Thunder God's Reincarnation

Chapter 6

Baek Mu-Gun spent a night in the sea for the first time, then had breakfast with the squad members whom he shared a cabin with.

"We're thinking of honing our swordsmanship on the deck. What do you plan to do, First Young Master?" Nak Il-Bang asked after a simple breakfast.

"I’ll go with you guys."

Mu-Gun went out to the deck with them. Several squad members were already there, doing the same as what they were about to do.

Baek Sword Sect’s ordinary warriors practiced the 19 Clear Moon Blades, a sword technique a rank lower than that of the 36 Phantom Moon Blades. However, along with talent and utmost effort, this sword method could pave the way for its practitioner to become first-rate.

Mu-Gun watched the White Wolf Squad's training and gauged their skills for a while. The members’ capabilities were almost equal, and the five squad members he shared a cabin with had passable skills.

'They've a long way to go.'

Growing the Baek Sword Corps’ capabilities were of the utmost importance for the Baek Sword Sect’s development.

The White Wolf Squad’s skills fell far short of Mu-Gun's standards. The White Dragon Squad and the White Tiger Squad, known to be the elite units of the Baek Sword Sect, were better than the White Wolf Squad. However, it didn’t make much of a difference.

At this rate, it would be impossible for them to stand atop other families and Zhejiang Martial Alliance sects. To become the Zhejiang Martial Alliance’s leader and fight against the Seven Great Clans, they had to be several times stronger than they were now. Nonetheless, that was not something that could be achieved in a short period of time.

Mu-Gun decided to proceed slowly instead of rushing it. He still had a lot of time. Right after gauging the White Wolf Squad’s skills, he began his own training.

Paying no heed to the gazes of the people around him, he executed the movements of the Iron Blood Vajra Body Cultivation Technique. The White Wolf Squad members training on the deck diverted their attention to him out of curiosity but were soon surprised.

The movements Mu-Gun executed were difficult and complicated. They would find such movements hard to perform even if they copied him, but he carried them out naturally. More importantly, a haze-like aura had enveloped Mu-Gun—an indication that his cultivation was of a considerably high level.

The scene made them realize that Mu-Gun had recovered his martial prowess. In fact, he purposely performed the Iron Blood Vajra Body Cultivation Technique in front of the White Wolf Squad to declare his presence to them.

Based on their reaction, he seemed to have achieved his goal quite well. However, there would always be prideful people no matter the place.

"As expected, the Baek Sword Sect’s First Young Master is in a different league than most. May I dare ask for your guidance?" asked one of the White Wolf Squad's members after observing Mu-Gun's training. He stepped forward.

The man, who seemed to be in his late twenties, had a sturdy physique and a strong impression. Mu-Gun stopped executing the Iron Blood Vajra Body Cultivation Technique and stared at him.

He was the most skilled among the White Wolf Squad members training on the deck. It would’ve been natural and proper for his arrogance to anger Mu-Gun, but the former’s provocation only gladdened him.

The man possessed top-level skills within the White Wolf Squad, so going against him would be a good opportunity for Mu-Gun to showcase his martial arts. Mu-Gun lost his martial arts due to qi deviation and lived like a cripple for the past three years. Even though he had recovered his martial arts, erasing their previous impression of him would prove difficult.

But showing them his martial prowess was a surefire way of doing that. That was why he performed the Iron Blood Vajra Body Cultivation Technique in front of the White Wolf Squad. Still, simply practicing his martial arts in front of them wouldn’t likely be enough to leave a deep impression. Fortunately, the man in front of him voluntarily provided him with an amazing opportunity.

"What's your name?"

"I’m Baek San-Kyung."

As his name suggested, he was from a branch family and was a distant relative of Baek Cheon-Sang, the current sect leader. He always had a lot of complaints about the discriminatory treatment between the direct family and the branch family. Watching Mu-Gun perform his obviously extraordinary martial arts irritated him.

"Fine with me. I've warmed up, so now's a great time to have some proper fun. Do you want to spar with a sword?"

"What would become of me if I accidentally scratch the precious First Young Master? It's best we spar unarmed."

"As you wish."

When Mu-Gun allowed the sparring, the other squad members stepped back to make space for their bout. Mu-Gun and San-Kyung stood facing each other, and the other squad members surrounded them.

"Let's begin."

With the stage set, Mu-Gun gestured toward San-Kyung with his hand, urging the latter to make the first move. Mu-Gun acted as if he was a master fighting someone inferior, which San-Kyung hated. San-Kyung kicked off against the deck and swiftly rushed at Mu-Gun. He then threw a punch without delay.

With his fist containing the profound principle of the 19 Clear Moon Blades, San-Kyung unleashed a flurry of movements aimed at Mu-Gun's chest. The real and fake techniques that came flying instantaneously would’ve confused an opponent of a similar skill level, but that wasn't the case for Mu-Gun.

Mu-Gun reached out his palm and blocked San-Kyung's attack without hesitation.

Thuck!

San-Kyung tried to retract his fist, frowning at the shock that made him feel as if he struck a rock.

Mu-Gun grabbed San-Kyung's fist and slightly imbued it with the Heavenly Thunder Constellation Divine Art’s aura.

Zap!

The Heavenly Thunder Constellation Divine Art’s thunder qi flowed through San-Kyung's fist, sucking his qi completely out of him. Mu-Gun then raised San-Kyung's weak fist up and lifted him, who could easily exceed seventy kilograms, over Mu-Gun’s head. Mu-Gun turned sharply and slammed San-Kyung onto the floor.

Booom!

San-Kyung was turned upside down and fell on his back. The deck shook.

"Ughh," He groaned in pain.

Mu-Gun let go of San-Kyung's fist and took a step back.

"Stop making so much fuss over nothing and get up. I haven't even started giving you guidance yet."

Upon hearing Mu-Gun's words, San-Kyung endured the pain and stood back up. Since other squad members were watching, his face turned red with humiliation, having just been thrown on the deck floor in one shot.

"Ughh, I underestimated you, First Young Master. I'll give it my all from now on."

"And I’ll be sure to give you proper guidance in return."

San-Kyung clenched his teeth and rushed at Mu-Gun, who looked relaxed. Unlike a while ago, he now used movement arts, which made his movements flashier. Though he appeared to charge to the left, he swiftly changed directions and penetrated through Mu-Gun’s right flank. Upon seeing his footwork, the White Wolf Squad members watching the spar let their admiration seep out lowly. His movements were just that impressive.

However, in Mu-Gun’s eyes, San-Kyung was easily predictable.

Thuck!

Mu-Gun caught San-Kyung's fist again. Just like before, San-Kyung was raised up into the air and slammed onto the floor. San-Kyung clenched his teeth and quickly rose again despite the excruciating pain that made him think his back had been broken. He then ran toward Mu-Gun once more.

Thuck! Kabooom!

However, this time too, he was lifted off the floor and slammed onto the deck.

"Kurghhh."

San-Kyung continued standing back up and rushing at Mu-Gun, determined to at least land a hit. However, no matter how many times he tried, Mu-Gun just kept grabbing his fist and slamming him on the deck floor.

Unyielding, San-Kyung stood up until the very end to charge at Mu-Gun, but after more than ten tries, his body could no longer hold out.

In the end, San-Kyung lay on the floor, no longer capable of getting back up. Mu-Gun’s overwhelming capabilities surprised the White Wolf Squad members that bore witness to their battle.

San-Kyung was one of the White Wolf Squad’s five strongest members, but even he couldn’t do anything against Mu-Gun as he kept slamming him onto the floor until he was knocked out.

Through their spar, the squad members clearly realized one fact: Mu-Gun, revered as the greatest talent in the history of the Baek Sword Sect, had returned in perfect condition.

~

After showing his presence through his battle against San-Kyung, Mu-Gun closed his eyes in meditation back at the cabin as if nothing had happened. Lost in meditation, he recalled the numerous martial arts he had obtained from his previous lives. He mastered some of them, but he couldn’t say the same for many others.

However, as one's enlightenment for the sword increased, they’d be able to figure out true strikes even without mastering the technique. Among those he had learned in his previous reincarnations, Mu-Gun searched for martial arts that had principles similar to the Baek Sword Sect’s martial arts. It wasn't long before several martial arts came to mind.

Spiritual Snake Sky-Soaring Swordsmanship, Eight Arm Shadow Fists, Thousand Hands Sky-Enveloping Palms, and Golden Dragon Whip. Just like the Baek Sword Sect’s martial arts, those martial arts were rooted in the principle of illusion.

However, they were on a different level than the Baek Sword Sect’s martial arts. The martial arts that he had thought of were all excellent techniques in the ascension realm.

Mu-Gun picked out those martial arts’ merits, then began to incorporate them into the Baek Sword Sect’s martial arts.

It would have been simple and convenient to teach the martial arts he mastered in his previous reincarnations. However, making them abandon the Baek Sword Sect’s martial arts and teaching them other martial arts just to make them stronger would make the sect lose all meaning. That would no longer be the Baek Sword Sect, after all.

The reason why Mu-Gun chose to take the difficult and complicated path instead of the easy one was to protect the Baek Sword Sect’s identity. Even if he had awakened his past reincarnations' memories, he was still a man of the Baek Sword Sect.

He had been lost in meditation for quite a while already by the time noise began to erupt outside the cabin. The door of the cabin opened soon after, and Il-Bang rushed in.

"First Young Master, the Sea Dragon Gang has appeared!"

"The Sea Dragon Gang?"

Mu-Gun had a suspicious look on his face. The Sea Dragon Gang were pirates. They would only go after merchant ships. They’d had a few skirmishes with the Baek Sword Sect members that protected the merchant ships, but the times when they openly aimed for the Baek Sword Sect, like right now, were close to none.

"They’re most likely after something else."

The Sea Dragon Gang wouldn’t attack a Baek Sword Sect ship without any reason.

"I feel like they’re after me."

"What do you mean, First Young Master?"

"Capturing me alive would give them the option to extort a large ransom from the Baek Sword Sect. They could also try to use me to take control of the sea."

"But how did they know we were traveling with you?" Il-Bang raised a question.

"That's what I’m curious about too. There’s a chance the Sea Dragon Gang has a spy within the sect.”

"A spy?"

"It’s just a possibility. It's too early to jump to conclusions."

"I hope that's not the case."

"I hope so, too. Anyway, that's something to be discussed later. Let's resolve the problem outside first."

Mu-Gun went out of the cabin with Il-Bang.