The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 196

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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 196

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After so long, the Hwaseon Inn remained unchanged.
The antique architecture of the building and the vibrant voices of its patrons.
Despite the late hour, the ceaseless chatter of people speaking as loudly as if it were broad daylight in a bustling marketplace filled the air.
Listening to the sounds drifting from outside, I stepped in and quickly made my way toward Baek Jin-hwa’s quarters.
The door opened, and the interior came into view.
At the same moment, I saw Baek Jin-hwa sitting gracefully, her gaze fixed upon me.
“It has been quite some time, Young Master. Nearly a year has passed since your last visit—I had begun to think you had forgotten about me.”
She smiled softly.
Unlike the days when I visited frequently, nearly a year had indeed elapsed without my presence, so her words of complaint were entirely justified.
I settled into my seat with a slight smile.
I noticed the table was already laid with wine and raised a cup to my lips.
“It seems the hospitality has improved during my absence.”
“Hehe—I cannot afford to lose such a distinguished guest, after all.”
I smiled faintly at her words.
There was something peculiar in Baek Jin-hwa’s gaze.
As if she were eager to probe into something.
Undoubtedly, it concerned why Jin Cheon-u, who had returned from Gansu, had not shown himself outside the family until now.
There were quite a few who sought to spy on the Jin Family of Luoyang, so she likely wished to understand why the Young Master of the Jin Family, who had been so active recently, had suddenly ceased his activities.
“I have been occupied with receiving instruction on family governance from the Family Head. He has been quite relentless about it.”
“Ah—indeed, since you are to lead the Jin Family of Luoyang, such training would be necessary.”
“What is with that tone of unease?”
“Hehe—it is nothing. I simply meant no offense.”
I nodded at Baek Jin-hwa’s response and refilled my empty cup. As I brought it to my lips and observed her for a moment, I could see that while she still smiled, her eyes did not.
She was the woman who had watched over me more closely than anyone, so such transparent falsehoods would not easily deceive her.
Yet I did not bother to correct her words.
Her suspicions were her own concern, not mine.
I withdrew several silver coins and placed them on the table before asking.
“I have been rather negligent regarding matters in the Central Plains. Is there anything I should be aware of?”
“Something you should be aware of… Well, there is indeed. First, the Gi Ryeon-hyeon-ga has collapsed.”
“I have no need for such information.”
“Hehe—an incident that occurred because of you, Young Master, yet you show no interest. Then… what of this?”
Baek Jin-hwa’s expression and gaze became somewhat alluring as she laughed. Her eyes held a questioning gleam, as if asking: You are involved in this matter too, are you not?
“The Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon of the Mu-dang sect has gone missing.”
“The Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon of the Mu-dang sect has gone missing?”
“Yes, were you not aware?”
“When I returned from Gansu, I arrived in haste and had no time to investigate. As I mentioned, I have been confined within the Jin Family with no opportunity to hear or see anything else. So? What became of him?”
“It was discovered quite far from the Gongdong Sect. And unfortunately, there’s apparently nothing left to find.”
At her words, I paused mid-sip of my wine cup, my expression turning puzzled.
From her tone, her eyes, and the way she spoke, I inferred the meaning without needing to hear it directly.
“Don’t tell me he’s dead?”
“Yes, but by sheer misfortune, an earthquake struck where the corpse was located, creating a fissure, and it fell through. It took quite some time to find and recover it.”
“So that’s what you meant about the corpse being in no condition to speak.”
“Yes, the humid and hot weather accelerated decomposition. And falling through, it struck various surfaces and shattered.”
I nodded and tilted my wine cup again with a smile.
During the battle with the Gi Ryeon-hyeon-ga, I had felt a massive earthquake occur—likely the very one that created those fissures.
And Hoyeon’s corpse had been sucked into them.
I had nature to thank for this blessing.
“Have they found the culprit?”
“No. His identity hasn’t been revealed either. At first, both the Martial Arts Alliance and the Martial Artists were searching frantically, but since nothing has surfaced, the atmosphere is gradually shifting toward giving up.”
“It seems quite difficult.”
“Yes, those on poor terms with Martial Arts Master Hoyeon have even joked that he simply fell into a fissure while taking a stroll and died. That’s how little evidence there is.”
At Baek Jin-hwa’s words, I nodded with a satisfied expression.
I had wondered if something might be discovered, but if nothing had been found by now, there was nothing more to gain.
“Anything else?”
“Other matters… there are quite a few minor things, but nothing particularly worthy of your attention. Oh! Moryeong Hyeok has been able to eat solid food for the past few days—how’s that?”
Baek Jin-hwa burst into laughter.
As if finding it utterly ridiculous and amusing that someone once called the orthodox sect’s greatest rising talent, someone promised to become the next Sword Emperor, had fallen to such a state.
She seemed quite pleased with his downfall.
“You seem to be enjoying this.”
“Yes, I dislike that clan’s arrogance, boasting about being the Number One Sword Sect and such.”
It wasn’t an unfair assessment.
Most of the Moyong Family, called the Number One Sword Sect, possessed pride and confidence in such matters, displaying a kind of privileged consciousness.
The Moryeong Hyeok I had seen in Anhui, speaking without restraint before me, was a prime example of this very attitude.
While some lowered their heads because of this, it was only natural that those like Baek Jin-hwa developed resentment.
I smiled back at her, then recalled the true reason I had come here. I withdrew a single painting from my robes and showed it to her.
The one I had discovered in the Demon Sect.
I prided myself on remembering every detail meticulously and drawing it identically, though perhaps one or two things might be missing.
However, since I had captured the essential features accurately, anyone who knew the location would surely be able to find it upon seeing this.
“What is this?”
“A landscape painting of somewhere. Do you have any idea where it might be?”
“Hmm—let me look for a moment.”
Baek Jin-hwa let out a soft hum as she examined the painting.
She seemed to study it carefully and rack her mind fiercely to identify the location, but ultimately shook her head, unable to recall the place.
“I can’t think of anywhere, Young Master. Are you certain this place is actually in the Central Plains?”
“Well, would it be impossible even using the Ha-o Sect’s information network?”
“To find it, I’d need to have this copied and distributed, and show it to those who deal in information. If you’re willing to proceed, I can try.”
At her words, I furrowed my brow.
This was certainly not about finding a person or gathering information about something. Since I needed to locate a place, it would be impossible without showing it to someone.
However, if the Ha-o Sect members went around showing this painting to find the location, it was obvious that word would inevitably reach those bastards’ ears.
It was far from a good choice.
“So finding it isn’t easy, then.”
“Yes, but does such a place actually exist? No matter how I look at it, it feels like a landscape painting drawn from imagination….”
At Baek Jin-hwa’s words, I nodded while wearing a bitter smile. The scenery depicted in the painting was indeed so beautiful that one could hardly believe it existed in this world.
But since there were no distinctive features to mark the location, and it was merely a mountain landscape, it seemed difficult to find without seeing it with my own eyes.
I sighed and rose from my seat.
“Are you leaving? Is there nothing else you wish me to do?”
At the voice that reached me then, I fell into thought for a moment.
Soon after, I took several silver coins from my pocket and handed them to Baek Jin-hwa, along with the names of those I should be most wary of in the current situation.
“I’d appreciate it if you could leak this slowly to the Martial Arts Alliance.”
“Information…?”
“Yes, very slowly. Something that feels true enough to be suspicious, yet vague enough that they’d have no choice but to verify it themselves.”
“What on earth is that…?”
Baek Jin-hwa looked at me with an incredulous expression, her brow furrowed.

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One day, two days, three days, four days.
Time continued to flow.
During that time, I shut myself away at home and tried to learn about the landscape painting.
Since most of the warriors in the Jin Family of Luoyang were those who traveled to various places and conducted business, I thought they might know places that even my father or Baek Jin-hwa did not.
But even this proved difficult.
It was not easy to meet and question hundreds of people one by one, but contrary to expectations, not a single person mentioned a similar location or a place with a comparable feeling.
They all said the same thing as Baek Jin-hwa.
That it was a place that did not exist, or a location from imagination.
Because it was such a beautiful place.
I wondered if it might simply be Nam Tae-cheon’s prized possession, but it was a painting that had been left in that place where nothing existed except for his martial prowess, information about the Divine, and such things.
There was no way it could be unrelated to those bastards.
I turned my head as if shaking off my complicated thoughts with a sigh.
In the scenery visible through the window, I caught sight of Chu Hyeongi.
The fellow, whose physique had grown incomparably larger than before meeting Gu Gunbaek, was sweeping the courtyard with a remarkably peaceful expression for some reason.
“Seems you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Indeed, Young Master, I think this is truly my calling.”
At his words, I found myself smiling without thinking.
Without a mirror, he couldn’t see his own reflection.
Look—the muscular physique was so pronounced that I could hardly recall his appearance before meeting Gu Gunbaek.
Though it was merely sweeping the courtyard, the overwhelming musculature was enough to startle the servants and maids who passed by.
The servant Chu Hyeongi was nowhere to be found anymore.
In fact, whether he knew it or not, the eyes of that fellow who was training his body while sweating profusely shone with a brilliance unlike any other time.
However, I chose not to voice such observations.
He appeared perfectly at peace.
“More importantly, is that fellow still sprawled out at the gate?”
“Yes, I saw him earlier. His face was pale—he hasn’t eaten or drunk anything, has he? It’s already been half a month.”
“A persistent one, isn’t he? Does he truly intend to endure to the very end?”
“Ah, it looks like he’ll die before he can endure.”
“He’ll hold out for a month without difficulty. There’s still a long way to go.”
I laughed helplessly, thinking of Cheon Yul.
Already half a month had passed, and he lay sprawled before the gate, abstaining from all food and drink.
Though he frequently called out my name and caused a commotion, everyone had grown accustomed to the noise by now and paid it no mind.
I was certain he would soon exhaust himself and collapse.
“Wouldn’t it be simple to just fight him once?”
“I have no desire to become someone’s stepping stone.”
“Huh?”
“If that fellow were someone I could use as my stepping stone, I wouldn’t have refused. But since it’s the opposite, I simply don’t want to.”
As I spoke with a slight smirk, Chu Hyeongi looked at me with an exasperated expression.
Someone’s growth is certainly a good thing, but if it doesn’t benefit me in any way, it’s meaningless. And for such a person to achieve growth because of me?
I had no intention whatsoever of becoming the fertile ground for that.
The moment I turned my gaze away, shaking my head.
I could see the gatekeeper rushing toward us from a distance.
“They’ve arrived.”
“Who?”
I left the room without answering Chu Hyeongi’s question.
The moment I stepped outside, I silenced the one who had rushed over with ragged breathing as he tried to speak, and then moved leisurely toward the gate.
With each step I took, I felt presences.
Not just one or two.
Dozens of presences gathered together, emanating a palpable killing intent.
As I felt this and threw open the massive gate.
I saw it.
Numerous figures presumed to be from the Martial Arts Alliance, Cheon Yul standing in confrontation, and the warriors of Sadocheon guarding him.
The two forces stood facing each other in silence, swords drawn.
At any moment, they would unleash deadly blades upon one another.
Looking at them, I asked.
“What are you doing in front of someone else’s home?”

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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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