The Challenger
“Woo-myeong-ah.”
“Yes, Gaju-nim.”
“You really told your brother Sun that you would form such an organization, right?”
“I heard that for the first time as well…”
Muhwa could only stammer in response to Namgung Jinbaek’s question.
“Even though you were completely indifferent when he asked you to take charge of the organization he planned to gather only the peak experts together.”
Many in the Baekdo Alliance had agreed with the idea, yet it remained one of the least progressed proposals.
The Nine Sects and One Gang, and further still, the young warriors of Baekdo—the trueborn future peak experts whose talents were said to be the best in their respective sects and regions.
Surprisingly, this plan to establish the organization had won the sympathy of many.
These were the future peak experts who were praised as the absolute best talents in their own sects.
No matter how strict their masters were, it was common for them to live under the weight of their sect’s expectations, the praise from those around them, and the jealousy of their peers, eventually succumbing to arrogance.
In the end, they had to experience the Jianghu for themselves.
To accumulate experience at a young age, they left their sects and entered the Jianghu.
The problem was that the Jianghu was filled with cunning masters.
Fate was woven with grudges that turned into the stories of those who ended up eating swords.
Even the Nine Sects and One Gang, and the Five Great Clans, remained Jianghu warriors armed with blades once they stepped outside their own territories.
Countless talented future peak experts had died.
Overcome by arrogance. Satiated by their comfortable fences. Unable to overcome the truly terrifying world that was the Jianghu.
Those future peak experts who had experienced and triumphed became genuine masters of the Jianghu, reborn.
Yet there were far too many precious talents that had fallen during that harsh process.
“So you wanted to gather the future peak experts together…”
Namgung Jinbaek had his own hopes.
He truly dreamed of a proper Baekdo Alliance.
“I cannot undo what happened during the Sama Alliance.”
At that time, they had gathered under the name of the Murim Alliance, but each was busy with their own schemes.
They had been preoccupied with defending against attacks that began from within.
Moreover, the Sama Alliance’s power had been formidable, and they excelled at sowing discord among the Baekdo sects.
“The current enemy is not the Sama Alliance.”
“If the Baekgwiwang I saw back then was just a minor subordinate…”
Muhwa nodded with a serious expression.
The true nature of the far greater enemy was gradually being revealed.
The Baekdo Murim was now even more fragmented than before the great war.
In such a situation, if conflict erupted, the moment of collapse would come in the blink of an eye.
Some sects were still reeling from the damage they had suffered back then.
“Although it is difficult to mend the relationships between the old ones who have seen each other, fought, and grown deeply conflicted, the young ones are different.”
The future peak experts of each sect were the future pillars of the world.
The Yangtze River always flowed with dignity, and new waves constantly emerged.
“The old ones have become too cunning and distant to easily become friends again, but the young ones are different.”
“If the future pillars see each other as brothers, as healthy rivals, then the Baekdo Murim will become one, slowly.”
“Lord-nim is right. Fortunately, the Nine Sects and One Gang agreed with my words despite their frustration…”
Even the arrogant future peak experts would clearly see that their own worlds would crumble when they met similar masters of their own age.
They could see greater talents than themselves, compete with each other, and build connections.
It was giving them one more foundation for growth before their forced exit from the Jianghu.
The problem was the leader of that organization.
“There is no one who fits the role as perfectly as Brother Sun.”
“While being from the Namgung family, he has no connections with anyone, and he can receive the support of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“Moreover, Brother Sun-nim is… a wonderful master.”
Muhwa and Muhwa added in turn.
That was why they had wanted to recruit him.
Unfortunately, it had not been easy.
First, Sun Wukong himself did not particularly want to do it.
Furthermore, the Nine Sects and One Gang, and even the other Five Great Clans, had exerted themselves to present their own people—or those most friendly to them—as his masters.
“In the middle of all this, suddenly making such a declaration…”
Namgung Jinbaek let out a dry laugh.
“Whether this was truly impulsive or planned…”
If what Sun Wukong was doing now had come out impulsively.
“It would be so efficient that even momentary wit could not catch up.”
“Then what if this was all planned? All the preparations for this event.”
“…That would be rather terrifying, wouldn’t it?”
As Muhwa had said.
The six elders who had taken on Sun Wukong as their master stiffened at the heated reactions surrounding them.
They had not expected him to openly reveal the negotiations taking place beneath the surface.
Wang Ju-dae scanned the surroundings with narrowed eyes.
“Too many people are watching.”
It was as if all the Baekdo warriors participating in the Baekdo Grand Assembly had gathered.
“Was this the intention behind his actions?”
A heavy shock settled over his mind as he slowly formed a conclusion.
“He cannot escape this situation.”
Cold sweat beaded on Wang Ju-dae’s forehead.
His breathing had become more intense than during a fight.
“Everyone has heard it clearly. An organization made up of future peak experts has been formed. We cannot deny it here. We have to give an answer.”
The problem was that Sun Wukong had declared himself the leader.
“Who would object to a supreme expert who defeated six cunning Jianghu masters at the same time taking the position of leader?”
Wang Ju-dae’s mouth had gone dry.
His thoughts exactly matched his own.
A surge of hot anticipation rose from the murmuring crowd.
“So, if I join that organization, I can learn from the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal, right?”
“Although he is not my master, if he is the leader of the organization, he should be able to teach us well!”
“Isn’t it that we only receive teachings? By simply watching closely, we can learn and be influenced!”
“I want to join too!”
“Only the future peak experts from the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans can join, right?”
The crowd had already accepted that Sun Wukong would take that position as a fait accompli.
He had nailed it down here.
Moreover, it was disguised as a request that each sect send their future peak experts who could not escape…
“An announcement, you say.”
Wang Ju-dae closed his eyes tightly.
It was not easy to refuse. He could not reject it. After all, the necessity of the future peak experts organization had been agreed upon by everyone.
However, if the leader was someone they did not want, he had even considered putting up resistance. If the Nine Sects and One Gang did not participate, it would become half-baked.
Even so, he had thought he could seat someone they liked as the leader…
“What would happen if I reject this?”
Wang Ju-dae was not the only one thinking this.
Even those who were somewhat dull had understood Sun Wukong’s intentions and broken out in cold sweat belatedly.
Even the always cool Geom Wi-hyeon could not hide his surprise.
Just a moment ago, they had been busy praising Sun Wukong themselves.
They had respected the realm he had achieved and praised his achievements.
“Arrogant as always!”
How could they reject him in front of those who were excited?
There were always those who were brazen even among them.
One of the Three Elders of the Joint Sect. The martial elder, Mun Ryang-gyeong.
“The organization’s composition has not been finalized yet. I do not deny Teacher Sun’s excellence, but we must gather everyone’s opinions.”
The remaining five all sparkled with eyes. Anticipation surged instantly.
If someone else had said that, they might not have reacted.
The Joint Sect’s respected martial elder.
The Joint Sect had three excellent senior masters, and one of them was the martial elder Mun Ryang-gyeong.
Although he had not reached the realm of the Transcendental Realm, his theoretical collection of the Joint Martial Arts he had created was said to have elevated the Joint Sect’s level by one step.
Although his actual combat ability was somewhat lacking, he was a person of the same level as the Great Sect Master.
His words carried a heavy weight.
However, Sun Wukong brushed it aside lightly.
“Well, so you’re saying I can’t be the leader?”
“That is not it. Precisely, we are to gather the opinions of many seniors…”
“So, in other words, I am a rootless stray dog and cannot be accepted?”
“No, no, no, when did this old man ever say that?”
“So, how can we trust someone whose origin we do not even know and entrust our children to him?”
“Ah, no, Sun, Sun Teacher! W-what are you saying!”
The usually stern Mun Ryang-gyeong’s face flushed with embarrassment.
The others were no different.
Sun Wukong was spreading nonsense, was he not?
With the entire crowd watching and listening right now, what kind of words were those…
Huh?
“What is this?”
Wang Ju-dae suddenly felt a strange sensation.
From some point onward, the current flowing around them.
It was emanating from Sun Wukong. At the same time, a faint veil spread around Mun Ryang-gyeong, who was blushing while looking embarrassed.
“Gi-mak!”
A faint veil formed by gi had surrounded Mun Ryang-gyeong.
So secretly that even right in front of his nose, he could not notice it at all.
“The crowd cannot hear Mun Ryang-gyeong’s voice!”
He had blocked only Mun Ryang-gyeong’s voice with the gi veil.
Naturally, the crowd…
“What? How is that possible!”
“The respected martial elder of the Joint Sect is belittling someone based on their origin!”
They had been listening to Sun Wukong’s words at face value.
The pupils of the elders shook wildly.
“Manipulating? In real time?”
Wang Ju-dae’s mouth fell open.
“This crazy guy…”
In the world, how could such a thing happen in the Jianghu…
Amid the collective open-mouthed astonishment.
Sun Wukong chuckled.
* * *
How brazen could a person be?
Faces flushed with embarrassment all turned toward Sun Wukong.
Mun Ryang-gyeong’s face had turned completely pale.
“I had already felt that this person’s aura was so subtle that it was difficult for humans to discern!”
I had felt it bone-chillingly when the six attacked together.
“Whether this person’s internal energy was special, or whether he was using some unknown martial art to thoroughly conceal the flow of energy…”
I had realized it keenly that Sun Wukong had reached the realm of the Counterfeit Golden Elixir.
However, no matter how that was, perfect control of internal energy even in the midst of a fierce fight was unbelievable.
The fact that he had controlled his internal energy while enduring the six-person joint attack was something that would be difficult to establish even in a dream.
“Yet even so, it was hard to discern the flow of internal energy from this Great Sage’s martial arts.”
Seeing the flow of energy and identifying the opponent’s martial art’s blind spots was something anyone who was truly a master could do.
Although Mun Ryang-gyeong was not lacking in martial art level among the six, he was a person who had reached the level of the Great Sect Master by collecting the theoretical knowledge of the Joint Martial Arts.
“Was it that I could not feel even a little because I was truly lacking?”
No. If it were one or two people, it would be one thing. He knew well that none of the six who had fought together could follow the flow of internal energy.
“So, there is either an unbridgeable gap that cannot be understood at all, or the power this person uses is different from the common internal energy we know.”
If Sun Wukong had heard that thought, he would have clapped his hands, saying it was quite intuitive for a human.
The overwhelming gap was a fact, and since it was not internal energy but demonic energy, it was close to the truth.
Right now, the gi veil was no different.
During the time Mun Ryang-gyeong was forming the veil to block his voice, he had not noticed it even in his dreams.
Even now, he had not realized it exactly. He had only realized belatedly that the gi was not extending outward and that something was blocking the flow.
Mun Ryang-gyeong’s face became heavy.
“This person is running the show. We simply boarded this ship.”
Had he felt that fact keenly?
The faces of the six became pale. They had no choice but to follow Sun Wukong’s intentions with a strong intuition.
But that was when it happened.
“What if my nephew can also join that organization?”
A heavy resonance.
The arena fell silent all at once.
It was a simple question, but the weight of the voice was different.
All eyes turned to one place.
The ones who had been quietly watching until now.
Someone muttered his name like a groan.
“One Blade Shaking Heaven, Gun Wi-ryang…”
The brother-in-law of Namgung Jinbaek, the patriarch of the Namgung Clan and one of the Ten Great Masters.
And the master and uncle of Gun Myeong-o, who had been thoroughly educated just a moment ago.
“My disciple is not from the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans. This Gun is nothing but an unknown wanderer. His only background is my reputation. If that is the case, my nephew cannot join, can he?”
The question was directed at Sun Wukong.
All eyes turned toward him. It was a matter everyone was curious about.
Was the organization that could only be joined by the future peak experts from the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans?
Sun Wukong shook his head.
“That is not possible. Those who are Baekdo, who cultivate martial arts, and who constantly strive are welcome. The door is open.”
The surroundings heated up with his dignified voice. However, that heat was quickly cooled by the following words of Gun Wi-ryang.
“My nephew is lacking quite a bit, but if he is to leave my side, he cannot serve under someone weaker than me.”
“…”
Surprise spread instantly.
Thud.
Gun Wi-ryang jumped lightly onto the arena in one breath.
A heavy aura wrapped in face-slapping power spewed out a cool light.
“I must see it. No, I must feel it.”
The position of the Ten Great Masters could not be maintained easily. Countless Transcendental Realm masters were constantly challenging and fighting for it.
However, this was not the case now.
Gun Wi-ryang was not accepting a challenge to defend his position.
“I want to ask for your teachings, Teacher Sun.”
As a warrior’s hot emotion.
He had challenged.
He had challenged to learn.