms of their symptoms and detoxification methods.

But the existence of the Divine Physician Sect's poison was almost unknown.

Coincidentally, when Namgung Hui was struggling with poisoning symptoms, the Heretic Alliance Lord's subordinates were also in a predicament due to poisoning.

Was the reason the Heretic Alliance Lord couldn't chase them also because of his subordinates' poisoning symptoms?

Namgung Hui didn't think it was that far, but good was good.

It was a hundred, a thousand times better to have no pursuit like this.

Namgung Hui patted the shoulder of Muchi, who was going on about death, and said.

"It wasn't delivering death. She probably sprinkled poison. She knows the value of life better than anyone, so she wouldn't have harmed the lives of the Red Hare horses, even if she didn't care about the Blood Wolf Brigade."

"You speak as if you know me well."

As soon as Namgung Hui's words ended, Seong Sohui appeared and answered.

She had really gone to pick flowers, as her hands were full of them.

Some were ingredients used for medicinal herbs, but some were flowers that Namgung Hui was seeing for the first time.

Namgung Hui shifted his gaze from the flowers and continued.

"I don't know the Little Saintess well, but I know what kind of people the people of the Divine Physician Sect are. First of all, if a physician doesn't value life, who will? Will martial artists like me who just swing swords do that?"

"Aren't you putting yourself down too much? Just because they are martial artists doesn't mean they disregard life. Rather, there are many who are bodyguards or people who protect others."

"Well, that's just a figure of speech. Still, it's true that they harm more people than physicians. By the way, Little Saintess. Are you really planning to accompany us to the Blood Cult?"

"Our Divine Physician Sect does not refuse any place where there are patients. That is our sect's rule and the ideal we pursue."

"Even if that place is a den of villains?"

"I don't know how you apply the yardstick of a villain, but I will see and judge for myself. I know well what this young lady's worries are, so please put your concerns aside for now."

Namgung Hui looked at Seong Sohui with curious eyes.

Her stubbornness was really similar to the Divine Physician Sect Leader he had met in his past life.

To the point where he wondered if Seong Sohui had also been reincarnated.

'It must be because of that firm belief that the current Divine Physician Sect exists.'

As she said, the definition of good and evil is subjectively drawn by humans.

From the perspective of the Blood Cult or Beak Seolhwa, the Orthodox Faction and the Martial Alliance could have been the axis of evil.

If it had been the Thunder God of the past, he wouldn't have thought this way, but the diary of the first Cult Leader and the appearance of Beak Seolhwa and Muchi he had felt so far were no different from ordinary martial artists.

But despite that, there were exceptionally vicious people.

In the Blood Cult, there were the Dugu and Ouyang families belonging to the radical faction.

In the Hoicheon Association, there would be the Black Market and the Heretic Alliance, as well as the Green Forest Bandits who committed plunder.

Since they even harassed the common people, it would be fine to see them as the axis of evil.

Hadn't the Black Market even trafficked in human beings and drugs banned by the country?

And to make the most objective evaluation of such a Blood Cult, he had even made a personal visit.

Although there would be no forgiveness for the Dugu and Ouyang families, it might be possible to negotiate to some extent with the moderate faction that Muchi belonged to.

Namgung Hui had inwardly hoped that Beak Seolhwa would act as a bridge in the middle, but he shook his head as he recalled that her original identity was the Vice Cult Leader.

'She's not someone who will change just because I ask. Seolhwa must have her own thoughts on this.'

He just hoped that the end of her thoughts would not be a path that broke with Namgung Hui.

If that happened, Namgung Hui would have to block her with all his might.

"Chunsam is hungry. Now that there are no pursuers, can't we stop by an inn and eat?"

"Let's do that. We're at the entrance of Guangdong Province now, so there won't be anyone following us."

From Guangdong Province, the sphere of influence was so different that it could be considered a completely different country.

Not only the culture, but there was also a difference in the language system used for conversation.

That was why he had received a Cantonese textbook from the Young Guild Leader of the Pungun Merchant Guild, Kang Yuseong.

He would have to hole up in an inn for a while and completely master this before going in to be able to blend in without any sense of incongruity.

Namgung Hui's party arrived at Yangshan and reached the rendezvous point that Kang Yuseong and Cheongi-ja had told them about.

If Namgung Hui's purpose was information about the true face of the Blood Cult and the Dugu and Ouyang families.

Kang Yuseong's purpose seemed to be a scheme to return the threats he had received from the Blood Cult and take some money on the side.

Well, he didn't know how much money he could extort from the Blood Cult, but it was a welcome thing to deliver a blow to the Blood Cult, which was in a hostile relationship with Namgung Hui.

Beak Seolhwa might not find this agreeable.

Namgung Hui, who had arrived at the Yangshan Inn, gave the password that Cheongi-ja had told him and got a small detached house.

Since Guangdong Province was located in a rather remote place, he hadn't known there would be an inn with such a detached house, but the world was certainly wide.

Beak Seolhwa, sitting by the window, opened her mouth as she admired the surroundings.

"Guangdong Province seems like a pretty good place to live. The land is fertile and there are rivers flowing, so there won't be a shortage of water."

Compared to the Heavenly Mountains where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was located, it was a fertile land.

The barren Heavenly Mountains were inhabited by various poisonous creatures, and about half of it was a desert, so it was difficult to farm or raise livestock.

It was a natural thing, since there was a shortage of food for people to eat.

And Guangdong Province, as Beak Seolhwa said, had three major rivers, the Pearl River, the Tan River, and the Han River, centered on Guangzhou.

Thanks to that, the southeast, centered on the coastline, was called the 'land of fish and rice' and was rich in agricultural and marine products.

But on the contrary, the Hundred Thousand Mountains where the Blood Cult was located was not like that.

As the name of the mountain suggested, numerous mountain peaks were lined up, so flat land was rare.

That was why it was difficult to even farm properly, and they would probably live by just picking herbs from the mountains.

In the first place, it was because of such land that the Blood Cult could settle down without any trouble.

It might not have improved much from the days of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but it would be better than a desolate desert.

"Still, it's not as good as the Central Plains. The geographical advantage is half the battle, so Guangdong Province, which is located in a remote place, has few visitors."

"Indeed. It's not an ordinary distance unless you come by performing a lightness skill like us. And the language they use here is also different, right?"

"That's why I'm saying, I have a good textbook. Chunsam and the Little Saintess aside, you and I will have to learn it."

Muchi, who was no different from a local.

Seong Sohui, who had come as a physician.

Even if she didn't know Cantonese, no one would find it suspicious.

But Namgung Hui and Beak Seolhwa, who were infiltrating secretly, had to be able to speak some Cantonese.

Only then could they escape the suspicious gazes.

"Alright. I'll learn that thing in no time."

Since the party had all finished their meal, Namgung Hui stood up from his seat and said.

"Then, Okwol, you follow me. The rest of you, please rest in your respective rooms. You must be quite tired from the accumulated fatigue."

"Alright. I need to take a nap. Saintess, you also rest well."

"Yes."

And so, they each went into their own rooms.

Only Beak Seolhwa followed Namgung Hui into his room.

As the door closed with a thud, Namgung Hui took out the Cantonese textbook from his robes and handed it to Beak Seolhwa.

Beak Seolhwa, who received the textbook, read the title.

"A goby that even a carp can learn?"

"It's not a goby, it's Cantonese. Cantonese. The Young Guild Leader of the Pungun Merchant Guild personally gave it to me, and when I read it, it was quite substantial. The culture of Guangdong Province, things to be careful of, tips for learning Cantonese quickly, etc. It's almost impossible to get it on the market."

"Oho. In other words, it's a secret manual?"

"That's about right. Read it for now. I'll tell you what you don't know as we go."

"Alright."

Beak Seolhwa calmly took the book and sat in front of the table.

Should I say it was like watching a student studying at a village school?

Her lake-like eyes were full of curiosity.

Namgung Hui, thinking it would take quite a while, sat on the bed and sat in a cross-legged position.

Since he had fought many battles, he felt the need to organize his principles.

Especially in the battle with the Heretic Alliance Lord, it seemed he could create one heart method if he added the family's inherited martial art, the Great Expansion Divine Art, the Purple Mist Divine Art, and on top of that, the Purple Thunder Divine Art.

'Just because I don't use thunder ki doesn't mean I can't use the principles of the heart method.'

It was fine even if it wasn't thunder ki.

And it didn't matter even if he used thunder ki.

Because if that happened, he could just use it when he was in his real identity.

Namgung Hui began to recite the martial arts incantations in his head, weaving the images in his mind into a single branch.

'Under the clear sky, the emperor will reveal his presence alone, and then the sky, in admiration, will strike down a thunderbolt.'

An internal energy heart method created by weaving together thunderbolt-like enlightenments.

Its name was the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art.

If the Purple Thunder Divine Art was of the Thunder Sect.

The Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art could be considered to be solely of the Namgung family.

Since it was based on the family's inherited martial art, the Great Expansion Divine Art, and was supplemented by the Purple Mist Divine Art and the Purple Thunder Divine Art, even if others saw it, they would believe it to be the domineering martial art of the Namgung family without a doubt.

If the Purple Thunder Divine Art was focused on speed and straightness, the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art was solely the path of domination.

It established the path that the emperor should walk.

Flash.

When Namgung Hui opened his eyes, the front was white.

It wasn't because Namgung Hui's gaze had exploded.

"Seolhwa?"

It was because Beak Seolhwa was staring at Namgung Hui right in front of him.

Because of her jade-like white skin, the front looked white.

"I was just watching to see when you would wake up. I finished studying a long time ago."

Namgung Hui was quite surprised.

Hadn't it taken him a whole day to learn the Cantonese textbook?

The fact that his memory had improved because his Baihui acupoint was opened and his thinking ability or application ability were separate matters.

Should I say this was a matter of talent?

Although Beak Seolhwa had opened her Baihui acupoint, he was slightly suspicious.

Namgung Hui, wondering if Beak Seolhwa had studied properly, asked her.

"Then I'll ask you a few questions to see if you've learned properly. Is that okay?"

"Yes. Ask me anything."

"Alright. Then, what is the most important pronunciation to be careful of in Cantonese?"

"Yellow socks. That is, you have to emphasize the rolling sound."

"Oho. If you've even memorized that, it means you've read it properly."

After that, Namgung Hui's questions continued, and Beak Seolhwa answered them smoothly, as if she had prepared them.

"Seolhwa is smarter than I thought."

"Than you thought? That's a bit unpleasant. Did I look stupid to you usually?"

"No, that's not it, but I didn't know you were this smart."

"Well, I, who am generous, will have to let it pass. Instead, let's have a duel for the first time in a while."

"What? Are you asking for a duel with me to vent your anger right now?"

Beak Seolhwa shook her head and said.

"Am I you? To get angry over something like this? It's just that it's been a while since we've had a duel, and since we've had some things happen recently, let's just mix hands."

In fact, it was something Namgung Hui wanted to ask for.

The only opponent to whom he could reveal his martial arts to the fullest was Beak Seolhwa.

To organize the principles he had recently established with a real fight, there was nothing better than a duel with Beak Seolhwa.

"Alright. There's a nice clearing behind the detached house, let's go there."

"Okay."

And so, as Namgung Hui and Beak Seolhwa headed to a quiet clearing behind the detached house side by side, Seong Sohui was quietly watching them.

And with a small nod of her head.

(End of Chapter)