Follow Your Heart
"Watch yourself, brat," Baek Hae-geum said flatly.
Bukjin’s eyes snapped wide. "Who are you calling a brat? Do you even have the right to call me that?"
Baek Hae-geum had gone out of his way to interfere with everything Jeong Sam-seok did. Not only that, he had gathered all these people just to publicly humiliate him. To Bukjin, Baek Hae-geum was lower than a beast. Consequently, Bukjin had absolutely no intention of showing him any respect.
"Ho ho ho." Baek Hae-geum narrowed his eyes, glaring at Bukjin. The long scar running across his face twitched, radiating a menacing aura. "Very well, boy. But do not let your youthful vigor make you reckless. If you aren't careful, you might find yourself meeting your end one day without even knowing how it happened."
It was a threat coming from one of the Three Great Swordsmen of White Cloud City. Every word was heavy with an overwhelming pressure. Just as Bukjin was about to fire back another retort—
"Go back," the silent Jeong Sam-seok finally spoke.
He looked directly at Baek Hae-geum. "Go back to White Cloud City. And never set foot in Unmong City again."
His voice was calm, yet his words carried a strange, soul-shaking authority.
"Hahahaha!" Baek Hae-geum stared blankly for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Jeong Noe, do you really think you’re in any position to say that to me?"
Jeong Sam-seok stared at the long scar on Baek Hae-geum’s face, his expression unreadable. "If I say I am, then I am."
In an instant, a flash of intense resentment flickered in Baek Hae-geum’s eyes. "You’re nothing more than a washed-up has-been. How dare you put on such airs here! Jeong Noe, the true sequence of today’s Duel of Swords hasn't even begun. Since you’ve accepted the challenge, you’d better be prepared to face another miserable defeat at my hands!"
Hearing this, Jeong Sam-seok looked down at his sword, the Deok-haeng Sword. Seeing this, Baek Hae-geum sneered. "Do you honestly think you can still swing that thing?"
Jeong Sam-seok remained silent. It was then that Bukjin broke the tense standoff between the two men.
Bukjin stubbornly held out his hand toward Jo Pacheon. "The sword."
Damn it all... Jo Pacheon felt his stomach churn. Ultimately, he gritted his teeth and thrust the Chamcheon Sword toward Bukjin. "I’m warning you, don't you dare sell this. I’ll be taking it back soon enough, so you’d better keep it safe until then. I—"
Before Jo Pacheon could even finish his sentence—
CRACK!
A sharp, clear sound of something breaking echoed through the air. The moment Bukjin received the Chamcheon Sword, he flipped it over, pressed the blade against the ground, and stomped on it with all his might, snapping it in two.
"...!" Jo Pacheon looked as if his soul had left his body, his face frozen in shock.
"How is it? Feels refreshing, doesn't it?" Bukjin smirked, staring Jo Pacheon straight in the eye. "Seeing you look like you’re about to explode from rage really makes my day."
"I'll kill you!" Jo Pacheon lost all reason, consumed by fury. However, Jeong Sam-seok’s cold gaze shifted toward him. Jo Pacheon felt a sudden chill run down his spine, as if his entire body had been plunged into ice water. Forcing himself to regain his senses with every ounce of his will, Jo Pacheon could do nothing but stand there, grinding his teeth.
"You should have had a better heart. Otherwise, everything comes back to haunt you," Bukjin said, refusing to miss this golden opportunity to mock him. "If you’re going to drive a stake through someone’s heart and plan a betrayal, you should at least be prepared to get slapped in the face."
"I will definitely return," Jo Pacheon said with a bloody smile, his anger reaching its peak.
"Whatever," Bukjin replied, looking completely unbothered. He turned his body toward Elder Hae. "Senior, shouldn't you announce the winner of this match now?"
A gentle smile played on Elder Hae’s lips as he looked at Bukjin. "Indeed. You two from White Cloud City, please return to your seats for now. Your battle has not yet begun. This old man must first conclude this portion of the event."
With that, Baek Hae-geum and Jeong Sam-seok vanished instantly, reappearing in their respective seats. It was a truly elusive movement technique.
"I hereby declare! The final winner of this round is Im Bukjin!"
Elder Hae didn't even spare a glance at the trembling Jo Pacheon. Instead, he approached Bukjin with a beaming smile. He handed over a dark green ring—the Mukrok-jihwan—into Bukjin’s hand.
◈ Spatial Storage: Allows the user to store items in a sub-space using mental power.
◈ Soul Bound: Can only be accessed by the registered owner.
"Young man, congratulations. This old man saw infinite potential in you today. The hidden killing move of the Jesujeon Sword Technique, Yeoksuhan, which you realized... even I was impressed."
"You flatter me, sir," Bukjin said, his expression shifting into one of polite humility—a complete 180 from a moment ago. "While it is true that my talent is peerless, my looks are top-tier, my intelligence is brilliant, and my personality is so vibrant that I am loved by all... I believe it was purely luck that allowed me to realize that hidden move while practicing your swordsmanship."
His shamelessness knew no bounds. Bukjin’s ability to flatter others was on an entirely different level. He had already sensed that Elder Hae was no ordinary person. Very few people could offer a treasure like the Mukrok-jihwan as a mere prize. And even fewer could speak so freely to the Sword Saint Baek Hae-geum, one of the three legendary swordsmen of White Cloud City.
"Hahahaha!" Elder Hae burst into a hearty laugh. He looked extremely satisfied. The more he looked at Bukjin, the more he liked him. "Child, I will speak plainly. This old man hails from Dongryu, one of the three islands known as the Three Divine Islands in the vast, open sea. If you wish, I will take you under my wing and make you my successor disciple."
Elder Hae continued, "If you inherit my legacy, you may even have the chance to obtain the bloodline of the Dongryu Divine Realm in the future. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Huh? Bukjin felt like this situation was a mirror image of what had caused Jeong Sam-seok’s past wounds. It was completely unexpected. At the same time, he saw the other boys and girls staring with wide eyes, and the veteran swordsmen in the audience gasping in shock. It was clear that the status of the North Sea's Three Divine Islands was extraordinary. The "Bloodline of the Dongryu Divine Realm" he mentioned was likely something many people coveted.
If Bukjin simply nodded his head, he would gain a miraculous opportunity unlike any other in the world.
"Hahahaha!" Suddenly, Baek Hae-geum let out a loud laugh. He glanced at Jeong Sam-seok before speaking to Bukjin in a tone that sounded surprisingly supportive. "Im Bukjin. You probably don't know what the Three Divine Islands of the North Sea signify, do you? Let me explain. Dongryu Island, one of the three, has a thousand-year history and is a mysterious place with unfathomable martial depth. It is a formidable place that rivals the three great swordsmanship holy lands of the Empire. If you just nod your head, you will gain a status that transcends the laws of the Empire."
Elder Hae nodded in agreement. "He is right. Dongryu Island is a holy land of martial arts located on the sea, not the continent. Our martial arts have been passed down for three thousand years, a history longer than that of the North Sea Empire itself. Child, you would be wise not to let such a grand opportunity slip away."
Bukjin looked at Jeong Sam-seok. Meeting Bukjin’s gaze, Jeong Sam-seok smiled, his expression serene. "Follow your heart."
Then, he added one more thing. "Student Im Bukjin. You and I are merely teacher and student of this academy. There is no true bond of master and disciple between us. Therefore, you need not agonize over this. Simply choose the path that is most advantageous for you."
These were the exact same words Jeong Sam-seok had said to Jo Pacheon three years ago. Back then, the blonde boy, Jo Pacheon, had pretended to consider it for a moment before choosing to leave without a single backward glance. In truth, that had been a deep pain for Jeong Sam-seok. And today, he was saying those same words to another boy.
Of course, back then, Jo Pacheon had been a disciple Jeong Sam-seok had poured his heart and soul into raising for three years. But the Bukjin standing before him now didn't have such a long-standing, intimate relationship with him. They had only known each other for a little over a month. Therefore, Jeong Sam-seok was confident he wouldn't be disappointed even if Bukjin chose to leave for Dongryu Island. In fact, he was prepared to bless and congratulate Bukjin for finding such a great opportunity.
In the current situation, if Bukjin joined Dongryu Island, every crisis he currently faced would be completely resolved. He might even be able to solve the crisis facing the Jeon-cheon-hu family. It was very clear which choice was more advantageous.
Countless eyes were fixed on Bukjin. People looked as if they couldn't believe such a stroke of luck had befallen a "trash" like him.
The North Sea Empire was a nation located on the northern frontier of the Dongdojin Continent, bordering the ocean. The sea adjacent to the Empire was called the North Sea, which was where the nation’s name originated. However, there was a fact that the common folk did not know: the sea bordering the Empire was not just the North Sea they could see. If one continued further out, there was a much wider, endless ocean beyond it.
That vast ocean was called the North Ocean. According to legend, the North Ocean was a sea without end. Its far reaches were said to touch the Milky Way of the universe. It was said that even the high gods of heaven and earth, if they were to fall into the North Ocean, would be unable to escape and meet their end. Because of this, it was also known as the Sea of Falling Gods (Sinun-jihae).
Within this Sea of Falling Gods, there was a region that bordered the continent. Countless islands existed there, inhabited by the people of the sea—the Sea Race. Among those many islands, three particularly massive ones stood out, collectively known as the Three Divine Islands. Legend had it that the Three Divine Islands were formed from the body of an ancient god who fell into the North Ocean in the distant past. These three islands were sovereign territories not bound to the North Sea Empire. They were sanctuaries that did not belong to any nation on the continent, possessing their own unique power and influence.