The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 253

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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 253

The gentle light that had filled Hye-myeong’s eyes vanished without a trace.
Before me stood the supreme master whom the martial artists of Jeongdo revered.
Gonghuang himself.
He was not here in his capacity as the Alliance Master.
The aura he radiated, the sensation, the expression and gaze he revealed—
It felt as though he were demonstrating that even Buddha does not face people with compassion alone.
Yet this was not merely to pressure me.
He simply wished to hear the full circumstances from beginning to end.
And there was a will that would not tolerate even a shred of falsehood.
From his demeanor alone, it was clear he had already reviewed what had transpired at the tournament grounds.
Anyone would find it suspicious.
Especially since he had examined my pulse while I was unconscious, his doubts could only run deeper.
I offered a small smile.
In that moment, Hye-myeong’s voice resonated once more.
“Since I have been only in my Songshan, I lack the details. So I hope you will not misunderstand.”
“I understand.”
The fact that he came directly to me without questioning the others suggested he wished to hear my account first, before reviewing the information gathered by the Martial Arts Alliance.
So I began to recount everything slowly.
Starting from the Black Ox Society and continuing through all my entanglements with the Moyong Family until now—from beginning to end, save for matters concerning Gok Ok and the Divine, these were things one could hear anywhere.
Hye-myeong, who had listened to the entire account with his eyes gently closed, slowly opened them.
“Such a karmic debt…Amitabha.”
“It is hardly a debt to speak of. Merely a twisted fate between us.”
One side was the supreme noble house called the Number One Sword Sect, while the other wielded the financial power that controlled the lifeblood of the Central Plains.
When the fates of such powers became entangled, there could be no proper means to resolve it, and amid such circumstances, events continued to unfold.
The most fatal was what occurred in Gansu.
The very fact that even Hye-myeong clicked his tongue made it undeniable that the incident had deeply wounded Mo Yong-cheon’s sensibilities.
“For him to have endured this long with such a temperament…”
“I never expected he would harbor it to this extent. My judgment was lacking.”
“Amitabha—you bear no fault, young master. Rather, this arose because you did not fully understand the nature of martial artists. As one of the upper houses, such things are inevitable.”
Hye-myeong released a sigh.
Perhaps he understood the rage that Mo Yong-cheon harbored. Even if one were not a martial artist, if one’s child suffered such treatment at another’s hands, it would be cause enough to voice one’s anguish.
Yet it was impossible for reason to simply vanish at the tournament grounds from that alone.
Did you understand that point?
Hye-myeong, having steadied his breath, turned his gaze toward me once more.
Now came the main question.
“Then I shall ask you one more thing. For what reason did you meet with the Hwangbo Family Head?”
“Did the Family Head not tell you?”
“The situation never developed to that point. Besides, he didn’t seem particularly inclined to discuss it either.”
I nodded at his words.
When uncertain, one should not speak carelessly.
Hwangbo Janghu had grasped the most powerful move to crush the Moyong Family, so he likely intended to clarify the truth as quickly as possible before revealing his hand when certainty was achieved.
But he could never have imagined that Mo Yong-cheon would be the one to act first.
So rather than digging into unnecessary details, he would have focused on immediately capturing Mo Yong-cheon and dragging his honor and dignity through the mud.
There was no reason to tell Hye-myeong any of this.
But I was different.
I smiled faintly and spoke.
“I intended to offer a warning about unforeseen circumstances, given that the Family Head Hwangbo and the Sword Emperor have clashed frequently of late.”
“Unforeseen circumstances?”
“Yes. I happened to visit the Namgung Family recently, and the traces of those who attacked them were still present.”
The direct line of the Namgung Family, lacking funds, had surrendered their estate to the Chohyeon Clan at a pittance, yet the Chohyeon Clan had left the devastated Namgung estate as it was, abandoned and neglected.
To those unaware, it might appear they had preserved it out of respect for the Namgung Family’s standing, but it was clearly a deliberate decision to mock their descendants.
As the words left my lips, I could see Hye-myeong’s brow gradually narrowing.
Following the thread of the narrative, he could anticipate what would come next.
“There, I discovered traces of the Heavenly Ascension Sword Art. Though the impression was somewhat different, I must say.”
“Is that so?”
“It matches what Moyong Sohyeop demonstrated to me in Gansu. As you know, the texture varies depending on the practitioner’s level, but the traces found at the Namgung estate are unmistakably the source form of the Heavenly Ascension Sword Art.”
“….”
Hye-myeong’s eyes turned cold and distant.
This was not a matter to be spoken of lightly without certainty.
One could easily be accused of slandering the Moyong Family.
So Hye-myeong stared directly into my eyes, scrutinizing my words, expression, and gaze as if verifying something.
“Amitabha—if what you say is true, the Moyong Family cannot be left alone.”
“Indeed. And there is one more thing—I suspect the Chohyeon Clan and Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon may have dimly perceived this truth as well.”
I spoke with measured calm.
In that moment, Hye-myeong’s eyes wavered.
Synthesizing the narrative now, it suggested that the disappearance of the Chohyeon Clan and Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon might also be the Moyong Family’s doing.
“What do you mean…?”
“Did the Chohyeon Clan not simply abandon the Namgung estate after purchasing it? It appears they were investigating the traces. Moreover, I hear that the Chohyeon Clan and Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon, who was the Martial Artist’s master, shared considerable ties… Perhaps they were investigating together…?”
Hye-myeong’s eyes narrowed with suspicion as he examined me further.
The gaze of one seeking to unearth falsehood and truth.
But you won’t easily discern it.
I could calmly receive and dismiss even Yeom Ji-hak’s ability to read emotions without flinching, so if Hye-myeong couldn’t surpass Gok Ok in understanding people’s hearts, there would be no point.
I smiled and placed my final period.
“Merely speculation.”
“…Keep it as speculation. This is not something to speak of carelessly elsewhere.”
“I shall remember.”
“Amitabha.”
Hye-myeong shook his head and murmured a Buddhist prayer.
Everything he had heard today was so shocking that he drew a deep breath, as if uncertain how to make sense of it all.
The Moyong Family, a colossal and prestigious clan, had brought down the Namgung Family, and that wasn’t enough—they had also targeted the Chohyeon Clan and Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon.
On top of that, they had attempted to kill the Young Master So of the Jin Family of Luoyang.
Though they had wrapped it in the language of mere speculation, if all of this were true, the very foundation of the martial world would be shaken.
Yet Hye-myeong also understood.
Jin Cheon-u, who knew of these facts.
And Mo Yong-cheon, who had grasped them—he would have been in a position where he had no choice but to kill and silence anyone who knew, by any means necessary.
If such a situation had arisen where these secrets could be exposed, it wouldn’t seem strange for him to lose his reason for the sake of his honor and his clan.
Because of the actions Mo Yong-cheon had set in motion, the words I spoke now sounded like nothing but truth, and the Alliance Master’s worries would only deepen.
As expected, Hye-myeong drew another breath and his gaze turned toward me.
“From now on, speak of this to no one. I will conduct my own investigation. Amitabha Buddha.”
“I will keep that in mind, Alliance Master.”
From the Moyong Family’s perspective, whether they denied it or not, the moment any one of the three came to light, they would have no choice but to become the culprit.
Because Mo Yong-cheon himself had committed these acts.
Moreover, of the three, two would leave no clues to be found, but the remaining one was marked so distinctly that it couldn’t be hidden even if they wanted to.
With this, I would be able to settle the matter concerning the Chohyeon Clan and Ho-yeon.
Smirk—
A satisfied smile bloomed naturally across my face.

* * *

After finishing his story, Hye-myeong hurried back to the Alliance.
Whether to work as diligently as the time he had spent away from the Martial Arts Alliance, he seemed to vanish in an instant, as if even a brief moment was precious.
Indeed, his movements were so graceful that the word “Gonghuang” naturally escaped my lips, and I found myself clicking my tongue in admiration before turning my head away.
“He’s gone?”
As I turned my head, I could see Cheon Yul’s face drained of all color.
Perhaps because he had already suffered at Hye-myeong’s hands once before, his eyes and expression were filled with unmistakable fear.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Is he really that frightening?”
“Try experiencing it yourself before saying such things.”
“I have experienced something similar from the Death Emperor.”
“But you didn’t lose consciousness.”
“I nearly died.”
His expression pleaded for understanding, but at the mention of nearly dying, he closed his mouth without another word.
Losing consciousness and nearly dying were entirely different matters, after all.
“Do you think he’ll come again?”
“If he has business, he’ll likely visit frequently.”
“Ahhhhh! I hate it, I hate it! That damned monk is my most hated person!”
Cheon Yul screamed in horror, ruffling his hair wildly like a madman. Just from his expression and the look in his eyes, I could tell how deeply shaken he was.
I smiled.
“Why not return to your quarters?”
“I don’t want to!”
“Then endure it.”
“Ugh—I hate it, I hate it. I want to kill all those damned monks.”
Cheon Yul rubbed his arms with both hands and left the place.
Staying here and dwelling on Hye-myeong’s presence would be far more uncomfortable than chasing after Chaeseoha or Namgung Yeon.
I couldn’t help but smile bitterly and shake my head.
“Has the Alliance Master departed?”
At that moment, I turned my gaze toward the voice that reached my ears once more.
The space Cheon Yul had vacated was now filled by none other than my Father.
Dark shadows hung beneath his eyes, and his eyes burned with a crimson hue.
He appeared quite exhausted.
I gazed at him with an awkward expression and smiled.
“Yes, he just left.”
“This must be because of the Moyong Family matter.”
“That is correct. It seems there were many things he did not understand.”
The moment I spoke the name Moyong Family, I felt anger surge within me.
When I had crushed Moryeong Hyeok in Gansu, was Mo Yong-cheon’s fury like this? Such thoughts crossed my mind, and though he did not openly display it, his eyes clearly burned with intensity.
From a father’s perspective, it made no sense to leave someone who sought to kill his own child unscathed.
“The Number One Sword Sect…”
Father spoke the words aloud.
Coming from someone who ordinarily paid no mind to the martial world whatsoever, the words carried a weight that was impossible to ignore.
Soon, the pupils within his half-opened eyes blazed with intensity.
It was unmistakably clear to anyone watching that he was revealing his fury.
As I shifted my gaze, Yu Hyeon, who had drawn near without my noticing, lowered his head.
“Where does the Moyong Family draw its financial lifeblood?”
“There are many sources, but the largest is undoubtedly… a merchant guild.”
“You speak of the Qinghe Merchant Guild?”
“Indeed.”
As Yu Hyeon bowed his head in response, Father nodded.
The air felt so heavy that it seemed unnecessary to even ask and answer—as if the exchange itself existed merely to demonstrate his resolve.
“Construct a large warehouse, and begin purchasing in bulk the essential goods flowing into the Qinghe Merchant Guild.”
“Understood. But what of the other sources?”
“One by one, slowly and methodically. That way, there’s true satisfaction in strangling them to death, is there not?”
At those words, I wore a bitter smile.
Father’s intention was crystal clear.
The Qinghe Merchant Guild—the greatest financial artery sustaining the Moyong Family.
He intended to seize its reins first and tighten them.
It was not merely the Qinghe Merchant Guild alone.
Though he would move slowly, he would undoubtedly tighten the noose around their necks one by one, without fail.
“Where martial families crush their enemies through force, merchant families excel at strangling them to death. I shall show you slowly, Sword Emperor.”
Father’s wrath reached toward the heavens.

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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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