The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 161

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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 161

So Makjan stared at Jin Cheon-u with an expression of utter disbelief. Even before entering the Forbidden Zone, he had grown weary of hearing rumors about this man.
That he had crushed Moyong Hyeok, that he had held his own against both Hwasan and Jongnam, and finally, the incident involving the Gi Ryeon Hyeon Family.
Certainly, he had accomplished feats that defied reason, but So Makjan had never expected him to mount a proper defense against Singyeo warriors.
More troubling still—why was this man, who had supposedly returned to Nakhyang, here?
And seeing how he knew So Makjan’s name and seemed to have pierced through his very purpose, it only deepened the conviction that someone stood behind this youth.
Most unsettling of all was his manner.
Shing—!
With elegant footwork, he overwhelmed his subordinates.
Each flash of his blade sent blood spraying, and men fell without resistance. Yet despite his relentless assault, there was no sign of fatigue.
The swordplay visible to the eye, the movements themselves.
All of it conjured the memory of the Gwanbaek he had once witnessed.
“Ugh!”
The phantom image of that Absolute Being made his body shrink back.
Though he knew the Gwanbaek was not this man, the overwhelming aura and momentum paralyzed him—even gripping and swinging his blade felt like hesitation.
Yet he could not simply stand and watch.
Though the skill displayed exceeded his expectations and pressed him into difficulty, So Makjan trusted in the Singyeo warriors at his side.
They would surely prevail.
So Makjan, whose eyes burned with determination as he watched Jin Cheon-u, finally moved.
Whoosh—!
His form blurred and shot forward.
His lightness skill was extraordinarily swift.
Incomparable to those around him.
Even masters of the first rank could not follow his speed with their eyes, and as his blade swung with such velocity, tremendous force was channeled into the strike, hurtling toward Jin Cheon-u.
But.
Whoosh—!
Jin Cheon-u evaded with a light shift of his body.
As if he had anticipated that single strike.
Simultaneously with that mysterious footwork, his blade pierced through.
A technique of terrifying precision descended upon him.
Like flowing water, it came naturally, and though his eyes tracked the incoming blade, he could not perceive it as a threat.
Just as one cannot gauge the current’s strength until falling into the rushing river.
By the moment the danger registered, it was too late.
So Makjan’s eyes widened in alarm as he stumbled backward.
Slash—!
“Gah?!”
His chest was cut.
Not deep, but had it gone an inch further, it would have been fatal.
The flowing blood was proof of that, but there was no opportunity to stop the bleeding.
Jin Cheon-u’s sword moved again, striking forward.
Clang—clang clang clang—!
The trajectory carved by the blade was precise and utterly elegant.
The whirling sword gleamed brilliantly, tracing smooth arcs through the air, and those fluid lines were so mesmerizing that merely watching them felt like being drawn in.
A sensation of consciousness being sucked away.
Yet simultaneously, a feeling as though being dragged into a bottomless swamp.
I was concentrating with all my might to resist, but I was completely caught in Jin Cheon-u’s rhythm and could not escape easily.
What astonished So Makjan even more was this:
Despite facing him directly, he was not missing a single blade strike from his subordinates attacking from all directions.
Clang clang clang clang—!
As if he were someone seasoned in one-against-many combat.
Unlike myself, who was grinding my teeth, Jin Cheon-u remained composed.
“Damn it—!”
As one of the pillars of the Twelve Sects, specifically Shin Gak, being pushed back by a Central Plains native—not even a member of Singyeo—was a moment that deeply wounded my pride.
Then, a strange sound began to echo from somewhere.
Ssshhh—ssshhhhh—
The distant sound was drowned out by the violent clash of combat and could not be heard clearly, but it gradually grew louder as it drew nearer, burrowing into my ears.
So Makjan, and even Jin Cheon-u, turned their heads.
In that instant.
Kieeeeeek—!
A giant snake emerged from the forest and raised its head.
“…!”
All those engaged in combat turned their gaze toward the creature.

* * *

At most, there were only two of them.
Yet they were undoubtedly overwhelming their opponents.
Since these men could barely eat, drink, or sleep properly, no matter how fiercely they wielded their blades, they were inevitably weaker compared to their normal state.
Jang Chuchyeong and I exploited this weakness, pressing our advantage relentlessly.
Though the fierce exchange of attacks continued, we were gradually succeeding in felling them one by one with relative ease, and I judged that with a bit more time, certain victory would be ours.
But then.
I furrowed my brow as I gazed at a single snake raising its head.
As if to prove it was the same one from before, one of its eyes was visibly damaged.
The creature flicked its tongue, surveying the interior with its remaining eye.
Soon, it fixed its gaze upon me.
Zzzzzing—!
As a sharp pain throbbed through my head and a brief vision flashed across my mind, the creature lunged straight at me with its maw wide open.
Like a snake baring its fangs at prey.
Crash—crash—crash—crash—boom!
I leaped backward, creating distance as the creature came hurtling toward me with devastating force.
So Makjan and his subordinates gathered nearby did the same, but the problem was that the snake’s eyes were fixed solely on me, gleaming with unmistakable intent.
It was like staring into the eyes of a mortal enemy.
Those burning eyes shone with an eerie light.
“So it’s not completely mindless after all. I almost wish it were.”
I tightened my grip on my sword and drew up my spiritual energy.
As if sensing the strange sensation, the creature opened its maw and spat out its saliva.
As if to show it would not fall victim to the same trick twice.
Multiple streams of venom shot toward me at insane speed.
I pushed off a nearby tree to evade and tumbled across the ground, rolling away.
Yet the assault did not cease.
“Ha—ha—ha! Things aren’t going your way, are they?”
At the same moment, So Makjan’s voice rang out from somewhere, and alarm bells sounded in my mind.
Zzzzzing—!
As another vision flashed past in an instant.
I furrowed my brow and thrust my blade forward directly.
Clang—!
“…!”
In that moment, a shocked Sect Member came into view.
A surprise attack while my senses were compromised.
They had not expected me to block it perfectly, and their expression of astonishment was laid bare.
A small smile played across my lips as I swung my blade.
Slice—!
As I severed the creature’s neck, I felt the air shudder and quickly hurled myself away from the spot.
Crash—boom—!
The snake crashed down with its maw agape where I had been standing.
The creature that had reduced the surroundings to rubble in a single breath chewed on what was in its mouth, then spat it out in dissatisfaction.
Soon, its gaze turned toward me once more.
“Young Master, what do we do about this?”
Jang Chuchyeong, who had drawn near, alternated his gaze between the snake staring at me and the Singyeo warriors.
It would have been ideal if the Singyeo warriors joined in the fight since fortune had brought them here, but the snake’s eyes—burning with vengeance—refused to leave me.
It was determined to devour me no matter what.
And on top of that, there was So Makjan and his subordinates, attempting to seize this opportunity to capture me.
I steadied my breathing and gripped my sword firmly.
“What do you mean what? We have to catch them all while we’re at it.”
“Huh?!”
I narrowed my eyes and focused my concentration.
I was resolute in my determination, prepared to draw upon Innate True Energy if necessary, when suddenly—
Boom—!
A tremendous footstep echoed from somewhere.
In that instant, the ground trembled.
Everyone present startled and began frantically scanning their surroundings.
Something was clearly approaching, yet none of us could discern what it was.
Thud, thud—!
As the earth shook again, something extraordinary occurred.
The snake, which had been asserting its presence with its head held high, suddenly looked around in panic, lowered its head hastily, and began to retreat.
Even I could not hide my bewilderment at this inexplicable situation.
In the midst of such bizarre circumstances, as I surveyed the area—
A shadow suddenly fell over us.
Something had approached at a speed so incredible that we hadn’t even perceived its arrival.
Crash—!
It descended with enough force to shatter the earth, glared at the snake with a fierce intensity, then launched itself forward again toward the fleeing creature.
Crackle—!
Shriek—!
The massive creature moved like a flash of light, trampling and crushing the snake’s body beneath it.
Growl—
With a piercing gaze that seemed to say, “Why does a creature like you dare enter my domain?” it threatened, and the snake thrashed about even more desperately in its attempt to escape.
Unable to even spit out its lethal venom—the toxic liquid that could dissolve human bone—the snake writhed as if pleading for mercy.
But the beast that had appeared knew no mercy.
It opened its massive jaws in an instant and seized the snake’s neck.
Rip—!
With a mere toss of its head, it pierced through skin that even swords could not cut, and the snake’s head—which seemed impossible to tear away—was severed effortlessly.
Everyone present held their breath.
All those gathered could do was stare at the impossible creature before their eyes and break into cold sweat.
Even I swallowed hard, staring at the creature that had appeared.
A pure white tiger stood before us.
With terrifying eyes and bared fangs, the tiger held the snake’s head in its jaws and growled low, threatening all of us.
Grrrrrowwwl—
It was merely a threatening sound, yet the moment I heard it, my entire body felt as though it might freeze solid.
No one could move.
The tiger’s presence before us was so overwhelming that it felt as though Mount Tai itself were pressing down upon us.
“What… what is this…?!”
Someone cried out in shock.
The moment the tiger’s golden eyes turned, its paws moved.
Shhhhhhwack—!
The man who had spoken was torn into four pieces, spraying blood everywhere, and as if that were a signal, the tiger hurled the snake’s head from its jaws.
Boom—!
“Kraaaagh?!”
Those crushed beneath the flying snake head shrieked, and those who had been sprawled on the ground scrambled desperately to their feet and regain their balance.
But it was too late.
Crunch—!
Some were devoured, others were torn to shreds.
Shhhhwack!
Boom—!
Each time the massive creature moved, the earth trembled, its claws shredding enemies to pieces, and its savage jaws consumed its prey whole.
“Young Master…”
“Don’t move!”
As Chu Hyeongi, gripped by terror, began to tremble and rise from his seat, I firmly restrained him and observed the unfolding situation.
This was distinctly different from anything I had witnessed before.
Not merely a creature that had evolved to survive in this place, but a Demon in its purest form.
It was undoubtedly the kind that appeared only in tales and legends.
Though it snarled savagely and tore humans apart, what I sensed from it was not the aura of a mere beast, but spiritual energy.
Only then did I recall something.
The countless bones I had seen before the great cave.
As if to warn that one must not approach, no beast or insect dared venture near the cave’s entrance.
Claw marks scarred the walls.
This was its lair.
“We should flee…”
“Stay still.”
In such circumstances, escape would be the only viable option. Knowing this, So Makjan and several others were already increasing their distance.
But beasts, by their nature, tend to perceive living, moving things as prey.
And if that beast were a tiger?
The moment we turned our backs, it would pounce.
In the end, So Makjan and the Sect Members had only one choice.
To draw their swords and fight for survival.
Thud—!
However, the creature paid no heed to the cascading sword energy and tore through the Sect Members with savage delight, their agonized screams seeming to brighten its eyes.
In moments, all of them lay scattered as mangled corpses.
Though these were relatively low-level warriors even among the Gak’s forces, the mere sight of them being shredded to pieces in an instant by that demon revealed its true caliber.
“No… this cannot be—!”
Shhhhwaaaack—!
Finally, So Makjan’s body was torn into four pieces, collapsing amid a spray of blood—and with that, every warrior in the chamber had been slain.
At the same moment, the creature’s gaze turned toward those of us who remained.
Shhhhrrrrk—!
Then, a nameplate hanging from its neck caught my eye.

Baek Gu.

I examined it and furrowed my brow.
“Gu means dog. You’ve lost your mind, sir.”

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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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