Rebirth of the Thunder God

"My name is... Cheon Hojin, a member of the Biwolcheon family! A direct descendant of the current Young Cult Leader. To be precise, the Young Cult Leader is my biological grandfather!"

"!?"

Namgung Hui, at the unexpected harvest, smiled a satisfied smile while being surprised.

To meet the grandson of the Young Cult Leader from the start, it was a good thing he didn't take his life as he had said.

"I would have been in trouble if I had really killed him."

"Hahaha! If you just let me go like this, I will consider it a fight between men. It was a good duel. Sword Demon."

Cheon Hojin, who was naturally trying to go down the mountain.

His tone was so confident that it felt shameless.

But his voice was trembling slightly as if he were nervous.

It seemed he was worried whether Namgung Hui would let him go like this.

"Do you think I'll let you go obediently?"

"T-then are you going to kill me, the direct descendant of the Young Cult Leader? Unless the military strategist Bukgung is mad. He wouldn't have told you to touch me, would he?"

"He didn't tell me not to touch you either... Anyway, I'm going to ignore Bukgung Jinwu's words, so it doesn't matter."

"You bastard...! Are you really not afraid of the aftermath? Although you are a superior master than me. The Young Cult Leader is a body that has already escaped the realm of the Extreme Demonic and reached the realm of Demonic Transcendence!"

The realm of Demonic Transcendence.

This referred to the realm called the Profound Realm in the Central Plains martial world.

The Young Cult Leader was a martial artist who had surpassed the Transformation and reached the Profound.

Namgung Hui couldn't believe it.

Because if he had already reached the Profound, he would not have remained as the Young Cult Leader and would have been able to receive the position of Cult Leader.

'And if he's at that level, it wouldn't be strange to invade the Central Plains right away. Besides, wasn't the Young Cult Leader faction the radical faction that advocated for invasion?'

On top of that, the Heavenly Demon and the Martial God of his past life were also bodies that had reached the Demonic Transcendence and the Profound Realm.

Of course, at the end, it seemed they had even surpassed that, but at their first meeting, they were definitely at the level of Demonic Transcendence and the Profound Realm.

In other words, if the Young Cult Leader was at the level of Demonic Transcendence, it was no different from saying that he was the best in the world at that time.

Those who had reached the realm above that, the Life and Death Realm, only existed in legends.

And even if they did reach it, they would reach the state of ascending to immortality, so it would be right to say that they could not exist in this world.

'There's no way the Young Cult Leader, who couldn't receive the title of Heavenly Demon and couldn't even properly learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, is at the level of Demonic Transcendence.'

Still, would smoke rise from a chimney that wasn't lit?

Since the Young Cult Leader possessed a martial prowess comparable to that, such a boast would come out.

It was unlikely that a Transcendent master would spout such nonsense.

If so, he should not let the Heavenly Demon Divine Art flow to the Young Cult Leader.

It seemed he had to leave the Blood Cult, stop by the Imperial Palace, and then immediately leave for the Kunlun Mountains.

If the Heavenly Demon Divine Art existed in the Kunlun Mountains, he would surely burn it and destroy it.

If there was someone who had learned it...

'I might have to see it to the end with him.'

If he could keep it well, it would be a different story, but if there was a possibility of it leaking, he would have to thoroughly destroy the manual.

Anyway. He had understood what the Cheon Hojin in front of him was saying.

The Young Cult Leader was a master comparable to the Profound.

And he had to recognize that he was a rather difficult opponent for the current Namgung Hui.

Perhaps the great master the Blood Qilin had mentioned at Gwangcheon Peak was the Young Cult Leader?

If he was the best master in the current Blood Cult, there was a high probability that he was the Young Cult Leader, so it was likely that he was right.

'Still, it's a relief that he's at Gwangcheon Peak and not here at the Blood Heaven Peak. Since he said there was a competition for the next Young Cult Leader.'

"This, this. I'm afraid of the Young Cult Leader, so how can I swing my sword? But what's the matter? The Young Cult Leader is preparing for the Young Cult Leader competition at Gwangcheon Peak. And you're here at the Blood Heaven Peak, and alone in the back mountain."

"You...! How do you know that? That's information that no one in the direct line knows... Don't tell me! The military strategist Bukgung leaked it...?"

"Rest assured. The military strategist Bukgung is not a person who would confess such a thing. Just know that I have my own source of information. Go and meet Yama."

"Are you really going to kill me?"

"Yes. Actually, I have a bit of a grudge against you. No. Is it a bit, or a lot? Anyway. I'll send you off without pain."

As Namgung Hui approached Cheon Hojin with his sword, he quickly knelt down and began to beg and plead.

"Please...! Spare me! I'm not even thirty yet. There are so many things I haven't done yet."

"Are you married?"

"I am. I don't have any children yet, but I have a wife like a rabbit, so please spare me."

"Hmm... Alright. Then I'll think about it if you just answer a few questions."

"Ask me anything. I'll answer everything."

Namgung Hui nodded and organized his thoughts on what to ask first.

'Shall I ask about the Young Cult Leader? No. The Blood Cult members have a strong faith, so there's a high probability they won't talk about it. If so, let's ask about the Dugu family.'

"In which direction is the residence of the Dugu family?"

"The Dugu family's residence is opposite our family's residence."

"I'm asking where that is. Point with your finger."

Cheon Hojin awkwardly took out his finger and pointed in the north direction.

"Our family is in the south, and the Dugu family is located in the north, which is opposite. It's at the highest place, so it will be easy to find."

"Thanks. And how many people are stationed there?"

"Right now, a few people, including the family head, are away. I think there will be around ten people."

It seemed that the inner city, that is, Gwangcheon Peak, had some trouble, so they were away.

Or they might be busy running around for some other reason, like the Dugu family head.

Anyway, the fact that there were few people stationed there was a good thing for Namgung Hui.

Because not only was the risk of being discovered reduced, but the number of people he had to face was also reduced.

"Then. Now, I'll ask one last thing. What do you think of the Namgung family?"

"I don't know why you're suddenly asking that, but since it's the family of the Martial God, aren't they no different from an enemy? A place to be caught and killed."

"Is that so? But you've been fidgeting with your hands since a while ago."

Cheon Hojin, who was startled like a child caught stealing.

He soon composed his expression and smiled.

"You noticed, but it's too late! Now, the Biwolcheon family's... Huh? Why is there no reaction?"

Namgung Hui pointed to the firecracker floating in the air and asked.

"Don't tell me you were waiting for this firecracker to explode?"

"?! Why is that coming out from there! No. Why is it floating in the air? Don't tell me you're using a demonic art?"

"I don't know if you've heard of levitation."

"How could I not know that? It's something even my grandfather can do, you bastard...! Don't tell me! You're a master who has crossed the wall?"

A master who has crossed the wall.

A word referring to the Extreme Demonic and the Transformation.

As much as that, the wall of the Transcendent realm was high and rough, so the distinction was stricter than other realms.

In fact, the number of masters who crossed from the Transcendent realm to the Transformation was extremely small.

To be honest, if you reached the Transformation, you could easily be among the Ten Great Masters.

And that meant that there were less than ten rivals in the world.

On top of that, just because you reached the Transformation didn't mean you could use levitation so freely.

"No matter how much of a Transformation master you are. To interfere with an object held in someone else's hand, it doesn't make sense! You must have used a trick or a demonic art."

As Cheon Hojin said, it might have been impossible to perform a high-level technique like levitation while overcoming another's interference.

But Namgung Hui's understanding of this was extraordinary.

And the essence of the Myriad Rain of Flowers and the Flying Thunder Sword had made this possible.

"I want to ask about the Young Cult Leader, but since you probably won't tell me, I guess I'll just hear your last words."

Cheon Hojin rolled his eyes and said.

"...Didn't you say you'd spare me?"

"But why did you try to set off the firecracker? It seems you didn't trust me from the beginning."

"S-still, a man can't go back on his word! Keep your promise!"

"When did I promise? I just said I'd think about it. Alright. I'll give you one last chance. Tell me about the Young Cult Leader."

"I can't say that..."

Seogeok!

Namgung Hui cut off Cheon Hojin's head without hesitation.

He had been trying to play tricks all along.

And there was no reason to spare a guy who was full of hostility towards the Namgung family.

'And since he's been married, he must have done everything he wanted to do. Then he won't have any regrets even if he dies.'

Besides, he was a descendant of the Young Cult Leader.

There was no need to leave a dangerous element.

Perhaps if he had returned alive, Namgung Hui's existence would have been revealed in detail.

And the blade of revenge that would return would be a bonus.

Namgung Hui thoroughly broke the firecracker he was trying to set off and buried it deep in the ground.

He wanted to burn it with the Samadhi True Fire, but he was afraid it might explode while he was lighting it, so he just buried it in the ground.

Now that the owner of the item was gone, it was time to take the ownerless spoils. Namgung Hui approached Cheon Hojin's corpse and put his hand in his robes.

There was still warmth left, so his robes were warm.

If Cheon Hojin's heart had been as warm as his body temperature, would Namgung Hui have spared him?

He couldn't say for sure, but if he had been as innocent and kind as Muchi, his warm body wouldn't have grown cold like this.

Namgung Hui, before the warmth disappeared, took out a ledger including an identification plaque from his robes.

[Asura Sword Art]

The family martial art of the Biwolcheon family.

Namgung Hui was well aware of the notoriety of the Asura Sword Art.

Because it was the martial art of the Biwolcheon family, the family that had produced the most Heavenly Demons in history, he couldn't help but know it even if he wanted to.

Namgung Cheonhu had once said that if the orthodox faction had the Taiji Wisdom Sword, the Plum Blossom Sword Art, and the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art, the Demonic Cult had the Asura Sword Art, the Nine Transformations Demonic Sword, and the Four Spirits Sword Art.

The three great sword arts of the Demonic Cult.

Each had a strong characteristic, and the countermeasures were also different, so it was said that it was quite difficult to deal with them.

Namgung Hui flipped through the manual of such a great Asura Sword Art and read the incantation.

Indeed, even the techniques in the first half were destructive and vicious.

That a fervent killing intent was felt, as if it would chew up the enemy's heart.

A fanatical obsession remained here and there in the incantation, occupying the space inside the manual.

And so, as Namgung Hui passed the first half and was about to enter the second half.

'What? This is the end? The manual only has the first half.'

Come to think of it, since there was a Young Cult Leader competition and everyone was engrossed in training, there was no way a guy who was loitering around like this was a proper guy.

Even if he was the grandson of the current Young Cult Leader, he should have participated in the next Young Cult Leader competition.

The fact that he wasn't even invited to the competition meant that he didn't have the skills.

It was only natural, since he hadn't even been a match for Namgung Hui for a single second.

'He's not the only grandson. There must be other guys with outstanding martial talent. He would have given the second half of the manual to them.'

It was a shame, but he took significance in the fact that he had obtained a demonic art manual.

Perhaps when he had to disguise himself as a Blood Cult member later, he could at least imitate it with the first half of this Asura Sword Art.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to perform a disguise similar to Cheon Hojin's face.

Namgung Hui looked at Cheon Hojin's corpse and suddenly had a good idea.

If he burned him, smoke would rise, and if he buried him, there was a possibility of him being discovered.

If so, he could try using the poison called Bone-Melting Powder that he had newly obtained.

Namgung Hui took out the small gourd bottle in his robes and dropped just three drops on the corpse.

-Chiiik...

The clothes started to burn, and the corpse began to melt.

With the sound of something being seared, the corpse disappeared without a trace in an instant.

Although he was watching with his eyes open, he couldn't understand the principle at all.

Still, the good thing was that it didn't affect living creatures at all.

So it was even more amazing.

Namgung Hui erased the traces of the fight and returned to the warehouse where he had parted with the Red-Haired Monster.

But the Red-Haired Monster was not alone in the warehouse.

And with a familiar face at that.

(End of Chapter)