The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 284

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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 284

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Hwangbo Janghu, who remained within the Martial Arts Alliance, could scarcely relax the furrow between his brows.
He burned with an urgent desire to drive out Mo Yong-cheon and the Moyong Family as swiftly as possible.
His son’s severed arm, lost to Moryeong Hyeok’s reckless impulse. His chest, slashed by the deranged Mo Yong-cheon.
Though I had traversed countless battlefields, never had I borne wounds so humiliating as these.
The bleeding had ceased, yet the fury remained unquenched.
The chill that had pierced my skin when that blade grazed me still lingered deep within my bones, resurrecting itself each night as nightmares.
Since the memory would not fade, it was only natural that the seething rage refused to subside.
Yet circumstances were not favorable.
The elders of the Moyong Family who had descended upon them persisted with excuses, continually dragging out the proceedings.
Their intent was transparent from this alone.
As time passed, the forceful voices would quiet, and one by one, exhausted by the unresolved situation, they would abandon their demands.
They would naturally gain time to bury everything away.
This was what the Moyong Family’s elders were scheming for.
“I cannot allow this to stand.”
The veins on the back of his clenched fist bulged prominently.
For his son’s sake, and for the integrity of Jeongdo’s martial world, the Moyong Family—that festering boil—had to be excised.
At that moment, urgent signs of movement came from outside.
“Family Head, urgent information has arrived.”
“Enter.”
The moment the words left his lips, the door burst open and a man strode in.
With a sweat-dampened face, he bowed his head and approached carefully, whispering in a low voice.
“Moryeong Hyeok is secretly heading toward Beijing.”
“…That man? At a time like this?”
“Yes. He has imposed strict silence within the family and created a shadow double before slipping away.”
“Alone?”
“No. Including the chief steward and guards, there are slightly over twenty in total.”
As the man finished speaking, Hwangbo Janghu’s brow deepened with concern.
Moving with such secrecy, even the Hwangbo Family would find it difficult to pursue him to the end.
Yet the fact that this information arrived so quickly meant someone had deliberately leaked it.
Moreover, of all times, Moryeong Hyeok was sneaking toward Beijing.
The more I considered it, the less sense it made.
“Where did this information come from?”
“…I regret to say it came from Ha Omun.”
…
That a member of Jeongdo’s prestigious martial family would deal with Ha Omun was audacious, but those who viewed information as mere currency were renowned for only asking questions that would guarantee their money’s worth.
Accuracy is beyond question, then.
It was certain that Moryeong Hyeok had secretly headed to Beijing.
Why at a time like this?
In that moment, something came to mind.

The Sword Emperor.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and rose from his seat, murmuring softly.
“I must visit the Alliance Leader.”
As Hwangbo Janghu moved, a slow smile spread across his lips.
At last, an opportunity had come to sever this tiresome curse of fate.

* * *

When I arrived in Beijing in the late afternoon, the city was serene.
Once these streets had been filled with blood and screams, yet now they had reclaimed their peace as if nothing had ever happened.
The sunlight tilted westward, scattering crimson hues through every alley.
Pedestrians moved busily through the marketplace, and the calls of peddlers mixed with children’s laughter created a peculiar vitality.
Taking in this scene, I headed toward the Yunlong Inn.
Once the most prestigious inn in Beijing, it now stood with its entrance and windows boarded shut, the golden characters of its ornate sign long since faded.
Gazing upon this sight, I spoke heavily.
“Remove them.”
“Yes!”
The moment the order fell, Chu Hyeongi was the first to move.
Crack—
Sinews bulged across his thick forearms as the heavy planks were torn away mercilessly in his grip.
Passersby who heard the rough sound turned in surprise.
Yet simultaneously, a strange anticipation flickered in their eyes.
“Is it finally opening?”
“Is the Yunlong Inn reopening?”
Whispers spread like wind.
As we opened the door and stepped inside, stale air hung heavy.
Cough—
Accumulated dust swirled up from the sudden draft, forcing everyone present to cough and cover their noses and mouths.
I too waved my hand and opened the tightly sealed windows.
“This will take some time to clean.”
“Cough! Can we sleep here?”
“It seems impossible right now…”
If we simply cleaned a place suitable for sleeping, we could stay, but for eating and bathing, that alone would not suffice.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully and looked at Chu Hyeongi.
“You go and bring people here. As many as you can.”
“Where… where should I look?”
“Ask the shop owners down in the market district. If you slip them some money, they’ll send over capable workers. It’ll save time, and the more the better.”
“Understood!”
Chu Hyeongi dashed out with enthusiasm.
Thump, thump, thump—
His heavy footsteps echoed loudly through the empty interior of the inn as he departed.
Each step kicked up dust, forcing everyone to cough.
I stepped outside and surveyed the people around me.
“Chu Hyeongi will bring the workers soon, so why not take a look around while the cleaning is underway? It would be better than wasting time, don’t you think?”
“That sounds good. Yeon, come with me. I’ve been wanting to buy some medicinal herbs anyway. And you need new clothes too. How do you wear the same outfit every single day?”
“Yes, I’ll follow you.”
Chaeseoha led Namgung Yeon toward one direction.
Seeing this, Eon Garyeo, who had been watching my expression, subtly guided Paeng Dohan in another direction, and in the end, the lonely Cheon Yul, who was left behind with a dazed look, glanced around before scratching his head and quietly attached himself to me.
“I’m lonely…”
“That’s the consequence of your usual conduct.”
I shook my head and turned away.
But Cheon Yul clung to me even more strongly and wouldn’t let go.
Looking at him with an exasperated gaze, he flashed a bright smile.
“We’re childhood friends, after all. We should play together.”
Cheon Yul’s eyes and expression.
Sensing that no amount of effort would shake him off, I found myself frowning and sighing despite myself.
In the end, I began exploring the surroundings with this troublesome burden in tow.
At first, I casually strolled through the market district and filled my stomach with street food.
Then, as I gradually expanded our route, we passed beyond the market district and could see the imperial city in view, and continued walking for quite some time beyond that.
Though we appeared to be sightseeing, didn’t it feel as though I had already decided on a destination?
Cheon Yul spoke with a puzzled expression.
“How far are we going?”
“I hear there’s a temple if you go a bit north. Have you heard of it?”
“A temple? A temple… ah! Yes, there is. It’s small, but the scenery is quite nice.”
“Have you been there before?”
“Of course. When I set my mind to sightseeing and travel around, I visit most places. The name was definitely…”
“Yunlin Temple.”
“Ah, that’s right! That was the name.”

Yunlin Temple.

It was a temple located about an hour’s journey north of the imperial capital.
Though modest in size, it drew many visitors due to its proximity to the capital, its elegant appearance, scenic surroundings, and serene atmosphere.
I moved toward it while taking in the sights around me.
Perhaps because of this, Cheon Yul’s expression shifted subtly as he followed behind.
“You’re really going? It takes an hour to get there?”
“We’ve already come halfway. Besides, cleaning the inn will take longer than expected, so shouldn’t we spend this time meaningfully?”
“Well, that’s… but still…”
Cheon Yul scratched his head and sighed.
His reluctance to travel such a distance was plainly evident, yet unwilling to return alone, he followed silently behind while muttering complaints.
“Really, my friend has such strange tastes in places to visit.”
“Since it’s said to be famous, I thought I’d see it once.”
As I spoke with a small smile, Cheon Yul nodded as if resigned to his fate.
Thus, we continued onward for quite some time.
Due to the considerable distance, we had grown quite far from the capital.
Following the well-maintained path and traveling for a long while, as the sun began to set, the roof of Yunlim Temple came into view between the mist-shrouded trees.
Lanterns were being lit in a row in front of the temple courtyard, and the scent of incense drifted gently on the wind.
“It’s quite impressive for such a small place, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
I gazed around and smiled softly.
I took in the sight of passing travelers before turning my gaze elsewhere.
Monks visible throughout the grounds moved about the temple interior with palms pressed together. Since it happened to be mealtime, I encountered no other monks.
As I continued observing my surroundings, I came to a halt at one particular location.
A massive Buddha statue.
It was larger, grander, and more ornate than any other statue I had seen in this temple.
Its gleaming golden radiance harmonized with the setting sun, emanating a majesty that seemed to illuminate everything around it.
Though the Buddha’s eyes were closed, within them I sensed a strange power that seemed to pierce through all the world’s sins and transgressions.
It was distinctly different from the other statues in this place.
An indescribable sense of sanctity and reverence emanated from it, and an atmosphere that demanded veneration enveloped the statue’s surroundings.
Yes, this seemed to symbolize not a Buddha, but ‘The Divine’ itself.
The moment my eyes met the statue’s gaze, it stirred within me that same sensation I had felt in the desert.
I let out an involuntary hollow laugh and shook my head.
“The Buddha certainly… has an interesting appearance.”
“Haha— I had the same thought when I first saw it.”
It was unmistakably different from other Buddha statues.
Rather than the compassionate visage of a benevolent Buddha, it emanated a far more intense presence, yet the people passing through this place seemed to pay it no particular mind.
I placed a smile on my lips and lit incense, inserting it into the holder.
But I did not bow respectfully—I simply smiled.
“Let’s head back.”
“Really, if that’s all you were going to do, you could’ve come tomorrow. Now it’s just getting dark.”
Having lingered for less than half an hour before turning to leave, Cheon Yul frowned.
The night was growing deeper, and I seemed displeased at having wasted time merely to glimpse this brief span of the temple.
I turned my back to their complaints, paying them little mind, and began to slowly depart from Yunrim Temple.
As I glanced toward one spot, I noticed several monks gathered together.
Whether they had finished their meal or had other matters to attend, the monks standing in hushed conversation offered their palms in greeting to those departing.
“Amitabha Buddha—please visit us again whenever you wish.”
At the monk’s voice that followed, I glanced at him briefly.
His head was bowed, so his face was not visible.
Yet that voice was far too familiar to my ears.
Without thinking, I let a smile play at my lips and turned my gaze away.
“There is no need to speak it—I shall return soon enough.”
Flinch—!
At my parting words, the monk’s shoulders trembled slightly.
By the time he lifted his head, I had already turned away.
All that remained in the monk’s sight was my receding silhouette beneath the lantern light.
I departed that place with a faint smile lingering at the corners of my mouth.
Was it because of that?
Cheon Yul beside me regarded me with an enigmatic expression.
“Do you know him?”
“Does it appear so?”
“No, it’s just that your eyes seemed to suggest it.”
I shook my head as though dismissing Cheon Yul’s words, yet something heavy stirred within my chest.
Not now, but in the past—a face I certainly knew.
The one who blocked my path, coughing blood while invoking the name of the deity he revered.
Won Myeong, the abbot of Yunrim Temple, a branch leader of the Snake Clan.
The images of past and present suddenly overlapped.
The shoulder line of the monk bowing beneath the lantern light, even the brief Buddhist invocation that escaped his lips.
Everything interlocked with memories of the past, conjuring scenes drenched in blood.
“Let us see if it will be possible this time as well.”
Moonlight filtered faintly through the thick mist.
The moment that light illuminated the distant outline of a hill, I paused in my steps.
A hill shrouded in moonlight.
Standing there would reveal the full vista of Yunrim Temple.
My gaze lingered there for a long while, unwilling to depart, as a small smile graced my lips.

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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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