The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 176

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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 237

Kwaaang—!
A force incomparably greater than anything before came pouring forth.
Seeing the beautiful surroundings destroyed in an instant was enough to make me think I had unleashed power close to my full strength.
“…Damn it.”
Yet Gang Cheonho’s furrowed expression showed no signs of easing, as if he was displeased with this situation.
The place where I had been standing had become desolate, but I had already moved far away and now stood leisurely observing Gang Cheonho.
“That movement just now. Is it the power of Gok Ok?”
I listened to the voice reaching my ears and thought for a moment.
I had obtained Gok Ok, but there was no change in my body.
However, the Gok Ok I had obtained from the Eastern Great Families was now clearly perceptible, unlike my constant efforts to discover its abilities before.
“I’m asking you—!”
The moment I spat out a rough roar, I closed the distance in an instant using the Mountain Lord’s speed.
It would be no exaggeration to say it was faster than a flash.
Then came a fist flying with fury, terrifying and swift.
Ching—
Even in the brief moment I could see ahead, death was painted in the picture, yet I kept my gaze fixed and watched calmly.
In that instant, I felt the sensation of my innate true energy moving.
At the same time, Gang Cheonho’s fist, which had been flying at an unbearable speed, slowed for a moment, and I drew my sword through that gap.
Shwaak—!
“…!?”
Gang Cheonho’s eyes trembled as his shoulder was suddenly cut.
In a situation so perfect that he couldn’t even respond, a sword had suddenly flown at him—that’s what he must have felt.
Gang Cheonho, unable to properly comprehend the situation, retreated backward. His eyes and expression, filled with wariness as he looked at me, were fully revealed.
Crack—!
“Insolent… bastard…!”
“This is quite the convenient ability for hunting beasts.”
Kwaaang—!
Was he provoked by those words?
The roar of fury from the beast who couldn’t contain his rage echoed throughout the entire Binghua Yujing.
Zzzt zzzt—
A sharpness beyond measure was felt.
As if everything would be torn to shreds in an instant.
As I opened my eyes slightly and prepared for the next move.
Flap flap—!
Something strange came flying from somewhere.
A carrier pigeon?
But though it looked like a bird, it was not actually a bird.
It resembled a crane folded from paper.
The object that flew into the Binghua Yujing circled the surroundings before settling upon Gang Cheonho’s shoulder once it spotted him.
Was that the reason?
Gang Cheonho’s brow furrowed.
He carefully extended his hand, grasped the crane that had alighted on his shoulder, and unfolded it.
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn―it!”
The moment he confirmed its contents, Gang Cheonho let out a rough cry. Soon after, as if his business were concluded, the paper naturally ignited into flames and became ash, yet I remained vigilant even as I observed this.
Then―
“Jin―Cheon-u―――!”
Clang, clang―!
Along with his voice ringing out like madness, his sharply narrowed eyes blazed with even fiercer light as they fixed upon me.
A thick, viscous killing intent tore through my entire body.
Soon after, his thick fingers pointed toward me.
“I will kill you.”
“What? Weren’t you planning to kill me here?”
“Grrr―!”
Unlike his appearance of being ready to pounce immediately, as if some other matter had arisen or as if he had been summoned by someone, he ground his teeth yet refrained from acting at once.
Perhaps it was the decision of the Divine, who felt that this situation itself had become meaningless after losing the Gok Ok.
“We will meet again… definitely! Until then, hide away and cling to your pitiful life.”
Zzzt, zzzt―!
His killing intent had transcended all bounds.
Yet Gang Cheonho simply turned his back and began to exit the Binghua Yujing, as though he paid no heed whatsoever to any ambush from behind.
These were not mere words spoken to deceive my opponent.
His figure grew increasingly distant.
Soon after, I could no longer sense his presence or aura within the Binghua Yujing.
“I wonder who’s the fortunate one here.”
I shook my head, recalling the departing figure.
I gazed at my hand and furrowed my brow.
Tremor, tremor―
Not only my limbs but my entire body shook.
My body had already exceeded its limits, and had the battle continued as it was, it would not have been easy even with the power of the Gok Ok.
I retraced the situation from moments before.
The instant when his fist, flying at a terrifying speed, suddenly slowed.
If I could master it properly, it would be an excellent ability to easily control battles against them, yet I could not rely on it entirely given that my innate vital force was being drained.
Innate vital force is the very essence of life.
It would become depleted each time I used the ability.
“It’s a good ability, but perhaps I cannot use it recklessly… or maybe I simply cannot fully control it yet.”
I clicked my tongue lightly and turned my head.
A woman lay upon one side of the massive eternal ice jade.
During the fierce battle, thanks to being somewhat removed from the center of combat, she retained a faint breath of life.
I approached the woman cautiously.
Her entire body was in terrible condition, not just her face.
She looked so devastated that one might think her dead, and it seemed she could stop breathing at any moment without surprise.
I carefully lifted her into my arms and moved forward.
The Binghua Yujing, where beauty that would seem like paradise no longer existed.
That place had transformed into a space where only the frigid air flowing from the eternal ice could be felt.
I escaped from there and moved slowly.
Unlike when I had first sought out the Binghua Yujing, the sight of far more corpses scattered about in devastation made me realize that those who had recklessly thrown themselves at Gang Cheonho had suffered his wrath.
The presence of living beings could be felt in only a few places.
In this short span of time, most of the Northern Ice Palace’s warriors had been slain.
Indeed, could one call this the work of the Tiger Horn?
With a bitter smile, I moved toward the auxiliary palace, which was equally a disaster.
The devastation was severe enough to tell that a fierce battle had erupted. I saw corpses of Tiger Horn warriors, but there were also quite a few of the Jin Family’s Imperial Guards and porters.
They had done their utmost to hold the line, but three had proven insufficient.
The moment I stepped inside.
I could see those who had collapsed in exhaustion, gasping for breath.
“Young Master?!”
Soon after, I felt the flood of gazes accompanying Jang Chuchyeong’s cry.

* * *

The beasts drenched in blood were hastily departing the Northern Ice Palace.
Though many bore severe wounds, the casualties among those who had faced the massive organization of the Northern Ice Palace were remarkably light.
While the decisive reason was that the Northern Ice Palace’s strength was not as formidable as rumored, it was nonetheless a testament to the power of the Tiger Horn.
“Damn it—!”
“Are you truly certain? Returning now….”
“If I had my way, I would!”
Gang Cheonho ground his teeth.
The image of Jin Cheon-u still flickered before his eyes.
Even if he twisted his entire body, his rage would not be satisfied.
That fool had dared to use him to seize the Gok Ok?
His teeth gnashed at a humiliation he had never experienced in his lifetime.
But the reason he could not turn back was simple.
The Divine’s call.
The summons of the sacred and noble one must take absolute priority, regardless of circumstances.
By now, all twelve Tiger Horns scattered across the realm would be gathering, so Gang Cheonho could not afford delay.
Yet his teeth grinding was unmistakable.
Recalling Jin Cheon-u’s image once more, he cried out fiercely.
“I will kill that bastard myself!”
“Now that his identity is known, I suspect the other Tiger Horns will step forward as well….”
“I will kill them. Every single one who dares to covet my prey will die. There are no exceptions.”
A low growl rumbled forth.
The resolve to prevent anyone from laying a hand on what was mine was absolute.
If such a thing were to occur, the willingness to wage war against the Twelve Horns themselves for taking my quarry was palpable enough to be felt by all.
“That one in particular… I will kill him with my own hands!”
The voice carried a ferocity that was unmistakable.

* * *

“How is her condition?”
“The external wounds are one thing, but the internal injuries are far worse. It’s a miracle she’s even breathing.”
At Chaeseoha’s words, I furrowed my brow.
The woman lay motionless, her body ravaged and broken.
Several hours had already passed, yet she showed no signs of regaining consciousness—a clear indication that her treatment would not be a simple matter.
“Can she be healed?”
“We’ll have to try every method available. But it will take considerable time.”
“So we cannot leave this place quickly.”
“That’s correct.”
A long exhale escaped my lips.
I let out a heavy sigh.
Though this battle had ended with both sides withdrawing, I had obtained the Gok Ok that they sought, making me the ultimate victor in this exchange.
However, the problem was that I had failed to kill Gang Cheonho, who knew my true identity—and this meant I could no longer conceal the situation.
I could not fathom why Gang Cheonho had withdrawn, but it would not be surprising if he turned his fangs toward the Jin Family immediately.
Or perhaps the entire Twelve Horns would mobilize against me.
Because of this, I desperately wanted to return home as soon as possible, yet now I found myself forced to spend time treating the Junior Prince.
“If you want to leave, why not just abandon him and go?”
At that moment, Cheon Yul’s voice suddenly pierced my ears.
His eyes and expression showed complete indifference to the Junior Prince’s impending death. Despite his claims of friendship, it became clear that this meeting served an entirely different purpose.
I shook my head and sighed.
“I cannot leave him behind like this.”
“Your heart is too kind. I would have abandoned him without hesitation. Ha, I’m swamped with work—wasting time to save a dying man is foolish beyond measure.”
At these words, Namgung Yeon, Namgung Baek, and Jang Chuchyeong all furrowed their brows.
The two members of the Namgung Family in particular sent hostile glares his way.
Thus did Jeongdo and Cheon Yul’s thoughts and ideologies diverge so starkly.
I offered a bitter smile and shook my head, sending a sharp gaze in his direction.
“Hold your tongue.”
“Understood…”
I watched as Cheon Yul sealed his lips with both hands and retreated, then exhaled deeply and surveyed my surroundings.
We too had sustained considerable damage.
Without healing them, there was no way we could depart from this place.
“Those of you who are unharmed, please go to the main palace and check if there are any survivors. Some of you should head to the village and recruit people to collect the bodies. I don’t think we can manage this alone.”
“Understood.”
The secondary palace held considerable corpses, but the main palace far exceeded that.
While most were from the Northern Ice Palace, the Junior Prince and I had also cut down quite a few, so it wouldn’t have been strange to say a hellish landscape had unfolded before us.
As if memories from the past were surfacing.
I turned my head away with another sigh.
A woman barely clinging to life, breathing faintly.
Her appearance felt far too similar to my past self.
“This is difficult.”
I steadied my breathing and recalled Gang Cheonho.
Overwhelming strength and agility combined with insane reflexes.
Though I had known of it, unlike what I had thought I could manage, it wouldn’t have been strange to say I was utterly helpless against him.
If the Junior Prince hadn’t appeared to divide his attention, it was clear as day that the battle would have been conducted far more one-sidedly.
With a sigh, I narrowed my eyes.
I felt as though they were urging me forward.
Grow stronger.
If you wish to survive, climb to even greater heights.
As if they were saying they would devour me otherwise.
“Always provoking people.”
Unable to smooth the furrowed brow, my clenched fist tightened with force.

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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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