Rebirth of the Thunder God

As soon as Namgung Hui consumed the Heavenly King Pill, his vision flickered, and the world before him turned pitch black.

As if to prove it wasn't a delusion, his senses gradually faded, and all five senses were blocked.

Could it be that the Fist King had given him poison instead of a Heavenly King Pill?

But Namgung Hui, even in this difficult situation, was actually smiling.

'The medicine is working properly. It's just as I heard.'

At first, the Heavenly King Pill seemed to block the five senses, but this was closer to a dissociation phenomenon that occurred as the senses suddenly became sharper.

For example, just as it's hard for a person to adjust after being in the water for a long time and then coming out.

It takes time to adapt to the enhanced five senses.

Of course, this case was the exact opposite.

As time passed, Namgung Hui's senses slowly began to return.

The previous Fist King had said that this, too, was a form of shock therapy.

The fact that the five senses became extremely sensitive to adapt to the blacked-out vision might have been the result.

Just as creatures adapted to dark environments have particularly outstanding Ki senses.

Namgung Hui, with his eyes closed, adapted to the changed senses.

'It will take quite some time just to adapt completely. Still, this is a satisfactory result.'

But the functions of the Heavenly King Pill did not end here.

The extreme development of the senses was a secondary effect of the Heavenly King Pill.

In fact, the true effect of the Heavenly King Pill was in strengthening the body.

Not all members of the Hwangbo family were born with outstanding bodies.

But all members of the Hwangbo family possessed outstanding bodies.

That meant they had filled that deficiency with this Heavenly King Pill.

Of course, there must have been harsh training and trials in the process, but it was also true that the role of this Heavenly King Pill was significant.

Flash.

When Namgung Hui opened his eyes, the world looked different.

His cognitive faculties perceived and transmitted more information than before.

To the point that he could predict if it would rain just by looking up at the sky.

Perhaps the First Envoy's Insight was also in this context.

Namgung Hui clenched and unclenched his fists for a moment, adapting to his changed body.

Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch.

Not a single one was left out; they had all become sensitive and keen.

The distant Yarlung Zangbo Mountain looked as if it were right in front of his nose.

The sound of the valley water flowing sounded like a storm.

The blowing wind was full of all sorts of smells.

The desolate smell of the desert, the green scent of the grasslands, and various other mysterious smells pricked his nose.

Among them, what drew Namgung Hui's interest the most was the sticky scent of blood detected from afar.

'Did a fight break out? The smell of blood on such a vast land.'

Perhaps because of his extremely heightened five senses, his curiosity also grew even more.

Perhaps it was a change that occurred because he was full of confidence due to his overflowing vitality.

Well, anyway, Namgung Hui was already in the ranks of a supreme master with no rivals.

Could there be anyone stronger than him in Qinghai Province?

This confidence was not arrogance, but pride.

Namgung Hui stood up from his seat and then said to Jang Hwang.

"Brother. We must set out right away."

"How come you show no change even after eating a spirit medicine? As expected, what I ate was better."

"In some aspects, that might be the case. But what I ate is also a very outstanding spirit medicine."

The Heavenly King Pill was a really good match for Namgung Hui.

Hadn't his form been somewhat unstable while forcibly fitting the harmony of mind, Ki, and body until now?

The Heavenly King Pill took on the role of filling the parts that Namgung Hui lacked, like the finishing touch on a dragon painting.

Not everyone who consumed the Heavenly King Pill saw such outstanding effects as Namgung Hui.

Fortune favors the prepared.

In fact, the Heavenly King Pill was merely for filling in the deficient parts.

"So where are you trying to go?"

"It seems a fight has broken out a little distance away. It's faint, but I can smell blood."

"Oho. The only ones who would start a fight here would be a bandit group. Now. Let's go at once. I need to see the faces of the bandits."

Jang Hwang naturally got on Namgung Hui's back.

And Namgung Hui, paying more attention than before, performed the Wind God Steps.

Hwik, hwik, hwik.

A feeling that the speed did not decrease even though he had reduced the pace.

That was the result of Namgung Hui's body becoming even stronger.

But Jang Hwang, also due to the body-nourishing spirit medicine, did not lose consciousness or struggle like before.

Rather, this time, he managed to hang on to Namgung Hui's back without using a rope.

And so, having traversed the distance in an instant, Namgung Hui was able to arrive at the source of the blood scent.

Now, it wasn't just the smell.

-Chaeng, chaeng, chaeng!

The sound of weapons clashing could also be heard.

As expected, clear evidence that a fight had broken out.

Namgung Hui hid his presence and quietly climbed a tree to watch the fight.

"Man from the Central Plains. Give up. Your companions are all dead, and only you two are left. If you hand over everything you have even now, I'll spare your lives. Hahaha!"

"Lies! Even after we emptied our pockets and paid the price, didn't you take their lives!"

The bandit picked his ear and said.

"Did we do that? I don't remember."

"Y-You shameless bandits...!"

"Calling a bandit shameless is the highest compliment. I don't know where to put myself. By the way, it seems there's still more you haven't handed over. Why don't you hand over the rest?"

"Are you telling me to hand over this neck?"

"No. I don't need the neck of a stinky man. The wench over there. If you just hand over that bitch, I'll let you live. Ah, ah. I won't kill the wench either. Instead, ehehe!!"

At the bandit's sinister laughter, the man and woman surrounded by the bandits trembled.

Perhaps because if they were caught by the bandits like this, their future was as clear as day.

The man would be killed or used as a slave, and the woman's fate was needless to say.

"Dancheong. I'm done for, so you should at least live."

"Y-Young lady!"

The woman shook off the man's hand and obediently walked towards the bandits.

It was like watching a pitiful cow being dragged to a slaughterhouse.

She glared at the bandit in front of her and opened her mouth.

"I came as you wished. Instead, let that man go."

"Oho. This one is a more strong-willed heroine than I thought. Wouldn't it have been better if you had come out like this from the start? Then maybe the kids who died earlier could have been saved."

"Chief. You would have killed them anyway, wouldn't you?"

-Bbak!

The bandit who had slapped his subordinate on the back of the head shook his head and said.

"This heavenly chief is in the middle of a negotiation. Where are you flapping your mouth? Don't mess around. Huh?"

"Yes. Yes."

"Then shall we finish the negotiation? Boys! Tie up the wench and kill the man!"

"Wh-What! That's not what you said!"

"Wench. You only asked me to let the man go. You didn't say to let him go alive. I'll kill him and send him to the underworld. Hahaha!!"

As the bandit leader's resonant laughter shook the forest, the bandits all threw themselves at the man.

The man had already exhausted his stamina, and since the woman he served had even been taken captive, his heart was also broken.

And so, the moment he obediently bowed his head to offer his neck.

-Kang!

Suddenly, a light flashed in the air, and one of the bandits rolled on the ground.

"Keuk!"

"Who is it!"

The faces of the bandits all turned at once.

Each and every face was certainly different from those of the Central Plains people.

'Are they the Hui people? They certainly don't seem to be Han people.'

Although many Han people also lived in the Qinghai Province area, their numbers had drastically decreased due to frequent wars and the Righteous-Demonic War 60 years ago.

Since Namgung Hui also had a share in that, he couldn't help but have mixed feelings.

'It's not just me. Seolhwa's share is also quite large.'

The bandit leader looked at such a Namgung Hui and said.

"Where did you crawl out from? There was clearly no one around."

"What do you mean, crawl out? I fell from the sky. Are your eyes bad because of the sandstorm?"

"What? This bastard has a mouth, so he can say anything. You should try dying too. Boys! Attack all at once!"

This time, even the bandit leader joined in, and ten bandits swung their curved swords.

The strength of the bandits was that they were skilled in wheel-like battles, attacking and retreating in an instant.

On top of that.

-Hwik, hwik!

A volley of arrows flew towards Namgung Hui.

Since they were shot with a strong bow that was hard to see even in the Central Plains, they were extremely fierce.

Certainly, their systematic attacks and individual martial prowess were superior to the simple bandits in the Central Plains.

But that was only useful if it hit.

Namgung Hui elegantly stepped on the Thunder Shadow Victory Steps, struck down all the arrows, and extended his palm.

-Kureureung!

A heavy palm technique that struck the air and flew towards the bandits.

The shape of the blackish palm was truly like a Buddha descending and punishing the bandits.

Jang Hwang did not doubt that the bandits would die just like this.

Hadn't he been completely fascinated by the charm of this Great Hand Seal from the first time he saw Namgung Hui?

That was why Jang Hwang knew the power of the Great Hand Seal better than anyone.

But.

"Everyone! To the formation against the tornado!!!"

Chak, chak, chak!

As if the ten bandits had become one body, they formed a line in an orderly manner.

As if it were really a formation to face a tornado, they safely deflected the grand energy of the Great Hand Seal.

Not only Jang Hwang, who was watching this, but also Namgung Hui could not help but show a rather surprised expression.

Even if it wasn't a decisive blow, the power of the Great Hand Seal was superior to the Thunder Burst Palm.

To think that mere bandits could deflect such a Great Hand Seal, Namgung Hui's pride could not help but be cracked.

"So this is what the bandit group of Qinghai Province is like. Quite something."

"You! This palm technique is something I've never seen or heard of! You've learned a wicked art!"

Although the bandits had safely dodged the Great Hand Seal, the ones who were most surprised would be them, who had faced the Great Hand Seal directly.

Even now, some of the bandits were having a hard time calming their startled hearts.

Even the tornadoes they had encountered while roaming the grasslands and deserts were not this murderous.

It was a power reminiscent of a wicked art, just as the bandit leader had said.

"Shit. If this isn't a wicked art, what is?"

"My heart is still pounding."

The bandits, each spitting out curses.

Although they were surprised, they were not scared.

As if to show that they were stubborn bastards, they each even self-harmed and renewed their fighting spirit.

Above all, the special thing about the bandits was that they had learned a quite strong martial art.

In fact, you can't deflect the Great Hand Seal with just a defensive formation.

As it was, hadn't the bandits dismounted from their horses?

That was how high the level of the bandits was.

'As expected, they're not ordinary fellows. If I show this much of a gap, they usually tuck their tails and run.'

Since Namgung Hui had no intention of letting them live anyway, this time, he decided to face them more seriously.

Sreureung.

For the first time in a long time, the inky sword blade revealed itself.

The Sword Spirit dwelling in the Thunder God Sword, as if it were very pleased to breathe the outside air, spoke.

[The air here seems particularly clear. And the Ki is also very abundant~]

-I'm going to go all out for the first time in a while. So be quiet.

[Alright. Then fight hard~]

As soon as the Sword Spirit's words ended, Namgung Hui infused his energy into the Thunder God Sword.

A purple sword light that bloomed in an instant.

Soon, the purple sword light condensed and shone even more redly.

Flying Thunder Sword. Chapter of the Flower Rain. Red Thunder.

Namgung Hui's own insight, combined with the secret technique of the Ten Thousand Flower Rain.

The Thunder God Sword, imbued with Thunder Ki and magnetic force, freely cut through the air and flew.

It looked similar to the Eye-Driven Sword that the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader had performed before, but the group was quite different.

[Heehee! This is fun. Fun~]

Unlike the Sword Spirit's cheerful voice, the Thunder God Sword emitted a ferocious energy.

A red stream of thunder .

A waterspout reminiscent of the Wolf King's Sleeping Dragon River engulfed the bandits.

-KABOOOOM!!

Purple and red, and on top of that, a pungent black.

A brilliant light haze bloomed in the forest like a mirage.

"..."

The surroundings were quiet, as if everyone's existence had been erased.

In that silence, Jang Hwang swallowed hard.

And following that, the silence was broken with someone's cough.

"Cough! Cough!"

A wide pit had been created in the middle of the forest by Namgung Hui's Red Thunder.

In the remaining ashes, rags that looked like clothes fluttered.

"Y-Younger brother. What did you just perform? A light flashed, and the bandits disappeared. Did you really perform a martial art?"

The power of a stance that was unrealistic even to Jang Hwang's eyes.

Since he had never fully revealed his martial arts with the Thunder God Sword, Jang Hwang's surprise was natural.

On top of that, his meridians and the inside of his body had also been strengthened by the Heavenly King Pill.

Since the output of the Sword Ki was affected by the meridians, the power of the Flying Thunder Sword was bound to stand out even more.

'I owe the Fist King. The effect of the Heavenly King Pill is better than I thought.'

To say it was comparable to the Small Reversion Pill was a lie.

This was a top-grade spirit medicine that far surpassed the Small Reversion Pill and was comparable to the Purple Elixir Pill or the Great Clarity Pill.

However, even if Namgung Hui had been stubborn, it was just surprising that he had given it up so readily after receiving it.

Well, the fox-like Fist King would not have given it to Namgung Hui without such a calculation.

Since there was a debt, all he had to do was repay it, so for now, he walked towards the man and woman who were trembling in front of him.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"...Ah. We're f-fine."

A look of being completely terrified.

And for good reason, it was strange for words to come out properly after witnessing an unrealistic martial art.

A light flashed before their eyes, and ten bandits disappeared in an instant.

If it wasn't really a wicked art, could this be possible with human strength?

Of course, if it were one of the Ten Great Masters, it would be a possible talent, but the man in front of them just looked like a ronin.

Besides, he didn't look that old either.

Namgung Hui quickly launched a barrage of questions at them to change the atmosphere.

"Why were you crossing Qinghai Province?"

"Ah. We have important business in the Kunlun Mountains."

Coincidentally, their destination was the same as Namgung Hui's.

Well, when you think about it, one-third of the reasons for going to Qinghai Province would be the Kunlun Mountains.

Whether it was to dig for spirit medicines, or to receive the sacred energy of the Kunlun Mountains.

"I see. Then it seems you've come from the Central Plains. May I know your affiliation?"

Who knows?

If it were one of the three major merchant guilds of the Central Plains or a place that Namgung Hui had a connection with, he might allow them to accompany him.

If they also had Namgung Hui's escort, it would not be impossible to go safely to the Kunlun Mountains.

The man, as if he had sensed that, immediately straightened his posture and said carefully.

"W-We are from the Sun God Palace.”

(End of Chapter)