Rebirth of the Thunder God

"Fire! Fire!"

As soon as Namgung Hui arrived at the first village, he encountered an accident called a fire, and a sigh escaped him on its own.

'Sigh... My fate is what it is. There's no easy way.'

But no matter how long he sighed, the flames flickering before his eyes did not seem to subside.

Looking around, no matter how much water was thrown, the flames did not seem to lose their momentum.

But he couldn't just stand by and watch the surroundings turn into a pile of ashes, so Namgung Hui rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

-Whoosh...!

A small whirlwind raged from Namgung Hui's palm, then shot out, emitting a strong Ki wave.

A huge pressure descended upon the flames.

The shape of a palm, pressing down as if to suffocate it.

It resembled the Tathagata's Divine Palm, but there was a clear difference in that it contained a more hegemonic momentum.

Perhaps because of that unprecedented great power, the flames gradually lost their force, became shabby, and then even their form disappeared.

-Swoosh...

Where the flames had disappeared, only a gray pile of ashes and black smoke flickered.

Even though the fire was suppressed in an instant, the people around were still staring blankly, in a daze.

"...?"

It was due to the lack of realism.

Who could extinguish a huge fire in a single move?

It could only be considered impossible with human power.

'This is why the Esoteric Sect's Great Hand Seal has a history of being treated as a demonic art.'

On top of that, unlike the Tathagata's Divine Palm, which had a divine aura, the Esoteric Sect's Great Hand Seal had a dark color from the start, making it even slightly repulsive.

Although one should refrain from judging anything by its appearance, due to human instinct, it was inevitable that it would be influenced by the unknown energy and the color it possessed.

Was it because of that?

This time, no one approached Namgung Hui, who was disguised as a ronin.

They must have thought he was an unorthodox path person.

Rather, Namgung Hui thought it was a relief to have avoided the trouble.

But.

-Whoosh~!

"Wow~ That's amazing. What's the name of the palm technique you just performed? You don't seem to be from the Shaolin Temple."

A man who looked like a ronin approached Namgung Hui with a swaggering gait.

To have such an attitude even after seeing Namgung Hui's fierce Great Hand Seal.

Was he confident in his own martial arts?

But from what Namgung Hui felt, that person was only at the first-rate realm.

'Is he trusting the person behind him?'

A middle-aged man who appeared to be the employer of the ronin who had just stepped forward.

Unlike the ronin, seeing his formal attire, he looked like the head of a family or a sect.

And the middle-aged man's Ki was also outstanding, enough for the ronin to step forward with such confidence.

"If you really want to know the name of the palm technique, tell the person who's curious to come and ask himself, not you."

"..."

As Namgung Hui acted as if he knew everything, the ronin stealthily glanced at his employer.

The middle-aged man, the employer, as if he were really curious about the name of the palm technique, stealthily got up from behind and approached Namgung Hui.

"Hohohot! Even though I'm like this, I'm confident in my eye for things, but since this is a palm technique I'm seeing for the first time. I had my subordinate ask. If you were perhaps offended, I apologize."

"Why would I be offended? As you said, anyone would be curious when they see a martial art for the first time. And aren't people more important than martial arts? My name is Jang Cheol. What is your name, brother?"

"Oh. I also use the surname Jang. My name is Hwang. Jang Hwang. It's a pleasure to meet someone from the same roots."

Of course, since Namgung Hui's real name was not that, he was not from the same origin as the middle-aged man in front of him.

Still, if humanity were to trace its roots back, wouldn't they meet at one root someday?

Namgung Hui, first thinking of a martial art name to make up, cautiously began to speak.

"The name of the palm technique is the Dark Soul-Extinguishing Palm."

Although it was a somewhat cringey name, since it contained a black energy and had also shown a power that seemed to make the soul disappear, he thought it was a fitting name.

Jang Hwang, who had heard such a chilling name, nodded his head with a convinced expression.

It seemed Namgung Hui's naming had worked.

"Soul-Extinguishing Palm, it's a fitting name. What is your sect?"

"There's no sect to speak of. I just learned a move or two from here and there."

"You don't have a particular place of origin either? Then you must be heading to the Iron Blood Fortress."

"You said Iron Blood Fortress, not Iron Blood Alliance?"

Jang Hwang smiled triumphantly and continued.

"That's right. Everyone mistakes it for an alliance, but Fortress Lord Hwangbo has proclaimed it a fortress, not an alliance. He said he's going on a different path from the Martial Alliance. Anyway. Since the Fortress Lord says so, shouldn't we call it the Iron Blood Fortress? And what's in a name."

As Jang Hwang said, the name was not important.

Whether it was an association, an alliance, or a fortress.

The members and the direction were what was important.

That was why Namgung Hui, who seemed to know something well, continued to ask Jang Hwang.

"Brother Jang, since you seem to know something well, I'm asking. Can you tell me the purpose of the Iron Blood Fortress and any famous places among the factions that have joined?"

"The purpose. Well, it's a widely known fact, so it's nothing special. It's just to unite the marginalized classes and to resist the existing vested interests. To put it simply, it's about us gathering together to eat and live well. And as for the factions that have joined..."

Jang Hwang paused for a moment, looked around, and then leaned close to Namgung Hui and whispered.

"This is not a widely known fact, so it's a matter that cannot be carelessly talked about. Still, since I've met someone from the same origin, I'll tell you. Ahem. The Hainan Sect has recently joined."

"!?"

The Hainan Sect.

Of course, it was difficult to see it as a sect that completely belonged to the orthodox faction, but at one time, it was a place with enough potential to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Nine Sects.

Since Hainan Island was so far away, there wasn't much exchange, but when pirates appeared, the Hainan Sect would ask for help, or the Central Plains would ask for help, and they were always in a relationship of helping each other.

To think they would show interest in the land of the Central Plains.

'I know that the Hainan Sect's internal affairs are complicated, but it seems they've been sorted out to some extent recently.'

Well, the era Namgung Hui knew was more than 60 years ago, so the situation now would be completely different.

Perhaps because the Hainan Sect was located on an island, he had heard that the conflict between the factions on that small island was quite severe.

Wars between the factions over the position of sect leader would break out from time to time.

And by the time the war between the factions ended, the conflict would intensify again due to the invasion of Japanese pirates.

Well, since he wasn't greatly interested in what happened to the Hainan Sect, he listened to the next words that Jang Hwang brought up.

"And another sect, the Kongtong Sect, has joined."

"!!?"

The Kongtong Sect. It was the name of a sect that Namgung Hui couldn't help but be surprised by, his eyes flashing.

No matter how much the Kongtong Sect was called the last seat of the Nine Sects, it was strictly one of the great sects belonging to the Nine Sects One Union.

"Unlike the Hainan Sect, the joining of a member of the Nine Sects will have a greater impact than the joining of the Hwangbo family."

"Still, I think I know why they joined."

The Kongtong Sect, like the Diancang Sect, was located in a rather remote place.

Gansu Province, Mount Kongtong.

Although it was a relatively closer place than the Diancang Sect in Yunnan, it was also true that it was far from the Five Great Families or the mainstream sects of the Nine Sects.

Considering the sense of alienation they must have felt, it was a perfectly understandable part that they had joined the Iron Blood Fortress.

Since the Kunlun Sect, which had been a barrier for them, had entered seclusion and was not coming out, the anxiety the Kongtong Sect felt was bound to be different.

'Sichuan Province, which is below Gansu Province, has the Qingcheng, Emei, and Tang families attached to it, so they wouldn't feel a sense of alienation or anxiety.'

On top of that, Gansu Province was also close to Guizhou Province.

Because if you just crossed Sichuan Province, there was Guizhou Province.

Of course, since the Emei, Qingcheng, and Tang families were in the middle, if they blocked the way, the Kongtong Sect wouldn't be able to move carelessly, but even if the Tang family didn't, the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect wouldn't block them.

"That's right. The Maoshan Sect, where I am the sect leader, is also planning to join. Have you perhaps heard the name of our sect?"

"The Maoshan Sect, isn't that the sect famous for sorcery?"

"Oh! It's an honor that you know."

Although Namgung Hui said it casually, the Maoshan Sect was a place that had gained wide fame for its sorcery.

Of course, even in the Thunder God's era, its power had weakened a lot, so there were few who remembered it.

It would have gained fame around 100 years ago.

Even in the Thunder God's era, its fame had declined a lot, so it was needless to say now, 60 years later.

No. It could be said that it was amazing that it had survived without being annihilated like this.

'Is it because there are so few disciples that they're even hiring ronin like this and heading to the Iron Blood Fortress?'

The Maoshan Sect's position was also perfectly understandable.

As a sect that mainly dealt with sorcery, it was a place that was treated as being between orthodox and unorthodox.

And since it was located in Mount Mao, Jiangsu Province, which could be seen as the eastern end of the Central Plains, the Maoshan Sect was also a geographically isolated sect.

The union of the marginalized classes that the Iron Blood Fortress had put forward.

For a border sect, there would be no more attractive proposal than this.

As Namgung Hui and Jang Hwang roughly finished exchanging names, the ronin behind them clapped his hands and changed the atmosphere.

"Alright, alright. Instead of talking in the middle of the road like this. Let's move to another place."

"I asked you to guide me to Guiyang, didn't I?"

"That's right?"

"Here's the balance. I'll find the rest on my own, so let's part ways now."

The ronin had no reason to refuse, as he was being paid without having to go a long way.

The ronin, who had taken the silver, nodded his head and said.

"Alright. Sect Leader. I wish you good luck on your future journey."

"I wish you good luck in battle as well. And take this talisman with you."

The ronin's eyes sparkled at the word 'talisman,' and he quickly put it in his bosom.

"Thank you. I will not forget the Sect Leader's goodwill. Please be sure to look for this Somyo again at the ronin camp later. Then, I'll be on my way."

As the ronin named Somyo disappeared like that, Namgung Hui stealthily asked Jang Hwang.

"What was that talisman you just gave him?"

"Ah. It's not really a talisman. That man named Somyo smelled quite bad, so I applied the sap of a cypress tree, which repels smells, and gave him any piece of paper."

"Oho. There was such a thing."

"Now. Let's us also set out on the road to the Iron Blood Fortress."

"Alright. Let's go."

And so, Namgung Hui's journey with a new companion was more interesting and had more to gain than expected.

So much so that he lost track of time.

* * *

"Hahaha! To meet a younger brother who gets along so well with me. I really wonder if we're not from the same bloodline."

Namgung Hui, who had started speaking informally with Jang Hwang at some point, had become quite good friends with him, just as Jang Hwang had said.

Their food tastes were similar, and they also scratched each other's backs where they didn't know.

And even in martial arts, he had taught Namgung Hui knowledge in the field of sorcery that he didn't know.

'This is a really unexpected gain. As it was, I was a little worried about the sorcery of the Hoicheon Association and the Blood Cult, so this is a good thing.'

He should have asked Cheongi-ja earlier, but whenever he met him, there was always an unexpected bombshell declaration, so he never had the chance.

Still, it was a great fortune that he could meet the sect leader of the Maoshan Sect, who was skilled in sorcery, and ask for his advice.

"Older brother. Still, wouldn't it be a little dangerous for the sect leader to go out alone without a single disciple?"

"It's fine. I know that the sect leader of the Thunder God Sect in the past also traveled the martial world alone like this."

Whether this was also fate, strangely, it seemed that the past Maoshan Sect Leader and the founding master of the Thunder God Sect had also been acquainted.

Then again. The reason Namgung Hui knew the location of the Maoshan Sect and their information was all due to the records passed down in his sect.

And so, while chatting with the Maoshan Sect Leader, they had arrived at Weng'an, where the Divine Physician Sect Leader was said to be, before he knew it.

But in Guizhou Province, how did the atmosphere change so much every time they passed a village?

Weng'an County was like walking on thin ice, so much so that it was reminiscent of the North Sea.