Rebirth of the Thunder God

'Is she hurt somewhere? I'll have to take a closer look.'

And so, the moment Namgung Hui approached.

Jeok Hwarin suddenly grabbed her chest and collapsed towards Namgung Hui.

Namgung Hui held her in his arms and checked her complexion.

'Her complexion isn't particularly bad. Don't tell me it's sorcery?'

If it were an unknown territory that Namgung Hui didn't know, it would be of the sorcery lineage.

Namgung Hui, with a serious expression, was about to call Jang Hwang.

"Fooled you, didn't I?"

"..."

Jeok Hwarin, who was smiling brightly.

Namgung Hui, who had belatedly grasped the situation, realized that Jeok Hwarin had just pretended to fall.

"Why are you playing such an unfunny prank?"

"Well. Because you, Great Hero, deceived us and approached us? We also told you our identities, so I think we have the right to know. And there's affection between people."

Namgung Hui glared at Jeok Hwarin and let out a deep sigh.

"Sigh... Yes. You have a point. Well, it won't matter much if the people here know my identity, so I'll undo the disguise."

In fact, there were several reasons why Namgung Hui had disguised himself as a ronin and crossed over to Qinghai Province, but the biggest reason was to avoid the possible pursuit of the Hoicheon Association.

Because if they were to figure out Namgung Hui's destination, they might follow.

And if by any chance that pursuer were to find out the source of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and intervene.

And if the worst-case scenario occurred and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art were to fall into the hands of the Hoicheon Association.

If that were to happen...

'That would be the worst move of all.'

Still, the fortunate thing was that he had dealt with all the remnants of the Hoicheon Association for now.

Since the warriors of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot were more valuable personnel than he had thought, they would not be dispatched additionally.

In the first place, for a message to reach Beijing, where the Imperial Palace was, from this far distance, it would be at least after Namgung Hui had arrived at the Kunlun Mountains.

Even if they were to hastily dispatch personnel after that, Namgung Hui would have already finished his business and disappeared somewhere.

'Still, there's no harm in being careful. It's better to minimize the variables.'

But to break the trust of his companions was also a self-defeating move.

When there were no watchful eyes now, it wouldn't be a bad thing to show his original appearance to his party.

Namgung Hui's identity itself could be a considerable pressure on them.

When he was a ronin, even if they betrayed him, the aftermath would not be very frightening.

'If it's the Namgung family, it's a different story. Since they are one of the Five Great Families and have recently been gaining fame again.'

Namgung Hui slowly nodded his head, undid his disguise, and stood in front of his party again with a clean face.

At that.

"!!? No! Why did you hide such a handsome face so tightly? Goodness. Does it wear out if you look at it?"

"Looking at it now, it seems it will wear out. Don't stare at me like that. You'll burn a hole through me."

"Hmph! But for some reason, you look younger than me. How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"T-Twenty?! You're younger than me! I've been using honorifics for no reason all this time. Ah, from now on, I can speak comfortably, r-right?"

Jeok Hwarin, who was stealthily checking Namgung Hui's mood.

Although she would know well enough, in the laws of the martial world, the proportion that age occupied was small.

It was a matter of course, but if one's martial arts were outstanding, one was treated well even if one was young.

And it was a common occurrence for the titles of older and younger brother to be reversed.

Moreover, even the disciples of the Nine Factions and One Sect were ranked as senior and junior brothers not by age, but by the time of their entry and the generation of their master.

That meant that even if Namgung Hui revealed his original identity now, the hierarchy with them would not be reversed.

"Alright. I'll let you speak comfortably. But Jeok Hwarin. How old are you? You look my age."

"Heehee! Do I look that young, this older sister? I'm actually six years older than you."

"Oho. You're older than I thought."

Namgung Hui, while being slightly impressed by her younger-than-her-age appearance, was inwardly forming a hypothesis.

'It's not just her face. The development of her body is also slightly stagnant. This seems to be due to Jeok Hwarin's peculiar constitution.'

The energy that was sleeping like an active volcano inside her.

At first, he had thought it was because she had learned a fire art, but now that he looked at it, it seemed to be because of her peculiar constitution.

At least, Dancheong, who had learned the same fire art, did not possess such an energy.

'Well, it's none of my business.'

"Then call me older sister from now on. Well, I'll let 'noona' slide."

"...That's not what's important now. The ones who are lying dead here are probably no different from your enemies. Have you heard of the Hoicheon Association?"

"As it happens, I overheard you talking about it earlier. But why those guys?"

"Hmm... If you don't even know this, it seems the story will get a little long. Still, since it's something that needs an explanation, sit there and listen."

Namgung Hui briefly explained about the Three Heavens of the Hoicheon Association that he knew and the organization that formed the North Heaven among them.

The descendants of the Yuan dynasty.

The Five Poisons Sect that had absorbed the Sun God Palace.

And the ruler of Liaodong, the Murong family.

The common point among them was that they were tribes or sects located on the frontier.

It was not strange for them to have grievances.

Should I say they were in a similar position to the Iron Blood Fortress?

Jeok Hwarin, who had heard Namgung Hui's explanation, made a complicated expression and then asked Namgung Hui.

"What's with this complicated organization? The North Heaven of the frontier tribes, the Imperial Heaven that is secretly active in the Imperial Palace, and the Demonic Heaven, which is the remnant of the Demonic Cult? Why are they doing that among themselves, leaving the Blood Cult alone?"

In fact, thanks to the first Cult Leader's diary, he was vaguely getting to know this part, but it was all just speculation.

On top of that, since his own reasoning was not completely organized, he just shrugged his shoulders.

"That's a problem to find out in the future. Anyway. For that reason, I will continue to use a disguise. This appearance is something I've briefly revealed to maintain trust with you."

"No! You're going to hide that handsome face again? No! I won't allow it."

"Jeok Hwarin. What are you going to do if you don't allow it? It's because you still don't know the potential of the Hoicheon Association. Will you only come to your senses after you've had a good beating?"

Although it was unknown if a eunuch who had learned the Sunflower Manual would appear next time, if he had the chance, he would have to make Jeok Hwarin face him.

Only then would she truly realize that the level of the Hoicheon Association was not ordinary.

Well, even just looking at the Five Poisons Sect alone, it would be quite overwhelming for her.

As Namgung Hui returned to the appearance of Jang Cheol with his disguise art, Jeok Hwarin smacked her lips as if disappointed.

And so, as Jeok Hwarin closed her mouth, the six-tailed fox, who had been waiting from behind, approached and spoke.

"Your Excellency, the constellation, I will not forget the grace of saving my life."

"What's there to call saving your life? Even if I wasn't here, Mungchi here would have protected you one way or another."

Namgung Hui had been watching all along.

He understood what kind of feelings Mungchi harbored for this fox.

He was not that unperceptive.

This must be what was called affection.

'And it's not as if this fox lured Mungchi with something like a soul-capturing art.'

Mungchi was a spirit beast that had accumulated a sublime spiritual power.

Such a spirit beast had an immunity to wicked arts by itself.

In order to cast a soul-capturing art or a charm, one would have to possess a spiritual power several stages higher than Mungchi's.

But the fox in front of him did not have a higher spiritual power than Mungchi.

Although her talents might be a little outstanding, in order to seduce Mungchi with a soul-capturing art, she would have to at least surpass a seven-tailed fox to even try.

The six-tailed fox, as if Mungchi were a burden, did not even give him a glance and continued to speak calmly.

"I will continue the story I was telling you earlier. The reason I came to know the law of causality is thanks to the Heavenly Dao Immortal. Not only me, but the Ape over there probably received guidance from him after me."

"The law of the heavens. What a grand name. As far as I know, such an immortal cannot interfere in worldly affairs carelessly."

"That's right. But it seems he took care of me, taking advantage of a slight twist in the causality of the Great Kunlun. It was probably because he pitied my situation."

"Hmm. Yes. Let's say that's the case. But what is the reason for the twist in the causality of the Great Kunlun?"

The six-tailed fox shook her head and said.

"He didn't tell me that far. He just passed on a few Daoist arts to me."

"Is that so?"

The moment the name 'immortal' came out, it was difficult for Namgung Hui to press further.

Those called immortals, although they were called immortals, were closer to unpredictable whims.

Right now, Namgung Hui's master had also accumulated immortal training, but he was incomparably eccentric.

He had no concept of justice and only accumulated training to enter the heavenly realm.

That one called the Heavenly Dao Immortal might not have helped the six-tailed fox and Mungchi out of goodwill or for a grand reason.

Just personal curiosity or interest, that was more plausible.

"Then the reason you called me the Imperial Star?"

"It's just as it sounds. You were born with the energy of the Imperial Star."

"So. The question is what that energy of the Imperial Star means."

"I don't know that far. However, it was said that all those who harbor the energy of a star are either swept up in the vortex of fate and die early, or they become heroes. Sometimes a monarch, sometimes an alliance leader, and sometimes they can become a hegemon who rules over an entire region. The Khan of the past was like that, and the First Emperor was also like that."

"Now that you say that, one thing comes to my mind. The Heavenly Killing Star. Is this also one of those constellations?"

"That's right. However, unlike the Imperial Star, which is an auspicious star, the Heavenly Killing Star is an inauspicious star that brings disaster."

"The fact that there is a Heavenly Killing Star and a Imperial Star means that there could be other constellations?"

"Yes. I also don't know exactly how many constellations exist in this era, but I know that there are at least three. Of course, it will by no means exceed five."

Namgung Hui tilted his head and asked.

"Why is that?"

"I know that is also because it violates the law of causality. Perhaps the limit of the star energy that this world can contain is four."

Although some might say the number four was unlucky because it was similar to the character for death, since ancient times, four was close to the most perfect number.

A chair has four legs.

The Four Guardian Gods are also four.

The fact that the majority of buildings were built in a square shape was also in a similar context.

In real life, the meaning that four possessed was closely related to stability.

"The one who told you all this is that Heavenly Dao Immortal?"

"Yes. What I know is probably just a very small part. Because there was nothing that person did not know."

'Should I meet him once? To be this involved in worldly affairs means he has that much interest, so he might answer my questions. Besides, since I am the successor of the Thunder God Sect, he won't ignore me.'

The incident that had happened to the Four Guardian Gods 100 years ago.

Exactly how the law of causality worked.

Why he was the Imperial Star and what the role of the Imperial Star was.

He wanted to ask all of this one by one.

"I'll have to meet that Heavenly Dao Peach or whatever immortal once. How can I meet that person?"

The six-tailed fox made a troubled expression.

"You probably won't be able to meet him in the future. I heard he entered the immortal realm a while ago. The fact that he helped us was probably his last lingering attachment to the mortal world before entering the immortal realm."

"Hah... How deflating. In the end, is it back to square one? I couldn't get any core information. It's all just vague talk."

As Namgung Hui made a disappointed expression, the six-tailed fox smiled bitterly.

Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she opened her eyes wide and continued.

"Ah. That person once brought his disciple. How about meeting that person? Wouldn't he know more than me?"

"Oho. That's not a bad idea. Alright. How can I meet that person?"

"You can meet him if you go to the Kunlun Mountains. I know him as an elder of the Kunlun Sect."

"It all comes back to the Kunlun Sect. Well, since it's a place I have to go anyway, it's all for the better. Then, six-tailed fox. You follow me to the Kunlun Sect too."

"That would be a little difficult."

"Why? If you also drink the clear energy of the Kunlun Mountains, won't your spiritual power become more abundant?"

The current state of the six-tailed fox was a situation where she was driving out the turbid monster Ki and accumulating clear spirit energy again.

If it were the Kunlun Mountains, where the spirit energy was the clearest, it was a place where everyone would want to accumulate training, so there was no reason to refuse.

But despite Namgung Hui's recommendation, the six-tailed fox just smiled awkwardly and did not show any signs of following.

"Because of me, the village is in this state. Wouldn't it be a little strange for the one who caused it to leave?"

"Ha. As expected of a fox. Full of lies."

The story of her being betrayed by humans was something he had heard just before and knew well.

Nevertheless, the fact that she could not leave the human village was a truly contradictory situation.

A reality where if one was true, the other became a lie.

But Namgung Hui did not particularly dislike the six-tailed fox's attitude.

'A being that is not human is truly human-like. This process itself might be a form of training.'

Perhaps the Heavenly Dao Immortal had guided this fox.

Or this fox itself might be a being that liked humans.

If not that, then her innate disposition must be good.

Anyway, it seemed difficult to take this fox to the Kunlun Mountains.

If so, there was one thing Namgung Hui had to do.

"Mungchi. You heard, right? This fox can't go to the Kunlun Sect."

Mungchi's shoulders drooped, and he nodded his head.

"Yeah... I heard."

"So what I'm saying is, you stay here too and help rebuild the village. And also to block the possible invasion of the bandit group."

"Huh? Is that okay?"

"Of course it is."

In fact, the reason Namgung Hui was trying to take Mungchi was not for any other reason.

It was the spirit beasts that appeared near the Kunlun Mountains.

Since there were many sacred and proud beings there, there was a high probability that they would attack without warning if their territory was invaded.

He had been trying to take the spirit beast Mungchi to prevent that in advance.

But looking at the state of things now, it seemed he would fall into lovesickness if he were taken.

"Thank you. Dad. I'll be sure to be of help next time."

"You sure talk well. Then, six-tailed fox."

"My name is not six-tailed fox, but Nahi."

"Alright. Nahi. Please take good care of our Mungchi. And lastly, I would like you to tell me the name or Daoist title of the Heavenly Dao Immortal's disciple."

"Yes. His Daoist title is Cheongheo Jin-in."

"Cheongheo. Thank you."

Namgung Hui, repeating the name 'Cheongheo' once more, decided to officially begin the finishing work.

'Whatever you say, the finishing touch of a job is the spoils of war. Then shall we check on the envoy from the Association first?'

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, Adjutant Song, who had been defeated by Mungchi.

The Eastern Depot's Attendant Hwang, who had been defeated by him.

And he gathered all four assassins and the bandits of the Mad Wind Group in one place.

But when he looked again, the corpse that should have been there was not visible.

'Attendant Hwang. His corpse has disappeared.'

(End of Chapter)