The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 308
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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 308
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“Did you see it?”
“I… I saw it, but I still can’t believe it.”
“Ha… I can’t tell if it was a dream or reality.”
Even after a full day had passed, the Martial Artist sect remained in an uproar.
The disciples’ expressions, unable to conceal their excitement, and everything their eyes had witnessed reminded me once more that what they had seen could not be found anywhere else.
A martial contest between Tae-hwang and Jin Cheon-u, no less.
Swords flew as if possessed by will, spewing brilliant blue sword energy, and the sight of Jin Cheon-u blocking them was more than enough to ignite fierce competitive spirit and excitement in the young disciples of the sect.
And consider Jin Cheon-u’s age.
Someone barely different in years from themselves had faced one of the Ten Sovereigns, Tae-hwang, and even managed to land a strike—how could their amazement be anything less than overwhelming?
Moreover, the sight of him wielding his sword without intimidation even before the towering mountain that was Tae-hwang seemed like witnessing the true image of a martial artist that the disciples had always envisioned.
The martial contest with the Five Masters had already faded away, and only the duel with Tae-hwang spread loudly throughout the entire sect.
It was clear this would soon spread throughout the Central Plains.
And this place was before the residence of Taehwang Mujin.
Mujin, sitting in the training ground, meditated with his eyes gently closed. Looking at him standing motionless like a stone statue, he resembled an immortal sage.
Swish-swish-!
Cheongdam, wielding a wooden sword in that place, glanced at Mujin.
Seeing his master unmoved for nearly two hours, he gradually slowed the pace of his wooden sword.
As if gathering his breath after exertion.
At that moment.
“Do not grow lazy.”
As Mujin, who had remained silent until now, opened his mouth, a startled Cheongdam resumed his gentle movements once more.
“Ha… How much longer must I continue?”
“Until you yourself are satisfied.”
“…Taesajo, this doesn’t seem like the right time for training.”
At Cheongdam’s sudden words, Mujin finally opened his eyes.
Seeing him drenched in sweat like rain, he laughed in bewilderment.
“What is the matter?”
“Talk of the duel between Taesajo and Jin Daehaep is spreading widely. How should we calm it down?”
“It is fine. It is merely that, nothing more.”
“…I do not understand.”
“Hehehehe-.”
Mujin merely laughed, offering no answer.
Certainly, from Cheongdam’s perspective, it must be an exasperating matter.
But I have no doubt that today’s events will become a source of pride for him.
With a warm smile lingering at the corners of his mouth, he watched Cheongdam take his stance to wield the wooden sword for some time, then closed his eyes once more and fell into contemplation.
“….”
The Chohyeon Clan, Hoyeon, the Martial Arts Alliance, the Sword Emperor, and the Moyong Family.
The martial world of Jeongdo faced an unprecedented situation.
If one were to examine each event that had unfolded thus far, it would be a matter of such magnitude as to leave one breathless, but the greatest of all was none other than the death of the Moyong clan, trapped within the Alliance.
For it could only be thought that either someone had infiltrated the Alliance’s interior, or it was the work of someone already within.
“Infinite Buddha….”
Mu-jin furrowed his brow, seeking the Primordial Celestial Worthy.
Events that shook the very foundation of Jeongdo’s martial world continued to unfold in succession, yet buried beneath the death of Martial Arts Master Ho-yeon, the great mountain that was the Martial Artist remained secluded behind closed doors.
Perhaps this was, for the Martial Artist, a greater humiliation than even Hoyeon’s betrayal and death.
Mu-jin’s fist clenched invisibly, and as if he had reached a decision, his eyes gleamed as he spoke in a low voice.
“Cheongdam.”
“Yes, Taesajo.”
“We shall depart for the Martial Arts Alliance. Make preparations.”
“…!”
At the sudden words, Cheongdam’s eyes widened.
* * *
After my battle with Mu-jin ended, we departed the Martial Artist’s domain at once and moved toward Beijing.
This time, rather than utilizing the waterways, we began riding horses, and as a result, we had to endure a life far removed from comfort.
But it was far more effective.
We could close the distance with certainty.
Four days after leaving the Martial Artist’s domain, we crossed out of Hubei and entered Henan, narrowing the distance to Beijing at a speed as swift as an arrow loosed from a bow.
As we pressed onward thus, I felt an odd gaze upon me.
Glancing sideways, I saw Chaeseoha with sharp, piercing eyes.
Her eyes and expression seemed distinctly sullen about something.
Now that I thought about it, I realized that from the moment we left the Martial Artist’s domain until now, we had not exchanged a single word.
“Are you still upset?”
“No. I’ve never been upset.”
She spoke matter-of-factly and shook her head, but she deliberately avoided looking at me, and her expression and eyes were quite different from before.
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
“I’m sorry, but this time I cannot grant your wish. I do not want you to see that book.”
“That means… the book truly belongs to Uiseon?”
“Yes, it does.”
“Hmm….”
As I nodded with certainty, she let out a small sound. Then, her eyes gazing at me filled with curiosity.
The desire of one who wished to devour knowledge at that very moment.
How typical of her, unable to resist anything related to medicine.
“But it is not content suitable for you to see.”
At those words, disappointment flickered in Chaeseoha’s eyes.
He seemed to be searching for words, trying to say anything more to sway my resolve, but finding nothing that came to mind, he eventually sighed and shook his head.
“…I understand. There’s content I’m not supposed to see, isn’t there?”
“That’s right.”
I saw no reason to lie.
From the start, Chaeseoha’s skill was incomparable to anyone else’s. Precisely because of this, she harbored an even deeper yearning for advanced medical knowledge.
A way of thinking that began with medicine and ended with medicine.
Considering her nature of fixating on one thing and seeing only that, there was a possibility that a desire to achieve what Uiseon could not might emerge.
That was what I wanted to prevent.
“It seems our family has its own uncomfortable secrets too.”
“Every family does. The Jin Family also has plenty of unsavory matters when you look closely.”
Chaeseoha regarded me with an expression of exasperation.
No one would have expected me to speak so casually of the family’s shame, even if it was meant to comfort her.
“Well, that’s fine. It’s not as if we can change it. But… why was that book there in the first place?”
“Who knows?”
I considered the possibility that it had been brought from the Martial Artist’s residence.
It was the most reasonable suspicion.
If this were true, it would mean the Martial Artist had been deeply involved in the Chae Family’s destruction, but recalling that time, I shook my head.
Everything was revealed in Mu-jin’s furious expression.
The look in his eyes that said not to mention the Martial Artist’s name in connection with such matters.
Even the shame visible in his expression.
One who truly wished to conceal something could never show such a face, so the connection to the Martial Artist must be ruled out.
Then it meant Hoyeon had discovered it individually, but it was too late to ask for what reason or from where he had obtained it.
One cannot question the dead.
However, there was one person I could still ask.
I chose not to voice this and cut the conversation short.
“Don’t dwell on it. We cannot hear from the person involved anyway. There’s no value in absolutely needing to know.”
“I… suppose so.”
For Chaeseoha, what mattered was the book’s existence itself; where it came from or who brought it meant nothing.
As if to prove this, she looked at me once more with a sorrowful gaze, but when I averted my eyes, she eventually sighed in resignation.
Sigh—
As the conversation ended, I refocused on the horse and quickened our pace.
We rode continuously for two hours without pause, and in the distance, a landscape so familiar it seized my attention came into view.
My gaze naturally turned toward it.
As I gazed at it for a long while, lost in thought, Chu Hyeongi’s regretful voice reached me—he too had been watching that direction.
“Ah— that’s Luoyang. Luoyang! Wow— we’re just passing it by like this.”
“If we ride hard, it shouldn’t take even half a shichen to reach it.”
What revealed itself with blurred contours was Luoyang.
That massive metropolis lay within a distance that would take less than half a shichen if we rode with determination.
Melancholy settled upon the faces of those gazing at it.
Home lay so close, yet we could not return, forced instead to journey toward Beijing—how bitter such a situation must feel.
And worse yet, a path I would have to retrace.
Anyone would find their heart heavy at such a prospect.
I observed the expressions of each of them carefully, then smiled faintly.
“Do you want to go back?”
“Since home is right within reach, I do miss it. Ah, but that doesn’t mean I’m unwilling to go to Beijing….”
Chaeseoha trailed off with an awkward expression.
Though she wished to return home immediately, the necessity of entering Beijing seemed to stir such conflicting emotions within her.
This was not Chaeseoha’s burden alone.
Chu Hyeongi and Namgung Yeon shared the same sentiment.
I glanced around at them all, lifting the corners of my mouth.
“You may return.”
“Pardon?!”
“Truly?!”
Unable to believe what they had heard, all three widened their eyes in astonishment.
The way they exchanged glances, as if questioning whether they had misheard, resembled those who had just received an unbelievable revelation.
Chaeseoha was naturally the first to seek confirmation.
She spoke again, her voice cautious.
“Do you truly mean what you just said?”
“Yes, unless you have objections….”
“But… what of you, Young Master?”
What of me?
I’m going to Beijing.
I shook my head with a wry laugh at the absurd question.
“All that remains is to meet with the Emperor and report. I see nothing particularly extraordinary about it.”
I gently pulled the reins and brought my horse to a halt. The three of them stopped as well, staring intently at me.
“If you’re going to Beijing, continue forward. If you’re going home, go as you are. Don’t waste time on this.”
“But still… aren’t we supposed to be your Imperial Guards?”
“Leave when I tell you to. Besides… I wonder if your protection even matters….”
“Ugh…!”
“Ahem-!”
Namgung Yeon swallowed a groan while Chu Hyeongi coughed awkwardly. No matter how exceptional their skills in standing by my side, when the master’s own power reached the heavens, the concept of protection itself became meaningless.
How many times had this been proven?
“Don’t worry and go home. I’m not saying this to test you.”
“Really?! We’re really going?!”
“Yes, I’ll go to Beijing and return, so rest until then.”
I smiled at Chu Hyeongi, who spoke so eagerly, and turned the reins. If I remained here any longer, no one would make a decision even as night fell.
As I spurred my horse forward swiftly, as if cutting them loose, Chaeseoha’s loud voice rang out from behind.
“Return safely-!”
I smiled, taking in that sound.
There was one reason I would not bring them to Beijing.
Chaeseoha.
I had no desire to draw the Emperor’s attention to her.
Last time, we managed to slip through unnoticed, but should her true identity be exposed, the consequences would be beyond imagination.
The Emperor, having obtained Uiseon’s book, would certainly never leave Uiseon’s descendant alone.
Besides, moving alone like this.
“It’s far more convenient.”
I urged my horse forward with greater intensity, racing at a terrifying speed. If others were by my side, I would inevitably need to show consideration, which would consume far more time than anticipated.
From now on, I would reduce my eating and sleeping as I had in the past, making my way toward Beijing.
“Hyah—!”
Clop clop clop—!
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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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