Chapter 503
Chapter 503
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 503
Chapter Title: The Grand Elder of the Peng Clan
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Staring at the manor, Lei Bihun recalled the events of the day he lost his memories.
Suhu, the large warehouse of the Manhwa Trading Company.
*CRACKLE!*
At the time, Lei Bihun was in hot pursuit of a messenger of the Three Realms fleeing the warehouse.
The messengers of the Three Realms were all masters of incredible movement techniques, and they had established hideouts all over the Central Plains where they could vanish in an instant.
Therefore, even though Lei Bihun possessed movement techniques that were just as good, he had lost the messengers time and again.
But this time was different.
This warehouse in Suhu was in a wide-open plain, far from Chengdu.
No matter where he looked, there was nowhere nearby to hide or conceal one's tracks.
For that reason, Lei Bihun was certain he could catch the messenger this time.
But there was something he did not know… that when the messengers of the Three Realms had no secure escape route, they always had a backup plan.
And the messenger who had come to Suhu had prepared a trump card so powerful it could hardly be called a backup plan.
*Swoooosh!*
As Lei Bihun chased the messenger with lightning speed, a black blade ki suddenly shot toward his face.
To his surprise, someone had fired blade ki at him while he was moving so quickly.
*Whirl!*
Instantly spinning his body to dodge it, Lei Bihun landed where the blade ki had come from.
Atop a sheer cliff stood an old man in his twilight years.
The strange thing was, the old man held no weapon in his hands.
How, then, did he manifest blade ki?
“Who are you?”
At Lei Bihun’s question, the strange old man revealed his white teeth in a grin and extended his hand.
A flame-like form flowed out, and soon, a black, misshapen blade took shape.
He had materialized his true qi to create a sword.
“That is…”
Lei Bihun’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
He wasn’t surprised that a bizarre, flame-shaped sword had been created.
That cruel smile.
Wasn’t that the very same smile of the messenger who had brutally murdered his son?
“It was you!”
A blue lightning seemed to pour from Lei Bihun’s eyes.
Until now, he had only thought the culprit who killed his child was a messenger of the Three Realms.
After all, at the time, the man had been wearing the strange, lustrous uniform and mask worn by the messengers.
But to think the messenger from that day was this old man?
*Crackle!*
Madness and Lightning Spirit Energy mixed and spread throughout Lei Bihun’s body.
Finally, he had found the enemy he had pursued for so long.
Now that he had found the cruel figure from the Three Realms who had split his beloved son’s head and ripped out his spine… it was time for the revenge he had so longed for.
“GRAAAAAAAH!”
Lei Bihun’s entire body was so shrouded in Lightning Spirit Energy that it was barely visible.
“I’ll chew you to pieces!”
*Crackle!*
The sky was filled with the hundreds, thousands of lightning bolts created by Lei Bihun.
It was the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrow, created with the maximum amount of Lightning Spirit Energy Lei Bihun could muster.
Thousands of Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows, which were said to make a body explode with a mere touch, had been created.
No matter how skilled the old man’s martial arts were, there was no way he could avoid this.
“Still insane, are we?”
*Shuk.*
With a short mumble, the strange old man had already moved to a distance where his nose could touch Lei Bihun’s.
“To launch such a preposterous attack.”
Grandmasters of martial arts place great importance on a single moment.
In just a fraction of a second, they can perform countless thoughts and analyses, and unleash a variety of techniques at once.
From that perspective, Lei Bihun had made an irreversible mistake.
Upon meeting the enemy he had searched for so desperately, instead of subduing him with swift and profound martial arts…
He had excitedly gathered his Lightning Spirit Energy to its maximum and unleashed a ridiculous attack, the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrow.
*Chwaak!*
While the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows hung in the sky, a sharp black blade ki grazed Lei Bihun’s body.
“Not a chance!”
But Lei Bihun’s body was enveloped in a powerful layer of Lightning Spirit Energy.
No matter how formidable the blade ki unleashed upon him, even if he sustained a major injury…
He could recover in an instant.
Therefore, he ignored the strange old man’s blade ki and launched his Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows.
*Chiiiiik!*
But the moment the blade ki touched his body, Lei Bihun’s eyes widened slightly.
As the blade ki penetrated him, about half of the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows in the sky vanished.
The bizarre energy contained within the blade ki had extinguished a portion of the Lightning Spirit Energy flowing through his body.
“Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki! You use the Blade Emperor’s techniques!”
The moment Bu Eun-seol saw the Black Blood Demonic Blade the strange old man created from his true qi, he knew he was a descendant of the Blade Emperor.
But it was only now, steeped in madness, that Lei Bihun grasped the old man’s identity.
*Chiiik! Chiik!*
A transcendent technique that could make one's internal energy vanish in an instant with a single stream of blade ki.
The Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki, said to have been used by the Blade Emperor four hundred years ago, was continuously nullifying the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows.
“Die!”
Lei Bihun shouted like a thunderclap and extended his hand.
Even if more than half had vanished, there were still over a thousand Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows remaining.
This alone was enough to grind the strange old man’s body to dust.
*Kwoaaaaaah!*
As the thousand-plus azure Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows rained down like a storm, the area where the old man stood was washed in white light.
*Swoooosh!*
But then, a sharp slicing sound echoed, and the pouring Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows began to melt away.
The old man had begun to cut down the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows with his Black Blood Demonic Blade.
*Chik! Chik!*
Normally, the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrow cannot be blocked by a weapon.
This is because the Lightning Spirit Energy would travel through the metal weapon and invade the meridians.
But the old man cut through the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows as if they were reeds.
Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki.
Each time the Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki poured from the mysterious sword made of true qi, the Black Blood Demonic Blade, the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows melted away like taffy.
*Chiiiik!*
In that time, the old man, having nullified all the Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows, thrust his Black Blood Demonic Blade toward Lei Bihun.
Dozens of strands of blade ki erupted from the ground, enveloping Lei Bihun’s body like the petals of a flower bud.
*Crackle!*
Lei Bihun once again unleashed Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows to destroy the blade ki.
But in that interval, the old man circled around him, continuously unleashing his blade techniques.
*Hoo. Hoo.*
Each time the old man unleashed his blade ki, a sound like a demon’s laughter echoed through the air.
And the blade ki pursued Lei Bihun relentlessly, as if it were a living creature.
*Hoo-hoo! Zzzzzzt!*
For a while, the old man’s blade ki and Lei Bihun’s Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows clashed ceaselessly.
The Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows were much faster to manifest, but the old man’s blade ki left afterimages that lingered in the air as if frozen.
As a result, Lei Bihun gradually became surrounded by the black blade ki.
“Impressive. To think you can contend with me to this extent.”
The strange old man smiled leisurely and swung his black sword.
“But due to your madness, you are completely unable to display the profundity of your martial arts.”
*Chwaaaaaa.*
As the strange old man swung the Black Blood Demonic Blade like lightning, the black blade ki began to multiply uncontrollably.
Lei Bihun desperately unleashed his Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows, but it was like a final, desperate struggle.
The reason he had been able to achieve victory against the messengers of the Three Realms until now…
It was because of the unique nature of Lightning Spirit Energy, which could not be blocked by any force.
But the Lightning Spirit Energy had no effect on the old man.
Not only that, but every time he was grazed by the blade ki, it felt as if his internal energy was being wiped out in chunks.
In this state, it was useless to endlessly unleash Divine Lightning Annihilation Arrows.
“I’ll kill you!”
Driven into a corner, Lei Bihun wildly waved his hands and charged at the strange old man.
But it was like a child charging a bare-fisted adult.
For him, who could only display such madness without being able to utilize the subtleties of his martial arts, all that remained was defeat.
*Hoo! Hoo-hoo!*
The black blade ki successively grazed Lei Bihun’s body.
Each time, a little of the Lightning Spirit Energy within his body was extinguished.
*Crackle!*
He desperately spread his Lightning Spirit Energy with all his might to heal his body again.
But gradually, the speed at which the blade ki penetrating his body extinguished his Lightning Spirit Energy became faster.
Only then did Lei Bihun realize a terrifying fact.
“You can even use the techniques of the Seven Branches Demonic Blade?”
Blade ki that could extinguish the energy within one's body.
Wasn’t that a function only possible with the techniques of the Seven Branches Demonic Blade, said to contain the energy of death?
“Who said it was the Seven Forms of Blood and Tears!”
*Chik!*
A sharp blade ki swiftly grazed Lei Bihun’s body, and blood splattered.
Normally, he would have healed his body instantly… but Lightning Spirit Energy no longer flowed from him.
“The Seven Forms of Blood and Tears is a mere imitation of my school’s techniques!”
*Swoooosh!*
A massive blade ki drew a crescent shape as it cut into Lei Bihun’s body, as if to split him in two.
*Pat!*
In the end, he barely managed to roll away like a lazy colt tumbling on the ground to avoid it.
But the blade ki pursued his movements, and Lei Bihun suffered cuts on his shoulder, back, and one leg.
“You call yourself a God of Death or something, I thought you were skilled. But was this all you had?”
The strange old man walked over and stood before Lei Bihun, who was on one knee.
“This is boring. Just die now.”
*Hoo!*
The black blade ki split Lei Bihun’s head.
No, it should have.
*Crackle.*
But just then, Lightning Spirit Energy spread from Lei Bihun’s body and blocked the blade ki.
*CRACK!*
Simultaneously, a bolt of lightning from the sky struck down on the strange old man’s head.
Realizing he couldn't win in a direct confrontation, Lei Bihun had feigned defeat, pretending his Lightning Spirit Energy was depleted.
And just as the old man was about to deliver the final blow, he had unleashed the ultimate secret art of the Thunder Spirit Sect, which calls upon the lightning energy of the heavens.
The Thunderclap Meets Lightning Form.
*Chiiii.*
Struck by the Thunderclap Meets Lightning Form, white smoke rose from the strange old man’s body.
*Clang.*
At the same time, a bronze token fell from within the scorched old man’s robes.
“Peng Clan…?”
Shockingly, what fell from the strange old man’s body was the token proving his identity as the Grand Elder of the Hebei Peng Clan.
The Elder's Token.
A descendant of the Blade Emperor, one of the Eight Sovereigns and Three Saints.
The one who had brutally murdered and experimented on his wife and son. To think he was none other than the Grand Elder of the Hebei Peng Clan?
“That was a rather amusing move.”
Just then, the old man, who had stopped moving while emitting white steam, revealed his white teeth and smiled.
“But your Lightning Spirit Energy has become too weak. This is merely a tingling sensation.”
Lei Bihun’s Lightning Spirit Energy had been greatly weakened from being continuously cut by the Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki.
As a result, even though he had landed a direct hit with the Thunderclap Meets Lightning Form, it had only managed to singe the man's hair and skin.
“Ugh.”
Lei Bihun tried to summon his Lightning Spirit Energy once more, but it would no longer manifest.
His eyes rolling back, Lei Bihun bared his teeth and charged at the old man.
If he couldn't kill him with martial arts, he would kill him by biting through his neck with his teeth.
“Die!”
He looked like a wild beast.
The old man smirked and swung his blade.
*Chwaak!*
The black blade ki shot out and cut through Lei Bihun’s body.
*Thump!*
However, Lei Bihun’s body did not split in two; instead, it was pushed by the blade ki and flew off the edge of the cliff.
Although he couldn't unleash it externally, there was still Lightning Spirit Energy remaining within his body, protecting him.
“I should finish you properly.”
The strange old man unleashed the Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki once more toward Lei Bihun, who was falling off the cliff.
*Whoosh!*
The blade ki the old man unleashed moved like a living creature and pierced Lei Bihun’s celestial crown.
*Crack!*
Blood gushed from Lei Bihun’s crown point, but his head was not split open.
*Splash!*
Eventually, Lei Bihun’s body, having fallen off the cliff, was swallowed by the fierce river current.
“He won’t be able to use Lightning Spirit Energy again anyway.”
The old man smiled faintly.
His Lightning Spirit Energy had been sealed by the Dark Blood Blade Emperor's Ki… even if he survived, the existence known as the Thunder God was no more.
“Still, I can’t just leave him be.”
The old man looked at the distant sky and spoke in a low voice.
“Find the body, no matter what.”
*Pssht.*
Then, a faint wind blew from all directions, and black shadows scattered in every direction.
With a sinister smile, the old man looked down at the bottom of the dizzying cliff before turning away.
***
Awakening from his recollection, Lei Bihun began to gasp for breath.
“Hoo. Hoo.”
He had run from the Silver River Ridge all the way to Hebei without a single sip of water, yet his breathing had not once faltered.
But the moment he recalled the face of that detestable old man he wanted to tear to shreds, an uncontrollable rage erupted.
“It was definitely the Peng Clan’s Elder’s Token.”
The messenger of the Three Realms who had brutally murdered and experimented on his wife and son.
He was none other than the Grand Elder of the Peng Clan, Peng Ak.
And because he held the position of the Peng Clan’s Grand Elder, it was impossible to find any trace of him no matter how much he searched the entire martial world.
“Does that mean he’s not a messenger anymore?”
The strange old man he had fought a bloody battle with was not wearing the messenger's attire, unlike when he had killed his family.
Either his rank had been elevated since then, or he had only worn the messenger's attire at that specific time.
Whatever the case, the fact that a figure like the Grand Elder of the Peng Clan, one of the Eight Great Clans, was registered with the Three Realms was a shocking truth.
“I feel sorry for those two.”
Suddenly, the faces of Bu Eun-seol and Dae Gu-hwi came to mind, and Lei Bihun gave a bitter smile.
In truth, he had not lost his memories.
To be precise, he had lost them and then completely regained them.
When his Lightning Spirit Energy was restored, the damage to his cerebral meridians was completely healed, and as a result, all his memories up to that point had been completely erased.
But because he had continuously absorbed an overwhelmingly powerful amount of Lightning Spirit Energy…
Due to that intense shock, he was able to recover all his memories from before his cerebral meridians were healed.
‘Bu Eun-seol.’
And it was all thanks to Bu Eun-seol’s help.
If he hadn’t helped…
Due to the unbearable lightning energy, his body would have exploded instead of recovering his strength.
Furthermore, despite being the high-ranking heir of the Demonic Cult, he had hidden his identity and wandered through various sects with him.
The journey he had shared with him was one he would never forget for the rest of his life.
“That kid.”
Recalling Bu Eun-seol’s ever-changing face, Lei Bihun let out a deep sigh.
“When I first met him, he said he was a Commander of the Martial Alliance. To think he was the heir of the Demonic Cult.”
Amazingly, he even remembered Bu Eun-seol claiming to be a Martial Alliance Commander in front of the Blazing Sun Palace of the Southern Wilds.
And the fact that the heir of the Demonic Cult was a Martial Alliance Commander was a shocking revelation even to Lei Bihun.
If this fact were to become known? The martial world would be thrown into chaos.
“He must have his reasons.”
But Lei Bihun truly cared for Bu Eun-seol like a real younger brother.
Therefore, it didn’t matter to him whether his identity was the heir of the Demonic Cult or a Commander of the Martial Alliance.
“If he knew the whole truth, he would have come to fight, risking his life.”
Rather, he had pretended not to remember and come here alone because he was worried that Bu Eun-seol might be harmed because of him.
“Hoo.”
Lei Bihun took a deep breath.
This revenge is mine.
Bu Eun-seol, my benefactor and younger brother.
Unlike me, he is a man with a bright future. He must never get involved in this matter.
“Shall I test just how formidable the power of the Eight Great Clans is?”
Lei Bihun straightened his shoulders and walked confidently toward the Peng Clan estate.
Now that he had regained his strength, he intended to bring down the Peng Clan by himself.
The heavens had given him another chance at revenge. He must not fail this time.
*Step, step.*
As he walked alone, a sense of emptiness inexplicably filled his heart.
Bu Eun-seol, who had always been with him, calling himself his younger brother. And Dae Gu-hwi, who had followed him.
He had been with them for a long time and had grown accustomed to it, which was why he suddenly felt the loneliness of being by himself.
“What am I thinking?”
Lei Bihun let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
He had left the Thunder Spirit Sect long ago for the sake of revenge.
And he had wandered the martial world alone until now. To feel a sense of emptiness only now?
“Isn’t life meant to be lived alone anyway?”
It was strange to feel lonely at this point.
*Crackle.*
As he drew upon his Lightning Spirit Energy, the once bright sky suddenly darkened.
He would instantly call upon the lightning energy in the sky to rain down a heavenly punishment of thunder upon the Peng Clan.
And he would fight to his heart’s content for the revenge of his son and wife.
“So it was the Peng Clan?”
But just then, a familiar voice came from behind Lei Bihun.
When he turned his head, a tall man in gray robes and a gentle-looking young man were walking side by side toward him.
It was Bu Eun-seol and Dae Gu-hwi.
He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even sensed their approach.
“How did you get here?”
Lei Bihun was greatly surprised.
No matter how remarkable Bu Eun-seol was, how could he have followed him so quickly?
“Brother Lei.”
Bu Eun-seol sighed.
“The martial world today is no longer a place where solitary wanderers can survive.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are countless information networks in the martial world, and masters like you, Brother Lei, are always under surveillance.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“You may have thought you were traveling the martial world secretly all this time, Brother Lei, but in reality, your every move has been exposed.”
Due to his Lightning Spirit Energy, Lei Bihun always emitted a faint aura of lightning from his entire body.
And his movement technique was accompanied by intense light and explosive sounds.
From the very beginning, an existence like the Thunder God could not travel the martial world stealthily.
For this reason, the Thunder Gods of the past first mastered secret techniques to conceal their Lightning Spirit Energy and other auras.
Only after mastering all such martial arts did they emerge into the martial world.
But he, having lost his family to the Three Realms, had wandered the martial world alone, seized by madness, without properly learning the martial arts of the Thunder Spirit Sect.
“Is that so.”
Lei Bihun felt a sense of emptiness inside.
As he recalled himself wandering the martial world tormented by madness, he suddenly realized one thing.
“The Three Realms deliberately didn’t kill me. Instead, they saw me as a being they could use at any time.”
“It was the same for this younger brother.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke honestly.
“I used you twice, Brother Lei, to maintain my hidden identity.”
Lei Bihun was slightly surprised.
He hadn’t expected Bu Eun-seol to reveal the story of his dual identity himself.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Am I not your younger brother, Brother Lei?”
“Then, what about me?”
As Dae Gu-hwi chimed in with a bright smile, Bu Eun-seol chuckled.
“Aren’t you Brother Lei’s disciple? You’ve been taught his martial arts and even received a share of his Lightning Spirit Energy.”
*Tremble.*
For a moment, Lei Bihun’s body trembled slightly.
He had to bite his lip to suppress the overwhelming emotions.
After losing his family, his heart had turned to ash, and only the madness and obsession for revenge had raged within him.
But somewhere along the way, he had gained the most dependable younger brother in the martial world.
And a disciple who would inherit his ultimate arts.