Chapter 502
Chapter 502
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 502
Chapter Title: Rebirth of the Thunder God
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After leaving the Palace of the Divine Beast, Bu Eun-seol immediately descended to the foot of the mountain where Lei Bihun and Dae Gu-hwi were staying.
“You’ve changed your face again.”
Lei Bihun stroked his chin as he saw Bu Eun-seol’s original face.
“My younger brother has quite a few identities, doesn’t he?”
“I do.”
“Each must have its own story, so I won’t ask why. But.”
Lei Bihun wore an unreadable expression.
“Can you not show this humble brother your real face?”
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to briefly explain his situation.
He explained that it was inconvenient to roam the martial world with his original identity, so he had created several others.
And that this was his true appearance.
However, he did not reveal his identity as the successor to the Demonic Cult.
After all, once Lei Bihun regained his power, he would lose his recent memories.
There was no need to go into every little detail.
“And the Palace Lord has given her permission.”
“So easily? The Vice Palace Lord was so vehemently against it.”
“Fortunately, she did this younger brother a favor.”
“Hah.”
Lei Bihun snorted.
No matter how remarkable Bu Eun-seol was, she wouldn’t have changed her mind with just a few words.
Besides, judging by the tears in his clothes, he must have gone through a considerable ordeal.
“Brother.”
Lei Bihun said in a low voice.
“Come to think of it, I don’t know your real name.”
“Whatever my name is, whatever my identity is, am I not still your younger brother?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Lei Bihun looked at Bu Eun-seol with profound eyes.
“But if that is your real face, shouldn’t you also tell me your real identity and name?”
Lei Bihun wasn’t asking out of mere curiosity.
He wanted to remember the face and name of the benefactor who had worked so hard for him.
At that, Dae Gu-hwi, who had been sitting idly, perked up his ears.
He was incredibly curious about the true identity of Bu Eun-seol, whom he had always thought of as the ronin Seol So.
“My name is Bu Eun-seol.”
Bu Eun-seol said frankly after taking a deep breath.
“The Lord of the Martial Soul?”
Dae Gu-hwi, who had been listening quietly, scurried over.
“Master Seol, you are the successor of the Demonic Cult, the Lord of the Martial Soul?”
Bu Eun-seol’s fame had spread beyond the Central Plains to the outer regions, so Dae Gu-hwi recognized him at once.
“The Lord of the Martial Soul?”
But Lei Bihun just blinked and repeated the question.
Having lost his memory, he was unfamiliar with the lineages of the martial world.
But from Dae Gu-hwi’s reaction, he could guess it was an extremely high station.
“I see.”
Lei Bihun smiled faintly.
“Even if I regain my memories, I will not forget your name, my brother.”
Favors and grudges.
Those who lived in the martial world could never escape this cycle of debt and retribution.
Even Lei Bihun, despite having lost his memories, remembered that instinct.
‘It’s fine if you forget. No, you will forget.’
Bu Eun-seol swallowed those words.
The moment he regained his power, the channels in Lei Bihun's brain would be healed, and he would forget all his recent memories anyway.
The Yogeomji Plain.
This was a vast plain stretching behind the Silver River Ridge, where the Palace of the Divine Beast was located.
The area around the Yogeomji Plain was always shrouded in rain clouds, and the atmosphere was unstable.
Strong winds, the terrain, a hot and humid climate… a combination of various factors made it a place where lightning struck frequently.
Dae Gu-hwi drew the Divine Spirit Staff he was holding and offered it to Lei Bihun.
“Great Warrior Lei. I pray for your success.”
Lei Bihun smiled and patted the head of the worried-looking Dae Gu-hwi.
“Don’t worry.”
Bu Eun-seol also took out the Hyeonyeop Stone and handed it to him.
“Brother Lei. Be careful.”
*Nod.*
Lei Bihun nodded and walked toward the center of the Yogeomji Plain.
The surroundings were already growing dark, and lightning was striking in some places.
Now, if he planted the Divine Spirit Staff and raised it high to receive the lightning ki through the Hyeonyeop Stone… he would surely regain his Divine Lightning Ki.
*Flash!*
Lightning struck ceaselessly across the Yogeomji Plain.
It felt as though just getting close would cause one’s body to explode.
Though every hair on his body stood on end, Lei Bihun walked toward the plain with a natural gait, showing no fear.
It was as if he instinctively knew where to stand to obtain the lightning ki in one fell swoop.
*Thud.*
Stopping in place, Lei Bihun unfurled the Divine Spirit Staff.
Then he raised his arm high.
*Rumble.*
As if on cue, the sound of thunder began to echo from the sky.
It was as if the heavens were gathering their power to pour lightning down upon Lei Bihun.
“Great Warrior Bu. Something doesn’t feel right.”
Dae Gu-hwi’s eyes glinted with anxiety.
Having been born with a Beastial Body, his instincts allowed him to sense danger faster than anyone.
“Doesn’t it seem like all the lightning that was falling across the plain is now gathering above Great Warrior Lei’s head?”
*Rumble.*
Just as he said, the bolts of lightning that had been pouring down all stopped, and a light began to form in the dark sky above Lei Bihun.
The problem was that the bolts of lightning showed no sign of striking, instead just flashing continuously as if gathering energy.
The whole world grew dark as if the end of time had come, but Lei Bihun stood firm, unconcerned.
‘Ah.’
After a moment of thought, Bu Eun-seol finally realized what had gone wrong.
‘The King of Needles was mistaken.’
There was only one reason to use the Divine Spirit Staff and the Hyeonyeop Stone.
It was to draw lightning ki in a place where lightning did not strike.
But the Yogeomji Plain was a place where dozens of lightning bolts struck every hour.
The Divine Spirit Staff, which attracted all lightning, was unnecessary; he only needed to have brought the Hyeonyeop Stone.
But Jongli Sahyeon had only heard tales from the past, which was why he had mentioned both the Divine Spirit Staff and the Hyeonyeop Stone.
‘Elder King of Needles only heard about the characteristics of the Yogeomji Plain through rumors.’
As Bu Eun-seol had predicted, Jongli Sahyeon had only heard that lightning frequently occurred on the Yogeomji Plain.
He had never imagined it was a place where dozens of lightning bolts struck every hour.
What if all that lightning gathered in the sky were to pour down on Lei Bihun at once?
Even Lei Bihun, with his Lightning Spirit Body, would not be able to handle that much energy.
Unable to withstand the immense lightning ki, his body would explode.
“Brother Lei!”
Bu Eun-seol immediately used his movement technique and approached Lei Bihun.
*Flash!*
At that moment, a light that illuminated the entire world poured down.
When the light faded, lightning began to strike the Divine Spirit Staff held by Lei Bihun without end.
*Flash! Flash!*
It wasn't a one-time event; it was falling continuously.
And the lightning that entered through the Divine Spirit Staff passed through the Hyeonyeop Stone that Lei Bihun was holding and was being continuously injected into his body.
*Flash! Flash!*
As the pure white lightning fell without pause, a white energy began to pour from Lei Bihun’s eyes.
The Divine Lightning Ki had reawakened in his body.
*Flash! Flash!*
But the lightning still flickered on and off, striking the Divine Spirit Staff.
*Drip.*
Blood flowed from Lei Bihun’s mouth, and his body began to swell like a balloon.
As an unbearable amount of lightning ki was injected, his body could no longer endure it.
“Brother Lei!”
As Bu Eun-seol approached, a hemispherical barrier of pure white lightning ki formed around Lei Bihun, about thirty feet in diameter.
The powerful lightning ki pouring from his body had spread out like a massive protective aura, blocking Bu Eun-seol’s approach.
*Vwoom!*
Bu Eun-seol immediately used the True Art of Ruyi to create a massive blade and began to cleave through the dome-like barrier of lightning ki.
*Crackle!*
But white sparks erupted, and the blade created by the True Art of Ruyi was instantly destroyed.
The power of the True Art of Ruyi was not enough to break through the wall of powerful lightning ki.
*Shing!*
Drawing the Ice Soul Sword, Bu Eun-seol created a sword aura.
But the lightning ki surrounding Lei Bihun’s body had a magnetic pull, and a whirlwind accompanied by lightning was raging.
No matter how much sword aura he poured out, he couldn’t break through that wall.
‘There’s no time!’
Bu Eun-seol grew frantic.
If he left Lei Bihun like this, he would lose his life.
*Vwoom!*
Bu Eun-seol spread his arms, circulating his true ki.
A five-colored radiance spread across his entire body, forming a spherical aura.
Just as he had blocked the rocks in the underground city of Nine Bends Mountain in the past, he had aligned all the power within his body to unleash ‘Harmony.’
*Crackle.*
The five-colored aura instantly pierced through the wall of lightning ki surrounding Lei Bihun’s body.
Walking through the crackling sparks, Bu Eun-seol could finally see Lei Bihun, who was clutching the Divine Spirit Staff.
He intended to unleash a palm strike on the Divine Spirit Staff that Lei Bihun was holding, to send it flying.
But as Bu Eun-seol extended his arm,
*Crackle!*
A powerful energy was suddenly injected into his meridians through his arm.
It was the pure lightning ki that was passing through the Hyeonyeop Stone and being injected into Lei Bihun’s body.
“Kugh.”
As the lightning ki entered his body, the aura created by ‘Harmony’ instantly vanished.
At the same time, Bu Eun-seol’s arm became stuck to Lei Bihun’s body.
*Crackle.*
As the lightning ki was continuously injected, Bu Eun-seol’s body also began to slowly swell.
“Great Warrior Lei! Great Warrior Bu!”
Dae Gu-hwi, watching from a distance, stomped his feet in frustration.
If he left the two of them like that, their bodies would explode.
“Ugh…”
After much deliberation, Dae Gu-hwi began to draw upon his Beastial Power.
“Aaaargh!”
Finally, his muscles swelled, his clothes tore, and his Beastial Power erupted.
*Crack.*
Crouching low like a beast, he charged madly toward the center like a wild animal.
Fortunately, since Bu Eun-seol had removed the wall of lightning ki, he could easily reach Lei Bihun’s side.
“I’ll help you…!”
But as he came within thirty feet, his body was instantly lifted into the air and stuck to Lei Bihun’s body.
*Crackle!*
In the end, the two of them ended up stuck on either side of Lei Bihun, absorbing the lightning ki in the same manner.
“Ugh. Aaaargh.”
As the lightning ki poured into his body, Dae Gu-hwi let out a pained scream.
Lei Bihun, who possessed a Lightning Spirit Body, and Bu Eun-seol, who held the power of both Righteous and Demonic arts, were somehow enduring the force.
But Dae Gu-hwi, who had no such power, quickly reached the limit of what his body could withstand.
“Gu… hwi!”
Fortunately, with Dae Gu-hwi also attached, Bu Eun-seol and Lei Bihun were able to regain some of their senses.
The two of them tried to move, but no matter how much they struggled, they couldn’t even lift a foot.
‘At this rate, we’ll all die.’
Even amidst the pain of the lightning ki ravaging his body, Bu Eun-seol continuously circulated his Reverse Pole True Ki.
As he did, the Divine Lightning Ki also began to move in accordance with his internal energy circulation.
—If you obtain the power of all the divine arts…
At that moment, he recalled the Daoist secret that Gongson Dana had taught him.
It was less of an internal energy technique and more of a secret to Harmonizing Two Arts, a way to embrace different powers.
That was how he had been able to neutralize the extreme yin ki of the Glacial River Heavenly Arts, which could damage his blood vessels, using the power of the Crystal Divine Ki.
‘If they have similar properties… they can be fused.’
The Divine Lightning Ki was very similar in power to the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire.
He wondered if he could fuse the pouring lightning energy with the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire to disperse it.
‘This is a gamble.’
Although Bu Eun-seol was highly skilled in martial arts, he didn't know much about the esoteric arts of the mind for controlling, creating, and destroying the energy within the body.
Therefore, he couldn't predict what kind of result such an attempt would produce.
‘I’ll do it!’
As Dae Gu-hwi’s body reached its breaking point, Bu Eun-seol immediately drew upon his Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire.
*Vwoooom!*
As he drew upon the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire, he felt a pain as if his blood vessels were burning, and his blood and ki began to twist.
But he didn't stop and began to fuse the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire circulating in his body with the lightning ki being injected from the outside.
*Crack.*
At that moment, veins popped out all over Bu Eun-seol’s body like snakes.
*Fwoosh! Fwoooosh!*
Simultaneously, the power of the Scorching Ki and the Ultimate Fire Wheel Ki contained within the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire spread in all directions.
Normally, the heat and power would have melted Lei Bihun’s and Dae Gu-hwi’s bodies or burned their internal organs.
But since both of them were already infused with powerful Divine Lightning Ki, they were unaffected by the power of the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire.
‘They really are of a similar nature.’
Gaining confidence, Bu Eun-seol used the principles of Harmonizing Two Arts to fuse the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire with the pouring Divine Lightning Ki.
Just like the Glacial River Heavenly Arts.
The Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire was an energy that could not be contained in a body unless one possessed a Sacred Fire Body like the Scorching Flame Sovereign and had practiced extreme yang martial arts their entire life.
The reason why Bu Eun-seol, with his ordinary body, was fine even while holding such energy was because the opposing power of the Glacial River Heavenly Arts and his immense five hundred years of cultivation were protecting his body.
But when the balance between the two powers was broken, it ultimately led to damage to his blood and ki, and he was only able to calm it down with Ak Mu-ryeong’s help.
Then, after obtaining Gongson Dana’s teachings and the Crystal Divine Ki, he was able to perfectly control the power of the Glacial River Heavenly Arts.
And now, he was able to store the energy of the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire in his body in a stable form through the Divine Lightning Ki.
*Crackle.*
As he combined the lightning ki with the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire in his body using the principles of Harmonizing Two Arts, purple lightning began to flash all over his body.
It was a new Divine Lightning Ki, created by combining with the Divine Ki of Great Scorching Fire.
Standing tall, shrouded in purple lightning, he looked like a thunder god from the heavens who had descended to earth.
At the same time, Bu Eun-seol felt a heat near his Baihui acupoint, and short memories began to enter his mind.
It was a dawn when even the insects were sound asleep.
In a bed under a window where the moonlight gently fell, a young Bu Eun-seol was sleeping peacefully.
—Now, you are the only one I can entrust my sword to, brother.
A smile spread across the sleeping young Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
It was his father’s gentle and low voice, a voice he could hear a hundred times and still love.
—If you discard your power… and even this sword, how will you face them?
Then, a deep, low voice came from the opposite side.
—The Three Realms can no longer protect you.
*Flash!*
A glint of light flashed in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes as he snapped out of the memory.
‘What does this mean?’
Bu Eun-seol’s heart pounded.
As the intense Divine Lightning Ki pierced his brain's meridians, another past memory had surfaced.
And it was… proof that his father was connected to the Three Realms.
‘My father was a member of the Three Realms?’
Amidst his confusion, Bu Eun-seol mulled over the memory that had just surfaced.
‘And what did he mean by facing them? Who are they referring to?’
“Uuugh.”
At that moment, a loud groan erupted from Lei Bihun and Dae Gu-hwi.
The two of them had not only passed their limits, but their faces had turned the color of a corpse.
‘First, I’ll use this power to stabilize their bodies.’
*Vwoom!*
Bu Eun-seol began to pour the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire, combined with the Divine Lightning Ki, into Lei Bihun’s body.
*Swoosh.*
Then, the wildly raging Divine Lightning Ki stabilized, and the swollen bodies of the two began to slowly return to their original forms.
*Crackle!*
But powerful Divine Lightning Ki was still being poured out through the Divine Spirit Staff.
‘I’ll endure!’
He couldn’t move a finger, but he could counter the pouring Divine Lightning Ki with the Divine True Ki of Great Scorching Fire.
Moreover, thanks to Bu Eun-seol, Lei Bihun was able to stably distribute the power of the Divine Lightning Ki throughout his eight extraordinary meridians.
*Melt.*
At that moment, the Divine Spirit Staff and the Hyeonyeop Stone that Lei Bihun was holding began to melt like taffy.
Having absorbed too much lightning ki, they had melted, unable to withstand the power.
As the ceaselessly pouring lightning ki also disappeared,
*Thud.*
Dae Gu-hwi, unable to handle the Divine Lightning Ki stored in his body, fainted on the spot.
*Crackle.*
Conversely, a white light spread in Lei Bihun’s eyes, and his body floated into the air.
*Flash!*
When he finally opened his eyes,
*Crackle!*
White lightning, the Divine Thunder of Annihilation, spread in all directions.
Lei Bihun had finally been reborn as a perfect Thunder God.
*Tap.*
As Lei Bihun lightly descended from the air, a tremendous wave of internal energy swirled from his body, and his eyes were full of majesty.
“Brother Lei. Are you conscious?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Lei Bihun’s eyes flashed.
“Brother Lei?”
The gentle aura he had always had was gone, and only a solemn and sharp presence emanated from his entire body.
Just as Jongli Sahyeon had said, the power of the Divine Lightning Ki had healed the damage to his brain's meridians.
It seemed that, as a result, all his recent memories had disappeared.
“Who are you?”
Although Bu Eun-seol was in his original form, he couldn’t help but use a false name.
“My name is Seol So. Brother Lei, you were defeated by the Descendant of the Sword Emperor, and you lost your power due to his sword ki.”
“I was defeated?”
“That’s right.”
Lei Bihun looked at the lightning-filled landscape of the Yogeomji Plain with unfamiliar eyes.
“Then.”
“That’s correct. To restore Brother Lei’s power, we obtained the Divine Spirit Staff and the Hyeonyeop Stone from the Palace of Beasts and came here.”
Only then did Lei Bihun notice the melted remains of the Divine Spirit Staff and Hyeonyeop Stone at his feet.
They had mostly evaporated due to the extreme heat, and all that remained were two bead-shaped metal fragments.
“Hmm.”
As if possessed, Lei Bihun tucked them into his robes.
“Brother Lei. Do you remember the last time you fought the Descendant of the Sword Emperor?”
In an instant, a light as if endless white lightning was striking flashed in Lei Bihun’s eyes.
“That bastard. He killed my family!”
*Crackle.*
An energy incomparably stronger than before flowed from Lei Bihun’s body.
Having absorbed so much lightning ki, his power had become even greater than before.
“I’ll kill him right now!”
“Wait.”
As Lei Bihun was about to leave, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
“Who is the Descendant of the Sword Emperor?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I need to find him too.”
Bu Eun-seol said confidently.
Lei Bihun didn’t remember him anyway.
In that case, he had to get an answer from him, even if it meant bringing up their journey so far.
“Isn’t that why Brother Lei and I have gone through all this trouble?”
*Crackle.*
At that moment, white lightning shot out from Dae Gu-hwi’s body, and he began to tremble violently.
Unlike Bu Eun-seol, he hadn’t been able to stably distribute the Divine Lightning Ki through his meridians, and now he was in trouble.
“He has taken the Divine Lightning Ki into his body, but he is dying because he cannot control it.”
Lei Bihun looked at Bu Eun-seol and said coldly.
“I admit there is some debt. So, decide.”
He pointed at Dae Gu-hwi and said.
“Will you save that child, or do you want to know the identity of that devil-like old man?”
Bu Eun-seol spoke as if it were an absurd proposition.
“That child ended up like this because he rushed in to save Brother Lei’s life. And you’re telling me to choose between his life and something else?”
“You talk too much. If you don’t choose, I’m leaving.”
Having regained his power, Lei Bihun’s gentle expression was gone, and he only exuded the cold and fierce aura of a martial arts grandmaster.
‘This is all something I must bear.’
He had never expected Lei Bihun to be favorable to him once he regained his power and lost all his memories.
“Fine. Then please save his life.”
“Good.”
Lei Bihun immediately reached out his hand to Dae Gu-hwi’s Mingmen acupoint.
*Crackle!*
Then, pure Divine Lightning Ki was injected into Dae Gu-hwi’s body, and he floated into the air.
*Pssh! Pssshhh!*
Simultaneously, Lei Bihun shot out over a hundred blasts of finger wind in an instant.
Then, Dae Gu-hwi’s face, which had been contorted in pain as he trembled in the air, immediately relaxed.
“Circulate the Divine Lightning Ki according to the method I guide you.”
Lei Bihun’s voice contained an irresistible force.
Even in his dazed state, Dae Gu-hwi circulated the Divine Lightning Ki according to Lei Bihun’s instructions.
*Crackle.*
Then, a faint bolt of lightning formed in the eyes of Dae Gu-hwi as he circulated his energy.
With Lei Bihun’s help, he had stably stored the Divine Lightning Ki in his body.
A Lightning Spirit Body.
Dae Gu-hwi had transformed from an ordinary body into a Lightning Spirit Body, just like Lei Bihun, by absorbing the lightning ki.
“Thank you, Great Warrior Lei!”
As the awakened Dae Gu-hwi respectfully clasped his hands,
“There’s no need to thank me.”
Lei Bihun spoke not to Dae Gu-hwi, but to Bu Eun-seol.
“Now, there is no longer any debt between you and me. Do you acknowledge this?”
“Brother Lei.”
“I am not your brother.”
Having regained his power, Lei Bihun showed no signs of his past madness.
The constant infusion of that immense lightning ki had completely cured even his madness.
As if to prove it, he displayed the dignified and solemn demeanor of a great grandmaster, and a clear energy flowed from his eyes.
But unfortunately, he did not remember his time with Bu Eun-seol.
“You mean you can’t give me any information about the Descendant of the Sword Emperor?”
“There is nothing to give. That is my personal business.”
*Crackle.*
Lei Bihun used his Divine Lightning Ki to float into the air.
Surrounded by lightning, his eyes turned completely white as he looked down at Bu Eun-seol and said coldly.
“Do not bother me again. If you follow me, I will consider you an enemy.”
*Crash!*
With those words, Lei Bihun disappeared into the distant sky with a clap of thunder.
*Rumble! Rummble!*
His movement technique, with all his power restored, was truly like a flash of lightning.
He cut through the air like a bolt of lightning striking in an instant.
*Kwaaaah!*
The one who had sealed his Divine Lightning Ki.
As Lei Bihun recalled the image of fighting the monstrous old man who used the Sword Emperor’s techniques, an indescribable killing intent flowed from his eyes.
“Wash your neck and wait. I will tear you to pieces soon.”
Leaving the Yogeomji Plain, he ran and ran, finally arriving at a large estate a short distance from the capital of Hebei Province.
That place was none other than the Hebei Peng Clan.