◈ Namgung Clan’s Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal
Chapter 21: Time To Get To Work
It had been fifteen days since Sun Wukong took up residence with the Namgung Clan.
Sun Wukong, who was immersed in the creation of a new internal cultivation technique, gazed sharply at the visitor standing before him.
“You’re asking for cooperation?”
Sun Wukong’s tone was peculiar. It had a sense of respect, yet condescension at the same time. It wasn’t simply casual speech.
‘The way in which he greets people makes it seem like he stands above them.’
It was a demeanor that seemed as if it had always been that way. It was quite uncomfortable. Though he was relatively young among the Namgung Clan, even the various elders and retainers treated him with ample respect.
The Head of the Intelligence Hall, Namgung Cheon-Young, maintained a stiff expression, doing his best to suppress his rising thoughts and discomfort.
“I ask for your cooperation in regaining the business rights and craftsmen of the Two Rivers Iron Workshop.”
Namgung Cheon-Young’s sudden request hung in the air. Sun Wukong crossed his arms while quietly scrutinizing him.
Thick eyebrows, unwavering eyes, lips firmly closed in a straight line—it was the face of a man who didn’t easily reveal his intentions.
‘The Head of the Intelligence Hall—the head of the organization in charge of internal and external information of the clan.’
Is he among those who aren’t particularly fond of me?
They said that I needed to gain trust to stay here. I thought earning their trust by defeating the Blood-Iron Ghost would be sufficient, but it appears even that hasn’t dispelled their wariness.
Sun Wukong understood this hesitation.
‘To them, I look like a person who seems to have fallen from the sky, after all.’
Well, he really did fall from the sky.
‘Given that this man was the Head of the Intelligence Hall, it was only natural that he was highly cautious of an individual with virtually no traces of their past.’
Sun Wukong shrugged his shoulders and asked back.
“So, does that mean the business rights aren’t currently in the clan’s hands?”
“They were under the management of the Namgung Clan for a long time before the Great War Between Good and Evil, but now they are in the hands of the Blue Hero Clan.”
“The Blue Hero Clan?”
At that, Sha Wujing, who was beside him, interjected.
“They’re either the second or third most influential clan in Anhui. They were once on good terms with the Namgung Clan, but…”
There was no need to hear the rest to understand what he meant.
It was common knowledge that the Namgung Clan’s ruthless actions had only bred resentment following the Great War Between Good and Evil.
“So, you lost control of it?”
“We had to give it up during the Great War Between Good and Evil.”
“Then, the rights belong to them now.”
“We intend to reacquire the business rights through a legitimate transaction. In fact, we’ve offered a much higher price than what we sold it for.”
“And yet, they still refuse to accept the terms… which means they don’t want to hand it back to the Namgung Clan.”
Sun Wukong smirked.
He had learned a fair amount about the politics of the martial world.
“So, in the end, you want to force them into accepting the deal. This doesn’t sound much like the behavior of an Orthodox sect.”
In reality, it was like forcing an unwanted deal—no matter how good the offered price was.
Namgung Cheon-Young, as if he didn’t see the problem, spoke calmly.
“What’s the problem with that? We’re just taking back what originally belonged to us.”
“…”
“This is the martial world. In the end, under a sword, reasons become meaningless. We have no intention of flaunting lofty ideals like Shaolin or Wudang—they have the luxury to do so. After all, it was the Namgung Clan that suffered the heaviest losses during the Great War Between Good and Evil.”
His tone dripped with cynicism.
Sun Wukong gave a knowing nod.
It was true that the Namgung Clan had distanced itself considerably from the other Orthodox sects following the Great War Between Good and Evil.
Sha Wujing had accurately conveyed this information to him before.
The pragmatic, almost cold realism reminded him of the groups Sha Wujing had previously mentioned.
“Your clan is more like an Unorthodox sect.”
At this blunt evaluation, Namgung Cheon-Young’s eyes flared in anger.
“Master Sun, watch your words! If we truly operated like an Unorthodox sect, the Namgung Clan’s swords would have already destroyed the Blue Hero Clan. Those weasel-like bastards cowered behind us during the Great War Between Good and Evil—reaping the rewards while we shed blood!”
Even the composed Namgung Cheon-Young, who had managed to suppress his emotions thus far, couldn’t conceal his rising fury at the mention of the events of that war.
Sun Wukong furrowed his brow and waved his hand.
“Why am I supposed to care?”
It was just a simple gesture, yet Namgung Cheon-Young’s eyes followed the lightly waving hand as if he was enchanted. His body flinched involuntarily as a shiver ran through him.
‘His breathing…’
There is always a rhythm in breathing—a very subtle pause when exhaling and inhaling. With just a flick of his hand, Sun Wukong slipped into the gap and cut off the rhythm. He interrupted it precisely at the perfect moment.
A faint trace of annoyance could be seen on Sun Wukong’s otherwise relaxed face. In that brief moment, when the emotion became visible, Namgung Cheon-Young felt his chest tighten, constricted by a sudden sense of pressure.
An invisible weight—stemming from a simple gesture that cut off his breath and a flash of annoyance on his face.
Namgung Cheon-Young’s gaze grew increasingly wary, yet Sun Wukong, as though his irritation had never surfaced, curved his lips into his usual playful smile.
“Well, let’s get back to the matter at hand. So, you want me to make them agree to a legitimate deal, right?”
“Indeed. If we were truly part of the Unorthodox faction, we would have drawn our swords and started a war already. Those fucking weasel-like bastards… making profits while we bled for them.”
“Just because you guys are part of the Orthodox faction doesn’t mean you can’t draw your swords. There must be some other reasons too.”
Sun Wukong spoke without care.
Namgung Cheon-Young chewed on his words, then let out a sigh.
“The deadline for this task is ten days from now.”
“Ten days?”
“There is information that the Blue Hero Clan has entered into an alliance with the Heavenly Star Sect, a group aligned with the Unorthodox-Demonic Alliance.”
“Hmm, it seems a lot of unfamiliar names are coming up. But it’s no problem. If it’s cooperation that you seek, then I will oblige.”
Sun Wukong nodded readily.
Namgung Cheon-Young hesitated.
“I don’t intend to leave everything in the hands of our retainer. The Namgung Clan’s warriors will also be taking part.”
Sun Wukong nodded again, as if it was no big deal. Namgung Cheon-Young, content with the simple and direct agreement without much negotiation, stood up from his seat.
However, as he stepped outside, something weighed on Namgung Cheon-Young’s mind.
‘The Clan Head was right. For him to accept such a request so readily, he must have a clear motive for wanting to remain in our clan as a retainer. Just what is it that he’s searching for?’
Moreover, there was that unsettling sense of pressure from earlier.
‘What the hell was that…’
As someone who was considered one of the absolute masters within the Namgung Clan, he found it difficult to understand how he had felt such overwhelming pressure without a trace of internal energy.
Namgung Cheon-Young struggled to suppress the discomfort creeping along his back that was now covered in sweat.
After Namgung Cheon-Young left, Sha Wujing spoke up immediately.
“As expected, the Namgung Clan remains true to its nature. There’s a common saying in the martial world: The Orthodox sects are righteous. Except for the Namgung Clan.”
“Well, I actually prefer it that way.”
They’re just monkeys wielding swords anyway.
What’s the use of pretending to be virtuous? They’re still human at the core.
Sun Wukong chuckled softly. Humans have always been like this. They, too, were beasts, yet they acted as if they weren’t. But ultimately, all their ways reverted to the behavior of beasts.
Pretending to be noble and dignified with all that Orthodox bullshit—it was quite amusing.
In that regard, Sun Wukong liked the way the Namgung Clan behaved.
“Still, there’s a clear reason why they can’t act openly. They’ve made a lot of enemies. If the Namgung Clan starts brandishing their swords, the other Orthodox sects will jump in, claiming to act as mediators.”
The Namgung Clan found themselves in a position of isolation, even within the so-called Orthodox sects.
When other sects intervene in the guise of mediation, it rarely serves to benefit the Namgung Clan.
Moreover, when it comes to justifications, the Namgung Clan often finds themselves on the losing side. No matter how good the terms they offer, the other side still has the advantage. At the end of the day, it’s up to them whether they want to sell the iron workshop back to the Namgung Clan.
When you look at the entire situation, it looks like the Namgung Clan is pointing a sword at them to intimidate them and force a deal.
“Honestly, the Namgung Clan is handling this matter quite generously—this is the martial world, after all. Even among the Orthodox sects, it’s common for disputes to be settled by the sword, taking and losing things from each other.”
Sha Wujing continued.
“And if the Blue Hero Clan joins forces with the Heavenly Star Sect, it will only complicate things for the Namgung Clan. That’s why they intend to settle the matter before it escalates.”
“Heavenly Star Sect?”
“They’re a sect aligned with the Unorthodox-Demonic Alliance. They’re quite formidable in size. Even the Nine Great Schools or the Five Great Families would find it difficult to deal with them. It seems they’re positioning themselves to establish a foothold in Anhui. Regaining the iron workshop’s business rights is likely just the first step. They probably plan to weaken the Blue Hero Clan before they formally join hands with the Heavenly Star Sect.”
“It seems complicated.”
Sun Wukong furrowed his brow.
“Then why did you agree to such a request?”
Typically, retainers wouldn’t be asked to involve themselves in such matters.
Sure, retainers often offered assistance with the Namgung Clan’s affairs out of moral obligation, but such help was always indirect. The way they typically supported the clan was through their reputation, influence, and numerous connections.
That was the entire purpose of accepting retainers, and for the Namgung Clan, that was sufficient.
But this wasn’t just indirect aid. This was taking on a task as though they were part of the Namgung Clan.
‘Isn’t it essentially like being a hired mercenary at this point?’
Looking at the situation at hand, Sha Wujing’s curiosity deepened. Why exactly did Sun Wukong feel the need to remain within the Namgung Clan?
“Who exactly are you searching for that you’re willing to go to such lengths, Great Hero?”
Sha Wujing’s mind was busy trying to discern the potential motives behind his actions.
Sun Wukong chuckled faintly. He could often see glimpses of Sha Wujing’s past self in his behavior and actions.
Sun Wukong’s gaze locked onto Sha Wujing’s face.
A reason… everyone must have a purpose for coming to the Mortal Realm.
“To be honest, I’m curious about the reason as well.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, why are you here?”
“Well… it’s because you dragged me into this, Great Hero.”
Sun Wukong came running out eagerly.
After their arduous journey, each of them had secured a place in the Heavenly Realm and were scattered in different corners of the realm, making it difficult to meet again.
“Come on in, Sha Wujing. You lousy bastard—you insignificant rascal! You’ve finally come to see your big brother?”
“Elder Brother, I trust you have been well.”
“Well? Why do you think I’m well? I’m so bored, I’m about to lose my mind from restlessness.”
“Isn’t boredom a good thing, Elder Brother? It’s better than getting entangled in all sorts of affairs on the way to Tianzhu.”
“What kind of obvious statement is that? Come on, come on, don’t just stand out here, come inside.”
Sun Wukong’s smile was so bright that Sha Wujing couldn’t help but smile in response.
Most of the Heavenly Realm feared him. They whispered about how it was only a matter of time before he turned everything upside down again. But Sha Wujing knew him better than everyone else. Sun Wukong was simply honest with his emotions.
He hated what he hated, and he enjoyed what he enjoyed, endlessly.
Without the slightest pretense, he showed his true self in every aspect.
That was precisely what made him the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal, Sun Wukong.
“Come on, try this.”
“This is…”
“It’s a peach from the Queen Mother of the West.”
Sha Wujing’s eyes narrowed.
Sun Wukong cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. Sha Wujing sighed.
It was hard to believe that the mischievous monkey standing before him was now a revered Buddha.
He was the same as always. Sha Wujing found himself oddly comforted by the thought. He liked that some things never changed.
Sha Wujing stared at the peach for a moment before setting it down.
“Elder Brother.”
“…?”
At the suddenly serious voice, Sun Wukong blinked in confusion.
“Is something wrong?”
“I’ve been thinking of descending to the Mortal Realm.”
“Going down to the Mortal Realm?”
“I’m planning to walk the path of reincarnation.”
Sun Wukong was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected declaration.
“What exactly is going on? Even Zhu Bajie came by recently to say his farewells, saying he’s going to reincarnate.”
Sha Wujing responded with silence instead of an explanation.
As expected, Sun Wukong was always honest with his emotions. His face was clearly angry.
Sha Wujing held back a bitter smile at the sight of Sun Wukong’s now cold gaze.
A chilling coldness seeped through his entire body.
“Speak. Zhu Bajie, and even you. Just what is happening without my knowledge?”
The playful glint that usually lit Sun Wukong’s eyes had vanished, and his tone was now devoid of any warmth.
Sha Wujing clenched his teeth. Even as a Golden Body Arhat, one of the most powerful deities in the Heavenly Realm, he found it difficult to even stand before Sun Wukong.
Still, Sha Wujing remained silent. Even under the suffocating pressure, which felt as though a mountain had settled upon his shoulders, causing his legs to tremble, he kept his mouth shut.
It was Sha Wujing’s stubbornness, which even the great Sun Wukong couldn’t break once he made up his mind.
How much time passed in that oppressive silence? Sun Wukong finally let out a sigh. As if the weight of his presence had never been there, all the pressure suddenly disappeared.
“These little brothers of mine, every single one of them…”
“Forgive me, Brother. I promise I will explain everything later.”
“Fine. Take this before you go.”
“This is…”
What Sun Wukong handed over was an elixir, its refined aroma subtle yet unmistakable. Sha Wujing tilted his head in curiosity.
“Isn’t this an elixir from Taishang Laojun?”
Sun Wukong averted his gaze with an awkward expression. The tips of his ears, covered in golden hair, turned slightly red. His voice, when he spoke, carried a hint of embarrassment.
“I didn’t steal it, so don’t worry. It’s something I got in return for handling a request from Taishang Laojun.”
“But this is a precious item…”
“Enough, just get lost.”
Sun Wukong turned his back, putting on an exaggerated show of annoyance.
Yet, even as he faced away, he glanced back at Sha Wujing from the corner of his eye.
“Are you seriously not going to tell me why you’re going down?”
“Are you that worried about me?”
“Worried?! My foot!”
Sun Wukong snapped, raising his voice. Sha Wujing burst into laughter.
“If you’re that concerned, why don’t you come down yourself, Brother, and keep an eye on me? Then, what would I have to fear?”
“You really think that this Great Sage is worried for you? And why do you think I would want to go back to that Mortal Realm? You should remove such notions from your head. Just go and come back quickly. I’ll make sure to raid the Jade Emperor’s treasury and have some fine liquor ready for you.”
Sun Wukong spoke as if it was no big deal.
If anything were to happen to Sha Wujing or Zhu Bajie, he figured that he would just take care of it himself.
That’s what he thought.
“Why are you staring at me so intently without saying anything? It’s starting to make me feel a bit scared.”
Sha Wujing’s voice snapped Sun Wukong out of his thoughts.
Sun Wukong then stood up, letting out a small laugh.
“There’s a job to do, so let’s get to work.”
“…Huh? I’m coming too?”
At Sha Wujing’s startled expression, Sun Wukong gave a casual nod, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“If your big brother is going, how could the youngest just stay put?”
“…I’m pretty sure I’m the older one here.”
Sun Wukong didn’t bother responding and stepped outside the building.
The sky above stretched wide, clear, and endlessly.
“It seems that it’s finally time for this Master Sun to get down to business.”
