The Art of Saying No

"You are a truly remarkable child," Elder Hae said, his voice heavy with genuine respect as he patted Bukjin on the shoulder. "The offer I made remains open. If there ever comes a day when the North Sea Empire can no longer contain you, you are always welcome to seek me out on Dongryu Island."

Bukjin offered a pleasant, easygoing smile in return. From his perspective, he had just secured a very reliable escape route should things ever go south. With that, the second stage of the Sword Testing Covenant—the competition for the young swordsmen and swordswomen—came to a close.

Bukjin had claimed victory in both the first and second rounds. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠His momentum was absolute, like a breaking wave. In contrast, Jo Pacheon was glaring at him with enough murderous intent to swallow him whole. The "trashy delinquent" he had looked down upon had now surpassed him twice in a row. Worse, Bukjin’s seemingly sincere actions had exposed Jo Pacheon’s own pettiness to the entire world. The shame was unbearable; the humiliation made Jo Pacheon tremble with rage.

"Ho ho, I never imagined your schemes would run so deep," Baek Hae-geum remarked with a calm smile, though his eyes remained fixed on Bukjin.

Bukjin met his gaze and laughed arrogantly. "I’m just the crazy bastard everyone says I am. Schemes? What schemes? Hahaha!"

With a perfectly shameless expression, Bukjin strode back to his seat. He immediately began inspecting his prize: the Dark Green Storage Ring.

Bukjin quickly grasped the trick to using it. Activating the formation inside the ring didn't require Mystic Energy; it required mental strength. By projecting his willpower into the ring, he could see the hidden space within. It was roughly the size of a large refrigerator—enough to store a significant amount of gear.

Testing its capacity, Bukjin focused on the three swords he was carrying. A faint light shimmered over the ring, and in an instant, his Virtue Sword, Doran Sword, and Jeongi Sword vanished as if by magic, tucked away into the spatial pocket.

"Hehe, this is fun." Bukjin intentionally let out a giddy, over-the-top expression of joy.

Beside him, Baek Geum-un watched with wide eyes. she scanned him from head to toe before letting out a stiff cough. Bukjin didn't even blink. Eventually, she couldn't help herself and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Senior. Those things you said earlier... did you really come up with that yourself?"

Bukjin glanced at her with a triumphant smirk. "Of course. What, are you finally impressed by my deep, philosophical soul?"

"Hmph!" Baek Geum-un snorted and whipped her head away.

At the head table, Im Gun-hyeon, the City Lord of Unmong, found himself staring at Bukjin without even blinking. It wasn't until Jin Ran-seo gave him a subtle nudge that he snapped out of it, whispering in a low voice.

"That boy... he’s no ordinary child. There’s something extraordinary about him."

Jin Ran-seo replied via a Sound Transmission. "To show such brilliance only after the fall of the War God's house... Has Im Bukjin been playing the fool all this time? Or was he truly a simpleton before?"

"I cannot say," Im Gun-hyeon replied. "But I heard Im Geun-nam traveled far and wide seeking famous doctors to cure the boy's condition. If that's true, it’s unlikely it was an act... and yet, the things he has done since his family's ruin are too shocking to ignore. Wait, could it be...?"

A sudden hypothesis struck him, making his heart race. "Could his acting have been so perfect that even his own father was deceived?"

Jin Ran-seo shook her head. No matter how great an actor a child might be, a child was still a child. No one could maintain a facade from the age of three or four for a specific purpose. Perhaps Im Bukjin was the true, hidden heir left behind by the War God? Jin Ran-seo's mind was flooded with questions. She had to admit that the talent, insight, and character Bukjin was displaying were far beyond any of his peers. Whatever the truth was, it was undeniable.

Looking back, it no longer seemed strange that her daughter, Im Jin, was so infatuated with him. However, even considering his talent, the problem Im Jin currently faced was not something that could be solved so easily. Jin Ran-seo shook her head, clearing her stray thoughts to regain her composure.

At that moment, Im Gun-hyeon gave a signal. Yeo Nak-yeon stepped forward to announce the third and final stage of the event.

The third round was Free Sparring (Bimu). Unlike the previous round, where they had to demonstrate the Jesujeon Sword Technique, this was a test of their true martial prowess. It was a competition of swordsmanship, combat ability, and cultivation level. Since there were no restrictions on the techniques they could use, the young warriors were expected to give their absolute all.

However, there was one specific rule for this sparring session: the winner would remain on the stage until no more challengers remained.

"Im Bukjin! I challenge you!"

The moment the round was announced, Jo Pacheon stepped forward. Now that the restriction of using only the Jesujeon style was gone, his confidence had returned in full. He believed his superior cultivation and elite swordsmanship would be more than enough to crush Bukjin. Finally, the moment of revenge he had craved had arrived.

"No," Bukjin replied flatly, rejecting the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠challenge without a second thought.

Bukjin was no fool. He had already won the first two rounds tonight. He had already done more than enough to save ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jeong Sam-seok’s face. His primary goals for participating in the Sword Testing Covenant had been achieved. Furthermore, he knew his own limits. In an unrestricted fight, his current strength wasn't enough to defeat the likes of Jo Pacheon, Hyeol Yeom, Song Gyeol-il, or Myeong Nak-cheon. At best, if he went all out, he might be able to hold his own against someone like Dong Bang-jeon.

"Wh-what? Are you actually refusing a challenge?" Jo Pacheon stammered, dumbfounded.

"Are you seriously cowering now?"

Of course he was. Bukjin knew he couldn't win, so he was naturally cautious. But he wasn't about to admit to being afraid. Instead, he wanted to see Jo Pacheon lose his mind from his own temper. He wanted to watch Jo Pacheon seethe with rage, desperate to attack but denied the opportunity until he practically imploded. That was the sight Bukjin truly wanted to see.

Bukjin gave a relaxed, leisurely smile. "Ho ho, do you really think I’d be afraid of someone like you? You aren't even worthy of crossing blades with me."

Jo Pacheon looked like he was about to have a stroke.

"Then I will do it," Hyeol Yeom said, stepping forward. "Im Bukjin, I wish to spar with you."

Bukjin looked at Hyeol Yeom and spoke calmly. "If you want to fight me, go beat that guy first and then come back."

Bukjin pointed a finger directly at Jo Pacheon.

'That little bastard!' Both Jo Pacheon and Hyeol Yeom were reaching their breaking points, their blood pressure skyrocketing.

"Student Im, I would like to request a lesson."

This time, it was Myeong Nak-cheon, a girl with a bright and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cheerful appearance. She stepped forward and performed a formal martial greeting. Her attitude was incredibly polite; she genuinely wanted to exchange insights on swordsmanship with him. Baek Geum-un leaned forward, curious to see how Bukjin would handle this.

But Bukjin didn't even turn his head. "I refuse."

"..."

Just moments ago, Bukjin had been the center of attention, radiating talent and wisdom. Myeong Nak-cheon couldn't understand why his attitude had suddenly flipped. She was sincere in her request. And, though she hated to admit it, she couldn't understand how any boy could reject a request from a girl as beautiful as her so bluntly. She had never met a man who turned her down with such directness. He felt completely different from all the other boys she had encountered.

'Interesting. Im Bukjin, you’ve certainly caught my attention.' Myeong Nak-cheon bit her lip, a flurry of thoughts crossing her mind.

"Im Bukjin, you coward!" Hyeol Yeom mocked. "You acted like a big shot when the rules were in your favor, but now you’re hiding like a turtle in its shell. Are you too terrified to even step up?"

Bukjin replied, "If you have time to flap your gums, go beat Jo Pacheon and come back."

"You...!" If Hyeol Yeom were confident he could beat Jo Pacheon, he would have attacked already. But he wasn't.

"Do you have no sense of shame?!" Hyeol Yeom roared in frustration.

Bukjin shrugged. "Shame? Does shame put food on the table?"

"..."

At that moment, Sa Un-yeong, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up. "If my memory serves me, the rules allow a participant to refuse a challenge."

Jo Pacheon frowned, his irritation growing. The movement made the scar on his cheek sting. "Are you taking his side just because he 'avenged' you by breaking my Sky-Piercing Sword? Is that it?" Jo Pacheon sneered at Sa Un-yeong.

"Are you so moved by that trashy delinquent that you’re playing his guardian? Ho ho, I suppose losers do tend to stick together."

"Jo Pacheon, if you want a challenge, I’m right here. I’ll gladly teach you a lesson," Sa Un-yeong said, his expression turning fierce.

Jo Pacheon’s sneer deepened. "You? You think you’re capable of that?"

Seeing the situation escalate, Yeo Nak-yeon let out a loud cough to draw everyone's attention. "The rules state that a challenged student has the right to refuse. Since Student Im Bukjin has no intention of sparring at this time, it would be best for the challengers to select a different opponent."

As the moderator, she had stepped in to settle the matter. The students who had challenged Bukjin realized they had no choice. They didn't like it, but a rule was a rule.