Chapter 323 : Name
Chapter 323: Name
The Twin Seas of Black and Azure.
A region where two seas faced one another, one above and one below.
Above the dark blue sea, an inverted pale azure ocean replaced the sky.
On the most beautiful island in this region resided one of the Seven Great Sages.
A monstrous bird spread its enormous wings and flew toward the island.
Each flap of its wings created dozens of tornadoes and stirred up typhoons.
On the sea, tidal waves several dozen jang high rose into existence.
【Elder Sister!】
The empowered cry caused several of the newly formed typhoons and whirlwinds to vanish.
Simply moving and speaking created—and erased—dozens of natural disasters.
On one side of the beautiful island, covered with exotic flowers and spiritual herbs...
The door of a wooden house beside a vast flower field opened.
A silver-haired woman stepped outside and waved her hand as though she found the whole situation bothersome.
Small ripples formed in the air before spreading outward in widening circles.
As the rapidly expanding wave swept through the surroundings, every typhoon and whirlpool created by the monstrous bird disappeared.
The raging sea quickly calmed as well.
“I told you to travel quietly, didn't I?”
The monstrous bird flew above the wooden house before circling through the air once.
The gigantic bird vanished.
In its place stood the Roc Demon King, with an eagle's head and golden feathers.
“Elder Sister, the Fifth has gone mad.”
The mysterious-looking woman, the Gyoma King, looked at the Roc Demon King with a bored expression.
“What are you talking about?”
“I said the Fifth has gone mad!”
“Did he hit you in the back of the head? Or tear your wings off?”
“I was attacked. He suddenly came after my back.”
“Then that's perfectly normal. That's exactly the kind of thing he'd do.”
“Well... that's true.”
The Fifth—the Wind-Passing Great Sage—was certainly the sort of fellow who would do something like that.
“No, no. That's not what I came to talk about. The Fifth is traveling around with a human!”
“How many strange things has that brat done already? Whether he's with a human or not—”
“A human came to the Demonic Spirit Realm! They're traveling together here!”
“......”
That was unexpected enough to silence even the Gyoma King.
“And that's not all. He called the human his friend. Does that even make sense? That lunatic has a human friend? No, that's not even the strangest part. Forget the human—the fact that he has a friend at all makes no sense.”
“He called a human his friend?”
“Yes.”
After hearing the situation, the Gyoma King let out a quiet chuckle.
It seemed to be the same human they had met in the Central Heavens Realm before.
Rather than being surprised, she felt proud that her younger brother had changed.
“The brat who only ever caused trouble has finally grown up.”
“...What?”
“You should grow up too. How old are you now? Isn't it about time you changed?”
“N-No, that's not what I meant. What are you...?”
“You change after living long enough. And just because a single human came over, you ran all the way here just to tattle? Aren't you embarrassed in front of your younger siblings? You're still the eldest among them.”
“......”
The Roc Demon King had not expected such a scolding and found himself speechless.
“If that's all you came to say, then you can go now. It's hardly worth coming all the way here over something so trivial. Now then—Hm? What's with today? Everyone's gathering here.”
The Gyoma King frowned slightly before turning her head.
Within her sight appeared a blue monkey monster riding atop a gigantic serpent made entirely of smoke.
“Elder Sister! So you're here. Perfect. I had something I wanted to tell you.”
As he approached the island, the smoke serpent dispersed.
The King of Dark Clouds walked through the air and stopped before the other two monsters.
“Sixth.”
“Yes, Elder Sister.”
“What are you plotting this time? And why is the Third—”
“Oh! Good timing. That monkey has gone crazy. Do you know anything about it?”
The Roc Demon King interrupted, welcoming the King of Dark Clouds.
“Big Brother? He's been crazy for ages. For Third Brother to react like this... Did he suddenly tear your wings from behind?”
The Wind-Passing Great Sage's behavior was so predictable that the King of Dark Clouds reacted no differently.
“If it were only that, would I have bothered mentioning it? The brat has made a friend.”
“Wh... what?”
The King of Dark Clouds' face twisted grotesquely, as though he had just eaten rotten food.
“I think Third Brother is the one who's gone mad... Why are you saying something so horrifying? Didn't he just meet another monster?”
“What other monster? I even fought him myself. The Fifth is traveling with a human. He even called that human his friend.”
“A human? Did you just say a human? You're certain you didn't see wrong?”
“What would I mistake? I clearly remember him. He's the same fellow I met when I sent a projection into the Lower Realm before. The Fifth and I were summoned there together.”
“Wait... wait a second. Let me think.”
The human they had met in the Lower Realm had come to the Demonic Spirit Realm.
The Wind-Passing Great Sage had called him a friend rather than prey.
The human from the Lower Realm.
The Heavenly Venerable of the Silver Radiance and Universal Transformation of the Three Pure Ones, who was hunting that human.
And the Wind-Passing Great Sage, who called that human his friend and rejected his proposal.
'So that's why that troublemaker suddenly wasn't interested in fighting.'
Everything connected.
Even when the Wind-Passing Great Sage had once asked him about True Immortals while rambling about some enormous silver hand...
It had all been related to that human.
'His name was Jang Woo-hyun.'
The human being hunted by the True Immortal.
The very target the King of Dark Clouds was pursuing as well.
“Ha... What in the world has that monkey been up to?”
Still...
This actually worked out better.
Since that fellow had come to the Demonic Spirit Realm, there was no longer any need to go to the Central Heavens Realm.
'Now I can act openly without worrying about Elder Sister watching me.'
Every restriction had disappeared.
He had even gone to seek permission from Big Brother just in case.
It had almost been a waste of time.
“This actually works out well. Third Brother, let's work together.”
“What kind of work?”
The King of Dark Clouds explained the contract with the True Immortal.
“You were planning to pursue that human anyway, weren't you? Fourth Brother already agreed to join me. The three of us should move together again for the first time in a long while.”
The Fourth, who had been dying of boredom, had already agreed to participate.
And if the Roc Demon King joined them as well...
There would be nothing to fear.
No matter how strong the Wind-Passing Great Sage was, he would stand no chance.
“You're planning to chase both the human and the Fifth?”
“That's right. We'll capture the human and negotiate with the True Immor—”
“Sixth.”
The Gyoma King, who had quietly listened until now, interrupted.
Her voice had turned ice-cold.
Both Great Monsters immediately stiffened.
“Yes, Elder Sister.”
“You made a contract with a True Immortal?”
“It isn't finalized yet. I simply intend to capture the human and negotiate.”
“You made a contract with a True Immortal.”
As she repeated the same sentence...
The Roc Demon King instinctively flinched.
He quietly stepped backward while gauging her mood.
The silver-haired woman possessed beauty worthy of being called a goddess.
Among the Seven Great Sages, she was known for having the gentlest and kindest temperament.
Yet...
To the Seven Great Sages themselves...
She was the most frightening of them all.
Though they shared no blood and were not truly family...
To the others, the Gyoma King was like a mother.
A terrifying mother.
“......”
Even the King of Dark Clouds had no choice but to tread carefully.
“You couldn't have known a human would enter the Demonic Spirit Realm. So where exactly were you planning to go to capture him?”
Unable to answer her questioning, the King of Dark Clouds remained silent.
“Sixth.”
“Yes, Elder Sister.”
“I don't mind if you go to the Central Heavens Realm. I never intended to forbid that. But I'm quite certain I told you not to go anywhere near the Central Heavens Murim unless absolutely necessary. I have an agreement with those people. Did my words mean nothing to you?”
The moment the Gyoma King finished speaking...
The surrounding sea erupted.
This was no mere tidal wave or storm.
The ocean itself surged into the heavens and writhed as though alive.
“Answer me.”
The Gyoma King's overwhelming presence dominated everything.
Even while cautiously watching her expression...
The King of Dark Clouds' eyes remained unwavering.
He had already prepared a solution.
“I was going to tell you anyway.”
The Gyoma King gave a slight nod for him to continue.
“I've just returned after receiving Big Brother's permission.”
“What?”
The answer was so unexpected that the Gyoma King's rigid expression instantly collapsed.
Even she had never anticipated this.
The monstrous sea immediately calmed once more.
“Big Brother gave his approval. I came here specifically to tell you that.”
“He really did? Big Brother Bull Demon King gave permission?”
“Yes. Though he attached one condition.”
Even the Roc Demon King listened intently.
It was rare enough for the First to move at all.
To hear that he had imposed a condition made everyone curious.
“Since we've already entered into an agreement with the True Immortal, he instructed us to investigate why the beings of the Upper Realm have remained silent.”
“Ah...”
The Gyoma King let out a quiet sigh.
She was already aware that something mysterious had happened to the True Immortals and Martial Gods of the Upper Realm.
Since it was an Upper Realm matter, she had paid little attention to it.
Apparently...
The Bull Demon King thought differently.
“If he gave his permission, then there's nothing more for me to say. He must have his reasons.”
There was no point objecting any further.
After all...
The Bull Demon King was the leader of the Seven Great Sages.
And the Gyoma King had always respected her eldest brother's decisions.
“Do as you wish. Just don't fight too seriously. You're still brothers.”
“Don't worry. With Fourth Brother, Sixth Brother, and me together, even that unruly brat will finally come to his senses. We'll be going now.”
“Elder Sister, we'll be off.”
The Gyoma King casually waved her hand in farewell.
“With the two of us working together, we'll catch up to them in no time.”
With those final words...
The two Great Monsters disappeared from the island.
“Perhaps I should move as well.”
Left alone...
The Gyoma King slowly looked upward.
Though her eyes saw only the inverted sea overhead...
Her gaze reached somewhere far beyond it.
After causing chaos in the monsters' village...
Jang Woo-hyun and the Wind-Passing Great Sage spent the next ten days doing nothing but traveling.
Each step through the air carried them hundreds of li.
Even after traveling continuously day and night, the vast world showed no end.
If this had been Earth, they would have circled it dozens of times already.
'Without using Geonmok, you can really feel just how enormous this world is.'
Its size was impossible to estimate.
If it were truly a planet, it would have to be vastly larger than the sun to allow such travel distances.
“Doesn't the Demonic Spirit Realm have anything like Geonmok?”
“There are similar things, but they're not used very often. There aren't many of them either. Because of the nature of the Demonic Spirit Realm, flying directly is usually the only option.”
The Demonic Spirit Realm was unstable.
Crossing space directly could be dangerous.
As a result, most simply traveled by flying.
“Maybe the Nation of Mechanical Marvels has figured something out. That fellow's an excellent engineer.”
Even in the Wind-Passing Great Sage's eyes, the Thunder Fortress had been an extraordinary creation.
If someone as skilled as Cho-su existed...
Perhaps the Nation of Mechanical Marvels had found another solution.
“Don't call a person the Nation of Mechanical Marvels.”
“He's from the Nation of Mechanical Marvels, so I call him that.”
“But that's not his name. His name is Cho-su.”
As Jang Woo-hyun corrected him, something suddenly occurred to him.
“By the way, Monkey... what's your name?”
Wind-Passing Great Sage wasn't a personal name.
It was more like a martial artist's title.
Strangely enough...
Ever since they first met, Jang Woo-hyun had never once asked for his actual name.
As though that had simply been natural.
“My name? I don't have one.”
“You don't?”
“Mm. I'm just me.”
“......”
Jang Woo-hyun had no idea how to respond.
Silence lingered.
Watching the awkward atmosphere, Gong Ryo cautiously spoke.
【Because he is a unique existence.】
“What? What do you mean?”
【Names exist to distinguish individuals. Even I am called Gong Ryo because I belong to the Flying Heavenly Centipede race. There are many Flying Heavenly Centipedes besides myself. But the Great Sage is unique.】
There were monkey monsters who resembled the Wind-Passing Great Sage.
But fundamentally...
They were different.
Among the countless monsters of the Demonic Spirit Realm...
There existed only one Wind-Passing Great Sage.
He had neither race nor family.
Therefore...
Until he received the title of Wind-Passing Great Sage...
He had simply existed as "myself."
“The only ones with actual names are the youngest and Elder Sister, who inherited the Dragon Tribe's bloodline. The rest of us don't have names. We're simply monsters.”
Without names...
They could never be completely defined.
They possessed no fixed identity by which they could be described.
Yet neither were they confined within any predetermined framework.
Perhaps...
That suited unstable and unpredictable monsters better than anything else.
“Though saying I don't have a name anymore feels a little strange. Nowadays everyone calls me the Wind-Passing Great Sage, Miho Wang. That's practically my name now.”
【The Great Sage is unique and exists by his own nature. A name simply isn't important to him.】
“...Unique because he exists by his own nature. Therefore, he has no name.”
Repeating Gong Ryo's words...
Jang Woo-hyun smiled.
It sounded childish.
Even foolish.
Yet somehow...
It also sounded rather cool.
Perhaps...
Because the Wind-Passing Great Sage had always lived that way...
He could confidently declare himself the strongest without hesitation.
Even after learning he had no true name...
Their journey continued.
Four days later...
The three of them finally approached the domain of the being revered as the God of the Demonic Spirit Realm.