Rebirth of the Thunder God

"They say an imugi has appeared near Zhengzhou in Henan Province.”

As the word 'imugi' came out, the Thunder God Sword let out a sword cry.

That was because the Sword Spirit had heard it and reacted.

Namgung Hui had also vaguely heard of the imugi that was said to be in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.

‘Tang Soso said there was a dragon that had settled in the Yellow River. So she said that localized heavy rain often poured down, so one had to use an umbrella.’

Although it was quite a long time ago, the events of that time were quite impressive, so he remembered them vividly.

It wasn't just a simple rain shower, but an extreme cold had penetrated his body.

If one were an ordinary person, one had to avoid the rain, and even if one were a person who had learned martial arts, one should not be exposed to it for a long time.

If it were a talent to make such rain fall, it must be a being comparable to an imugi.

‘I'll need to check the Yellow River basin later. I can stop by on my way to the Shaolin Temple.’

But first, there was a mountain of work to do.

The first thing to do was, as expected, to find the direct disciple at the banquet.

"There are many more interesting stories, but it's almost time for the banquet. Unfortunately, I'll have to look forward to the next time. I have to greet some guests."

If one were a direct descendant of the Zhuge family, one could not just stand by at such a banquet.

As befitting a direct descendant, one had to greet the guests and treat each of them accordingly.

It would be an extremely tiring routine.

Among them, there would be people who were anxious to look good to the feudal lord.

And there would also be drunkards who got drunk and caused a disturbance.

"I'll proceed with my investigation in my own way."

"I'll also deal with people from time to time and see if there are any suspicious people."

"Yes. That's enough."

"Then I'll wish you good luck."

Zhuge Jian waved his hand and quietly disappeared.

He, too, must find such a banquet to be troublesome and boring.

Because there was a lot to do, and there would be little that came back to him.

Well, if he were to advance into a government post in the future, the connections he had built at this time would be useful.

"Brother. I'm getting hungry. Let's move to the banquet hall."

"Alright. I was just getting hungry too."

***

Namgung Hui, who had arrived at the banquet hall, swallowed his saliva as he looked at the feast spread out before his eyes.

As much as the Zhuge family was famous, the quality of the food was also extraordinary.

As they say, what looks good also tastes good.

Although the surrounding decorations were not splendid, the food was by no means ordinary.

"The taste is also excellent. Seeing as there are many dishes I've never seen before, it seems to be a court cuisine. Do the members of the imperial family always enjoy such a plentiful meal?"

"Probably so, wouldn't they? Well, seeing as the current emperor is not in good health, he probably can't feast like this at every meal."

"I wonder if one's health deteriorates from eating so much food. By the way, have you found any suspicious people?"

"There are no people who have used a disguise art yet. Originally, even beggars would hang around at such a banquet, but since the guest is who he is, even such people are not hanging around."

No matter how well the Beggars' Sect was doing, if they were to be disliked by a feudal lord, their heads would be cut off.

Hadn't the principle of non-aggression between the government and the martial world also been established on the condition that one did not invade first?

The fact that beggars were crashing a banquet was undoubtedly an act that gave the feudal lord a justification.

"The formation in the banquet hall is even more powerful, so it's difficult for me to help much. I'm sorry. Brother."

"Since the place is what it is, it can't be helped. It seems the people of the Zhuge family have prepared thoroughly just in case."

Perhaps they were monitoring the every move of the people here with a formation.

Or a special formation might have been installed, limited to this space, so that they could be subdued immediately.

Because even to Namgung Hui, a strangely annoying energy was pricking his skin.

As the time ripened, as if the protagonist of the banquet, the feudal lord, was about to make his entrance, the servants moved busily and began to lay a splendid carpet on the floor.

Although the floor was not dirty, it was a little extravagant.

It must be an action that even the frugal Zhuge family did not want.

And so, as the splendid carpet was laid, a man began to walk in with a leisurely gait from the end of it.

His gait was powerful and dignified.

Was it the posture of a feudal lord who had nothing to be ashamed of?

Soon, his revealed face was quite handsome.

And unlike other members of the imperial family, his strong physique exuded a healthy beauty.

But Namgung Hui, while examining the feudal lord's face, suddenly tilted his head.

‘His physique is excessively good. Has he been practicing martial arts for a long time?’

Among the emperors, there were occasionally those who were interested in martial arts.

The famous Yongle Emperor was also known to have reached the realm of the Transformation Realm, as far as Namgung Hui knew.

And hadn't Princess Ju Hwayeong also been a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect?

There was no law that said the feudal lord in front of him had not also studied martial arts.

"Everyone, sit down and continue your meal. This is not an official event."

As the feudal lord's order was given, the chopsticks that had stopped began to move again.

As he said, this was just a small banquet that was held impromptu.

Still, since there were many officials who wanted to look good to the feudal lord, they began to watch each other.

"By the way, do you remember what the feudal lord's name was?"

"Well. It's the first time I've heard of such a feudal lord."

"Right? I also know the five feudal lords, but this is the first time I've heard of a sixth feudal lord."

Namgung Hui, who was eavesdropping on the story, suddenly began to feel a sense of unease.

A feudal lord whose existence people had only just learned of.

On top of that, a physique that seemed to have even learned martial arts.

And more than anything, the fact that the destination of the manual was the Zhuge family.

All of this combined pointed to one possibility.

‘Was the direct disciple a feudal lord?’

A situation where he understood everything, including how a person with insufficient aptitude had become a direct disciple.

Just as Princess Ju Hwayeong had obtained the Zixia Divine Art from the Sect Leader.

There was a high probability that the Wudang Sect Leader had also been unable to overcome the pressure of the Imperial Palace and had accepted him as a direct disciple.

-Chichi. Do you feel anything from that feudal lord over there?

[Huh? Wait. I smell the scent of the old man I saw before from that person.]

As expected, Namgung Hui's guess seemed to be correct.

If the direct disciple were a feudal lord, it was a very reasonable and convenient route to escape Hubei Province through the Zhuge family.

But did the Sect Leader also not know this fact?

Absolutely not.

At the very least, there was a high probability that the Sect Leader knew the identity of the direct disciple.

Even if he weren't a feudal lord, he would have vaguely known that he was a person related to the imperial family.

‘Then what does it mean that he entrusted the Taiji Wisdom Sword to him?’

Was it the final test?

Whether the direct disciple chose the Imperial Palace or the Wudang Sect.

If he were to make a decision, his future treatment would be clearly decided.

"Brother. It seems I've found the culprit."

"Are you talking about that feudal lord? I also vaguely felt something from him."

"As expected."

At this point, the need to specify further disappeared.

Because that feudal lord seemed to be the direct disciple for sure.

Now, the problem was how to recover the Taiji Wisdom Sword from that nameless feudal lord.

The reason he looked so relaxed must be because he believed in his identity as a feudal lord.

Even now, the bodyguards who were guarding his side were no ordinary people.

‘Are they a group from the Hoicheon Association? There are two masters of the Transformation Realm.’

However, what felt a little out of place was.

Those masters of the Transformation Realm, unlike the eunuchs who had learned the Sunflower Manual, were real masters.

General Yi and the eunuchs who had learned the Sunflower Manual so far were all lacking in actual combat experience and had become strong in a short period.

But those bodyguards looked like soldiers who had steadily built up their military power in the military.

Their strong physique and the sharp glint in their eyes were enough to make one's legs tremble.

"Even if we keep standing here, it doesn't seem like any solution will arise. Rather, the guard will only get stricter."

"Yes. We'll have to retreat for a moment and watch for an opportunity."

Rather, if he kept watching the feudal lord, he might be marked by the bodyguards.

If so, he might get into a conflict before even approaching the feudal lord.

In times like this, it would be better to retreat for a moment, organize one's thoughts, and watch for an opportunity.

Should he say it's one step back for two steps forward?

And so, Namgung Hui, who had left the banquet hall, returned to Zhuge Jian's residence and fell into thought for a moment.

‘It's not appropriate to subdue him with force and take it. Because I can't cause damage to the Zhuge family.’

Even if he were to ask Zhuge Jian for help, it seemed there would be no sharp solution.

Unless it were the Grand Family Head, the Heavenly Secret Master.

But he felt a little uneasy asking him for help.

"Brother. Is there no suitable way?"

"Well. Shall I disguise myself as the Sect Leader and ask for the manual?"

"What if a sword flies at you then?"

"Then I'll have to die."

"Then that method won't do."

Although he wanted to ask Chichi to sneak it out, there were two masters of the Transformation Realm guarding his side.

It would also be impossible for Namgung Hui to infiltrate himself in the Zhuge family, which was a formation specialist.

If so, would he have to wait until he left the Zhuge family and then ambush him?

And at that moment.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind."

Suddenly, a voice was heard from behind, as if in a surprise attack.

A person who had approached without any presence.

He was none other than the Grand Family Head of the Zhuge family, the Heavenly Secret Master.

"Elder, you've come."

"Your tone is blunt. Do you have a complaint against me?"

"What complaint would I have? It's just that I have a lot on my mind, so it must have sounded that way."

There were two main reasons why the Heavenly Secret Master was suspicious.

First, he had met General Yi.

It wouldn't be strange at all if the Heavenly Secret Master were to reveal that he was a member of the Hoicheon Association right now.

If it were the Heavenly Secret Master, who also had connections with the government office, it wouldn't be strange if he had joined the Hoicheon Association a long time ago.

Second was that the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader, Im Daepung, had warned him not to trust the Heavenly Secret Master.

At first, it was because he couldn't trust the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader, but by performing several missions with him, he had come to realize that he was a quite trustworthy man.

But that didn't mean he trusted him completely.

It was just that he felt a strange feeling from the Heavenly Secret Master, so he instinctively couldn't trust him, which was the biggest reason.

Hadn't the Heavenly Secret Master always passed over detailed explanations with vague words?

General Yi's third eye.

And the law of causality.

He had always stopped at just glossing over the key points.

‘Shall I ask him now if he'll evade it like that?’

Since he was at it, Namgung Hui asked.

"Elder. May I ask you a question after a long time?"

"If my answer will make you feel better, go ahead and ask."

"Could you explain more about the law of causality you mentioned before?"

"Alright. The timing is appropriate, so I think I can give you my answer. Let's see. How much has the turning point passed..."

Although Namgung Hui hadn't expected it.

For some reason, the Heavenly Secret Master was obediently giving an answer.

He stared into Namgung Hui's two eyes and continued.

"Although there was no life-threatening crisis, you've overcome many hardships and adversities. Now, I can give you the answer you're curious about. You asked about the law of causality, right? As I said before, it refers to a kind of relationship where if a certain turning point is passed, that result is derived. All results are necessarily caused by a cause. To predict the result, you must know the cause, and if you want to change the result, you must also change the cause."

Although it sounded like he was grasping at clouds, Namgung Hui roughly understood the Heavenly Secret Master's words.

"Then it means that if the cause doesn't change, the result also doesn't change. But you can't go back to the past and change the cause, can you?"

"I don't know about that. It's possible that we have come from the future to the past at this very moment."

"Even if you come back to the past like that, if your memory remains the same, you will always produce the same result."

"Well, you could interpret it that way, but it's also possible for you to choose a different option and derive a different result. I call that a turning point."

"Then isn't that a contradiction to what you said before? The cause remains the same, but only the result changes."

"That's right. It could be a contradictory story. However, even if the cause doesn't change directly, you can twist the result by putting variables in the environment or additional factors. For example, regression. Or past life. Or reincarnation. Things like that."

Namgung Hui, who felt a pang of guilt at the word 'reincarnation'.

Well, if there were such an unrealistic thing, it was understandable that the law of causality would be twisted.

"Still, the law of causality is not easily broken. It's like you can't get red beans from planting soybeans."

"Then what does it mean to violate the law of causality?"

"Isn't my title the Heavenly Secret Master? I have the power to see an unspecified result. But in return for seeing the future, a corresponding restriction is placed. What would happen if I were to reveal this to the outside and the cause were to change?"

"The result would also change."

"That's right. Then the Heavenly Secret Master who saw the result would become a non-existent being. And in that process, it's not just me who is erased. The people who intervened in that change of cause are also all affected. Let's say I foresee a murderer appearing on the street. If I arrest that murderer, the murder will not happen. But what if the person who was supposed to die is a person who would commit a massacre worse than the murderer?"

"A greater chaos could be brought about."

"Well, if we talk about this, it won't be enough even if we talk all night. Your head will also hurt quite a bit. What you're curious about right now isn't this, is it? That's enough about the law of causality. Bring out the main point."

Since he had gotten a satisfactory answer to this extent, he brought out the really important story.

"Please let me meet the feudal lord."

(End of Chapter)