The Youngest Prince of the Zhou Family - Chapter 58

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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 (58)

 

Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord

 

The Dark Lord is the head of a massive alliance in the Dark Path.

 

Countless sects, schools, and families gathered under his name alone to form a single entity.

 

Naturally, even the Dark Lord couldn’t handle everything unilaterally.

 

So the Dark Lord had no choice but to read the room.

 

‘Something is definitely happening.’

 

The interior of Black Pavilion was more chaotic than Woo Jin had thought.

 

Those who could usually be controlled under the Dark Lord’s influence were gradually forming factions and beginning to split apart.

 

Originally, dozens of factions would form and disappear every day.

 

But this time was a little different.

 

Forces that openly rebelled against him had emerged.

 

Moreover, the decisive incident of attempting to kill the Zhu Family’s Foster Mother.

 

Broken-Face Asura was someone who couldn’t be casually accepted even by Black Pavilion.

 

But the Dark Lord couldn’t handle all of Black Pavilion’s personnel matters himself.

 

Broken-Face Asura had become affiliated with Black Pavilion, and soon proceeded to attack the Zhu Family’s Foster Mother.

 

The Dark Lord considered this an opportunity instead.

 

If the Zhu Family’s Sword Master came personally, he was willing to accommodate his opinions.

 

If only the Zhu Family would properly show their anger.

 

If the Sword Master and Blood Venerable would pressure Black Pavilion!

 

Using that as an excuse, he planned to bring Black Pavilion back under his control and quietly purge the internal traitors.

 

It was a way to handle everything without commotion, cleanly and most concisely.

 

But the Sword Master didn’t come from the Zhu Family.

 

The Blood Venerable didn’t come either.

 

Instead, a brat named Woo Jin came.

 

And the Dark Lord realized the moment he exchanged a few words with him.

 

‘The future of the Zhu Family is the Sword Dragon? What nonsense.’

 

More than Ju Seung-hyeok, called the Sword Dragon of the Zhu Family.

 

The potential of this small boy before his eyes was far greater.

 

‘Perhaps… the Zhu Family…’

 

Might even bear the name of the First Family Under Heaven.

 

He saw it.

 

In the appearance of the boy named Woo Jin, he saw the extremely cold and dignified appearance of the Sword Master who had overwhelmed him in his youth.

 

“This is why I can’t help but like the Zhu Family.”

 

The Zhu Family was clearly a prestigious family listed in the Righteous Martial World.

 

But that was only relative.

 

From the Dark Lord’s perspective, the Zhu Family was.

 

The most fierce and frightening family positioned between righteousness and evil.

 

“Go ahead and rampage. I’ll have my Zhu Family owe me a debt this time.”

 

The Dark Lord stood on the roof of the massive Black Hall, taking in the entire view below at a glance.

 

Even though he was openly revealing himself, no one could see his form.

 

That was the true worth of the Dark Lord who ruled this pitch-black darkness.

 

​

 

* * *

 

​

 

Clatter!

 

The carriage’s speed increased.

 

I accelerated even more.

 

Thump! Thump!

 

My heart pounded rapidly.

 

The demonic energy was vibrating and rampaging wildly, as if meeting a welcome friend.

 

‘It’s certain.’

 

The feeling conveyed by demonic energy had never been wrong even once.

 

This madly rampaging sensation was definitely screaming at me to head toward something in that carriage.

 

“What should we do? Should I cut the carriage?”

 

Mu Ying shouted while gripping his sword hilt.

 

I lightly shook my head.

 

It wasn’t time yet.

 

Finding where that bastard was going, his base, was the priority.

 

Mu Ying was ready to unleash a sword strike immediately upon command.

 

I pondered for a moment then shook my head.

 

“Wait.”

 

I needed to track their movement patterns.

 

Eventually, after running for quite a while longer, the carriage finally stopped when it arrived at a secluded warehouse.

 

A warehouse with not a single guard.

 

The warehouse buildings standing alone were eerily unsettling.

 

“…?”

 

I hid with Mu Ying and watched the carriage intently.

 

But even as time passed, the carriage didn’t budge, and no one came out.

 

Just staying still in front of the warehouse.

 

“Young Master? Something’s strange.”

 

Mu Ying also seemed to have a bad feeling, constantly scanning the surroundings.

 

There was no one around the warehouse.

 

Just the carriage standing alone.

 

I couldn’t just waste time like this.

 

“Let’s check it out.”

 

I approached the carriage with Mu Ying.

 

As I got closer to the carriage, I shuddered at the strange feeling I sensed.

 

‘I can’t sense any presence.’

 

All the sensations that had made my skin tingle when the carriage was moving earlier had stopped.

 

Clank!

 

When I opened the carriage door, as expected.

 

There was no one inside the carriage.

 

“What is this…”

 

“…”

 

Mu Ying had a dumbfounded expression, not knowing what to do and just shuffling his feet.

 

I reached out to touch the seat inside the carriage.

 

‘I don’t feel any warmth.’

 

It meant no one had been riding in this carriage from the beginning.

 

I cast my gaze toward the driver’s seat.

 

The horses couldn’t have moved on their own without anyone driving them.

 

However, the hoofprints maintained regular intervals and led to this place.

 

‘Ha.’

 

I immediately realized the situation had gone wrong.

 

“Mu Ying!”

 

As soon as I finished speaking, I heard something click and release from the carriage.

 

It was a very small sound, but since the surroundings were so quiet, it was the kind of sound I could immediately notice.

 

And…

 

Swoosh!

 

Hidden weapons poured out as the carriage walls were pierced.

 

“Young Master!”

 

Mu Ying instantly drew his sword, scooped me up with one arm, then swung his blade to deflect all the incoming hidden weapons.

 

“Urgh!”

 

However, since it was a sword strike executed too hastily without proper preparation, Mu Ying inevitably suffered a wound on one arm.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yes, just a small scratch.”

 

It didn’t look like just a small scratch, but well, I’d check on that in a moment.

 

“It was an obvious trap.”

 

“Indeed it was.”

 

As soon as we stood up from our seats, I felt pressure closing in from all directions.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Huh?”

 

Stumble.

 

Suddenly, Mu Ying staggered.

 

Clutching his head and barely maintaining his balance, Mu Ying reached out toward me.

 

“Y-Young Master…?”

 

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

 

“My vision is spinning… j-just a moment…”

 

“…”

 

Seeing his condition, I quickly approached Mu Ying.

 

Then I grabbed his eyelids and opened them to check his pupil response.

 

His eyes were beginning to turn bloodshot red.

 

‘Soul-Destroying Emotion Technique!’

 

When? In what moment?

 

I hadn’t noticed any signs whatsoever?

 

I quickly rummaged through my belongings and pulled out a detoxification pill.

 

I had been carrying spare antidotes that I’d asked Yak Seon for, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.

 

I hurriedly put it in Mu Ying’s mouth, then practically dragged him close to the carriage.

 

‘Why did they blow up the carriage?’

 

The question was brief, as footsteps soon followed.

 

Unlike the multiple presences I’d felt, there was only one set of footsteps.

 

“Woo Jin, Woo Jin. Hehe.”

 

“…”

 

A familiar voice.

 

I emerged from my hiding spot and turned toward that bastard.

 

“As I expected, I was right. You knew about me. Didn’t you?”

 

Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord.

 

It was him.

 

I quickly gathered my internal energy.

 

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

 

The Soul-Destroying Emotion Technique could bind one’s mind with just a moment’s gap.

 

It was a damned evil art among evil arts, and among demonic arts, it belonged to the most troublesome category.

 

“Oh ho.”

 

Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord’s eyebrows twitched.

 

The Soul-Destroying Emotion Technique wasn’t working.

 

At first, he thought this was just someone with remarkable mental fortitude.

 

But no.

 

This was complete immunity.

 

“I see. Now I understand.”

 

Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord nodded.

 

He had read the energy flowing from my entire body.

 

“Demonic energy.”

 

His eyes flashed dangerously.

 

Those snake-like eyes finally revealed themselves.

 

‘Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord.’

 

I slowly approached him.

 

In front of this bastard, I had to keep my mind tightly focused.

 

If even the slightest gap appeared, he would gladly bite and tear me apart.

 

“Did you know I was pursuing you?”

 

“I merely thought you might pursue me. I only cast the bait.”

 

“And I took it like a fool.”

 

I blamed myself.

 

I had moved too hastily.

 

I should have been more suspicious.

 

“You’re cleverer than I thought. At the Zhu Family Estate too… I never dreamed you’d even bring Black Pavilion along.”

 

Praise from an enemy wasn’t as pleasant as one might think.

 

Especially from Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord, who manipulated people’s minds at will.

 

“I’ll personally withdraw from the Zhu Family. Instead, join hands with me to destroy Black Pavilion. How about it?”

 

Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord extended his hand.

 

As if it had never seen sunlight, it was pale white, delicate and slender like a woman’s hand.

 

“Why would I? I want to capture you.”

 

“Hehe, you should think carefully. After all, isn’t Black Pavilion’s destruction good for both you and your family? It would mean eliminating your greatest enemy.”

 

“In return, you’d grow even larger. You’d establish a foothold for advancing into the Central Plains. Isn’t that right?”

 

“Puhaha! What an interesting fellow. You… what do you know about us?”

 

I let out a small sigh.

 

“Why should I tell you that?”

 

“Actually, it doesn’t matter if you don’t tell me. Whether you want it or not, Black Pavilion will be destroyed, and you’ll die here.”

 

With his cunning gaze flashing and his tongue moistening his lips, he looked exactly like a snake.

 

A very cunning snake whose intentions couldn’t be read.

 

“Now then, let’s see you show me your skills. Kekeke.”

 

With that chilling laughter, his figure began to fade.

 

Like mist at dim dawn, his form disappeared just like that.

 

As if he had never been there in the first place.

 

And then…

 

Swoosh!

 

Something flew at high speed, and though I quickly turned my face, I couldn’t prevent a thin line of blood from being carved across my cheek.

 

It was an ambush.

 

Thwip thwip thwip thwip!

 

What filled the sky was clearly a barrage of arrows.

 

I quickly threw my body forward, grabbed Mu Ying, and pushed him under the carriage.

 

“Huff, huff.”

 

Fortunately, Mu Ying was slowly recovering.

 

“Can you move your body?”

 

At my question, Mu Ying nodded slightly.

 

Fortunately, his bloodshot eyes were also returning to normal.

 

Then Mu Ying gripped his sword.

 

“Northwest direction, fifty paces uphill.”

 

I pinpointed exactly where the arrows had come from.

 

Mu Ying quickly left the carriage and launched his body toward the location I’d indicated.

 

Though he didn’t seem completely recovered yet, there appeared to be no major problems with his movement.

 

I quickly split paths with Mu Ying and rapidly climbed up the mountain.

 

The arrow barrage came sequentially.

 

They poured down at a not-so-fast pace, and each time I could respond by hiding my body behind trees.

 

‘Not threatening.’

 

Swoosh!

 

The first strike began from Mu Ying’s side.

 

Confirming the archers’ positions, Mu Ying mercilessly unleashed sword strikes, and the archers began falling helplessly.

 

Once the distance was closed, the archers had no chance to avoid Mu Ying’s sword force.

 

It took less than a moment for all fifty archers to fall.

 

“We continue climbing.”

 

As soon as the archers died, killing intent stretched out once again from higher up the mountain.

 

It seemed to be luring us, as if telling us to come that way.

 

A trap.

 

Yes, even if it’s a trap, it doesn’t matter.

 

Whatever the Snake-Eyed Ghost Lord has done, I’ll end it all here.

 

Whoosh!

 

Like that, Mu Ying and I rapidly climbed up the mountain.

 

And finally, when we arrived at the place where the source of killing intent began.

 

I froze in place.

 

“You are….”

 

It was an unexpected opponent.

 

The opponent had drawn his sword and was calmly waiting for me.

 

“Wi Gun-ak.”

 

Black Ghost Sword Unit leader, Wi Gun-ak.

 

He slowly pointed his sword toward me, filled with killing intent.

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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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