The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 310
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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 310
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Rustle—
The Emperor sat quietly reading the book, absorbing each sentence with his eyes and embedding it into his mind, unable to conceal his excitement.
Though I was not deeply versed in medicine, the content of the opening sections was undoubtedly a profound exploration of medical knowledge, and this alone would elevate the skills of my imperial physicians to new heights.
The Emperor smiled and returned his focus to the book.
With each page turned, the obsession emanating from Uiseon’s writings seemed less about saving lives and more about seeking a way to escape from “death” itself.
Yes, this was it.
A method to escape from the fear of death.
My eyes began moving across the characters with extraordinary speed, and my hands turned the pages without hesitation, searching desperately for the answer I sought.
At last, as I turned the final page.
“Gok Ok….”
I examined the illustration carefully and read the remaining text.
The object that the greatest physician under heaven had sought so desperately.
Yet something he could never obtain.
My eyes narrowed as I gazed upon the drawing. It resembled the very thing the late Emperor had cherished so dearly.
But something that had vanished from sight at some point.
A question took root: could this be what Uiseon had been searching for?
“Chungho, listen.”
“You called for me, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor’s lips parted, and Chungho entered, approaching carefully and bowing respectfully before taking in the illustration drawn upon the open book.
“Have you ever seen the Gok Ok that the late Emperor always carried with him?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. He never parted with it for a moment.”
The Emperor nodded at these words.
Despite its importance, he had not possessed it at the moment of death.
Considering the late Emperor’s desire for immortality, I wondered if this might be connected to what was depicted in this illustration.
“Was it… lost?”
The Emperor furrowed his brow, recalling the late Emperor.
But I shook my head at the doubts forming in my mind.
Above all, one would not easily lose something so precious, and moreover, it was inconceivable that someone could steal from the Emperor’s possession.
Then there was one possibility.
“Did he hide it…? Away from my sight?”
Whether this was what Uiseon sought remained uncertain, but the conviction that I must find it to resolve the questions in my mind would not fade.
The Emperor’s gaze turned sharply toward Chungho.
“Search the entire city if you must. Find it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Thus began the Emperor’s obsession with the Gok Ok.
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The carriage the Emperor had provided was ostentatious to the point of garishness.
Its size alone was extraordinary, and the exterior was practically gilded from top to bottom.
Golden dragons encircled the pristine white carriage, unmistakably symbolizing imperial authority, yet oddly enough, they resembled the epithet by which I was known—a peculiar sensation.
Moreover, the carriage bed and storage compartments were laden with imperial silks, ornaments, and gold that the Emperor had bestowed—and the quantity was considerable.
Whether bandits or thieves, anyone would salivate at such a sight, yet strangely, not a single Imperial Guard accompanied the carriage.
As if to say I should handle its protection myself.
I shook my head at the absurdity and glanced through the window, noticing gazes fixed upon the departing carriage from all directions.
A carriage of such splendid appearance, piled high with treasures.
No one could help but covet it.
“He’s gone too far.”
I sighed, thinking of the Emperor.
One could argue it was a natural reward for retrieving what he desired, yet it still felt excessive.
Undoubtedly, he was ensuring I wouldn’t feel slighted when he inevitably used me again in the future.
I shook my head with a wry smile.
“He doesn’t even realize how dangerous what he’s seeking truly is.”
The Emperor would certainly attempt to find the Gok Ok.
Though I didn’t know precisely what it was, Uiseon’s writings alone made clear it possessed extraordinary power.
And he would wonder.
Whether that very object—the one his late father always carried—might be it.
The Emperor, unaware that the noose called Gok Ok was already around his neck, would fail to realize that the more he searched for it, the tighter the rope would slowly become.
“Perhaps he’ll go mad from the searching.”
Unable to fill the growing desperation in his heart, with each passing day he would gasp under the dominion of fear called “death.”
If he couldn’t endure it, madness would be the wiser choice, and either way, it seemed the Emperor’s throne might change hands again in the not-too-distant future.
I shook my head and clicked my tongue.
Soon, I erased the image of the Emperor from my mind and gazed at the scenery beyond the window.
The carriage had already left Beijing and was heading toward Hebei.
“Young Master, how are you faring? Are you comfortable?”
Then came the Coachman’s voice.
Glancing forward through a small gap, I could see his figure.
The claim that he was a Coachman of supreme skill was no exaggeration—he drove the massive carriage without the slightest tremor.
He was keeping his word about ensuring a comfortable journey.
“Your skill is remarkable. It can’t be easy handling such a large carriage.”
“Haha—to drive the Emperor’s carriage, one must be capable of at least this much. If you trust me and rest easy, I shall safely escort you all the way to Nakhyang.”
At the Coachman’s words, I nodded and gently closed my eyes.
Sleep found me in this rare moment of comfort.
The gentle swaying of the carriage only deepened the sensation, and as I surrendered to it, my senses dulled and I fell into deep slumber.
How much time had passed?
The carriage that had been moving quietly suddenly shook violently, and I sensed something strange in the air.
Shhh—!
My deep sleep shattered, and I slowly opened my eyes.
“My apologies, Young Master! The night is dark, and I cannot see the road ahead clearly.”
I gazed out the window as the coachman spoke.
I must have fallen into a deep sleep, for it was now late into the night.
Outside, darkness filled everything as the coachman had said—visibility was nearly nonexistent. Thick fog shrouded the surroundings, and through it, I could make out the hazy shapes of dense brush and trees packed closely together.
I narrowed my eyes slightly as I observed the landscape.
“But where are we?”
“Ah—this is the fastest shortcut to Nakhyang. Ha ha. You’ve never been this way before, have you?”
I nodded at his words.
Clatter-clatter—!
The road ahead proved quite treacherous, and unlike before, the carriage began to shake violently, making it nearly impossible to maintain balance.
Moreover, though obscured by the wind, the coachman’s voice had distinctly changed, and the aura I sensed was no longer the same.
It was as if the person had been replaced entirely.
I slowly gripped my sword.
At the same moment, I felt the coachman’s glance flicker toward me.
Whoosh—!
My extended blade shot forward sharply, piercing through the wall and aimed at the coachman’s head, but he moved faster, throwing himself aside to evade.
Neigh—!
As the horse’s rough cry sounded and I kicked through the door to leap outside.
“!”
The ornate carriage plummeted over the cliff along with the horse. The instant my feet touched the ground below.
Clang-clang-clang—!
Swords rained down upon me from all directions.
I twisted my body, sensing their positions.
As I felt the sharpness of the passing blades was no ordinary threat and narrowed my eyes, another sword came at me as if waiting for that moment.
A harsh metallic ring accompanied by brilliant sparks.
Against that fierce strike, I pressed harder on my sword hand, pushing my opponent back, then evaded another blade aimed at my back and counterattacked.
Slice—!
My keenly sharpened blade cut through someone.
But before the sound of their fall reached my ears, those hidden within the fog pressed forward without hesitation.
Dozens of sword strikes continued without pause, and the loud clang of metal echoed noisily through the quiet forest night.
I seized every opening and cut them down.
Warm blood soaked my body, and the rough breathing of those seeking my death continued to pierce my ears.
Slice-slice—!
My swung blade severed the neck of the last remaining attacker.
The sound of a head striking the ground and a fountain of blood rising into the air.
I caught my breath as I sensed it.
“The Snake Clan….”
I recognized their swordsmanship.
Undoubtedly, the martial techniques of the Snake Clan.
The fact that they targeted me directly—was this retaliation for the incident at Unrim Temple? Or had the Snake Clan finally reached the limits of their patience?
Either way, it mattered little.
If they crawled out on their own, I would meet them accordingly.
I narrowed my eyes, swept my gaze across the surroundings, and expanded my senses to take in the landscape.
A place strangely unfamiliar.
A thin mist hung in the air, completely obscuring my vision, and every sight that entered my eyes was foreign—something I had never witnessed before.
Slither—
Then, I felt it again—that peculiar presence.
As if a serpent were crawling silently toward me.
At the same moment.
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, a blade flashed brilliantly as something flew toward me.
Like a serpent striking with fangs bared.
I stepped back swiftly and skillfully deflected my opponent’s sword.
Simultaneously, the blade that had pierced through found a small opening, and I smoothly swung my own blade, severing their neck.
Crunch!
Without even a final cry, the head fell, and with it, a sharp, heightened sense swept across the entire vicinity.
Fortunately, I felt no further presences.
Yet I could not believe the assault had ended.
With my brow furrowed at this ominous situation, I quietly shifted my steps and peered down the cliff face.
“Impossibly deep.”
The mist obscured my vision, making it impossible to gauge the depth. But even at a glance, it seemed as deep as the cliffs of Mount Taeак, so choosing to descend would be the worst possible decision in this situation.
I turned away without hesitation.
What I needed to do immediately was determine where I was.
Only then could I find a way to escape.
I heightened my senses to their maximum and surveyed my surroundings.
At the same time, I felt it.
From all directions, countless figures were approaching my location.
The overwhelming numbers—so vast that counting them was meaningless—made me realize this was a situation where I could afford no complacency.
Rustle rustle rustle—!
The presences drew closer at an accelerating pace, and I understood that I needed a different strategy than simply swinging my blade.
In an instant, I pushed off the ground and surged forward.
Not to close the distance with my enemies, but to create distance.
Toward any place where I could not sense their presence.
Yet, as if this were their own front yard, their numbers were spread in all directions—impossible to evade no matter how much one wished to.
“…!”
Crunch!
I severed the chest of the figure that appeared before me, twisted my blade, and swung it sideways.
I shattered the sword that flew through the gap, stepped forward, and thrust again.
Piercing another’s heart and drawing my blade horizontally, I severed the body of the hidden presence that emerged before it could even attack.
Crack—!
“Ugh!”
A sharp cry echoed briefly through the air.
Before the opponent’s body even fell, I launched myself away from the spot.
Boom—!
At that same moment, a tremendous explosion erupted where I had been standing.
A dozen muscular figures swung their great swords in unison.
The unleashed force sent a violent gust of wind crashing down.
Feeling it, I furrowed my brow even deeper.
“Surely not….”
These were the Snake Clan’s elite operatives.
I realized that not only they, but the greatest masters of the Snake Clan itself were converging from all directions.
Sensing this, I steadied my breathing.
Tremble—
My lips quivered violently as I shifted my gaze elsewhere.
I saw it.
A gaze watching from a distance away, observing this place.
A thick smile playing across his face, as if amused.
“Sa Myeong-gyeom…!”
The moment I confirmed his presence, certainty crystallized within me.
The entire full strength of the Snake Clan had gathered here in one place.
The instant Sa Myeong-gyeom’s hand rose with a thick smile, a sinister line shot forth with piercing sharpness.
Slash—!
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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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