The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 171

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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 232

“Greetings. I am Gang Cheonho from the Fengyun Escort House. You are from the Jin Family, are you not?”
He spoke with commanding confidence, waiting for my response.
The way he revealed his name without hesitation or artifice proved his unwavering self-assurance.
Naturally, our gazes locked and neither of us looked away.
It was not an attempt to scrutinize the other.
Merely eyes observing with genuine curiosity, untainted by ulterior motive.
I responded with equal courtesy.
“I am Cheon of the Jin Family.”
“The Jin Family of Luoyang?! Ha ha! I never expected to meet the Young Master of such a place on my first escort mission. It seems I have encountered a distinguished personage. Kha ha ha!”
At that moment, Gang Cheonho burst into unrestrained laughter.
His eyes and expression revealed genuine mirth—not a trace of artifice could be detected.
Observing this, I reflected.
I had long known him to be as unpredictable as Gu Gunbaek, yet I never anticipated he would reveal himself so openly.
Thus, I swallowed the words that rose to my mind.
‘A madman.’
I turned my gaze to survey the space beside him.
Ten warriors stood arrayed behind Gang Cheonho.
All clad in the garb of the Fengyun Escort House, their formation suggested they were genuine warriors of that organization.
Whether they had consumed the escort merchants or were themselves sympathizers following the Divine’s will remained unclear, but they were not adversaries to dismiss lightly.
And then there was one other.
The one seated before me, smiling.
Gang Cheonho, the Tiger-Horn of the Twelve Horns.
Standing nearly eight feet tall with overwhelming musculature.
Eyes gleaming with bestial ferocity.
Similar to observing Gu Gunbaek, yet distinctly different.
Yet one fact remained undeniable.
He was formidable.
Considering he ranked among the top three of the Twelve Horns, this was unmistakably a perilous situation.
His direct involvement carried two implications.
One concerned the matter with Auk from before, and the other was the painting discovered in the space Nam Tae-cheon had concealed.
For Gang Cheonho, both presented an opportune moment to verify, so he chose to move personally rather than dispatch subordinates.
To gain greater certainty.
He possessed the keen perception of a Mountain Lord.
Though not quite equal to Yeom Ji-hak’s ability to read emotions, he possessed the capacity to discern truth from falsehood through mere instinct alone.
As I steadied my breath and composed my mind with these thoughts, Gang Cheonho, who had been observing me intently, sent a curious gaze and posed a question.
“Does the Jin Family visit the Northern Ice Palace regularly?”
“We transport necessary supplies. Some years we come, others we do not. But what brings the Fengyun Escort House here?”
“Ha ha—if the Feng Yun Escort House moved, it would be for an escort run, would it not? I came to deliver goods, naturally.”
“You mentioned this was your first escort run just moments ago… For a first attempt, the scale seems quite large and the journey rather distant.”
“The Feng Yun Escort House lacks talented personnel. Ha ha—if you don’t mind, could you spare a few people for us? Kra ha ha!”
Gang Cheonho burst into hearty laughter at something he found amusing. There was something strange about it—as if this sort of conversation was unfamiliar to him.
After all, a tiger that only devours its prey would hardly have attempted such things before.
“But Young Master So, did you encounter any trouble on your way here? We were utterly exasperated by some strange bandits. They were so annoyingly persistent in their attacks….”
“Thanks to Commander Gang, our journey proceeded smoothly.”
“Ah, so you’re saying we cleared the path for you? Ha ha ha. That’s priceless.”
A peculiar smile played at the corners of Gang Cheonho’s mouth.
From his gaze alone, it seemed he already knew of Hyang Do-un’s involvement. In fact, judging by the circumstances, there was a strong possibility he had lent a hand from the shadows.
Otherwise, he could never have obtained the Divine Thunder Orb.
“I heard on the way that the Jin Family’s guards defeated a hundred bandits from the Green Forest. Was there truly no trouble?”
“That trivial matter has already become gossip?”
I glanced subtly toward Chu Hyeongi and noticed he was sending a questioning look, as if the atmosphere was flowing in an odd direction.
Then.
Gang Cheonho’s sharp gaze turned toward Chu Hyeongi.
He had finally recognized the subject of the rumors.
“Is it you? The one called the Frenzied Blood Beast?”
“…Me?”
“Ha ha, pleased to meet you. I am Gang Cheonho. I seem to be quite fortunate to meet the notorious Frenzied Blood Beast.”
At the mention of the Frenzied Blood Beast, Chu Hyeongi’s eyes widened in surprise.
His expression and gaze showed disbelief that such an epithet had been attached to his name.
As he stood there blankly, unsure of what to say, Gang Cheonho’s gaze grew progressively deeper as he observed him.
From that, I could discern one more fact.
He was not certain whether I or Chu Hyeongi was the one obstructing the Divine Cult.
But now that he had stepped forward, such doubts became meaningless.
Having confirmed this, I steadied my breathing for a moment.
The door to the guest hall opened, and Seol Mu, the Gung-ju, appeared once more.
“Forgive me for keeping you waiting. Come, Jin Gongja, you shall come with me. And Commander Gang, you can speak with the Commander here.”
“Ha ha ha—understood.”
I rose from my seat to follow the Gung-ju.
Was that the reason?
Gang Cheonho smacked his lips and displayed a regretful expression.
It was the look of someone who wished to continue the conversation a bit longer, rather than someone trying to extract information.
Seeing that, I smiled.
“Let us meet again next time.”
“Understood. When we do, shall we share a drink and talk? I have so many questions. Ha ha ha.”
Truly straightforward.
His words sounded as though he would employ no shallow tricks, and I nodded in response before following Seol Mu out of the guest hall.
The door then closed.
I could no longer sense any presence from him, as if we had been completely severed from one another.
Was that the reason?
I heard the sighs of Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon following behind me.
“…What is that person? They are a person, right?”
“Do they not seem like a person to you?”
“No… They seemed more like a tiger. It felt exactly like this when I stood before Baek Gu.”
“I concur.”
Both their complexions had grown pale.
Though he did not fully reveal his presence, merely facing him allowed us to sense the aura of a ferocious beast that sent chills down our spines.
Any person would have no choice but to shrink back.
After all, he was none other than Gang Cheonho, the footnote of Horak.
“This journey appears as though it will be quite treacherous.”
I let out a hollow laugh without realizing it and shook my head.
Considering how I had faced him before on several occasions, and how each time we walked the line between life and death, this would certainly not be easy.
I sighed and followed Seol Mu deeper inside for quite some time.
Soon after, a firmly sealed door opened once more, revealing a vast chamber.
This was the place where the Gung-ju received distinguished guests.
As I entered and took my seat, Seol Mu had already settled across from me.
“We have verified most of what we requested. Indeed, the Jin Family lives up to its reputation. Nothing was overlooked.”
“Thank you. And this is the list of items we wish to purchase this time.”
I handed over the paper my father had given me, and Seol Mu examined the list briefly before nodding and setting it down.
“I shall have it prepared. However, the price troubles me somewhat. Did you determine this yourself?”
“My father set it. After confirming the current situation in the Northern Sea, he determined it, so there should be no significant issue….”
“Haha, you are well aware that the Northern Sea’s finances are not in good standing, are you not? Lower it a bit more. We have conducted business together for a long time—surely you can manage that much?”
I observed Seol Mu’s expression and furrowed my brow.
The amount written had been set somewhat high with consideration for our relationship with the Northern Sea.
That he would make such a request despite knowing this suggested he was attempting to exploit my youth to gain additional profit.
A scoff escaped my lips without my realizing it.
Soon after, I gazed steadily at Seol Mu’s face and nodded.
“Of course it is possible.”
“…Truly?”
“However, there is a condition. If you agree to it, then yes.”
“What might that be? If it is something I can do, I shall do it readily.”
“In exchange for raising the price by ten percent, I request a Frozen Soul Stone. Of course, this will be calculated separately.”
“…!”
The words of Chung-mu, who had forged my new sword, circled through my mind.
Had he not said to feed the sword a Frozen Soul Stone if I were to venture to the Northern Sea?
Since I had no idea what it was in the first place, obtaining it in this manner would be an ideal situation, would it not?
“A Frozen Soul Stone… A Frozen Soul Stone, you say… Do you even know what that is?”
“I understand it to be something like an ice crystal.”
“That’s right. However, for the people of the Northern Ice Palace, it holds rather special significance. When cultivating martial arts, they use it to contain the frigid energy within their bodies.”
Seol Mu raised his hand slightly.
I could see pure white frost flowing from his palm.
Eventually, the crystalline formations gathered to create a small piece of ice, which then fell from his hand to the floor.
Nature itself contained within his body.
There was no other way to describe such a sight.
“Obtaining the Frost Soul Stone is already quite difficult, but the real problem is that they’ve been discovered far less frequently in recent times. Moreover, the power contained within the crystals is no longer what it once was.”
Seol Mu wore a bitter smile.
The moment his words reached my ears, I understood why the martial prowess of the Northern Sea warriors had declined so.
I glanced subtly toward Cheon Yul.
He appeared to listen quietly without any particular thoughts, but the faint smile at the corners of his mouth revealed eyes that had gained some certainty.
Watching that, I found myself shaking my head.
“So, please reconsider. We cannot simply hand over Frost Soul Stones that are difficult even for us to obtain.”
At his plea-like words, I had to nod in acknowledgment.
If something was precious to the Northern Ice Palace, no one could easily give it away.
Then I had to think differently.
At that moment, Chaeseoha, who had been quietly observing from behind, approached and whispered something in my ear.
The instant I heard her soft voice.
I tilted my head with a peculiar expression.
“Is that what you need?”
“You can’t obtain it anywhere but here. That thing. But since we don’t know what it looks like or where it is, isn’t this perfect?”
Chaeseoha tried desperately to persuade me.
Seeing her eyes gleaming with brightness, it seemed clear that if I couldn’t obtain it here, she would immediately leave and search through the entire Northern Sea to find it.
I sighed.
“Do you have the Myriad Frost Snow Grass?”
“Hmm? You need that? Yes, we have it. Quite a lot, in fact. Will you be taking some?”
“Yes, please provide generously. As for payment, I’ll add an extra day’s work as mentioned earlier.”
“Hahaha— Indeed, Young Master So. You speak our language well. Every time Jin Ming comes, he’s so rigid about principles that it causes us much trouble.”
When the name of my second brother Jin Ming came up, I wore a bitter smile. Like my eldest brother, Jin Ming was someone who followed rules and principles precisely.
This approach would never have worked with him.
“There’s much to prepare, so it will take several days. I’ve emptied the auxiliary palace entirely, so rest there.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. Rather, I should be grateful. When the Northern Sea rises again, I shall repay this kindness.”
“Haha, understood.”
At Seol Mu’s words, I stood up with a deliberately composed smile. Then, opening the door and stepping out, someone who had come to greet us bowed and began to guide us.
Following behind the figure who walked ahead with practiced steps for quite some time, I finally entered the auxiliary palace where we could rest.
The auxiliary palace was completely separate from the main palace, so there was considerable distance, yet it appeared more than adequate for a guest to stay comfortably.
I withdrew my gaze from surveying the surroundings and furrowed my brow, recalling a certain presence in my mind.
Typically, a starving tiger exercises caution even when prey is placed before its eyes.
But that is only possible because it is driven by a beast’s instinct.
If one lacks caution, even what is within reach will slip through one’s fingers.
Then, would the same apply to people?
No.
Gang Cheonho lacks patience and deliberation.
Therefore, rather than taxing his mind to verify, he prefers to move his body directly into action.
Precisely as he does now.
If such a man has confirmed my presence and that of Chu Hyeongi, and has obtained some certainty from it, then what remains is his true purpose in coming to the Northern Sea.

The Realm of Glacial Jade.

I cannot know precisely what lies within, but he will attempt to open the tightly sealed door that has remained closed for centuries and examine what rests inside.
He must be aware that no one has succeeded in opening this door until now, yet he has appeared with such confidence and sought it out—this means he possesses knowledge of how to open the locked door.
Whether by brute force or by possession of a key.
For this reason, I will wait a moment.
Rather than exhaust my mind devising ways to open the door myself, is it not the surest method to simply wait for him to open it?
With such thoughts, I entered the chamber and took my seat.
Then I turned my gaze to regard the three who had followed me inside.
Cheon Yul, Chu Hyeongi, and Namgung Yeon.
As my serious gaze fell upon them, they all wore expressions of bewilderment, as if asking what this meant.
I took in their appearances and spoke a grave warning.
“From this moment forward, do not lower your guard. You may die.”
“…!”
At my utterly grave expression and gaze, they all held their breath and nodded carefully.
The tiger’s hunt was about to begin.

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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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