44. My Nose Is Tingling
The banquet hall was weighed down by a heavy silence.
It was so quiet, you could hear someone nervously swallow.
In the midst of it all, the only one who seemed at ease was Sun Wukong.
He kept picking up food, watching the situation unfold with amused eyes.
Zhu Wujing nudged him with his elbow.
"Are you really going to just let that go?"
"This is delicious. Try it. I’ve never seen fruit kernels like this before, and fried in oil, they’re just perfect to chew."
"That’s called corn. It came from across the sea. I’ve never seen fried corn before… Wait, that’s not the point! The atmosphere in here is so tense, it wouldn’t be surprising if a bloodbath broke out any second!"
"That’s what makes it taste even better. Watching a fight while eating is the best."
Unlike Sun Wukong, Zhu Wujing couldn’t relax. His throat was dry and scratchy, and his mouth was parched—he couldn’t even think about swallowing food.
Several hot-blooded elders of the Namgung Clan kept their hands on their sword hilts, watching the situation closely.
Amidst the taut tension, Hwangbo Yong bowed deeply to Namgung Mu-yeong, his face grave.
"Brother Namgung—no, Young Lord. I’ve made a grave mistake, with no excuse."
Was it a mistake, or intentional?
If it was intentional, it was far too obvious.
If Namgung Mu-yeong had actually died from a stray blade, it would have been a disaster.
War would break out immediately. Not a single member of the Hwangbo Clan present would leave alive.
The Namgung Clan, who had shown the whole martial world what vengeance meant by punishing the Evil Faction Alliance, would never tolerate the death of their heir right before their eyes.
So it wasn’t intentional.
Even if the Namgung Clan elders were hot-tempered, they understood reason.
But still, it couldn’t be dismissed as a mere accident.
‘This isn’t something you can just laugh off and let slide.’
In the martial world, those without mercy or compassion are often held in higher regard than the generous.
The righteous sects are no different.
In the end, it’s a life lived on the edge, blades drawn at one another.
"……"
Namgung Mu-yeong rose from his seat. All eyes turned to him. The Namgung Clan watched with concern, while the other Five Great Families observed the unfolding situation closely. Yet, even under so many gazes, Namgung Mu-yeong remained calm.
"I do not doubt the intentions of the Hwangbo Clan. I accept your apology, Young Lord."
The tension instantly melted away.
The Namgung Clan elders looked somewhat dissatisfied, while the Hwangbo Clan members let out sighs of relief.
No one could openly start a fight here, so everyone understood they had no choice but to accept it as an accident.
But outside these walls, would people see Namgung Mu-yeong as magnanimous for this, or would they take it as a sign that the Namgung Clan was growing soft…?
At that moment—
"However."
Shing.
Suddenly, Namgung Mu-yeong drew his sword.
"I am a martial artist as well. I am not so spineless as to simply laugh off a blade thrown at me. As the representative of the Namgung Clan, I challenge Young Lord Hwangbo Yong, representative of the Hwangbo Clan, to a Martial Duel."
"……!"
The reactions were vivid and varied. Namgung Jin-Baek grinned in open satisfaction, while the Hwangbo Clan’s martial artists looked dismayed.
The Dragon Phoenix Assembly always included a Martial Duel at the end.
There was nothing wrong with the duel itself.
But the timing was the problem.
‘He’s challenging as the clan’s representative?’
The crowd buzzed at Namgung Mu-yeong’s boldness. Hwangbo Yong looked flustered for a moment, then gave a Tiger Fist salute. Refusing the duel here would be even more awkward.
In fact, Hwangbo Yong welcomed the duel.
‘Better him than Namgung Seo-wol.’
Namgung Mu-yeong was the Namgung Clan’s heir, but Namgung Seo-wol’s martial prowess was more widely known.
Not only was she the daughter of the previous clan head, the Sword God, but after the two siblings entered the martial world, it was Seo-wol who handled most matters.
Hwangbo Yong had never once defeated Namgung Seo-wol.
But Namgung Mu-yeong had a reputation for being rather weak. There was a reason he’d brought up being “spineless.”
Hwangbo Yong was confident. He was the Hwangbo Clan’s heir. Even though he’d felt a wall when Sun Wukong blocked his sword on the way here, at least among his peers, he was second to none.
As Hwangbo Yong accepted, the central stage was quickly transformed into a Martial Duel arena. The duel was guaranteed by the top Retainers present—Black Mask Iron Sword, the Hebei Peng Clan, the Jegal Clan, the Sichuan Tang Clan, and others.
"Ha!"
Hwangbo Yong let out a shout and struck first.
The two swords clashed in midair.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"……!"
Hwangbo Yong’s eyes widened in shock as his sword, swung with confidence, was blocked.
There was one thing Hwangbo Yong had misunderstood.
The rumor that Namgung Mu-yeong was a weak heir.
It wasn’t entirely wrong.
He wasn’t the type to draw his sword at the slightest provocation, unlike some of his bloodline.
But there was one thing he should have known.
"Urgh!"
Namgung Mu-yeong was still a true descendant of the Namgung Clan.
Hwangbo Yong swallowed a groan as he was pushed back. The Thunder and Lightning Sword Technique was known for its speed and heavy, hammer-like force. But before he could even make use of it, Namgung Mu-yeong’s sword rained down on him.
Faster than the Thunder and Lightning Sword Technique.
The Namgung Clan’s sword style was all about putting one’s full strength into heavy attacks.
Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder.
A unique Namgung sword technique focused on blinding speed.
But that didn’t mean the essence of the Namgung Clan was lost.
Each rapid strike carried the full weight of his strength, like a thunderbolt.
As Hwangbo Yong struggled to block, the sharp tip of Mu-yeong’s sword made him feel as if his chest was being pierced.
Startled, he took a step, then two, back—before he knew it, he was cornered.
Hwangbo Yong’s face flushed with embarrassment.
While he was getting worked up, Namgung Mu-yeong’s expression remained utterly calm, even as he overwhelmed his opponent.
Even while dominating the duel, there wasn’t the slightest hint of excitement on his face. The cold, steady look in his eyes sent a chill down Hwangbo Yong’s spine.
‘Damn…!’
Hwangbo Yong gritted his teeth. If this were a friendly duel, he wouldn’t be this agitated.
A little sparring between friends, between peers, was nothing.
But the weight of a duel between clan representatives was on a whole different level.
Hwangbo Yong was the heir, but he had several younger siblings.
If those who’d come with him saw his performance today, they might start having other ideas.
With that thought, Hwangbo Yong’s sword grew rougher.
A hint of Inner Demon crept in.
It was nothing serious. For martial artists, it was natural for honest emotions to surface in a fight.
It was just a spark. In fact, it could even be good fuel for growth.
But if someone were to pour oil on that fire, it would be a different story.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A chilling Killing Intent seeped into his sword. With that intent, his strikes grew fiercer, the path of his blade more ruthless, as if determined to kill.
Killing Move.
Hwangbo Yong’s sword began to unleash one Killing Move after another.
Namgung Mu-yeong was the first to notice.
‘He’s… too worked up.’
Namgung Mu-yeong didn’t respond in kind.
If he responded with Killing Moves as well, the friendly duel would lose all meaning. It would become a fight that wouldn’t end until someone lost an arm or suffered a grave injury.
Namgung Mu-yeong decided that letting it go that far would be a huge blow to the Namgung Clan’s goal of uniting the Five Great Families.
But even an ordinary person, when filled with Killing Intent and fighting for their life, could be terrifying—let alone Hwangbo Yong, a late-stage master.
As Hwangbo Yong’s attacks targeted his vital points, Namgung Mu-yeong swallowed hard and finally prepared to unleash his own Killing Moves.
Or rather, he was just about to.
"Achoo!"
"……!"
The silence in the banquet hall, broken only by the clash of swords and heavy breathing, was suddenly shattered.
The tension that had everyone holding their breath was instantly dispelled.
Even Hwangbo Yong, who had been pouring out Killing Moves, flinched and stepped back, as if suddenly realizing how worked up he’d been.
All eyes turned in one direction.
"Achoo, sniff! Hm. Is there pollen in the air or something? My nose is tingling all of a sudden."
Unbothered by the stares, Sun Wukong casually wiped his nose.
"Is it just me, or is there a lot of pollen floating around? It’s enough to get a man all worked up. My nose is tingling, I tell you."
Sun Wukong spoke sheepishly.
It was just a sneeze, but the atmosphere completely fizzled out.
The tension vanished as if it had never been there. Namgung Mu-yeong and Hwangbo Yong found themselves standing apart.
After a moment’s thought, Hwangbo Yong composed himself, looking slightly embarrassed, and gave a Tiger Fist salute.
"I got too worked up and went overboard with my sword. It was my fault. I admit defeat, Young Lord Namgung."
Namgung Mu-yeong accepted with humility.
"It was a good duel. I learned a lot."
Namgung Mu-yeong’s gaze didn’t linger on Hwangbo Yong.
He turned away, quietly watching Sun Wukong.
‘…Was that a coincidence?’
Just as he was about to respond with a Killing Move, that sneeze had cut in.
The timing was uncanny.
‘He broke the flow.’
If it had just been a random noise, it wouldn’t have stopped Mu-yeong’s sword.
Even Hwangbo Yong, who had been strangely agitated, seemed to snap out of it instantly.
It was as if the atmosphere had been deliberately reset.
‘Deliberately…?’
Namgung Mu-yeong shook his head. That was absurd. It wasn’t just one person whose flow had been broken. The entire hall, tense to the point of suffocation, had been instantly relieved.
Could a person really control the flow like that?
‘It was just a coincidence.’
That’s what Namgung Mu-yeong told himself as he looked at Sun Wukong.
‘His nose must have just itched. Just like he said… Hm?’
Only then did he notice his own nose tingling. There was a subtle, powdery scent in the air.
Namgung Mu-yeong gave Sun Wukong a curious look.
At that moment, Sun Wukong was looking right back at him.
Their eyes met.
Sun Wukong grinned brightly.
* * *
‘To think he’d hesitate to respond with Killing Moves in a duel… How frustrating.’
Sun Wukong’s expression grew complicated.
‘It’s like watching Tripitaka all over again.’
Even in the face of hardship, even while crying, Tripitaka’s eyes had never wavered.
That same steadfastness was what he felt from Namgung Mu-yeong.
Sun Wukong decided he needed to keep a closer eye on him.
Above all, the unique aura he felt from Tripitaka was especially strong in Namgung Mu-yeong—something he hadn’t sensed from the other three.
He seemed gentle, but was actually more resolute than anyone, stubbornly sticking to the right path, almost boringly upright.
It was a freshness Sun Wukong hadn’t found in the Namgung Clan before.
‘Of course, that’s one thing, but first, let’s check on the ones behind these sneaky tricks.’
The banquet ended in a muddled fashion.
After the duel, there was no way the atmosphere could return to its former warmth.
"Hey, is this really okay?"
Zhu Wujing, following beside him, asked nervously.
"What is?"
"Going to the annex where the courtesans are staying at this hour."
"What’s the problem?"
"Well, they were brought here by the Hwangbo Clan, weren’t they? Great Hero, no matter how strong your desires, you can’t just barge into the annex with the courtesans, right?"
Sun Wukong snorted.
When they arrived at the annex, he gave a firm order.
"Make sure no one comes in."
"Huh? You’re really going in? I mean, even for a hot-blooded man, this feels like a crime…"
"It’s not like that."
Sun Wukong dismissed him flatly.
Going after courtesans at night? That wasn’t Sun Wukong’s style at all.
‘I’m not Zhu Bajie, after all.’
There was another reason Sun Wukong sought out the courtesans.
‘The reason Hwangbo Yong suddenly got so worked up during the duel was because of the powder.’
That subtle, infiltrating scent.
At first, he’d thought the Hwangbo Clan had brought courtesans skilled in Seduction Art to try something against the Namgung Clan.
‘But it feels more like the Hwangbo Clan is being manipulated to someone else’s ends.’
Making someone throw a sword during the Sword Dance, making Hwangbo Yong lose his cool during the duel.
It was as if someone was trying to drive a wedge between the Hwangbo and Namgung Clans.
What was most frightening was that the Hwangbo Clan seemed completely unaware.
Sun Wukong found these tricks oddly familiar.
The way someone manipulated people as if they were pawns in their hand.
"Great Hero, if you’re suspicious, shouldn’t you make this public? Maybe tell the Namgung Clan…"
"Don’t worry. The clan head actually encouraged this."
Even so, sneaking into the courtesans’ annex at night was…
"Doesn’t this seem strange to you?"
Suddenly, a voice completely different from Zhu Wujing’s rang out.
Sun Wukong let out a sigh.
He’d sensed someone’s presence for a while now.
Clicking his tongue, Sun Wukong turned his head.