It's About Time to Start Working
Sun Wukong had been staying at the Namgung Clan estate for half a month now.
Immersed in his study of the art of the wind, he lifted his gaze when a visitor arrived and fixed the man with a steady stare.
“Requesting cooperation?”
Sun Wukong’s speech carried a peculiar flavor—respectful yet faintly condescending, not mere casual familiarity.
*It feels natural to speak down to him, and receiving guests in the high seat suits him strangely well.*
It was the most obvious reaction possible, as if he had simply been expected. The irritation lingered. Even among the younger members of the Namgung Clan, the elders and retainers had all treated him with genuine respect.
Namgung Cheonyeong, the head of the Myeong-i-dang, forced a stiff smile and buried his rising unease behind a flat tone.
“We ask for your assistance in reclaiming the business rights and artisans of Yangha Ironworks.”
Namgung Cheonyeong’s sudden request for cooperation left Sun Wukong standing with arms crossed, watching him in silence.
Thick eyebrows, unwavering eyes, lips pressed into a straight line.
The face of a man who never revealed his inner thoughts easily.
*Myeong-i-dang. The head of the clan’s central intelligence agency.*
One of the men Sun Wukong found particularly unlikable.
He had said he would stay only if he earned trust. Having already dealt with the enemy Sa Hyeol-cheol-gwi, he had assumed the matter was settled. Yet he understood this wariness now.
*He’s the kind of person who falls from the sky.*
Well, he had literally fallen from the sky.
Especially as the head of an information agency, caution was only natural.
Sun Wukong shrugged and asked.
“Reclaiming means the business rights are currently in the hands of the clan?”
“Before the war, they were long under Namgung Clan management, but now they belong to the Qingxie Fang.”
“Qingxie Fang?”
Ojeong, standing beside him, slipped in smoothly.
“He’s one of the two great figures of Anhui Province, the third in command. We were originally close, but…”
Even without hearing the rest, Sun Wukong understood.
He already knew the Namgung Clan had accumulated nothing but grudges after the war.
“Stolen?”
“It happened unavoidably during the war.”
“So the rights are on their side.”
“We intend to retrieve them through a fair transaction. We’re offering a higher price than before.”
“Even so, refusing the deal means you don’t want to hand it over.”
Sun Wukong let out a soft laugh.
He had spent the time in Murim learning a few things.
“In the end, you want me to force them into accepting the deal. My information about the righteous sects doesn’t match what I’ve heard.”
It was essentially blackmailing them into an unwanted transaction, no matter how generous the price.
Namgung Cheonyeong replied calmly, as if nothing were wrong.
“What’s the problem with that? We’re simply reclaiming what was ours.”
“…?”
“Here in Murim, in the end, the righteous prevail under the edge of the sword. We have no intention of pretending to be noble like the Shaolin or the Mount Hua Sect, guarding our reputation while acting pure. They can afford that. The Namgung Clan suffered the greatest losses during the war, after all.”
His tone dripped with cynicism. Sun Wukong nodded. Ojeong’s words matched what he had heard about the clan’s growing isolation from the other righteous sects after the war.
The pragmatic, calculating nature Ojeong described fit the group perfectly.
“Black-and-white factions are no different.”
The sharp remark made Namgung Cheonyeong’s eyes flash.
“Teacher Sun, watch your words! If we had truly acted like black-and-white factions, Qingxie Fang would have already fallen to the Namgung Clan’s blades long ago. Those wolves who hid behind us during the war and only sought their own gain!”
Even the composed Namgung Cheonyeong had burned with rage when it came to the events of the war.
Sun Wukong narrowed his brows and waved a hand.
“What do I care?”
It was a simple gesture. The hand that waved lightly seemed to hypnotize Namgung Cheonyeong’s gaze. His body gave an involuntary shiver.
*Breathing…*
Breathing carried a rhythm. The tiniest pause between exhaling and inhaling. With one flick of the hand, that pause was pried open and the rhythm broken. Perfect timing, precise.
A flicker of irritation crossed Sun Wukong’s languid expression. The moment that emotion registered, Namgung Cheonyeong felt his chest tighten for an instant.
Pressure. Nothing more than a hand that had stopped his breathing and the expression that had shown irritation.
When Namgung Cheonyeong’s eyes sank into caution, Sun Wukong’s lips curved into the same playful smile as before.
“Well, in short, you want me to make them accept a fair transaction?”
“Exactly. If we truly were black-and-white factions, we would have drawn our swords and started a war. Those are the kind of wolves who would have seized every advantage while we bled.”
“It’s not that we can’t use the sword because we’re not black-and-white.”
Sun Wukong spoke with a lazy drawl. Namgung Cheonyeong opened his mouth as if to protest, then let out a long sigh.
“The deadline is within ten days.”
“Ten days?”
“Information that the Qingxie Fang has allied with the Huosheng Sect, a major sect in the war.”
“A new name again. Very well. I’ll assist with the matter.”
Sun Wukong nodded readily.
Namgung Cheonyeong hesitated.
“I don’t intend to leave everything to you, my honored guest. The Namgung Clan will also send warriors to move with you.”
Sun Wukong nodded as if it were nothing. The decisive, frictionless decision left Namgung Cheonyeong satisfied for the moment, and he rose from his seat.
Yet as he stepped outside, something still nagged at him.
*As the lord said. Even after making such a request, he accepted. There must be a clear purpose behind it for him to stay as a guest of our clan. Who exactly is he looking for?*
More than that, the pressure he had just felt.
*What in the world…*
As one of the absolute experts of the Namgung Clan, he found it hard to believe he had felt pressure without even a trace of inner energy.
Namgung Cheonyeong suppressed the discomfort rising along his spine.
* * *
The moment Namgung Cheonyeong left, Ojeong spoke at once.
“The Namgung Clan really is the Namgung Clan. There’s a saying in the rivers and lakes: the righteous sects are righteous—except for the Namgung Clan.”
“Well, I actually prefer it this way.”
After all, they were just monkeys who used swords.
What did they mean by nobility? Humans, yet acting like beasts.
Sun Wukong laughed lightly. Humans had always been like that. Even though they were beasts, they acted as if they were not, yet in the end, all their actions led back to being beasts.
Pretending to be noble, acting lofty—it was genuinely amusing.
The Namgung Clan’s straightforward behavior actually suited him better.
“Still, the reason they’re refusing so blatantly is clear. They must have accumulated too many grudges. If the Namgung Clan draws its sword and starts a commotion, the righteous sects will intervene from all sides, claiming to mediate.”
The Namgung Clan was already shunned even among the righteous sects.
If the other sects meddled, it wouldn’t necessarily benefit the Namgung Clan.
Moreover, in terms of reputation, the Namgung Clan would be at a disadvantage. No matter how good the conditions, if they refused to hand it over, what was the problem?
It would simply mean the Namgung Clan was using its sword to intimidate and force the deal.
“Honestly, that’s still decent for the Namgung Clan. After all, this is Murim. Even among the righteous sects, stealing from each other with swords was daily life.”
Ojeong continued.
“Adding the Huosheng Sect to the alliance would make things difficult for the Namgung Clan, so they probably intend to handle the matter directly.”
“The Huosheng Sect?”
“A major sect in the war, but one with considerable power. Even the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans wouldn’t easily dare to provoke them. They’re trying to dig into Anhui Province. Reclaiming one ironworks business is probably just the beginning. Before the Huosheng Sect officially joins the Qingxie Fang, they plan to strike hard and weaken their strength.”
“Complicated.”
Sun Wukong frowned.
“Why did you accept such a request?”
He normally didn’t ask guests to handle matters this way.
Of course, guests usually helped the Namgung Clan out of a sense of righteousness.
But it was indirect help, not direct. They supported the clan through reputation, connections, and countless relationships.
That was why he had accepted the guest position, and it had been enough.
He did not handle matters directly as if he were a clan member.
*In fact, I’m just a hired hand, right?*
Ojeong’s question made Sun Wukong realize why he was truly needed at the Namgung Clan.
“Who exactly are you looking for that the Great Sage would go this far?”
Ojeong asked, as if calculating costs and benefits.
The occasional glimpse of his past life made Sun Wukong smile without a word.
He looked at Ojeong’s face.
Everyone had a reason for coming to this lower realm.
“I’m curious about the reason too.”
“About?”
“Why you’re here.”
“…I was caught by the Great Sage, after all.”
* * *
Sun Wukong shot out of the room at full speed.
After the journey, they had each received their posts in the celestial realm and scattered, making it hard to meet.
“Come quickly, Ojeong. You damn bastard! You finally found your hyung!”
“Big brother. I hope you’ve been well.”
“Well? I’m so bored my skin itches, itches.”
“It’s better to be bored than to get entangled in all sorts of trouble on the way to Heaven.”
“What nonsense. Come on, come inside first.”
Sun Wukong’s laughter was so bright that Ojeong couldn’t help but smile as well.
Most of the celestial realm feared him. They whispered that he might flip the heavens again at any moment. But Ojeong knew better. Sun Wukong simply showed his emotions honestly.
He hated what he hated and loved what he loved without restraint.
He revealed his true self completely.
That was the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal, Sun Wukong.
“Come, try this.”
“What is this…?”
“It’s the Peach of Immortality from the Queen Mother.”
Ojeong’s eyes narrowed.
Sun Wukong cleared his throat and avoided the gaze. Ojeong sighed.
He couldn’t believe the monkey before him was a famous Buddha.
It was the same as before. Ojeong felt strangely pleased. It was good that he didn’t change.
He stared at the peach for a long moment, then set it down.
“Big brother.”
“…?”
For a moment, a serious voice made Sun Wukong look puzzled.
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing. I was thinking of returning to the lower realm.”
“The lower realm?”
“I’m going to ascend the path of reincarnation.”
Sun Wukong was stunned by the unexpected words.
“What’s going on? The Eight Sect guy came to say goodbye before, saying he was going to reincarnate recently.”
Instead of answering, Ojeong fell silent.
Sun Wukong was honest with his emotions. His face clearly showed anger.
The cold light in Sun Wukong’s eyes made Ojeong hide a bitter smile inside.
A chill crawled through his entire body.
“Tell me. The Eight Sect, even you. What exactly has happened while I wasn’t looking?”
The playful light in his eyes and voice vanished without a trace.
Ojeong gritted his teeth. As the Golden Immortal and the strongest sage in the celestial realm, he had become the greatest deity there. Yet before Sun Wukong, he could barely stand on two legs.
He didn’t answer. Even under the crushing pressure like a mountain, his shoulders slumped and his legs trembled, but he didn’t open his mouth.
Ojeong’s stubbornness was such that even Sun Wukong couldn’t break it once he made a decision.
After some time, Sun Wukong let out a sigh. All the pressure vanished as if it had never been there.
“Everyone is the same…”
“I’m sorry, hyung. I’ll tell you everything later.”
“It’s fine. Take this.”
“What is this…?”
The gift was a pill that filled the air with a fragrant scent. Ojeong tilted his head.
“It’s the pill from the Supreme Lord.”
Sun Wukong’s golden hair at the tips of his ears twitched slightly as he avoided the gaze with an awkward expression.
“It wasn’t stolen. I just handled one request from the Supreme Lord and received it.”
“This precious thing…”
“It’s fine. Just get out.”
Sun Wukong spoke while avoiding the gaze, irritated.
Then he shot a sidelong glance again.
“You’re not going to tell me why you’re going down to the lower realm?”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Worried about what!”
Sun Wukong suddenly exploded. Ojeong laughed heartily.
“If you’re so worried, come down and protect me, big brother. Then what would I be afraid of?”
“Worried about what! You want me to go back to that lower realm? Fine. Come back quickly. I’ll prepare some fine liquor even if I have to empty my own wine cellar.”
Sun Wukong said it casually.
If anything happened to Ojeong or the Eight Sect, he would simply handle it himself.
That was his thought.
* * *
“Why are you staring at me like that without saying anything? You’re trying to scare me.”
Sun Wukong snapped out of his thoughts at Ojeong’s words.
He stood up with a soft laugh.
“Since there’s work to do, let’s get started.”
“…Huh? Me too?”
Ojeong’s dazed voice made Sun Wukong nod as if it were obvious.
“Where do you think the youngest would stay while the big brother goes?”
“…I feel like I’m older.”
Sun Wukong stepped out of the building. The sky was high and vast.
“Now it seems it’s about time for this Teacher Sun to start working in earnest.”