The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 104

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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 Nakhyang Jin Family — Chapter 104

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“How are you feeling? Any better?”
“Ugh… My entire body still aches terribly.”
Yeom Ji-hak, who had been lying motionless in some unknown place, carefully propped himself up on his elbows, his brow furrowing in discomfort.
Even with the Sect Leader of Sin Gak having personally intervened, the fact that his body remained unhealed only reinforced how extraordinary his opponent’s power truly was.
Crack!
“I will kill him without fail…!”
Soon, as he recalled the faceless enemy, his teeth ground together once more. The killing intent that radiated from him was so fierce it seemed he would tear the man to shreds on sight.
At this display, Chu Won, the Sect Leader of Sin Gak, smiled.
“Tsk tsk, count yourself fortunate to be alive. Had it not been for me, you would have perished long before reaching the vicinity of the Underground Organization. Who on earth did this to you?”
“Hmph, figure it out yourself.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, judging by the savagery of the martial technique, it resembles that of a Southern Barbarian.”
“…Southern Barbarian?”
“Indeed, I know of one who employs such techniques.”
“Are you referring to the Demon King?”
At these words, Chu Won nodded and turned his gaze away.
His eyes, fixed upon the flickering candlelight, seemed to be lost in recollection of the past.
“Long ago, I was dispatched by the Divine to retrieve a sacred artifact from Namman. Tsk tsk tsk, the man I encountered then bore a striking resemblance to this.”
“Was that the Demon King?”
“At that time, he held the title of Gung-ju, though he had not yet earned the epithet of Tuhuang. But he was formidable indeed. Tsk tsk tsk, even I found myself in dire straits.”
Chu Won recalled Gu Gunbaek from his memories.
Young, yet terrifyingly strong.
He had never imagined the martial arts of Namman, which he had once underestimated, could be so devastating. Considering how close he had come to losing his life, even now the memory sent a chill down his spine.
“So what became of it?”
“What else? I had to survive, so I killed them all to break his spirit.”
“Killed them?”
“Yes, his family. I evaded his fists and severed their necks one by one before his eyes. The sight of him weeping blood tears still lingers vividly. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Chu Won’s laughter did not cease, as though he had not forgotten the exhilaration of that day. There was nothing quite as entertaining as etching the image of a man’s anguished screams into memory.
The very reason he had mastered the healing arts was because he found the contorted faces of those who shrieked in agony when he touched their wounds so amusing.
Nothing more.
“Yet in the end, you did not find the sacred artifact, did you?”
“Tsk tsk, indeed. What I discovered was not a sacred artifact at all. There were suspicious locations, certainly… but all proved fruitless.”
Chu Won’s brow twisted as he recalled those days.
As the Leader of the Yeongsal Corps, he had moved based on reliable intelligence. Yet when he arrived, what he found was a Jade Orb that resembled a sacred artifact, though it was not the genuine article.
As a result, the mission had yielded nothing.
“That ordeal caused me considerable trouble. Tsk tsk.”
Gu Gunbaek, who had emerged into the world to avenge his fallen comrades and family, had spent years traversing the Central Plains in pursuit of the Shadow Assassins.
Several encounters and battles ensued.
A succession of deaths and killings unfolded.
Recalling those days proved so tedious that his furrowed brow scarcely relaxed.
“Was it ten years ago when I last saw him?”
Ten years had passed since that final glimpse.
Though they had not met since, the persistent ache in his ribs suggested it was not merely the impact of that man’s fist, but the resentment it had carried.
Chu Won awaited the day he could repay this debt.
The face of the one who would watch his beloved wail and shriek as they perished.
Lost in such delightful reverie, Yeom Ji-hak’s voice pierced through his thoughts.
“The Demon King—are you certain it was him?”
For Yeom Ji-hak, this was the only matter of consequence.
He cared nothing for what had transpired between that man and the Demon King. Though the Demon King’s name resounded throughout the Martial Arts World, few had ever glimpsed his face, for he remained shrouded in obscurity.
All he wished to know was whether that man was truly the Demon King.
For upon that answer hinged the direction his blade of vengeance would turn.
Yet Chu Won shook his head.
“It merely felt similar—but no, it was not him. Tsk, tsk, tsk. That man’s martial prowess is far more savage and grotesque than his.”
“You truly believe it was not him?”
“I stake my life on it. Had you truly faced the Demon King in that situation, you would be drawing breath now only by miracle—your form would be unrecognizable as human.”
Chu Won burst into laughter at some private amusement, his voice dripping with dark mirth.
Yet his words held no falsehood.
Though ten years had passed since their last encounter, the Demon King’s savage and grotesque martial techniques remained unchanged, and his temperament made reform unlikely.
Had Gu Gunbaek clashed with him under unfavorable circumstances, Chu Won doubted Yeom Ji-hak would still draw breath.
Yeom Ji-hak could sense this sincerity.
Chu Won’s emotions spoke only truth.
Yet the other was his equal—a fellow sect leader.
Concealing emotion came naturally to him.
As Yeom Ji-hak’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, Chu Won bared his yellowed teeth in a grin.
“If you doubt me so, shall we go verify it ourselves?”
“Go where?”
“Namman. Besides, I have matters of my own requiring verification there. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

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“What do you mean by that?”
I looked up at Gu Gunbaek, who had appeared so suddenly.
His eyes were fiercely narrowed, and an unmistakable killing intent radiated from him.
Compared to the composed demeanor I had always witnessed from him until now, it felt as though I were facing an entirely different person.
Yet Gu Gunbaek seemed to have no intention of explaining, striding forward to stand directly before me as I lay upon the bedchamber.
“Those men you’re pursuing. Who exactly are they?”
“Why do you suddenly wish to know such a thing?”
“I’ve become interested.”
Gu Gunbaek smiled, licking his lips.
Yet while his expression laughed, his eyes remained cold and unsmiling.
Though he seemed to be attempting to maintain his usual demeanor, each word that left his lips carried an undeniable, palpable bloodlust.
I stared directly at Gu Gunbaek.
Was there something connecting him to those men?
Yet no matter how deeply I searched my memories, I had never heard him speak of such a thing.
It was partly because he rarely discussed his own affairs, but also because he had vanished suddenly after teaching Jang Chuchyeong for less than three years.
As I remained silent with a puzzled expression, Gu Gunbaek snorted sharply and turned to leave.
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll simply grab Moyong by the collar and ask him myself.”
“Are you suggesting you would fight the Sword Emperor now?”
“If that bastard was there, then Moyong is involved too, isn’t he?”
I could not discern what “that place” referred to.
However, I seemed to have gained some understanding of the relationship between the Moyong Family and those men.
I let out a bitter smile and spoke.
“It is called Sineui.”
“Sineui?”
I nodded at his question.
I do not know precisely who the Divine is, nor what extraordinary abilities they possess. Yet I know that countless people are willing to cast aside their lives for this one person.
“For just one person?”
“Is the Demon Sect not similar?”
“Don’t compare the two, you fool. The Demon Sect simply worships strength. They don’t revere one individual—they revere the strong. That’s why whenever a stronger person emerges, the Sect Leader changes.”
As Gu Gunbaek spoke, he quietly settled into a nearby chair.
Then, as if urging me to reveal anything else I might know, he sent me a probing gaze.
“That is the extent of my knowledge. I am entangled with them in many ways, but I do not understand deeply.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
This is not a lie.
In the past, no matter how much I tried to uncover information about them, little came to light.
I was merely fortunate enough to decipher their cipher, and learned that the Twelve Angles exist and that the sect leaders possess somewhat unusual abilities.
Furthermore, I discovered that some of these sect leaders are publicly known figures, operating in the light.
As for the most crucial information about the one called the Divine, I still possess not even a speck of knowledge.
“Hmm, I see. But is it not someone like that?”
“Which man are you referring to?”
“A hunchbacked bastard with foul breath. He’s probably a bit older than me.”
At the mention of a hunchback, I immediately recalled a certain old man.
Chu Won, the Sect Leader of the Twelve Angles under Shin Gak.
An elderly hunchback with a bent spine, yet possessed of extraordinary abilities. The image of him manipulating mist as freely as he wished remained vivid in my mind.
Moreover, he was the only one among the Sect Leaders of the Twelve Angles who possessed medical expertise.
His mastery of medicine was so exceptional that it could be said to rival Chaeseoha’s.
Though I couldn’t determine the exact difference, judging purely by medical ability, Chu Won’s greater experience might give him a slight edge.
Though in the end, it would be a difference of mere paper thickness.
As I recalled this information, Gu Gunbaek, who had been staring intently at my expression, curled the corners of his mouth upward with a grin.
“So you do know of him?”
“I’m aware such a person exists. His name is Chu Won. Like Yeom Ji-hak, he is a Sect Leader of the Twelve Angles.”
“Yeom Ji-hak?”
“The one you nearly caught a few days ago, sir.”
“Ah—a few days back? Was that fellow really so formidable?”
“The Twelve Angles are the twelve pillars that support Singyeo. The abilities of their Sect Leaders are said to rival those of the Ten Emperors.”
At those words, Gu Gunbaek tilted his head.
Since he had beaten the man one-sidedly, he likely found my claim that he rivaled the Ten Emperors to be an overstatement.
I offered a bitter smile.
“When you intervened, sir, I had already severed one of his eyes, and he was surely disoriented by the sudden turn of events.”
“Pfft—you’re joking, boy. Still, he was nothing special.”
“Only you could say such a thing, sir.”
Watching him wave his hand dismissively, I shook my head.
Yeom Ji-hak was not someone to be underestimated.
He had lost an eye to an unexpected assault, and rage had consumed his reason. The sudden appearance of Gu Gunbaek would have thrown him into considerable confusion.
His special ability—reading emotions.
His failure to fully utilize it was another factor.
Had he only managed to keep his head cool, Gu Gunbaek would not be standing here unscathed.
“Each Sect Leader possesses unique abilities. Should you encounter any of them, exercise particular caution.”
“That hunchbacked bastard too?”
“From what I understand, he commands a peculiar mist.”
“Mist… Chu Won….”
Gu Gunbaek repeated the name and ability several times, as though embedding the information into his mind.
From this alone, it seemed certain he had some connection with Chu Won.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have inquired and committed it to memory so deliberately.
“Then what about that bastard Moyong over there?”
“A cooperative arrangement, perhaps? That would be my guess.”
“In any case, true to form—he does nothing but dog-like deeds.”
Who else could speak of the Sword Emperor in such terms?
I could say with certainty that no one but Gu Gunbaek could.
I offered an awkward smile.
“Still, the mere fact that the Sword Emperor is cooperating is a burden for me.”
“The Sword Emperor? Nonsense. That bastard got his ass handed to him and was licking dirt—what’s he worth?”
“Pardon?”
“That guy. It’s been what, seven or eight years? I created a new martial technique and was looking for someone worthy to test it on. Then I heard all this chatter about the Sword Emperor, so I put on a mask and went to beat the living daylights out of him. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”
“…What are you saying?”
“Listen here, boy. Because he’s been smeared with elixirs, he has considerable inner force. But he lacked the finesse to control it properly. That means he was just relying on the sheer volume and power of his energy—nothing more.”
“So… that’s your assessment?”
“Exactly. Moreover, his martial techniques are quite complex—he mixed together Moyong Family swordplay with all sorts of other things to fill the gaps. It looks impressive on the surface, but it’s hollow inside. What kind of Sword Emperor is that? You’d be better suited for the title. That would suit you far more. Bahahaha!”
“So… what was the result?”
“What do you mean, result? I exchanged maybe a little over two hundred strikes with him. Then I drove his head into the ground and stomped on it. Happened to be dog shit where his head went in, so he probably ate some of it. Bahahaha!”
Listening to him laugh loudly as if it were absolute truth, I had to suspect my ears had deceived me.
Two of the Ten Emperors.
The two beings known as calamities had clashed, and I wondered if anyone in the world even knew that the result was Mo Yong-cheon’s defeat.
If this fact were revealed, it would cause an uproar.
Yet Gu Gunbaek seemed utterly indifferent.
Rather, as if he’d lost all interest in Mo Yong-cheon, he shifted the conversation and brought up something else.
“Anyway, listen. Those Sineui people—what’s their purpose?”
“Their purpose? I cannot say for certain, but… they are searching for something.”
“Something? What kind of something?”
“A jade orb called the Divine Artifact.”
At the mention of the jade orb, Gu Gunbaek’s eyes widened.
Soon, as if remembering something, he spoke of it.
“Could it be… a jade orb with a violet hue?”
At his sudden words, I turned my head sharply to look at Gu Gunbaek.
He traced the shape of the jade orb with his finger in a peculiar form and examined my expression. Only then did he smile as if he understood something.
“Aha—so that’s how it was.”

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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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