The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 120

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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 Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 181

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“Ugh….”
“Leader!”
The Leader of the Dark Water Sect let out a groan and slowly opened his eyes.
At the sound of the voice, he furrowed his brow and turned his gaze, taking in the familiar faces before him as he slowly pushed himself upright.
“….”
Then he slowly assessed his condition.
A long sword wound stretched across his chest, and he could see it was wrapped tightly in bandages—the work of a physician who had arrived in haste.
“Ha….”
He exhaled sharply, his brow still furrowed.
There was no need to ponder how such a thing had come to pass. The memory of that final blade that had struck before consciousness fled remained vivid in his mind.
That terrifying strike had been far beyond what could be easily defended against.
“Leader….”
“Wait… wait, give me a moment.”
At the sound of the voice, the Leader gathered his thoughts and surveyed his surroundings once more.
A cramped and utterly narrow space.
This was undoubtedly a warehouse used by the Dark Water Sect.
The fact that he lay here pointed to one inescapable conclusion.
Unable to smooth away his troubled expression, he rose from his bed.
Soon after, he quietly opened the door and stepped outside.
“…!”
The sight that greeted his eyes was truly shocking.
Several massive buildings of the Dark Water Sect had collapsed, and across the vast courtyard lay countless warriors bearing injuries both grave and light.
Their number exceeded two hundred.
“…Tell me, Deputy Leader.”
“What became of them?”
“They… went up to Ma Un Peak.”
“There were five of them, yes? All five?”
“Yes….”
At the Deputy Leader’s nod, the Leader let out a hollow laugh and swallowed hard.
Merely five.
They needed to obtain five hundred Demon Sect Tokens. Given that they would have to face the elite forces of each hall, success should have been virtually impossible.
Yet they went anyway?
He was so dumbfounded that words barely came.
“Has such a thing ever occurred in the history of the Promotion Trials?”
“Never.”
Throughout the countless Promotion Trials that had taken place, not a single person had ever succeeded by directly storming the Hall itself.
While it was an effective method to obtain the most Demonic Cult members, the reason no one had ever succeeded despite attempts was because it required bearing such tremendous risk.
The Leader walked slowly, clutching his abdomen where pain radiated through him.
Then, stepping outside the Hall of Yin Waters, he gazed at the surroundings.
Below, I could see the buildings of the Hall of Golden Beasts blazing fiercely.
Unlike this place, the fact that even the towering pavilions were not visible suggested that the state of that location was incomparable to this one.
“Huff… huff…”
At that moment, hearing breathing from somewhere, I turned my head.
The figures that entered my vision were far too familiar.
Having observed them for so long, there was no way I could fail to recognize them.
Ryu Jin-hong, the Leader of the Hall of Initial Souls, and his son, the Deputy Leader.
“…Are you alright?”
“Yes… I am fine.”
The Leader of the Hall of Yin Waters steadied his breathing and observed Ryu Jin-hong, who was breathing heavily and roughly.
I recalled his youthful appearance from when he first became the Leader of the Hall of Initial Souls, confidently vowing to create those he would send up to the Demon King’s Peak.
Even my own form, mocking that it was impossible.
Letting out a long sigh, he bowed his head toward Ryu Jin-hong.
“I have been wrong until now. I never imagined you would actually accomplish it. To display such confidence as to make such a grand spectacle of this scale.”
“Ah… no, that is…”
“Haha, where did you hide such a blade and only now draw it? I am astounded by your abilities. They will surely become a great force supporting the Demonic Cult.”
“Ha… haha… Yes, is that so?”
Though I noticed his anxious demeanor, dripping with cold sweat and groaning in an odd manner, from the Leader of the Hall of Yin Waters’ perspective, it appeared to be a display of humility.
“In this situation, there is no need to hide your joy out of concern for me. The Demonic Cult follows the law of the strong devouring the weak. Should you not rejoice that those you raised have surpassed me? Hahaha.”
“Ha, hahaha… haha…”
“Let us share a drink to the new talents of the Demonic Cult!”
“…Very well. Ha, haha…”

* * *

The Heavenly Demon Peak, where the Demonic Heavenly Palace stood.
Within one of its countless halls resided Ma Un, the Black Thunder Sword Demon, who would soon ascend as the new sect leader.
With the inauguration ceremony drawing near, the surroundings buzzed with frantic activity and noise, yet Ma Un alone maintained his composure.
Someone stood before his chamber door.
The moment I sensed the presence, my gaze turned toward it.
“Enter.”
Creak—!
The door opened, and a middle-aged man stepped inside.
He was Baek Gong, the Commander of the Demonic Cult.
As he approached with a slight bow, my gaze remained fixed upon him as I posed a question.
“Is there some matter?”
“An incident has occurred at the Chohon Hall.”
“An incident?”
At the word “incident,” my brow furrowed.
Merely the Chohon Hall.
It was almost laughable that something happening in such a place would reach my ears, and it was strange to see the Commander speak of it with such gravity.
I wondered what could possibly have been done.
“A Demon Ascension Tournament was held.”
“Haha, at the Chohon Hall? And with the inauguration ceremony approaching?”
“Yes.”
It was certainly a matter worth bringing to my attention.
With the inauguration ceremony imminent.
All demons should have been cautious in their actions, yet they stirred up commotion by holding an Ascension Tournament.
It was natural that the Commander’s face bore an expression of embarrassment.
However, I paid it little mind.
It was merely the Chohon Hall, after all.
I believed it would collapse before long.
They were an organization lacking sufficient strength.
“Leave it be. They won’t even last long enough to become a real problem.”
“Five have already reached the Demon Peak.”
“…!”
At the Commander’s words, my eyes widened with interest.
Even for the Chohon Hall, I would think that with good fortune, perhaps one could somehow reach the Demon Peak.
But five?
How could they have obtained five hundred Demon Seals?
Momentarily at a loss for words at this absurd tale, the Commander, sensing my shock, offered a bitter smile and continued.
“The Gold Beast Hall has been devastated, and the Silver Beast Hall has been half-destroyed.”
“Hahahaha—!”
I burst into uncontrollable laughter.
This was happening at the Chohon Hall, from which I had expected nothing whatsoever.
The Golden Water Hall was completely devastated, and the Silver Water Hall was half-destroyed?
Such a feat would be impossible without considerable martial prowess.
“What became of those who ascended Ma Un Peak?”
“Whether their goal is to reach the Heavenly Demon Summit or not, they continue to ring the bell of the promotion tournament and engage in endless pursuit and counter-pursuit. There are only five of them, but their skills are formidable—everyone is exhausted from the fighting.”
Both Ma Un and the Commander who spoke were at a loss for words.
Normally, those who ascend Ma Un Peak would enter a new Hall, receive their assigned roles, and refine themselves anew.
The difference between the Ma Yeon Grounds and Ma Un Peak was that significant.
Yet the fact that they rang the bell immediately meant they had confidence in their strength.
And those wretches clearly aimed to reach the Heavenly Demon Summit.
“Impressive. Quite entertaining.”
“Therefore, with the coronation ceremony approaching, I was thinking of halting the promotion tournament by my authority. What do you think?”
“Let them be.”
“…Is that acceptable?”
Ma Un nodded readily.
It was acceptable.
Yes, perfectly acceptable.
The Demonic Cult was an organization that revered strength.
One could not halt the promotion tournaments held to ascend higher in such a place, merely because of a coronation ceremony.
Rather, one could think of it as an eve festival, could one not?
Ma Un let out a soft chuckle.
Whoever they were, could they truly ascend?
The situation appeared to have a high probability of failure, but since they had destroyed both the Golden Water Hall and Silver Water Hall, the probability was not entirely zero.
While entertaining such thoughts, the Commander’s voice reached his ears.
“However… there is this matter.”
“What other trouble has arisen?”
“Two of the five possess martial techniques that somewhat… trouble me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“We have not yet conducted a thorough investigation, so I cannot be certain, but according to reports from the Hall keeping watch, one man employs the exclusive martial techniques of the Demon King.”
“The Demon King’s?”
“Yes, but that is not the problem.”
The Commander’s brow furrowed.
Seeing him hesitate over whether to speak, Ma Un urged him forward with a sharp glance.
Then, accompanied by a sigh, the Commander’s voice emerged.
“There are those who have witnessed techniques resembling the Namgung Clan’s Spear of Unobstructed Heavens Sword Method.”
“…!”
In that instant, Ma Un’s eyes grew cold and sharp.

* * *

I surveyed my surroundings.
Countless members of the Demonic Cult were rushing toward us, and from the way they gnashed their teeth in pursuit, their hostility was so overwhelming that I didn’t know where to place myself.
“There are an awful lot of them.”
“Enough to make one’s teeth grind.”
Chaeseoha, standing beside me, shook her head with an exasperated expression.
It felt very much like she was saying: why don’t you understand when you’re the one who caused this mess?
I shrugged my shoulders as if still bewildered and turned my gaze, when a certain hall engulfed in roaring flames caught my eye.
“It’s incredibly hot because of that. Let’s put out the fire.”
“The person who started the fire is saying this? And it was you who struck down everyone trying to extinguish it.”
I laughed at her words.
In truth, this is how a war between the few and the many should be conducted.
When one cannot face everyone simultaneously, the best strategy is to scatter their attention in different directions.
Moreover, one must hide and ambush to ensure certain victory.
By creating such circumstances, we continued to endure.
However.
“Their skills are certainly superior to those below. Their momentum is distinctly different.”
I observed Namgung Yeon and Jang Chuchyeong as they moved about, targeting the scattered few.
Judging by how much time they spent merely facing two or three opponents, it was clear they possessed markedly different abilities compared to Ma Yeonji.
“Hah, hah, hah….”
Even Jang Chuchyeong, who had relatively better stamina than Namgung Yeon, was breathing heavily, and unlike with Ma Yeonji, the speed at which members of the Demonic Cult gathered was considerably slower.
This indicated such a difference in caliber that while it was a situation where Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon could gain experience, at this rate we would not obtain the Demonic Cult’s seal within the timeframe.
I glanced to the side.
Na Cheonmun, who had worn an expression of utter disbelief and a vacant gaze ever since we ascended to this place, caught my eye.
He clearly seemed to think he couldn’t believe that someone like himself had actually climbed Ma Un Peak.
“How much longer remains?”
“Th… three hundred and twelve.”
“Still quite a ways to go.”
I scratched my head and sighed.
Looking again at Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon, they were moving desperately, but they were already reaching the limits of their stamina and mental fortitude.
At that moment.
Screeeech—!
A sharp sound rang out from somewhere.
Was someone throwing a hidden weapon?
No.
Then who was the target?
My keen senses seized upon it, and the moment my gaze turned to Namgung Yeon, a blurred shadow figure materialized before her eyes.
Simultaneously, I moved as well.
Clang—!
The sword aimed at Namgung Yeon collided with mine, producing a sharp metallic ring, and she, startled, stepped back hastily to create distance.
In doing so, I gazed upon the figure before me.
A middle-aged woman (female) radiating a thick, oppressive demonic aura.
Judging solely by the distinctly different presence she exuded compared to the others, I suspected she held the position of Leader (male) or something close to it.
Soon, the eyes of the woman (female) gazing at me sharpened with intensity.
“How impressive—a mere whelp from the Chohon Sect!”
“I’m not certain who you are, but underestimating the Chohon Sect will cost you dearly.”
“Hmph! An unripe brat, nothing more!”
Both the woman’s (female) sword and mine were drawn simultaneously.
Clang—!

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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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