The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 183

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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 244

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Two days later, as dusk began to settle.
The flow of pedestrians dwindled, and the once-bustling streets fell silent as a tomb.
I gazed upward into the gathering darkness.
“A full moon, then.”
The luminous orb hung perfectly round against a cloudless sky, bathing everything in its pale light.
Observing it, I slowly crossed the threshold of the Jin Family compound.
It had been quite some time since I’d ventured outside.
“Do you have business to attend to?”
“That’s what I’m wondering. Where are we going? We haven’t even eaten.”
Namgung Yeon and Chu Hyeongi followed behind me.
The two of them, suddenly swept along, looked around curiously at their surroundings, both waiting with barely concealed impatience for me to reveal our destination.
“We’re going to eat. I’m about to receive a very distinguished guest.”
“Distinguished… guest? But we’re going outside?”
“We arranged to meet outside. Very discreetly, in fact.”
“Huh?”
Both Chu Hyeongi and even Namgung Yeon tilted their heads in confusion, unable to grasp my meaning.
It was peculiar enough that I would meet someone at such a late hour, and it didn’t appear we were heading toward an inn either.
As they suspected, our destination was not an inn.
However, the streets still bustled with people at this hour, so I made use of the crowds as we moved toward our target.
Soon we arrived at our destination.
A wealthy district beyond the marketplace.
The moment we stepped foot there, magnificent mansions and pristine streets came into view.
As night deepened, I could spot patrol officers stationed throughout the area.
Their numbers were considerable.
Being a neighborhood where the nobility resided, it was naturally guarded more heavily than elsewhere.
As I continued walking and confirmed this, Chu Hyeongi seemed to recall something and stared at me intently before asking again.
“Surely not… here?”
“Yes, that very place.”
I nodded, confirming Chu Hyeongi’s suspicion.
Our destination was the private residence.
Though unused since the previous incident, I had it cleaned and prepared to receive an important guest.
Fine wine and food had been arranged, and as a private residence rather than a public inn, it offered far greater comfort for discreet conversation.
I approached the entrance and pushed open the firmly closed gate.
Standing before us was none other than Gu Gunbaek.
“Welcome.”
Gu Gunbaek’s face radiated unmistakable delight, as though he believed himself entrusted with a task of great importance.
Considering he had spent two days cleaning and tidying everything alone without a single helping hand, one might have expected him to be exhausted—yet his spirits remained remarkably high.
Each time I beheld him, an inexplicable weight pressed upon my shoulders.
“I apologize for burdening you with so much.”
“Not at all. Is this not all for the sake of the Jin Family?”
“…Ha, but our guest—has he arrived?”
“He has already arrived. He seems quite different, perhaps mindful of drawing attention from others….”
“That is fortunate.”
I nodded and stepped inside.
In that instant, I sensed a presence from a distant corner.
Yet it vanished in a heartbeat, and I saw no reason to turn back.
I simply passed through the meticulously crafted garden and opened the door to the dining hall where our guest awaited.
Several figures came into view at once.
The gazes of those standing and the postures of those seated.
I took in the standing figures for a moment, then shifted my attention to those who were seated.
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo, their familiar faces brightening as they waved in greeting.
And one person gazing at me with a smile.
I executed a light fist salute.
“It is an honor to receive the Family Head of the Hwangbo Family in this manner.”
“Ha ha ha—I too am delighted to see the renowned young master again. I regret that I could not be of greater assistance during our last encounter.”
“Not at all. Rather, I am the one who should apologize. It is I who should have visited you, yet I have instead imposed upon you to come here.”
“Ha ha—think nothing of it. I am quite satisfied to have the opportunity to see Luoyang again after so long, and to receive such gracious hospitality besides.”

Hwangbo Janghu, the Family Head of the Hwangbo Family.

He was the father of Hwangbo Yun, who had his arm torn off during the Changryong Dan incident.
He was dressed in a manner unbecoming of a Hwangbo Family Head—the bamboo hat beside him had apparently concealed his face, and the plain hemp robe he wore was far from silk.
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo beside him were no different.
Their attire was deliberately modest, designed to draw as little attention as possible.
Particularly striking was that Paeng Dohan carried a blade entirely different from the one that symbolized him—a detail that suggested he fully grasped the gravity of this meeting.
“I was quite surprised when you asked to meet with me. But why did you summon these two?”
“They are the members of the Martial Arts Alliance with whom I share the closest bonds. I thought the occasion might feel somewhat awkward, so I invited them to help ease the atmosphere.”
“Haha—things wouldn’t have been awkward even without these two. But no matter. Come, sit. We cannot have a proper conversation until the host is seated.”
“Thank you.”
As an honored guest, Hwangbo Janghu had already claimed the seat of honor.
Since I had given Gu Gunbaek such instructions from the start, Hwangbo Janghu would surely believe he was being treated with considerable respect.
I took my seat beside him and reached for the wine bottle.
“Allow me to pour the first cup for you.”
“Haha, much obliged.”
As I smiled and filled his cup, Paeng Dohan beside him looked positively itching to speak.
Yet, since my conversation with Hwangbo Janghu had not yet begun, Eon Garyeo’s piercing gaze kept him firmly silent.
After filling the empty cups of the other two and raising my own, they all drank with laughter.
“Ah—this is fine wine indeed. Better than anything I’ve tasted in recent memory.”
“I procured it specially for the Family Head. There is plenty, so please drink freely, and you may take what remains with you.”
Was it because of such words?
Hwangbo Janghu’s eyes gleamed.
He understood this was wine even he could not easily obtain.
With a subtle smile and satisfied expression, he finally broached the main subject.
“Well then, young master. What is your reason for asking to see me? And in such secrecy, no less.”
“I heard the Moyong Family has had a serious falling out.”
“Don’t you know as well? What transpired and how irresponsibly the Sword Emperor now acts without even an apology? This is something that could not be done without looking down upon the Hwangbo Family.”
Hwangbo Janghu’s expression, which had been bright with laughter, turned cold.
When unwanted words slip out in such settings, even the finest atmosphere cannot prevent one’s expression from darkening.
The same was true for Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo.
Their eyes were filled with the question of why such a matter was being raised.
“Surely you didn’t summon me to mediate between the Moyong Family and myself? If so, you’ve made a grave miscalculation.”
As his good mood evaporated in an instant, Hwangbo Janghu looked ready to rise and leave immediately.
There was no one to stop him.
Worry filled the eyes of everyone present except myself.
Yet, a single phrase from my lips caught him by the ankle.
“No, sir. I merely wished to offer you a word of caution.”
“…Caution? What do you mean by that?”
“If you recall, you once had a martial contest with Moyong Sohyeop in Gansu, did you not?”
“…Yes, I remember it well.”
“Forgive me if I am mistaken, but when I pondered where I had seen the swordwork Moyong Sohyeop displayed at that time, it resembled the sword marks left by the assailant on the walls of the Namgung residence.”
“…!”
“…What did you just say!?”
“Gasp!”
Hwangbo Janghu’s eyes trembled violently, while Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo gasped and swallowed hard.
These were not men who would fail to grasp the meaning behind my words. Therefore, if what I said were true, it would be simple enough to deduce who had attacked the Namgung Family.
Every eye in the room turned toward Namgung Yeon.
Yet she remained unmoved by the deluge of gazes.
As though she had known this all along.
Perhaps for this reason, Hwangbo Janghu withdrew his gaze and looked toward me.
“Do you understand what you are speaking of right now?”
“Ha, that is precisely why I mentioned it beforehand—it could be a misunderstanding. I merely suggested that the sword path and sword marks appeared similar.”
“The sword path and sword marks appeared similar…”
Hwangbo Janghu drew a deep breath, his brow furrowing.
Sword marks refer to the grooves left by the sword path created through unfolded techniques, and the texture from the moment of penetration—whether through flesh or otherwise—until withdrawal.
While somewhat irregular in nature, since it occurs within the singular framework of a technique, it remains a crucial element when identifying someone’s martial prowess.
Having spoken of such matters, Hwangbo Janghu himself must be considerably unsettled.
He might even have wished to verify it with his own eyes.
I casually lifted my cup and brought it to my lips.
“Regardless of whether it is true or false, there is no harm in exercising caution, is there?”
“…You speak truly. However, this is not something to be uttered carelessly. Do you comprehend?”
“Which is precisely why I have summoned you so discreetly. We cannot afford unforeseen misfortunes.”
*Gulp—*
Dry swallows echoed throughout the room.
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo in particular bore expressions that transcended mere shock.
They could never have imagined hearing such words during a drinking gathering with me.
Moreover, in a situation where they had believed the annihilation of the Namgung clan to be the work of the Demonic Cult, a complete reversal had been unveiled. There was nothing left but astonishment.
Hwangbo Janghu himself, finding the matter deeply unsettling, refilled his empty cup without hesitation and drank once more.
In that moment.
*Whoosh—!*
A presence was felt from somewhere, detected by all in the room.
Simultaneously.
*Crash—!*
A window shattered abruptly, and something round flew inside.
*Boom—!*
A deafening sound accompanied by something spreading thickly through the air.
It was not smoke.
“Poison!? Everyone, hold your breath!”
With Hwangbo Janghu’s cry, his hand moved.
*Whoosh—!*
The unleashed force swept the poison mist outside in an instant, yet those who had already inhaled it showed pallid complexions.
Hwangbo Janghu, realizing the gravity of the situation, clenched his fist even more forcefully and released another surge of energy.
Craaaaaash—!
The wall shattered completely, and the remaining poison dispersed cleanly into the air.
At the same time, everyone in the room rushed out, and I could see dozens of figures taking positions in the garden.
All of them masked and wielding swords.
Their momentum was formidable.
Just from the sharpness of their aura, I could tell they were considerable masters.
Seeing this, Hwangbo Janghu’s brow furrowed.
“Young Master, have you perhaps incurred someone’s enmity?”
“That’s unlikely. I’ve only just returned from the Northern Sea. Even if that weren’t the case, I’ve done nothing to warrant assassins coming after me so brazenly.”
At those words, Hwangbo Janghu’s eyes grew more intense.
Clearly, someone else was their target.
Observing the masked figures’ killing intent seeping through the air without recognizing him, Hwangbo Janghu’s patience finally snapped.
“You fools—! Did you come here knowing I am Hwangbo Janghu!?”
Clang—!
His fierce proclamation rang out like thunder, piercing through the air with undeniable force. There was no one who couldn’t hear it, no one who couldn’t witness it.
As a result, violent shock rippled through the eyes of those who had been so confident moments before.
As if asking: why is the Family Head of the Hwangbo Family here?
But there was no one to answer.
After all, the Moyong Family had focused their intelligence network solely on the Jin Family of Luoyang, and they wouldn’t have given thought to whether Hwangbo Janghu had left the Alliance or hidden himself.
So they must be thoroughly confused right now.
Then.
Paeng Dohan, standing beside me, also drew his blade and released his aura.
Shiiing—!
“Young Master! I shall protect you, so worry not.”
“I think you two should be more careful than I. No matter how I look at it, they seem to be after the Family Head or the two of you.”
“…Us? Why on earth…?”
“I couldn’t say. If I’m not their target, then surely it must be one of the three of you, no?”
I smiled faintly and deflected once more, causing Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo’s expressions to harden instantly. Soon after, as if steeling themselves, they opened their eyes sharply.
It was right then that a fierce surge of energy erupted.
“Whatever these bastards want, whatever their purpose is… I’ll hear it straight from their own mouths!”
Craaaaaash—!
Hwangbo Janghu raised his momentum.
Though his name wasn’t inscribed among the Ten Emperors, the fierce energy that emanated from him was unmistakably that of a powerful expert representing the Hwangbo Family.
As his overwhelming force swept through the garden and seized control, the masked figures’ eyes began trembling even more violently, and the look of helplessness became starkly apparent.
Well, it made sense.
After all, Hwangbo Janghu was never their intended target.
I smiled faintly and stepped back.
There was no need to waste my strength.
This was a perfect opportunity to reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

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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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