The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 131

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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 131

Flash—
A brilliant gleam erupted before my eyes.
The speed defied the eye’s pursuit, yet within that luminescence lay an unmistakable sharpness—the keen edge of a blade.
Clang—!
The collision’s resonance pierced sharply through my ears.
The sword’s cry reverberated outward like an echo, its acrid timbre spreading so intensely that even the onlookers grimaced.
As the two combatants’ spiritual energy poured forth in a torrent, I retreated a step, and in that instant, Jin Ja-geom thrust his blade toward me as if he’d been waiting for precisely this moment.
Whoosh—
The fragrance of plum blossoms permeated the surrounding air.
The arc of his sword traced a pattern as exquisite and beautiful as the plum blossom itself.
Yet one must not be deceived by such beauty.
I received his blade smoothly and redirected its force.
“…!”
In that moment, Ha Hyeok-jun, who had been pursuing from behind, turned his head in surprise.
Slash—!
Jin Ja-geom’s blade narrowly grazed Ha Hyeok-jun’s cheek as it passed.
“Haha! Did you see that?”
Ha Hyeok-jun, who had nearly fallen victim to Jin Ja-geom’s hidden technique, laughed incredulously as he swung his sword.
Weighty spiritual force.
That blade, laden with the subtleties of the heavy sword technique, seemed perhaps most similar to what Namgung Yeon had attempted to emulate.
Boom—!
As I blocked the incoming strike, tremendous force crashed down upon me.
Feeling my body lift from the ground amid a resonance that shook my ears, I drove my blade into the earth.
Crack— Screech—!
Yet such was the magnitude of his power that I still slid backward.
Lifting my gaze, I saw Ha Hyeok-jun charging toward me at a frenzied pace.
His eyes burned with ferocity.
It was the gaze of a wild beast.
Yet while his eyes resembled those of Gu Gunbaek or Jang Chuchyeong, his movements lacked their destructive fluidity.
Slash—!
It was Jin Ja-geom who thrust through that gap.
The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Hands reached their apex, blooming in full splendor.
From the sword’s tip, buds unfurled into full blossoms, only for new buds to emerge anew—this cycle repeated several times over.
I observed it intently, then laughed in disbelief.
A plum blossom crafted from steel before my eyes.
I felt it.
The profound depth of Hwasan emanating from that blossoming flower.
The essence of Hwasan contained within the falling petals of blossoms.
That is the true nature of Hwasan.
Something I could not possess even if I desired it, something I could not capture even if I tried.
The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique of Hwasan Sect, perfected over centuries.
I turned away while gazing upon it.
“You bastard!”
Ha Hyeok-jun of Jongnam.
The moment his sword, imbued with tremendous force, was unleashed.
The countless plum blossoms that had bloomed scattered and flew away.
This too was the essence possessed only by Jongnam.
I tightened my grip on my sword while observing it.
The martial arts of those who had inherited their legacy through generations over centuries, still maintaining their position as one of the pillars at the apex of the Central Plains.
Conversely, this was an opportunity to confirm just how different my swordsmanship was—honed and refined desperately for survival.
There was no way I could let this chance slip away.
I rushed forward with spiritual energy infused into my blade.
I threw myself into the raging tempest and wielded my sword with piercing ferocity.
Crack—

* * *

“Hahaha! This friend is truly remarkable, wouldn’t you say, Oh Hyeon?”
“Yes, your words are correct. I do not think I could possibly match him.”
“What is your assessment?”
“I share the same opinion.”
By then, the sun had set and the moon had risen.
When the sun reached its zenith, we began clashing blades. And it was when the moon grew full that my sword, Jin Ja-geom’s sword, and Ha Hyeok-jun’s sword finally came to rest.
Even that would have continued had Chaeseoha not intervened.

“I’m hungry!”

At the sight of her shouting with a sharp, cutting voice, every single person present momentarily froze mid-strike.
It wasn’t simply because she had interjected into an intense battle.
To be precise, those who beheld Chaeseoha’s beauty had naturally become transfixed.
As a result, the situation inevitably fizzled out without even determining a victor.
Yet it was not as though nothing had been gained.
Having faced martial techniques of a realm far surpassing that of Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon for an extended duration, I was able to glean far more than anticipated.
In the end, it had proven beneficial.
I smiled and regarded Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun.
Though their expressions appeared relaxed as they conversed quietly with their respective companions, their pupils trembled intermittently.
Their bodies ached in various places.
Yet they seemed to endure without revealing it, unable to bear showing weakness.
If I, who was not even a disciple of a major sect, continued moving without impediment while they whimpered about their pain, it would be utterly shameful.
As such thoughts occupied my mind, the restaurant door opened and numerous maids entered.
As the women, each carrying delicacies and rare delights in both hands, began arranging the dishes neatly upon the table, those seated began to gasp in astonishment.
“…How can there be so much?”
“Wow… These are dishes I’ve only seen at home… No, there are some I’ve never even seen before.”
Even disciples of major sects typically subsisted on the provisions distributed within their sect.
If one did not venture outside naturally, luxurious fare was something one could scarcely even hope for—thus these disciples too could not help but have their eyes drawn to the food.
This was not peculiar to Jongnam alone.
Though Jin Ja-geom and Baek Cheon maintained their composure while seated, they too were swallowing audibly as they gazed upon the dishes before them.
“Please partake generously, as this is my treat.”
I spoke while subtly surveying my surroundings.
While Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon were about to begin using their chopsticks, Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun displayed eyes filled with a certain longing, as though something were lacking.
I believed I understood the reason.
With a gentle smile, I summoned a maid.
“We’ve forgotten the wine. Bring the finest you have.”
“Yes, Young Master So.”
As the maid bowed respectfully and swiftly departed the room, Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon hastily opened their mouths.
“Jin Gongja, we cannot have wine….”
“Mmmph!”
But before the words could escape, they were silenced by the hands of Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun beside them.
I observed Jin Ja-geom shooting Baek Cheon a gaze as sharp as a blade’s edge, and Ha Hyeok-jun swiftly extending his hand to seal the other’s mouth.
Their expressions conveyed a clear warning: speak another word and face the consequences.
“While the Dao forbids intoxicants, I have heard that even such prohibitions have their time and place. Surely that time is now, is it not? Or am I mistaken, Master Ha?”
“Hahaha, quite right! Master Jin’s words are precisely accurate.”
It was difficult to believe that mere moments ago these two had been grinding their teeth and wielding swords against one another—their rapport was impeccable.
Observing how they addressed each other with respect and nodded in satisfaction, one could scarcely deny they were childhood companions of the deepest bond.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and subtly turned my gaze away.
I caught sight of Chaeseoha beside me beginning to use her chopsticks.
Though she swiftly gathered various dishes to eat, none of those present seemed to harbor any ill feeling toward her.
Rather, she seemed to regard him favorably.
It was Jin Ja-geom who initiated the conversation.
“Ahem! But miss, might I inquire your name?”
“It’s Chaeseoha. And you?”
“I am Jin Ja-geom of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen from Hwasan.”
“I see.”
Though he spoke with apparent seriousness, Chaeseoha’s response was lukewarm at best. As if the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and such titles held little interest, she twirled her chopsticks continuously without sparing him a single glance.
Was that the reason?
Ha Hyeok-jun found his courage.
“Ahem! I am Ha Hyeok-jun of Jongnam, pleased to make your acquaintance, miss. Like my friend here, I am counted among the Chonnam Ten Swords, though I wonder if you’ve heard of us?”
At those words, Chaeseoha’s chopsticks froze mid-motion. Then she turned her gaze toward Ha Hyeok-jun, and Jin Ja-geom—who had received not even a glance—felt the sting of rejection.
“Among those in the martial world, no one would know of us except our Young Master. But more importantly, eat before it gets cold, won’t you? Thanks to you both, I haven’t eaten a thing since lunch. I was worried our Young Master might be injured.”
“….”
“Hmm!”
Having spoken thus, Chaeseoha’s eyes swept between me, Jin Ja-geom, and Ha Hyeok-jun in turn before a small smile played at her lips.
In that instant, the atmosphere brightened.
The strange exclamations that erupted from various corners were no illusion.
“Though I was mistaken, it seems. Seeing how unscathed our Young Master remains.”
At those words, both Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun let out awkward coughs.
To any observer, the situation appeared to be a draw.
Yet upon closer inspection, the victor was unmistakably clear.
Unlike me, who moved without impediment, both men bore wounds and internal injuries throughout their bodies. No matter how hard they tried to appear unharmed, they could not deceive Chaeseoha’s discerning eyes.
“What are you saying? Our master did not lose. Rather, had he fought with full sincerity from the start, both of you would be lying in your bedchambers righ—ugh?!”
“Enough, enough of that.”
“You just keep quiet. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
This time, Baek Cheon—his mouth forcibly sealed—trembled as he nodded, while Oh Hyeon wore an expression of shock, his eyes darting between me and the two men before he swallowed hard.
Yes, anyone with keen perception would understand.
This victory belonged to me.
The fact that I bore no wounds was part of it, but I had not even exerted my full strength from the beginning.
I had taken ample time to observe and commit to memory each martial technique they possessed, all while contemplating what I myself lacked.
Though I could not fathom the centuries of refinement embedded in their arts, I had succeeded in grasping even a superficial understanding and advancing one step further.
I allowed myself a satisfied smile.
It was then that Jin Ja-geom’s voice reached my ears.
“By the way, Young Master Jin, where is the escort service headed?”
“Gansu.”
“Ah—could it be toward the Allied Faction…?”
Observing Jin Ja-geom’s hesitant inquiry, I nodded.
At this juncture, entering Gansu with goods of this caliber would require an opponent of the Allied Faction’s standing or greater.
“Of all the timing….”
At that moment, a peculiar voice reached my ears.
It was Ha Hyeok-jun who spoke, his brow furrowed with concern.
He seemed to know something, wearing an expression of unease. When I failed to grasp his meaning and turned my gaze back to Jin Ja-geom, he offered a bitter smile.
“With Jin Gongja, Pyo Du, and Lady Namgung present, I would not think there is cause for worry. However, you must still exercise extraordinary caution.”
“What is it? Has some martial arts criminal appeared?”
I recalled past memories and considered the incidents that had occurred in the vicinity.
There was nothing of particular note.
After all, with the Martial Arts Alliance’s elite members moving toward the Allied Faction, martial arts criminals would hardly reveal themselves unless they had lost their minds entirely.
Then Jin Ja-geom spoke with measured caution.
“Recently, along the roads leading to Gansu, it is said that many skilled individuals have been suffering attacks. Not merely bandits, but thieves as well—all of them.”
“Indeed. It appears they were not simply eliminating criminals, but rather displaying their martial prowess by beating down wanderers as well.”
As I listened to both men speak, I found myself frowning.
This strange sense of déjà vu was no mere coincidence.
Yet even if thieves and wanderers were one thing, bandits?
I naturally thought of the two who had departed earlier, but I dismissed the notion as unlikely—and yet, the thought persisted that Gu Gunbaek was entirely capable of such actions.
In that moment of uncertainty, I stifled a groan.
Jin Ja-geom’s voice came through clearly.
“Of late, there have been many strange rumors circulating. Not a few have claimed to witness goblins appearing and vanishing upon the mist.”
“…Mist?”
“Yes, ha ha, I suspect they merely saw something incorrectly, but the same tale has spread quite widely in various places. Thus, I thought it best to advise you to exercise maximum caution.”
I closed my eyes quietly and fell into thought for a moment.
Soon I opened them again, my brow narrowing with resolve.
They were beginning to make their move in earnest.

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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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