The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 43

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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 Nakhyang Jin Family – Chapter 104

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“How are you feeling? Any better?”
“Ugh… Every bone in my body still aches.”
Yeom Ji-hak, who had been lying in some unknown place, carefully raised his upper body and furrowed his brow.
Even with Chu Won’s direct intervention, the fact that his body remained unhealed only reinforced how extraordinary his opponent’s abilities truly were.
Crack!
“I will kill him. I swear it…!”
Soon after, recalling his unknown assailant, he ground his teeth once more. The killing intent radiating from him was so fierce that had the man been before him, he would have torn him to shreds on the spot.
At this display, Chu Won smiled.
“Tsk tsk, you should be grateful to be alive. Had I not intervened, you would have died before ever reaching the An Family Mansion. Who on earth did this to you?”
“Hmph, figure it out yourself.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, judging by the brutality of the martial arts, it’s almost like someone from the Southern Barbarians.”
“…The Southern Barbarians?”
“Yes, I know of someone who employs such techniques.”
“Are you referring to the Demon King?”
At those words, Chu Won nodded and turned his gaze away.
His eyes, fixed upon the flickering candlelight, seemed as though he were reminiscing about the past.
“Long ago, I was sent by the Divine to recover a divine artifact in the Southern Barbarians. Tsk tsk tsk, the man I encountered then bore a striking resemblance to this.”
“Was that the Demon King?”
“He was a palace lord at the time, though he hadn’t yet earned the title of Demon King. But he was extraordinarily strong. Tsk tsk tsk, even I found myself in dire straits.”
Chu Won recalled Gu Gunbaek from his memories.
Young, yet formidable.
He had never imagined the martial arts of the Southern Barbarians, which he had underestimated, could be so powerful. Considering he had found himself in a situation where he might have lost his life, even now the memory sent shivers down his spine.
“So what happened?”
“What else? I had to survive, so I killed them all and broke his spirit.”
“Killed them?”
“Yes, his family. I dodged his fists left and right, severing their necks one by one before his eyes. The sight of him weeping tears of blood still lingers in my mind. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Chu Won’s laughter did not cease, as though he still savored that day’s pleasure. There was nothing quite as entertaining as engraving the image of that man’s anguished screams into his memory.
The reason he had learned the healing arts was precisely because the moment he touched a wound, the faces of those who shrieked in agony were so amusing.
That was all.
“But in the end, you never found the divine artifact, did you?”
“Tsk, that’s right. What I found wasn’t a divine artifact either. There were suspicious locations, but… it all came to nothing.”
Chu Won’s expression twisted as he recalled those days.
As the leader of the Shadow Assassins, he had moved based on reliable intelligence. Yet when he arrived, what he found was a curved jade that felt similar to a divine artifact, but it was not the genuine article.
As a result, the mission had been a complete failure.
“Because of that, I suffered considerably. Tsk tsk.”
Gu Gunbaek emerged into the world seeking vengeance for his fallen comrades and family, traversing the Central Plains in relentless pursuit of the Shadow Assassins.
Multiple encounters and battles ensued.
Death followed death in an endless cycle.
Recalling those days brought such weariness that his furrowed brow rarely relaxed.
“Was it ten years ago when I last saw him?”
Ten years had passed since that final glimpse.
Though they hadn’t crossed paths since, the persistent ache in his ribs served as a reminder—a testament to the resentment embedded in that man’s fist from all those years ago.
Chu Won eagerly anticipated the day he could settle this debt.
The face of that man, watching his beloved wail and shriek as they died—he savored the thought.
Lost in such delicious anticipation, Yeom Ji-hak’s voice suddenly pierced through his reverie.
“The Demon King—are you certain it was him?”
For Yeom Ji-hak, this was the only matter of consequence.
He cared nothing for whatever history existed between them and the Demon King. Though the man’s name resonated throughout the martial world, so few had ever glimpsed his face that he remained shrouded in mystery.
He simply needed to know whether the man was genuine.
The answer would determine where the blade of vengeance would ultimately fall.
Yet Chu Won shook his head.
“The feeling was similar, but it wasn’t him. Tsk tsk tsk, his martial arts are far more savage and grotesque than that.”
“You’re saying it truly wasn’t him?”
“I stake my life on it. Had you truly faced the Demon King in that situation, you’d be breathing now only by the grace of fortune—your body would be unrecognizable as human.”
Chu Won erupted in laughter at some private amusement, his voice a series of clicking sounds.
Yet his words carried no falsehood.
Though ten years had passed since their last encounter, the Demon King’s savage and grotesque martial prowess remained undiminished, and his temperament made reform unlikely.
Had Gu Gunbaek clashed with him under unfavorable circumstances, Chu Won doubted Yeom Ji-hak would still draw breath.
Yeom Ji-hak could sense the sincerity behind these words.
Chu Won’s emotions betrayed no deception.
Yet this was Chu Won, his fellow Chu Won of the same Angles.
Concealing emotion was a skill he had long mastered.
As Yeom Ji-hak’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, Chu Won revealed his yellowed teeth in a grin.
“If you doubt me so, shall we go verify?”
“Go where?”
“The Southern Barbarian Lands. Besides, I have matters of my own to confirm there. Tsk tsk tsk.”

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“What do you mean by that?”
I looked at Gu Gunbaek, who had appeared so suddenly.
His eyes were fiercely narrowed, and a sharp, menacing aura emanated from him.
Compared to the composed demeanor I had always witnessed from him, it felt as though I were facing an entirely different person.
Yet Gu Gunbaek, seemingly uninterested in explaining himself, strode forward and stood directly before me as I lay upon the bed.
“Those men you’re pursuing. Who exactly are they?”
“Why do you suddenly wish to know such a thing?”
“I’ve become curious.”
Gu Gunbaek smiled, licking his lips.
Yet while his expression laughed, his eyes did not.
Though he appeared to be making an effort to seem as he always did, every word that escaped his lips carried an unmistakable, thick killing intent.
I stared intently at Gu Gunbaek.
Was there something connecting him to those men?
Yet no matter how deeply I searched my memories, I had never heard him speak of such a thing.
Partly because he rarely spoke of his own affairs, but also because he had vanished abruptly after teaching Jang Chuchyeong for less than three years.
As I remained silent with a puzzled expression, Gu Gunbaek snorted sharply and turned to leave.
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll grab that Moyong bastard by the hair and ask him myself.”
“Are you saying you would fight the Demon King right now?”
“If that bastard was at that place, then Moyong is involved too, isn’t he?”
I could not discern what “that place” meant.
Yet it seemed I had come to understand the connection between the Moyong Family and those men to some degree.
I smiled bitterly and spoke.
“They call themselves the Divine Sect.”
“The Divine Sect?”
I nodded at his question.
I do not know precisely who the Divine is, nor what extraordinary abilities he possesses. Yet I know this much—countless people are willing to cast away their lives for this one man.
“For just one person?”
“Is the Demonic Sect not similar?”
“Don’t compare things that shouldn’t be compared, you fool. The Demonic Sect merely worships strength. They don’t revere one man—they revere the strong. That’s why whenever a stronger one appears, the sect leader changes.”
As Gu Gunbaek spoke, he quietly settled into a nearby chair.
Then, as if urging me to reveal anything else I might know, he sent me a pressing gaze.
“That is all I know as well. I am entangled with much, but I understand little of it deeply.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
This is not a lie.
In the past, no matter how much I tried to uncover information about them, little came to light.
I was merely fortunate enough to decipher their secret code, and I learned that the Twelve Angles exist and that the Angles possess somewhat peculiar abilities.
Furthermore, some of these Angles are revealed—people of the light.
As for the most crucial information about the one called the Divine, I still possess not even a speck.
“Hmm, I see. But is he not someone like this?”
“Who are you talking about?”
“A hunchbacked bastard with foul breath. Probably a bit older than me.”
At the mention of a hunchback, I immediately recalled an elderly man.
Chu Won, the chief of one of the Twelve Angles under Sin Gak.
An old man with a bent back, yet possessing a peculiar ability. The image of him manipulating mist as freely as he pleased remained vivid in my mind.
Moreover, he was the only chief among the Twelve Angles who possessed medical expertise.
His mastery of medicine could be said to rival Chaeseoha’s.
Though I couldn’t determine the exact difference, judging purely by medical skill, Chu Won with his greater experience might hold a slight edge.
Though it would only be a difference of a hair’s breadth.
As I recalled this information, Gu Gunbaek, who had been staring intently at my expression, smirked and curled up the corners of his mouth.
“So you do know?”
“I’m aware such a person exists. His name is Chu Won. Like Yeom Ji-hak, he is a chief of the Twelve Angles.”
“Yeom Ji-hak?”
“The one you nearly beat to death the other day.”
“Ah—a few days ago? Was that bastard really that impressive?”
“The Twelve Angles are the twelve pillars supporting the Divine Sect. The power of each chief there is said to rival the Ten Sovereigns.”
At those words, Gu Gunbaek tilted his head.
Since he had beaten the man one-sidedly, he likely found fault with the claim that he rivaled the Ten Sovereigns.
I let out a bitter smile.
“When you intervened, I had already severed one of his eyes, and he was likely too disoriented by the sudden situation.”
“Puhuh—you’re joking, you bastard. Still, he wasn’t worth much.”
“Only you could say such a thing.”
Watching him wave his hand dismissively, I shook my head.
Yeom Ji-hak was not someone to be underestimated.
He had lost an eye to an unexpected attack, and his reason had been consumed by rage. With Gu Gunbaek’s sudden appearance, he must have been considerably confused.
His specialty—the ability to read emotions.
His failure to properly utilize it was also part of the reason.
Had he kept his head even slightly cooler, Gu Gunbaek would not be standing here unscathed.
“Each chief possesses unique abilities. Should you encounter them, please exercise particular caution.”
“That hunchbacked bastard too?”
“From what I understand, he commands a peculiar mist.”
“Mist… Chu Won….”
Gu Gunbaek repeated the name and ability several times, as if embedding the information into his mind.
From that alone, it seemed certain he had some connection with Chu Won.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have inquired and tried to remember so deliberately.
“So what about that Moyong bastard over there?”
“A cooperative relationship, perhaps? That’s my speculation.”
“In any case, true to form, he only does things as stupid as a mongrel.”
Who else could speak of the Sword Sovereign in such a manner?
I could confidently say no one but Gu Gunbaek.
I offered an awkward smile.
“Still, the fact that the Sword Emperor would cooperate is already a burden for me.”
“Sword Emperor my ass. That bastard got his ass handed to him and was licking dirt—what’s he got to be proud of?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“That guy. It’s been what, seven or eight years? I created a new martial technique and was looking for someone worthy to test it on. Then I heard people going on and on about the Sword Emperor, so I put on a mask and went to beat the shit out of him. I wanted to see what made him so special.”
“…What are you saying?”
“Listen here, you brat. Because he’s been smeared with healing elixirs, he has considerable inner energy. But he lacks the finesse to control it properly. That means he was just relying on the sheer volume and power of his energy—arrogant bastard.”
“So… that’s your assessment?”
“That’s right. Moreover, his martial techniques are quite complex, mixing this and that from the Moyong Family swordsmanship and other styles to fill the gaps. On the surface it looks impressive, but it’s actually all hollow inside. What kind of Sword Emperor is that? You’d be better suited for it. That would suit you far more. Hahahaha!”
“So… what was the outcome?”
“What do you mean outcome? I landed just over two hundred exchanges before I smashed his head into the ground and stomped on it. There happened to be dog shit where his head landed, so he probably got a taste of that. Hahahaha!”
Hearing him laugh loudly as if it were absolutely true, I had to suspect for a moment that my ears had deceived me.
Two of the Ten Emperors.
The two beings called calamities had clashed, and I wondered if anyone in the world even knew that the result was Mo Yong-cheon’s defeat.
If this fact were revealed, it would cause an uproar.
Yet Gu Gunbaek seemed entirely uninterested.
Rather, he shifted the topic as if he no longer cared about Mo Yong-cheon at all, and brought up something else.
“But more importantly. Those Divine Sect people—what’s their purpose?”
“Their purpose? I cannot say for certain, but… they are searching for something.”
“Something? What kind of something?”
“A curved jade called a Divine Artifact.”
At the mention of curved jade, Gu Gunbaek’s eyes widened.
Soon, as if something came to mind, he spoke of it.
“Could it be… a curved jade with a purple hue?”
At his words, I quickly turned my head to look at Gu Gunbaek.
He traced the shape of a curved jade with his finger in a peculiar form and checked my expression, then smiled as if he had finally understood something.
“Ah-ha—so that’s how it was.”

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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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