The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 256

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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 256

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“She hid herself remarkably well.”
“Ha, that’s not all. Her lightness technique is incredibly swift.”
“For us to lose her… it matches what we’ve heard.”
Wearing white masks, the men gathered in small groups showed no expression on their faces, yet their words carried considerable confidence.
However, their eyes scanning the surroundings were sharper than ever.
With the determination to miss not a single trace, their gleaming gazes captured every detail before them, and their keenly honed senses detected the faintest presence with precision.
“But to leave so little trace… is she really alive?”
“The Leader confirmed it. Don’t doubt. If he said she’s alive, then that’s the truth.”
Everyone nodded in agreement at someone’s words.
The survival of Hao Munzhu, who had leapt from the cliff.
Considering her martial skill level, it would not have been strange if she were dead, but Heo Baek, the Leader of this White Soul Squad, placed great weight on her survival.
As the sole disciple of the New Master, his judgment should be considered the same as the New Master’s judgment.
Thus, the men moved swiftly while making considerable effort not to miss even the smallest detail.
“Found it.”
Then.
One man moved toward a certain location.
Pushing aside the undergrowth and looking around, traces of someone’s presence appeared.
A spacious area suitable for sleeping became visible, and around it were scattered discarded fruits, mushrooms, and wild vegetables.
It appeared she had eaten and rested in this place.
The men’s gazes focused on one direction.
No matter how much they searched the ground, no traces of movement appeared, but on the numerous trees scattered about, faint traces of footprints remained from her passage.
As if she had tried to leave as few footprints as possible.
“She really was alive.”
One man revealed an incredulous expression and laughed helplessly. Not only had she survived hidden from their pursuit for such a long time, but the fact that she had regained consciousness and survived after falling from such a high cliff and being swept away by the strong current was shocking.
However, whether from prolonged pursuit or exhaustion of body and spirit, she had left traces—faint though they were.
Small as they were, they were sufficient for these men.
Those who met each other’s eyes launched their bodies forward.
Whoosh—!

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I was swept downstream along the rushing current for quite some time.
Even for those who had reached the first-rate level, the violent waters were too strong to escape and reach the shore, so I surrendered my body to the current.
I couldn’t even tell how much time had passed.
But it seemed to be more than an hour or two.
Then, as the current weakened enough for a person to reach the shore, and the moment small traces entered my awareness from the surrounding landscape, I hurled myself toward that direction without hesitation.
“I look like a drowned rat.”
Wringing—
I wrung out my soaked clothes and surveyed my surroundings.
Traces scattered throughout.
These were not the kind of marks left by someone as cautious as Hao Munzhu, so I was certain they were left by some group pursuing him.
Since they were chasing like hunting dogs, they seemed to have no intention of covering their tracks.
“Things are going better than expected.”
That worked in my favor.
If I simply followed the traces, they would naturally guide me to where Hao Munzhu was.
I moved swiftly, pursuing the traces.
Even as I did, I swept my surroundings and didn’t stop thinking about the pursuers.
Exceptional masters.
I estimated they were at least at the peak level.
And there were four of them?
Surely these weren’t all of them.
They were the vicious type who, once they bite, chase until they confirm death—jumping off cliffs to pursue from behind.
With those moving along the water’s path as well, the best opportunity to rescue Hao Munzhu would be before they joined their main force.
If I didn’t find her soon, I might not even find her corpse.
So I moved swiftly, pursuing the traces.
After moving like that for some time—
A scream echoed from somewhere.
“Aaaaaahhh—!”
A desperate cry poured from her lips, laden with urgency.
As if she were resisting.
The closer I drew, the nearer the sound became rather than distant, suggesting she had been cornered into a situation with no escape.
I furrowed my brow and increased my speed further.
The moment the landscape came into view, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
There she was.
Hao Munzhu, clutching a sword yet cowering in a corner, gripped by terror and struggling, surrounded by those who were slowly tightening their noose around her.
My gaze was drawn to the pursuers rather than Hao Munzhu, because their appearance was far from ordinary.
I ran forward and drew my sword.
Sliding—!
The moment a sharp blade infused with cold intent revealed itself, the gaze of the ‘White-Faced Man’ who had been watching Hao Munzhu turned toward me.
Though his expression was invisible, his pupils trembled.
They too had never dreamed I would be here.
“Jin Cheon-u?!”
“What is he doing here!”
With a cry of surprise, I drew my sword and swung it.
Saaak!
A sharp blade energy shot forth through the air.
As if to cleave the space between them and Hao Munzhu.
The pupils of those who gasped in alarm widened as they watched it, their bodies forced to leap away—the power that descended was far beyond what they could easily withstand.
Kwaaang—!
Soon after, accompanied by a tremendous sound, a massive boulder shattered to pieces, and I seized the moment they retreated to position myself before Hao Munzhu, my gaze sweeping left and right.
I could see four white-faced men had already descended to the ground, observing me intently.
I gazed upon them and let out a small laugh.
“I had a feeling the situation might be something like this, and it seems I was right.”
“Ugh…!”
The Heavenly Technique Scripture must inevitably reveal itself to the world.
Whether it was Hao Munzhu who had drawn it out, I did not know, but it certainly had manifested before the world, shaking the martial realm of the Central Plains greatly and creating a blood calamity.
At that time, even Hye-myeong did not exist, so chaos reached its peak.
All of Jeongdo moved in the shadows, and as if there were no such thing as sides or factions, necks were severed by those once trusted, and even blood relatives betrayed one another with reddened eyes.
In terms of timing, the revelation of the Heavenly Technique Scripture’s existence to the world was a matter of a more distant future than now.
From the appearance of things, Ha Omun had first obtained the Heavenly Technique Scripture, but unable to decipher it, time passed, and through an unforeseen circumstance, it leaked to the outside—this was a matter of the past.
However, the current situation was clearly different.
The sudden appearance of the Heavenly Technique Scripture and the white-faced men.
This could not occur unless someone who knows the past intervened.
I glanced at Hao Munzhu, who was trembling slightly.
Though she gazed at me with a pallid complexion, she could not dispel her anxiety.
Whether she feared having what she kept hidden in her bosom stolen away, she remained hunched and vigilant.
“Are you Hao Munzhu?”
“…Yes, but you… surely you are not from the Jin Family of Luoyang?”
“I came searching at the request of Miss Baek Jin-hwa. However, I did not expect the situation to be like this.”
“….”
Despite mentioning Baek Jin-hwa’s name, she did not easily lower her guard.
It seemed she regarded what lay in her bosom as that precious.
“The price will be quite steep!”
Speaking thus, I moved my sword.
Cang—!
A white-faced man who had launched himself forward had his short sword deflected, and I twisted my body. Simultaneously, the sharp sensation of a blade grazing past rushed upon me with a chill.
Excellent.
Certainly, as those cultivated by Gwanbaek, each technique contained an essence that surpassed the family heads or sect leaders of minor martial clans.
One could feel they were unmistakably crafted to pursue the Twelve Angles.
Merely from the fact that such a level had been achieved in so short a time, it was certain that Gwanbaek’s martial prowess far exceeded my imagination.
However.
Clang-clang-clang!
I deflected the barrage of blades and evaded while committing their forms to memory.
Each movement, each technique unfolded without wasted motion—undoubtedly superior martial arts—yet compared to Danju’s level from before, the quality was unmistakably inferior.
Scrape-!
“Gasp?!”
I severed someone’s throat and retreated half a step.
Simultaneously, three blades came flying without leaving room to evade, but I had already grasped such patterns well enough from observing those who faced Auk during the Gok Ok incident involving Mo Yong-cheon.
With practiced skill, I deflected one blade, let the second slip past, evaded the third, and seized the opening with precision.
Swish-swish-swish-slash!
“Ugh?!”
The wounds were not deep, but sufficient to force them back.
The three men, their bodies marked with cuts in various places, widened the distance and clenched their teeth.
Were they attempting another assault?
The three men exchanged glances and moved as though reaching a decision.
Two of them.
They closed the distance in an instant, swinging a short blade and a saber.
I received the short blade and pulled using the golden thread technique.
Clang-clatter!
“Ugh?!”
I lightly deflected the man and pushed him back, then twisted my body faster than the incoming saber, spinning as I swept my sword.
Scrape-!
In that instant, the throat of the man wielding the saber flew into the air.
Then came another presence.
The man with the short blade moved nimbly and thrust forward again—a technique filled with grim killing intent, clearly aiming to exploit an opening and strike a vital point.
Clang-scrape-crunch!
But he was too slow.
“Ahhhhh!”
My blade cut deep into his chest faster than his movements, spraying blood.
Whoosh-boom!
An unexpected sound erupted as a signal flare shot high into the sky, flashing and crackling loudly in the air.
Anyone within the vicinity could not have failed to hear and see it.
Seeing that alone, I realized the two men who died earlier had been buying time for the signal flare to be launched.
I furrowed my brow and looked at the last remaining man.
Confidence gleamed in the man’s expression as he faced me.
“The Leader will arrive soon. When that happens, you will… Gack!?”
He spoke with a triumphant smile, certain of their victory, but my extended blade mercilessly pierced his throat and withdrew.
“Not even worth a rabble of amateurs….”
If they had clenched their teeth and charged forward in memory of their fallen comrades who bought time, it would have been understandable, but to strut about trusting in the Leader’s abilities was worse than common street thugs.
I shook the blood from my blade and turned my head.
Seeing Hao Munzhu’s expression of disbelief at what had unfolded before his eyes, I slowly sheathed my sword with a gentle smile and spoke to him.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. And you, sir?”
“As you can see, I’m unharmed. However, this doesn’t seem like the time for idle conversation. The main force will be upon us soon.”
“…!”
A signal flare shot into the sky.
Without doubt, the main contingent would arrive here shortly, along with the man who called himself the ‘Leader’.
Even a moment’s respite for casual talk was a luxury I couldn’t afford right now.
“Let’s go.”
“…Understood.”
I rose from my position alongside Hao Munzhu, who nodded in agreement, and we hurried away.
Though I was doing my best to leave no traces, when considering enemies who could arrive at any moment, worrying about such minor details was pointless.
Without doubt, ‘he’ would come.
The one who had coveted Mo Yong-cheon’s Gok Ok.
The man who commanded the white-faced men, received Mo Yong-cheon’s sword, and despite facing that Auk, pursued me with ease.
His exact level was unclear, but he was strong.
Moreover, considering the caliber of the subordinates under the man who had blocked Auk, it was evident that a direct confrontation would prove considerably troublesome.
Thus, I fled as far as possible.
I glanced back to confirm Hao Munzhu was following.
Rather than standing beside me, she remained behind—not out of caution, but as if contemplating how she might deceive me.
It was a situation where anyone would have questions.
Hao Munzhu would likely produce a plausible answer.
As I shook my head at the absurd thought and clicked my tongue.
Suddenly, a sharp sound pierced the air as a dagger flew toward us.
Shwiiing— Thunk!
“Gaaack?!”
It struck true, embedding itself precisely in Hao Munzhu’s back, and her body convulsed violently as she retched.
Thud—!
The complexion of Munzhu, sprawled on the ground, began to change rapidly.
Her lips drained of color, foam frothing from her mouth.
From her darkening face alone, I could tell the dagger was coated with deadly poison.
Even with Chaeseoha present, it would not be easy.
Yet still, was she asking me to save her?
Hao Munzhu’s hand, extended toward me, trembled violently, and her dying eyes desperately grasped for any shred of hope for life.
“Jin Cheon-u!”
At the same moment, hearing the white-faced man’s voice, I furrowed my brow.
Watching him rapidly close the distance, I unsheathed my sword in an instant and unleashed my force.
Boom boom boom boom—!
As debris scattered in all directions with a tremendous roar, obscuring the surroundings, I unhesitatingly hoisted Hao Munzhu onto my back and bolted forward.
“This price just keeps getting higher.”

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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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