The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 59
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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 59
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Baek Ja-hyeon, the Guard Commander, swallowed a groan as he stared at the paper clutched in his hand. It bore the names of just over a dozen individuals—none other than those provided by Jin Cheon-u.
“He buys me something delicious and then piles work on me.”
Baek Ja-hyeon grumbled as he stepped into the Training Hall.
The sight that greeted him made him click his tongue.
“Hah! Is that all you’ve got?”
“Please… mercy…”
Despite the Training Hall being a space where countless Sega martial artists trained, only one figure remained standing—Gu Gunbaek himself.
His disciple Jang Chuchyeong had long since collapsed, foam flecking his lips as he lay motionless, and with energy still coursing through him, Gu Gunbaek had continued his assault on the Sega warriors.
Those scattered about the floor groaned and swallowed their cries of pain. Despite their pitiful state, they refrained from calling for aid—a matter of pride, he supposed.
“Hm? There’s still one standing!”
“No, no! Master Gu! It’s Baek Ja-hyeon, Baek Ja-hyeon. The Guard Commander.”
Still brimming with energy, Gu Gunbaek fixed his gaze upon Baek Ja-hyeon and clenched his fists.
Had he not swiftly waved his hands in denial, he had no doubt that crude fist would have come flying toward him.
“What brings you here? I never see your face around these parts.”
“Ha, well…”
‘Because I’m afraid of getting beaten senseless by you, sir.’
Baek Ja-hyeon was the Guard Commander.
As the overseer of all martial artists within Sega, his position carried considerable prestige.
Yet if his subordinates were to witness him being pummeled by Gu Gunbaek in the Training Hall, what greater humiliation could there be?
This was precisely why he avoided setting foot in this place.
Just now proved the point.
The man had nearly thrown a punch without warning.
“I’ve come to take some people with me, if you’ll permit it.”
“People?”
“Yes, Young Master Cheon-u has given me a task to attend to.”
Baek Ja-hyeon offered a bitter smile as he surveyed the surroundings.
With bodies strewn about in disarray, it was nearly impossible to identify who was who.
Nevertheless, he did his best to discern faces and extract those whose names appeared on his list.
The count came to forty.
Most were individuals of high loyalty to Sega and possessed considerable skill besides.
Even if they had forgone becoming Sega warriors to become wandering mercenaries, he was confident they would have earned considerable renown.
Among such individuals…
‘Why is that one included?’
Baek Ja-hyeon regarded one person with a peculiar expression.
Gu Gunbaek.
Among the elite warriors of Sega, there was one person who stood out as notably inferior. Though possessing decent skill, he fell short when compared to the true elite.
His loyalty was beyond reproach, but his martial prowess was lacking—so much so that he had been excluded from the previous escort mission.
As I pondered this peculiarity, I noticed something.
Gu Gunbaek, who had been silently observing the situation, was regarding Baek Ja-hyeon with an enigmatic gaze.
“W-what is it?”
“No, what are you planning to do with those men?”
“I’m not certain myself. I was simply ordered to bring them along, haha.”
“Hmm…”
Gu Gunbaek’s suspicious stare, tinged with that cryptic smile, showed no sign of relenting.
* * *
Venturing east from the Nakhyang Jin Family estate, one would soon encounter a pristine street devoid of refuse, lined with resplendent mansions in succession.
This was the wealthy district of Nakhyang.
As a place where the powerful, the strong, and the affluent congregated, it was naturally maintained to the highest standards.
I traversed the district’s streets at length before turning into a secluded corner.
Deep within that rarely-trodden area stood a single grand mansion.
The towering compound walls obscured the interior from view, yet their considerable length suggested the grounds within were vast.
I pushed open the main gate and stepped inside.
Years of neglect had left dust accumulated everywhere.
Insects and cobwebs adorned every corner.
As I ventured deeper and opened a door, dust billowed forth in thick clouds.
I waved my hand instinctively, my face contorting in displeasure.
“Cough! I should have had this cleaned.”
This was my residence in the wealthy district—a property of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
More precisely, my secret sanctuary.
Doesn’t every child harbor a certain dream at some point?
The desire to possess a hidden stronghold known only to oneself.
Recalling those days, I offered a bitter smile.
“Isn’t that rather grand for a five-year-old child? Grandfather.”
I hadn’t understood it then, but now the absurdity of it struck me clearly.
When I expressed my desire for a secret sanctuary, he had constructed a magnificent mansion upon the most coveted land in Nakhyang.
Though smaller than the main residence, it lacked nothing—equipped with secret passages and every essential feature of a proper sanctuary.
Most remarkably, the courtyard was expansive.
It was spacious enough to accommodate all of Sega’s warriors with room to spare—a luxury almost incomprehensible for a five-year-old child.
I gazed upon the courtyard.
Toys my grandfather had purchased in those early years lay scattered about.
The sight stirred a nostalgic ache within me.
My father likely knew nothing of this place’s existence.
Grandfather had revealed it to me alone.
At most, I had been away for a month.
Everything had been left neglected in the back, so the state of disrepair was beyond description.
With such thoughts in mind, I began gathering the toys scattered across the courtyard.
They were all gifts from my Grandfather, and had they not been left abandoned, they would have commanded considerable value.
It was a testament to how dearly he held me.
As I stood lost in thought, remembering my Grandfather who had long since passed, the firmly closed gate finally swung open, and a procession of men filed inside one after another.
Every last one of them wore expressions of curiosity as they surveyed their surroundings.
“I heard you had been found.”
It was Yang Jachun who noticed me first and bowed his head.
Known by the name Myeong-pyo, he was one of the talented individuals leading the Yunryong Pyo-guk, and his swordsmanship was so exceptional that it would be no exaggeration to say he had already secured the position of next Guard Commander.
Yang Jachun would undoubtedly be the center of those who had come with him.
I nodded toward him and observed the warriors before me.
Forty warriors in total.
Not a single one among them lacked excellence.
These were the blades that protected the Nakhyang Jin Family.
The reason their edge had grown even sharper compared to the past was undoubtedly due to the matter involving Gu Gunbaek.
Yet it was insufficient.
They had not yet reached the level I desired.
Especially considering what lay ahead.
“For the time being, this place will serve as your residence.”
“This place, sir?”
“There are rooms inside, and there are bedding that can be used once washed. The kitchen is well-equipped, and there are dishes as well, so if you clean properly, you should have no difficulty living here.”
“But… we have quarters at Sega, so why…?”
Yang Jachun and the warriors regarded me with expressions of bewilderment.
Aside from Gu Gunbaek who was present, these were Sega’s finest warriors, so each of them already possessed private quarters.
They likely felt no need to stay in a place that required cleaning.
But I had no intention of sending them away.
“It is because I intend to instruct all of you over the next fortnight.”
“Instruct… You, Young Master, will teach us?”
“Yes.”
“In what?”
“Martial arts.”
At the mention of martial arts, they could not help but show their bewilderment.
Though their eyes betrayed some skepticism, they quickly recognized that their counterpart was me and swiftly concealed their true feelings behind altered expressions.
After all, I was their master.
Yet I understood their hearts as well.
Those who had spent their entire lives wielding blades could hardly be expected to readily accept instruction from one who had, for all intents and purposes, severed ties with the sword.
I lifted the corners of my mouth in a smile.
“You all seem rather displeased. Then shall we do this? Pyo Du.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Let us spar. If Pyo Du of Yang wins, you may leave as you are. However, if you lose, you must clean this place up properly and follow my instructions.”
At those words, everyone’s expressions shifted subtly.
Yang Jachun was currently the strongest combatant present. Standing at the pinnacle of the first-rate level, it was known that he would break through the barrier and reach his peak within a few years.
It seemed they had judged sparring with Yang Jachun to be unreasonable.
However, as if unconcerned, I trampled the weeds around me underfoot until they withered, then raised the sword I held in my hand.
Watching that, Yang Jachun exhaled a sigh.
“Are you serious?”
“Are you worried I might get hurt?”
“….”
“Don’t concern yourself with such things. Come. It’s better to convince you quickly so things go smoothly afterward.”
Shing—
I drew my sword as I spoke.
Yang Jachun’s eyes sharpened.
Yet, still reluctant to show his full hand, he charged forward without even drawing his blade, gripping the scabbard itself.
Clearly, he intended to subdue me in a single move and end this situation.
Just as the scabbard extended fiercely toward my throat—
“…!”
Yang Jachun suddenly halted and retreated urgently backward.
Slick—
I saw him touch his neck and notice a faint trace of blood on his hand, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at me.
“Had it gone any deeper, you would be dead right now.”
“What….”
“You must treat me as an enemy and fight with your full strength. Otherwise, that blade of yours will never touch me.”
“….”
Yang Jachun clenched his lips tightly.
Though he called it carelessness, it was a lethal strike.
Had he not thrown himself backward urgently, the damage would have been far greater.
While I harbored no intention to kill, I still needed to demonstrate enough skill to convince him—I would show no mercy whatsoever.
“Then I shall not hold back.”
“A wise decision.”
I smiled and nodded.
Apparently taking this as provocation, Yang Jachun’s eyes gleamed far more fiercely than before.
Did he wish to preserve his pride as a martial artist?
But with his current skill, it was impossible.
He drew his sword and charged again, closing the distance.
His movements were noticeably faster and more agile than before.
It was clear he had become serious.
But such effort would not suffice.
Clang—!
“…!?”
I parried the incoming sword and pivoted my blade toward his throat.
The steel halted mere inches away, unwavering and absolute.
Yang Jachun found himself equally immobilized.
“…This is absurd….”
“Such impossibilities occur more often than you’d think.”
I slowly withdrew my sword.
Yang Jachun stumbled backward, then gritted his teeth and began launching another assault.
Clang—clang-clang-clang!
Swift transitions and precision.
Certainly, he possessed skill worthy of consideration as the next Guard Commander, yet my experience—honed through over a decade of combat against formidable opponents—demonstrated an overwhelming superiority that could not be denied.
Yang Jachun’s blade could not touch me.
His technique revealed far too many openings, too many flaws.
Though my resilience and perception had improved somewhat through the Gu Gunbaek incident, such marginal gains would prove insufficient against the trials that lay ahead.
I deflected his next strike with renewed force.
Clang!
The sword, struck with overwhelming power, flew from Yang Jachun’s grasp into the air.
Whoosh—whoosh—
After spinning several times, the blade embedded itself firmly in the ground.
Watching Yang Jachun stare blankly at his empty hands, the others struggled to close their gaping mouths.
“It appears I have won. As agreed, I trust you will remain here for the time being. Training shall commence tomorrow.”
I spoke while regarding the still-silent Yang Jachun.
No response came, yet my meaning had been conveyed with perfect clarity.
Turning away without regard for their stunned expressions, I headed toward the main gate, when something occurred to me and I glanced back at the soldiers.
“Ah—do clean the grounds thoroughly, and while you’re at it, pull out some of those weeds. I cannot fathom why the vegetation has become so overgrown.”
Several of them, their senses returning, nodded in acknowledgment.
Only now did they grasp that this situation was indeed reality.
I chuckled softly despite myself and turned away.
There remained one more place I needed to visit.
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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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