Rebirth of the Thunder God

‘The Sword Spirit's body has disappeared...!’

"This... something seems to be going strangely. Is it true that the Sword Spirit's corpse, which should have been here, has disappeared?"

Namgung Hui looked at the empty center of the cave and nodded his head.

"Yes. It was definitely here until a few days ago, but it has disappeared in the meantime."

It was amazing how they had moved the huge imugi's corpse.

While Namgung Hui and Beak Seolhwa were visiting the Shaolin Temple, the cave had become completely empty.

Surely, if they were to move it, they would have been witnessed by people.

But when he had ordered the Hao Mun to investigate matters related to ghost stories, there was no information whatsoever...

‘No. There was a person who said they saw a large snake. Was that the Sword Spirit's corpse?’

If that were true, it seemed that the one who had stolen the Sword Spirit's body was the Hoicheon Association.

Or it could have been the emperor, but the current emperor did not seem to have the capacity for that yet.

Whatever the case, the Sword Spirit's body was currently stolen.

Jang Hwang frowned deeply as he looked at the empty cave.

"I hope the situation we're worried about doesn't happen."

"The situation you're worried about?"

"From what I see, the reason the Sword Spirit's body was brought here was none other than to cause great chaos in the Central Plains. Think about it. What would happen if an imugi that had been aged for a thousand years suddenly went on a rampage here?"

"I see...! They brought the Sword Spirit's corpse near the Martial Arts Alliance aiming for that."

"That's right. And didn't a localized downpour pour down in this area because of the lingering thoughts attached to the Sword Spirit's corpse? I don't think they just brought it here. It must have been to cause as much damage as possible to the Martial Arts Alliance. By the way, the fact that it was stolen means that your visit has reached their ears."

"It seems they noticed in the process of releasing the barrier. But it's not that there's no way. Anyway, there wouldn't be much space to hide the huge imugi's body. They probably moved it to the Imperial Palace or somewhere nearby."

"But wouldn't they have moved it because they were confident in protecting it? I think we might have to fight them."

If it were any other time, it would be different.

At a time when the current emperor was beginning to move, the Hoicheon Association would not have much capacity.

And more than anything, the emperor had said that the General would be away for about half a month.

In the meantime, all he had to do was find the Sword Spirit's body.

Rather, now was the perfect opportunity.

"I heard that the General is away right now. It would be better to take this opportunity."

The Hoicheon Association, since Namgung Hui had met the emperor and even the Empress and the princess, would not have a problem even if they found out about Namgung Hui's whereabouts or identity.

Rather, because of the matter with the emperor, they would not think that Namgung Hui would immediately move towards the Sword Spirit.

-Chichi. Do you feel where the Sword Spirit's body went?

[Uh. But this direction doesn't seem to be towards the Imperial Palace.]

-Well, it doesn't matter if it's moved to another place as long as we can find it. Where is it? Let's go right away.

[This way.]

This time, Chichi took the lead and guided Namgung Hui.

Seeing the Thunder God Sword trembling, it seemed the Sword Spirit also had high expectations for this matter.

And so, Namgung Hui carried Jang Hwang on his back and ran for a long time, following Chichi.

But contrary to Chichi's words.

-Chichi. This is the direction of Beijing. You said it wasn't the Imperial Palace?

[Uh. The path is subtly different. Anyway. Don't talk to me and just follow.]

And so, the place they arrived at after following Chichi with their mouths shut was indeed Beijing, but it was an area somewhat distant from the Imperial Palace.

However, this was a place where a martial arts family was firmly established, and the name of that family was.

‘The Hebei Peng family!’

They had said they had gone under the Hoicheon Association, and they were in charge of the Sword Spirit's body.

And since they were the best when it came to brute strength, they would have been able to easily move the huge imugi's body.

Namgung Hui stopped his steps as he faced the Hebei Peng family in front of him.

"Brother. This is the Hebei Peng family."

"You mean the family of swordsmen famous for the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Saber?"

"Yes. And it's a family that has crawled under the Hoicheon Association."

"I think I heard that they caused some trouble at the Martial Arts Alliance before. Did they say they tried to intimidate the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild?"

"Yes. Besides that, there were a few minor frictions with our family."

The territorial dispute related to the Myeongmun Inn.

Since the main source of income for a martial arts family depended on such businesses, territorial disputes often led to wars between families.

Although it was the role of the Martial Arts Alliance to mediate that, since the Namgung family had fallen so much, it was as if there was none.

‘Thinking about it now, it's so unfair. How much has the Namgung family, including my sworn brother, contributed to the martial world?’

Moreover, his sworn brother, the Azure Sky Martial God, had saved the martial world by sacrificing his own life.

If he hadn't mutually perished with the Heavenly Demon, it might be a demonic world now.

Well, since the Hoicheon Association was also active at that time, it might have become the world of the Hoicheon Association.

"Brother. It seems their power is stronger than the Imperial Palace. Can you just bring the Sword Spirit's body?"

As Jang Hwang said, the Hebei Peng family, as a member of the Five Great Families, was by no means weak in martial power.

Rather, taking advantage of the Namgung family's fall, they had taken over various businesses and had developed remarkably over the past 60 years.

On top of that, with the Hoicheon Association as their backer, they had taken all the practical benefits, and had even recruited a strategist, which the Hebei Peng family had lacked, to reinforce their weak points.

In a way, the reason they had changed their course was probably because they no longer needed the fence of the Martial Arts Alliance.

The fact that they had aimed for the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild with an absurd force might have been a justification for this independence.

‘I can't just go in alone and carry out the huge imugi's body. One way or another, I have no choice but to infiltrate with my brother.’

"Brother. It seems we'll have to infiltrate."

"Going into the Hebei Peng family... The matter has gotten bigger than I thought. It feels like entering a tiger's den."

Since the symbol of the Peng family was a brave tiger, Jang Hwang's words were not particularly wrong.

"Brother. Since you brought it up, would you show me the art of hiding your presence that you performed before?"

"Ah. You said the emperor seemed to perform a similar skill, right? It's not difficult. Then."

Jang Hwang's presence disappeared from in front of him.

As he had said, it was a feeling of existing in this world, but not existing.

It was similar to what he had felt from the emperor before, but it was also somewhat different.

Although he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"It's similar. But, there's a subtle difference. The emperor couldn't completely erase his presence."

"Is that so? Well, if my sorcery system is different, it could be. My older sister also learned the same sorcery as me, but the results of the spells we performed were often different. Anyway. I can't perform this for long, so let's go in right away."

Namgung Hui nodded his head and headed towards the wall of the Peng family with Jang Hwang.

Certainly, the wall and the main gate itself were much larger than those of the other Five Great Families.

That was because of the unusually large build of the members of the Peng family.

From their perspective, they had judged that it had to be this high to not be seen from the outside.

Namgung Hui leaned against the wall, spread his electric net, and listened.

"Beijing has been noisy lately."

"Ah. Isn't that because the Zhenfu of Guo proposed to the First Princess?"

"There was that too. As far as I know, that's not all. It seems it's because of a small event. It seemed it was to select participants for the martial arts tournament that will be held at the Shaolin Temple."

"What? Don't tell me the imperial family is participating in the martial arts tournament?"

"From the circumstances, it seems so. It seemed the military was trying to select people by holding a small tournament as a banquet. That's probably why the Zhenfu of Guo also went to the Imperial Palace."

"Ah. If it's the Zhenfu of Guo, he could be a judge or participate himself. If it's to make a good impression on the princess, it's highly likely that he will participate himself."

Ordinary martial artists usually ignored the members of the military.

If he was recognized even by the members of the Hebei Peng family, it seemed that the person named the Zhenfu of Guo was a real master.

"Ah. By the way, when does the meeting end? I'm so bored of standing guard."

"Our family has also changed its course recently and has entered a new front. Because of that, the elders must have a lot to discuss."

"Yes. We've been crouching for too long. It's time to show our power to the world. As expected, the first place to show it will be the Namgung family, right?"

‘These bastards! They still have lingering feelings for our family.’

And it wasn't a Peng family that would just back down.

The Namgung family also had not been able to properly collect their debt from them.

In the meantime, since the Martial Arts Alliance had been mediating, no, not mediating, they had not been able to show their teeth to each other.

If the Peng family was a tiger, the Namgung family was a dragon, so it wouldn't be bad to have a fight between a dragon and a tiger.

‘But before that, I need to check the tiger's den. If there's another dragon inside, I have to save it.’

And so, Namgung Hui and Jang Hwang leisurely crossed the wall.

Unlike the Imperial Palace, there were no barriers or mechanical traps to be found.

And for good reason, since the Hebei Peng family was thoroughly a physical type, they were no different from laymen in such areas.

Although they had recently received a strategist through the Hoicheon Association, that was not their own ability.

That meant that there was a clear limit.

And more than anything, since they blindly trusted their own strength, they looked down on such things as formations or mechanisms.

Well, since the potential of the Peng family was also recognized, it was hard to see it as arrogance.

‘They've really grown a lot in the past 60 years. It's a dragon's pond and a tiger's den.’

Namgung Hui, who had just crossed the wall, felt his skin tingle at the aura felt from inside the Peng family.

He could also fully understand the reason for their confidence.

And he could also infer how they had become stronger.

‘They were receiving spirit medicines from the Hoicheon Association. That's the inner core of a spirit beast.’

The numerous inner cores of spirit beasts that the Hoicheon Association had stolen.

A part of them was flowing into the Peng family.

If it were an inner core of this level, even a non-existent loyalty would be born.

It seemed it wasn't for nothing that the Peng family had gone under the Hoicheon Association.

‘This is not the time to be sentimental.’

Namgung Hui shook off his thoughts and asked Chichi.

-Chichi. Where is the Sword Spirit's body?

[See that big warehouse over there? It's there. They haven't even hidden it.]

Who on earth could cross the wall of the Hebei Peng family in Beijing and steal the huge imugi's corpse?

This would be an impossible task even for the Shadowless Divine Thief, who was the best among thieves.

And even if the Heavenly Demon of the past life came back, this matter would be impossible.

It was a matter that was physically close to impossible.

But Namgung Hui thought that things could somehow work out.

He carefully killed his presence and headed towards the warehouse.

Still, since the sentries were firmly guarding the door of the warehouse, a single mouse...

‘...could probably get in.’

-Chichi. Go into the warehouse and see if there's a passage for us to enter.

[Alright. Wait a minute.]

Chichi quickly seeped into the warehouse, and a short while later. When Chichi revealed himself again, he had no choice but to stick out his tongue in amazement.

(End of Chapter)