Chapter 159
Before Sunwoo Jung could even respond, Jegal Ji-yong smiled gently and turned to Jegal Seo-yul.
“Seo-yul, is there any reason why you can’t duel right now?”
Then, without waiting for an answer, he sent a message.
— Tell me you’re fine, Seo-yul! This duel has to happen now. This might be your last chance. Hurry and say you can do it!
Jegal Seo-yul’s heart grew heavy.
She had a feeling she knew exactly what her uncle, Jegal Ji-yong, was misunderstanding.
He was convinced that she would definitely defeat Sunwoo Jin. She had to correct that misconception.
— Uncle, I…
But Ji-yong was too impatient to listen.
— Come now, just say you can do it!
At that moment, Sunwoo Jung stepped in.
“Jegal Seo-yul doesn’t look well. I think it would be unwise to duel today.”
Ji-yong barked back through the message.
— Didn’t I say to answer that you can do it?
Seo-yul had no choice left.
She closed her eyes tightly and replied.
“I’m fine. I think I can duel today without any problem.”
Sunwoo Jung sighed, clearly troubled.
Then he turned to Sunwoo Jin.
“So, it’s come to this. Jin, are you alright with this?”
Sunwoo Jin smiled brightly.
“It seems unavoidable. As the young head of the Sunwoo family, I will do my best not to bring shame upon our name.”
And so, the duel between Sunwoo Jin and Jegal Seo-yul—where the winner would claim the other’s most precious possessions—was set.
The duel began immediately.
They stood facing each other in the same space where Sunwoo Jin and Sunwoo Sung had stood before. Unlike before, since they were no longer family, they had to observe proper formalities.
Jegal Seo-yul drew her sword first, saluted, and said,
“I am Jegal Seo-yul, the sole direct daughter of the Jegal family. The martial world of the East has honored me with the lofty title ‘Heavenly Sword Peak.’”
Sunwoo Jin, holding his Muklang sword, returned the salute.
“I am Sunwoo Jin, young head of the Sunwoo family. The martial world of the East has bestowed upon me the distinguished title ‘Fierce Black Wolf.’”
Jegal Ji-yong watched the two with a gentle smile—at least until he heard Sunwoo Jin’s introduction.
The moment he heard the title, his face stiffened.
“Fierce Black Wolf? Sunwoo Jin, the Fierce Black Wolf?”
That title was one he had definitely heard before.
He just hadn’t connected the ‘Fierce Black Wolf’ with Sunwoo Jin, the disgrace of the Sunwoo family.
His mind raced.
“If Sunwoo Jin is truly the Fierce Black Wolf…”
Suddenly, his sharp mind recalled why the Fierce Black Wolf had earned that name.
“If he’s the Fierce Black Wolf, then he must have killed Heuk Salpyo Dong Paek-kyung, the ultimate master of the Black Shadow Gang, and earned that title…?!”
Jegal Ji-yong’s eyes widened in shock.
Dong Paek-kyung was a martial artist on par with Jegal Seo-yul, at the peak of the early supreme level.
But he was far more experienced and seasoned.
And Sunwoo Jin had killed him.
Jegal Ji-yong’s face turned ashen.
He whipped his head toward Sunwoo Jung—and saw something he hadn’t before.
The troubled expression on Sunwoo Jung’s face had vanished, replaced by a calm smile.
Jegal Ji-yong could only scream silently inside.
“No!”
Meanwhile, Jegal Seo-yul looked at Sunwoo Jin with a complicated gaze.
She had originally wanted to come to the Sunwoo family first and ask him directly.
Did he really intend to duel her?
And… did that mean he truly planned to take her as his wife?
But circumstances had prevented her from asking, and now the situation she had only imagined was actually happening.
Her emotions were tangled and confusing.
She didn’t even know what she was feeling.
When she kept staring at her, Sunwoo Jin finally spoke.
“Won’t you draw your sword, young lady?”
Snapping out of her daze, Seo-yul bit her lip and asked quietly,
“What exactly are you planning? Do you really intend to…”
She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
Sunwoo Jin smiled faintly.
“Planning? What do you mean? Someone might think I’m forcing this duel. But I understand it was your senior, Jegal, who insisted on proceeding, despite my father’s wish to postpone.”
Seo-yul bit her lip again.
He was right on the surface.
But she wanted to deny it.
She wanted to scream that it was all his scheme.
And she wanted him to say it—that everything had been planned from the start to bring this about.
That it wasn’t some reluctant duel forced upon them, but a calculated move to make her his wife.
Yet even now, his indifferent attitude and distant gaze made her furious and deeply hurt.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and drew her sword.
Shing!
She resolved to fight with everything she had.
To show him that she wasn’t marrying him out of love.
Sunwoo Jin smiled brightly, drew his Muklang sword, and said,
Shing!
“You may go first.”
Seo-yul scoffed.
“I believe my reputation in the martial world is greater. Please, lead the way, sir.”
She clenched her teeth.
She wouldn’t give an inch.
She had no intention of yielding easily.
Besides, the Jegal family’s Paljin Sword Technique was known more for its defense than offense.
Sunwoo Jin smiled clearly, pointed his sword, and said,
“Then I shall.”
At the same moment, his body shot forward.
Bang!
Seo-yul gritted her teeth.
She had seen this move before in their last fight.
But feeling it from the outside and experiencing it firsthand were completely different.
It felt as if he had arrived right in front of her the instant he moved.
“Yiik!”
Seo-yul swung her sword desperately.
Paljin Sword Technique, First Move: Departure.
Swish!
The Jegal family’s Paljin Sword Technique revealed its secret.
An ironclad defense with a tiny opening.
And that opening was actually a trap.
The first move, Departure, was designed so that if the opponent tried to exploit the gap and thrust their sword in, they would be counterattacked.
But Sunwoo Jin chose to break through head-on.
Sunwoo Thirteen Sword, Third Move: Divine Hawk Descends.
Like a hawk striking, Sunwoo Jin’s sword plunged swiftly toward the gap.
He aimed to finish it in a single strike before Seo-yul could react.
But Seo-yul was no pushover.
She gritted her teeth and activated her transformation.
“Don’t underestimate me!”
Shu-shak!
Her sword blocked Sunwoo Jin’s blade as it slipped through the gap.
At the same time, the first move Departure’s secret was to counterattack immediately.
But Seo-yul couldn’t block his counter.
Just as their swords were about to clash, Sunwoo Jin’s blade vanished like a phantom.
Swish!
She didn’t understand what had happened, but it was the perfectly timed use of Sunwoo Thirteen Sword’s Fifth Move: Color is Emptiness.
Before she could recover, Sunwoo Jin’s sword shadow spread out like enormous wings.
Fwaaah!
The massive wings of sword energy enveloped Seo-yul’s entire body.
Though clearly a phantom sword technique, it felt unbearably real.
Seo-yul swung her sword desperately.
“Hah!”
Paljin Sword Technique, Third Move: Heaven Divides into Three.
Suddenly, jade-colored energy burst explosively from her sword.
Shwaak!
The powerful sword energy split the surrounding space into three parts.
The wings of sword energy that had surrounded her were torn apart.
Sunwoo Jin smiled knowingly from behind the torn wings as he watched her.
Seeing that smile, Seo-yul felt a surge of anger.
His expression seemed to look down on her.
She was furious.
She wanted to freeze that smug look on his face.
“Taaat!”
Paljin Sword Technique, Seventh Move: Seven Kinds of Gold.
Shu-shak!
Her sword stabbed toward Sunwoo Jin.
This was the Paljin Sword Technique’s strongest offensive move, relentlessly pursuing and piercing the opponent.
Sunwoo Jin, who seemed to step back lightly as if floating on air, swung his sword to meet hers.
Sunwoo Thirteen Sword, Thirteenth Move: Phantom Sword Mirror.
At that moment, Sunwoo Jin’s sword split into dozens, even hundreds of blades, filling the entire space.
Fwaaaak!
Seo-yul could no longer thrust her sword forward.
She had lost her target, and her Seven Kinds of Gold move was neutralized.
But even if that weren’t the case, she probably couldn’t have swung her sword any further.
She looked around in a daze.
Every inch of space was filled with pale violet sword shadows.
It felt as if her body was floating inside a sea of violet light.
She finally lowered her sword and murmured absentmindedly,
“Beautiful.”
When the light faded, Sunwoo Jin’s sword was already behind her, aimed at the nape of her neck.
The duel was over.
Jegal Ji-yong was now completely frozen, as if turned to stone.
She had hoped against hope, but it was true—Jegal Seoyul had been defeated.
And according to their agreement, Jegal Seoyul was now supposed to marry Sunwoo Jin and become part of the Sunwoo family.
But that was absolutely unacceptable.
“No. No way. I can’t let Seoyul be sent off to some family like the Sunwoos. There’s no way that can happen!”
Jegal Seoyul was an invaluable asset to the Jegal clan.
Not just any asset—she was their one and only unparalleled talent.
Though the Jegal family had long been one of the top martial powers, they had always fallen short of the Five Great Families because their martial skills were relatively lacking.
Then Seoyul was born.
Among the Jegal descendants, she was one of the rare few gifted with extraordinary martial talent.
By her early twenties, she had reached the pinnacle of her abilities, becoming the sole hope of the Jegal clan.
The only hope in their generation.
So the Jegal family had no intention of marrying her off just anywhere.
If she were to marry, it had to be under the best conditions—with a warrior of equal skill, and above all, any man who married her would have to become a son-in-law living under their roof.
That was the consensus of the entire Jegal clan.
Yet now, the unthinkable was happening: Seoyul might be married off to the Sunwoo family.
And it was all because of Jegal Jiyong himself.
He bit his lip until it turned white.
“This can’t happen! Absolutely not!”
He had to stop this at all costs.
Even if it meant wiping out the Sunwoo family…
Just then, Sunwoo Jung smiled calmly and spoke to him.
“It seems the outcome is decided, Jegal Daehyup.”
Jegal Jiyong met his gaze with a grim expression, no longer able to hide his true feelings.
But Sunwoo Jung seemed oblivious and continued.
“Then, Jegal Sojeo will become a daughter-in-law of the Sunwoo family…”
At that moment, as Jegal Jiyong’s murderous intent surfaced and Seoyul bowed her head to hide her flushed face, Sunwoo Jin suddenly knelt before Sunwoo Jung and said,
“Father, I’m sorry!”
Startled, Sunwoo Jung glanced at Jegal Jiyong and asked with a puzzled look,
“Sorry? What are you talking about?”
Sunwoo Jin bowed deeply and declared loudly—loud enough for everyone in the martial arena to hear:
“I should have told you earlier! The truth is, I have already promised my future to another woman! Therefore, I cannot marry Jegal Sojeo!”
“!”
The confession was shocking.
Everyone fell silent, staring blankly at his face.
It was one thing to have a promised bride, but to reject marriage with Jegal Seoyul—known as the Heavenly Sword Peak—because of her was incomprehensible to those who had witnessed her beauty and martial prowess firsthand.
Sunwoo family warriors exchanged stunned looks.
Meanwhile, a glimmer of hope appeared on Jegal Jiyong’s face.
Seoyul lifted her bowed head and stared at Sunwoo Jin in disbelief.
Sunwoo Jung, momentarily speechless, scowled and demanded,
“What did you say?! Is that even an excuse?!”
Sunwoo Jin’s voice trembled with earnestness.
“I came home this time to ask for your permission for my future with her! But so many things happened all at once, I feared troubling you and kept silent! I’m truly sorry for not telling you sooner, but she and I are inseparable now! Please grant us your blessing, Father!”
Jegal Jiyong couldn’t hide his smile.
The man he had wanted to kill just moments ago suddenly looked so endearing.
But Sunwoo Jung was not so forgiving.
He shouted firmly,
“Absolutely not! This is a promise between families! Do you think your personal affairs can ruin the relationship between two great houses? I will never allow it!”
Jegal Jiyong’s face darkened again, itching to intervene.
Sunwoo Jin raised his head defiantly and shouted,
“If you refuse my marriage because of the promise that the Sunwoo heir must marry Jegal Sojeo, then I will step down as the heir!”
That was a true bombshell.
His earlier statement now seemed mild in comparison.
Everyone was stunned, and Jegal Jiyong couldn’t help but exclaim,
“Oh!”
Sunwoo Jung, now furious, bellowed,
“Do you intend to drag the honor of the Sunwoo family through the mud? Do you think the position of heir is a joke? Do you think the promise with the Jegal family is a joke?!”
But Sunwoo Jin stood his ground, shouting back,
“My promise with her is no less important, Father! I have formally pledged to her father, the head of the Sacheon Sect!”
Their voices clashed, neither willing to yield, escalating the tension.
The onlookers exchanged anxious glances.
Sunwoo Jung, exasperated, demanded,
“Who is this woman? Who could possibly be as important as the Jegal family’s promise?”
Sunwoo Jin answered shortly,
“She is from the Sacheon Sect.”
Sunwoo Jung’s expression hardened instantly.
“What?”
He asked again, bewildered.
Sunwoo Jin repeated clearly,
“She is Dang Yeo-eun, direct descendant of the Sacheon Sect. I have formally pledged to Master Dang Jeonghu, the head of the Sacheon Sect, and returned home to seek your approval.”
A hush fell over the crowd, then murmurs began.
“The Sacheon Sect?”
“The very Sacheon Sect from Sichuan Province?”
“And Master Dang Jeonghu—the revered ‘Solitary Rock Sovereign’ of the Dang family?”
“Oh my god!”
Though the Jegal family, led by Jegal Jikang, was a powerful force serving as the military arm of the Martial Alliance, it was no match for the Sacheon Sect.
The Sacheon Sect had never once fallen out of the Five Great Families in centuries, and their mastery of poisons and secret arts instilled an unconscious fear in martial artists everywhere.
Now, Sunwoo Jin had pledged to the head of that very sect.
The weight of the situation shifted dramatically.
Sunwoo Jung looked troubled, then glanced at Jegal Jiyong.
Jegal Jiyong immediately understood.
Sunwoo Jung was offering him a chance to back down gracefully.
He admired the move.
“Even this was part of the plan.”
After all, Sunwoo Jung was too shrewd to recklessly insist on taking Jegal Seoyul away.
He knew it would lead to disaster.
So he was creating a situation where he could accept the broken promise without losing face.
Jegal Jiyong had to admit,
“Sunwoo Jung is truly a formidable man.”
It seemed likely the Sunwoo family would soon dominate Guizhou Province.
But that was a story for another time.
For now, Jegal Jiyong had to accept the situation graciously.
Clearing his throat, he interjected,
“Hmm, hmm. It seems Prince Sunwoo has unavoidable reasons.”
“Jegal Daehyup.”
“Perhaps we were too hasty in deciding this marriage without considering the feelings of the young people involved. If the marriage is unwanted by either side, it will only bring unhappiness. Isn’t that right, Head of the Sunwoo family?”
With a subtle smile, Jegal Jiyong suggested breaking the engagement.
Sunwoo Jung sighed deeply.
“Haah… If our families’ relationship is broken because of foolish children, how can we ever repay such a sin?”
Jegal Jiyong laughed heartily.
“Ha ha ha! That won’t happen. If you’re reluctant, we can arrange matches for other children. The Sunwoo family has other sons besides the heir, and we have daughters from collateral branches.”
He was openly proposing new alliances through other marriages.
Since the Sunwoo family was poised to become the dominant power in Guizhou, it was a win-win.
Sunwoo Jung smiled with relief.
“That’s a good idea! The wisdom of the Jegal family is unmatched!”
“Flattery, flattery, ha ha ha!”
Of course, this was a stark contrast to the earlier talk about unhappy marriages, but neither side mentioned it.
They both knew they had gotten what they wanted.
The Sunwoo warriors watching the peaceful resolution finally exhaled in relief.
They could maintain ties with the Jegal family and honor the promise to the Sacheon Sect.
It couldn’t have been better.
Everyone smiled—everyone except one.
Jegal Seoyul trembled quietly, her head bowed low.
Every word Sunwoo Jin had spoken stabbed her heart like a dagger.
He said he could never marry her.
He had promised his future to the daughter of the Sacheon Sect.
She felt utterly miserable.
She felt more miserable than she ever had in her entire life.
Her vision had been blurry for a while now, and she had to fight with all her might just to keep from breaking down in tears.
Her fists clenched so tightly that her hands began to bleed.
“Sun Woo-jin, Sun Woo-jin, Sun Woo-jin!”
In that moment, the name ‘Sun Woo-jin’ burned into her mind like an indelible brand—one she would never forget for the rest of her life.