The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 147

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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 Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 208

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Cheon Yul and I fled the location at a frenzied pace. Though we had already put considerable distance between ourselves and danger, I couldn’t afford to slow down—the anxiety was too overwhelming.
Pursuing Mo Yong-cheon for days without food or drink had been exhausting, but this escape demanded several times that level of exertion, pushing me to my absolute limits.
If anyone was chasing us, it would be either Muyong Jungcheon, the Black Emperor, or Heobeob Auk of the Sect.
I desperately wanted to avoid another confrontation with those two in circumstances like these.
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
As we ran, I heard Cheon Yul’s ragged breathing beside me.
He kept glancing backward anxiously, checking our rear—a clear sign that the situation was weighing heavily on him.
He had lived as Soocheonchu under Sa Do-cheon, a life where fear was a foreign concept.
So experiencing true death looming before his eyes for the first time must have been chilling and terrifying beyond measure.
“More than an hour has passed now. I believe we can finally breathe easier…”
“What if they’re still chasing us?!”
“There’s no sign of pursuit. Besides, if they were coming, a battle would have already erupted.”
Heobeob Auk and the other Sageuk Warriors were occupied with the Baek Myeon-in.
The Regent’s vassals possessed considerable skill.
They wouldn’t be easily overwhelmed even against the Sageuk Warriors—in fact, they might very well be pushing back.
And then there was Heobeob Auk, the greatest threat of all.
Yet even he wasn’t a major concern.
Contrary to my expectations, Auk hadn’t played a significant role—so much so that I felt foolish for having spent so much mental effort calculating when he’d properly enter the fray.
Had circumstances been different, the situation would never have unfolded as it did.
Gok Ok would never have been destroyed.
Of course, my survival wasn’t solely due to Auk’s limitations.
Mo Yong-cheon deserved the lion’s share of credit for his spectacular blunder.
His eyes were so fixated on obtaining Gok Ok that he failed to see anything else clearly—which is precisely why we escaped with our lives.
But this encounter revealed one critical card.
Having witnessed two masked figures both coveting Gok Ok, the Sect would erase any notion that they were on the same side.
“This is unfortunate.”
I smiled bitterly.
Operating under the guise of the Regent had been convenient—they simply assumed we were allies. That wouldn’t work anymore.
They would grow more suspicious and dig deeper.
They might even conclude we were a splinter faction.
As I organized these thoughts, Cheon Yul glanced sideways at me while running and asked.
“Who exactly is that bastard? Why is the Black Emperor associating with creatures like that?”
“The world contains many hidden existences. Surely he’s merely one of them?”
“Then… the Black Emperor has allied himself with forces seeking to overturn the martial world?”
Cheon Yul stared at me with widened eyes, swallowing hard as if that was the only logical conclusion.
Those who operated in the shadows typically harbored grand ambitions, and seeking to overturn the martial world seemed like a natural progression.
I laughed at Cheon Yul’s words and shook my head.
“They have no interest in such things. If they decided to move now, Sa Do-cheon and the Martial Arts Alliance would crumble in less than half a day.”
“…!”
If one only considered the visible situation—Heobeob Auk being blocked by mere Baek Myeon-in and unable to exert his full strength—my words might seem unbelievable.
However, Heobeob Auk’s martial prowess surpassed the Twelve Sovereigns.
Could one truly imagine such a master being stopped by those masked warriors?
No.
I had confirmed it through my reconnaissance.
The relationship between Baek Myeon-in and myself.
Their true purpose.
What martial techniques they displayed, how they engaged the Sageuk warriors, and the methods employed by those who had drawn their swords against me.
If Baek Myeon-in had truly escaped from Auk unscathed, it was undoubtedly because he had been allowed to leave.
As I pondered this, I furrowed my brow.
Or perhaps…
A strange question lingered in my mind.
I glanced down at my hand.
The sensation of shattering Gok Ok remained vividly imprinted on my palm. Simultaneously, an inexplicable sense of dissonance refused to fade.
This stemmed from none other than Heobeob Auk’s existence.
As a being who moved solely under the Divine’s command, much remained concealed.
Considering that even I did not know his true capabilities, it was only natural to feel unease about the recent confrontation.
He had revealed his presence, yet shown nothing of his actual power.
As I struggled to relax my furrowed brow and steady my breathing,
Cheon Yul’s worried voice reached my ears.
“The Sword Emperor didn’t realize you were the one, did he?”
“There’s no need to worry. He wasn’t in his right mind, and all his attention was focused on me.”
I was certain his obsession with Gok Ok had prevented him from paying much attention to his surroundings.
Even if he had sensed something, confirming it would be nearly impossible.
Moreover, this incident would cause Mo Yong-cheon’s value to plummet in the eyes of the Sect Members, and if fortune favored us, he would no longer be able to draw upon the Sect’s power.
His mind must be in considerable turmoil.
With the emergence of Hye-myeong already threatening his standing in the Martial Arts Alliance, losing the crucial power of Gok Ok and simultaneously losing his influence over the Sect would mean—
The Moyong Family would effectively begin its decline.
Would the other Seven Great Families simply stand idle?
No.
They would begin to suppress the Moyong Family to claim the title of the greatest martial force under heaven, and factions would emerge throughout the realm.
I let out a soft chuckle.
“My friend, but truly, you’re absurd. The way you orchestrate such chaos without batting an eye—do you have the audacity of a madman?”
“One grows accustomed to it. More importantly, how are you faring?”
“I have a few cuts here and there, but I’m fine. Better than you, at least.”
Cheon Yul looked at me and let out an exasperated laugh.
Only then did I realize my shoulder and chest bore wounds.
I had sealed the pressure points, so blood wasn’t seeping out, but the moment I became aware of the wound, a dull ache began to throb through me.
Yet this was hardly an uncommon occurrence, was it?
Always standing on the blade’s edge as I do, I was grateful enough that my head remained attached to my shoulders and that I could still draw breath—far more grateful than I was bothered by the pain coursing through my body.
I tore strips from my garments and wrapped them around my shoulder and chest like bandages, then issued a stern warning to Cheon Yul, who was wearing a hollow smile.
“Not a word of what happened today to anyone, understood?”
“What? I can’t tell?”
“Unless you wish to see Sa Do-cheon crumble, you won’t.”
“Damn it all…! Not even to grandfather? I want to slit that Sword Emperor bastard’s throat!”
“You won’t.”
At my firm tone, Cheon Yul swallowed his protest.
It seemed he had intended to report everything to Cheon Gong-hak like a beaten child running to his parents, hoping to have the Sword Emperor punished.
Alternatively, he might have considered silencing him without anyone’s knowledge.
Either way, it would be exactly the sort of thing that Death Emperor would do.
As appealing as such an action might be, I wanted to avoid a situation that could escalate into a full-scale conflict between the great powers.
While I might deceive others’ eyes, I could never deceive those of Gonghuang Hye-myeong.
The Martial Arts Alliance had already lost Hoyeon.
Nothing good would come from further complications.
Moreover, I had no desire to draw the Sect’s attention any further.
I issued one final warning to Cheon Yul.
“You must tell no one.”
“Yes… I understand.”
His eyes still held doubt, but faced with the cold intensity of my gaze, he dared not voice any further objections. He swallowed hard and nodded obediently.
I was satisfied with that for now.

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Along the empty mountain path, Auk moved forward while the Sageuk Warriors followed silently behind him.
No one spoke easily, for nearly half their number bore grievous wounds, and many had fallen in battle.
One of the Twelve Horns that upheld the Sect.
Warriors bound by pride in their station found themselves unable to shake off the shock of this defeat.
Yet Auk, leading the way, remained unmoved.
He simply walked and contemplated.
Several scenes replayed endlessly in his mind.
First and foremost, the masked martial artist who had captured his attention and stolen the Gok Ok.
By his appearance, he was undoubtedly the one who had not only plagued the Shadow Assassins but continuously obstructed the Sect’s affairs.
Exceptional skill, unrestrained action, composure maintained regardless of circumstance, and the audacity to achieve his objectives with unwavering resolve.
Combined with a seasoned mastery of exploiting situations.
Truly, he lived up to his reputation as the one who had thwarted the Sect’s plans.
Even now, the sword that man had extended when seizing the Gok Ok remained vivid in Auk’s mind.
Flowing smoothly, withdrawing with elegance.
A technique that pierced his vulnerability while he stood before him—Auk, renowned throughout the realm.
Though he had faced many formidable opponents, rarely had he encountered such a flawless exploitation of an opening.
Yet that was not all.
Though they had crossed blades only a handful of times, the sensation remained clear.
That man certainly understood his methods.
Moreover, his movements resembled one reading the fleeting future itself.
Auk wondered if he had perhaps absorbed the power of the Gok Ok.
He had observed the subsequent battle with Mo Yong-cheon and confirmed his suspicion had become near certainty.
Multiple times, just as Mo Yong-cheon’s move seemed certain to land, that man moved as if he had glimpsed the future itself.
“Fascinating.”
Auk allowed himself a faint smile.
Though the masked man had captured his attention most, the level of the other opponents who appeared was far from inferior.
They had prepared perfectly for this confrontation.
It seemed they had selected only the finest warriors to face the Sageuk, and the sword formation they had deployed to block his path was undoubtedly a technique designed to exploit weaknesses in his martial prowess.
Moreover, the aura emanating from their blades.
There was no need for deeper contemplation.
The Regent.
His survival had been proven once more.
“When I heard that Yeom Ji-hak and Chu Won had fallen, I harbored doubts. But as always, his words prove infallible.”
The Regent himself had undoubtedly slain the two Twelve Horns leaders.
It would have been impossible with merely the Baek Myeon-in who now appeared.
Moreover, one truth had become clear.
“They were different factions.”
Auk allowed himself a small smile.
Initially, he had wondered if they were allies, but observing how each pursued the Gok Ok revealed they stood on different ground despite sharing the same objective.
With such thoughts occupying him, Auk shifted his gaze.
“What has transpired?”
-We pursued them for quite some time, but they suddenly vanished without a trace. When we followed their path, we discovered a formation array had been installed.
“As expected….”
Auk nodded, recalling the masked martial artists.
Under such circumstances, it would be unthinkable for them to shake off pursuit and escape, yet it appeared they had prepared a formation array in advance.
With such a thing in place, even if my subordinates gave chase, they could evade.
Auk exhaled deeply.
To those who knew of the Sect, he was an existence impossible to overlook.
That was none other than Muyong Jungcheon, the Sword Emperor.
If Gok Ok went to such a man, they would not remain idle. The Divine had surely anticipated that the Regent’s faction would appear seeking it.
All of it had unfolded precisely as expected.
But.
“I aimed for one, yet two have appeared—now I find myself uncertain which to strike first.”
Speaking thus, Auk withdrew something from his robes.
A beautiful jade orb emanating pure white radiance.
It was incomprehensible how an object that should have been shattered to pieces now rested in his grasp.
Auk gazed upon it intently, then smiled.

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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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