Becoming a Brother-in-Law Isn't So Bad...
The duel between Jo Pacheon and Pa Dae-chwi took a considerable amount of time. Pa Dae-chwi showcased an impressive performance using his unique Food Sword style. His cultivation of Mystic Energy and his raw physical strength far exceeded everyone's expectations. In a single breath, he unleashed the first sixteen forms of the Jesujeon Sword Technique in rapid succession.
However, the moment he attempted the seventeenth form, his flow faltered, leaving a momentary opening. Jo Pacheon did not miss the opportunity. He struck with lethal precision, seizing victory from the grasp of the stout warrior. The spectators looked at the rotund Pa Dae-chwi with newfound respect; managing to exchange seventeen forms against a genius like Jo Pacheon was a monumental feat in itself.
As the duel concluded, Jo Pacheon’s eyes glinted with a cold, murderous light.
That pig’s talent is dangerous... he thought, his resolve hardening. If he grows any further, he’ll become a massive obstacle. I need to find an opportunity to eliminate him before he gets any stronger.
Elder Hae, the Sea Race elder with pale green hair resembling seaweed, stepped forward onto the platform.
"Everyone," he announced. "We have finally reached the final match. It is time to determine the winner of the second round of the Sword Testing Covenant. They say there is no first place in scholarship, but there is no second place in martial arts. To encourage the two young men who have reached the finals, this old man has prepared one more special prize."
Elder Hae slowly produced an object from his sleeve. It was a ring crafted from dark green jade, intricately engraved with the image of a winged dragon. A faint, ethereal glow emanated from its surface. As Elder Hae infused it with Mystic Energy, a series of Mystic Runes began to rotate and float above the ring’s surface. There were exactly 107 runes shining brilliantly.
In this world, items forged through the refinement of metals and gems using Mystic Energy were judged by the number of runes they contained; the higher the count, the more precious and high-quality the artifact.
◈ Crafted using the North Sea Jasper Refinement Art.
◈ Allows the user to store and retrieve personal items within a sub-dimensional space.
"This ring is a spatial treasure I personally crafted," Elder Hae said with a smile. "While the storage capacity isn't massive, it is an incredibly convenient tool for carrying one's belongings. I shall gift this ring to the winner of this final match."
The crowd erupted in gasps of admiration. Even the veteran swordsmen in attendance showed visible shifts in their expressions. The younger students stared at the dark green ring without blinking, their eyes filled with longing. Baek Geum-un, in particular, looked as if she might start drooling at any moment.
A treasure that can store items! Such things were exceedingly rare and almost never seen in public.
"Hahaha! I thank you, Senior, for preparing such a wonderful gift for me!" Jo Pacheon laughed loudly. Even coming from the prestigious White Cloud City, he had never owned a spatial artifact. He interpreted Elder Hae’s decision to reveal such a prize right before the finals as a sign that the elder intended for him to have it. Jo Pacheon had no doubt in his mind that he would be the victor, even if the heavens were to collapse.
Elder Hae merely maintained a calm smile and offered no verbal response to Jo Pacheon’s arrogance.
Suddenly, Bukjin let out a boisterous laugh. "Hahaha! This is perfect! I was just thinking I needed a treasure like that!"
When it came to bravado, Bukjin was second to none. More importantly, he was genuinely interested in the ring. If he obtained it, he could use it as a cover for his smartphone's Storage app. From then on, whenever he pulled something out of thin air, he could simply pretend he was taking it from the ring. It was the perfect way to hide his technological anomalies from prying eyes.
"Very well," Elder Hae said, his expression turning serious. "Begin the duel."
Bukjin took a moment to compose himself. He stepped forward, gripping the Jeong-i Sword in his left hand while the Do-ran Sword remained sheathed at his waist. Jo Pacheon was a formidable opponent; he couldn't afford a single moment of carelessness. One slip-up in a match of this magnitude could lead to total disaster.
"If you drop your sword and kneel right now, I'll spare you a pathetic defeat," Jo Pacheon said calmly. "Regardless of the circumstances, we share a bond as fellow disciples of the same lineage."
"Fellow disciples? You think you have the right to say that?" Bukjin retorted bluntly. "Watching a traitorous mutt like you who betrayed his master makes me want to vomit. Just draw your sword."
Bukjin raised the Jeong-i Sword. The blade began to shimmer with a sharp light, and the faint sound of crashing waves seemed to echo from nowhere. A ripple of Mystic Energy, heavy as a tidal wave, began to spread through the air. It was the first form of the Jesujeon Sword Technique.
Facing him, Jo Pacheon sneered and swung his Sky-Piercing Sword. He unleashed the exact same first form of the Jesujeon Sword Technique.
CLANG—!
Their blades crossed. Bukjin’s frame trembled slightly from the impact. Jo Pacheon took a deep breath and immediately transitioned into the second form. A thunderous roar erupted, sounding like a massive wave crashing against a great rock. Ripples of Mystic Energy flowed incessantly over the Sky-Piercing Sword.
Bukjin steadied his breathing and swung back. Again, it was the second form of the Jesujeon Sword Technique.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sharp ring of metal on metal echoed repeatedly as their swords collided. The watching students stared wide-eyed. They had all learned the same Jesujeon Sword Technique, and they had just spent the day dueling with it. Yet, watching Bukjin and Jo Pacheon, they were realizing something entirely new.
The swordplay unfolding before them used the same forms they knew, but the underlying intent and comprehension were on a different level. Even with the same techniques, the power unleashed by Bukjin and Jo Pacheon was incomparably stronger. The subtle variations and the precision of their attacks were at a level the other students couldn't even hope to replicate yet.
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged seventeen forms. This already surpassed the number of forms Pa Dae-chwi had managed to hold out against Jo Pacheon.
"I never imagined Im Bukjin could hold out this long."
"I heard he was just a brain-damaged delinquent. How is he this strong?"
Countless questions swirled in the minds of the students. Even Myeong Nak-cheon, the beautiful young girl watching the match, had a strange light in her eyes.
The legendary delinquent is actually a talent with perfect looks and skill... What kind of secret is he hiding? Curiosity began to bloom in her heart.
Im O, who was hiding in the backyard like a stray cat to watch the duel, nodded to himself unconsciously. Impressive!
From his perspective, Bukjin had not yet awakened an elemental attribute for his Mystic Energy. Therefore, his cultivation could be considered, at best, a 10th-grade Warrior Rank. Jo Pacheon, on the other hand, was already a Master Rank expert. If he exerted his full strength, he was likely around the 3rd-grade Master Rank.
Looking at the current state of the duel, Jo Pacheon wasn't holding back; he was using his full strength. Yet, despite the gap in rank, Bukjin wasn't being pushed back at all during these dozens of exchanges.
What secret is that rascal hiding? He’s not just handsome; he’s actually interesting... At this rate, becoming his brother-in-law might not be so bad. Wait, no! What am I thinking?!
Im O shook his head, startled by his own thoughts. He understood his sister, Im Jin, very well. He also knew exactly what her engagement to Jo Pacheon’s senior brother—the man known as the Young Master of Five Wonders—meant. From the day she was born, Im Jin had been destined to marry Wei Myeongshin of White Cloud City.
Sigh... What do I do? If Jin-ah keeps falling deeper for Bukjin and can't pull herself out...
Im O turned his gaze toward his parents. At that moment, his eyes met the strict, piercing gaze of Jin Ran-seo in mid-air.
I'm dead! She caught me!
All Im O could do was squeeze out an awkward smile and wave his hand. Fortunately, Jin Ran-seo looked away without a word, acting as if she hadn't seen either Im O or Im Jin.
BOOM—!
A massive explosion, like two giant tsunamis colliding, shook the arena. Bukjin and Jo Pacheon’s figures crossed and came to a halt. White steam was rising from Bukjin’s head, visible to the naked eye. He looked like a dumpling fresh out of a steamer. An immense amount of heat was radiating from his entire body—a phenomenon caused by his Mystic Energy circulating at high speeds within him.
Meanwhile, a faint golden light shimmered on Jo Pacheon’s face and hands. This was the result of a Master Rank expert’s Mystic Energy being emitted outside the body.
The two had already exhausted all twenty-one forms of the Jesujeon Sword Technique. Yet, the victor had not been decided. The watching students were shivering with excitement, completely absorbed in the battle. They couldn't believe they were practicing the same sword style as these two.
The veteran swordsmen were watching Bukjin with even more interest than Jo Pacheon. Jo Pacheon’s talent had been proven long ago. Everyone had assumed he would win the Sword Testing Covenant without question, believing no one could even pose a threat to him. They had initially thought Bukjin was merely a tragic pawn—that Baek Hae-geum had dragged him out just to indirectly humiliate Jeong Sam-seok.
But now... even if Jo Pacheon won, the plan to humiliate Jeong Sam-seok had already failed. Unless Jo Pacheon could utterly crush Bukjin with overwhelming power, it was impossible to use Bukjin to bring shame upon his master.
Elder Hae’s eyes sparkled as he watched the two young swordsmen. He was extremely satisfied with this duel.
"Hahaha, Im Bukjin. It seems you've forgotten one thing," Jo Pacheon suddenly laughed.
"Before the duel started, you boasted loudly about being proficient with your left hand. Yet, throughout the entire match, despite having so many opportunities, you haven't used your left-hand sword even once. Looking at you now, it seems you're just insulting Lady Im and everyone else who gave you the chance to choose multiple blades."