37. A Dangerous Man
Namgung Mu-yeong gazed into Sun Wukong’s eyes, lost in thought for a moment.
The atmosphere of the Namgung Clan had changed dramatically in the two years since he’d last returned.
‘They’re still exhausted, just like before…’
The constant fatigue that plagued the entire bloodline due to lack of manpower was nothing new—even before they ventured out into the martial world.
‘But everyone feels different now.’
Namgung Seo-wol, who had come with him, didn’t notice the change in the air.
Maybe it was because she was so clueless about anything but martial arts that you’d wonder how she managed to get by in the world, but it was also thanks to Namgung Mu-yeong’s particularly keen powers of observation.
Unlike most of his kin, he wasn’t the type to act with his sword before thinking. Because of that, he was sometimes considered a bit soft, but he was meticulous and attentive. His ability to read the room and grasp the situation was exceptional.
‘Maybe you could call it hope.’
Namgung Mu-yeong gave a bitter smile. “Hope” sounded grandiose, but deep down, he couldn’t think of a word that fit better. In the past, their faces just looked tired—now, beneath the fatigue, he could see a glimmer of possibility.
‘You can actually see things changing.’
Just two years ago, it wasn’t like this. Everyone worked themselves to the bone, but there were no tangible results.
The businesses and rights they’d lost were nearly impossible to reclaim. All their old trading partners—escort agencies, merchant guilds—had cut ties, and even their close alliances with other sects had been severed. During the Great War of Righteousness and Evil, all the sects that had fought fiercely alongside the Namgung Clan—those you could truly call blood allies—had been destroyed.
And the fact that the clan was made up entirely of blood relatives was another problem.
Even if they tried to expand their power by recruiting retainers, they were still outsiders, no matter what.
Unlike other sects, they couldn’t just take in disciples and raise them up.
No matter how hard they worked, no matter how much effort they put in, things wouldn’t improve.
Even the iron-willed Namgung Clan couldn’t help but grow weary.
But now, there were visible results.
The businesses and rights they’d held at the height of their prosperity had returned to their grasp.
Their reputation, too, had been restored.
The leading family among the Five Great Families, the sharpest sword of the Orthodox Faction, the nemesis of the Evil Faction Alliance.
People once again spoke of them with the same epithets as before.
‘Because they caught the remnants of the Evil Faction Alliance—or rather, that notorious figure from Honam Island.’
And the way it happened was impressive.
The Azure Hero Society, with whom relations had soured over business disputes and even the theft of the Namgung Clan’s own meteorite iron by one of their retainers, had been at odds with them.
Yet, when news broke that Honam Island had attacked, the Namgung Clan rushed to help without a second thought, earning widespread praise.
No matter how much conflict there had been, within the walls of the Orthodox Faction, they didn’t hesitate to come to the rescue.
It was enough to remind everyone of the days when they were called the sword that protected the Orthodox Faction.
Praise poured in from every corner of Anhui Province. But it wasn’t just the cheers and admiration that had changed the mood of the Namgung Clan.
A return to normalcy.
It felt like they were returning to the glory days of the past, and that feeling had taken root among the clan members.
‘All of this was orchestrated by that man.’
As soon as he returned, Namgung Mu-yeong investigated how everything had unfolded.
With his meticulous nature, he soon realized the truth—and was shocked.
Every step of the process had Sun Wukong’s name written all over it.
From start to finish, Sun Wukong had planned and executed everything.
The Namgung Clan, who thought they were using Sun Wukong, had actually been dancing in the palm of his hand. Realizing this sent chills down Namgung Mu-yeong’s spine.
‘No, that’s not what’s truly frightening.’
Sure, you could just say he had a brilliant mind for schemes.
Even Jegal Seo-seo, who had come with them, sometimes came up with extraordinary ideas, and they’d been surprised more than once.
It was impressive and astonishing, but not something to be afraid of.
What scared Namgung Mu-yeong was the playful smile and the fox-like arch of Sun Wukong’s brows. The cold, sunken gaze hidden beneath that smile—that was what frightened him.
‘Most of the elders must know.’
They must know that everything had gone according to Sun Wukong’s plan.
‘Even Sister Muhwa must know.’
They should be wary. But, unfortunately, they weren’t. Most of them actually liked Sun Wukong. It was only natural that the Golden Clan Lord, who’d finally caught a break after getting their businesses and rights back, felt a deep fondness for him.
Namgung Cheon-Young, the Master of Myeong’i Hall, the Law Enforcement Hall Leader Muhwa, even his own father Namgung Jin-Baek—all of them were at least somewhat favorable toward Sun Wukong.
He’d earned the trust and affection of most of the Namgung Clan in less than a month as a retainer.
Realizing this, Namgung Mu-yeong found Sun Wukong terrifying.
A man with a clear purpose had won the clan’s trust in the blink of an eye.
And no one questioned how it had happened.
Namgung Mu-yeong looked at Sun Wukong.
‘He’s a dangerous man.’
At the very least, he had to be the one to keep his guard up.
Just then, Sun Wukong suddenly spoke.
“If you keep making me wait for an answer, I’ll die of old age.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. That was rude of me.”
Namgung Mu-yeong apologized, looking a bit flustered, and finally got to the point.
“Would you be willing to participate as an observer at the upcoming Dragon Phoenix Assembly?”
“Observer?”
Sun Wukong immediately caught on. He wasn’t the type to miss the implication behind that word.
He chuckled lightly.
“You want me to keep an eye on the Five Great Families?”
“…!”
Namgung Mu-yeong’s eyes widened slightly—he hadn’t expected Sun Wukong to catch on so quickly.
Watching his reaction, Sun Wukong thought,
‘He’s so honest with his expressions.’
Tripitaka was like that too. Always surprised, always on the verge of tears, quick to anger when teased.
…Tsk.
Namgung Mu-yeong spoke frankly.
“That’s right. There are so many members from the Five Great Families in the clan right now…”
“It’s not just the heirs who came, is it?”
Sun Wukong had been watching from a distance. It wasn’t just the heirs who showed up.
Every family brought along a whole entourage.
“Guards, attendants, even servants—they all brought a sizable group. It’s more than our clan can handle alone.”
“So you’re saying there might be some suspicious characters among their followers?”
“There are some rather strong martial masters among them. That’s not the real issue, though. The real problem is that there are mysterious martial masters our information network can’t identify.”
Sun Wukong twirled a strand of hair.
“The Five Great Families know each other pretty well. They even know which martial masters each family has and what their specialties are.”
“And yet there are people among the followers who aren’t in that network?”
“That’s right. I doubt they’re plotting anything against the clan, but…”
Sun Wukong nodded. The clan’s vigilance was sharp—no one would dare try anything under their noses.
Still, it was unsettling to have martial masters from rival families that their information network couldn’t identify.
Why do so many Murim sects run their own intelligence networks?
Because knowing which martial masters are in a rival faction is crucial.
Just look at the Evil Faction Alliance—they were destroyed because they underestimated the Namgung Clan’s former patriarch, the Sword God’s Martial Might, and the clan’s true strength.
The martial world is a place where everyone walks a razor’s edge.
You never know when conflict will erupt. Even among the Five Great Families, that holds true. In fact, conflict and tension are inevitable.
“They call it an exchange meeting, but it’s already a battle of nerves.”
“The Hwangbo Clan has gotten a lot more influential lately.”
“When you gain power, you always want to show it off… Tsk.”
Sun Wukong clicked his tongue. It was the same as always—people who gained Internal Qi and martial art skills just wanted to fight all the time.
“The Hwangbo Clan—wasn’t that the guy who swung a sword at me?”
“…Yes.”
That… wasn’t it the other way around? Didn’t he throw himself into the sword, not the other way around?
Namgung Mu-yeong kept his thoughts to himself.
More than anything, he was worried about the Hwangbo Clan’s recent actions.
“They’re recruiting outside martial masters to expand their ranks.”
“So now that they’ve finished growing in numbers, they want to raise their standards.”
“Up until now, our clan has managed to identify all the martial masters they’ve recruited. What secret martial arts they know, who their masters are, which sect they belong to… But this time, there are people among their followers we just can’t identify.”
Sun Wukong tilted his head.
“Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
“Doesn’t that sound familiar?”
“Familiar…?”
“With me, I mean.”
“…What?”
Namgung Mu-yeong didn’t catch on right away.
“The clan leader is asking me to participate as an observer, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So, Young Lord, why do you think the clan leader singled me out?”
“Because the best way to keep an eye on martial masters is to have an even greater martial master watching them.”
Namgung Mu-yeong looked at Sun Wukong with certainty—he was sure Sun Wukong was a greater martial master than the Hwangbo Clan’s mysterious followers.
Sun Wukong smirked.
“That’s all?”
“…It’s probably also because you’re a retainer.”
Namgung Mu-yeong hesitated before answering. The Namgung Clan didn’t keep retainers out of naivety—they intended to use them thoroughly, for their backgrounds, influence, connections, and even their former reputations.
“Since you’re a retainer, technically an outsider, if something goes wrong, the clan can distance itself.”
At his honest answer, Sun Wukong’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re okay with saying that out loud?”
“You must have already guessed as much, Mr. Sun. I also dislike lying. I’d rather be honest and build trust.”
He really did seem to dislike dishonesty. Sun Wukong stroked his chin, intrigued.
“On the other hand, being a retainer gives you a pretext to get involved, too.”
“As a guest of the Namgung Clan.”
A label you could twist any way you wanted—just like a nose ring or an earring.
Being a retainer meant you could claim to be an outsider and bow out, or you could say you were a guest and get involved in clan affairs.
But Sun Wukong thought there was more to it than that.
“Is there another reason?”
“Think about it. Just as the Namgung Clan is wary of the Hwangbo Clan, the Hwangbo Clan must feel the same way.”
“Yes. Most of their followers are probably here to gather information on us.”
“So, what do you think I look like to them?”
“…Ah!”
Namgung Mu-yeong let out a short exclamation. Sun Wukong chuckled.
He looked at him with a look that said, “You didn’t realize?”
“That’s right. The Hwangbo Clan must be curious about you, too.”
“And if I, an outsider, participate as an observer at the Namgung Clan’s request, they’ll focus all their attention on trying to figure me out.”
“Ah…”
“All this time, who was it—the Master of Myeong’i Hall? They’ll take the lead in trying to uncover my identity.”
Namgung Mu-yeong’s mouth fell open slightly. He’d thought he’d figured out his father’s intentions, but he hadn’t considered this angle. Yet, with just a few words, Sun Wukong, who wasn’t even a blood relative, had gotten right to the heart of the matter.
Namgung Mu-yeong looked at Sun Wukong again, newly impressed.
Sun Wukong shrugged.
“Man, your clan leader is really sly.”
To think he’d use the Great Sage Equal to Heaven as nothing more than tempting bait.
While everyone’s distracted by the bait, they’ll be digging deep behind the scenes.
The Hwangbo Clan will probably try to approach Sun Wukong, and in the process, something unexpected might be revealed—whether it’s his martial arts or his past connections.
People always leave traces behind, after all.
“So… will you help us?”
Namgung Mu-yeong asked, watching Sun Wukong’s reaction.
Sun Wukong shook his head, looking thoughtful.
“I’ll have to talk with the clan leader myself.”
“…I’ll take you to him.”
Sun Wukong didn’t accept such a sly request right away.
‘There’s always a price for everything, and the clan leader sure knows how to use people.’
Determined to get something in return, Sun Wukong followed Namgung Mu-yeong’s lead.
“…?”
Suddenly, Namgung Seo-wol stepped in front of Sun Wukong.
He looked down at her with a curious gaze.
On her pale face was a strong, subtle curiosity.
Namgung Seo-wol suddenly spoke.
“Martial duel.”
“Huh?”
“Seo-wol!”
Namgung Mu-yeong tried to stop her in surprise, grabbing her shoulder, but Namgung Seo-wol didn’t budge. She looked up at Sun Wukong with a boldness that bordered on audacity.
“Duel me.”
“…”
Sun Wukong’s gaze turned strange.
Those stubborn eyes…
Suddenly, he felt a wave of irritation.
‘Why does everyone have something in common with Tripitaka?’