The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 138

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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 138

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From my residence, gazing out the window, I watched a group departing from the Allied Faction.
They were receiving far more hospitality than one would expect for a mere escort service—a courtesy undoubtedly stemming from Jin Cheon-u’s prowess in defeating Moyong Hyeok at the martial arts tournament.
Hoyeon’s mind churned with complexity as he observed their departure.

“I have seen it before.”

Jin Cheon-u had claimed to have witnessed the Cloud-Piercing Sword Technique.
It was a technique that could never be mastered save by those of the Twelve Sects, so it was only reasonable to assume it must have been one of their own.
Yet the problem lay in what remained unsaid.
Whether he had survived an encounter with the one wielding the Cloud-Piercing Sword Technique, or whether he had merely chanced upon witnessing its execution.
He smiled without offering any clarification on the matter, leaving Hoyeon unable to suppress his frustration.
Sigh—
He rose from his seat with a long exhale.
Under these circumstances, he could not remain idle.
Given his position, he had long endeavored to avoid drawing his sword, yet this curiosity was something he absolutely had to resolve.
Perhaps there truly was a connection with the Imperial Regent, and if something were indeed entangled, the Sect could bestow considerable rewards upon him.
His standing was already wavering because of the Sword Emperor.
If he failed to demonstrate some achievement, he might even lose the position of Gak-ju to the Sword Emperor.
For Hoyeon, who desired the position of Gak-ju more than anyone, there was no choice but to pursue anything that might benefit the Sect.
Ho Yeon-jin grasped the sword he had carefully set aside.
“I wonder how long it has been since I last drew it.”
As he unsheathed it slightly, confirming it still maintained its keen edge, a faint smile crossed his face before he turned his gaze back toward the window.
Jin Cheon-u was visible departing from the Allied Faction with his entourage.
In the moment he turned away from watching him, licking his lips—
Jin Cheon-u’s gaze from beyond the window shifted toward Hoyeon’s residence.
Smirk—
And a thick smile settled upon Jin Cheon-u’s lips.

* * *

When I first entered the Allied Faction, I received a warm welcome, but the reception as I departed was incomparable to that initial visit.
Especially among the disciples of the Allied Faction—it was extraordinary.
It seemed everyone had gathered to catch a glimpse of my face, making even a single step forward difficult.
This alone proved how overwhelming my martial contest with Moyong Hyeok had been.
Even Gam Cheong-un, now the Master, wore an expression of profound satisfaction.
“I never imagined I would learn something from one so young. Hehehehe.”
“I am grateful for your kind words, but I was merely fortunate.”
“Hehehehe, humility is indeed a virtue. Thanks to you, my eyes have been delighted. Travel safely now.”
“Thank you, Master. I believe we shall meet again.”
The Allied Faction’s disciples had suffered the humiliation of complete elimination in the tournament, yet I had overturned that disgrace before their very eyes. Because of this, not only the disciples but Gam Cheong-un himself bore the satisfied gleam of one whose pride had been restored.
I offered them a light bow and departed from the Allied Faction.
Only then could I finally catch my breath.
Yet Yang Jachun’s voice reached me, tinged with worry about what lay ahead.
“Are you truly certain about this?”
On the path descending the mountain.
Yang Jachun, burdened with concern, gazed at me while suppressing a sigh.
With Gu Gunbaek and Chu Hyeongi absent, I would have to lead only Namgung Yeon and Chaeseoha on the journey to Namman.
The fact that we would be merely three seemed to weigh heavily on his mind.
“No matter how I consider it, it would be better to assign additional guards.”
“It is sufficient as it stands.”
However, I shook my head.
While the Jin Family did have some capable individuals here, none could surpass Namgung Yeon in skill.
Moreover, should any incidents arise, they would merely present opportunities to gain experience, which I did not consider unfavorable.
This journey itself was undertaken for precisely such purposes.
“Nothing will happen. So there is no need for concern.”
I smiled faintly, easing Yang Jachun’s worries. His anxious expression gradually softened as he looked at me, and soon he too wore a slight smile.
“Forgive me. For a moment, I forgot whom I was worrying about.
At Yang Jachun’s words, I too let out a quiet laugh and glanced behind us. There was Namgung Baek, unable to leave Namgung Yeon’s side, his concern evident as he watched over her injured form.
“Speaking of which, how is Namgung Baek performing? Is he managing well?”
“I believe I now understand why the Family Head placed him under my command. Wherever we travel, he navigates skillfully and observes the surrounding terrain well. His situational awareness is also exceptional. His martial prowess is somewhat lacking, but I believe it will improve in time.”
“Do you think it will improve?”
“It must be made to improve.”
Yang Jachun let out a hollow laugh and shook his head in resignation. Though he seemed to be teaching diligently enough, his progress appeared slower than expected.
“It seems my younger brother inherited all the martial talent in the family.”
At Yang Jachun’s following remark, I nodded in agreement.
It was a conclusion anyone would naturally reach.
Yet Namgung Baek possessed a remarkable talent of his own.
From childhood until now, despite enduring countless trials and incidents to sustain his younger sister, he had survived without bearing a single grave wound.
That was his greatest strength.
To have survived unscathed meant that in critical moments, Namgung Baek made only the optimal choices for survival.
“We shall take our leave now. Young Master, may you return safely….”
As we descended the mountain with such words, Yang Jachun and I came to a halt, facing opposite directions.
It seemed to illustrate that our paths diverged.
I stopped Yang Jachun as he turned to leave.
“Ah, Pyo Du. There is one matter I must ask of you.”
“If it is something within my capability, please speak freely.”
Yang Jachun gazed at me with eyes brimming with resolute determination, as though he would draw his blade if necessity demanded it.
It was the look of one prepared to leap into hellfire itself.
I offered a bitter smile.
“As you depart, I would appreciate it if you could use Sega’s information network to gather rumors for me.”
“Rumors… you say?”
I nodded in affirmation.
It was an investigation I had needed to conduct regardless.
Since Sega’s information network was of considerable caliber, gathering whispers that circulated among the common folk would present no great difficulty.
“It concerns goblins.”
“Goblins? Do you refer to what we heard of at Hwasan?”
“Yes, even the smallest rumor will suffice. Gather whatever you can and send it to me with haste.”
“Hmm… it is no difficult task. I shall send it swiftly as you command.”
Yang Jachun bowed respectfully once more and gave a signal.
Pyosa and the warriors, who had been standing in wait, began to move with quickened pace and follow in his wake.
There was a sense of considerable urgency, quite unlike when they had been with me.
As one of Sega’s pillars, Yang Jachun surely had mountains of affairs awaiting his swift return.
Perhaps he would even dispatch escort services again.
Thus, he had no time to tarry.
As I turned my head with a quiet chuckle, I caught sight of two women mounted upon horses.
“Then we shall proceed directly to Namman as planned.”
“If we cross Gansu from here, is that Qinghai? What lies there?”
“The Kunlun Sect, which guards the gateway to the Central Plains.”
“Surely we are not stopping there as well?”
To Chaeseoha’s question, I shook my head.
The current standing of Kunlun was scarcely inferior to that of the Taoist Priests and Shaolin. There would surely be much to learn, yet I harbored no intention of visiting without purpose.
Moreover, was that mountain not renowned for its treacherous terrain?
I had no desire to invite unnecessary hardship.
“From here, we shall head northwest and cross directly into Xinjiang without passing through Qinghai. It will save us considerable time.”
I hastened to mount my horse and began to advance.
As we galloped at swift pace and departed the area, the distance between us and the Allied Faction rapidly widened.
Yet contrary to what I had anticipated, no village-like settlement appeared no matter how far we traveled.
As the sun that had hung at midheaven gradually descended and twilight settled upon the land, I surveyed the surroundings and discovered a suitable location for camping.
“We shall rest here for the night.”
“Yes, I shall prepare our camp.”
Namgung Yeon hastily dismounted and began preparing the campsite. If more time passed, complete darkness would envelop them, so there was a mountain of tasks to accomplish before then—kindling a fire, laying out bedding, and more.
Chaeseoha beside me also began her preparations with practiced efficiency, while I watched her briefly and chewed down a piece of dried meat.
Soon I rose from my seat.
“Where are you going?”
“For a walk.”
“You won’t help, and now you’re taking a walk?”
At my words, Chaeseoha responded with an incredulous expression. If I stayed to help, the camp could be prepared more quickly, so my sudden departure for a walk left her bewildered.
But I simply nodded without concern.
“Those who pay others never lift a finger themselves.”
“If you helped while paying, people would follow you better. You’d build more influence.”
As Chaeseoha spoke, her gaze drifted downward, and she frowned slightly as she observed the sword gripped in my hand.
Whether from a sudden headache, she clutched her forehead and glanced briefly toward Namgung Yeon.
But I shook my head.
Taking him along wouldn’t be of much help anyway.
“Please… enjoy your walk… and do come back safely.”
“A needless thing to say.”
I smiled faintly and slipped away from the camp.
I caught sight of Namgung Yeon’s bewildered expression, but I simply walked slowly and deliberately, putting as much distance between myself and the campsite as possible.
After walking for some time, a deep darkness had descended.
A pitch-black darkness where even the moonlight was swallowed by clouds.
Chirp-chirp-
The surroundings were densely packed with trees and undergrowth, and the only sounds were my footsteps and the chirping of insects.
Crunch- crunch-
The sound of my footsteps echoed loudly against the silence.
But at some moment.
The insect chirping ceased.
Simultaneously, the sound of someone else’s footsteps overlapped with mine.
Crunch-crunch-
Overlapping footsteps that couldn’t be mine alone.
I turned my head slightly to look to the side, and a faint shadow appeared at some distance.
A leisurely gait passing between the trees.
We walked facing each other.
The distance between us never closed, only the path forward continued.
Shing-
Shing-
Then, as if we’d been waiting for this moment, we both drew our swords simultaneously.
In that instant.
Shadow Figure and I gestured toward each other.
Whoosh-!
Clang-! Clang!
I batted away the incoming stone, and my opponent deflected the Ohdoksah. Seeing this, they seemed momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained their composure.
Thud-thud-
We walked as if probing each other’s defenses.
Then, the moment a massive boulder obscured our line of sight.
I drew my sword.
Crash-!
Our blades, swung toward each other, cleaved the giant rock asunder. As I leaped upward, confirming the fragments scattering in all directions, my opponent’s silhouette suddenly came into view.
Clang- clang-clang-!
Steel flashed brilliantly.
In darkness so complete that I could not see even an inch ahead, what emerged before my eyes were sparks blooming with terrible beauty.
As if probing one another, our blades parried and flowed, counterattacked and yielded, continuing in an intricate cross-grafting technique of distinctly opposing natures.
Yet as time wore on, I sensed my opponent’s bewilderment.
As though they had never imagined I could accomplish such a feat.
Crash-!
Then, as our blades clashed fiercely, scattering brilliant sparks as we pushed each other back.
Moonlight, freed from the clouds above, descended and revealed us both.
“I suspected it was you, after all.”
The figure revealed was none other than Hoyeon.
He gazed at me with evident surprise and perplexity, yet as his suspicion transformed into certainty, he smiled and lightly brushed off his blade.
Wearing a mask that I had donned, I looked at him and laughed.

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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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