Namgung Clan’s Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal

16. Master Jangkyung

The sunset sky darkened rapidly.

In the darkness, light shone even more intensely.

Sun Wukong’s golden pupils slowly dilated. A faint, pale point—a single bright star shining in the sky.

It was Venus.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

“Well, that’s because the Bodhisattva trusts you, Master Sun.”

Sun Wukong turned his head. There was no one there. Not even a shadow. Instead, beneath the wall, a black cat sat. In the shadow of the wall, the cat’s unique pupils gleamed. Sun Wukong wasn’t startled.

“Master Jangkyung. It’s been a while.”

Sun Wukong greeted him with utmost respect.

If Bajie had seen this, his eyes would have gone wide. Sun Wukong’s attitude and voice were exceptionally polite.

Taebaek Golden Saint, Lee Jangkyung.

Sun Wukong’s greatest patron, and someone he could call a friend who had helped him countless times on his path of asceticism.

The most magnanimous and respected figure in the Heavenly Realm. When everyone else in the Heavenly Realm called for Sun Wukong’s death, only he offered him a position and tried to win him over, always showing him favor.

Even the monkey who hurled curses at Guanyin Bodhisattva respected Taebaek Golden Saint.

“You’re saying the Bodhisattva trusts me?”

“She trusts you more than Lord Erlang.”

It was a strange sight—a cat speaking like a person—but Sun Wukong knew well that Taebaek Golden Saint was borrowing the cat’s mouth, so he conversed without concern.

“She trusts me more than Lord Erlang? That can’t be.”

“Objectively speaking, Lord Erlang, with his absolute loyalty, would seem more trustworthy.”

“I don’t know what kind of wordplay this is, Master Jangkyung.”

“Master Sun. What I mean is, this is something Lord Erlang cannot do.”

Lord Erlang was, without a doubt, the greatest powerhouse in the Heavenly Realm.

Even Sun Wukong acknowledged his martial might.

“Lord Erlang is incredibly strong. But the source of his power lies in the Heavenly Realm. All his roots are there. When he descends to the Mortal World, he’s inevitably bound by the divisions the Tathagata set in place.”

“What the Tathagata did is truly nasty. He made it so you can barely use your strength.”

“But you’re different, Master Sun.”

“Different…? Ah.”

In that instant, a bolt of realization struck Sun Wukong’s mind.

The demonic power that had returned since he descended to the Mortal World.

“Demonic power isn’t from the Heavenly Realm.”

The cat’s ears perked up, as if it was smiling.

“Exactly. Your demonic power is originally from the Mortal World. From the world of demons.”

Only then did Sun Wukong understand why Guanyin Bodhisattva had specifically chosen him for this task.

The power of the Heavenly Realm is restricted here.

But demonic power originates from the Mortal World.

Where do you think the Internal Qi humans use comes from?

It’s the demonic power that remained, purified over time and absorbed into nature.

“So what’s needed for this task isn’t the gods of the Heavenly Realm.”

Guanyin Bodhisattva’s influence in the Heavenly Realm is immense.

With just a few words, she could command the Pagoda-Heaving Heavenly King, Prince Nezha, Lord Erlang, and countless others.

The problem is, they too can’t wield their full power in the Mortal World—a world once ruled by Martial Masters as powerful as the Great Demons.

In the end, what’s needed to solve this problem is—

“It’s not Sun Wukong the Victorious Fighting Buddha, but Sun Wukong the Great Demon, Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”

Sun Wukong clenched his fist.

A sinister energy burst from between his fingers.

A sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time.

It was as if he’d returned to the days when he feared nothing in the world, and the feeling made him uneasy.

“Demonic power is sinister. Even the most virtuous Daoists and Buddhist monks have been corrupted by it. If I become a Great Demon again—like I was back then—there’d be no one to stop me. My origin is as a monkey demon, the Golden-Furred Monkey Lord, the Handsome Monkey King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong.”

Unlike before, the gods of the Heavenly Realm couldn’t just swarm down to stop him.

The cat let out a small meow and licked its paw.

“The Bodhisattva believes in your strong will, Master Sun.”

Believes in me, huh…

Well, well.

When was it? She said she trusted me when I went to Tianzhu, too.

Sun Wukong felt a strange emotion as he looked up at the sky.

He’d once vowed to burn Mount Potalaka, where her relics were kept, to the ground.

“Well…”

He decided he’d just smash a few statues instead.

Sun Wukong looked at his hand again.

His tightly clenched fist, the red energy seeping between his fingers.

‘Demonic power, demonic power…’

Demonic power has no tricks or techniques.

It’s inherently destructive. It only knows how to trample, tear, and destroy.

It’s the instinct to devour the weak.

That’s the source of the demons’ ferocity.

Yet humans, even with their purified demonic power, refined it further and transformed it into Internal Qi, creating Martial Art Skills and ushering in a new era.

Unlike the demons, who only used demonic power to devour others.

“Internal Qi rooted in demonic power, and Martial Art Skills created from that Internal Qi.”

Sun Wukong’s mind spun. Countless thoughts flashed by.

The way Bajie moved underwater, the swords used by Namgung Jeok and Namgung Seon, the speed and brutality of the Blood-Iron Fiend’s blade.

‘Martial Art Skills.’

The way of using power through Martial Art Skills.

Sun Wukong, who originally had no Internal Qi, never paid it much mind.

But now, with the return of the Great Demon’s demonic power—

‘If Martial Art Skills were created from Internal Qi anyway…’

With demonic power, which is the very source of Internal Qi—

‘Couldn’t I use them too?’

Using Martial Art Skills with demonic power.

A faint smile appeared on Sun Wukong’s lips.

Contrary to how he appeared to others, Sun Wukong was always hungry to learn.

He had knelt before Patriarch Subhuti to seek his teachings, and even though he didn’t care for Tripitaka, he still learned the Buddhist Dharma from him. He’d devoured countless Daoist and Buddhist scriptures.

Constantly learning, honing, and advancing.

That was another side of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Sun Wukong’s eyes glimmered faintly.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Sun Wukong looked back at the cat.

“So, Master Jangkyung, will you keep helping me like you did when I went to Tianzhu?”

“Ah, helping each other is only natural between friends, isn’t it?”

The cat let out a meow.

“However, I can only speak through the cat’s mouth on nights when Venus shines this brightly. With the division between the Mortal World and the Heavenly Realm, it’s a miracle in itself that you can incarnate here in your true form, like Master Sun.”

“I see.”

So he wouldn’t always be by his side.

Still, the thought of having such a powerful ally made Sun Wukong smile.

He reached between the cat’s front paws and its plump body, lifting it up.

“Then, until next time, Master Sun.”

“Ah, be well, Master Jangkyung. Let’s have a drink together when I return to the Heavenly Realm.”

“The Jade Emperor’s wine, perhaps?”

“How did you know?”

“The Jade Emperor was furious that all the wine jars for the banquet were empty.”

“Haha! Oh, and please pass a message to Grand Marshal Tai Shang for me.”

The cat tilted its head.

“Tell him to take better care of his belongings.”

“His belongings…?”

“The Seven Star Sword.”

“If you mean the Seven Star Sword, isn’t that Grand Marshal Tai Shang’s? It once fell into the hands of demons and gave you quite a headache.”

“Now, fragments of the Seven Star Sword are wandering the Mortal World.”

“…Well, well. Grand Marshal Tai Shang has made a mistake.”

“I’m looking for them myself, so tell him I’ll be expecting a proper explanation later.”

“Understood, Master Sun. I’ll be sure to pass it on.”

“Take care, Master Jangkyung.”

Sun Wukong sensed that Taebaek Golden Saint’s presence had left the cat’s body.

He hugged the cat to his chest. Through his conversation with Master Jangkyung, he’d glimpsed a new possibility.

‘Hmm, but first, maybe I should fix that peeping habit.’

Sun Wukong snapped his head around. Beyond the dim wall, he sensed a presence.

He spoke in a casual tone.

Perhaps it was the influence of his demonic power, but his voice echoed like a cavern, deep and rough.

“Does the Namgung Clan have a rule about retainers spying and eavesdropping?”

His tone was indifferent, but beneath it was an overwhelming arrogance.

*

Muhwa’s hair whipped wildly in the wind.

She was pushing her lightness skill to the extreme.

The Star Pursuit Step unfolded with a momentum as if chasing the stars themselves.

‘What is this aura…?’

Anxiousness flashed across her face.

It was only for a brief moment, but something enormous had swept through the area and vanished.

It made every hair on her body stand on end.

It was thick, sticky, and sinister.

Where did it come from?

Fortunately, she happened to be passing by.

The Fengliu Pavilion—specifically, Sun Wukong’s quarters.

Muhwa’s face stiffened.

‘So, something did happen.’

Arriving at the Fengliu Pavilion in an instant, Muhwa took a deep breath and suppressed her presence. She tensed her entire body, ready to draw her sword at any moment.

She carefully peeked over the wall.

“Huh?”

Her tension instantly melted away. She saw an unexpected scene.

‘A stray cat?’

It was a sight that didn’t fit the situation at all.

The large-framed Sun Wukong was bent over, making eye contact with a cat.

The cat kept meowing, and Sun Wukong was muttering something in response.

It was as if they were having a conversation.

Muhwa was bewildered.

She stared at Sun Wukong. He kept talking to the cat, even smiling faintly as if he was enjoying himself.

Then, suddenly, he lifted the cat up and started playing with it.

‘Did I… imagine it?’

Was she just being overly sensitive? The Sun Wukong playing with the cat showed none of the overwhelming aura she’d felt just moments ago.

Zzzzz.

Just then, a biting wind brushed against her skin. Under the darkening sky, in the silent gloom, a red circle flashed. It took her a moment to realize what it was.

Fiery red eyes, with golden pupils gleaming within.

‘Eyes…’

The eyes stared straight at Muhwa. Instantly, energy surged through her body. Driven by instinctive danger, the Internal Qi stored in her dantian raced through her meridians.

Only then did Muhwa grasp the situation. Sun Wukong was staring right at her. Her instincts screamed danger, and she unconsciously drew up her Internal Qi.

Realizing what was happening, Muhwa was shocked.

From the first time she’d seen him, Sun Wukong had never felt dangerous.

He was tall, yes, but now he seemed even larger.

Was this what the giant Pangu from myth looked like? The pressure of having a giant before her made her heart pound.

Without a doubt, it was the first time she’d ever felt such pressure. Her hand, resting on her sword ready to draw, felt as if it had turned to stone.

Muhwa’s body wavered, as if she might collapse at any moment.

If she couldn’t endure any longer, she’d—

—Meow!

The cat in Sun Wukong’s arms cried out. Like a lie, the oppressive aura vanished in an instant, disappearing like smoke. Muhwa collapsed onto the wall, as if her strength had left her.

With a somewhat pale face, she looked at Sun Wukong. His gaze met hers, as if he’d known she was there all along.

‘He noticed me hiding my presence right away.’

His face was expressionless. Muhwa bit her lip.

Just a moment ago, he’d looked like a monster, an Evil Slayer.

Or perhaps, like a god descending from the heavens.

But now, he seemed ordinary.

‘No, not even ordinary.’

His eyes.

That indifferent gaze was not the same as before.

It wasn’t the lazy, mischievous look she’d seen at the gate or in the main hall.

Muhwa swallowed dryly.

Sun Wukong spoke.

“Does the Namgung Clan have a rule about retainers spying and eavesdropping?”

His voice was cold as ice.