Rebirth of the Thunder God

"Then. Hui, will you try to break my will?"

It was what Namgung Hui had been hoping for.

He hadn't been able to say it because he was worried about offending Yu Seolran, but for her to willingly propose it like this, he had no choice but to welcome it enthusiastically.

"Alright. I'll make you realize that I'm not the same person I was last time."

Of course, Yu Seolran was also not the same person she was in the past.

Her skin had become much firmer, as if she had truly become younger.

That meant that based on her deepened internal energy, she had obtained a result close to returning to youth.

The way to build up internal energy in a short period of time was, as expected.

'She must have eaten a spirit medicine. Come to think of it, Father's internal energy has also increased.'

Of course, Namgung Hui had offered Namgung Uncheon a few spirit medicines out of filial piety.

But Yu Seolran's Moon Maiden Palace was not a wealthy organization.

And since she had been staying at the Namgung family, there were almost no ways to procure spirit medicines.

No. It would be safe to say that there were none at all.

'Hmm... I don't know who gave it to her, but it's clear she ate a pretty good spirit medicine.'

Anyway, she was already a strong person, strong enough to be among the top ten masters.

The Moon Maiden Palace Lady, who had become even stronger, was not an opponent that Namgung Hui could look down on, even if he had reached the Transformation Realm.

But since she was not an opponent he couldn't win against, he boldly accepted the duel.

Rather, Namgung Hui was not the same Namgung Hui he was back then.

Yu Seolran might have eaten just one spirit medicine, but hadn't Namgung Hui completely melted down the Summoning Pill and even the Hwaryeong Divine Pill?

On top of that, he had learned the Two Forms Divine Art and had even achieved the great completion of the Purple Thunder Divine Art.

Besides that, he had also learned various martial arts such as the Flying Thunder Sword, the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Sword Art, the Lightning Flash Thirteen Thunders, the One Yang Divine Art, the Light-Splitting Sword Art, and the Phantom Shadow Steps.

The harmony of spirit, energy, and mind was completely achieved and had even developed.

But that didn't mean Namgung Hui was looking down on her.

Even in the last duel, Yu Seolran had not faced him with all her might.

In other words, it meant that she had many hidden moves.

The reason she was insisting on the golden basin hand-washing now was probably because there were many ultimate techniques she had not yet shown to the martial world.

"Then guide me to the training ground. No. This won't be an ordinary fight, so let's move to a wide open space."

Namgung Hui also didn't want the Namgung family to be devastated again, so he immediately thought of a nearby wild mountain at her words.

"Then please follow me."

Namgung Hui threw his body first and flew away.

Even though he ran at a considerable speed, no one fell far behind.

Even the Vice Palace Lady, Na Harin, followed Namgung Hui's movement technique at a fast speed.

'Her lightness skill is quite good. Father has also polished his lacking movement technique.'

And even Yu Seolran was performing a considerably outstanding lightness skill.

While the others were somewhat out of breath, she alone showed no signs of fatigue.

He had wondered why Beak Seolhwa's lightness skill was so good, and it seemed it was because she had been taught by the Palace Lady.

'Indeed. I heard that the Moon Maiden Palace learns lightness skills before other martial arts. Since they would remember the times they were oppressed, they must have learned how to run away first.'

And so, Namgung Hui, who had arrived at the wild mountain clearing in an instant, took a spot in a wide and quiet place and turned around.

"If it's here, I don't think we'll be a nuisance to the surroundings."

"Yes. If it's here, I can also perform my martial arts to my heart's content. Then, where. I'll yield the first move. Come at me."

Seeing Namgung Uncheon and Na Harin move far away, Namgung Hui drew his sword.

-Sreureung...!

A clear and bright sword cry spread through the wild mountain clearing.

Although the sword cry had been clear before, there had never been such a clear and deep echo.

That was because the more the Sword Spirit ate the spirit medicine, the more it left a special energy in the Thunder God Sword.

He didn't know if it should be seen as a by-product of digesting the spirit medicine, but as much as the Sword Spirit absorbed the energy, a strange energy was also gathering in the Thunder God Sword.

On top of that, it wasn't just that energy was accumulating, but it felt as if a function was also being created.

'Just like now, I can easily perform the Sword Control Art without putting much intent into it...!'

Of course, he couldn't show a powerful force like attacking with intent.

Still, the fact that he could perform the Sword Control Art with so little internal energy could be seen as a special function.

It could be used as an impromptu response or a life-saving ultimate technique in an emergency.

On top of that, if more energy accumulated in the future, there was no telling how it would change.

Namgung Hui, after admiring the appearance of the Thunder God Sword, turned his gaze to the front.

Then Yu Seolran also looked at the Thunder God Sword and added a word.

"Do not be arrogant just because you have a famous sword. My sword has no eyes, so no matter how handsome you are, I will not go easy on you. Do not resent me even if you get a scar on your face."

"That's what I wanted to say to you. Your face has become younger, so please don't scold me for damaging it..."

Namgung Hui, while finishing his words, secretly glanced at his father.

In the past, he would not have felt the strange current flowing between Yu Seolran and his father, but not now.

The relationship between the two was presumed to be a very private male-female relationship rather than that of the heads of their respective organizations.

In the first place, if it had been an exchange between martial arts organizations, there would have been no need to have such a long relationship.

And there were other sects or families that should be prioritized.

'Among the Nine Sects One Union, there would be the Mount Hua Sect, and among the Five Great Families, there would be the Jegal family and the Sichuan Tang family. The Jegal family is a family that has had exchanges since ancient times, and the Sichuan Tang family is even a family that has newly built our family.'

Nevertheless, Namgung Uncheon was still on good terms with the Moon Maiden Palace Lady.

Even though the Sichuan Tang family head had visited the Namgung family, it seemed he had not had much exchange with him.

Well, it was highly possible that the Tang family head had not had time because he was learning the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild he had newly acquired, but still, if he had tried to promote friendship with Namgung Uncheon, he would not have been so distant.

"Haha! Yes. Let's see if you can hurt me. Come on!"

Namgung Hui nodded and immediately thrust his sword.

A swift sword resolution that flew like an arrow, as if performing a Body Flicker.

The Three Talents Sword Art he had obtained before was already embodied and melted into all his sword arts.

Light-Splitting Sword Art. First form, Light-Splitting Flash.

A flash of light exploded from the tip of the Thunder God Sword, and a wave of light spread out.

It wasn't just a simple flash of light, but that wave contained Namgung Hui's profound internal energy.

-Tang!

A strong repulsive force was felt.

Although Yu Seolran had expected Namgung Hui to perform a powerful move from the start, Namgung Hui's sword art was much stronger than she had thought.

To the point where her body was pushed back by about two zhang.

Yu Seolran looked at the footprints that were deeply dug under her feet and frowned for a moment.

'If this goes on, I'll be told that I yielded the first move. I have to perform my ultimate technique before I'm further disgraced.'

Yu Seolran's clothes fluttered, and a powerful ki wave filled the clearing and flew away.

It seemed as if she was expressing her will to erase the traces of the flash that Namgung Hui had performed.

As the ki wave stirred and her sleeves fluttered again, the tip of her sword flew to Namgung Hui's face in an instant.

An extremely soft and gentle sword momentum.

It seemed cozy enough to embrace everything, but that was a trap.

It contained a fatal momentum within its softness.

It felt like watching the principle of Taiji that the Wudang Sect pursued.

Although he had never properly witnessed the Taiji Wisdom Sword, he thought it would probably feel like this.

-Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng!

The wave of swords that poured out in succession attacked Namgung Hui from all directions as if to surround him.

The wave of swords soon turned into a wave, and that wave also soon became a storm and struck Namgung Hui.

-Kagagang!!

The butterfly's flapping of its wings had become a tornado and was relentlessly pushing Namgung Hui.

The gently rippling waves were beautiful to look at from a distance, but when they turned into such an angry wave, they were scarier than ever.

'But that's only scary when you fall into the sea. I will not allow even a single drop of water to touch me!'

Namgung Hui's body, which had been swaying from side to side, suddenly became upright as if he had performed a Thousand-Pound Drop.

Namgung Hui, who had stopped in a formal posture, a loud roar exploded from his Thunder God Sword, and a blue flash of lightning struck down from the sky.

Lightning Flash Thirteen Thunders. Sixth form, Falling Thunder.

-Kwaaang!!!

A blue ray of light came down vertically and scattered into white ash.

The powerful lightning flash that occurred in that process not only blinded Yu Seolran's vision but also made her mind dizzy.

'W-what is this. Is this a sword art performed by a late-stage master...! This has far surpassed the ranks of a late-stage master!'

Before her appreciation could continue, Namgung Hui performed the next move.

Lightning Flash Thirteen Thunders. Seventh form, Flashing Thunder.

If the previous Falling Thunder had fallen vertically, this time's Flashing Thunder drew a horizon and flew in a straight line.

On top of that, the mystery of the Three Talents Sword Art was melted into it, and the path of the immortal was added, making it extremely fast.

In an instant, Namgung Hui's body was behind Yu Seolran.

He didn't know when he had extended his sword, but a strange heat was rising from the tip of the Thunder God Sword.

-Sageuk.

A cutting sound was heard late, and the fluttering sleeve floated in the air and flew towards Namgung Uncheon.

Namgung Uncheon snatched the fluttering sleeve and looked back and forth between Namgung Hui and Yu Seolran.

'This is definitely the Moon Maiden Palace Lady's sleeve. When did he cut it? It's hard to follow even with my eyes. Is this really my son's skill?'

Namgung Hui's skill, which was unbelievable even after seeing it with his own two eyes.

As if to show that he had been hiding his martial arts all this time.

His sword was relentlessly pouring out ultimate techniques.

Like that momentum, Namgung Hui changed his stance and gripped his sword again, as if he were going to perform the next move.

Yu Seolran, whose pride would not allow her to be pushed back like this, bit her lip and raised her internal energy.

Moon Maiden Sword Art. Chapter of Ascension. Full Moon.

Moonlight poured down from all directions, and a chilling yin ki rushed in.

Although it was slightly different from Beak Seolhwa's ice art, the secret and eerie feeling like moonlight was warning Namgung Hui not to be careless.

-Changchangchang!

The full moon-shaped sword aura clashed with the Thunder God Sword, creating a clear and sharp sword cry.

This was not a simple sword aura.

It was a Sword Aura Compression Pill made by compressing the sword aura.

It was a technique commonly called a Sword Pill.

'If it's a Sword Pill, I'm also in danger. I should deflect this rather than receive it head-on.'

No matter how strong a technique was, it was useless if it didn't hit.

Moreover, since Yu Seolran was not used to using the Sword Pill, there seemed to be many flaws in her technique.

Namgung Hui used the absolute striking point and received the Sword Pill at an angle.

-Kwaaang!!

With a loud roar, the bounced Sword Pill fell to the ground, creating a large puddle in the wild mountain clearing in an instant.

A pit that seemed to be over five zhang.

It was as large as a crater where a meteorite had fallen.

Although the Sword Pill was a realm higher than the sword aura and lower than the Sword Control Art.

Nevertheless, since it was a compressed sword aura, its power was more than enough to devastate the clearing.

-Hwiiing...

A desolate wind passed between Namgung Hui and Yu Seolran.

After a storm had passed, a chilly atmosphere swirled around the sunken pit and disappeared.

Teolseok.

Although it was not a very loud sound, it was heard unusually loudly because the surroundings were quiet.

Yu Seolran knelt on one knee and recalled a self-deprecating smile.

"To think that I couldn't gain the upper hand even after performing the Sword Pill, I'm so dumbfounded that my legs are giving out."

Yu Seolran sat down as if her legs had really given out.

But Namgung Hui, knowing that she had not used all her strength, did not put down his sword.

No, rather, he was about to extend his sword to Yu Seolran again.

-Kang!

Someone ran up and knocked away Namgung Hui's sword.

(End of Chapter)