Chapter 503
As Noe Bi-hon gazed at the manor, he recalled the events of that day—the day he had lost his memory.
So-ho, the large warehouse of the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store.
KRA-BOOM!
At the time, Noe Bi-hon had been swiftly pursuing a fleeing Messenger of the Three Realms through the warehouse.
The Messengers of the Three Realms were all masters of extraordinary Movement Techniques, and they had prepared hidden shelters throughout the Central Plains where they could vanish in an instant.
Because of this, despite possessing Movement Techniques no less formidable than theirs, Noe Bi-hon had repeatedly failed to capture them.
But this time was different.
This warehouse in So-ho was located in the middle of a vast, open plain, far removed from Chengdu.
No matter how hard he strained his eyes, there was nowhere nearby to conceal one's presence or hide.
Thus, Noe Bi-hon was certain that this time, he would finally capture the Messenger.
But there was something he didn't know...
The Messengers of the Three Realms always prepared a contingency plan whenever no escape route had been secured.
And the Messenger who had come to So-ho had prepared not just a contingency—but a trump card far more powerful than that.
SWAE-AEK!
As Noe Bi-hon chased the Messenger with a Movement Technique as swift as Lightning Flash, a sudden surge of black Sword Qi tore toward his face.
Shockingly, someone had launched Sword Qi at him even as he moved at blinding speed.
WHOOSH!
Twisting his body instantly to evade, Noe Bi-hon landed where the Sword Qi had struck.
Atop a sheer cliff stood an elderly man, his figure imposing.
The strange thing was—the old man held no weapon in his hands.
So how had he unleashed Sword Qi?
"Who are you?"
At Noe Bi-hon's question, the Strange Old Man grinned, baring his white teeth, and stretched out his hand.
Then, something resembling flowing flames took shape, soon solidifying into a pitch-black Grotesque Blade.
He had materialized True Qi into a blade.
"That..."
Noe Bi-hon's eyes widened as if they might tear.
It wasn't the bizarre, flame-like blade that shocked him.
That cruel smile.
Wasn't it the very same smile worn by the Messenger who had mercilessly slaughtered his son?
"So it was you!"
Lightning seemed to crackle in Noe Bi-hon's eyes.
Until now, he had believed that the murderer of his child was merely one of the Messengers of the Three Realms.
Back then, the killer had been wearing one of those strange, glossy martial uniforms and a mask—the signature attire of the Messengers.
But to think that the Messenger from that day was this old man?
ZZZZT—!
Madness and Thunder Essence Divine Qi surged chaotically through Noe Bi-hon's entire body.
At last, he had found the enemy he had pursued for so long.
The cruel figure from the Three Realms who had split his beloved son's skull and ripped out his spine—now was the time for the vengeance he had longed for.
"GRAAAAAH!"
Noe Bi-hon's body became so engulfed in Thunder Essence Divine Qi that it was nearly invisible.
"I'll tear you apart!"
ZZZZT—!
The sky filled with hundreds—no, thousands—of lightning bolts conjured by Noe Bi-hon.
This was Divine Thunder Annihilation, forged from the maximum output of his Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
With thousands of these lightning bolts, each capable of obliterating a body with even a glancing strike, there was no way the old man could evade them—no matter how formidable his martial arts might be.
"Still out of your mind, I see."
SHOOK.
With that muttered remark, the Strange Old Man had already closed the distance between them, now standing so close their noses almost touched.
"To think you'd resort to such a reckless attack."
Grandmasters of martial arts placed great importance on the Moment of Time.
Within a fraction of a second, they could process countless thoughts, analyze their opponent, and unleash a barrage of Martial Forms in an instant.
From that perspective, Noe Bi-hon had made an irreversible mistake.
Upon finally encountering the enemy he had sought for so long, instead of subduing him with swift and profound martial techniques—
He had, in his frenzied state, gathered his Thunder Essence Divine Qi to its peak and unleashed Divine Thunder Annihilation—a reckless, all-out assault.
SHWAK!
While the Divine Thunder Annihilation hung in the air, a razor-sharp black blade grazed Noe Bi-hon's body.
"Don't even try!"
But Noe Bi-hon's body was wrapped in overwhelming Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
No matter how powerful the Sword Qi unleashed against him, even if he suffered severe injuries—
He could recover in an instant.
Thus, even as the Strange Old Man unleashed his blade, Noe Bi-hon paid no heed and released his Divine Thunder Annihilation.
CHIIIK—!
But the moment the blade touched his body, Noe Bi-hon's pupils dilated slightly.
As the Sword Qi pierced him, half of the Divine Thunder Annihilation hovering in the sky vanished.
The bizarre energy within the blade had extinguished a portion of the Thunder Essence Divine Qi flowing through his body.
"Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi! So you wield the Saber Technique of the Blade Emperor!"
Bu Eun-seol had immediately recognized the Strange Old Man as an heir of the Blade Emperor the moment he saw the Black Blood Demon Saber formed from True Qi.
But only now, in the throes of his Madness, did Noe Bi-hon finally grasp the old man's true identity.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
A single strand of saber qi—an extraordinary martial art capable of erasing internal power in an instant.
The Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, said to have been wielded by the Blade Emperor four hundred years ago, was ceaselessly erasing the Divine Thunder Annihilation.
"DIE!"
Noe Bi-hon stretched out his hand with a thunderous roar.
Even if more than half had vanished, the remaining Divine Thunder Annihilation still numbered over a thousand.
This much alone was enough to reduce the Strange Old Man's body to dust.
KWAHAAAA!
As a thousand streaks of blue-white Divine Thunder Annihilation poured down like rain, the area where the Strange Old Man stood began to bleach white.
SHWIIIIING!
But then, a sharp Sound of Breaking Air reverberated, and the cascading Divine Thunder Annihilation melted away as if dissolving.
The Strange Old Man had begun slicing through the Divine Thunder Annihilation with his Black Blood Demon Saber.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Normally, Divine Thunder Annihilation could not be blocked by mere weapons.
Because the Thunder Essence Divine Qi would travel through the metal weapon and invade the opponent's meridians.
Yet the Strange Old Man cleaved through the Divine Thunder Annihilation as effortlessly as if he were slicing through straw.
Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi.
Every time the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi surged from the Black Blood Demon Saber—a mysterious blade forged from True Qi—the Divine Thunder Annihilation melted like strands of taffy.
ZZZZT!
By the time the Strange Old Man had erased all the Divine Thunder Annihilation, he thrust the Black Blood Demon Saber toward Noe Bi-hon.
In response, dozens of sword qi erupted from the ground, enveloping Noe Bi-hon's body like a blooming flower bud.
ZZZIIIIZIZIZ!
Noe Bi-hon unleashed another torrent of Divine Thunder Annihilation, shattering the sword qi.
But in that brief moment, the Strange Old Man circled around him, continuously pouring out saber techniques.
Hoo. Hoo.
With every release of sword qi, the Sound of Breaking Air spread like the laughter of a demon.
And the sword qi, as if alive, pursued Noe Bi-hon relentlessly.
Hoo-hoo! ZZZIZIZIZ!
For a while, the Strange Old Man's sword qi and Noe Bi-hon's Divine Thunder Annihilation clashed endlessly.
Though the Divine Thunder Annihilation was far faster in execution, the Strange Old Man's sword qi lingered in the air, leaving afterimages as though frozen in place.
Gradually, Noe Bi-hon found himself surrounded by the black sword qi.
"Impressive. To think you could hold your own against me to this extent."
The Strange Old Man swung his black saber with an easy laugh.
"But your madness has robbed you of any chance to display the profundity of your martial arts."
SHWAAAAA!
As the Strange Old Man swung the Black Blood Demon Saber like lightning, the black sword qi began multiplying uncontrollably.
Noe Bi-hon frantically poured out Divine Thunder Annihilation, but it was akin to a final, desperate struggle.
The reason he had been able to seize victory against the Messenger of the Three Realms until now—
Was due to the unique nature of his Thunder Essence Divine Qi, which no force could block.
Yet against the Strange Old Man, the Thunder Essence Divine Qi was useless.
Not only that, but every time the sword qi grazed him, it felt as though chunks of his internal power were being erased.
In this state, even endlessly unleashing Divine Thunder Annihilation was futile.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Cornered, Noe Bi-hon wildly swung his arms and charged at the Strange Old Man.
But it was like a child swinging bare fists at a grown man.
With nothing but madness driving him, unable to exhibit the profundity of martial arts, the only thing left for him was defeat.
Hoo! Hoo-hoo!
Black sword qi slashed past Noe Bi-hon's body in rapid succession.
Each time, the Thunder Essence Divine Qi within him dwindled further.
ZZZIZIZIZ!
He desperately circulated his Thunder Essence Divine Qi, forcibly restoring his body.
But the speed at which the invading sword qi erased his energy was accelerating.
Only then did Noe Bi-hon realize something terrifying.
"You—you can even wield the saber techniques of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?!"
A sword qi capable of erasing energy within the body—
Wasn't that a function unique to the saber techniques of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, which embodied the essence of death itself?
"Who said anything about the Bloody Tears Seven Forms?!"
ZZZT!
A razor-sharp sword qi flashed past Noe Bi-hon's body, spraying blood.
Normally, he would have regenerated instantly—but no more Thunder Essence Divine Qi flowed from his body.
"The Bloody Tears Seven Forms are but a pale imitation of my sect's saber techniques!"
SHWIIING!
A massive sword qi arced like a crescent moon, threatening to split Noe Bi-hon's body in half.
THUD!
At the last moment, he barely managed to roll away like a lazy colt stumbling in the dirt.
But the sword qi pursued him relentlessly, carving deep wounds into his shoulder, back, and one leg.
"You called yourself a Death God, so I expected something grand. But in the end, this is all you amount to?"
The Strange Old Man stepped forward, stopping before Noe Bi-hon, who knelt on one knee.
"I'm bored now. Just die."
HOO!
The black sword qi split Noe Bi-hon's skull.
"No—it should have split him apart."
Zzzzt.
But at that moment, Thunder Essence Divine Qi erupted from Noe Bi-hon's body, blocking the sword qi.
KWA-RUNG!
Simultaneously, a bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky onto the Strange Old Man's head.
Having realized he couldn't defeat the Strange Old Man in a direct confrontation, Noe Bi-hon had feigned defeat, pretending his Thunder Essence Divine Qi hadn't activated.
And just as the Strange Old Man was about to deliver the final strike—
Noe Bi-hon unleashed the Thunder Spirit Gate's supreme technique, one that summoned the wrath of the heavens.
Thunderclap Meeting Lightning Form.
Tzzzt.
Struck by the technique, white smoke billowed from the Strange Old Man's body.
Clang.
At the same time, a blackened token fell from the Strange Old Man's scorched robes.
"The Paeng Clan...?"
Shockingly, what had fallen from the Strange Old Man's body was none other than—
The Supreme Patriarch Token, proof of the Hebei Paeng Clan's retired family head.
The heir of the Blade Emperor, one of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
The very man who had mercilessly slaughtered his wife and son—experimented on them—was none other than the retired family head of the Hebei Paeng Clan?
"That was quite entertaining."
The old man, who had momentarily frozen in place while emitting white vapor, suddenly bared his teeth in a grin.
"But your Thunder Essence Divine Qi has weakened far too much. This level is merely... tingly."
Noe Bi-hon's Thunder Essence Divine Qi had been severely diminished by the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi.
Because of that, even though the Thunderclap Meeting Lightning Form had struck true, it had only managed to singe his head and skin.
"Grrr—!"
Noe Bi-hon tried to summon his Thunder Essence Divine Qi once more, but it refused to manifest.
Eyes burning with madness, he bared his teeth and lunged at the old man.
If he couldn't kill him with martial arts, then he would tear out his throat with his teeth.
"DIE!"
He looked no different from a rabid beast.
The old man smirked and swung his blade.
SHWAK!
A surge of black sword qi lashed out, slicing through Noe Bi-hon's body.
BAM!
But instead of splitting in two, Noe Bi-hon's body was sent flying to the edge of the cliff by the force of the sword qi.
Though he couldn't expel it outwardly, the remnants of Thunder Essence Divine Qi still within him had shielded his body.
"I should finish this properly."
The Strange Old Man unleashed another wave of Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi toward Noe Bi-hon as he plummeted off the cliff.
SWOOSH!
The sword qi moved like a living creature, burrowing into Noe Bi-hon's Hundred Meetings Acupoint.
SPLURT!
Blood gushed from the acupoint, but his skull remained intact.
SPLASH!
Noe Bi-hon's body was swallowed by the raging river below.
"Not like you'll be able to use Thunder Essence Divine Qi again anyway."
The old man smiled faintly.
With his Thunder Essence Divine Qi sealed by the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi... even if he survived, the Thunder God would cease to exist.
"Still, I can't just leave it at that."
The old man, gazing at the distant sky, spoke in a low voice.
"Find the corpse. No matter what."
Whoosh.
A faint wind swept through the area, and black shadows scattered in all directions.
With a cold smile, the Strange Old Man glanced down at the abyss below before turning away.
Snapping out of the memory, Noe Bi-hon began panting heavily.
"Huff... Huff..."
Despite having run nonstop from Silver River Ridge to Hebei without even a sip of water, his breathing had remained steady until now.
But the moment he recalled the face of that damned old man—the one he wanted to tear apart—uncontrollable rage surged through him.
"It was definitely the Paeng Clan's Supreme Patriarch Token."
The Messenger of the Three Realms, the one who had butchered his wife and son in cold blood—experimented on them—
Was none other than Paeng Ak, the retired family head of the Paeng Clan.
And precisely because he held that position, no matter how much Noe Bi-hon scoured the entire murim, he had never found a trace of him.
"So he's no longer a Messenger now?"
Unlike when he had slaughtered his family, the Strange Old Man hadn't been wearing the Messenger's attire during their battle.
Either his rank had risen since then, or he had only worn the uniform for that mission.
Whatever the case, the fact that someone of such standing—the retired family head of one of the Eight Great Clans—was registered with the Three Realms was nothing short of shocking.
"I owe them an apology."
The faces of Bu Eun-seol and Dae Gu-hwi flashed in his mind, and Noe Bi-hon's lips twisted into a bitter smile.
The truth was—he had never truly lost his memories.
To be precise, he had lost them... only to regain them completely.
When his Thunder Essence Divine Qi was restored, the wounds in his meridians healed entirely, erasing all his recent memories in the process.
But because he had continuously absorbed such an overwhelming surge of Thunder Essence Divine Qi—
The sheer force of it had jolted his mind, allowing him to recover everything from before his meridians were restored.
'Bu Eun-seol.'
And all of it... was thanks to him.
Had he not intervened—
The overwhelming Thunderbolt Qi would have caused his body to explode before he could even recover his strength.
Moreover, despite being the highly esteemed Heir of the Demon Hall, he had wandered through various sects alongside Noe Bi-hon while concealing his true identity.
The journey they had shared was something he would never forget for the rest of his life.
"That kid."
Noe Bi-hon let out a deep sigh as he recalled Bu Eun-seol's ever-changing expressions.
"When we first met, he claimed to be the Martial Alliance's commander. Who would've thought he was the Heir of the Demon Hall?"
Surprisingly, he even remembered Bu Eun-seol's appearance when he had introduced himself as the Martial Alliance's commander before the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace in the Southern Barbarian Region.
And the fact that the Heir of the Demon Hall was also the Martial Alliance's commander was shocking even to Noe Bi-hon.
If this truth were to spread—the martial world would be thrown into chaos.
"There must be a reason behind it."
But Noe Bi-hon genuinely cherished Bu Eun-seol like a younger brother.
Whether he was the Heir of the Demon Hall or the Martial Alliance's commander, it didn't matter to him in the slightest.
"If that kid had known the full truth, he would've come charging in, ready to fight to the death."
In fact, he had pretended not to regain his memories and come here alone precisely because he feared Bu Eun-seol might suffer harm on his behalf.
"Haa."
Noe Bi-hon took a deep breath.
This revenge was his alone.
Bu Eun-seol, his benefactor and younger brother—unlike himself, he was a man with a bright future ahead. He absolutely could not be dragged into this matter.
"Shall I test just how formidable the Eight Great Families truly are?"
Noe Bi-hon squared his shoulders and strode confidently toward the Paeng Clan.
Having regained his strength, he intended to bring down the Paeng Clan single-handedly.
The heavens had granted him another chance at vengeance. This time, he could not afford to fail.
Thud. Thud.
As he walked alone, an inexplicable emptiness welled up inside him.
Bu Eun-seol, who had always insisted on being his younger brother and stayed by his side. And Dae Gu-hwi, who had followed him loyally.
He had spent so much time with them that it had become second nature—and now, the sudden realization of being alone made loneliness creep in.
"What kind of thoughts am I even having?"
Noe Bi-hon let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
He had left the Thunder Spirit Gate long ago for the sake of revenge.
And until now, he had wandered the martial world alone. So why was he only now feeling this hollowness?
"Wasn't life always meant to be lived alone anyway?"
It was strange to be feeling lonely at this point.
Crackle—zzzt!
As he summoned his Thunder Essence Divine Qi, the once-bright sky abruptly darkened.
In an instant, he called down the Thunderbolt Qi from the heavens, preparing to rain down lightning upon the Paeng Clan like divine punishment—
And fight without restraint to avenge his wife and son.
"So it was the Paeng Clan?"
But just then, a familiar voice reached him from behind.
Turning his head, he saw a tall man in gray robes and a gentle-faced youth walking side by side toward him.
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?"
Noe Bi-hon was stunned.
No matter how extraordinary Bu Eun-seol was, how could he have tracked him down so quickly?
"Brother Noe."
Bu Eun-seol sighed.
"The martial world is no longer a place where lone wolves can survive."
"What do you mean?"
"The martial world is teeming with intelligence networks, and masters like you, Brother Noe, are always under surveillance."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"You may have believed you were moving in secret all this time, but in truth, your every move has been exposed."
Noe Bi-hon's Thunder Essence Divine Qi constantly radiated a faint thunderous aura around his body,
And his movement techniques were accompanied by blinding flashes and deafening explosions.
By nature, a Thunder God could never traverse the martial world unnoticed.
That was why past Thunder Gods first mastered techniques to suppress their Thunder Essence Divine Qi and other emanations before venturing out.
Only after fully mastering such martial arts would they step into the martial world.
But Noe Bi-hon, who had lost his family to the Three Realms, had roamed the martial world alone, consumed by madness, without ever properly learning the Thunder Spirit Gate's martial arts.
"Is that so?"
Noe Bi-hon felt a sudden hollowness inside.
As the image of himself wandering the martial world in a state of derangement surfaced, he abruptly realized one thing.
"The Three Realms deliberately didn't kill me. They saw me as a tool to be used whenever convenient."
"I was no different, Brother."
Bu Eun-seol admitted frankly.
"To maintain my hidden identity, I exploited you twice."
Noe Bi-hon was slightly taken aback.
He hadn't expected Bu Eun-seol to openly confess to his double life.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Am I not your younger brother?"
"Then what about me?"
Dae Gu-hwi chimed in with a bright smile, and Bu Eun-seol chuckled.
"Aren't you Brother Noe's disciple? You've been learning his martial arts all this time—even sharing in his Thunder Essence Divine Qi."
Tremble.
Noe Bi-hon's body shuddered faintly.
To suppress the surging emotions, he had to bite his lip.
After losing his family, his heart had turned to ashes, leaving only the madness and obsession for revenge to rage within him.
But before he knew it, he had gained the most dependable younger brother in the martial world—
And a disciple who would inherit his legacy.