The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 269

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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 269

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I slipped out of the Sega and moved along a familiar path.
The moment I stepped into the bustling marketplace, I spotted my destination—the Hoseon Inn.
Unusually, the door was locked—a strange sight indeed.
Those attempting to enter gave up at the sight of the locked door and turned away, while others tried knocking, but there was no response from within.
Had they perhaps fled in fear?
I was pondering this very thought when—
Baek Jin-hwa’s figure caught my eye in the middle of the street.
Standing with a woman who appeared to be an Imperial Guard, she lowered her head as she looked toward me—enough to suggest she had been waiting.
As I approached her, I heard Baek Jin-hwa’s voice, a small smile playing at her lips.
“You seem to have had quite the ordeal.”
“Thanks to someone, that is.”
“Hehe—shall we go somewhere more suitable for conversation? I’ve already arranged a rather pleasant location.”
She had locked the Hoseon Inn and prepared a different place instead?
Though the situation was unusual, I didn’t dwell on it.
I simply followed Baek Jin-hwa as she walked ahead.
As we left the marketplace and entered the wealthy district, I felt a momentary illusion that the surroundings had transformed in an instant.
Yet this was not our destination, for we continued walking for roughly another quarter of an hour before arriving at a place where a grand manor stood.
Upon entering through the gate, a magnificent sight greeted my eyes.
The garden was beautifully maintained, clearly reflecting considerable expense, and the large, spacious hall was comparable to the Jin Family’s auxiliary residence.
I assumed this must be Ha Omun’s inner residence, or perhaps Baek Jin-hwa’s own dwelling.
Behind it lay a well-appointed pond and pavilion, and it was clear that preparations for entertaining had already been completed—elaborate dishes and wine were laid out in abundance.
As expected, Baek Jin-hwa took her seat and gestured toward the opposite side, whereupon I naturally sat down as well.
Baek Jin-hwa filled the empty cups with practiced ease, then smiled warmly once more as she looked toward me.
“It appears your plan did not proceed as expected.”
“That’s right. Hao Munzhu is dead. And the object he was carrying was stolen.”
“There were definitely attackers involved?”
Baek Jin-hwa posed the question while turning it over in her mind.
It seemed she was wondering whether Hao Munzhu’s shadow had orchestrated some scheme to escape with “it” in hand.
Given the nature of the object, such a thing would not have been surprising.
Or perhaps she suspected that I, having recognized what the object was, had taken it myself.
I let out a slight laugh.
“There were men wearing white masks. Quite a number of them, in fact—enough that we couldn’t mount a proper defense. If you’re suspicious, go search for traces yourself.”
“I’ve already had the surrounding area searched, but there were no bodies, nor anything else.”
“They jumped from the cliff and were swept down to Hubei. Finding them was quite the ordeal.”
“…You went to such lengths?”
“I promised I’d find them.”
As I brought the cup to my lips and offered a subtle smile, Baek Jin-hwa’s eyes widened with unmistakable shock. She quickly composed herself, masking her expression.
“Lord… what were you saying…?”
“I heard nothing. I found them, but shortly after, they fell victim to poison. Once I managed that, they were killed by enemies. It was quite frustrating.”
I furrowed my brow, recalling that time.
Heo Baek’s first move was to push me back.
Simultaneously, the dagger that flew unseen was a technique that perfectly calculated a distance I could not reach.
So even if I extended my sword, I could not block it.
Such a move could only come from one who perfectly understood my spacing—it made me realize anew that his abilities were not limited merely to transcendent senses.
I set aside my thoughts and lifted the refilled cup once more.
“So, what was the Shadow of the Hao Munzhu searching for?”
“…Did you know?”
“At first, I was completely fooled. But… no matter how I look at it, you don’t seem like someone who would control an entire organization.”
The clumsy manner of speech and lack of confidence.
Merely from watching you strain with all your might to protect the Cheon Gi-do in your possession, it was clear you bore little resemblance to one leading an organization.
Even if that organization were the Ha Omun.
Though it’s said not to be treated as a proper sect, the Ha Omun is nonetheless a prestigious school with considerable history.
Surely one who serves as its leader should carry appropriate weight, should they not?
I raised my cup and expanded my perception.
Without doubt, there was someone else besides Baek Jin-hwa.
I sensed those who appeared to be Ha Omun disciples hiding their presence, concealed—a presence so faint that I could not have detected it had I not recovered my former level of power.
In that instant, I understood who it was.
“Isn’t that right, Lord Munzhu?”
“…!”
Baek Jin-hwa could not help but gasp at my sudden words.
She struggled to compose her startled heart and offered a bitter smile.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Young Master.”
“What do I mean? I was simply conversing with the master who invited me here.”
“….”
Baek Jin-hwa rarely revealed her emotions.
But this time was different—her trembling eyes and rigid complexion showed no sign of easing.
It would be no exaggeration to say that few knew the true identity of the Ha Omun’s leader.
While her shadow was sometimes discovered, those who had seen her in person were exceedingly rare—she was a perfectly concealed existence.
And that very fact was the reason the Ha Omun had survived so long.
Especially in the heart of the Jeongdo martial world, where the open faction found it distasteful that the Ha Omun sold information just as they did, they had attempted countless times to eliminate her, yet she kept resurfacing like weeds—this was the decisive reason why.
Thus, defeat was written across Baek Jin-hwa’s face.
But I gazed calmly in one direction.
A building some distance from the pavilion.
I sensed a presence so faint it was barely perceptible, watching this way intently.
The distance was considerable, enough that I wondered if even voices could reach, but for the Hao Munzhu, one skilled in seeing and hearing, such distance would be trivial.
I lifted my cup with a gentle smile, meeting his gaze.
“Would you care to join me? The view from here is quite exceptional.”
Had he realized that I could no longer hide my presence?
Through the wide-open window, a man’s face became visible, and as his eyes found me, a short laugh escaped his lips.
“What an honor to meet the hero of Luoyang in person.”
“The honor is mine to meet Hao Munzhu, whom even the Baek faction could not locate.”
As my voice, infused with inner energy, carried forth with weight and resonance, Hao Munzhu’s expression shifted to one of surprise as he studied me.
Despite the distance, I could see him clearly.
His pupils trembled violently.
As if my single remark had revealed exactly where I stood.
He let out a hollow laugh at the unbelievable realization, then shook his head as if resigned to his fate and steadied his breathing.
“Will you share a cup with me?”
“Of course. Please, come here.”
At my casual response, Hao Munzhu rose from his seat. Soon after, his figure vanished from the window, and moments later, he emerged through the door.
He was a man of quite distinctive bearing.
Not in the sense of being powerfully built like Gu Gunbaek or Jang Chuchyeong, but rather his abundant flesh rippled and jiggled with each step, evidence of a life of excess.
Ornaments adorned his body as well.
He approached slowly, yet even this seemed to strain him greatly, cold sweat dripping profusely—a truly pathetic sight.
I found myself laughing despite my intentions.
“Ha ha—forgive me. I haven’t moved my body much lately, so I’ve gained considerable weight. I am called Manrigui.”
“Jin Cheon-u.”
I offered a respectful bow without revealing my thoughts, studying him once more.
His clothes seemed ill-fitting, hanging loosely on him, which left his skin exposed in places.
Thanks to this, the Ha Omun mark etched on his chest was partially visible—the very symbol I recognized as representing Hao Munzhu.
Despite his corpulent appearance, he possessed one of the three greatest lightness techniques in the Central Plains, and his martial prowess, contrary to his outward form, was quite formidable.
I couldn’t help but suspect that this appearance was deliberately crafted to deceive others.
“I never expected to meet you in such a manner. Ha ha, so I’ve caused you considerable trouble, have I?”
“Compared to what I’ve endured, it is of little consequence. Rather, I should apologize. Did you not fail to obtain what you desired?”
“What I desired… Baek Jin-hwa specifically asked me to rescue a person, or so it seemed.”
“People do not typically refer to paper as a person.”
At my sharp remark, Manrigui’s expression hardened.
He had been reaching for his chopsticks but froze, his gaze fixed upon me.
His eyes held the intensity of one trying to see through me, yet I met his stare calmly and even smiled in return.
Then, a glimmer of intrigue flashed across Manrigui’s face, his lips curving upward slightly as he fixed me with an unwavering gaze and spoke.
“Do you know what it is?”
“The desperate manner in which it is guarded and sought suggests it may be something of great importance—perhaps a secret technique or hidden scripture.”
“Ha ha, you’ve discerned even that?”
“If I had to venture a guess, I would say it is the Cheon Gi-do.”
“…!”
“….”
A flicker of surprise crossed Hao Munzhu’s eyes, and Baek Jin-hwa swallowed hard, pressing her lips together.
She appeared quite startled that what she had tried to conceal had been exposed, yet she refrained from asking the foolish question of how I had discovered it.
It was reasonable to assume that something had occurred during the rescue, or that even without that, I could have deduced it through some means or another.
I set down my empty cup and fixed my gaze upon those before me.
At last, someone had arrived to settle the debt—I would accept payment.
“In any case, the time has come for you to pay the price. As you know, this matter is… quite costly.”
“Haha.”
Manrigui let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
Considering how he had attempted to use me to obtain the Cheon Gi-do, and everything that had transpired in that process, no modest price would suffice.
Thus, a question gleamed in Manrigui’s eyes—curiosity about how I intended to exact payment.
Seeing that, I raised the corners of my mouth and set the price.
“What was your reason for seeking the Cheon Gi-do in the first place? Surely you knew that the moment it appeared in the martial world, a tempest of blood would descend.”
“Ha, is that the price?”
“I believe it holds sufficient value.”
At my nod, he fell into thought. He seemed to be deliberating whether it was wise to speak, or whether he should keep silent and say nothing, trying to determine which course was most advantageous.
But the moment for decision was brief.
Manrigui nodded, apparently accepting the price.
After all, if he could settle the debt of having used me by speaking of something lost to unknown persons and now beyond his reach, it would be nothing but beneficial for Hao Munzhu.
An uncharacteristic, lingering smile crossed his lips as he rested his chin in his hand, and soon his lips moved as his voice reached my ears.
“Have you ever heard of a stone imbued with an immortal soul?”
At that unexpected remark, I caught my breath without meaning to.
Yet I did so as naturally as possible.
I had to compose myself, concealing every trace of emotion so that my expression and eyes revealed nothing.
“I do not understand what you are saying.”

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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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