The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 111

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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 111

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The relationship between the Righteous and Unorthodox factions was so antagonistic that calling them “eternal blood enemies” was hardly an exaggeration.
With fundamentally opposing ideologies, they had spent countless years clashing blades against one another, killing and being killed, scheming in the shadows, and exhausting every effort to gain the upper hand.
Scattered throughout this vast Central Plains, they lived intermingled with one another, treating their closest rivals as stepping stones for their own advancement.
Yet within this Central Plains, there existed precisely two places.
Locations where the Righteous and Unorthodox were never mixed.
One was Hannam, where the Martial Arts Alliance held dominion, and the other was Shanxi, where Sadocheon held sway.
The territories of the Righteous Martial Arts Alliance and Sadocheon bordered one another, yet neither encroached upon the other.
To cross that boundary would mean igniting a full-scale war between the Righteous and Unorthodox.
However, along this border between Hannam and Shanxi.
A neutral zone existed where both factions could intermingle.
“That’s exactly where my Elder Sister was taken.”
“Wait, are they the Emperor’s men? Why are they arguing over land like it’s theirs or mine?”
“I don’t know.”
Jang Chuchyeong, whose understanding of martial affairs remained distant from common sense, snorted with an expression of bewilderment.
I could only agree that without deep involvement in the martial world, one could scarcely comprehend such circumstances.
“Then where exactly is the young lady being held?”
“That would be the case. We haven’t pinpointed the exact location yet.”
Considering my Elder Sister’s character, she would certainly have grasped the situation already.
If so, it was highly likely she had sent away those with her and allowed herself to be taken hostage.
Yet no message had arrived from the Sega thus far.
This was clearly a tactic by the Hyangun Se Family to torment us.
They were resorting to such absurd measures simply to gain leverage in negotiations.
I let out a quiet laugh and surveyed my surroundings.
The landscape visible through the window had changed at some point.
We had entered a village without my noticing; the scenery of only trees and grass had vanished, replaced by the sight of people and houses lining the streets.
Many martial artists bearing swords were also visible.
Chaeseoha, who had been continuously observing the surroundings through the window, seemed to sense something amiss, her delicate features furrowing slightly.
“This village feels… tense somehow.”
“We’re at the border between Hannam and Shanxi. From here on, both factions are mixed.”
“Ah, I see—unable to relax because an attack could come at any moment.”
I nodded at her words.
Since we were only at the beginning, there were more martial artists from the Righteous Faction than from the Unorthodox sects, but one could not assume the latter were entirely absent.
Thus, constant vigilance was necessary.
Should we encounter those with grudges against us, blades would be drawn, and if fortune turned against us, even a brush of shoulders could result in a severed neck.
“It’s always an interesting place to visit.”
“Have you been here before?”
“In a past life?”
“Ah, what are you talking about.”
At my words, Chaeseoha clicked her tongue with an expression of disbelief.
Of course, it wasn’t a lie.
In the past, I had memories of staying in this place for several months.
Since incidents and accidents never ceased in this location, it was ideal for gaining practical combat experience.
Though this area was relatively quiet, the deeper one ventured inward, the more brutal and vicious it became—incomparable to the surface.
I had seen two or three corpses every single day.
“This place lies beyond the reach of the Nakhyang Jin Family’s influence. Everyone must exercise extreme caution.”
I heard Baek Ja-hyeon’s voice as he surveyed the surroundings.
From the way he was vigilant in all directions, it was abundantly clear that even he was considerably tense.
It was the Hyangun Se Family acting so brazenly.
With no way of knowing what they might attempt, and given that this neutral territory lay beyond the Nakhyang Jin Family’s reach, we couldn’t afford complacency.
We weren’t fools enough to expect influence in a place where not even inns or other businesses could establish themselves.
The other three were also growing cautious, glancing about nervously and keeping watch.
“Act naturally. Anything else would draw suspicion.”
“But still… what if someone suddenly swings a blade at us?”
“The Family Head of the Hyangun Se Family isn’t so foolish as that.”
Had he been merely thoughtless and ignorant, he would have sought to devastate the Nakhyang Jin Family with Sadocheon’s backing rather than attempt negotiation.
Yet he had attempted negotiation first, and only then escalated matters.
Attacking my sister was akin to driving a dagger into the Nakhyang Jin Family’s heart, but the absence of news of anyone’s death suggested an effort to avoid making us complete enemies.
Of course, that was…
“Their concern, not mine.”
I smiled faintly as I recalled the Family Head of the Hyangun Se Family. Though I had seen his face long ago, I held no significant memories of connection with him, neither then nor now.
What I disliked was simple.
That he had bared his fangs at the Nakhyang Jin Family of all places.
There were surely other approaches available—less aggressive ones—yet the fact that he acted without hesitation revealed exactly how the Hyangun Se Family viewed us.
Such people could not be left unchecked.
A small smile played at my lips as I steadied my breathing, when I caught sight of familiar faces through the carriage window.
“Stop the carriage.”
“Yes!”
Whinnnnng—
As the carriage halted with the loud cry of the horses, I hastily opened the door and stepped outside.
“Sa Gong-chun!”
“…Young Master So?!”
At my sudden call, Sa Gong-chun, who had been moving swiftly, stopped abruptly and looked toward me.
He was not alone.
Around him, several other bodyguards bore visible wounds.
“What are you doing here?”
“Young Master So… th-that is, I was trying to send word to the Sega with haste, but there was nowhere to send a letter….”
Sa Gong-chun rushed forward, his head bowed, bearing the unmistakable marks of hardship. It was evident he had gone days without food or drink—his complexion had taken on a sickly pallor, and his entire frame trembled visibly.
Apparently, he needed to inform the Sega of what had transpired, but unable to find assistance in this region, he had come here.
In this area, without possession of a carrier pigeon, there was simply no suitable means to send a message.
“What has become of Ji-yak! What has happened to her!”
At that moment, Baek Ja-hyeon’s voice rang out, sharp as a reprimand.
The moment he descended from the carriage, Baek Ja-hyeon surveyed the group before him, and finding no trace of Jin Ji-yak among them, he seemed intent on ascertaining their circumstances first.
Sa Gong-chun and the Bodyguards lowered their heads.
“We apologize. We did our utmost to protect her, but our insufficient skill made it impossible.”
“You worthless fools! And yet you dare call yourselves the Jin Family’s Bodyguards!”
The cutting words struck like a hidden blade.
To claim their strength was lacking would have been misleading—most of those gathered here, Sa Gong-chun foremost among them, were counted among the Sega’s elite.
Which made the shock all the more profound.
“The opponent was Sadocheon. Even the Jin Family’s elite cannot overcome such odds.”
“And yet, even so….”
“It… it was the Jinpung Sword Sect.”
“…!”
At Sa Gong-chun’s words, Baek Ja-hyeon’s eyes widened in shock.

The Jinpung Sword Sect.

There was no one dwelling in the Central Plains who did not know that name.
In fact, one should commend them highly for encountering such a force and emerging unscathed.
Like the Changryongdan, they were considered late-stage powerhouses, yet they were widely regarded as superior even to the Changryongdan.
Even I could not help but be astonished that they had mobilized.
The influence the Hyangun Se Family wielded over Sadocheon appeared far greater than I had imagined.
Whether they had cultivated such extensive connections, or whether the sums they offered exceeded imagination, either way it was clear that Sadocheon regarded them as exceedingly important.
“Was the Hyangun Se Family Head present as well?”
“Yes, without doubt. I saw not only the Family Head, but Young Master So as well.”
Crunch—
Sa Gong-chun ground his teeth and clenched his fists.
Though his nails drew blood from his palms, he seemed to feel no pain, displaying only a controlled fury.
The humiliation of being bested by the Hyangun Se Family was clearly unbearable to him.
Naturally, had it not been the Jinpung Sword Sect, the situation would have been entirely manageable, so his sense of injustice was inevitable.
“What of my Elder Sister?”
“She… surrendered herself willingly.”
A situation I had already anticipated.
Realizing the enemy harbored no killing intent, she would have judged it better for as few as possible to be captured rather than many. It was precisely the sort of decision Jin Ji-yak would make.
And such a choice would only deepen the anger and sense of debt among her Bodyguards.
And that only added to the anger and sense of debt the Bodyguards felt.
As expected, not only Sa Gong-chun but the eyes of everyone else blazed with fervent intensity.
Even the wounded seemed ready to rush back and draw their blades, their killing intent so palpable that Namgung Yeon and Jang Chuchyeong beside me flinched.
Clap—!
A sharp handclap cut through the suffocating atmosphere, sweeping away the dense killing intent as if it had never existed.
It was Chaeseoha.
A woman’s clap, devoid of inner energy, yet commanding.
In that instant, every gaze turned toward her.
The killing intent and tension that had filled the air vanished cleanly.
“Let’s get the injured into the carriage first. We can’t possibly take all of them, and we still need to find an inn. How much longer do you plan to stand out here?”
Chaeseoha glanced subtly around the area.
From her expression, I could discern her meaning.
Passersby were turning their attention toward us.
Talk of the Jin Family and Sadocheon had drawn the curiosity of onlookers.
I offered a bitter smile and nodded.
“We’re fine. There’s no need for Young Master So’s affairs to be disrupted because of us.”
“I came here precisely because of this matter. I can’t simply abandon you all. Besides, I’d like to hear the full story.”
At her resolute words, Sa Gong-chun swallowed a groan.
It seemed he believed he had abandoned his master and fled, regardless of the circumstances.
Now that he had informed me of the situation, he appeared ready to do anything.
I had no intention of repeating the same conversation, so I opened the carriage door and forcibly loaded the injured inside.
Though I heard pointless protests like “Young Master So should ride; we can walk,” I loaded them into the carriage as well and headed toward the inn.
As we ventured slightly deeper into the area, several inns came into view.
I stopped in front of the largest one.
Then.
A Jeon Seo-gu circled high in the sky before slowly descending and landing on my shoulder.
Baek Ja-hyeon’s eyes brightened as he recognized the markings on the bird.
“It’s from the Sega.”
“So it appears.”
I nodded and untied the message from the bird’s leg.
The moment I unfolded it, the concise contents captured my attention.
“Did Elder Brother send this? What does it say?”
“The Hyangun Se Family has requested renegotiations.”
“The audacity of these bastards! So where is the meeting?”
“Two days’ journey from here. The Hyangun Inn, operated by the Hyangun Se Family.”
Crumple—!
I crumpled the letter and turned my head, noting how fiercely the eyes and expressions of the Bodyguards who had heard the news burned with intensity.
Observing this, I spoke.
“For now, let’s have a meal and think it over, shall we?”
There was no need to rush.

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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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