The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 144
—————
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 Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 205
* * *
Unexpected circumstances were always welcome.
Breaking through the formation array laid out here proved far easier than anticipated. Mo Yong-cheon’s careless traces still lingered in the area.
By simply following those traces, I managed to slip away from the location and discover what appeared to be their inner sanctum.
“What in the world is this?”
“Cover your face. If we’re discovered, it could spell disaster.”
At my words, Cheon Yul furrowed his brow.
Unable to find anything suitable to mask his features, he tore off his upper garment without hesitation and fashioned it into a makeshift mask.
I observed this while surveying the surroundings.
Several towering trees caught my attention.
Suppressing my presence as much as possible, I leaped toward the highest point in one fluid motion.
The moment I reached the treetop, the interior of the pavilion came into clear view.
The first figure to catch my eye was none other than Mo Yong-cheon.
Fortunately, it seemed my hurried pursuit had paid off—Mo Yong-cheon appeared to have only recently entered the chamber.
Though the distance was considerable, the reason he hadn’t noticed me was clear: he was absorbed in something else entirely.
What could it be?
As I furrowed my brow and continued observing the situation intently.
A familiar figure came into view.
“Auk?”
Auk was the Divine Protector of the Sacred Sect—a being who moved only when the will of the god they revered demanded it.
Yet his presence here… did that mean he had become their new vessel?
That couldn’t be right.
I watched the incomprehensible scene unfold.
The moment everyone prostrated themselves and Auk opened the wooden box in his hands.
A pristine white jade orb came into view.
The instant I saw it emanating its soft luminescence, I understood the entire situation at once.
“…!”
I quickly descended from the tree and turned urgently toward Cheon Yul.
“Do you happen to have any smoke bombs?”
“Smoke bombs? I’ve got some, naturally. These things prove quite useful when circumstances demand it. Want one?”
Cheon Yul produced a round object from his robes and handed it over.
I wouldn’t know its exact properties until I used it, but judging from Cheon Yul’s confident expression, it appeared to be something specially crafted by the Sa Do-cheon organization.
“But what exactly do you need it for?”
“There’s no time to explain in detail. All you need to do is create a disturbance at a distance and draw their attention. I’ll handle the rest.”
“So what exactly are you—”
“Just do as I say.”
At the sharp gaze and weighty tone, Cheon Yul’s body trembled as he nodded almost involuntarily. Soon after, I watched him hastily grasp his sword and launch himself forward.
I confirmed this while pressing myself against the wall, my mind racing.
If what I saw with my own eyes was not mistaken, it was undoubtedly Gok Ok.
The fact that Auk possessed it, and Mo Yong-cheon appeared as though he had come specifically to obtain it—from this alone, I could discern who would become the new footnote in this tale.
I smiled without realizing it.
“So the Sword Emperor is satisfied with just a name, yet his greed runs deep.”
With a soft chuckle, I withdrew a mask from my robes and fastened it across my face.
In that instant.
Kwaaang—!
An enormous sound erupted, and murky dust billowed upward.
The moment the sound reached my ears, I hurled myself forward and vaulted over the wall.
From a distance away, I caught sight of Mo Yong-cheon and Auk staring in shock at where Cheon Yul had been standing.
I channeled every ounce of my strength into my legs.
Then I pushed off the ground and surged forward.
The instant the two sensed my presence and looked toward me in alarm, I drew my sword without hesitation and unleashed a wave of blade energy.
My opponents were Mo Yong-cheon and Auk.
I could afford no carelessness.
Thus I wielded my blade with full force, carving a gap between the two of them.
Saaak—!
My sword cleaved through the air, and those who felt the threat retreated half a step. Simultaneously, I caught the widening of their eyes, realizing they had not yet fully grasped this shocking turn of events.
I did not miss that opening.
I swung my sword.
My blade shot toward Auk in a threatening arc, aimed at his throat, but the startled wretch twisted his head to evade—in that very moment.
The trajectory of my sword shifted toward the chest.
My blade descended smoothly and settled Gok Ok perfectly upon its flat surface, then flicked upward lightly, and I caught it in my palm.
“No—!”
What followed was Mo Yong-cheon’s fierce cry.
At the ear-splitting sound, I pushed off the ground once more and retreated, watching Mo Yong-cheon’s grip barely miss through empty air.
I gazed at this and allowed myself a subtle smile.
At the same time.
Pwoooosh—!
The smoke bomb that fell to the ground erupted in thick black smoke, billowing outward in all directions.
Vision became impossible.
What made it even worse for them was that it was now deep in the night.
“Ugh?!”
A small groan sounded, followed by the scrape of a sword being drawn, but I swiftly vaulted over the wall and began deploying my lightness technique with terrifying speed.
“Chase—!”
Auk’s shout followed, and Mo Yong-cheon’s sword swung through the air, unleashing a tremendous boom.
Kwaaang—!
In an instant, a single technique dispersed all the black smoke.
Not only that, but I even demolished the walls surrounding the compound.
With the path now wide open, the Sageuk Warriors began pouring out like a raging flood.
“What?! What is that?! Who are those people?!”
“Don’t worry about it and run. Unless you want to die.”
At those firm words, Cheon Yul fell silent.
This was no time for conversation.
The Sageuk Warriors cascading from all directions were terrifying enough, but what truly chilled me to the bone was Mo Yong-cheon himself—his expression and gaze seemed to carry something like the aura of a vengeful spirit.
“You bastards—!”
Shhhhh— Crash!
He came charging forward with a force that seemed capable of sweeping away everything in its path. His obsession was palpable—an unwavering determination that he would never abandon Gok Ok, no matter what.
His speed was so tremendous that I was certain we would be caught if we stopped for even a moment.
“That madman is the Sword Emperor, isn’t he?!”
“Yes. If he catches us, we’re dead.”
“What in the world made him like this?!”
Cheon Yul seemed utterly unable to comprehend the situation, his eyes pleading for an explanation. But even if I explained, he wouldn’t understand, and besides, this wasn’t the time for it.
Shhhhh—! Whoosh!
In that instant, Mo Yong-cheon’s sword energy grazed my shoulder.
The sharpness was overwhelmingly terrifying.
Despite merely grazing me, the wound cut quite deep.
“This is troublesome.”
I let out a bitter smile and furrowed my brow.
It wasn’t simply that Mo Yong-cheon was formidable.
If we fought properly, I was confident I could drag out at least a hundred exchanges. However, with the ominous threat of the Sageuk Warriors at our heels, there was no opportunity to do anything.
While I was thinking for a moment.
Ching—!
An alarm bell rang in my mind, and I lifted my head.
“You wretch—!”
Moryeong Hyeok descended from the sky, closing the distance in a single burst of movement.
Wielding his sword with terrifying force.
Crash—!
I barely managed to evade the blade, but the shockwave was fierce.
Rolling across the ground and quickly rising to my feet.
A sword came flying down at my head.
Whoosh—!
Several strands of hair were severed, and blood burst from my forehead. It was a divine technique created merely by the wind from a casual sword swing.
But.
Clang—!
“…!?”
I deflected the incoming Cloud-Piercing Sword Technique and retreated in one swift motion.
Slash—!
Behind him, I watched the Sageuk Warriors collapse to the ground—had they retreated even a hair’s breadth slower, they would have been slaughtered where they stood.
“You wretch—! That belongs to me!”
Mo Yong-cheon, screaming with eyes bloodshot as if possessed by a demon, bore little resemblance to the Sword Emperor he normally appeared to be.
I gazed at Mo Yong-cheon and smiled.
In the next moment, as I examined the Gok Ok in my grasp and prepared to crush it—
Whoosh!
Something flew toward me faster than anticipated.
“…!”
A hidden blade.
Clang!
I hastily swung my sword and deflected it.
Before the sharp sound even registered in my ears, a shadow fell across my vision, and Auk, wielding a short sword, materialized and began his assault.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
In an instant, our blades collided repeatedly, sparks erupting between them.
As if driven by an unwavering resolve not to yield, his attacks poured forth relentlessly, continuously pushing me backward.
I parried his strikes while casting a glance toward Cheon Yul.
He, having perceived some signal, wielded his saber with terrifying ferocity.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-crash!
The moment his saber, infused with formidable saber energy, swept through the air, the earth shattered and the surrounding trees were cleaved, toppling in all directions.
Fragments of stone erupted upward like projectiles, and the falling trees blocked the path of those advancing toward us.
Yet this obstruction was far from sufficient.
For in this place stood not only Auk, but the Sword Emperor himself.
“Out of my way!”
The moment a cold voice laden with ghostly intent reached my ears—
Auk, startled, hastily threw himself aside.
Then Mo Yong-cheon’s sword descended.
As if he would have cleaved Auk as well had he not moved.
Whether driven by the determination to reclaim what was his with his own hands, Mo Yong-cheon pressed forward without hesitation, narrowing the distance between us.
Clang!
In the moment I blocked one strike, a brief gap opened between us.
I seized that instant to glance toward Cheon Yul.
“Argh?! Uaaaagh!”
Those swarming toward him were the Sageuk Warriors.
With so many launching fierce attacks, he was undoubtedly being pressed back.
This situation was untenable.
Not only was I contending with both Auk and Mo Yong-cheon, but I was certain Cheon Yul, standing alone against the Sageuk Warriors, would not hold out much longer.
“감히- 감히—! 나의 것을 빼앗으려 하는 것이냐!”
At that moment, Mo Yong-cheon’s sword descended again with a fierce cry.
Clang—clang-clang—clang-clang-clang-clang!
Weighty force and the keen, razor-sharp momentum of his blade.
I could clearly feel that the title of Sword Emperor was not earned without merit.
However, compared to the three Emperors I had met thus far, he fell short, and he was utterly incomparable to Yeom Ji-hak, who had once been the chief of the entire Snake Clan.
Moreover, with only Gok Ok capturing my attention, I lacked composure entirely. What he wielded was the Ascending Heaven Sword Technique, which had the Cloud-Piercing Sword Technique as its foundation.
Clang—screeeech—
“…!?”
I blocked it head-on and pressed my blade against his.
They would not separate.
Blade met blade with a sharp, piercing cry, and simultaneously I closed the distance, pressing my advantage relentlessly.
I saw his pupils dilate dramatically.
As if he had never imagined himself being pushed back.
That brief opening gave me the advantage I needed.
I drove forward, swinging my sword, and in the same motion twisted my body and extended my hand.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!
He recoiled in shock as a barrage of poison darts poured down upon him.
Merely two steps back, but that was enough.
I launched myself forward.
“Where do you think you’re—cough!?”
Mo Yong-cheon roared harshly and tried to swing his sword again, but the final poison dart, fired faster than his strike, intercepted his movement.
In that fleeting instant, I closed the distance to Cheon Yul and swung my blade toward the Snake Clan warriors surrounding him like a net.
Screeeech—!
“Ahhhhh!”
I cut them down in one breath.
My sword, swung without restraint, blazed with light, and a dozen arcs flashed as I severed them.
There was no time to even register the blood spraying into the air.
I smirked and launched myself forward.
“Damn it!”
At the same moment, Cheon Yul, grasping the situation, threw another smoke screen at the ground, and before the sound of its detonation even reached my ears, he propelled himself forward and followed in my wake.
Then, something came flying.
As if refusing to let us escape.
I twisted my body and swung my sword.
Boom boom—!
Fierce force collided in midair, releasing a powerful shockwave that made our pursuers hesitate momentarily, buying us precious seconds.
In that interval, we grew steadily farther away.
Simultaneously, Cheon Yul’s voice reached me, quite frantic.
“You madman! We can actually survive this, right!?”
“We can.”
“How in the world!?”
How indeed?
I paused to think.
In truth, this situation had not been part of my calculations.
I never expected Gok Ok to make an appearance.
Because this was something I had hastily arranged, if someone were to demand an immediate solution right now, the truth is I have no means to provide one.
But.
I smiled and gazed ahead.
I sensed the presence of countless individuals approaching from not far away.
They were coming toward the exact location where the commotion was unfolding.
Yes, I had thought that if Gok Ok was here, they would surely come.
I watched as the silhouettes of the Shadow Figures gradually became distinct before my eyes.
Figures wearing expressionless white masks.
Vassals of the Regent.
It was the moment another piece was added to the board.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————