The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 170

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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 231

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A frozen wasteland that seemed capable of freezing even the people who walked upon it.
The howling wind threatened to freeze breath itself, while the blizzard raged with such ferocity that one could not see even a single step ahead.
Despite wearing thick layers of clothing, the biting cold that pierced through flesh showed no signs of relenting, making me question whether this place was truly inhabited by humans.
Yet wherever there is hardship, people endure.
A massive settlement.
Surrounding an enormous frozen lake so vast that the eye could not take it all in, a city rivaling the great capital of Beijing had been established, and at the edge of this settlement stood a palace that appeared to be constructed entirely of ice.
This was the Northern Sea, and the Ice Palace.
Thus, the Northern Ice Palace.
Among the places known as the Outer Martial Realm, an absolute power comparable to Namman itself.
Within this Ice Palace, a woman walked alone.
Step by step—
Her expression was glacially cold, and the aura surrounding her seemed capable of freezing all things.
Those who passed her could not even bring themselves to lift their heads, for the subtle power emanating from her was like the bitter north wind and harsh snow itself.
After walking for some time, the woman came to a halt at a particular location.
A place no one else could enter.
She stood alone, gazing forward with unwavering focus.
Before her stood an enormous gate, sealed shut and immovable.
Considering that for hundreds of years no one had been able to pass through it, one might think there was truly no way forward.
The woman, her brow furrowed, slowly drew her sword.
Channeling the essence of ice and frost, she thrust forward with tremendous force.
Shhhhiing—!
The blade, sharp with cutting intent, was drawn into a small opening within the seam.
Quite an exquisite technique.
Yet the gate did not budge.
She drew upon her inner power more forcefully, pouring her energy into the gate, but whether the method itself was flawed or this simply was not the way, the gate remained completely unmoved.
She exhaled a long sigh and turned away.
The Realm of Crystalline Ice—a place that had remained sealed for hundreds of years.
Though it was said to be where the Ice Palace itself had originated, no one had entered it in all those centuries, so none knew what lay within or what manner of place it truly was.
Yet the woman desperately wished to open this gate.
Only by accomplishing what no one had achieved in hundreds of years could she become the true ruler of the Northern Sea.
As she steadied her breathing with such thoughts, a familiar voice reached her ears.
“Haha, have you failed again?”
“Yes. No matter what method I employ, it will not open.”
“If it opened so easily, it would not be called the Realm of Crystalline Ice. There must surely be another way, so do not trouble yourself overmuch.”
“I understand. But given the precarious state of the Ice Palace now, is this not precisely the time when this gate must be opened?”
At the sharp-tongued woman’s words, the man offered a bitter smile.
Her words were hardly incorrect.
The Northern Ice Palace was indeed treading a downward path.
The level of martial prowess had declined considerably from the past, and common opinion held that its influence was no longer what it once was.
Moreover, the finances that had once been abundant had deteriorated over the years, and now even maintaining daily life had become a burden.
Given such circumstances, I could understand the desire to open the Ice Flame Furnace once more for the revival of the Northern Ice Palace.
Pitying his struggling daughter, the man exhaled a sigh, then offered a gentle smile as if to change the mood and lightly patted her back.
“Come to think of it, a merchant caravan arrived not long ago. Will you come with me?”
“A merchant caravan? You mean… the Jin Family of Luoyang?”
“Ha, yes, that’s right.”
“…Has the Second Young Master come?”
“Haha, unfortunately not this time. Instead, the Young Master So of the Jin Family has led them personally.”
The Young Master So of the Jin Family of Luoyang had come to the Northern Ice Palace.
For the Gung-ju, it was nothing short of welcome news.
It proved that the Jin Family still valued their relationship with the North, and a figure of Young Master So’s station was convenient for pushing forward various matters.
Yet somehow, my daughter’s complexion was not good.
Her discomfort was laid bare without restraint.
“I see. So the Second Young Master is not coming.”
A voice as cold as ice flowed forth, and soon she began to leave as if uninterested.
“Where are you going? There are many guests, and you should attend to at least one side.”
“If it is not the Ice Flame Furnace, I have no interest.”
As she spoke with such finality and began to walk away, the Gung-ju, now left alone, gazed at the retreating figure of his daughter and shook his head with a sigh.

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“Ugh, it’s freezing. I’m going to die….”
“Oh, I feel like I’m going to freeze to death.”
We had finally arrived at the Northern Sea, and the phrase “bitter northern winds and cold snow” became viscerally real. The relentless chill that never ceased cut through my flesh, and my breath seemed to crystallize into frost with each exhale.
The water pouch hanging from my waist had long since frozen solid, and the icy path beneath our feet made every step treacherous.
It was utterly different from crossing the desert.
I found myself thinking that even Namman would have been far more comfortable.
Despite wearing layers upon layers of clothing, the overwhelming cold that assailed us rendered every garment meaningless, and everyone trembled as they barely managed to compose themselves.
I withdrew my gaze with a sigh and looked toward one place.
The Ice Palace—our destination—stood directly before us.
The moment the merchant caravan halted before the palace gates, the tightly sealed doors swung open and a group of people rushed out urgently.
I fixed my attention on one figure among them.
A person whose bearing was distinctly extraordinary.
Pure white hair and pure white robes.
That imposing figure could only be Seol Mu, known as the Master of the Northern Ice Palace.
“Are you Jin Cheon-u, the Young Master So of the Jin Family?”
“It is an honor to meet you, Gung-ju. I am Jin Cheon-u, responsible for leading this merchant expedition.”
“Haha— What became of Jin Myeong, who always came before?”
“I understand he departed on a journey. Thus, I have come in his stead.”
At my words, Seol Mu nodded approvingly, his expression satisfied. After all, anyone could see that building a relationship with the Young Master was preferable to dealing with the second son.
Then Seol Mu’s gaze shifted toward Cheon Yul at my side, and his eyes widened with apparent surprise.
“You are… Cheon Yul, the Soocheonchu, are you not?”
“Haha— How have you been keeping? Today I simply came along to enjoy myself with this friend.”
At Cheon Yul’s words, the Gung-ju’s eyes widened further.
His expression was one of disbelief that the Soocheonchu of Sa Do-cheon and this young man had cultivated such a friendship. After all, the Jin Family was renowned for maintaining distance from the martial world.
Thus, while we conducted trade with the Northern Sea, we had never developed other connections.
After a moment of contemplation, Seol Mu nodded as if it mattered little and gestured toward the interior.
“What an interesting combination this is. Haha, how fares the Heavenly Lord?”
“Yes, he remains in excellent health. Should the opportunity arise, please do visit. He would be most delighted.”
At Cheon Yul’s words, Seol Mu nodded readily.
From his demeanor alone, the relationship between Sa Do-cheon and the Northern Sea appeared quite intimate, yet the eyes of the smiling Cheon Yul had grown remarkably deep.
Unlike the guileless Seol Mu, he seemed to be concealing something.
Observing this, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Though he always laughed and chattered, displaying a carefree manner, there was no doubt he was the one destined to lead Sa Do-cheon in the next generation.
Conversely, Seol Mu, unaware of the depths hidden in Cheon Yul’s gaze, smiled contentedly and led us inside.
“Come now, let us go within. We have been expecting you. Haha, I cannot recall the last time the Northern Sea received so many distinguished guests.”
At those words, I regarded the Gung-ju with a puzzled expression.
I could not discern whether he spoke merely of myself, Cheon Yul, and the merchant caravan, or if others had also arrived.
Thus, I voiced my question.
“…Are there other guests besides us?”
“Ah— of course. A merchant expedition has arrived from the Fengyun Merchant Guild. They are inside at present.”
“Feng Yun Escort Service… that is….”
At the words reaching my ears, I came to an abrupt halt.
The escort service had arrived?
Of course, since this was none other than the Northern Ice Palace, it was conceivable that an escort service might come and go.
However, the timing was far too coincidental.
As if they had been waiting, the fact that the Feng Yun Escort Service arrived the moment my caravan did troubled me.
Moreover, if another merchant group or escort service were moving toward the same destination as I, the Jin Family’s intelligence network would have caught wind of it and informed me.
Yet, there had been nothing of the sort.
It felt like nothing more than a peculiar situation.
“Am I overthinking this?”
“Haha, what are you doing? Come along.”
At the voice that followed, I cast aside my thoughts and entered the palace alongside Gung-ju once more.
Within the ornate interior, I could see the warriors of the Ice Palace moving about as if on patrol, and witnessing this, I could not help but harbor another question.
The Northern Ice Palace was said to be one of the greatest powers in the realm, rivaling even Namman.
Yet, the aura it exuded felt oddly weak.
It was to the point where I questioned whether this place was truly the Northern Sea.
While one might attribute this to them being lower-ranked warriors, one could not deny that their overall level was inferior.
“Was this the reason?”
I glanced sideways and regarded Cheon Yul.
As our eyes met with him grinning widely, I could see he wore an expression of feigned innocence, as if asking why I was looking at him that way.
But the circumstances were clear.
The first thing Cheon Yul had done upon ascending to the position of Soocheonchu was to swallow the Northern Sea whole.
I had wondered why he would devour the Northern Sea, which was distant and difficult to govern, but now I could confirm the reason with certainty.
Who would refuse prey that had grown weak and lay before their eyes?
Distance meant nothing in expanding one’s power, and if it was the Northern Ice Palace, it could instantly elevate Sa Do-cheon’s reputation and naturally become a great achievement for the newly ascended Soocheonchu.
Perhaps the continued cultivation of relations with the Ice Palace had not been mere scheming to spy on them.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was thinking you are someone who cannot be taken lightly.”
“Haha, do you think I am nothing but schemes and machinations?”
At Cheon Yul’s words, still carrying that smile at the corners of his mouth, I could not help but let out an exasperated sigh.
Etching Cheon Yul’s sinister nature deeper into my mind, as I continued following Gung-ju, we came to a halt.
It seemed we had finally arrived at our destination.
“Would you mind waiting in the guest hall for a moment? I did not expect you to arrive at the same time, so I have not yet made proper preparations.”
“Could it be that someone from the Feng Yun Escort Service is inside?”
“Or… are your relations not favorable?”
“That is not the case.”
“Then would you keep me company for a moment? I shall quickly finish my discussion with the Commander and arrange a separate space.”
“Understood.”
Seol Mu hurried along with his entourage.
Judging by the way he left without even offering introductions, it was clear just how flustered he was at this moment.
I exhaled slowly and turned my gaze away.
The firmly closed door of the guest hall.
I opened it gradually and stepped inside.
In that instant, I found myself stopping mid-stride, my attention fixed straight ahead.
Behind a man stood ten bodyguards dressed in the garb of the Fengyun Escort Agency, arranged in formation, but they were not the issue.
My gaze remained fixed entirely upon one person.
A towering frame reaching eight chi in height.
A body so densely muscled it seemed carved from stone itself.
Though he resembled the kind of presence that would call Gu Gunbaek to mind, this figure possessed an even more sinister gleam in his eyes and bearing—yet he revealed a leisurely expression and gaze, slowly turning his attention toward us with a subtle smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
I recognized him instantly.
Gang Cheonho, the Chieftain of Tiger’s Horn.
He stood before my eyes.
“Oh—?”
As an intrigued voice reached my ears, our eyes met.

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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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