Rebirth of the Thunder God

[Yes. You have come well. My descendant.]

"!?

Namgung Hui, startled by the sudden voice, looked at the ancestor's remains.

Certainly, no life was felt from the corpse in front of him.

It was truly strange.

At this bizarre phenomenon, Namgung Hui had no choice but to ask.

"Um... Ancestor. Did you just speak to me?"

[That's right. What generation of sect leader are you now? You seem quite young.]

"If you count now, I am the 8th generation sect leader."

When you think about it, he was the 7th generation sect leader, but the Thunder God, Yi Jaseong, had died, and the current Namgung Hui was taking his place.

Since the person himself had changed, at least formally, he thought it was right to introduce himself as the 8th generation.

[It's already the 5th generation after me. But the fact that you've only come to find me now means that the message was not properly passed down in the middle. It means you're late.]

Considering the lifespan of the past Thunder God sect leaders, the period of five generations could be said to be extremely long.

Right now, even Namgung Hui's master had taken 50 years to receive Namgung Hui.

Of course, it was because selecting a talent who could learn Thunder Ki was extremely difficult, and one also had to conform to the upright disposition that the Thunder God Sect pursued, so finding a disciple itself was extremely tricky.

Hadn't even the Thunder God of his past life died without finding a disciple?

Still, in his current life, Namgung Hui's nephew, Namgung Yeonji, had shown the talent to learn Thunder Ki.

Anyway. The important thing was how the ancestor in front of him was speaking.

It didn't seem to be a Jiangshi, and it certainly looked like a dead corpse.

"But how are you speaking? It seems hundreds of years have passed since you passed away."

[That's right. I am still in a state of being dead. When you think about it, I'm not even a spirit, but just a mass of will.]

How strong of a person was he that he could even have a conversation with just his will?

It was a moment when he once again realized the martial prowess of the third sect leader.

"Ancestor. Then it seems you don't have much time. May I ask the reason for leaving your will like this?"

[Heul, heul. What a polite descendant. Yes. Since the time allowed to me is not much, I will get straight to the point. As you expected, it is to pass on the martial art I have completed. Before entering the immortal realm, I had gained a great inspiration, and I had a lingering attachment to leave with it as it was. If I couldn't shake off this lingering attachment, I would fail to ascend, so I left it here at the Kunlun Sect.]

A very welcome story for Namgung Hui.

He couldn't even imagine how strong the insight of the third sect leader would be.

As Namgung Hui entered a listening posture, the will of the third sect leader continued to speak.

[Then I will tell you the principle and the incantation right away. The name is Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow. To put it simply, it's a clone technique. It's something I organized into a group of insights I felt while watching a thunderbolt coming down from the sky before.]

"A clone technique...!"

Not just an afterimage that Namgung Hui performed, but a real clone technique.

Although he didn't know if this was actually a possible talent, since the third sect leader would not be talking nonsense, he focused on his voice.

[When a thunderbolt falls, doesn't it split into several branches? Our thunder energy also has a property of dispersing. I used this to combine my will and Thunder Ki...]

His explanation continued for a long time, and finally, the transmission of the incantation was finished.

He once again confirmed that Namgung Hui had completely memorized the incantation and then burst into a satisfied laugh.

[Hahaha! I don't know about your martial arts level, but among the past sect leaders, you have the smartest head. Thanks to that, I have some time left.]

Namgung Hui had no time to savor the third sect leader's praise.

Because he was repeating the martial art called Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow that he had been taught.

A thrill ran through his whole body.

Not just because the Thunder Ki was wrapping around his whole body, but because of the outstanding principle and the infinite possibilities of the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow.

'This is a martial art that creates a real clone! It's worthy of being called a fraudulent martial art.'

The word 'divine art' was not enough, as its principle and group were so outstandingly superior.

The clone that Namgung Hui had been imitating was just a trick, but the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow put a will into the clone and fulfilled its role as a real clone.

Of course, the consumption of internal energy and mental power was enormous.

Would it be felt if I said that the consumption of internal energy was twice as much as that of the Sword Pill?

Right now, even Namgung Hui, with his 6 Jiazi of internal energy, was only at a level where he could create just one clone.

But if his internal energy supported it, he could create more clones.

And more than anything, the part that made Namgung Hui thrill was.

'If I perform it with the Two Principles Heart Art, I can use it as more than just a clone technique.'

The infinite applications of the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow.

Even now, numerous applications were coming to Namgung Hui's mind.

The sight of the numerous martial arts that Namgung Hui had learned turning into clones and blooming.

Although it would be a strain on his body, if he could withstand this, he would be invincible for that moment.

[By any chance, do you have any questions for me?]

"Ah. Ancestor. By any chance, do you know the words 'law of causality' and 'constellation'?"

[The law of causality. My grandmaster would know more about such old-fashioned words than me. Go and ask that old man.]

"When you say 'grandmaster,' are you referring to the Azure Dragon founder?"

[That's right. If it's that old man, a guardian god, he must be enjoying a lifespan no different from eternal life. He must still be running around all over the place.]

As expected, it seemed he didn't know about the disappearance of the Four Guardian Gods that had happened 100 years ago.

Since he was that old of a person, there was no way he would know about that gap.

"Ancestor. In fact, 100 years ago, the Four Guardian Gods, including the Azure Dragon founder, disappeared due to some incident. Even if I wanted to go and see the Azure Dragon founder now, it's impossible."

[What? What kind of old man is he that he would disappear? Don't tell me the Four Guardian Gods fought among themselves? But their relationship wasn't that bad.]

Since Namgung Hui also did not know the exact circumstances, he had no choice but to just let this go.

[If so, I'll have to tell you what I know. It would be faster to ask the Zhuge family about the old-fashioned law of causality than me. I'll tell you about the constellations. Listen well. Ahem.]

Perhaps because he was weak in such theoretical parts, a sense of embarrassment was felt from his will.

Instead, since his martial prowess was outstanding, should I say it looked like a harmonious sight?

[As far as I know, the constellations refer to those who are born with the energy of a star. The most famous constellation is the Heavenly Killing Star. Besides that, there are the Heavenly Monster Star, the Heavenly Gang Star, the Heavenly Machine Star, etc. There are numerous constellations. The scholars of the Zhuge family would be more knowledgeable about this than me. However, what I know is that their fate is like a vortex, and even if they stay still, they keep drawing something in. Or they themselves could be trapped in the vortex of fate.]

"Then do you also know about the constellation called the Imperial Star?"

[The Imperial Star. I only know the fact that it is the best among the constellations. I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help.]

"No. Even this has been quite helpful. And I've already received the overly generous martial art called Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow."

[Hahaha! Yes. As a smart descendant, you've fully realized the potential of the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow. Then, since the time allowed to me seems to be about this much, let's see each other in the immortal realm later.]

Simultaneously with the third sect leader finishing his words, his remains crumbled and evaporated without leaving any remains.

As if the remains that had looked like a corpse were just a mass of will.

His trace was now left only in Namgung Hui's mind.

'I will gratefully use the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow.'

Namgung Hui once again bowed three times to the third sect leader and then left the room.

"No. You just went in. How are you out already? Not even a quarter of an hour has passed."

"...?"

Namgung Hui tilted his head as if he were puzzled.

The time he had spent with the third sect leader had certainly been more than a quarter of an hour, and it had felt like at least a shichen.

"Has it really not even been a quarter of an hour?"

"It's called a quarter of an hour, but to me, it felt as if you went in and came out right away. Yes. It seems there was nothing inside, right? When we looked before, there wasn't even a trace of the remains... Ahem. Well, don't be too disappointed. Just be satisfied that you've glimpsed the trace of an ancestor."

"..."

'The fact that even the trace of the remains was not visible to the Sect Leader's eyes means that it was a will that could not be seen unless one was a successor of the Thunder God Sect.'

Namgung Hui did not correct the Sect Leader's misunderstanding.

It was troublesome to explain, and he decided to use the Sect Leader's feeling of apology a little more.

'Perhaps the reason time flowed slowly was also because of the third sect leader's will.'

A huge mass of will that affected space-time.

He was worthy of being called the strongest among the past sect leaders.

The Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow that he had left behind was by no means lacking in the words 'the best under the heavens.'

Rather, the modifier 'the best under the heavens' was insufficient.

"Ahem. Then go ahead and finish the business you were originally going to see to. From now on, I will be watching from the side."

The Sect Leader, who was making a stern expression.

He was so serious that it was as if he were going to dig up every reason why Namgung Hui wanted to enter the Supreme Purity Peak.

Namgung Hui, deciding to savor the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow to the fullest when he had leisure, spoke to the Sect Leader.

"Sect Leader. May I look around the interior more?"

"If it's where my eyes can reach."

"Yes. I will do so."

Namgung Hui sent a signal to Chichi in his bosom.

If he were to speak through telepathy, the Sect Leader would surely notice the wave in the atmosphere.

Since he had already made a plan with Chichi in advance, just sending a signal was enough.

Chichi fidgeted in his bosom.

It was communicating with gestures, as if sending a hand signal.

'The room on the left. There's something there.'

Namgung Hui stopped his figure in front of the place where Chichi had sent a signal.

He shifted his gaze to the nameplate hanging in front of the cave hall.

And the name written there was not unfamiliar.

[Namgung Cheonjung]

A person of the Namgung family.

And there was a separate reason why the name was not unfamiliar.

'My sworn brother's younger brother, Namgung Cheonjung...!'

Although he was now his ancestor, hadn't he also treated him like a younger brother once?

He was much younger than his sworn brother, and he had been respectful to the Thunder God.

At that time, he had also been called the Sword Emperor in the martial world and had taken a seat among the Ten Great Masters.

Well, since the shadow of his older brother, the Martial God, was too big, he had not been much in the spotlight, but it was not an exaggeration to see him as a master second only to the Plum Blossom Sword God, Wi Jinmyeong.

No. Namgung Hui was confident that he would have a fierce battle with Wi Jinmyeong.

First of all, since Namgung Cheonjung was also young, it could be said that his potential for development was also greater.

Why was such a person enshrined in the Kunlun Sect?

Wasn't it normal to send him to the family?

As Namgung Hui turned his gaze to the Sect Leader, he immediately resolved Namgung Hui's curiosity.

"It seems you have a deep connection with the Kunlun Sect. You keep meeting your ancestors. Yes. The Azure Sky Sword Emperor of old passed away in the Kunlun Sect. The reason his remains are still stored here is because he wanted it."

"May I also hear why?"

"It's not difficult. I'll explain right away. The fact that he is buried here means that he fought a great battle in this vicinity. Right after the death of the Azure Sky Martial God, when the Righteous-Demonic War was coming to an end, the Thunder God also died a heroic death with Sosu Mahu, and the Plum Blossom Sword God barely escaped the battlefield with his life. To fill this gap, the Azure Sky Sword Emperor, who was the fourth in line at that time, went to battle. He probably went straight to the place where his older brother had died."

Namgung Hui, who knew Namgung Cheonjung better than anyone, knew that he was a person who would do that and more.

He probably couldn't believe that his older brother had died and had run there in one go.

'If so, it wouldn't be strange if he had obtained something there!'

The Azure Sky Martial God, who had mutually destroyed with the Heavenly Demon.

If it were the Sword Emperor who had reached that place, it would not be strange at all if he had obtained the Heavenly Demon Divine Art there.

Even if he had wanted to send that Heavenly Demon Divine Art to the Namgung family, since there was a high probability of it being leaked due to the distance, he must have entrusted it to the trustworthy Kunlun Sect like this.

And the fact that even the Sword Emperor had suffered a fatal injury meant that there had been a battle of that magnitude.

However, what was strange was why the Blood Cult side still did not know this.

If they had had such a bloody battle with the Sword Emperor, shouldn't the opponent, the Blood Cult, also know?

'It seems I'll have to go inside to hear the truth of that time.'

"Sect Leader. May I go in?"

"He is your ancestor. I have no justification to oppose. Go in. I will be waiting outside this time too."

Did he originally have no intention of watching?

Or did he think he had no justification to go in together?

For some reason, was it his delusion that the Sect Leader was being considerate of Namgung Hui?

Anyway. Since a good thing was a good thing, Namgung Hui, as soon as his permission was granted, immediately entered the tomb of the Azure Sky Sword Emperor.

But contrary to Namgung Hui's expectations, this place was the exact opposite of the state of the third sect leader's tomb he had entered a moment ago.

Because it was full of traces of someone having intruded.

(End of Chapter)