The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 109

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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 109

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“Haa, haa….”
Jin Ji-yak, the third child of the Nakhyang Jin Family, caught her breath while surveying her surroundings.
The condition of those around her was dire.
None of them had anticipated such an ambush, so they’d been unable to mount a proper defense and had suffered for it.
Moreover, the enemy’s strength exceeded all expectations.
Though the elite warriors of the Sega had gathered here, they were being overwhelmed so completely that even they could offer no resistance—a testament to the attackers’ formidable power.
“It’s not the Hyangun Se Family.”
“There are mixed forces, but… these are definitely Sadocheon Martial Artists.”
As she deduced the identity of those pursuing them, her brow furrowed.
True to their reputation as Sadocheon warriors, their techniques were brutally efficient.
Had she not regained her senses quickly, most of her companions would undoubtedly have perished.
Or would they have?
Jin Ji-yak examined the wounded once more.
Not a single one bore critical injuries.
That could only mean they had shown restraint.
Otherwise, countless heads would have rolled the moment the ambush began.
Moreover, she herself remained unscathed.
If that were the case, their objective was capture, not slaughter.
“Are they… planning to negotiate?”
“Sigh— it certainly appears so. Haven’t you already heard about what happened in Beijing?”
“Of course. That fool pulled off quite the spectacle there.”
Jin Ji-yak nodded, her lips curling into a bitter smile.
That idiot—she should have known that the moment the Beijing affair concluded, the Hyangun Se Family would make their move.
At the very least, she should have sent word.
She clenched her fists, trembling with frustration.
Had she warned him, they never would have come this way. Or perhaps she could have arranged for stronger protection in the larger towns.
“Haa— this damned younger brother….”
“Haha, still… if you’d known, you would have prepared your next move. We aren’t worried.”
“The immediate problem is what matters. They intend to capture us and gain leverage in negotiations. We cannot become a burden to the Sega.”
Jin Ji-yak suppressed a groan and racked her mind for solutions.
Somehow, she had to escape this place and return home.
If they became hostages and forced the Sega into a disadvantageous negotiation, it would be an eternal disgrace to the Nakhyang Jin Family—of that she was certain.
As these thoughts consumed her, Jin Ji-yak’s brow deepened.
No matter how hard she thought, there seemed to be no viable option.
Escape was numerically impossible, and the enemy’s martial prowess was so overwhelming that it completely dominated their own strength.
Their pursuit is equally swift.
Even in this moment while I catch my breath, they continue closing in rapidly.
So then, must I grit my teeth and make a stand?
She shook her head firmly at that thought.
“Go. Leave now.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll stay behind. Take the servants and escape.”
“No, Miss!”
“After all, I’m the one they truly want, and they won’t harm me. Look—I’m the only one here without a scratch.”
Jin Ji-yak spread both arms wide.
Indeed, unlike the others who bore wounds, not a single thread of her garment had been cut by a blade.
This was clear proof that they intended to capture her unharmed.
“So please, go quickly. Your presence will only make things harder.”
“Ugh…”
At her resolute words, they all fell silent.
Protecting her was their duty as guards, but there was nothing they could do in this moment. She was right—they would only be a hindrance.
Did she sense their hesitation?
Jin Ji-yak smiled softly and began walking.
Toward where the Pursuers waited.
“Go rest, receive treatment, and eat something delicious. When I return, we’ll soon be back to arduous work anyway.”
She accepted the situation without concern, waved her hand lightly, then turned to leave, gradually fading from sight.
No one there could move.
They could only stare blankly at Jin Ji-yak’s departing figure.

* * *

“Ugh—! Ugh, ugh, ugh!”
“Honestly, this is absolutely ridiculous….”
“….”
Inside the carriage rapidly departing from Nakhyang, the absurd voices of two people continued without pause.
Even Namgung Yeon, who hadn’t uttered a single word, was undoubtedly glaring at me with a sharp, piercing gaze.
Waves of criticism were pouring down upon me.
From Hannam to Beijing, from Beijing to Anhui once more.
We had barely arrived in Nakhyang from Anhui mere hours ago.
Yet here I was, boarding a carriage again and departing for somewhere else—it was no different than throwing cold water on those who had hoped to rest.
As a result, even Baek Ja-hyeon, sitting beside me, had fallen silent.
His spirit had been crushed by the barrage of sharp looks.
Then, he leaned his face toward me and whispered softly.
“Can I get off here?”
“If you wish to return, you may. However, I cannot say what Father might think….”
“Ah… this is absolutely unbearable.”
“Bear with it. I too am restraining myself from resting and pressing forward, am I not?”
Baek Ja-hyeon swallowed a groan and leaned his back against the wall.
With a long sigh, he darted his eyes back and forth, seeming to gauge Chaeseoha’s mood more than anyone else’s.
While Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon were one thing, he clearly had no desire to offend a physician whose medical skills had earned even the Family Head’s praise.
“Young Master, have I not told you repeatedly? You must rest. You seem perfectly fine walking about now, so it appears you’ve fully recovered, yes?”
“I know I’m not fully well. However, there are unavoidable circumstances….”
“Does the Nakhyang Jin Family have no one but you? They pay handsomely to handle such matters—why is no one stepping forward?”
Chaeseoha’s eyes flashed sharply as she glared at Baek Ja-hyeon.
The startled Baek Ja-hyeon swallowed a nervous cough and quietly turned his head away.
A sharp, piercing gaze and expression.
With an air that seemed ready to devour him on the spot, even someone like Baek Ja-hyeon could not meet her eyes directly.
And then there was that appearance of hers.
If he made proper eye contact, he seemed afraid he would stare endlessly, so he was clearly making an effort not to look at her face.
I clicked my tongue and turned my head away.
I searched for someone who might help, but Jang Chuchyeong nodded in agreement with Chaeseoha’s words, while Namgung Yeon avoided eye contact as if unwilling to get involved.
Gu Gunbaek hadn’t come along, so there was no point in expecting help from him.
In the end, it seemed I would have to navigate this predicament on my own.
“There will be no cause for concern, so do not be angry. After all, this is my sister’s matter—I cannot simply lie in bed because I’m not in perfect health, can I?”
“The Family Head is here, the Family Matriarch is here, and your elder brother is here too. And then there’s Pyo Du, one of the Ten Great Elders… and….”
Chaeseoha trailed off and looked at Baek Ja-hyeon once more.
There was no trust in her gaze toward him.
All I ever saw of him was drinking with Gu Gunbaek—no matter how much he was called the strongest of the Nakhyang Jin Family, how could such a reputation easily inspire confidence?
“Ahem! Physician Chae, do not look at me with such eyes. Besides, since I am the one going, there is no need for the Young Master to take action. In truth, this Baek Ja-hyeon shall take the lead and resolve everything.”
“As if that would happen.”
“Cough, cough—!”
Chaeseoha opened her eyes halfway and let out a sigh.
Her lack of faith in Baek Ja-hyeon was laid bare for all to see.
I turned my head with a bitter smile.
My eyes met those of Jang Chuchyeong, who had been listening quietly to the conversation.
“Um… Young Master.”
“What is it?”
“Is that Hyangun Se Family really so formidable?”
“Well… being one of the Ten Great Elders, I suppose they deserve to be called formidable.”
They were not merely formidable because they possessed vast wealth.
Connections.
The Nakhyang Jin Family boasted considerable connections as well, but we maintained some distance from martial artists and high officials, whereas the Hyangun Se Family was deeply entangled in various affairs.
Not only Sadocheon, which was called the core of the martial sects, but also righteous faction families and martial arts sects that could serve their interests.
I was aware that if the Nakhyang Jin Family were to seize the imperial business rights, a confrontation would be inevitable.
Sadocheon would certainly step forward.
The Martial Arts Alliance was based in the same Hannam region as the Nakhyang Jin Family and had some degree of interaction, whereas Sadocheon was distant and had little meaningful exchange with us.
Considering the weight of their name, it would not be a situation we could easily provoke, but given their relationship with the Hyangun Se Family, they would have judged that they had no choice but to intervene.
“The Hyangun Se Family is not the problem. Sadocheon is the problem.”
“Will they really draw their swords against us?”
“They will draw them. Though I cannot say with certainty they will wield them.”
Jang Chuchyeong let out a startled sound.
Whether they had cultivated martial arts or not, there were three names that everyone constantly kept in their ears: the Martial Arts Alliance, the Demon Sect, and Sadocheon.
Since no one was ignorant of the prestige and power these three possessed, one could not help but feel tension.
As expected, not only Jang Chuchyeong but also Namgung Yeon appeared to be carefully steadying their breathing, their tension evident.
However, it was Jang Chuchyeong who first steeled his resolve.
As if recalling that day’s opponent, his eyes grew resolute and unwavering as he looked directly at me, his fists clenching.
“Whatever happens, do not worry! I, Chu Hyeongi, will surely protect you, Young Master!”
“That is truly appreciated.”
“Hehe- no need to thank me. Protecting you is my duty, after all.”
Whether he still held the events of Anhui in his heart, his laughter came easily, yet his eyes gleamed with fierce intensity.
From the time we left Anhui until we arrived in Nakhyang, he endured training of such high intensity that one could say it bordered on excessive, yet unlike before, he never complained even once.
That much was proof of his sincerity.
As I wore a small smile and sent him an approving gaze, I felt Baek Ja-hyeon beside me tapping my shoulder lightly.
I turned my head slightly, and he suddenly spoke up.
“Young Master So, that fellow’s eyes are not like they were before?”
“He has received training from an elder. It is only natural that he is not as he was before.”
“That… elder’s….”
Baek Ja-hyeon gazed at Jang Chuchyeong with eyes full of interest.
He already knew well who Gu Gunbaek was.
However, when he was still at the Sega, Jang Chuchyeong’s eyes and bearing were not as they were now, so he had mostly assumed that Gu Gunbaek was teaching him as a pastime.
Recalling Gu Gunbaek’s light-hearted nature, such suspicion was understandable.
But now, things were different.
As a pure martial artist, Baek Ja-hyeon felt it.
I could see him swallowing a groan, lost in thought.
Was he feeling curiosity as a martial artist?
I gazed back and forth between Baek Ja-hyeon and Jang Chuchyeong.
Baek Ja-hyeon, now curious, seemed unable to easily propose a sparring match with Jang Chuchyeong from his current position, while Jang Chuchyeong remained as thoughtless as always.
As if he didn’t expect such a thing to happen in the first place.
I let out a soft laugh and opened my mouth.
“Would you like to see it?”
“Hmm? See what?”
“Chu Hyeongi’s skills. Isn’t that what you want to see?”
“Me… me?!”
Jang Chuchyeong cried out in surprise at my sudden words.
It was clearly something he hadn’t anticipated.
But Baek Ja-hyeon would definitely want to see it.
Though not the Demon King himself, an opportunity to witness his martial arts was rare.
Moreover, unlike Gu Gunbaek, whose power was so overwhelming it reached the heavens—where a single punch or kick would send one flying—this was different.
I saw Baek Ja-hyeon nod after a moment of thought.
I had unexpectedly gained a good opportunity to confirm how much Jang Chuchyeong’s skills had improved.
With Baek Ja-hyeon as his opponent, it couldn’t be better.
I let out a soft laugh and opened my mouth.
“Stop the carriage.”

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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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