You Are Not Sanzang
Seowol! Suddenly being so rude!
Namgung Muyoung grabbed Seowol’s shoulder in a panic and shook her vigorously.
Seowol didn’t flinch at all. Even though Namgung Muyoung’s martial arts were impressive, Seowol remained completely unmoved.
Sun Wukong watched them quietly.
*My cousins, but their vibes are completely different.*
He had heard they were the same age.
Yet the way they acted, Namgung Muyoung seemed more mature. Not that he was old, but Seowol looked younger than her age.
“I’m up for a spar.”
“No… you…”
Namgung Muyoung let out a big sigh, looking frustrated. He chewed his lips while glancing at Sun Wukong.
It was embarrassing. He realized immediately that trying to stop her wouldn’t work.
*This stubborn one… she ends up doing whatever she wants!*
When Seowol pouted with her lips tightly shut like that, it was her way of being stubborn. She didn’t do that when she was young, but after puberty, her personality completely changed.
While they were in the jianghu together, how many times had that stubbornness gotten her into trouble?
And now, out of the blue, she’s challenging a stranger to a fight.
Moreover, it’s not some weak opponent.
Of course, he was curious. She had taken down Sa Hyeol-cheol-gwi and Hunamdo all by herself. If a martial artist says someone who witnessed her power up close is amazing…
Sun Wukong gave a wry smile at the glance Namgung Muyoung threw at him.
*Not hiding expressions is one of Sanzang’s traits…*
Thinking that one of them might be Sanzang, he had started connecting dots to everything.
Sun Wukong looked at Seowol with a stern gaze.
“Let’s make it simple. Challenging to a sword fight at night. No need to go all out.”
“Alright.”
“Seowol, watch your manners…”
“Hey, young master? Calling me that is fine, right?”
“Ah, yes. Teacher Sun. Call me whatever you like. You’re also the benefactor of the Namgung Clan, and you’re older than me.”
Sun Wukong had already relaxed his speech.
“Young master, please forgive me.”
“Yes, understood. My apologies. A sudden spar…”
“It’s fine, I’m just playing with the little one.”
“Playing? No.”
Seowol drew her sword and pointed it.
Her voice didn’t change in pitch. Expressionless and indifferent.
Sun Wukong couldn’t help but smile inside. Even if expressionless, it didn’t mean no emotions were conveyed.
The burning emotion was clearly visible beneath that blank face.
Seowol said firmly.
“We’re fighting.”
The tip of the sword gleamed coldly. The starlight shattered on the blade with a desolate sound.
“Little one, fighting is fun.”
Sun Wukong flicked his fingers. Before the words finished, Seowol charged like a madwoman.
The extended sword seemed to stretch straight, then curved in a strange angle.
It was impossible to track the movements with the eyes.
Even up close, it looked like a streak of light slicing through.
Sun Wukong reached out with a light movement. Extending his hand to stab with the sword was basically suicide. Seowol’s eyes widened in surprise. In her vision, Sun Wukong’s arm seemed to waver for a moment, like an illusion.
*A snake?*
A snake’s body wriggled as it wrapped around the sword.
The arm sliding under the hand, bypassing the blade.
The stealth of a snake that slips over the wall. When it was about to dig in without time to react, suddenly the snake’s mouth opened wide. Its fangs gleamed sharply.
Seowol hurriedly changed the direction of her thrust. No special calculation, just instinctive movement.
“Oho!”
Sun Wukong let out a short exclamation. The hand that was trying to grab Seowol’s wrist sliced through empty air.
*Hidden fangs in stealth. I imitated that snake’s fangs.*
This was it, she dodged it.
But she didn’t completely avoid it. Seowol’s sleeve was caught by Sun Wukong’s fingertips.
“…!”
Sun Wukong chuckled.
“If you don’t want to show your skin, then don’t make your sleeves too long.”
The tone was like giving advice.
Seowol couldn’t respond or counter. Before she could say anything, Sun Wukong pulled her sleeve.
It wasn’t a huge pull. It was the strength to hold if she resisted.
But with the perfect force that instantly shattered her balance, Seowol’s body swayed greatly. Her balance collapsed in an instant. Seowol quickly stepped back to regain her center.
“Ugh!”
The attempt to regain center failed. Sun Wukong’s foot had stepped into the spot where she should have planted hers.
As if he knew how her footwork developed.
*Impossible!*
Seowol strongly denied it in her mind. Footwork was the foundation of martial arts. One had to move constantly. If footwork was seen through, it meant the opponent had seen through her movements.
Unfortunately, Seowol’s denial was wrong.
Sun Wukong had instantly seen through Seowol’s movements.
*Similar to what that martial artist stepped on. A bit different though.*
He had already seen Namgung Clan’s martial arts in action multiple times during fights.
Right then, when fighting with Ojeong Namgungseon.
When fighting with Muhwa in the Cheonghyupbang.
If he had said this out loud, not only would Namgung Seowol who was sparring, but also Namgung Muyoung watching would be shocked.
It was even more unbelievable.
Namgung Muyoung’s eyes widened as he watched.
*She’s seeing through Seowol’s movements completely?*
It was shocking. Even if one had seen footwork once, the application varied depending on the martial artist. The same martial art, with inner energy depth and user’s experience, could look completely different in the jianghu.
Sun Wukong relentlessly harassed Seowol as if he knew everything.
*Could it be… he saw through the essence of footwork?*
Namgung Muyoung’s face hardened. The essence of martial arts. The core big stem. Even those who learn martial arts find it hard to see through easily. If one could just see and understand, then why would secret martial arts exist in the first place.
Sun Wukong’s movements were so wondrous that it felt like that.
When Seowol’s center of gravity collapsed, Sun Wukong’s hand dug in.
“Ugh!”
Panicked Seowol swung her sword, but the fluttering sleeve didn’t even brush against it.
Sun Wukong lightly tapped the outer surface of the sword like a drum.
“Clang!”
“…!”
Even though it was just a light tap, Seowol swallowed a groan from the lingering shock transmitted to her wrist.
*Penetration path?*
No, not penetration path. It wasn’t the Myeongwi method of pushing inner energy inside. The inner energy hadn’t penetrated. But the shock was real.
Like a fist hitting, a powerful shock piled up on her wrist.
“Uuuuh!”
Namgung Muyoung watching swallowed a groan. Clearly, she was being pushed back.
Even though he was frustrated with his stubborn cousin who caused trouble, Namgung Muyoung admitted her skill.
Of course, he didn’t think she would win, but to be pushed this much…
Seowol was stubborn but not stupid. She realized painfully that she was completely defeated.
That didn’t mean she had to accept defeat.
In fights, there are always the strong and the weak.
There are always winners and losers.
But it’s not that the strong always win and the weak always lose.
Even the strongest has flaws. If someone made a flaw, then with a stronger shock, it could be broken.
Seowol’s eyes flashed.
Her iron-like resolve had caught the tiniest flaw in Sun Wukong’s fortress.
Seowol’s sword tip shone sharply.
“…!”
At that moment, Sun Wukong’s expression twisted.
Simultaneously, Sun Wukong’s fist came down on the sword.
“Boom!”
“…Ugh!”
“Seowol!”
The sword split in half. The inner energy that had been transmitted through the sword lost its direction and reversed. Seowol staggered with a pale face and collapsed.
Namgung Muyoung was startled and supported Seowol.
As the successor of the Namgung Clan, he had figured out how the situation developed.
“Why there… poison?”
It was a real poison, not something that looked like sparring.
Namgung Muyoung supported Seowol and bowed to Sun Wukong.
“I apologize. I got too immersed in the fight and Seowol made a big mistake.”
“It’s fine.”
Sun Wukong waved his hand.
Honestly, he was a bit surprised.
*Ruthless. Ruthless.*
Who would have thought the sword tip would come up unexpectedly.
Of course, Sun Wukong reacted instantly and blocked it, but he tasted the cool feeling for the first time in a while.
More importantly, Sun Wukong gained one certainty.
*A sword filled with vicious killing intent…*
Seowol’s sword had an unusually high amount of killing intent.
When it exploded at the last moment, even Sun Wukong was taken aback.
He suddenly thought if he had made an enemy out of her.
“…Killing intent.”
-Oh Gong-ah, your ferocity has gone beyond the way.
-That’s natural. How could I just let go of a monster that tried to eat my master.
-Even so, depending on how you control your heart, it can become judgment instead of slaughter. In your hand, it’s not judgment, but just the meaning of slaughter.
-Stop with the difficult words, Oh Gong-ah. To kill, you need to have the will to kill. Ah, our noble master can’t even kill a bug, how would he know.
-Don’t be sarcastic, Oh Gong-ah. Controlling the heart and not having killing intent. This is the first lesson I’m giving you.
A conversation flashed in his mind.
Sun Wukong looked at the pale, limp Seowol.
He knew one thing for sure.
“You are not Sanzang.”
* * *
“Seowol will reflect a lot.”
Namgung Muyoung glanced at Sun Wukong following behind and said barely.
Sun Wukong chuckled.
“Reflect? Her face was full of resentment.”
“Th, Seowol is a bit… um. She’s grown up, but still has childish aspects.”
Sun Wukong laughed heartily. In Sun Wukong’s eyes, both were children. Of course, both were over 20. Since 16 was considered adult, they couldn’t be called children.
“Having strong fighting spirit isn’t bad.”
Sun Wukong didn’t mind.
After all, a scratch from that little poison wouldn’t hurt. Rather, he was a bit surprised. The bold strike right after finding a gap was sharp.
*The daughter of the previous clan leader.*
The previous clan leader.
The one called the Sword God.
So this was inheritance. His curiosity about the Sword God surged anew.
*To a mere human, the word ‘god’ is attached.*
The flamboyance was refreshing. Rather, it was a nickname given by others. If others gave nicknames, there must be sufficient reason.
*I’d like to see it once.*
As could be seen from the fact that the current clan leader was Namgung Jinbaek, the brother of the Sword God.
The Sword God was not in the Namgung Clan now.
Sun Wukong had directly asked about this, but the Namgung Clan avoided answering.
Only that he had left for seclusion training, but Sun Wukong immediately saw through the lie.
*He might have died.*
But it wouldn’t be easy to announce.
The Namgung Clan had many enemies.
As seen in the example of Hunamdo, the Sama Order wasn’t completely gone.
If the Sword God died, it would mean a huge suppression force disappeared.
So perhaps he hid his death.
*Of course, it’s just a guess…*
To this extent, the entire Namgung Clan kept silent or avoided definite answers, so Sun Wukong had no more to ask.
*I’ll have to investigate gradually.*
Sun Wukong couldn’t act directly because the Namgung Clan’s gaze on him was too much.
More importantly, the problem of the Sword God’s truth was lower priority compared to finding Sanzang and Yeouibong.
*To Ojeong?*
A skilled, observant guy who, recalling his past life, would be trustworthy to entrust anything.
*But it might be hard to do alone.*
He needed people to handle. The first one that came to mind was Jegal Seoseo.
*External Heukdo Bangpa wouldn’t be much help.*
After a moment of thought, Sun Wukong abandoned the thought.
The current clan leader, the Sword God, couldn’t be seen, but his brother could be seen, right?
“You have arrived, Teacher Sun.”
Namgung Jinbaek welcomed him happily from his residence.
Sun Wukong looked at him and said casually.
“If there’s something to go, there should be something to come, right?”
As always, direct speech.
Namgung Jinbaek smiled bitterly.
“That’s right. Correct. Asking a guest to do serious work, and moreover, you’re not a benefactor. Well, is there something needed?”
Sun Wukong didn’t answer but quietly looked at Namgung Jinbaek.
After some time.
In the silence, Sun Wukong opened his mouth.