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 56

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I departed from Moyong Hyeok’s residence amid the cacophony of commotion.
Despite the physicians hastily administering treatment, his anguished cries showed no sign of abating, and I noticed the man beside him squeezing his eyes shut and steadying his breath.
Soon, the man turned to face me and opened his mouth.
“I would be grateful if you could overlook this matter.”
“What has transpired?”
“Hah….”
The man offered a bitter smile and resumed his path.
Even as we retraced our steps back toward the main gate, he kept his lips sealed, uttering not a word.
He had no desire to expose such a dire situation and his troubled heart to an outsider.
The Moyong Family had their pride, after all.
Thus, for a brief moment.
The closed door suddenly opened, and I stepped outside through it.
“Ah! You’ve arrived.”
And waiting there was not the one who had guided me to this place.
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo.
The two stood before the gate as if they had been waiting for me, and the moment our eyes met, they broke into smiles.
“I never imagined we would meet again in such a place. Hah.”
“Paeng Sohyeop and Eon Sojeo, is it not? Do you have business with me?”
“If we didn’t seek you out, you wouldn’t come. So here we are.”
“Paeng Sohyeop was being rather insistent. He said we couldn’t even exchange proper greetings back there….”
“Ah— if that’s all it is, I hardly give it a thought. I’m already aware of how urgent the situation was.”
Moyong Hyeok’s condition is grave.
In fact, even several among the Changryong Dan had sustained severe injuries, making it far stranger to exchange pleasantries than not.
Above all, I was the one who created that situation.
Paeng Dohan exhaled a long sigh and looked at me.
“Buy me a drink.”
“…What are you saying?”
“My spirits are heavy, and I feel I must drink something, but my purse has run dry. So buy me a drink. At the Unryong Inn.”
“Buy us drinks.”
Suddenly, Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo spoke in unison, pressing their demand.
As if they had resolved not to back down until I complied, their eyes gleamed with unwavering determination.
I shook my head.
I offered a bewildered expression and declined.
It seemed I had been caught in their trap.

* * *

“No matter how many times I visit, the Annex of the Unryong Inn is simply unparalleled.”
“Hehe— the last time I came here was with my grandfather. Has it been five or six years? It’s a bit too expensive for us to afford on our own.”
“You speak the truth. I too wish I had been born into the Nakhyang Jin Family instead of the Paeng Clan. Then I could enjoy all of this without worry.”
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo nodded at each other, their eyes drinking in every lavish detail of the Annex’s splendid interior, their voices rising in continuous admiration.
Though their quarters within the Martial Arts Alliance were undoubtedly impressive, they could not compare to this guest pavilion, meticulously appointed to dazzle visitors.
Upon the table lay an abundance of delicacies.
When precious wines were brought forth as well, anticipation bloomed across both their faces.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Paeng Dohan seized a wine bottle without hesitation, filled three empty cups to the brim, and drained them in one swift motion.
“Ahhhh— exquisite wine.”
“You seem to have been quite parched for it.”
“Of course. Our closest friend lies in such a state…”
Crack!
Paeng Dohan’s grip tightened around the cup as he recalled those moments, his teeth grinding audibly. Whether he blamed himself for arriving late, or simply felt the weight of responsibility, his expression betrayed a burden he carried.
“What manner of man is he? He hardly seemed a mere member of the Black Crow Society. Young Master, have you heard of Pyo Hyeong-geom?”
“I’ve heard the name often since that incident. I was unaware of him before.”
“Precisely. I too had never heard of him until now. How such a man came to be in a mere organization like the Black Crow Society is beyond comprehension.”
“I’ve heard that investigations have yielded little.”
At my words, Paeng Dohan lifted his cup once more.
Eon Garyeo beside him, seemingly intent on drowning her own frustration, brought the wine bottle directly to her lips.
I began to understand why these two had been betrothed to each other.
“The members of the Black Crow Society we captured claim ignorance, and no information emerges. The Moyong Family is involved, and the Martial Arts Alliance has mobilized. It’s enough to make even ghosts weep, is it not?”
Watching Paeng Dohan’s exasperation, I nodded in agreement. Even the place with the finest intelligence in the Righteous Martial Arts World was searching frantically. Yet nothing surfaced—it was undeniably strange.
I smiled faintly and raised my cup.
“The Murim is home to many extraordinary individuals. Such occurrences are said to be commonplace, are they not?”
“Hmph! You speak truth, but why must such misfortune befall us of all people?”
Paeng Dohan snorted, his brow furrowing.
It was the kind of calamity anyone with poor fortune might experience once. For those who make their living by the sword in the Murim, constant vigilance is essential.
Yet Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo seemed unwilling to accept such a position.
They desired always to stand as the strong, never as the weak.
Listening to their youthful grievances, I clicked my tongue lightly and broached what I had not dared ask the Moyong Family Head.
“Speaking of which, what is the Moyong Family doing about this?”
“Since various intelligence has proven unhelpful, they’ve ultimately…”
“Paeng Sohyeop!”
“Ah—! My apologies. I nearly spoke out of turn. Please forget what you’ve heard.”
“Haha, it seems they have some plan in mind.”
“Well… it’s rather awkward to discuss, but…”
At the sharp gleam in Eon Garyeo’s eyes, Paeng Dohan glanced away nervously and took another drink.
Though he seemed reluctant to say more, his actions had already revealed to me exactly what the Moyong Family Head intended to do.
Who would possess the most information about the Black Crow Association?
None other than Hao Gate.
Since it was a place formed by those who emerged from the same streets, and they had snarled at each other like bitter rivals while fighting for territory, Hao Gate could be said to know the Black Crow Association best.
However, such matters could not be revealed.
The Moyong Family was called the Number One Sword Sect.
Naturally, their pride was equally formidable and their arrogance ran deep.
They would have no reason to conduct business with the utterly lowborn Hao Gate, nor would they attempt to join hands with them to pursue any endeavor.
Yet if such a decision had been made, it meant the Moyong Family had obtained nothing of value—nothing worth bending their pride for.
The Sword Emperor’s pride must have cracked.
“Kha-! In any case, I hope at least some small clue emerges. Then I’ll hunt them down and tear them to shreds.”
“That’s right. I’ll go with you then.”
The two individuals’ eyes gleamed with shared resolve.
The moment they found the Pyo Hyeong-geom’s location, their eyes burned with the intensity of those ready to pursue and destroy it by any means necessary.
I smiled watching the two of them.
From the start, it would be impossible with just the two of you.
I wanted to tell them as much.
After spending this much coin, all I’ve gained is information about Hao Gate?
Hmm…
I sighed, gazing at the spread of food and wine before me.
The accounting hardly seemed to balance.
“Oh, that’s right! Isn’t the Family Head’s birthday coming up soon?”
“How did you know?”
“My father told me.”
“Haha.”
Laughter burst from me unbidden.
The fact that the Paeng Family Head had informed Paeng Dohan of this detail and let it slip here meant there was an underlying intention—to use his connection with me to secure an invitation.
Since martial artists were not invited, there had never been a single instance of attendance from the martial arts families or the Martial Arts Alliance.
But if this incident could serve as a foundation for building relations, perhaps it might become possible—so it seemed he had subtly encouraged his son.
I hadn’t expected him to speak of it so openly.
It was clear that even Eon Garyeo appeared flustered, as if this hadn’t been arranged beforehand.
I nodded readily and replied.
“That’s correct. Not much time remains.”
“Ahem! If it’s no trouble, might the Paeng Clan attend? Ah, well, it’s the birthday of my friend’s father, and it would be awkward not to go.”
“And me too! The Young Master and I are friends, aren’t we?”
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo?
I paused, swallowing a sound of consideration.
Ordinarily, I would not invite those with deep martial ties. But I found myself thinking these two might be acceptable.
Though it troubled me that they were on intimate terms with Moyong Hyeok, setting that aside, they were righteous individuals of pure heart who understood the code of honor.
Whatever had transpired in the past remained unclear, but the two had escaped Moyong Hyeok’s shadow and become wandering knights-errant throughout the Central Plains, aiding those in need.
I could not discern the exact reason, but I suspected it stemmed from a clash of principles.
Around that time, Moyong Hyeok himself had begun to firmly reveal his true nature in earnest.
In any case, it was a decent idea.
Moreover, I needed to collect payment for the drinks.
“Very well.”
“You… are you truly serious!?”
“Is it really alright?”
I nodded at the words of the two astonished individuals.
If I could attend a place where no one else had been invited, I would receive the envy of countless righteous martial artists.
But that was not all.
Those seeking to forge ties with the Nakhyang Jin Family would also attempt to connect through the Paeng and Eon clans.
In other words, my influence would rise.
Surely that was what they were aiming for.
However, I could not allow them to obtain it so easily.
“However, only the two of you and your guards may attend. And you must not reveal that you are participating. It will naturally become known after the banquet concludes, but until then, I would appreciate your absolute discretion.”
“Of course! I shall promise you exactly that.”
“The same goes for me.”
Although the Paeng Family Head and Eon Family Head would not be attending, the mere presence of these two would grant considerable advantage.
Therefore, there was no reason to refuse, and despite appearances, they were tight-lipped, so there was no concern about information leaking.
Naturally, those opponents would remain unaware, and even if they learned of it, they would likely pay little attention to merely two late-stage cultivators.
Watching them rejoice with flushed faces, I smiled as well.
I had secured those who could serve as shields in unforeseen circumstances.
Thus, I had turned a deficit into a profit.

* * *

“….”
Despite continuously reviewing the incoming reports, Shadow Assassins Leader Sa Gong-chun still could not determine the whereabouts of his target.
It was certain that he had escaped the Dongfang Family.
The traces confirmed it.
But what came after was the problem.
Nothing emerged.
A torrential downpour had struck, triggering landslides that reduced several locations to rubble. Though some recovery had occurred with time, so many had already scoured and damaged the terrain that finding anything was now impossible.
“This is infuriating.”
It felt as though the heavens themselves were aiding Gyeom Sa-chan.
Displeased by this, I furrowed my brow.
“Could he have sunk into the earth or soared into the sky?”
“You mean he’s dead?”
At Sa Gong-chun’s sharp retort, the man fell silent.
If he had sunk into the earth, he would be buried. If he had soared into the sky, his spirit would have departed. Either way, he would not be alive.
The problem was that if he were dead, a corpse should have surfaced, yet despite extensive searches of the area, nothing appeared. Nor had any bodies swept away by the waterway been discovered in nearby villages.
His trail had simply vanished.
Completely.
As if he had never existed in this world.
I knew Gyeom Sa-chan was skilled at concealing his tracks, but I had not believed him capable of this level of erasure, which only deepened my suspicion.
Fluttering—!
Then.
Jeon Seo-gu arrived once more.
Carefully extending my hand to retrieve the bound paper, I unfolded it to reveal strange symbols and several dots marked upon it.
Gazing at the incomprehensible markings, my frown deepened.
“Cease the search and assemble all Shadow Assassins.”
“You mean to let Gyeom Sa-chan escape?”
“It is the Sect’s command. The Commander says he will use the Blood Demon Squad to find him.”
“The… Blood Demon Squad?”
If the Shadow Assassins were an organization created outside the Sect to conduct various schemes and search for the Jade Orb, then the Blood Demon Squad was an organization created to eliminate those who betrayed the Sect.
Once they took action, failure did not exist.
They would find him regardless of how thoroughly his traces were erased.
Yet because I had sent Gyeom Sa-chan out, I harbored a desire to resolve this myself.
Thus this situation did not sit well with me.
But the Shadow Assassins had their own duties to fulfill.
As I steadied my breathing and clenched the letter, my subordinate’s voice reached my ears.
“Where should we assemble?”
“Nakhyang.”
The weighty word struck the man’s ears.

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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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