The Youngest Prince of the Zhou Family - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Youngest Master of the Zhu Family (14)

Auction

Poyang Lake was famous as one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in the Central Plains, alongside Dongting Lake.

Unlike the fierce currents of Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake was a place that embraced a calm and peaceful atmosphere, making it a sacred ground for idle nobles and pleasure-seekers who enjoyed leisurely pursuits.

“….”

I was gazing at the gentle ripples of Poyang Lake.

Countless people and laughter echoing from here and there.

If only such tranquility could continue endlessly….

‘Demonic Cult.’

The moment I thought of them, the scenery of Poyang Lake changed instantly.

Poyang Lake, which had embraced blue and cold waves so clear you could see the bottom.

Transformed into a red battlefield reeking of blood.

A place where people’s footsteps ceased, and ownerless weapons and corpses formed mountains.

That was the last image of Poyang Lake I remembered.

“Good.”

I cannot protect all of them.

I know that’s impossible.

A sense of mission to save the world? A sense of responsibility to protect everyone?

I have no such things.

Only one thing remains for me.

To destroy everything about the Demonic Cult that will soon bring down my family.

That was the very reason I was alive.

​

* * *

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The Eastern Pavilion of the Zhu Clan.

“Huff, huff.”

Seung-kyung’s entire body was drenched in sweat.

Rapid and rough breathing escaped from her mouth, and her legs and arms were trembling faintly.

She looked down at her own hands.

‘….’

They were too rough to be called a woman’s hands, covered with scars and calluses from tears that had healed.

Moreover, there were long wounds that appeared to be recently carved.

“Not yet.”

Seung-kyung gritted her teeth as she wrapped white cloth around the handle of the wooden sword she was holding.

Since her defeat to Woo Jin, she had been devoted to cultivation day and night without distinction.

Being defeated by Woo Jin was something that should never have happened to her.

“Seung-kyung.”

Then someone approached her.

It was Ju Seung-hyeok, the eldest son of the Zhu Family, who had been watching from a distance.

“Elder Brother.”

“You’re working hard on your cultivation.”

At Seung-hyeok’s words, Seung-kyung nodded roughly and sat down on the spot.

Her legs had given out, and she didn’t even have the strength to stand.

“Surprising. I didn’t know you would swing your sword so earnestly.”

Seung-hyeok smiled gently as he comforted her.

His soft voice had a feeling that made one comfortable just by listening.

“Elder Brother. I actually had something to ask you.”

“Hm? Me?”

“Yes.”

Seung-kyung caught her breath and spoke again.

“How many moves would it take for Elder Brother to suppress me?”

“You? Well. How can I guarantee such a thing….”

“I’m asking seriously, Elder Brother. It’s a necessary question for my sake.”

A side of Seung-kyung he had never seen before.

It wasn’t her usual mischievous and playful appearance.

Seung-hyeok also straightened his expression, thought for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“If we fought properly, I could bring you to your knees within three moves.”

“Three moves?”

Seung-kyung nodded.

In fact, she had been thinking the same thing.

The gap between Seung-hyeok and Seung-kyung wasn’t so steep that they could gauge each other’s difference to some extent.

But….

‘Woo Jin.’

Strangely, when she thought of facing that guy again, her bones began to ache.

‘How should I deal with him? Those body techniques….’

They weren’t the Zhu Family’s body techniques.

They were full of openings, and even his posture was utterly defenseless.

Yet Seung-kyung was defeated so quickly she didn’t even know how it happened.

‘Just one move.’

No, even that expression would be too generous.

Woo Jin had gone easy on her.

Moreover, what was even more shocking was.

‘He read my movements in advance. That can’t be explained unless he had memorized all the strengths, weaknesses, and countermeasures of sword techniques….’

Movement half a breath faster.

A method of predicting where she would move, taking the initiative, and launching a counterattack instead.

“Ha.”

Seung-kyung’s sigh grew deeper.

It was the first time she had ever felt such emotions because of Woo Jin.

“Why are you so impatient? What worries you so much?”

“….”

Seung-kyung looked up at him upon hearing Seung-hyeok’s voice.

‘Could Elder Brother win?’

She couldn’t be certain.

Somehow, it seemed like Woo Jin would be able to read even Seung-hyeok’s movements completely.

‘Those eyes.’

Those deep and indifferent eyes that weren’t like Woo Jin at all.

They were iron-cold eyes that were so empty that no emotional highs or lows could be felt.

“No, Elder Brother.”

Seung-kyung stood up from her spot again.

The wooden sword was in her hands once more.

Seung-hyeok realized that no matter what he said, he couldn’t stop her.

‘What could have happened….’

He couldn’t understand why she was moving so urgently, but what did it matter?

Being born as a child of a martial family and cultivating martial arts wasn’t a bad thing.

“If you ever have any worries, come to me anytime. I’m not so heartless that I can’t listen to my sister’s concerns.”

Seung-hyeok left those words and departed from the spot.

Even after he left, Seung-kyung swung her wooden sword even more earnestly.

She knew that enlightenment wouldn’t just come flying to her simply by gripping and swinging a sword right now.

Still, she couldn’t stop.

It was because he hated his own powerlessness in being unable to read those movements at all, more than the sense of defeat from losing to Woo Jin.

“Elder Sister.”

I approached Seung-kyung.

“What? Elder Brother just came and left a moment ago, and now it’s you?”

Elder Brother?

Ah, you mean Elder Brother Seung-hyuk?

“I didn’t see him leave.”

“Whatever, why are you here?”

Her reaction is quite cold.

I thought Elder Sister would be anxiously fretting alone like this.

How many times have I experienced her temperament?

“I need some money.”

“….”

At those words, Seung-kyung’s expression twisted menacingly.

“Please lend me some money.”

“Good grief.”

Seung-kyung put down her wooden sword and approached me.

Her martial aura is quite fierce.

Why?

What did I say wrong?

“When did you beat me up, and now you’re even extorting money?”

“Huh? When did I ever beat you up….”

“You did.”

“But Elder Sister, you attacked first, didn’t you?”

At those words, Seung-kyung paused for a moment, then nodded.

“Fine, I accept that.”

“…?”

What’s this about?

“But you have plenty of money.”

“I’m a bit short….”

At those words, Seung-kyung’s expression hardened.

“So that’s why you’ve been holed up in the house all this time? Why? Your maternal family isn’t giving you money either?”

“What? No, I do have money….”

“You went directly to your maternal family a few days ago, right? Did your allowance get cut off?”

Oh, for heaven’s sake.

Let’s have a proper conversation.

“I understand what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that.”

“It’s not like that? Then what is it?”

“Well, you’re thinking I’d spend money on pleasure houses, alcohol, and gambling, aren’t you?”

“You know well.”

“Of course I know.”

“And you know well that I won’t give you money either.”

At those words, I scowled deeply.

I needed a lot of money to buy Great Return Pills at the auction hosted by the Golden Tiger Gang.

Of course, I had enough money with me even now.

If necessary, I could even send word to my maternal grandfather to get more money.

However, the problem was that if I contacted my maternal family, it might reach Father’s ears.

‘If I really can’t get it, I’ll have no choice but to ask my maternal family for help….’

I had come to find Seung-kyung to try to get money by any means possible.

Among my siblings, she was the easiest one to approach about this.

“If you need money, I can lend it to you. I don’t have anything to spend it on anyway.”

Good.

I cheered inwardly.

“But there’s a condition.”

“….”

“Let’s have a proper match.”

Hmm?

This is an unexpected development.

“A match? You mean a martial duel?”

“That’s right. We’ll fight with our utmost effort.”

I could understand her intention.

Elder Sister couldn’t understand those movements from when we fought before.

“Fine. Would that be enough?”

There was nothing to lose.

If Elder Sister becomes stronger, that would actually be a blessing for the family.

“Yes. If it satisfies me.”

I nodded at Seung-kyung’s words.

Elder Sister immediately went to one side of the training ground and picked up her sword.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”

“Huh? What? Right now?”

“Yes. Right now.”

Sigh, I should have expected this.

It seemed I would have to serve as Elder Sister’s training partner for a while.

​

* * *

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“Huff, gasp.”

Elder Sister barely managed to stand up, using her sword as a cane.

Her legs were trembling as if she could barely stay upright.

“Are you okay?”

Elder Sister barely nodded in response to my question.

Well, the result of the duel was obvious.

I already knew the martial arts Elder Sister possessed, and I also knew how to counter them.

Of course, there’s a serious difference between just memorizing something and applying it in actual combat, but I was someone who had opposed the Heavenly Demon until the very end in my previous life.

That experience didn’t change just because I had returned to the body of a young boy.

“How on earth did you do that?”

Elder Sister finally put down her sword and crouched down.

She kept tilting her head in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“Those movements. You keep disrupting my breathing every time. How is that possible? When it’s just you….”

“Just me what?”

“Honestly, that’s how it is. You haven’t been diligent in martial arts cultivation.”

That’s true.

I have no intention of denying it.

“Doesn’t it occur to you that I might have been training in secret?”

“Haha! It’s been a while since I heard something so funny.”

Ugh, laughing at me so openly.

This is a bit offensive, isn’t it?

“Anyway, tell me. How is it that I can lose so helplessly?”

Elder Sister’s expression became serious.

The fact that she was being this humble meant she had really put aside a lot.

I had no choice but to become serious as well.

“The answer is… first, that Elder Sister and your martial arts don’t match each other.”

“…What?”

“The Flying Heaven Responding Flame Sword Technique that Elder Sister learned has more side effects when practiced by women.”

“But I can’t change to a different sword technique now. You know that, right?”

“I understand completely.”

The Flying Heaven Responding Flame Sword Technique, as its name suggests, is a sword technique that takes the form of cutting through and soaring into the sky.

Like flames blooming, it had the form of gracefully connected consecutive attacks.

This meant that while the harmony of offense and defense was beautifully balanced, stamina and physical strength to maintain long breathing were essential.

Of course, stamina and physical strength are natural elements for any sword technique.

But the Flying Heaven Responding Flame Sword Technique had one more very fatal weakness.

“Upper body.”

“Upper body…?”

“The martial techniques of the Flying Heaven Responding Flame Sword Technique are mainly designed to target the opponent’s upper body. That means it’s swordsmanship that already enters the opponent’s field of vision.”

In other words, it meant having an honest sword path.

Actually, if it had been deployed by Ju Seung-hyeok, our Eldest Brother, rather than Ju Seung-kyung, it probably would have been implemented in a different way.

That’s because the physical strength and stamina one possesses can bring about countless variations even within the same swordsmanship.

“How do you know all of this?”

“I told you. I learned it secretly.”

I smiled and evaded Elder Sister’s question.

I couldn’t very well say, “Hehe, actually I’ve experienced a previous life.”

“Cut the crap. Then is there a way to supplement this?”

“Of course there is.”

“Tell me.”

At those words, I grinned and held out my hand.

Seung-kyung stared blankly at my hand for a moment, then finally realized the true meaning of my action and let out a deep sigh.

“Fine, I’ll give you money.”

“Good. Then…”

I stood up from my seat.

Elder Sister also stood up following me.

“Before that.”

Elder Sister grinned.

“But this little bastard has been subtly dropping honorifics since earlier?”

“…Ah.”

Did I? Had I been speaking informally?

Since I was quite old in my previous life, informal speech was indeed a bit more comfortable.

“Well, it’s more comfortable to listen to. It feels like the distance has narrowed a bit too. Right?”

I nodded my head roughly in agreement.

Elder Sister immediately stood facing me.

“From now on, we’re going to change the martial techniques a bit.”

This was swordsmanship I had improved and modified countless times in my previous life.

I had supplemented the weaknesses of the Flying Heaven Responding Flame Sword Technique and created martial techniques that could be applied immediately.

I was going to pass that on to Elder Sister.

Although it was earlier than I had originally thought, I had planned to do this anyway.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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