Rebirth of the Thunder God

Namgung Hui quickly supported the collapsing Beak Seolhwa and checked her complexion.

He should have checked for signs of poisoning first, but he was late because of the joy of their reunion.

‘Hmm...? It doesn't seem to be a symptom of poisoning.’

Still, just in case, he asked the Sword Spirit.

-Sword Spirit. Do you feel any spirit beast's poison from my friend here?

[No~ Wow, this person is incredibly scary. She's full of cold energy inside.]

Even when Namgung Hui looked, it seemed Beak Seolhwa had fortunately avoided being poisoned.

No matter how much those guys had applied poison to their arrows and hidden weapons, Beak Seolhwa would not have allowed a single blow.

If it were her ice art that could even freeze the atmosphere, the poison would not spread easily, no matter how strong it was.

If so, what was the reason Beak Seolhwa had collapsed?

That was.

-Gurgle...!

It seemed it was because of extreme hunger.

Since she had been chased all this time, it seemed she hadn't been able to eat properly.

Namgung Hui, at the sight of such a Beak Seolhwa, was reminded of a past event.

Her, being chased by bandits in front of Mount Huang.

At that time, because she had been hit by mineral poison, hadn't she not even been able to drink water properly?

‘She's a girl who needs a lot of looking after.’

Namgung Hui grinned and brushed Beak Seolhwa's hair aside.

Perhaps because of Namgung Hui's touch, Beak Seolhwa, as if she had regained consciousness, flinched and opened her mouth.

"Hui... Can you give me some water first?"

Namgung Hui opened the water pouch at his waist and poured it into her mouth.

Gulp. Gulp.

Her enchanting throat moved up and down repeatedly.

"Seolhwa. Just hold on a little longer. You'll be able to eat a warm meal soon."

"Don't we still have a long way to go to get out of the Yangtze River?"

"We don't necessarily have to get out of the Yangtze River."

"What. Did you buy some food? Give it to me quickly. I... I'm hungry. And you have to take care of our cult members too."

Namgung Hui grinned and stroked Beak Seolhwa's stomach.

"Your stomach is really going to stick to your back. To think that this flat dantian has over four cycles of internal energy."

"Wh-What. Get your hand off."

Perhaps because she still had the energy to blush, Beak Seolhwa's face was turning red as soon as Namgung Hui's hand touched her.

"Actually, I didn't buy any food. I also rushed here from the restaurant."

"Then were you lying? I'm really hungry..."

"That's not it. You'll know soon."

"Tch. Don't make me curious and just tell me quickly."

Namgung Hui nodded his head and then spread his electric net wide.

A familiar energy that was detected from all over the riverbank.

It was something that even Namgung Hui would miss, from his hometown.

It was natural.

Because they were people who had come from his hometown.

"Namgung Hui~~ Young Master~~!"

Chohwa, who was shouting loudly from afar.

She, who should have been at the Namgung family estate, was waving her hand at Namgung Hui from the riverbank pier.

Beak Seolhwa, who also knew Chohwa's voice, raised her head from Namgung Hui's lap and opened her mouth.

"If I'm not hearing things, this must be Chohwa's voice?"

"That's right. I called them. Chohwa and the Azure Sky Unit."

"Ah~!"

Beak Seolhwa, who opened her mouth wide as if she had understood something.

The reason Namgung Hui had used the letter delivery service of the Golden Merchant Guild a while ago was not simply to send a letter to the Tang family.

For this day, to escort the people Beak Seolhwa had brought, he had also requested support from the Namgung family.

Of course, the meat dishes and dumplings that Beak Seolhwa liked were also included in the list.

Namgung Hui turned the boat and settled at the pier.

At that, the Blood Cult members, who had been holding their breath all this time, looked at each other and glanced around.

Since most of them were faces that Namgung Hui didn't know, he couldn't greet them first.

However, since he knew the faces of the herbalist Gwon Cheong and Nam Suyeong, he approached them and greeted them.

"Brother. Sister-in-law. It's been a long... not that long, but have you been well?"

"We've been well, thanks to your friend."

"But what about grandmother? Why did only the two of you come?"

The mother of Nam Suyeong, who ran the noodle shop, was not seen.

Don't tell me she had stayed behind in the Blood Cult because she didn't have much time left to live?

Perhaps she had insisted, not wanting to be a burden.

And indeed, some of the faces that Namgung Hui had been expecting were not seen inside the ship.

Especially, the large figure of his reliable younger brother, Muchi, was not seen.

‘It seems he stayed behind to protect his friend, Bukgung Jin-u.’

If all the moderates were to leave, the power of the hardliners would become even stronger.

If that happened, the remaining forces would be unable to do anything and would be absorbed by the hardliners.

Perhaps they would even become prey for the Grand Duke, who had learned the Northern Darkness Demonic Art.

They would have to somehow survive, maintain their forces, and stop the actions of the hardliners.

Because only then would the Blood Cult be able to survive a little longer.

"Tsk, tsk. You brat. Who do you think is missing?"

As the boat stopped, people who had been stealthily showing their faces from below the deck.

Although a considerable presence was felt below, he had not expected the noodle shop old woman to be among them.

That was because her Ki was much younger than this.

Although Seong Sohui had straightened her bent back, he had not even imagined that she would have regained such complete youth.

Perhaps the herbalist Gwon Cheong had offered a great spirit herb.

He thought it might be the price for taking away his daughter.

And the person who had crawled up from below the deck was not just the old woman.

It was one of the faces that Namgung Hui had been waiting for.

The Mad Dragon, Cheon Museong.

The older brother of Cheon Yeohwa, and once a spy of the Hoicheon Association, he was walking towards Namgung Hui, limping.

"Thanks to you, I saved my life. Although my leg is in this state, still, isn't it better to be in this world, even if you roll in a dog poop field? Since I'm just going to be rolling anyway, what's the big deal about a leg?"

Although he said it like that, the Mad Dragon's face was not particularly bright.

Because the permanent damage to one of his limbs meant that his skills as a martial artist would also greatly decline.

Didn't martial artists sometimes regard their internal energy as more precious than their lives?

But fortunately, the Mad Dragon had a family that was more precious than such limbs.

"Hidden Dragon. If I follow these people now, can I see Yeohwa?"

Although Namgung Hui had many things to ask the Mad Dragon, since it was not the time now, he promised for the next time.

"Yes. Since she is being treated with utmost care at our family estate, you will be able to see her right away."

"Hmph. I heard from Beak Seolhwa that you're making her work hard. To the extent that it's hard to even see her face."

"Then you go and help her with her work. Anyway. We're disembarking now, so help the people."

Even if one of his legs was disabled.

The fact that he was a master of the supreme peak did not change.

Since he could do the work of ten strong men, he entrusted the work to him and jumped off the boat.

As soon as Namgung Hui disembarked, the people who had been waiting at the pier rushed out quickly.

"Azure Sky Unit! We have completed the expedition under the command of the youngest young master!"

"This expedition will be an official event in my name. So even if it's a little troublesome, let's do it properly."

""Yes!!!""

Namgung Hui disliked grand things.

Because he preferred practical and efficient things.

But now, even if it was a little cumbersome, there was a need to show the might of the Azure Sky Unit to the whole world like this.

To the heroes who had gathered late.

‘Just as the Iron Blood Fortress gathers forces with its financial power and inclusiveness, our Namgung family also needs to show that we are finding our past glory. Only then will it be a help in raising the Righteous Heaven Alliance in the future.’

The appearance that Namgung Hui wanted to show the heroes was not just the outstanding might of the Azure Sky Unit.

It was the appearance of the Blood Cult members.

Although he had no intention of announcing that they were Blood Cult members right now, he planned to announce to the whole world later that he had embraced them.

The Namgung family embracing the Blood Cult members, who were no different from their enemies?

This not only showed that the Namgung family's generosity was extraordinary, but it was also a way of announcing that they were ready to face the Blood Cult.

Already, various groups, including the Moon Maiden Palace, were with Namgung Hui's forces.

The current appearance would be an unofficial declaration of war.

Even now, some were recognizing Namgung Hui and murmuring.

"If it's such a handsome person, there's no one but the Jade Qilin. And the woman who's sticking to him like glue must be the White Phoenix. They're really a handsome man and a beautiful woman."

"Isn't the Azure Sky Unit the direct martial force of the Namgung family? I thought they had fallen, but as expected, a prestigious family goes on for three generations even after it falls."

"By the way, who are the people in rags? They must have been held hostage by the water bandits. The Namgung family has done a great thing after a long time."

And so, Namgung Hui, as if to show the people around him, even distributed food to the rescued people.

The Blood Cult members, who devoured the food greedily, to the extent that there was no need to even act.

Such an appearance even aroused pity from the people around them, and it was doubling the righteousness of the Namgung family.

Although it was a somewhat intended performance, Namgung Hui thought that it was worth enduring this much for his purpose.

‘To face the Blood Cult and the Hoicheon Association, I'm not in a position to be picky about hot or cold rice.’

As long as it wasn't a line that harmed others, Namgung Hui was willing to do whatever came his way.

He was even prepared to become a clown if necessary for the storm that was to come.

And so, because people had gathered in the Yangtze River area after a long time, the wind that had been blowing from all directions lost its way, stayed for a while, and then disappeared.

Just like the storm that was rising in the martial world.

***

Inside the carriage returning to the Namgung family estate.

As if to show the current prosperity of the Namgung family, the carriage was not only new, but the materials used to build it were also extraordinary.

Thanks to that, the inside of the carriage was quite spacious and comfortable, and he didn't feel much discomfort even in the shaking.

But two people were pressed tightly together, as if to firmly fix their bodies from the shaking of this carriage.

"Hui. How have you been?"

"Me. I've been busy running around here and there. To explain all this, it would take a few days. And you, Seolhwa, you must have been very busy too. Seeing as you haven't been in touch much."

"Ah. That's because the magic tool suddenly made a strange noise and then stopped working. I don't know if it was because of the barrier or because it was old."

"It's probably both. And even before it broke, you weren't in touch much."

"I told you I was busy."

"I was busy too, but I somehow found time to contact you."

"So are you saying I was wrong?"

"When did I say you were wrong? Are you feeling guilty or something?"

The two, who had greeted each other warmly after a long time, were now bickering back and forth.

But in this conversation, the two felt a sense of relief.

Even if the world changed.

And even if the group they belonged to changed.

Because they had realized that there was something that would not change until the end.

The two looked at each other, smiled softly, and then opened their mouths at the same time.

"Hui."

"Seolhwa."

"Huh? You go first."

"No. You go first."

"Hmm... Alright. I'll go first. You know... I've completely cleared my heart of the Blood Cult now. You can really be at ease."

"I've been at ease since a long time ago."

"Thank you~. Then what were you going to say?"

Although Namgung Hui had many things to say to Beak Seolhwa, the first thing he had to say was decided.

"Come to my residence tonight. You'll have to spend the night with me.”

(End of Chapter)