A Massive Loss
"After the battle at Bukhwang Mountain, I feel like I've finally reached the threshold of a breakthrough," Han Bul-bu said. "I plan to spend the next few days at the temple, offering prayers. If I'm lucky, I might awaken my Hyeongi attribute and reach the Master Realm before the finals of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition begin."
Upon hearing this, Ak Hong-hyang chimed in. "That’s wonderful news! If that happens, the strength of our 3rd Academy will grow even more!"
Following the events at Bukhwang Mountain, the relationship between Im Bukjin and the other representative students had become incredibly solid and close. They had forged a deep bond of friendship that money couldn't buy, becoming very comfortable with one another.
While the carriage was moving, Bukjin signaled it to stop and hopped off. He didn't intend to return to the 3rd Academy just yet. Walking with a brisk stride, he headed to the Yeollae Inn and purchased several bottles of Peach Blossom Wine. Sipping the liquor, he began to wander through the famous commercial districts of Unmong City.
Bukjin planned to dispose of the monster cores and hides he had harvested from the Ice Wolves and Gale Dogs. The malicious adventurers of Bukhwang Mountain had already been completely wiped out by him. With those thugs gone, many other adventurers were now heading to the mountain without fear, hunting and gathering hides and cores. If he waited too long, the supply would increase and prices would drop. It was best to liquidate his stock as quickly as possible while the market was still favorable.
"Heh! I really am a brilliant, handsome youth who perfectly understands economic theory," he mused.
Bukjin entered a shop named Satong Merchants and sold all his monster cores and hides for a total of 28 gold taels. He couldn't help but admire his own business acumen. Just as he was about to head back after finishing his errands, he spotted a weapon shop called Iron Head.
"Iron Head? Does that mean he has a head made of iron?" Bukjin chuckled and stepped inside.
The shop looked quite ordinary from the outside, but once he entered, he found the space to be surprisingly vast. Various weapons and swords were displayed on the racks. At a glance, it seemed they had everything. They even had the Cheongjo Sword by Grandmaster Beom, which was the latest trend. The overall atmosphere of the shop was somewhat cluttered yet antique, giving the impression of a place with a long history.
Bukjin suddenly remembered his promise to gift a Cheongjo Sword to his butler, Wang Chung. He called over a staff member, haggled for a bit, and eventually paid 1 gold tael to purchase one.
"By the way, do you also buy back weapons that are broken or need to be recycled?" Bukjin asked casually after finishing his payment.
The clerk who had assisted him was a young woman who looked to be about twenty-eight. She had a slender figure and a pretty face. In fact, she had been stealing glances at Bukjin ever since he walked into the shop. Hearing his question, she gave him a very kind smile.
"Our shop handles anything related to the weapon business. Are you looking to sell old or discarded weapons, young master?"
Bukjin pulled out his broken Jeongi Sword and Doran Sword and asked, "Could you take a look at these two broken swords? How much would they be worth?"
The clerk's eyes sparkled. "These are fine swords."
She took the two blades from Bukjin and examined them closely. After a moment, she spoke up. "These are Treasure-grade weapons. A very rare rank for swords. It's such a shame they're broken. I don't have the authority to offer a price for these. Young master, I need to call the owner. Would you mind waiting for a moment? Please, just a second."
The attractive clerk turned and headed deeper into the shop. Bukjin watched her swaying figure as she walked away, his eyes gleaming.
If even a clerk who just helps customers can tell these swords are exceptional, the level of this weapon shop must be extraordinary.
A moment later, the clerk returned with a burly man who was shirtless. The man looked to be about thirty, stood roughly six feet tall, and had bulging, rock-like muscles on his forearms. He had a round face, a large mouth, and piercing eyes. His upper body was defined with solid abs and chest muscles; combined with his bronze skin and short hair, he radiated an aura of immense toughness and strength. He carried an iron hammer in one hand and gave off a very rugged vibe. The pressure naturally emanating from his body made him look like a wild beast.
"You came to sell swords?" the man asked in a thick voice, scanning Bukjin.
"Ahem... Yes. I'm looking to sell some swords." Bukjin handed him the two broken blades. He then pointed to the other swords around the shop and asked, "Are you the one who runs this place?"
The man nodded. "My Yang family has been crafting and selling swords for generations. ...Young master, the materials, the craftsmanship, and the Mystic Array formations within these swords are all first-rate. They are top-tier blades. What on earth were you doing to get them broken like this?"
Bukjin replied, "They were broken by an opponent during combat."
As he spoke, Bukjin also pulled out the soft sword he had taken from the Great Alliance Leader. "They were cut and broken by this very sword. Ah, I forgot to mention, I'm thinking of selling this one as well. Could you see how much this would fetch?"
"Hmm?" The man took the soft sword and commented, "This, too, is a weapon that could be called a treasure among treasures. It's no wonder your other two swords were broken. But the owner of this sword..."
Bukjin answered simply, "He's already dead."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Dead, you say?"
He very carefully examined the three swords Bukjin had presented, observing them with intense focus. "I am Yang Chim-ju, the owner of this shop. Looking at the materials and the way they were broken, it's clear these three swords were involved in a clash between powerful experts of the Master Realm. What is your relationship with the owner of these three swords?"
Yang Chim-ju asked as he placed the broken blades on the table. Bukjin frowned.
If I say I'm selling them, just buy them or don't. Why so many questions?
The clerk, Yeong-juk, noticed Bukjin's expression and quickly explained with a smile. "Young master, please don't be uncomfortable. We aren't trying to investigate why these swords were broken. The owner of such magnificent blades must be someone of extraordinary status. Since our shop is quite small, we could face trouble if we accidentally purchase the weapons of a high-ranking official. We just need to confirm where they came from and ensure there won't be any issues after we acquire them."
Hearing her words, Bukjin put on an arrogant expression. "Do you people not know who I am?"
Both the man and the clerk looked blank and shook their heads. Bukjin tilted his chin up at a forty-five-degree angle and spoke slowly.
"Don't tell me... did you people just recently move to Unmong City?"
Yang Chim-ju answered honestly. "This shop was originally run by my father. He passed away two months ago, so I returned from Sinjin Ridge to take over the business. Yeong-juk here also followed me from Sinjin Ridge to help out."
"I see." Bukjin nodded. As he suspected, they were country bumpkins who hadn't been in Unmong City for long.
"My name is Im Bukjin," he said with a voice full of confidence. "I am the legendary, number one genius of Unmong City."
Expressions of shock and surprise washed over the faces of Yang Chim-ju and Yeong-juk.
The boy standing before us is that legendary street-sweeper! Unmong City's greatest scoundrel and notorious lecher, Im Bukjin!
Even though they hadn't been in the city long, they had already heard the disastrous name of Bukjin. Yang Chim-ju's expression shifted, and he was about to say something, but Yeong-juk quickly pulled him back and gave an awkward smile.
"We have indeed heard of Young Master Im's great name. ...However, these three swords are so valuable that I don't think our shop has enough funds to purchase them."
"..."
Bukjin realized that boasting about his fame had actually backfired. It looks like this won't be easy. I thought my infamy had been mostly cleared, but is my reputation still this bad? Good grief...
"Are you looking down on me?!" Bukjin shouted in an angry voice. The clerk, Yeong-juk, hurriedly waved her hands, denying it.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. "Hahaha! Chim-ju, are you in?"
A familiar voice followed. Bukjin turned his head to see the person who had just entered the shop. It was none other than Cho Heun, and Ban Oe-min was right behind him.
Hearing Cho Heun's voice, Yang Chim-ju broke into a smile and rushed out to greet them. "Big Brother Cho! You were discharged from the hospital so soon? You look perfectly fine! It seems your recovery is going well. Director Ban, you're here too? Please, come in."
At that moment, Cho Heun spotted Bukjin inside the shop and jumped in surprise. He then shouted angrily, "You brat! Didn't you say you were going back to school to attend supplementary classes?! Why are you here?!"
Bukjin's face darkened. How can it be this coincidental? I'm caught skipping class again!
A short while later, after Cho Heun had heard the whole story, he turned to Yang Chim-ju with an exasperated look. "Chim-ju, the history of these three swords is perfectly clean. If you're interested, you can buy them without any worry."
"That's great to hear!" Yang Chim-ju flashed a pure, innocent smile. Yeong-juk no longer tried to stop him either. Cho Heun's guarantee was trustworthy. Moreover, the three swords Bukjin had offered were rare treasures. Their forging techniques and Mystic Array formations were so superior that they were well worth studying. To a man like Yang Chim-ju, who was obsessed with sword-smithing, they were like treasures even if they were broken.
In the end, Bukjin sold the three broken swords to Yang Chim-ju and received a total of 100 gold taels. It was a very fair price. In fact, 100 gold taels was a massive sum of money.
"What a shame. If these three swords were in perfect condition, you could have easily gotten 2,000 gold taels for them..." Yang Chim-ju said regretfully.
Hearing those words, Bukjin clutched his chest. This trip to Bukhwang Mountain had turned out to be a massive loss for him.