The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 332

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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 332

Darkness retreated and the sun rose, yet Luoyang remained shrouded in an endless gloom. The wails of mourning for the dead echoed ceaselessly, and the stench of corpses lingered in the air, refusing to dissipate.
As if demanding that the world remember what had transpired that day.
The city walls where the Huncheon Gangsi had poured through remained riddled with gaping holes, and near the gates, where fierce combat had raged, not a single blade of grass remained standing.
A scene of devastation that resembled war itself.
“The Sword Emperor! That damned Sword Emperor!”
“Curse them! The Moyong Family must be in on this!”
People spat curses while speaking the names of the Sword Emperor and the Moyong Family.
They were well aware that Mo Yong-cheon had orchestrated this attack targeting the Jin Family of Luoyang.
Anger toward the Moyong Family did not fade throughout all of Luoyang, and those who dreamed of revenge carried blades within their hearts.
“Yet… did not the Young Master exact vengeance upon them?”
“Indeed! The Young Master slew the Sword Emperor. Haha!”
But not all were consumed solely by the flames of revenge.
One rumor spread from place to place.
That Jin Cheon-u had cut down the Sword Emperor.
Since the one who witnessed it was a senior figure of the Martial Arts Alliance, there was no need to question the truth of the rumor.
Because of this, some were elated.
That Jin Cheon-u had slain the Sword Emperor meant he had reached that level of power, and ultimately, he had become the one most worthy of that title.
“In Luoyang… the Sword Emperor!”
“Hey! Isn’t it still too early for that?”
“Did he not slay the Sword Emperor! If we cannot call him that, then that would be strange indeed!”
Luoyang’s landscape was a mixture of fury and jubilation.
And alongside this, the Jin Family of Luoyang was also moving with great activity.
The family’s soldiers, servants, and maids, and even the warriors, were all busy managing the situation outside the city.
They honored the spirits of the dead and provided support to repair destroyed homes and buildings.
Furthermore, they offered temporary shelter to those who had lost their homes, and to help people find their next meal, they opened wide the doors of the Yunryong Inn, which stood in the heart of the marketplace, distributing food freely.
Though it was the Sword Emperor’s doing, ultimately it occurred because he targeted our family, so we cannot escape responsibility either.
Father’s decision was excellent.
The anger of those who suffered would be directed at the Moyong Family, but there would also be those who pointed fingers at the Jin Family of Luoyang instead, so means to soothe the people’s hearts were necessary.
Now was a time to comfort hearts rather than worry over minor losses.
As matters progressed smoothly one after another in this manner.
In the Jin Family of Luoyang’s conference hall.
Seated at the head was not Father, but Hye-myeong, the Lord of the Martial Arts Alliance, with Mu-jin to his right, and on the opposite side, Gu Gunbaek with a bored expression.
Gu Gunbaek, as if uncertain why he was in such a place, rested his chin on his hand and yawned, openly displaying his boredom.
I greeted everyone present, then turned my gaze to look at Gu Gunbaek.
“It has been a long time since we last met, sir.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not in a good mood right now. So don’t talk to me.”
Gu Gunbaek turned his gaze away with an indifferent expression.
Whether it was dissatisfaction at failing to capture Mo Ryeong-san in the end, or frustration at being entangled by him, it had to be one or the other.
Or perhaps both?
I smiled and offered a respectful bow.
“Thanks to you, our family emerged unscathed. Please accept my gratitude.”
“Ahahaha! Of course! If this old man hadn’t stepped in, disaster would have struck! Yes, yes. Consider me your benefactor for life.”
“I already do.”
“Huh?”
As I lowered myself with unusual deference and flattered him, Gu Gunbaek tilted his head as if something seemed odd. Then, glancing around and noticing the numerous martial artists present, he grinned widely.
After all, I was preserving the dignity of the Demon King before those who led the righteous martial world.
Though I had much I wished to ask, I swallowed those questions for now and turned my gaze toward Hye-myeong.
He, who had been silently observing the situation, rolled his prayer beads and chanted.
“Amitabha Buddha.”
“The Martial Arts Alliance also has my deepest gratitude. Without the Alliance’s aid, Luoyang and the Jin Family would have suffered catastrophic losses.”
“This is the Alliance’s failure. Had we discovered him even slightly sooner, Luoyang would not have endured such devastation.”
“Yet the assistance was undeniable. And thanks to it, I believe I can finally sleep soundly now.”
I offered a slight smile.
Whether Hye-myeong and Mu-jin understood the hidden meaning in my words, they maintained composed expressions, but the others rolled their eyes uncertainly, unsure how to respond.
After all, they had witnessed it firsthand—Gwak Il-cho and countless others.
Me slaying the Sword Emperor.
A sight so incredible that even if dismissed as a dream, it would strain belief. Yet they had witnessed it with their own eyes in reality—how shocking must it have been.
Then came the voice of Mu-jin, a faint smile playing at his lips.
“So you slew him?”
“Fortune favored me.”
“Did I not say in my teachings that creating fortune is also a form of skill? You certainly possessed the strength to slay the Sword Emperor.”
“…!”
“Gasp!”
“Ahem!”
Mu-jin’s single remark sent shockwaves through the gathering.
A young man had slain the Sword Emperor, whom all had believed an insurmountable wall.
Some were astonished, while others appeared satisfied.
Of course, some concealed their jealousy.
Figures from the Nine Schools and Eight Great Families, and even representatives of minor sects, all displayed complex expressions and conflicted gazes.
Hye-myeong was not unaware of this.
A bitter smile crossed his lips as another chant escaped him.
“Amitabha Buddha—do you seek to inscribe your name upon Geomcheon?”
“Ha, I have no interest in such things.”
I shook my head at his question.
Hye-myeong’s inquiry likely referred to ascending beyond the Sword Emperor to claim the seat of Cheon, but to Mu-jin and me, it was a question of whether I would inherit the title of Cheon following Mu Heo.
As I denied it with a shake of my head, Hye-myeong laughed.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
Hye-myeong smiled faintly, his gaze turning toward Gu Gunbaek on his left.
“Do you know who the Demon King faced?”
“Hm? No idea. I just came to visit after a long time, and there was this unsettling fellow, so I engaged him.”
Gu Gunbaek shook his head, his brow furrowing.
He had crossed hands with that Mo Ryeong-san right before his eyes.
From the moment they faced each other until he vanished, that aura of death lingered—that unsettling sensation still clung to him, so he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.
“You don’t know either?”
“Hehe— I am making efforts, but it is not easy. Amitabha Buddha—.”
“I have no particular interest, so don’t expect me to get involved. I had no intention of helping you from the start.”
Gu Gunbaek waved his hand dismissively as if annoyed, then crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. At this, Hwangbo Janghu, who had been listening, struck the table and shot to his feet.
“Then why are you even here!”
“Huh? The Buddhist monk and the Taoist priest asked me to come, so I’m here. Should I leave? Can I leave?”
Gu Gunbaek remained utterly unrestrained.
Within the Martial Arts Alliance’s domain, he called the Alliance Master and the Tae-hwang without hesitation, and moreover, he deflected the gazes of everyone else without the slightest concern.
At that moment, Mu-jin raised his hand to calm the people.
They needed every mind available in this situation. As if to say that unnecessary commotion was forbidden, his gaze pierced through the assembly.
“Now, now— let us all settle down. This is not the time to quarrel over trivial matters. Surely our priority must be to discover who these attackers truly are, yes?”
“Then Gung-ju, tell us what you felt about that person.”
“Nothing much. He was bizarre, unsettling, and eerie. Like the Grim Reaper himself, toying with death.”
Gu Gunbaek furrowed his brow.
He had not given much thought even when he saw Chu Won dispersing like mist, but Mo Ryeong-san, whom he faced directly, was a being that transcended dimensions.
As if he wielded ‘death’ itself in the palm of his hand.
I agreed with Gu Gunbaek’s assessment.
I had thought the same when I first saw him.
Considering the sight of him smiling nonchalantly while stitching together a corpse split in half, there could be no more chilling existence.
One could understand why he held the first position among the Twelve Angles.
The people listened intently to Gu Gunbaek’s words, which he spoke from his experience in battle, yet their complexions grew increasingly pale as they heard of something so surreal.
It was simply too unbelievable, even as they heard it.
The moment Gu Gunbaek’s account ended, a voice was heard.
“Could it be that he is the true culprit?”
“Indeed. From what I observed, the Sword Emperor… he was like a gangsi.”
“Could those whom Mo Yong Hyeok tried to join hands with be…?”
Thus the meeting continued.
For it was unsettling to attribute all of these incidents solely to the Sword Emperor’s doing.
There are more than a few things that make it uncomfortable to think that all of this is entirely the work of the Black Emperor.
Yet they could not reach a conclusion and had no choice but to end the meeting.
Naturally, those who left the conference chamber without gaining anything wore grim expressions. They needed to obtain something, anything, to consider their next move, but they departed empty-handed.
Everything was speculation and suspicion.
The meeting without certainty ended thus, and ultimately, to salvage something—anything—they hurriedly left the family estates and headed toward the streets.
To see if they had missed anything, or to examine the gangsi more closely.
That would have included the fragmented Sword Emperor as well.
Thanks to that, Gu Gunbaek and I were able to gain our freedom.
I turned my gaze away as I headed toward the annex.
Watching Gu Gunbaek yawn and stretch with an expression suggesting he was bored to death, I felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
“Regarding the Martial Arts Alliance members, it seems they won’t be staying here for very long, wouldn’t you say?”
“Kick them out. They’re annoyingly loud with their chatter.”
“Haha, I can certainly understand your position. But… what brings you here? I was quite surprised.”
“Well, the Demon King’s Palace has settled down, and I got tired of lounging around there. Thought I’d come see how my disciple is doing. Is he managing well?”
“He’s been quite helpful. Haven’t you heard? They call him the Luminous Beast Demon…”
“Pfft! That was his nickname?”
Gu Gunbaek let out a hollow laugh with an expression of disbelief.
Of course, his expression and gaze didn’t seem particularly pleased.
“Merely a couple hundred bandits… Hmph!”
Whoosh—
Gu Gunbaek snorted and launched himself forward.
Watching him disappear over the wall in one leap, it was clear he was heading to find Jang Chuchyeong.
I scratched my head and followed after him.
After all, the annex was half-destroyed with nowhere to rest, and since everyone from the family was supporting the defense outside, I intended to go lend them encouragement.
Thus I walked for quite some time toward the city gate area that had suffered the most severe damage.
The air carried a mingled scent of blood and medicinal herbs. That familiar smell naturally led me to search for someone, and when I turned my head, I could see So-ha sitting to one side, tending to the wounded.
“Ow, ow, ow, please save me, physician.”
“You won’t die from this much.”
As always, she was among the injured.
Bandages and groans, and sighs of relief.
Within that scene, I slowed my pace for a moment.
As I passed by So-ha’s small figure from behind, my eyes caught sight of the man she was treating.
In that instant, I stopped walking.
There was a man wrapped in bandages from head to toe—his arms, legs, and even his head.
He lifted his head as if he’d heard my footsteps, his half-closed eyes having been staring into empty space.
Our eyes met.
“Oh?! Aren’t you Young Master Jin?”
A somewhat familiar voice.
The moment I confirmed the gaze directed at me, I recalled the appearance of someone I had seen in Hebei.
“You are…?”
Yeon-un.
He was smiling casually in the middle of that blood-soaked street.
“Haha, what a coincidence to meet here. The world is truly small.”
His smile remained unchanged.
Bright, warm, and therefore all the more eerie.

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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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