The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 56

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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 117

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Hyang Un-sin paced restlessly within the inn, his teeth clenched as anxiety etched itself across his features.
Four days had passed since Jin Cheon-u of the Nakhyang Jin Family entered Sa Do-cheon.
Ordinarily, when such matters arose, those maintaining close cooperative relations with the Hyang-un Sega would swiftly ascertain the internal situation and dispatch correspondence.
Information regarding how matters were progressing, that is.
Yet this time, something felt different.
There had been no communication whatsoever.
Unable even to conjecture what transpired, Hyang Un-sin’s unease deepened with each passing hour.
“Surely you know nothing either?!”
As Hyang Un-sin turned his gaze, it fell upon Ha Un-jang, the sect master of the Jinpung Sword Sect, who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
Though he caught the sharp edge in the man’s voice, Ha Un-jang dismissed it casually, as though it warranted no particular concern.
Presently, he shifted his gaze to regard Hyang Un-sin.
“Why should I inform you of anything I might know? I serve the Heavenly Lord, not you.”
“What?!”
“I am a man who serves the Heavenly Lord. You are not the Heavenly Lord, are you?”
At this blunt remark, Hyang Un-sin’s face flushed crimson.
Considering the tributes the Hyang-un Sega paid to Sa Do-cheon, even the sect master of the Jinpung Sword Sect should not speak to him in such a manner.
Every morsel they consumed, every garment they wore, every drop they drank—all were funded by the Hyang-un Sega’s coffers. Should that flow cease, they would suffer considerably.
Did they truly not understand this?
Hyang Un-sin ground his teeth and glared at Ha Un-jang.
In that instant, a chilling sensation swept through him, and every hair on his body stood on end.
Ha Un-jang had released his killing intent.
Like a finely honed blade, it felt as though his entire body would be rent asunder.
Hyang Un-sin swallowed hard and forced himself to look away.
Yet he clenched his teeth firmly.
‘This humiliation… I shall repay it without fail.’
Should negotiations with the Nakhyang Jin Family prove successful, he would no longer rely upon Sa Do-cheon.
There were countless other places willing to accept tribute if coin was offered, making Sa Do-cheon unnecessary.
When that time came, regret would be too late.
No—he would ensure this humiliation was repaid in full.
As Hyang Un-sin turned away with such resolve, he noticed something peculiar.
Ha Un-jang, who had been watching him, bore a sneer at the corner of his mouth.
It was a most disagreeable smile.
Growing even more displeased, Hyang Un-sin opened the door and left the room.
Through the window visible in the corridor, he could see the warriors of the Nakhyang Jin Family still encamped around the inn.
Jin Ji-yak and several of her attendants remained detained here.
He seemed intent on demonstrating his willingness to use force regardless of success or failure, yet the only real threat among them was merely Baek Ja-hyeon.
I couldn’t know what sort of deal Young Master So Jin Cheon-u had struck with Sa Do-cheon, but even so, this advantage wouldn’t be easily broken.
As I was about to turn my gaze away with such thoughts in mind.
Something peculiar caught my eye.
Someone was approaching from a distance down the road.
In that instant, I saw the warriors of the Nakhyang Jin Family surrounding the inn suddenly brighten and rush forward.
Only then did Hyang Un-sin realize.
“He’s arrived.”
Young Master So Jin Cheon-u of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
He had finally returned after concluding his meeting with Sa Do-cheon.
I was intensely curious about what he had obtained from that encounter.

* * *

When I arrived at the location of the Hyang-un Inn, I witnessed an unexpected sight.
Jin Ji-yak’s escort warriors had formed a perimeter around the inn, and it felt as though they were preventing anyone from doing anything else.
Seeing that even those whose bodies hadn’t fully recovered had stepped forward, I could sense their loyalty to Jin Ji-yak was extraordinary.
“Oh, you’ve arrived, Young Master!”
“What are you all doing?”
“We’ve been standing guard to prevent any suspicious activity.”
I nodded at the expected response.
It seemed their anxiety about whether Jin Ji-yak or her household might be spirited away had driven them to action.
“Has there been any movement?”
“It’s been quiet so far. The moment they heard you’d gone to Sa Do-cheon, they barricaded themselves inside and haven’t shown their faces since.”
“What about the people from Sa Do-cheon’s side?”
“The same with them.”
The Jinpung Sword Sect, here to aid the Hyang-un Sega.
Though they’d remained docile thus far, it was clear that if we attempted any treachery, they would draw their blades without hesitation.
Considering our overall strength, would we be annihilated in an instant?
Baek Ja-hyeon alone would struggle valiantly, but even that wouldn’t last long.
No matter how formidable a late-stage cultivator he was, there wasn’t much one could do against the Jinpung Sword Sect, which could be called a collective of killers.
I let out a soft laugh.
Then, I lightly patted one of the guards on the shoulder and spoke.
“Tell everyone to come to the inn. I’ll go in first.”
“…Young Master, alone? That’s dangerous.”
“If it seems dangerous, I can always flee. Don’t worry and go on. Shouldn’t we end this tedious situation as quickly as possible? Then I’m counting on you.”
With such instructions, I moved toward the inn.
As I quietly grasped the firmly closed door and pulled it open, the empty interior came into view.
Thud, thud—
I stepped inside slowly, one foot at a time.
With each step, the floorboards creaked beneath my feet.
In a space devoid of any human presence, the sound echoed loudly, grating against my ears with irritating persistence.
Eventually, I settled into a seat at the largest table.
I placed the sword in my hand beside me, crossed my arms, and closed my eyes gently.
After spending some time in silence, sounds began to emanate from this floor.
Only then did I open my eyes and gaze toward the staircase.
I could see someone descending the stairs.
A sharp, piercing impression.
I immediately recognized that he was the Master of the Jinpung Sword Sect.
Following him at the front, several others began to reveal themselves, and among them was a middle-aged man whose gaze pierced directly toward me.
He was the one who had orchestrated this reckless scheme—the Family Head of Hyang-un Sega.
I remained seated and waited.
Perhaps due to my youthful composure, the Family Head of Hyang-un Sega furrowed his brow and displayed displeasure, but I simply watched as he slowly approached and took his seat across from me.
“Are you the Young Master of the Nakhyang Jin Family?”
“I am.”
“I am Hyang Un-sin, the Family Head of Hyang-un Sega.”
He kindly provided an answer to a question I hadn’t asked.
This revealed his displeasure with the current situation. Despite receiving the Family Head of one of the most prominent merchant houses in the Central Plains, I had shown no courtesy—neither rising to my feet nor offering a proper greeting. That was what displeased him.
There was even a glimmer of hope that revealing his status might change my demeanor.
I let out a soft chuckle.
“I am Jin Cheon-u.”
“….”
The moment he heard my name, Hyang Un-sin’s face contorted.
His eyes shot toward me with a fierce intensity that made it clear his pride had been wounded.
Because of this, the atmosphere around us grew ominous.
The Jinpung Sword Sect members seemed unconcerned, but the warriors surrounding Hyang Un-sin, feeling they had been disrespected, emanated an unusual aura of hostility.
As if they were trying to exert pressure.
Without thinking, I clicked my tongue and gestured.
“Yet the Hyang-un Inn doesn’t offer a cup of tea to a guest who has arrived?”
“…Bring tea.”
With a single dissatisfied remark, Hyang Un-sin furrowed his brow, yet directed his words toward someone.
Only then did it seem we could have a satisfactory conversation.
My mouth had been parched anyway.
While we silently observed each other for a moment, as if probing, a woman who appeared to be a maid hurriedly brought refreshments and placed them on the table.
I moistened my dry throat and spoke first.
“You’ve undertaken quite a reckless venture.”
“Haha— do you consider it reckless?”
“If you don’t, then it means you’ve underestimated the Nakhyang Jin Family that much.”
“…!”
Gulp—
I sipped my tea leisurely while studying Hyang Un-sin with unwavering attention.
His pupils trembled noticeably—clearly he was quite startled.
For a moment, Hyang Un-sin glanced toward the Jinpung Sword Sect, and as if drawing reassurance from their presence, the trembling in his eyes subsided.
Soon, composure returned to his expression.
From that alone, I could gauge just how much faith Hyang Un-sin placed in the Jinpung Sword Sect and Sa Do-cheon.
Hyang Un-sin’s confidence stemmed from Sa Do-cheon.
And the Jinpung Sword Sect sent by Sa Do-cheon stood guard over him.
Even if our conversation deteriorated into conflict, he appeared convinced they would inevitably emerge victorious.
I let out a scoff and turned my gaze toward the Jinpung Sword Sect.
They watched me with utterly blank expressions.
There was no sense of duty toward their assigned task—merely the feeling that they were performing because they had been ordered to.
It seemed to displease them that the future pillars meant to lead Sa Do-cheon were moving at the behest of a mere merchant.
“Listen here, Young Master So. I harbor no intention of making enemies of the Nakhyang Jin Family. We simply desire….”
“Imperial business ventures, I presume.”
“Precisely. Nothing more than that.”
“The methods you employed against the Nakhyang Jin Family to obtain them were reckless.”
“What did you say?”
“It matters not if you don’t understand. Rather, where are my sister and the household members?”
At my blunt words, Hyang Un-sin’s brow furrowed deeper.
Yet unwilling to display his anger, he drew a deep breath to calm himself.
The light in his eyes gazing upon me grew serene once more.
“Rest assured. They are well. Not a single hair on their heads has been harmed.”
“It should be that way.”
“….”
Just as I casually brushed past the situation with a smile.
The closed door swung open, and the warriors of the Nakhyang Jin Family rushed inside.
Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon, who had hurried over, stood beside me gasping for breath, while Baek Ja-hyeon and the other warriors, despite their labored breathing, kept their hands on their sword hilts as if ready to draw at any moment.
“Huff— huff! Young Master, are you alright?”
Haa haa… Next time, please take us with you as well.”
As Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon examined me from every angle with worried expressions and eyes, I waved my hand dismissively, pushing the two men back.
Only then did Baek Ja-hyeon cautiously step forward.
“Did the errand go well?”
“Of course. Uncle, did you see my sister?”
“Ah yes—of course. I witnessed her with my own eyes, unharmed without a single wound. As for the other household members, I haven’t seen them yet, but the circumstances suggest they are well.”
At those words, I nodded.
Even if I heard reassurances from Hyang Un-sin’s own lips, I could not simply accept them at face value.
But if Baek Ja-hyeon had witnessed it with his own eyes, then I could rest easy.
I turned my gaze back toward Hyang Un-sin.
As if he had heard the whispered exchange, he grinned widely.
As if to convey the meaning: ‘See? We meant no harm.’
Then, as if to signal readiness, he rubbed his hands together and opened his mouth.
“Well, it seems everyone who was coming has arrived. Shall we begin?”
“Begin what?”
“What do you mean ‘what’? We came here to negotiate, did we not?”
His gaze carried the look of someone questioning why I would ask something so obvious.
I stared at him with a puzzled tilt of my head.
Then I shifted my gaze to Baek Ja-hyeon.
He too wore an expression of utter disbelief, letting out a hollow laugh before shaking his head slowly.
From that alone, it was clear that Hyang Un-sin still hadn’t grasped the situation.
Ha—
I let out an exasperated laugh.
At that moment, sensing something ominous in my sudden behavior, Hyang Un-sin’s expression and eyes hardened as he stared at me.
“What has gone wrong?”
He spoke calmly, yet anxiety coursed through him.
I could feel that emotion in his voice.
Hearing it, I let a smirk play across my lips.
“Did you perhaps mistake me for someone who came here to negotiate?”
“…!”
At that single brief phrase, Hyang Un-sin’s pupils began to tremble violently.

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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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