Rebirth of the Thunder God

"Strange attire? Don't tell me! Were they wearing red kasayas?"

"Kasaya? What's that?"

"I mean, were they wearing a red Daoist robe over their shoulders?"

"Uh. Yeah. How did you know? Ah~ I must have explained it so well that you understood it in a flash."

Namgung Hui, without even pointing out Mungchi's words, fell into thought with a serious expression.

Red kasaya.

This was the color of the robes mainly worn by the lamas in Xizang.

Of course, there were many among the lamas who did not know martial arts, but since it was a trip that the leader of the Mad Wind Group had made himself, there was no way he would bring a useless lama.

Moreover, if he had come on a mission from the Hoicheon Association.

‘He must be no ordinary person. At least, he must be a lama who has learned martial arts.’

And would it be an ordinary martial art?

The lamas were all strong, like the martial monks of the Shaolin Temple.

Although the people of the Central Plains thought they were similar to the Shaolin Temple, in Namgung Hui's objective view, if they were to fight one-on-one with the Shaolin Temple, he didn't know about the Great Thunderclap Temple, but the Potala Palace would definitely not be defeated.

First of all, even if he didn't know the individual skills, the number of people itself was much greater in the Potala Palace.

‘While the people of the Central Plains are scattered among the Nine Factions and One Sect, the people of Xizang, for the most part, have to become lamas to learn martial arts.’

That was because the state religion itself was Lamaism.

Although the Shaolin Temple of the Central Plains also had the strongest power among the Nine Factions and One Sect, its status was not as high as that of the Potala Palace in Xizang.

If it were a lama who had crossed the Kunlun Mountains, even if he were not a lama of the Potala Palace, it was proof that he had that much martial power.

Namgung Hui suddenly felt as if he were playing a game of Go with the Hoicheon Association.

‘Just when I thought I had gained a favorable high ground called the Kunlun Sect, the Hoicheon Association is making an even bigger move.’

Since Namgung Hui also couldn't know their affiliation just by hearing the lamas' attire, he thought he had to see them with his own eyes.

"Mungchi. Do you know the location of the Mad Wind Group?"

"Uh. Of course I do. I found out from Nahi."

"Good. I was planning to clean them up and leave anyway, so this is good. Let's go and attack the Mad Wind Group tomorrow."

Although there was nothing good about rashly making an enemy of a lama, if it were a lama who was cooperating with a bandit group, there was nothing good about letting them live either.

If not, it would be one way to listen to the circumstances from the Mad Wind Group and try to persuade them.

Since Namgung Hui knew about lamas to some extent, more so than ordinary people of the Central Plains.

Well, it wasn't to the level of being an expert.

"Alright. But Dad. As I said before, it seems a little difficult for us to attack them on our own."

This time, Namgung Hui said with a rather surprised look.

"Is it that much? The guys who attacked before all died, didn't they?"

"The leader, that bastard, is quite strong. He's probably on par with my main body. And the vice-leader is not a guy to be ignored, and the executives are all above average."

If Mungchi was saying this much, Namgung Hui had to take it to heart.

Indeed, if they were the guys who had even planted a plant colony on Mungchi's back, it was reasonable to see them as not being easy.

It seemed Namgung Hui had a tendency to look down on them because he hadn't suffered much damage in the last attack.

"But it's not like we can recruit troops. What can we do? If you don't have teeth, you have to use your gums."

"No. Dad. Is there really a need to do it so dangerously? If the Sect Leader here has learned the transformation art, we can just use that."

***

Gē'ěrmù.

A place located in the south of the Qaidam Basin.

Although it was a key point of transportation connecting the Kunlun Mountains and Xizang.

Since the temperature difference between day and night was severe and its area was so vast that it was beyond words, it was no different from an uninhabited area.

Moreover, even the water source had such a high salinity that it was difficult to use as drinking water.

That was why the people living near this Gē'ěrmù had no choice but to supplement their supplies through plunder.

Well, that didn't mean plunder could be justified.

Three people were crossing that uninhabited and desert area desolately.

But what was a little strange was that one person was dragging two people.

The one leading was a man who looked like a bandit, and the two being dragged, judging by the quite prominent curves of their bodies, were presumed to be women.

Especially one of them was so unusually tall that she stood out even from a distance.

Perhaps because of that physical characteristic, someone spotted them from the vicinity of the stockade in the distance and shouted.

"Leader! Was there anyone among our members who went out to plunder?"

"A few guys were swept away by a tornado and haven't come back, but it's been half a month, so they're probably all dead."

"Right? Then the guy over there isn't one of our members, right?"

"Let's see. Hmm? The attire is the same as our Mad Wind Group's attire. Well, since he's coming this way, we'll interrogate him."

A moment later. The people the bandits had seen stopped their steps in front of the stockade.

The man who was leading the two women in front walked confidently to the front of the stockade and said.

"Ahem. I've found a needle in the desert."

Finding a 'needle' in the desert was a slang term among bandits, meaning they had found something that valuable.

Of course, what could be compared to a needle in the desert could be food or drinking water, but were bandits bandits for no reason?

The 'needle' they were talking about referred to a woman.

The bandits who were on guard duty saw the two women behind and smiled with satisfaction.

"Keu~ It's been a while since we've found needles with such great bodies."

"The needle in the back is unusually tall. That's the leader's taste. He'll like it very much."

"After the leader has his fun, we'll also get some scraps. Good. Go in quickly."

The members of the Mad Wind Group, who let them in without even checking their identities.

As much as their power, it seemed they judged that there was no one who would impersonate them.

Anyway, the party of Jang Hwang, who had safely passed the stockade, entered the interior and then quietly whispered.

"Mungchi. The leader says you're his taste. Go and suffer a little more. Don't get angry and get caught early."

"Che. Of all people, the leader. I don't like that guy."

"Hoho. Wasn't this the plan you proposed first? Suffer a little. My brother and I will try to neutralize the bandits as much as possible before then."

As Mungchi had proposed, Jang Hwang had disguised himself as a bandit using a transformation art.

First of all, since he had a history of briefly reading the bandits' memories, he was familiar with even their slang and secret codes.

On top of that, since Mungchi could also perform a transformation art, he could imitate any human form, regardless of gender.

Since Namgung Hui had learned the art of disguise from the Hao Faction leader, hadn't he disguised himself as a woman so much that he was sick of it?

Even if Namgung Hui didn't know the art of disguise, since his face was on the pretty side, it was easy to mistake him for a woman just by letting his hair down.

And so, the party of Namgung Hui, who had succeeded in infiltrating, walked towards the largest and most splendid hut.

Even without anyone explaining, it was surely the hut where the leader resided.

As Jang Hwang led Mungchi and stopped in front of the hut, the bandit outside, without even opening his mouth, just took over Mungchi with a nod of his head.

Perhaps he had judged that if he made a sound, he would get on the leader's nerves.

Namgung Hui and Jang Hwang, thinking it was a good thing, just threw Mungchi and left.

As expected of a bandit group that boasted an unrivaled power, they were so carefree.

Since there would be no force to attack them, they were taking such a complacent attitude.

-Brother. I will start the operation right away.

-Alright. In the meantime, I'll take a peek at some memories.

The plan was simple.

It was a simple plan for Namgung Hui to poison the water source.

Since water was precious in the desert, the drinking water was managed in one place.

Jang Hwang began to peek at the traces of memories to grasp the bandits' movements and lifestyle.

The operation proceeded smoothly.

Even when Namgung Hui poisoned the water source, no one stopped him.

‘Good. Thanks to these guys being careless, the work is proceeding more smoothly than I thought.’

As if the failed operation before was not even in their minds, they were so carefree.

Unlike a military unit with tight discipline, it was natural for bandits to show such a disorderly appearance.

Moreover, even if their comrades died, the bandits didn't care much.

Because their comrades were often just residents they had kidnapped from some village.

Perhaps more than half of the people who had attacked Nahi's village were such expendable talents.

Namgung Hui, seeing that there was still some time before the poison spread to the bandits, once again sent his condolences to Mungchi.

Because it would take at least half a day for everyone to drink a glass of water.

Enduring the bandit leader's touch until then would be no small humiliation.

"Brother. How are the memories you've read?"

Jang Hwang frowned with a rather dark expression.

"You called those monks lamas, right? It seems they are no ordinary people."

"Of course, if they are the ones who have crossed the Kunlun Mountains, they would have all learned martial arts of a level that cannot be ignored."

"Even considering that, the way the bandit leader treats them is not just ordinarily careful. If Mungchi's words are to be believed, isn't the leader of the Mad Wind Group a man famous for his high-nosed attitude? The fact that such a person is being so humble to them means that the monks are that great of people. And among the words I heard, there was the word 'Great Dharma King'."

"?! Are you saying the Great Dharma King came in person?"

"It didn't seem so, but he showed a cautious attitude while mentioning the Great Dharma King."

"If so, it means they are at least affiliated with the Potala Palace."

The Potala Palace was the largest Lamaist force in Xizang.

Not only were their individual martial arts outstanding, but their flexible art of stretching their bodies freely was so strange that it looked like a demonic art.

Besides that, the Potala Palace was full of bizarre martial arts.

If it were a lama from that place, it would not be strange for even the leader of the Mad Wind Group to be crawling.

‘If he even mentioned the Great Dharma King, they must be high-ranking fellows. But why are such lamas cooperating with a bandit group?’

Because he was curious about that scheme, there was a need to eavesdrop on the conversation with the lamas in his spare time.

"Brother. It seems I'll have to infiltrate and listen to the conversation for a bit."

"Do so. I'll hide myself here and watch how much water the bandits drink. When I think all of them have drunk the poison, I'll send a signal."

"Yes. Good."

The moment Jang Hwang sent a signal was no different from a death sentence for the bandits.

Until then, let them drink their fill of wine and enjoy their last amusement.

Namgung Hui was planning to watch that amusement from the side and extract as much information as possible.

Namgung Hui performed his stealth art carefully while heading towards the hut Mungchi had entered.

Sasasak.

The figure of Namgung Hui, who disappeared into the shadows.

Namgung Hui had reinforced his stealth art a little more through the Dividing Thunder Flashing Shadow he had learned this time.

He didn't stop there, but even combined the Danhyul Great Art and his existing stealth art to create a new stealth art.

The name was Hidden Dragon Walk.

Although it was a little embarrassing, it was a name he had given, taking after Namgung Hui's title.

Quietly, like a sleeping dragon.

Secretly, so that no one would know.

Such a stealth art seeped into the shadow of the hut.

And so, the moment Namgung Hui was pressed tightly behind the hut.

A word that surprised even Namgung Hui came out from inside the hut.

"Is the Esoteric Sect's Great Hand Seal really in the Imperial Palace's secret repository?"

(End of Chapter)