The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 197

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Youngest Son of the Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 197

It was an entirely natural situation.
If Shanxi was the sacred domain of the Demonic Sect, then Henan was no different. With the Martial Arts Alliance’s presence, they would never permit the Demonic Sect’s intrusion.
Thus, the Orthodox Faction maintained what seemed like an inviolable treaty, never setting foot in Shanxi or Henan. Yet now, in these Henan lands, there arrived not merely a Demonic Sect member, but the successor to the Death Emperor who would lead the next generation of the Heavenly Emperor’s disciples.
Cheon Yul had arrived.
And in Luoyang, no less—one of Henan’s three great cities.
Since the Martial Arts Alliance would never be ignorant of such information, this confrontation was an entirely natural consequence.
I regarded the Martial Arts Alliance’s side with an unconcerned expression.
Given the caliber of our opponents, these were not members of the Changryong Dan.
The Blue Heaven Sect—the core force of the Martial Arts Alliance itself.
It felt as though they had been deliberately dispatched.
Composed of elite warriors drawn from the Nine Sects and One Clan as well as the renowned families, each individual possessed strength that would undoubtedly rival Cheon Yul’s.
I observed these figures as they stared silently at one another.
A situation on the knife’s edge.
The moment anyone moved, blades would clash.
Watching them, I asked:
“What business do you have before another’s residence?”
The first to respond was none other than the bald-headed man.
A figure from Shaolin.
After glancing at Cheon Yul and his guards’ expressions, he exhaled deeply as he looked at me, then withdrew the staff he held and inquired:
“This humble monk is called Myeong-ryun of Shaolin. Might you be the Young Master So of the Jin Family, Jin Cheon-u?”
“Yes, that is correct. I did not expect to meet a disciple of the Empty Emperor in such a place.”
The Empty Emperor Hye-myeong.
One of the Ten Emperors and a figure said to rival the Death Emperor Cheon Gong-hak of the Heavenly Emperor’s disciples, he is regarded as the foremost among the Three Emperors of the Orthodox Martial Arts Alliance.
Currently seated as the Alliance Master, he is renowned for spending his time in Shaolin offering Buddhist devotions rather than handling administrative matters.
Though he accomplishes nothing, the weight his name carries is extraordinary, so none dare voice complaint.
Yet this cannot be called a good thing.
One reason the Martial Arts Alliance cannot check the Sword Emperor is precisely because the Empty Emperor Hye-myeong does not descend from Mount Song.
Therefore, the Moyong Family’s influence remained exceptional.
And standing before me was Myeong-ryun.
The figure holding the staff stood out distinctly from the others, not merely because he was the Empty Emperor’s disciple, but for a far simpler reason.
He was strong.
Overwhelmingly so.
To compare him with Cheon Yul would be laughable.
Merely observing how his guards maintained heightened vigilance while watching him revealed that Myeong-ryun was the true center of this Blue Heaven Sect.
I naturally examined the Blue Heaven Sect’s members and asked:
“Might your presence here be because of this man?”
“Amitabha—indeed, sir. However, I wish to know why the Heavenly Emperor’s followers have come seeking you.”
“I believe you are already aware of the relationship between Cheon Yul and myself. It seems he has come here unable to accept his defeat. Is that not so?”
I turned my gaze toward Cheon Yul.
His complexion was not good, likely from abstaining from food and drink.
His lips were pale and severely chapped—seeing him in such a state made me wonder if he could even hold his own properly when an actual fight broke out.
Looking at him in that condition, I let out a slight smile.
Only then did he react.
“Huh? Ah! Right. That’s right! What are you doing!? Draw your sword at once!”
Cheon Yul, who had been tense, seemed to snap to attention at my question and hastily grasped his sword hilt, urging me to unsheathe my blade.
As a result, Myeong-ryun’s gaze deepened further, and the momentum of the Blue Heaven Sect surged forth with terrifying intensity.
The tension became unbearably taut.
Drawing my sword thoughtlessly in such a situation seemed like a precaution against whatever might unfold.
Without thinking, I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“Lower that, Young Master So. If we’re not careful, someone will die here.”
“But to lower my sword before an orthodox sect member…”
“This is orthodox sect territory, so if you lower your weapon first, everyone will follow suit. Is that not so?”
I spoke while looking at Myeong-ryun and the Blue Heaven Sect members.
Those who had been maintaining tension as if ready to strike at any moment seemed flustered by my sudden words, gathering their gazes upon Myeong-ryun.
Normally they would have drawn their swords without hesitation and dragged things out, but this is Luoyang, before the Jin Family residence.
In fact, since even the ground they stand upon belongs to us, blood cannot be spilled carelessly on Jin Family land.
That is why they have only restrained themselves and refrained from striking until now.
In the end, Myeong-ryun, receiving their gazes, let out a sigh.
“Amitabha Buddha… May I have a word with you, Young Master?”
“Of course. Please, come inside.”

* * *

Inside the reception hall of the separate residence.
As those gathered there took their seats, the spacious room felt suddenly crowded.
The Blue Heaven Sect numbered thirty.
In contrast, Cheon Yul’s forces barely reached twenty.
Yet the reason this vast space felt so suffocating was the relentless collision of auras emanating from both sides.
“This wasn’t what I had in mind….”
At that moment, Cheon Yul, seated among us, glanced around and scratched his head. The situation had taken an unexpected turn with the Blue Heaven Sect’s arrival, and he seemed uncertain how to proceed.
Soon after, he leaned toward me and whispered.
“How about we ask them to leave? The killing intent is absolutely-.”
“If Soocheonchu hadn’t come seeking us, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
“Haha, you said it yourself—we can’t live losing. And isn’t he our friend?”
Whether he truly grasped the gravity of the situation or not, Cheon Yul laughed heartily and patted my back.
The casual familiarity between us was so evident that I could see the Blue Heaven Sect’s expressions growing increasingly rigid.
It was shocking enough that Soocheonchu of Sa Do-cheon had entered Hanan territory without hesitation, but his relaxed demeanor with the Young Master of the Jin Family of Luoyang was certainly a bombshell.
They must be worried that the Jin Family’s power might shift toward Sa Do-cheon.
I smiled faintly and ignored Cheon Yul.
Then I turned my gaze toward Myeong-ryun.
“Did you come to apprehend this man, Myeong-ryun?”
“Amitabha Buddha—yes, Young Master. Sa Do-cheon harbors those who should not exist. As one who walks the righteous path, how could I remain idle? I must ask you, Young Master. Why does such a person remain in the Jin Family?”
His voice was gentle, yet firm resolve underlay every word. Moreover, his gaze toward Cheon Yul was far from favorable, carrying considerable weight.
However, there was no killing intent—as if he harbored no desire for bloodshed.
Of course, the absence of killing intent should not be mistaken for an absence of lethal intent.
I smiled slightly.
“First, Myeong-ryun, you walk the path of the Buddha before the path of righteousness. On that path, there exists no distinction between right and wrong. I ask that you understand this.”
“….”
At my words, bewilderment flickered across Myeong-ryun’s face.
The Blue Heaven Sect too seemed considerably taken aback.
My assertion—that the Buddhist path contains no distinction between right and wrong, and therefore such matters should not be debated here—carried absolute conviction.
Surprise was not limited to the Blue Heaven Sect alone.
Even Cheon Yul and his bodyguards showed signs of astonishment.
“As I mentioned earlier, Soocheonchu failed to accept defeat in the martial contest held at Sa Do-cheon, and thus came to this. I suspect his competitive spirit and youthful impetuousness drove him to this action.”
At my explanation, Myeong-ryun closed his mouth.
My statement—that one who walks the Buddhist path should not debate right and wrong—had struck deeply.
To speak would be to deny the Buddhist path; to remain silent would be to deny both the Blue Heaven Sect and, by extension, the Martial Arts Alliance and the righteous path. He had no choice but to hold his tongue.
But the others were different.
“We understand the situation. However, now that we have entered Hanan territory, we cannot simply stand idle.”
“Even if I asked you to leave quietly…?”
The man nodded at my question.
They had seized an excellent opportunity.
While they wouldn’t kill him outright considering a full confrontation with Sa Do-cheon, they could certainly capture and humiliate him.
That is precisely why I will not give up.
“What else can I do? I made a promise with the Death Emperor, and therefore I cannot overlook any harm coming to this person.”
“A promise? You speak of the Death Emperor?”
“I agreed to undertake imperial business affairs alongside Sa Do-cheon. Since it is already in progress in other regions beyond Henan, I believe you would be aware of it.”
“…Of course, I am aware. The Martial Arts Alliance has much to say about that as well!”
A natural statement received a natural response.
I nodded lightly and accepted his words with ease. The Jin Family of Luoyang had never cooperated with martial arts organizations until now, so it was understandable that the Martial Arts Alliance would suspect ulterior motives.
I gave a small nod.
“Of course, I expected as much. I was already planning to visit the Martial Arts Alliance to explain this anyway.”
“Amitabha Buddha—the Martial Arts Alliance, you say?”
“I am also a person of Henan, so should I not at least explain my reasons?”
As long as the Jin Family of Luoyang establishes itself in Henan, we can never escape the influence of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Naturally, having witnessed the Jin Family of Luoyang and Sa Do-cheon joining hands, the Martial Arts Alliance would certainly attempt to separate us by any means necessary.
Simple interference does not concern me greatly.
However, if they resort to methods like when the Uiseonchae family collapsed, even I could not fully protect the Jin Family of Luoyang without Gu Gunbaek.
Therefore, I had to go eventually.
It was merely Cheon Yul who accelerated that timeline.
“Then I shall explain everything in detail at that time. Of course, this friend will accompany me as well.”
“Wh—what!? Why would I go to the Martial Arts Alliance!?”
At my sudden remark, Cheon Yul cried out in shock.
While he had followed along to the Jin Family of Luoyang without much thought, he clearly had no desire to visit the Martial Arts Alliance, shaking his head vehemently.
However, it was meaningless.
After all, these people had come to capture Cheon Yul.
The Blue Heaven Sect also needed something to save face, so it would be pointless for me to go alone.
As expected, Myeong-ryun’s eyes gleamed brightly.
As if he had grasped my intention.
“Then that is acceptable. However, since we have come this far, we cannot simply return empty-handed, and you must understand that Soocheonchu might break his promise and flee.”
At Myeong-ryun’s words, I nodded.
The situation progressed in an instant, as if we were exchanging words back and forth.
Most of those present, except for a few, seemed to have caught onto the drift of the conversation, watching our exchange with expressions of bewilderment or exasperation.
The sighs that followed came from Cheon Yul’s bodyguards, who had sensed the shifting atmosphere.
As expected, Myeong-ryun’s voice was heard.
“I shall take Soocheonchu’s bodyguards with us, just in case.”
“What!?”
“Please do so.”
“Who do you think you are!”
Though Cheon Yul’s voice rang out loudly, Myeong-ryun and I paid it no mind, letting it pass through one ear and out the other.
After all, he had no authority to make decisions here.
Realizing this, Cheon Yul clenched his teeth and attempted to cause a disturbance, but when his subordinate grasped his shoulder and shook his head, he furrowed his brow and sat back down.
Seeing this, Myeong-ryun smiled gently.
However, this is not the time to laugh.
This board has been set for this very moment.
“Then, I look forward to meeting the Alliance Leader.”
“…!”
At those words, everyone from the Blue Heaven Sect, including Myeong-ryun, cast surprised glances my way, but I received them calmly and smiled.
It was a moment when I eagerly anticipated the descent of the Empty Emperor.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————