64. Preparations Are Complete.
The final test: a Wheel Turn against the Namgung Clan’s greatest Martial Master.
Of course, he wouldn’t go all out.
If Namgung Jin-Baek fought at full strength, he could end it instantly, even without the constraints of the Wheel Turn.
The test had a different purpose.
‘It’s a process where you spar in a Wheel Turn, broaden your martial knowledge, and gain enlightennt.’
In other words, the final test was for the top master to impart lessons so the challenger could erge as an Azure Dragon.
‘Honestly.’
Thinking of Sun Wukong’s extraordinary mind, there’s no way he didn’t understand.
“Urgh!”
A frustrated groan escaped between Hwangbo Yong’s teeth.
His outstretched sword was blocked by the iron staff.
It wasn’t that Sun Wukong drew his staff. With a strange movent, he slipped behind it. Even without drawing the staff, he used it perfectly.
Clang! Clang!
The sword kept striking the iron staff.
It didn’t even graze Sun Wukong’s sleeve. It was like playing hide-and-seek.
“Damn it!”
Hide-and-seek would’ve been better.
The fists and feet that darted in between were so tricky to deal with, it was almost hopeless.
Too quick to dodge, too heavy to block.
Before he knew it, bluish bruises were blooming all over Hwangbo Yong’s body.
Clang!
Once again, his sword was blocked by the staff. Sun Wukong peeked out from beside the staff and grinned.
“Damn it!”
Sun Wukong looked like he was having the ti of his life.
It was the beaming laughter of a child at play.
That only provoked the late-stage disciples even more.
“He’s definitely pushing the late-stage disciples to their limits, but...”
Namgung Jin-Baek shook his head.
At this rate, the disciples would collapse from frustration before anything else.
“It doesn’t look like training—it’s more like an older brother teasing his younger siblings.”
Namgung Jin-Baek sighed and spoke to Muhwa.
“I think the only way to get Sun Wukong serious is for you to step in, Head of Law Enforcent Hall.”
Muhwa hesitated.
“But I...”
“You’re not a Namgung, nor an heir to one of the Five Great Families, so you think you can’t participate in the Azure Dragon Rite of Passage, right?”
“...”
Muhwa was older than Mu-yeong and Seo-Wol.
She hadn’t gone through the Namgung Clan’s coming-of-age ceremony, the Azure Dragon Rite of Passage.
Because she wasn’t a Namgung by blood.
Everyone acknowledged her as a mber of the Namgung Clan, but the fact that she wasn’t blood-related lingered in everyone’s mind.
Muhwa was well aware of that, too.
Looking at her, Namgung Jin-Baek spoke.
“But that doesn’t an you’re not a Namgung.”
“...”
“You draw your sword for Namgung, work for Namgung, and fight for Namgung. Even if you don’t share a drop of blood, I consider you as my own daughter.”
“...Clan Leader.”
“Go in there, beco a blood mber of the Namgung Clan, and co out as an Azure Dragon.”
Muhwa gazed at Namgung Jin-Baek with an indescribable look.
Then, determination settled on her face as she perford a Tiger Fist salute.
“This is Muhwa, Head of Law Enforcent Hall of the Namgung Clan. From this mont, I will participate in the Azure Dragon Rite of Passage as a mber of the Namgung Clan.”
“You have my permission.”
Namgung Jin-Baek smiled in satisfaction.
* * *
“Hmph!”
Hwangbo Yong swallowed his frustration and stepped back. Next up was Namgung Mu-yeong, who gripped his sword and took a deep breath.
Already his fourth turn.
Namgung Mu-yeong’s eyes, low and steady, scrutinized Sun Wukong.
A hard-to-describe sense of futility filled his gaze.
‘Is this really a Wheel Turn?’
Namgung Mu-yeong understood the purpose of this test better than anyone.
It was a rare chance to challenge a master you could never hope to defeat.
You take turns facing the examiner, then review the fight while watching others. When your turn cos again, you try out what you’ve learned.
But...
‘I just don’t get it.’
No matter how he swung his sword, he couldn’t keep up with Sun Wukong’s movents.
He’d tire out and collapse before he could figure out a strategy.
The other late-stage disciples were no different.
Even the Tang Siblings’ poison techniques were useless against Sun Wukong.
No matter how much poison they released, Sun Wukong would just wave his hands and feet to blow it away.
If that didn’t work, the red energy at his fingertips would simply absorb and dissolve it.
‘I can’t see through any of this.’
Glancing over, he saw Namgung Seo-Wol glaring at Sun Wukong, eyes blazing.
She hadn’t managed anything either. Maybe because of their previous duel filled with killing intent, Sun Wukong seed especially intent on teasing her.
He’d tap her and break her sword’s rhythm, making her face flush red and even shout. Namgung Mu-yeong had never seen her usually expressionless face look so close to tears.
“Phew.”
Namgung Mu-yeong steadied himself.
No matter how great the master, he couldn’t stay relaxed forever against so many late-stage disciples.
His chance would co.
Just as he was about to step forward—
“Mu-yeong, let go this ti.”
“...Sister?”
Namgung Mu-yeong’s eyes widened.
Muhwa stepped forward, drawing a sword that glead with a cold light.
“Head of Law Enforcent Hall?”
Sun Wukong looked at her in surprise.
Muhwa perford a Tiger Fist salute.
“I never went through the coming-of-age Azure Dragon Rite of Passage, so I’ll be joining this ti. Seeing how relaxed you are, Teacher Sun, I’m sure you won’t mind one more participant?”
Sun Wukong’s eyes curved in amusent. He nodded.
“Of course.”
As soon as he gave permission, Muhwa drove her drawn sword into the ground.
“...?”
Even Sun Wukong tilted his head at the unexpected move.
Muhwa clenched her fists.
“I can’t point a sword at an unard opponent.”
“So, you’ll fight with your fists and feet?”
Muhwa nodded.
Sun Wukong shrugged. He knew even her full effort wouldn’t be enough... but his question was soon answered.
She launched a double palm strike, aiming at both his chest and abdon.
Sun Wukong’s eyes widened.
‘This is...!’
A faint mory flashed before his eyes.
‘Brother, let’s ditch the weapons and go at it with our fists!’
‘Ditch the weapons? You think you can beat just because I don’t have my Ruyi Jingu Bang?’
‘What, scared?’
Sun Wukong had set his Ruyi Jingu Bang aside, and Zhu Bajie had tossed away his own weapon.
Despite his bulky fra, Zhu Bajie had launched a nimble double palm strike.
“...”
The mory overlapped.
Zhu Bajie’s double palms and Muhwa’s double palms.
Sun Wukong smirked and t her with a punch.
Her double palms swirled, catching Sun Wukong’s elbow.
“Hyaah!”
Muhwa twisted, letting out a shout as she spun with his elbow in her grip.
‘Hyaaaah!’
Zhu Bajie had roared the sa way, trying to throw Sun Wukong.
Face turning red, Zhu Bajie had struggled with all his might. Sun Wukong had just laughed and locked his arm around Zhu Bajie’s neck.
‘Ack, rcy, please!’
‘What, scared you’ll die?’
‘Oh, brother!’
Muhwa suddenly found herself unable to breathe.
Was he using so kind of heavy technique? Even pushing her Internal Qi to the limit, Sun Wukong didn’t budge. He naturally locked her in a chokehold, his breath brushing her ear.
“When did you learn hand-to-hand techniques?”
“You—you taught through Transmission of Sound...”
“And you ca up with your own version?”
“Inspiration just kept coming to !”
Muhwa shouted, twisting her body. She broke free in an instant, her long legs snapping out in a sharp kick.
Sun Wukong’s figure vanished in a flash.
Muhwa’s attacks kept coming.
Sun Wukong’s grin only grew wider.
‘Did Demonic Power trigger mories of my past life?’
He’d once taught her hand-to-hand techniques through Transmission of Sound.
They were Zhu Bajie’s techniques.
Now, Muhwa had recalled those mories and created her own martial art.
Of course, there were still flaws.
Sun Wukong pointed them out without rcy, exploiting every weakness.
‘She’s smart—if she fixes those, she’ll be formidable.’
The Wheel Turn with Muhwa dragged on.
The late-stage disciples watched with shining eyes. It was a rare chance to observe Sun Wukong’s movents up close.
* * *
“So, you really weren’t going to draw your iron staff?”
Sun Wukong looked sheepish at Namgung Jin-Baek’s reproach.
“Ah, I thought I’d have to eventually.”
“...”
Namgung Jin-Baek sighed.
Next to him, a worn-out Muhwa was listlessly munching on sweets.
She was in better shape than most.
“Mu-yeong still has to go through the Young Clan Master succession, but he can barely stand. That’s a problem.”
“Co on, a man shouldn’t have such weak legs.”
Namgung Jin-Baek fell silent.
After more than half a day of Wheel Turn, it was amazing that Sun Wukong was still perfectly fine.
In the end, no one succeeded in making him draw his iron staff.
Not that Sun Wukong was oblivious.
He never actually drew the staff, but he declared the test complete on his own terms.
“Well, those kids did learn a lot, didn’t they?”
Sun Wukong said with a relaxed tone.
Namgung Jin-Baek couldn’t argue with that.
Though exhausted, the disciples’ faces shone with a strange light.
‘It’s like having a master of Sun Wukong’s caliber personally instruct them for half a day.’
At first, he’d teased them playfully, but after Muhwa joined, his attitude changed completely.
Even with a face ready to collapse, Namgung Mu-yeong gave Sun Wukong a Tiger Fist salute in gratitude.
Namgung Jin-Baek could feel they’d all grown.
Most of all, Muhwa’s current exhausted state was proof enough.
‘There’s no one left in the Namgung Clan who can look down on Muhwa now.’
Namgung Jin-Baek smiled wryly.
Muhwa had always held authority, but even in the tightly knit Namgung Clan, a few still looked at her askance.
Because she wasn’t blood-related.
That wouldn’t be possible anymore.
‘Even among the elders, few could guarantee a win against her now.’
Namgung Jin-Baek looked over again. Sun Wukong was transferring sweets into Muhwa’s bowl. She’d been flustered at first, but soon accepted them without hesitation.
Namgung Jin-Baek chuckled.
“Anyway, thank you for your help, Teacher Sun.”
“No need to thank ... If you feel grateful, just don’t forget it.”
“How could I ever forget today’s favor?”
Sun Wukong smiled in satisfaction.
He knew Namgung Jin-Baek understood his aning.
‘I’ve made him a debtor.’
But he had no intention of collecting all at once.
‘The real fun is in letting the debt pile up and collecting the interest.’
From small favors to big ones.
Namgung Jin-Baek wouldn’t be able to refuse Sun Wukong’s requests.
But he wouldn’t demand anything outright.
He’d just keep reminding him of the debt, using it as leverage.
‘Now, it’s ti to use the Namgung Clan to hunt them down.’
The Namgung Clan’s strength.
Especially Namgung Jin-Baek’s martial power would be a great help to Sun Wukong.
‘Preparations are complete. All I need is for sothing to take the bait, and I’ll dig in.’
The bait was already set.
The Shandong Seven Shadows were bait, the Seven Star Sword Fragnt Sun Wukong possessed was bait, even the late Nine-Brain Elder and the White-Eyed Demon Lord lost in the Heavenly Prison—all were bait.
Just one bite, and Sun Wukong would dig in relentlessly, with the Namgung Clan at his back.
Like an angler, Sun Wukong decided to wait patiently.
But, unexpectedly, the bait was taken quickly.
“Clan Leader, a letter has arrived from the Master of Myeong’i Hall, who went out to greet the Wudang delegation.”
A flustered elder rushed in and handed the letter to Namgung Jin-Baek.
The elder’s face was ashen.
Namgung Jin-Baek’s expression hardened as he opened the letter.
He looked at the elder with grave eyes.
“Is this... true?”
“It was delivered by soone who returned with the Master of Myeong’i Hall. The handwriting and seal are both authentic.”
“Then...”
“Yes. The entire Wudang delegation...”
“They’re dead.”
The hall fell silent.
In that silence, only Sun Wukong’s eyes glead.
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