The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 135

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Youngest Son of the Nakhyang Jin Family — Chapter 135

* * *

Eon Garyeo’s defeat was nothing short of shocking.
Even within the Changryongdan, where only the finest late-stage martial artists gathered, she stood among the top five masters—and yet she had fallen.
The silence that now enveloped the martial arts tournament was entirely justified.
Because of this, the name of Namgung, which had faded into the depths of memory, surfaced once more.
Even the spectators could only watch with stunned expressions as she descended from the arena.
Thump-thump-
Yet this emotion was not confined to those merely observing.
As she exited the silent hall—devoid of cheers, filled only with hushed reverence—the very silence seemed to empower her.
She turned her gaze briefly, surveying the quiet arena.
Jin Cheon-u, wearing a satisfied expression, caught her eye first, and as she scanned the spectators’ stands, she found her brother Namgung Baek among them.
He watched silently, yet tears glistened in his eyes.
Seeing him on the verge of tears, she allowed herself a gentle smile.
“Don’t be so dramatic…”
She steadied her breathing and composed herself before entering the space where the participants gathered, when suddenly someone approached and spoke to her.
“That was magnificent. I never expected to lose.”
It was none other than Eon Garyeo who had spoken.
She was already seated, receiving treatment for her injuries, and she smiled warmly at Namgung Yeon as she spoke.
Not a trace of emotion showed in response to her defeat.
“That final technique… could it have been…?”
“It’s called the Thirteen Sword Strikes of Island Transmission.”
“Ah—truly worthy of its reputation. I couldn’t even conceive of dodging it.”
“The Eon Clan’s Adversarial Palm technique was formidable as well. Had fortune favored differently, I would have lost.”
At those words, Eon Garyeo waved her hand dismissively and laughed in disbelief. As a martial artist herself, she possessed discerning eyes.
She already knew that had Namgung Yeon not been cautious, this duel would have ended in her defeat before even twenty exchanges.
Simultaneously, Eon Garyeo came to understand one crucial fact.
“Now I understand why Jin Gongja brought Lady Namgung and Namgung Baek along. Is it because they’re from the Nakhyang Jin Family? Their eye for talent is truly exceptional.”
“You flatter me.”
“Hehe, don’t answer so stiffly—relax. And do your best!”
“Pardon?”
“Win the championship. You want to make the Namgung Family’s name known, don’t you? Lady Namgung, you can do it.”
At Eon Garyeo’s words, Namgung Yeon lowered her head bashfully. Being recognized for her worth by someone other than Jin Cheon-u felt genuinely gratifying.
As she entertained such thoughts, she felt a gaze upon her.
A sharp, piercing stare made Namgung Yeon turn her head.
What met her eyes was none other than Moryeong Hyeok.
Though his expression remained blank and he merely watched intently, the blazing intensity in his eyes was unmistakably a provocation directed at her.
Only then could Namgung Yeon recall Jin Cheon-u’s words.

“Simply resurrecting the forgotten name of the Namgung Family isn’t enough. I need to etch it into their minds with absolute certainty. That comes first. To do that….”

I must defeat Moyong Hyeok.
Young Master So of the Number One Sword Sect and son of the Sword Emperor.
The greatest prodigy of the Righteous Martial Arts World.
How else could I imprint the Namgung Family’s name upon people’s hearts without breaking someone of that caliber?
She steeled her resolve and drew a measured breath.

* * *

The tournament progressed swiftly.
Some claimed victory while others tasted defeat.
As time elapsed, the competition grew increasingly fierce, drawing forth ever greater fervor from the crowd.
The cheers had become incomparably louder, and with each passing match, the exchanges of offense and defense grew more violent and razor-sharp.
Though a modest dueling tournament by some measures, for the Allied Faction it was a battle of pride, and the Changryongdan—who had believed themselves without equal—now felt the sting of crisis at Namgung Yeon’s sudden emergence.
And her continued victories only confirmed their fears.
Crash—!
One of the Changryongdan’s later-stage fighters was sent tumbling ignominiously out of the training hall.
One of the Allied Faction’s disciples was overwhelmed by her relentless assault and collapsed in bewilderment, while another dropped his blade at the opening bell and fell to defeat.
Namgung Yeon was nothing short of a whirlwind.
Captivated by her unbroken string of victories and her overwhelming swordsmanship, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers whenever she stepped into the arena.
The battles were fierce, and the results were spectacular.
Having ascended through victory over Eon Garyeo, Namgung Yeon brimmed with confidence, continuing her winning streak and elevating the Namgung Family’s renown.
Yet it was insufficient.
She could not be satisfied with merely this.
-Uwaaaaah!
Amid the crowd’s overwhelming roar, two figures ascended to the dueling platform.
Facing the man standing motionless before her, Namgung Yeon closed her eyes gently, composing her spirit.
Moyong Hyeok, revealing not the slightest emotion, merely gazed upon Namgung Yeon.
“At last, the final match.”
I nodded at Hoyeon’s words drifting from beside me.
Those who had fought with desperate intensity and displayed their full prowess now stood on the threshold of one final duel.
Would Moyong Hyeok, who could be called the Sword Emperor’s heir, once again shine with that name? Or would the Namgung blade—seeking to reclaim past glory—demonstrate its true standing?
What further inflamed the spectators’ excitement was that this duel represented the past Number One Sword Sect against the present one, and that these two had once ranked first and second.
I glanced sidelong at Hoyeon beside me.
He had clearly not anticipated Namgung Yeon would advance this far, for his face bore unmistakable signs of astonishment.
As our eyes met, he offered me a smile.
“Care to wager?”
“How many times must I say it? I’m not doing it.”
“But a single Jaseodan pill and the Yunlong Inn would mean we’re at a loss.”
“….”
Ho Yeon-jin’s brow twitched as he frowned deeply.
Yet he surely understood as well.
While I acknowledged the considerable value of the Jaseodan, a Spirit Elixir that vanishes after a single use pales in comparison to an inn that can generate wealth perpetually.
In terms of worth, the Yunlong Inn overwhelmingly surpassed it.
He couldn’t possibly be ignorant of this, so his reluctance to concede stemmed from recognizing that Namgung Yeon’s true capabilities, when properly displayed, were far from ordinary.
Even Moryeong Hyeok, the Martial Arts Alliance’s finest late-stage master, couldn’t easily yield to such skill.
Wagers, after all, are typically made only when one possesses confidence in victory.
Because Namgung Yeon repeated the same declaration each time he stepped forward, Hoyeon’s expression bore unmistakable signs of displeasure.
I let out a soft chuckle and turned my head away.
Namgung Yeon, standing upon the dueling arena, steadied his mind and regulated his breathing.
Then, slowly, he drew his sword.
“The blade of Moyong, called supreme under heaven… I shall learn from it.”
Moryeong Hyeok did not respond.
Ha-
He merely stared intently at Namgung Yeon with a bitter smile, before finally speaking with an expression of disbelief.
“Namgung Baek, so that’s why he kept making excuses to hide you all this time.”
“….”
“Have you been training in secret without anyone knowing? Your skills have improved remarkably.”
Though his words were clearly sarcastic, Namgung Yeon remained unmoved. He steadied his breathing as if releasing tension, his sword still leveled toward Moryeong Hyeok, his gaze unwavering.
As if he would permit not even the slightest moment of carelessness.
In that instant, Moryeong Hyeok moved.
He closed the distance in a single stride and swept his blade.
Clang-!
Namgung Yeon deflected it lightly, shifting his body sideways in a single step to seize an opening.
Clang-clang-!
With two flashes of steel, both Namgung Yeon and Moryeong Hyeok retreated. Yet as if unwilling to remain separated, they immediately launched themselves forward again, closing the gap.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-!
A ferocious symphony of clashing blades echoed across the arena.
Every movement—thrust, evasion, and parry—surpassed any duel witnessed thus far.
Fierce.
Their attacks toward one another were terrifyingly sharp and precise.
Yet a subtle difference in internal power was gradually becoming apparent.
Unlike Namgung Yeon, who possessed only the internal cultivation accumulated through martial training, Moryeong Hyeok had built his power by consuming countless spirit elixirs.
The momentum manifested in their blades could not help but differ.
Screech-! Screech-screech-!
Unable to overcome the disparity in internal power, Namgung Yeon began to be pushed back. Seizing that moment, Moryeong Hyeok’s extended blade relentlessly sought openings.
His swordplay had become noticeably more refined—evident enough that even compared to the time of the Black Crow Association incident, his growth was undeniable.
The Sword Emperor’s direct training bore fruit.
Combined with the experience I had accumulated thus far.
What had begun as an evenly matched duel was gradually tilting toward one side.
After half a moment of being pushed back.
But Namgung Yeon had yet to unleash her trump card.
The endless, unbroken sword strikes of Moryeong Hyeok—like an unceasing thread—suddenly halted.
“…!”
And in that instant.
Namgung Yeon’s momentum shifted.
Moryeong Hyeok, who had been pressing the attack, sensed the threat and retreated slightly.
But Namgung Yeon, moving faster, advanced half a step, her blade descending with terrifying precision and sharpness.
The distance was perfect.
As if this spacing itself were the ultimate weapon, she seized complete control of the space Moryeong Hyeok had opened and began her relentless assault.
Clang—clang clang—clang clang clang clang!
“That… what is that?!”
“The Cheonggung Muwae Sword Art!”
“Is that real?! It’s exactly as the stories described it!”
There were no non-martial artists present.
No matter how lost a martial technique had become, the moment it revealed itself as the Cheonggung Muwae, it could not help but be recognized.
It was, after all, legend itself.
If the Flash Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder and the Cheonggung Sword Art were the foundation of the Namgung Family, then the Cheonggung Muwae Sword Art was the very symbol of the Namgung Clan.
Though an incomplete sword technique, Namgung Yeon, who had strived to understand the martial arts and essence of the Namgung Clan more deeply than anyone, wielded each strike with extraordinary sharpness.
“Ugh?!”
Moryeong Hyeok was flustered by the sudden shift in her offensive.
Namgung Yeon’s assault had grown even more piercing, and he must have felt as though his own space was being invaded and seized.
Just watching the change in that emotionless opponent’s expression told me everything.
Distress and alarm flickered in his eyes.
He was searching desperately for any opening to break through, but he seemed to sense instinctively that it would not be easy.
Watching this, I smiled.
If this continued, Namgung Yeon would surely win.
In that moment, Moryeong Hyeok shifted his stance and altered his momentum.
His extended blade carried a different texture from the Moyong Family martial arts I had witnessed thus far.
An oddly foreign yet familiar quality.
The spiritual energy woven into the unfolding sword felt similar to what I knew, yet distinctly different.
A quiet laugh escaped me unbidden.
Kaang—!
With a sharp, ear-splitting sound, Namgung Yeon’s blade was severed, and simultaneously, Moryeong Hyeok’s extended foot swept toward her abdomen.
Kwadadadang—!
“Cough!”
Sent flying by the tremendous force, Namgung Yeon crashed beyond the dueling arena into the wall, her body sliding down like a limp doll before collapsing face-first onto the ground.
“Moyong Sohyeop claims victory!”
At the referee’s declaration, the crowd swallowed hard.
No cheers erupted, for Moyong Hyeok had shown himself merciless—launching vicious kicks against an opponent whose sword lay shattered in two, unable to continue fighting.
Those who prided themselves on walking the righteous path wore expressions of unmistakable dismay at such conduct.
When I glanced at Hoyeon, even he seemed caught off guard, his brow furrowed as he clicked his tongue in disapproval.
Then.
The gaze of the final victor, Moyong Hyeok, turned toward me.
His eyes burned with an intensity sharper than ever before.
I simply smiled and met his stare with composure, yet even that seemed to displease him, for his voice suddenly thundered across the arena.
“I challenge Jin Cheon-u to a duel!”
The words rang out like a bell!
No one in the spectator stands could have missed his declaration. In an instant, every eye in the hall fixed upon me.
I had drawn unwanted attention.
I gazed steadily into Moyong Hyeok’s blazing eyes and reflected.
A madman.
Still unable to grasp his own position.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————