The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 146

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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 146

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Hyeon Kang, the Family Head of the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family, stared intently at his son before him.
His face had taken on a sickly pallor, his expression hollow, his eyes trembling as they darted away, unable to meet his father’s gaze and fixed instead upon the ground.
To any observer, he appeared the very picture of remorse for his transgressions, yet such an appearance could not erase the gravity of what he had done.
And what had he done? He had lost all four of the Four Swords of Gi Ryeon.
The deaths of these elite warriors—the pride of the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family—represented a catastrophic loss.
All the resources invested in their cultivation, all the time spent honing their skills, all the effort expended in building their reputation and spreading the family’s name—everything had been shattered to pieces.
All because of a single sword.
Crack—!
In that instant, unable to contain his fury, Hyeon Kang’s hand lashed out and struck his son across the face.
The sharp, violent sound of the blow echoed through the room as Hyeon Illyang’s body was hurled backward, crashing against the wall and sliding down its surface.
With trembling hands, he clutched at his cheek, his entire frame quivering.
“I… I apologize.”
“Who was it? Who did this?”
His voice thundered through the chamber, a testament to the fury that consumed him.
The sound filled the room entirely, piercing into every ear, yet Hyeon Illyang could only shake his head weakly in response.
He did not know who they were.
He had merely glimpsed them at the inn for a moment, then pursued their carriage as it departed—nothing more.
Unlike his own group, who had revealed their identities, the two women had not even given their names, leaving him utterly ignorant of who they were.
This ignorance only deepened Hyeon Kang’s fury, his brow furrowing even more intensely.
Crack—!
Once more, a vicious sound tore through the air as skin split open, and Hyeon Illyang cried out in pain as his head struck the wall with force.
Though any father might have pitied such a pitiful sight, Hyeon Kang’s eyes betrayed no such sentiment whatsoever.
‘What a worthless fool!’
He was utterly contemptible.
In Hyeon Kang’s mind, the image of Jin Cheon-u, the Young Master of the Nakhyang Jin Family, whom he had witnessed at the Allied Faction gathering, remained vivid and fresh.
The way he had stepped forward boldly before the masses, the overwhelming martial prowess with which he had instantly felled Moryeong Hyeok, who was called the strongest of Changryongdan—it had shocked even Hyeon Kang himself.
Comparing such a Jin Cheon-u with his own son now.
The fact that they were of the same generation was almost unbelievable, and his anger reached its zenith at the sheer contemptibility of it all.
He could not help but make the comparison.
Irritated by these thoughts, Hyeon Kang withdrew his gaze from his son, whom he had been regarding with indifference, and shouted toward the outside.
“Are you out there?”
“Yes, Family Head.”
At the sound of Hyeon Kang’s voice, the door opened and a man stepped inside.
His eyes were grave and penetrating, his presence sharp and commanding.
One of the foremost masters of the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family, in both name and substance.
He bowed toward the Family Head.
“Create a wanted poster for the Yongmopa and place a bounty on it. Let them feel in their bones what it means to challenge the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family!”
“Understood.”
Hyeon Kang watched the man hurriedly bow and slip away from his seat, his eyes narrowing as he ground his teeth.
“They will never escape Gansu.”

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Namgung Yeon opened his eyes four days later, completely overturning my initial expectation that a single day would suffice. There was a reason for this unexpected development.
One was that Namgung Yeon’s understanding of the heart method was severely lacking, and the other was that the Jaseodan’s effects proved far stronger than anticipated.
As a result, when Namgung Yeon opened his eyes, he was no longer the same as before.
His gaze and presence had transformed completely, as though he had absorbed a considerable amount of power.
Even he seemed uncomfortable with the Jaseodan’s energy filling his dantian, as if it felt unfamiliar to him.
I led such a Namgung Yeon back into Nanzhou once more.
Time was not abundant, so I moved with haste.
I took food at an inn and went outside to purchase a carriage.
It was a serviceable one, capable of navigating even narrow mountain paths with ease.
I climbed aboard and set my course toward Xinjiang.
Naturally, Chaeseoha and Namgung Yeon took the reins.
Seeing the two women seated on the driver’s bench, I suspected Chaeseoha was teaching Namgung Yeon how to handle the carriage.
“We’re heading northwest, correct?”
“Yes, we’ll pass through Gireun Mountain and exit via Okwungwan.”
“You’re quite peculiar, Young Master.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I heard you’ve scarcely left Nakhyang, yet you seem quite familiar with these places.”
Chaeseoha, seated on the driver’s bench, glanced back slightly and asked me through the carriage window.
I hesitated for a moment at her words, but soon laughed it off casually.
“I might embark on a journey someday, so I’ve memorized maps thoroughly. If you have the time, try it yourself—it’s surprisingly entertaining.”
“Ha— I’d rather spend that time working with medicinal herbs. But Gireun Mountain… is it really safe?”
“It’s not.”
I shook my head at her slightly anxious tone.
The Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family was situated at the foot of Gireun Mountain. As a result, we were now advancing toward enemy territory. It was only natural to feel uneasy.
Moreover, the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family was not the only problem.
The vicinity of Gireun Mountain was where the greatest concentration of martial arts sects in Gansu gathered.
First, there was the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family, which could be called the second power in Gansu.
Following them, the Snow Mountain Sect and the Bright Peak Sect fiercely competed over the same territory, which meant the area had the highest concentration of martial artists in Gansu.
Not only disciples supporting each faction and force, but wanderers as well.
One might wonder why such a place posed a threat, but it was because the Snow Mountain Sect and the Bright Peak Sect operated under the influence of the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family.
Since the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family controlled most of the commercial interests, the two sects, situated in what could be called a remote area of Gansu without their support, had few means to sustain themselves.
Since the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family controls most of the commercial interests in this location, without their help, there weren’t many ways for the two martial arts sects that had established themselves in a place that could be called remote even in Gansu to make a living.
I was economically dominated by them.
If the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family were to seek help in capturing us?
They would never refuse.
I glanced subtly at Namgung Yeon from where the coachman sat.
“Are you managing alright?”
“Yes, I’m gradually working to become accustomed to it.”
“Gradually won’t do. From now on, your role is the most critical. As you can see… I’m in no condition to fight.”
I let out a soft laugh and gestured to the bandages wrapped around my body.
The battle with Hoyeon had been fierce, and the deep wounds had yet to fully heal.
Thanks to Chaeseoha’s treatment, I was recovering at a rapid pace, but I was still far from peak condition, and I intended to conserve my strength as much as possible until reaching Namman.
My body needed rest as well.
Chaeseoha agreed with that assessment.
There was only one reason I was striving to restore my body to full strength.
I withdrew a letter from my breast.
It had arrived from Yang Jachun.
He had gathered all the rumors circulating and sent them to me, and upon reading it, I came to understand one crucial fact.
“Yeom Ji-hak…”
Two demons appeared alongside the mist.
Few had seen them clearly, but based on the circumstances alone, they were undoubtedly Yeom Ji-hak, the leader of Snake Horn, and Chu Won, the leader of Shin Horn.
The reason they continued moving westward?
Obvious.
Yeom Ji-hak, who suffered defeat in Anhui, must harbor suspicions that the one he faced was not the Demon King.
Or perhaps he had discerned something about the Jade Orb.
In any case, conflict with them was unavoidable.
Moreover, the fact that both leaders were moving meant that those who served them, though unseen, were certainly following in their wake.
That was why I needed to restore my body to full condition.
“This time… I will kill him.”
My eyes blazed with fierce determination as I thought of Yeom Ji-hak.
I would kill him with my own hands without fail.
The shock of watching those who had aided me fall one by one to his hands had been considerable, but I could not forget the face of Jang Chuchyeong, severed and rolling atop Mount Taeag.
For that reason, I would sever his neck with my own hands without fail.
With that resolve, I steadied my breathing.
Then.
A commotion erupted outside.
I turned my head slightly and peered out.
In that instant, I saw several bandits rushing toward us, employing lightness techniques.
“Namgung Yeon.”
“Yes?”
“Enemies.”
“…!”
Only then did Namgung Yeon realize the situation and hastily turned his head. Upon seeing roughly a dozen figures rushing madly toward the carriage, his eyes widened.
“There! They match the description perfectly!”
“No doubt about it! The bounty is mine!”
“Hahaha! Let’s catch them first, then worry about the details.”
A dozen wanderers blazed forward with fervent eyes, accelerating their pace.
I couldn’t discern the exact bounty amount, but if it could drive wanderers to such frenzy, it had to be at least in gold.
I let out a soft chuckle and leisurely crossed my arms.
Then I turned my gaze to Namgung Yeon and observed.
What will you do?
“Physician, can you increase our speed?”
“I’ll try.”
“Young Master, there are many of them, so I’ll create distance first.”
“Do as you see fit.”
This situation unfolding in Gansu—Namgung Yeon leads it. I observe from behind, intending to grant her even modest experience.
Her talent and skill are sufficient, but compensating for her weakness—her lack of experience—is the priority.
Moreover, there could be no better circumstance than this to practice controlling the inner power I’ve accumulated thanks to the Jaso Sect.
In the moment I watched with a smile on my face.
Namgung Yeon rose from her seat and gazed at the wanderers pursuing us.
“Stand back!”
“Ahahaha! There’s ten taels of gold on your heads! What madman would let that slip away?”
“And they say there’s an even richer reward if we bring you in alive—why would we refuse?”
The wanderers burst into laughter and pushed their speed even higher.
As they deployed their lightness technique and rushed forward, the distance between us steadily narrowed.
Namgung Yeon narrowed her eyes as she watched.
Then she slowly drew her sword.
She closed her eyes briefly as if contemplating something, and when she opened them again, her gaze blazed with a sharpness unlike any before.
In an instant, she swung.
Shhhhwooosh—!
A crescent-shaped blade aura shot forth at terrifying speed.
Had they sensed the weighty force contained within it?
The wanderers cried out in alarm and scattered in all directions.
Boom—!
The blade aura struck the earth and erupted, revealing its power.
The ground carved deep, and rocks and soil scattered in all directions.
Several of those who had hastily dodged were caught in the shockwave and tumbled across the earth.
“Aaaagh!”
“Kugh?!”
“…What manner of inner power…!”
At the voices reaching us, Namgung Yeon let out a soft groan.
The result she had just achieved was different from what she had anticipated.
I had wanted something sharp and cutting rather than blunt force—something that would slice through the earth itself rather than merely crack it.
A failure in controlling my spiritual energy had produced this result.
Yet what seemed a misfortune became a blessing in disguise; while they recoiled from the fragments and hesitated for a moment, the carriage surged forward, widening the distance between us at greater speed.
“Hold tight!”
It was Chaeseoha who made this possible.
Grown accustomed to handling the carriage, she cracked the whip without hesitation.
The speed increased further, but the problem was that, little by little, her method of driving the carriage was beginning to resemble Gu Gunbaek’s.
It lurched violently and swayed from side to side.
Though I sat with my arms crossed, I felt my body being thrown back and forth repeatedly, and a small groan escaped my lips.
“Drive more carefully, would you?”
“If I don’t, we’ll lose the carriage again like last time.”
Unwilling to accept that possibility, Chaeseoha gritted her teeth even harder.
Chaeseoha began to handle the carriage with increasing fluidity, while Namgung Yeon gripped his sword and scanned our surroundings to protect us.
Perhaps they were better matched than I had initially thought.
I turned my head with a faint smile.
“They’re coming again.”
At the presence I felt, both women’s gazes shifted.
Several men emerged from the thicket.
They were clearly different from those we had seen moments before.
It seemed our route had already been discovered by them.
Clang—whoosh!
The sharp sound of Namgung Yeon’s sword strikes rang out loudly.
I found myself curious about how long the Namgung sword could endure.

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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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