The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 523

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Youngest Son of the Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 523

Chapter 523. Facing Each Other Again (4)

The Chuk Yong Palace Master’s brow furrowed as he realized what I had noticed.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
The instant he rose from his seat, a voice rang out from beyond the door.
“Father! From this moment forward, I will no longer live as a member of Chuk Yong Palace!”
The Chuk Yong Palace Master opened the door and stepped outside, and we followed in his wake.
In the courtyard stood Maeng Hyun Minor Palace Master, his voice directed toward the conference hall.
“Though you have stripped me of my position as Minor Palace Master, do not be mistaken! I am leaving of my own volition.”
Sigh….
When I heard this from Seo Hyang, I had simply accepted it, but hearing it with my own ears was utterly absurd.
He truly cannot abandon his pride, even at the end….
I glanced at the Chuk Yong Palace Master, who held his forehead in his palm and exhaled deeply.
I could sense the profound frustration emanating from him.
Regardless, I detected the aura of the Black Path emanating from Maengxian Prince.
It meant he had already made contact with those of the Black Path.
That explained his audacious departure.
The Minor Palace Master of Chuk Yong Palace aligned with the Black Path….
This would indeed be worth observing.
Among all places, Chuk Yong Palace was as sensitive to the Black Path’s aura as the Northern Sea Ice Palace itself.
The fact that they had not detected this resistance meant something was already amiss.
Regardless, I needed to address the Merchant first.
Chuk Yong Palace was troubling, but this was a matter directly connected to my own safety.
I participated in this conference as the Minor Palace Master of Seolpung Palace precisely because this place was secluded.
It seemed I had made contact with the Black Path while I was inside the Archives yesterday.
Given the time constraints, they could not have revealed much.
He showed no sign of knowing that I was Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, nor that I was from the Eun Hae Trading Company.
That was fortunate.
I posed a question to him.
“So, what did the Black Path offer you?”
“…!”
“Did they promise to allow you to take Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master as your consort? Or did they promise you the position of Palace Master of Chuk Yong Palace?”
“….”
His eyes widened in shock.
“I merely threw out possibilities, but it seems I struck true.”
At this, the Chuk Yong Palace Master’s fury erupted.
“Maengxian Prince! Have you lost your mind? How dare you! Are you seeking refuge with the Black Path because you have nowhere else to go?”
Yet the Maengxian Prince scoffed and pushed back.
“Ha! I am a child abandoned by my father! What concern is it of his where I go?”
Wow….
This bastard has no manners whatsoever.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted from the Chuyong Palace Master’s body. It was clear just how furious he had become.
Sigh, that punk….
He’s going to get beaten half to death.
But would the Merchant really not see this coming?
The fact that he’s acting this way means he’s relying on something.
“And Father. I didn’t seek refuge—I’ve already pledged myself to them.”
That was when it happened.
“Aaaahhh!”
“Block them! Enemies!”
At the distant cries, the Palace Master’s jaw clenched.
“You little bastard!”
As expected… the Black Path Gang’s assault has begun.
This must be what the Maengxian Prince is counting on.
In truth, when Seo Hyang spoke of this, I wanted to stop it.
But she said to me:
Allowing them to attack would be far the better decision when considering the future.
And that everything would resolve well, so I shouldn’t worry.
Still, I cannot let my guard down.
The future can change at any moment, after all.
So through Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, I had the elite forces of the Northern Sea Ice Palace prepare for battle.
But… doubt still lingered.
The Meng Xian Minor Palace Master knows that the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s elite are here for the Ice Flame Conference.
And he surely informed the Black Path Gang of this intelligence.
Yet they still launch an assault regardless?
There’s definitely something more to this.
At that moment, a formidable aura began to emanate from the Maengxian Prince.
The Chuyong Palace Master could not possibly fail to notice this.
“You! What in the world have you done?”
“Ah, this? My new allies gave me quite the gift. A spiritual elixir that elevates one to the Hwagyeong realm in an instant.”
A spiritual elixir that elevates a peak master to the Hwagyeong realm in a single moment?
Such elixirs do exist.
If one encounters a fortuitous opportunity, that is.
But if one’s cultivation rises through such an elixir obtained via fortune, that energy would be crystalline pure.
Not this nauseating aura!
In other words, these Black Path members had consumed a spiritual elixir created through forbidden means.
And I knew about such elixirs.
Among them, there was one with particularly excellent effects.
It’s already appeared?
In my previous life, it didn’t emerge until several years later.
Back then, a Black Sect faction had earned notoriety throughout the Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi regions.
It was thanks to the spiritual elixir they created—its name was the Ultimate Martial Awakening Pill.
“Arghhhh!”
“We’re, we’re being pushed back!”
“Hold the line! Hold it!”
From the sounds reaching us, our side’s battle situation appeared dire.
So there were those who had consumed the Ultimate Martial Awakening Pill over there as well.
Since it was difficult to produce, it seemed only a few had been given it.
At that moment, one of the Chuk Yong Palace disciples came rushing over.
“Palace Master! The battle situation is dire! Among the attackers, there are several masters of supreme caliber and above!”
I could see the Chuk Yong Palace Master wavering in conflict. Chuk Yong Palace and his son….
Neither was something he could easily abandon.
Even if that son was a reckless fool.
So then….
“Palace Master, I shall take care of that reckless fool.”
“What are you saying?”
“You are needed there now. Will you allow Chuk Yong Palace to crumble like this?”
“….”
“I shall beat sense into that wretch. Please, go at once.”
“Ugh!”
The Chuk Yong Palace Master clenched his fists and spoke.
“It shames me, but I must ask this of you.”
“Do not worry. I shall do my utmost to thrash him thoroughly.”
Then I turned my gaze to Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master.
“Young Palace Master, please go with the Ice Palace warriors.”
“Are you truly certain about leaving you here alone?”
“Yes.”
I nodded with confidence.
“….”
Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, regarded me for a moment, then sighed and nodded.
“Very well. Please take care of yourself.”
“Do not concern yourselves with me. Both of you, go quickly.”
“I am indebted to you.”
“Do not die.”
The two left their parting words with me and hastily departed.
I turned to the Guard Warriors who had rushed to my location and Palgap, giving them my orders.
“Seo-woo Warrior, please protect Seo Hyang. The rest of you, fall back from this area.”
“My lord!”
“This is a command. I will not entertain objections.”
There were several reasons for my decision.
First, fighting a master of Hwagyeong’s caliber one-against-many would only make things harder.
My allies would only become a hindrance.
It was better for me to fight alone.
Second, I had a method to shatter the Marketplace master.
The problem was that the collateral damage would be quite substantial.
“Well, if you had no plan, you’d be the first to flee anyway.”
Palgap moved first.
That’s Palgap for you—he knew me far too well.
Only then did the other Guard Warriors follow Palgap’s lead.
I turned my head to look at Maengxian Prince and spoke.
“It seems it’s just the two of us now.”
“Hah! No matter! I’ll kill you and finish the rest afterward.”
Shing.
I drew my blade as I spoke.
“But shouldn’t you first consider whether you can even defeat me?”
“Fair point.”
He sneered at me.
“I’ve disliked you from the start. Ever since you interfered between Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master and me.”
Whoosh!
In that instant, his form shot toward me like an arrow.
Slash!
Blood seeped from my arm, and I bit my lip.
It was an unconventional method, but he had certainly grown stronger.
I took a deep breath and gripped Eun Moo-geom tightly.
I abandoned any notion of underestimating my opponent.
My current adversary was incomplete, but nonetheless a master of Hwagyeong.
He would be weaker than my Master, but far more dangerous in turn.
My Master wielded his blade for my growth, but this opponent wielded his only to kill me.
Clash!
His form shot toward me again, and I desperately parried his attacks.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
The metallic ring of blade against blade echoed in all directions.
I sustained wounds across my body, but none were fatal.
After exchanging dozens of blows, my assessment proved correct.
He was certainly far weaker than my Master.
The power imbued in his sword was weak, and his speed far too slow. It was clear that his swordsmanship and inner energy were operating independently of one another.
Of course, possessing abundant inner energy alone does not constitute a true master of Hwagyeong.
Only when one achieves the proper enlightenment and training befitting that realm, unifying sword and spirit into one, can one be called a true master of Hwagyeong.
Thanks to this, I was able to face him far more easily than anticipated.
Of course, “easier than expected” is not the same as “easy”—far from it.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The power of a blade wreathed in flames was formidable indeed.
My clothes were scorched and singed in numerous places, reduced to tatters.
I had trained in the Ice Martial Sect long enough that sweat never formed on my body, no matter how intense the heat—yet now I was perspiring.
That meant only one thing: it was time to unleash the Extreme Frost Blade.
After confronting the arrangement my Ancestor had prepared, I had thought to myself:
I hoped nothing would go wrong this time.
Nothing would go wrong—what a joke.
Look. The very next day, here I am needing to use it.
Ah, what a wretched fate.
But I could lament my circumstances later; for now, I had to pummel and subdue this man.
Exhale…
I raised my blade.
The Extreme Frost Blade required me to lower the temperature of my inner energy to its absolute limit—using the sweat from my own body as the medium, since I rarely perspired under normal circumstances.
“Hah…”
I drew in a breath and fixed my gaze upon Maengxian Prince.
Whoosh!
He charged toward me once more.
His eyes had grown slightly unfocused; his rationality was slipping away, replaced by instinctive movement.
In other words, his inferiority complex toward me and the primal instincts lingering in his body were now commanding his form.
Clang!
I assumed a steady stance, drawing my concentration to its peak.
As my focus reached its zenith, his movements seemed to slow before me.
And then—the Eun Moo-geom began to glow with an azure radiance.
Just before the tip of Maengxian Prince’s blade could touch my chest.
This was the moment.
I unleashed the full force of the Extreme Frost Blade.
Boom!
Opposing energies collided, their shockwave radiating outward in all directions.
The scorching heat of the Extreme Frost Blade became a counter-flame against Maengxian Prince’s fire technique, swiftly diminishing its momentum.
Simultaneously, the frigid aura of the Extreme Frost Blade enveloped everything around us, freezing the surroundings solid.
Swish.
Within the white mist of cold that rose and curled, I brought the Eun Moo-geom down.
Crash.
The ice coating my body shattered into fragments as it struck the frozen ground below.
I looked down at the figure before me.
There stood Maengxian Prince, his expression one of disbelief, his half-frozen body supported by his sword as he stared up at me.
“H-how? How could you, who are at Hwagyeong like me… were you also at Hwagyeong?”
“No, I am not.”
Had I already reached Hwagyeong, I would have subdued him with a single strike.
“Then… then how?”
“Because your realm was not a perfect Hwagyeong.”
“What? I am certainly at Hwagyeong… cough!”
He suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and coughed up blood.
“As expected, it seems the side effects are manifesting as you reach your limits.”
“Side effects?”
“Yes. It is only natural.”
I nodded my head.
“You said you consumed the elixir pill they gave you and reached Hwagyeong in one leap, did you not? But how could a body and mind unprepared to meet such a realm possibly endure it?”
I continued speaking with an indifferent expression.
“It appears you were not informed of the limitations and side effects of that spirit elixir.”
“Th-that… then what becomes of me?”
“If my conjecture is correct, your meridians will rupture throughout your body, your muscles will tear, your dantian will shatter, and your inner energy will scatter… leaving you a body incapable of not only cultivating inner energy, but even using it ever again.”
“…!”
“You should consider yourself fortunate if you can walk again.”
His eyes widened at my words.
“N-no! That cannot be! How much have I sacrificed to reach this realm…!”
Regrettably, what I spoke was not mere conjecture.
It was something that actually occurred in my previous life.
The stronger the martial art used, and the more martial arts employed, the sooner the limits arrive and the more severe the side effects become.
This is why that Black Sect, despite possessing the Extreme Martial Elixir, quickly encountered its limitations.
At first, they would have advanced without hindrance, achieving victory and growth, but how many would still wish to consume it after witnessing these side effects?
Thus, anything consumed in haste brings calamity.
At that time, the Murim Alliance stepped forward to resolve matters concerning them, and their influence in the Yunnan Region grew considerably.
If I resolve this incident swiftly, I can also prevent that expansion of the Murim Alliance’s influence.
Just as Seo Hyang said, matters will be resolved well.
Crack, crackle.
Maengxian Prince’s muscles began to convulse, and he let out agonized screams.
“Aaahhh! Aaaahhhhh! S-save me! Aaaahhhhh!”
I clicked my tongue and sealed his acupoint.
His screaming was giving me a headache.
“Tsk tsk, this is why you should not consume anything you find.”
In Maengxian Prince’s case, the side effects came even faster because he had overexerted his inner energy responding to the Extreme Ice Sword.
But what exactly had corrupted this man so thoroughly?
My mouth suddenly turned bitter.

The moment the attackers were dealt with, the Chuyong Palace Master rushed over urgently.
I pointed to Maengxian Prince lying on the ground and spoke.
“Fortunately, his life is not in danger.”
“A side effect?”
“Yes. You knew.”
“I had my suspicions.”
He sighed and washed his face with his hands.
“I removed that fool from the position of Minor Palace Master for the future of the Main Palace. Yet that decision nearly brought danger upon the Main Palace instead.”
“No, you made the right choice. It was he who, after being removed from the Minor Palace Master position, invited the Black Path into Chuyong Palace. What do you think would have happened if such a man had become Palace Master?”
“Ah… I see.”
I cannot speak of it, but he would have utterly ruined Chuyong Palace.
But that future will not come to pass now.
And there is no time to be melancholy now.
“Palace Master, this is not the time for such thoughts.”
“Hmm?”
“You must eliminate those who leaked Chuyong Palace’s information to the Black Path.”

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