The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 142

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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 142

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The streets of Nanzhou thrummed with vibrant energy.
Compared to other great cities like Nakhyang, it fell somewhat short, yet its proximity to the Western Regions meant exotic and mysterious wares abounded throughout the marketplace.
Yet Chaeseoha, despite being a woman who might ordinarily find such treasures captivating, showed little interest in anything beyond medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical ingredients as she wandered the marketplace.
She replenished supplies that had been depleted during their journey, her eyes gleaming with fascination as she examined herbs and materials that bore no resemblance to those of the Central Plains.
“There’s truly so much to see here.”
“Um… Physician, is it really all right to spend time like this?”
Unlike Chaeseoha, who moved through the marketplace with radiant smiles, Namgung Yeon appeared anxious and could scarcely bring himself to observe his surroundings.
The reason was simple—they had left Jin Cheon-u behind, wounded.
Even returning immediately seemed insufficient given the circumstances, yet here they were browsing the marketplace, which weighed heavily on his conscience.
“He’ll be fine. He’s the sort of man even spirits cannot claim.”
“Is that… so?”
“Indeed. How many times has it been now? I wonder if he’s made friends with the messengers of the Afterlife themselves.”
Chaeseoha shook her head slowly as she recalled Jin Cheon-u. The wound he sustained in Anhui had been most severe, yet thinking back further, it seemed miraculous he had survived at all across countless prior incidents.
The absurd thought crossed her mind—perhaps his childhood companion was the Yama himself, or perhaps Jin Cheon-u’s true father was not Jin Ga-muk but the Yama King instead.
“Moreover, having completely absorbed the spiritual energy of the Spirit Elixir, his vital force is rapidly mending his body. He’ll be even more sound by morning.”
“A Spirit Elixir?”
“Such things exist.”
Chaeseoha shook her head with a peculiar expression, as if recalling something from the past.
She still could not forget that moment when the Jade of Ink Fragrance was absorbed and vanished. She was certain it would remain etched in her mind until her dying breath.
“Perhaps poison itself holds no sway over that man.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Nothing, just something that exists.”
Chaeseoha furrowed her delicate brow in contemplation.
To craft an antidote, one typically seeks the Jade of Ink Fragrance above all else. It is renowned for neutralizing the Thousand Poisons, making it the most potent remedy against toxins.
The fact that he had absorbed such a substance into his body suggested he might have gained effects comparable to its properties.
Having reached this conclusion, Chaeseoha clicked her tongue.
His family was the Nakhyang Jin Family, and his martial prowess was extraordinary.
And if poison itself could not touch him…?
“He’s a monster.”
Moreover, by completely absorbing the Chae Family’s Spirit Elixir as his own, he had gained healing capabilities several times greater than ordinary men. In truth, even the word “monster” seemed insufficient to describe him.
So the Yama truly was his father.
Either way, it was utterly beyond belief.
With such thoughts, Chaeseoha began selecting herbs with meticulous care.
No matter how swiftly he might recover, she would need to prepare a restorative decoction to fortify his depleted body and restore his vital energy.
A soft smile played across her lips as her gaze turned toward Namgung Yeon.
I had been fixated on a single location for some time now, and Chaeseoha naturally found herself following my gaze.
In that moment, Chaeseoha could instantly discern what Namgung Yeon desired.
A sword.
Having lost her blade in the duel against Moryeong Hyeok, she now carried no weapon at all.
“Would you like to take a look?”
“Is it acceptable?”
“Why not? It’s only natural for a martial artist to develop an interest in weapons.”
At those words, Namgung Yeon nodded with a bright smile and moved forward. We arrived at the blacksmith’s forge with brisk steps, and countless weapons were displayed—each one of exceptional quality.
Simply by looking at them, one could sense their sharpness.
Perhaps for this reason, Namgung Yeon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Have you come seeking a sword? Then choose whatever you wish. I assure you, there is no one in Gansu who crafts finer weapons than I do.”
At that moment, a middle-aged man who had been working the bellows spoke with unmistakable pride.
True to his word, there was not a single inferior weapon among them.
Some of the blades were of such quality that they would deserve to be called legendary swords.
Namgung Yeon examined them for quite some time.
Then, discovering something, her eyes grew wide with wonder.
On one wall of the blacksmith’s forge hung several weapons.
One was a dao, one a sword, one a spear, and one a bow.
None of the displayed weapons could compare to these; they commanded an overwhelming presence merely by their appearance.
Among them, what captured Namgung Yeon’s attention was naturally the sword.
As if symbolizing something profound, it was crafted entirely in pure white, and most striking was the dragon motif exquisitely wrought in silver upon the pristine white scabbard—it was breathtakingly beautiful.
When Namgung Yeon let out a small exclamation, the blacksmith chuckled and spoke.
“Those are not for sale. They are heirlooms, crafted by my ancestors in honor of the martial artists they most admired.”
“Then that sword as well…?”
“Yes, that is so. That blade is the work of my late great-grandfather… It was created in commemoration of a martial artist who defended Gansu during the time of the Dark Sect’s upheaval.”
“The Dark Sect….”
“Indeed. I cannot speak to how extraordinary he was, but in any case, my great-grandfather spent the remainder of his life forging that blade alone before he passed. Later, my grandfather completed what he had left unfinished.”
At the mention of its completion across generations, both Namgung Yeon and Chaeseoha could not hide their astonishment.
Such was the depth of reverence they held for that martial artist.
“Therefore, I regret to say it is a family treasure and cannot be sold.”
“Ah….”
Namgung Yeon sighed with evident disappointment.
Having glimpsed that sword, no other weapon seemed to capture her interest; though she turned her attention to the displayed pieces, her hand did not readily settle upon any of them.
“Well, I never expected to encounter you young ladies again in a place like this. It seems fate has woven our paths together.”
Then, a voice suddenly rang out.
As Chaeseoha and Namgung Yeon turned, a group of men slowly approached the blacksmith’s forge.
In an instant, Namgung Yeon positioned herself between Chaeseoha and them, her eyes narrowing.
“We harbor no ill intent. We too have business with the blacksmith, but you young ladies were blocking the path.”
The leading man spoke in an offhand manner, appraising Namgung Yeon. I observed how swiftly she had interposed herself and prepared her hands for whatever might come—clearly, she was a martial artist of considerable skill. I turned my gaze away.
I quickly moved between them to block the way, and prepared my hands in case things went wrong. Just from seeing that, I thought he was a martial artist of considerable skill, and I turned my gaze away.
After a moment, the man’s gaze swept across Chaeseoha, who wore a veil, and he clicked his tongue with a hint of regret before speaking again.
“Might we pass through?”
Namgung Yeon said nothing, gently pulling Chaeseoha back with him.
Even so, he remained vigilant, watching their movements carefully—and it seemed they had not come with any intention of causing trouble, for they simply brushed past and stood before the Blacksmith with an air of pressure.
“It has been a long time. I never thought I would see your face again.”
“…I never expected you to come looking for me.”
“Ha, neither did I. The distance from Gireun to Nanzhou is considerable, and I had no desire to make the journey—yet you have drawn me here.”
The atmosphere between the two men was decidedly peculiar.
The Blacksmith appeared diminished, while the man gazed down with an aloof dignity, his dismissive tone commanding attention with unwavering authority.
Namgung Yeon, fearing they might be drawn into conflict, began to retreat with Chaeseoha, but a sudden voice halted his movement.
“If we leave, that man might suffer greatly.”
At Chaeseoha’s words, Namgung Yeon swallowed a groan.
Ordinarily, he could not know what business lay between them, but to meddle carelessly in another’s affairs was never a wise choice.
The likelihood of incurring great trouble was far too high.
Moreover, they were currently under the protection of the Nakhyang Jin Family, and her actions might bring shame upon the Sega’s name.
Thus, in that moment of hesitation.
“Listen here, Master Geum. What is the meaning of this? Did you not say you would accept a generous price?”
“This sword was forged by my great-grandfather and grandfather. It is not something I can sell, and asking me to part with it for merely ten taels of silver is unreasonable, is it not?”
“Ha ha ha, what? Is that all? Then I shall add five more taels. Surely that exceeds the sword’s value?”
“Ten taels of silver…?”
Ten taels of silver was undoubtedly a substantial sum.
Yet it fell far short of what a renowned blade was worth, amounting to little more than the price of a decent sword.
As Chaeseoha listened to their exchange, her gaze turned toward the white sword.
Though she did not know the world well, she prided herself on understanding it better than Namgung Yeon.
Even to her eyes, the intricate and ornate craftsmanship alone far exceeded the value of ten taels.
Though she could not draw the blade to inspect it, the fact that the forge had been maintained for such a long time spoke to considerable skill.
And considering that the current artisan’s mastery was inherited from his predecessors, the sword’s true worth must be substantial.
Chaeseoha looked once more at the Blacksmith and the men.
Though she could not gauge how formidable these men were, the Blacksmith’s very demeanor revealed he held a position of considerable standing.
If left to their own devices, they would surely seize it by force.
She deliberated carefully.
What would Jin Cheon-u do in such a situation?
Her gaze flickered toward Namgung Yeon, and she smiled as though the answer required no thought whatsoever.
He would surely.
“I shall purchase it.”
“What?!”
She reached out and snatched the purse that Namgung Yeon carried—Jin Cheon-u’s purse—from his hands. Opening it, she could not help but let out a soft whistle.
Coins of gold and silver tumbled forth in quantities difficult to count.
Just how much was all of this…?
After gazing at the glimmering gold and silver coins for some time, Chaeseoha, following Jin Cheon-u’s sensibilities, withdrew coins without hesitation and cast them forth.
I couldn’t discern who this man before me was, but the sum he’d withdrawn was far beyond what could be produced on the spot.
“Gasp?!”
“Are you selling?”
Master Geum swallowed hard as he watched the silver in Chaeseoha’s hand.
The men observing the scene were equally astonished.
The amount she’d produced without hesitation was ten taels of silver.
Jin Cheon-u once said, “Spend money as freely as water flows.”
What was it again?
Some nonsense about money returning when spent followed, but she had no interest in such philosophy and cleanly erased it from her mind, handing over the funds without hesitation.
The fact that it wasn’t even her own money helped matters considerably.
Then she turned her gaze to Master Geum.
“Will you sell it? Looking at it now, keeping it seems like it would only bring losses.”
“…Ah, understood!”
Master Geum hurried inside without further deliberation and returned with the sword hanging on the wall.
He seemed to recognize that holding onto it would be pointless, and that selling it for such a substantial sum was the better choice.
Chaeseoha, gripping a sword for the first time, was evidently startled by its weight and trembled as she struggled to hand it to Namgung Yeon.
“This is….”
“It’s yours. Payment for the errand.”
“But… is that really acceptable?”
“Don’t worry about it. It won’t even amount to pocket change for that person.”
At Chaeseoha’s words, Namgung Yeon smiled bitterly as she gazed upon the sword.
The hilt fit perfectly into her palm, as though it had finally found its true master.
She drew it lightly, and with a sharp metallic ring, a blade of unparalleled keenness revealed itself.
“…!”
It would be no exaggeration to call it a legendary blade.
Namgung Yeon, startled, looked toward Master Geum, who smiled bitterly and spoke.
“I heard it was forged for what was called the Number One Sword Sect of its age. I pray that their valor dwells within this blade for you, young lady.”
“Of its age… the Number One Sword Sect….”
At those words, Namgung Yeon held her breath and tightened her grip on the sword.
As she closed her eyes and fell into contemplation, Chaeseoha quietly turned to observe the man watching them.
Though the cloth veil obscured the details, his face appeared flushed as though he’d suffered considerable humiliation.
It seemed prudent to depart hastily.
They’d obtained medicinal herbs and materials, and now they had the sword.
With the carriage and provisions surely prepared by now, they needed to leave this place before any troublesome complications arose.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Just as Chaeseoha hurriedly pulled Namgung Yeon away from the spot.
Suddenly, a man’s voice rang out.
“Wait, young lady.”
“What is it?”
“I am Hyeon Illyang of the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family. Have you perhaps heard of me?”
His gaze was indifferent, yet his eyes gleamed with a razor-sharp intensity.
It was merely a statement of his name, and yet it carried the weight of a threat—a sensation that was decidedly no illusion.
A soft breath escaped.
Chaeseoha steadied herself and offered a faint smile.
“I’m afraid I’ve never heard of you at all.”

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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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