The Wrong Method
Wukong stared down at the snow-white, translucent hair that looked as if it had been carved from frost, his gaze unmoving.
In the heavy silence, only Baekgwiwang’s desperate voice rang out.
“Little brother, are you really planning to kill this older brother you’ve just reunited with after so long?”
“…….”
“Little brother, when you issued the call to arms against the Heavenly Court, who was the one who rushed forward first, like flying to answer the summons?”
“…….”
“Little brother, who was the one who fought beside you and had his head severed by Nezha?”
The despair in Baekgwiwang’s plea was unbearable. He was begging for his life with pitiful desperation.
He had been one of the Seven Great Sages, blood brothers in arms.
The most loyal one who had charged first into battle.
He had not fought to the very end beside Sun Wukong in glory?
For the demon Sun Wukong, he had been a fine companion.
Wukong looked down at the back of Baekgwiwang’s head with lowered eyes.
I didn’t expect him to beg for his life so readily.
It was unexpected.
Wukong knew Baekgwiwang’s power was superior. Even in human form, he remained a demon at heart. The supreme demon among demons. The strongest of the Seven Great Sages.
One of the Seven Great Sages.
Of course, if we only consider demonic energy and the display of power.
Among the Seven, Baekgwiwang was one of the fastest.
Even so, he was a Great Sage. The seven demon kings were so powerful they would not retreat even in battle against the Heavenly Court.
In fact, he had almost defeated Namgung Jinbaek.
If Sun Wukong had not appeared, he would have taken the life at the end.
Yet Baekgwiwang’s appearance was also not good.
His body was covered with wounds everywhere.
Most notably, a slash crossing one eye.
He had lost an eye. The damage was severe.
Wukong knew Namgung Jinbaek was a powerful martial artist capable of defeating one or two Great Demons.
However, the Great Sages were not comparable to Great Demons.
A single Great Demon could rival lower sages. With a ratio of seven to one, the sages would win, but…
From the Great Sages onward, it was different.
Not lower sages, but ones like Taishang Laojun, Nezha, Langjinjun, Satewang—gods in name.
Someone like that defeated Namgung Jinbaek in a hard-fought victory and now begs for life without even fighting in front of me.
Wukong’s mind raced.
He wasn’t the type to endure humiliation like this in the past.
Had his disposition changed through reincarnation?
No way.
Wukong sneered. There was no way. He had already awakened memories from the previous life.
The difference from then was only one.
The human body.
Not the tough, strong demon body, but human flesh.
The vessel that had to hold the demon king was human.
If the spirit and soul were that of a Great Sage, what would he do?
He was trapped in the fundamental limitation of human flesh.
He knows he can’t beat me with this body.
He couldn’t escape. He couldn’t win. There was only one way.
To desperately beg for his life.
“Why didn’t you fight and beg for your life, older brother? Don’t you know your own strength?”
“I don’t know my own strength?”
“If you have the strength, then say so.”
“Hah.”
Baekgwiwang slowly stood up from his seat.
His clothes stained with blood and dirt from the floor made him look exactly like a beaten soldier. With an old man’s body, Wukong couldn’t help but click his tongue.
“If you’re trying to show sympathy, it’s effective.”
Of course, it was just words. Even if he was a compassionate Buddha, before that, Wukong had been the king of demons.
“Hey, little brother. I’m not stupid. You know that too.”
“You older brother is unusually smart.”
“If I fight with you, do you think I can survive here? Do you think I don’t know that?”
Wukong crossed his arms. He smiled with amusement.
“Yeah, there’s a line between us, and if it’s crossed, it might be a bit disappointing.”
“…….”
“But, older brother. We’re not real brothers who share blood, are we?”
“You young brother!”
“Older brother and I are both monkey demons, but a bit different. Appearance-wise too. I’m handsome, and older brother is a bit shabby.”
Baekgwiwang was momentarily speechless.
It was the other alias of Sun Wukong, the Beautiful King.
The handsome monkey king.
In fact, Wukong often heard that he was praised as handsome from all over.
Golden hair with luster, long limbs, distinct features.
No.
Baekgwiwang shook his head left and right, trying to snap out of his thoughts.
He almost got me again.
It was Wukong’s specialty.
If you talk, suddenly the conversation flow changes.
And he steals the initiative.
He makes you move as he directs, and speak as he intends.
So he’s scary.
Even the Heavenly Court and demons fear his unfathomable power, but that’s not the point.
Charming speech, smart brain, subtle charm that makes you move according to his will.
The great wind and cloud who led the Great Demons and demon kings who couldn’t unite under the name of Seven Great Sages.
He was the one who led and moved all of it.
Baekgwiwang truly feared Sun Wukong.
This guy isn’t reincarnated.
He had heard the news.
After the arduous journey with Sanzang, he became a Buddha.
He was not someone who entered the cycle of reincarnation.
In short, not the previous life, but the body from the past, in his prime.
He had realized that he had no chance against him.
If it were a shared death, maybe.
He wouldn’t think of such a thing unless Sun Wukong really wanted to kill him.
He can’t die.
Even if it was a useless, cursed human body.
It was better than death.
If it’s this kid, who knows what he might do to King Yama.
Go to hell, or be reborn as a lowly beast.
Sun Wukong could influence the underworld somehow and cheat.
Death is not the end.
The life after death would be terrifying too.
Baekgwiwang’s thoughts went that far.
“Anyway, older brother. We’re not real brothers. Moreover, we’re not enemies yet, are we?”
“Enemies? When were we ever enemies?”
“Hahaha. Don’t you remember the humans you killed with your own hands? It hasn’t been long, so they’ll still be warm. Right?”
“I killed humans. So what?”
“…….”
“You young brother isn’t human, right?”
In a casual tone as if it was obvious, Wukong closed his mouth for a moment.
Baekgwiwang’s eyes narrowed.
“I only killed humans. It’s like humans killing beasts for meat. Why am I your enemy?”
“…….”
Wukong didn’t answer and stared at Baekgwiwang for a long time.
Then he pulled out the steel rod and stabbed it into the ground.
Boom!
The shock of the ground shaking was transmitted. Baekgwiwang’s face turned pale.
“If you want to live, you should offer me something good to spare your older brother.”
“If it’s something good.”
“I’m looking for Sanzang.”
“…….”
“As you said, older brother. Humans dying or not is none of my business.”
Baekgwiwang looked at Sun Wukong with a complex expression that appeared and disappeared quickly on his face.
“I’m going to find Sanzang. Tell me where the big brother is.”
“You young brother, first don’t misunderstand and listen. I don’t know where the big brother is either.”
“Ah, this started off badly.”
Wukong gripped the steel rod tightly.
His killing intent surged as if he was about to pull it out and strike with a single blow.
Baekgwiwang hurriedly waved his hands.
“Really. The king hasn’t shown his face even once.”
“Shown his face?”
“Yeah. Up until now, I haven’t seen the king’s face directly. That’s why I call him king, because I thought he might not be the big brother.”
“How do you remember your previous life?”
“I ate a pill.”
“A pill.”
“The pill given by the king allows the upper dantian to awaken, bringing memories of the soul and some of the abilities.”
“Hmm.”
Wukong stroked his chin. He removed his hand from the rod and stepped back a bit.
“Those who hide their faces are demons from the previous life.”
“You figured that out. Correct.”
“Then, do you remember the previous life by eating the pill?”
“Trivial things can’t awaken the previous life. But you can pull up the abilities. Humans call it magic arts.”
“That’s right. Only those like you, the Seven Great Sages, can awaken the previous life?”
“I ate the pill and remembered the previous life.”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Wukong’s mouth. He looked at the emotionless face quietly.
Indeed, he was excellent at faking expressions.
Wukong saw that he had lightly dodged the fishing line he threw, and hardened his belief that Baekgwiwang was right.
He dodged the question about other Seven Great Sages well.
Of course, Wukong saw through that easily.
If there’s one of the Seven Great Sages, the other five must exist.
Wukong said to Baekgwiwang.
“Then, what command are you following, older brother? What are you fighting for? Collecting the Seven Star Sword fragments to use where? And why did you capture Geumgak?”
“……!”
Baekgwiwang’s pupils shook.
Wukong chuckled.
“I killed those two, Gunei Nosa and Honse-mawang. Gunei Nosa was killed by Namgung Seoga’s lord, but that’s it? It doesn’t seem like you’re handling it, but I took the spider guys. I killed the creepy spider with eyes on its legs too.”
“……It was all your doing.”
“Didn’t you guess?”
“I only suspected.”
“So you don’t know where the big brother is, and you don’t know where Sanzang’s precious soul is, right, older brother?”
“Wait, listen, young brother.”
Baekgwiwang said cautiously.
“Even if I die and come back, I don’t know. But young brother has a way.”
“A way?”
“I’ll answer the previous questions first. How was this lower realm you surveyed?”
“Well, humans are doing well. It was a mild impression.”
“I was surprised when I awakened my previous life. Humans rule with power stronger than demons, even more than demons. In this world, the martial world, and Murim.”
“…….”
“One person, three venerables, ten great masters… Even the new external martial artists who can’t gauge their strength, the new external five, and the ancient masters who hid, the Four Heavenly Kings. Humans have really become powerful.”
“That’s right.”
“Even the lord of Namgung Seoga I just fought was not an easy opponent for me. He’s just one of the top ten great masters. Above him are the three venerables and the sword god.”
Wukong listened quietly.
Baekgwiwang’s voice rose gradually. A faint excitement began to rise.
“The three venerables are at least equal to me now, or perhaps superior. Unless I recover my past body, even if I do, it will be a hard fight.”
Wukong was curious what this guy was trying to say with sudden human praise.
Baekgwiwang’s white eyes sparkled.
“These people who might be stronger than the past demons are overflowing in this world. Don’t you understand what this means?”
“Ah, I don’t know.”
“You young brother! Remember how you gathered demons and fought against the Heavenly Court!”
Wukong’s eyes widened suddenly.
The meaning of what Baekgwiwang was saying slowly approached.
“If we control and gather all these humans, wouldn’t those pathetic Heavenly Court gods be scary? Those things that can’t even manifest in this world after separating from the lower realm?”
Wukong smiled bitterly. He had nothing to say.
“Yeah, young brother. You should come with us. Go together, meet the king, return Sanzang, and as in the past, you lead the humans as the Great Sage Sun Wukong. Isn’t that right?”
An eerie heat surged.
Wukong sighed.
“So you’re trying to persuade me?”
“You young brother. Recall the past. When you stepped up, the Heavenly Court collapsed helplessly.”
“There is Tathagata.”
“Tathagata has weakened!”
“……What?”
“I don’t know why, but Tathagata has weakened. He’s weakening. Otherwise, how could he protect it, and who would dare steal Sanzang’s soul and run away!”
“…….”
Wukong’s pupils shook slightly. Baekgwiwang added without knowing Wukong’s expression.
“With Tathagata weakened now, there’s no way to stop you. Like in the past, we Seven Great Sages unite, gather these strong humans and overwhelm them.”
A moment of silence passed. Baekgwiwang’s eyes sparkled.
“The Heavenly Court!”
The silence settled. Wukong stared at him quietly.
How much time had passed?
A faint smile appeared on Wukong’s face.
“Older brother, I understand your intention to persuade me well.”
“You young brother!”
Instantly, joy filled Baekgwiwang’s eyes.
The Great Sage Sun Wukong! If he stands on the same side!
But the illusion of his heart stopping came from the following low tone of Wukong.
“But, the method is wrong.”
“……!”
The cold smile on Wukong’s lips.
“If you were trying to persuade me…”
A low, icy tone. Beyond the smile that was as cold as if it could freeze the breath.
Golden light flashed in his eyes.
“You shouldn’t have touched Sanzang.”
It was the growl of a beast sinking.