The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 232

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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, I presume?”
He spoke with commanding confidence, waiting for my response.
The way he introduced himself without hesitation or reservation proved he was someone brimming with self-assurance.
Naturally, our gazes remained locked upon each other.
It was not an attempt to scrutinize.
Rather, pure curiosity—eyes observing without ulterior motive.
I, too, naturally maintained proper courtesy.
“I am Cheon-u 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 run. It seems I’ve encountered a noble indeed. Kra ha ha ha—!”
At the same 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 he was an unpredictable figure like Gu Gunbaek, but I never anticipated he would reveal himself so openly and directly.
Thus, I swallowed the words that rose to my mind.
‘A madman.’
I shifted my gaze to survey one side.
Ten warriors stood behind Gang Cheonho.
All dressed in the garb of the Fengyun Escort House, arrayed in formation—they appeared to be genuine warriors of that organization.
Whether they had consumed the escort members or were themselves sympathizers aligned with the Divine’s will remained unclear, but they were not adversaries to dismiss lightly.
And then, one other person.
The one seated before me, smiling.
Gang Cheonho, the Horn-bearer of Tiger’s Horn.
Standing at nearly eight feet tall with overwhelming musculature.
Eyes that gleamed with bestial ferocity.
It resembled observing Gu Gunbaek, yet felt distinctly different.
Yet one fact remained unmistakable.
He was formidable.
Considering he ranked within the top three among the twelve Horn-bearers, the situation was undoubtedly perilous.
His direct involvement carried two possible meanings.
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 represented a golden opportunity to verify, so he appeared to have chosen direct action over sending subordinates.
To achieve greater certainty.
He possessed the keen senses of a Mountain Lord.
While not quite matching Yeom Ji-hak’s ability to read emotions, he was clearly a being capable of discerning truth from falsehood through mere instinctual feeling.
As I steadied my breathing and composed myself 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 Sea regularly?”
“We transport necessary supplies. Some years we come, others we do not. But what brings the Fengyun Escort House here?”
“Haha—if the Fengyun Escort House moved, wouldn’t it be for an escort mission? I’ve simply come to deliver something.”
“You mentioned this was your first escort mission, yet it seems quite large in scale and a considerable distance for a debut journey.”
“The Fengyun Escort House lacks talented personnel. Haha—if you don’t mind, could you spare a few people for us? Krhaha!”
Gang Cheonho burst into hearty laughter at something he found amusing. It felt as though this kind of conversation was unfamiliar to him.
Indeed, what would a tiger that only devoured its prey know of such conduct?
“But Young Master So, did you encounter any trouble on your journey? We were utterly frustrated by some strange bandits. They were so annoyingly persistent…”
“Thanks to Commander Gang, our passage was quite smooth.”
“Ah, so you’re saying we cleared the path for you? Hahaha. That’s priceless.”
A subtle smile played at the corners of Gang Cheonho’s mouth.
Just 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 Jincheonroe.
“I heard on the way that the Jin Family’s guards defeated a hundred bandits from the Green Forest. Truly nothing troublesome occurred?”
“Such a trivial matter has already become the subject of rumors?”
I glanced subtly toward Chu Hyeongi and noticed him wearing a questioning expression as the atmosphere grew strangely tense.
Then.
Gang Cheonho’s piercing gaze turned toward Chu Hyeongi.
He had finally recognized the subject of the rumors.
“Is that you? The one called the Crazed Blood Beast?”
“…Me?”
“Haha, delighted to meet you. I am Gang Cheonho. I’m quite fortunate to finally meet the notorious Crazed Blood Beast.”
At the mention of the Crazed 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 what to say, Gang Cheonho’s gaze grew increasingly profound.
From observing this, I could discern one more fact.
He was uncertain whether it was I or Chu Hyeongi who was obstructing the Divine.
But now that he had stepped forward, such doubts became meaningless.
Having confirmed this, I steadied my breath for a moment.
The door to the guest hall opened, and Seol Mu, the Gung-ju, appeared once more.
“Forgive the wait. Now, Jin Gongja, come with me. And Commander Gang, you can speak with the Commander here.”
“Hahaha—understood.”
I rose from my seat to follow the Gung-ju.
Was that the reason?
Gang Cheonho smacked his lips, his expression showing regret.
Rather than trying to uncover something, it was the expression of someone who wished to continue the conversation a bit longer.
Seeing this, I smiled.
“Let us meet again next time.”
“Understood. When we do, shall we share a drink and talk? I have quite a lot I’d like to ask. Hahaha.”
He was indeed straightforward.
His words sounded as though he would employ no shallow tricks, so I nodded in response and followed Seol Mu out of the guest hall.
The door closed behind us.
It was as if my connection with that person had been severed—I could no longer sense any trace of their presence.
Was that the reason?
I heard the sighs of Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon following behind me.
“…What is that person? They are human, right?”
“Do they not appear human to you?”
“No… They’re like a tiger. It felt exactly like this when I stood before Baek Gu.”
“I concur.”
The complexions of both men were far from pleasant.
Though they hadn’t fully revealed their presence, merely facing them was enough to feel the bone-chilling aura of a ferocious beast.
Any human would have no choice but to shrink back.
After all, he was none other than Gang Cheonho, the footnote of the Hoagak.
“This journey seems like it will be quite treacherous.”
I found myself shaking my head with a hollow laugh.
Considering how many times I had faced him in the past, and how each encounter had always danced between life and death, this would certainly not be easy.
I exhaled deeply and followed Seol Mu deeper into the passage.
Soon, another firmly sealed door opened, 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’ve confirmed most of what we requested. Truly, 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’ll have it prepared as listed. 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 carefully, so there should be no significant issue….”
“Haha, you’re aware that the Northern Sea’s finances are not in the best condition, are you not? Lower the price a bit more. We’ve been trading partners for a long time—surely you can manage that much?”
I narrowed my brow as I observed Seol Mu’s expression.
The amount written had been set somewhat high with consideration for our relationship with the Northern Sea.
For someone who surely knew this to make such a proposal suggested he was trying to exploit my youth to gain additional profit.
A scoff escaped my lips unbidden.
Soon, I gazed steadily at Seol Mu’s face and nodded.
“Of course it’s possible.”
“…Truly?”
“However, there is a condition. If you agree to it, then yes.”
“What is it? If it’s something I can do, I’ll manage it.”
“In exchange for reducing the price by ten percent, I request an Ice Soul Stone. Of course, this will be calculated separately.”
“…!”
The words of Chung-mu, who had forged my new sword, echoed through my mind.
Had he not said to feed the Ice Soul Stone to my sword if I ever went to the Northern Sea?
Since I didn’t know what it was in the first place, obtaining it this way would be an ideal situation, would it not?
“An Ice Soul Stone… An Ice 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, we use it to contain the frigid energy within our bodies.”
Seol Mu raised his hand slightly.
A pristine, pale coldness flowed 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 the body.
There was no other way to describe such a sight.
“Obtaining the Ice Soul Stones is already quite arduous, but the real problem is that their discovery has become far less frequent in recent times. Moreover, the power contained within the crystals is no longer what it once was.”
Seol Mu offered 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 without particular thought, his expression serene, yet the faint smile playing at his lips revealed eyes that had grasped something with certainty.
Watching him, I found myself shaking my head involuntarily.
“So, I must ask you to reconsider. We cannot simply hand over Ice Soul Stones that are difficult for us to obtain.”
At his plea-like words, I had no choice but to nod.
If something was precious to the Northern Ice Palace, no one could part with it easily.
Then I would need to think differently.
At that moment, Chaeseoha, who had been quietly observing from behind, approached and whispered something into my ear.
The instant I heard her hushed voice.
I tilted my head with a peculiar expression.
“Is that what you need?”
“We 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 desperately tried to persuade me.
Seeing her eyes gleaming with such brilliance, it seemed clear that if we didn’t obtain it here, she would immediately leave and search through the entire Northern Sea to find it.
I sighed.
“Do you have the Ten-Thousand Cold Snow Grass?”
“Hmm? You need that? Yes, we have it. Quite a lot of it, in fact. Will you be taking some?”
“Yes, please provide a generous amount. As for payment, I’ll add an extra portion to what I mentioned earlier.”
“Haha—truly the Young Master. You speak my language. That Jin Myeong who visits regularly is so rigid in principle that he’s caused me considerable trouble.”
The moment the name of my second brother, Jin Myeong, left his lips, I offered a bitter smile. Like my eldest brother, Jin Myeong was someone who adhered strictly to rules and principles.
This kind of approach would never have worked with him.
“There’s much to prepare, so it will take several days. I’ve cleared out 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, I understand.”
At Seol Mu’s words, I rose from my seat, forcing a composed smile. As I opened the door and stepped out, someone who had come to greet us bowed and began to lead the way.
Following behind the figure who walked with practiced steps for quite some time, I finally entered the auxiliary palace where we could rest.
The auxiliary palace was completely independent from the main palace, so the distance was considerable, 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.
Ordinarily, a starving tiger exercises caution even when prey lies before its eyes.
But that is only possible because it is driven by a beast’s instinct.
If one isn’t careful, they’ll lose even what they could have caught.
Then would the same apply to people?
No.
Gang Cheonho lacks patience and caution.
So rather than racking his brain to verify things, he prefers to move his body directly into action.
Just like right now.
If such a man has confirmed my existence and Chu Hyeongi’s, and has gained some certainty from it, then what remains is his true purpose for entering the Northern Sea.

The Binghua Yujing.

I cannot know precisely what lies within it, but he will attempt to open the door that has remained sealed and unopened for centuries, and examine what’s inside.
He surely knows that no one has ever opened this door until now, yet he appeared confidently and came seeking it—which means he possesses a method to open the sealed door.
Whether by brute force or by possessing a key.
That’s why I wait for now.
Rather than racking my brain to open the door myself, waiting for him to open it is the most certain method, isn’t it?
With such thoughts, I entered the chamber and took a seat.
Then I turned my gaze to regard the three people who had followed me inside.
Cheon Yul, Chu Hyeongi, and Namgung Yeon.
As my serious gaze fell upon them, they all wore puzzled expressions, seeming to ask what this meant.
I took in their appearances and spoke a stern warning.
“From now on, don’t let your guard down. You might die.”
“…!”
At my utterly grave expression and gaze, they all held their breath and nodded carefully.
It was time for the tiger to begin the hunt.

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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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