The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 61

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Youngest Son of the Nakhyang Jin Family — Chapter 61

* * *

Two days had passed since then.
The preparations for Father’s birthday celebration grew increasingly frantic, and the Nakyang Streets were now so crowded with visitors that the inns had run out of available rooms.
Beyond that, the Sega household itself was in turmoil.
One could feel the approach of a grand event simply by observing how the servants and maids moved about with even greater urgency.
Yet the Training Hall remained unchanged.
Despite the departure of some forty warriors, it remained as bustling as ever.
Particularly, Chu Hyeongi’s efforts had intensified.
“Huff, huff… huff…!”
“That’s not how you do it! If you execute the Ferocious Tiger Assault like that, you’ll only get yourself killed!”
The sight of Chu Hyeongi earnestly beginning to master martial arts was pitiful.
Bruises covered him in various places, and his breath seemed to reach his throat.
Learning the martial techniques of Namman, known for their brutality, proved fundamentally different from ordinary Central Plains martial arts, subjecting him to training methods so harsh they were almost painful to witness.
Whenever Chu Hyeongi collapsed, the Sega warriors would use it as an opportunity to vent their frustrations by pummeling him.
Yet the results were undeniably good.
The Sega warriors had improved their physical resilience and vision, while conversely, Chu Hyeongi’s abilities grew with each passing day.
Compared to the incident with the Black Crow Society, though the time elapsed was brief, the difference was unmistakable.
Gu Gunbaek’s crude, straightforward method of simply striking hard happened to suit Chu Hyeongi remarkably well.
“…Please… spare me…”
Of course, he still wore an expression of suffering.
I watched him intently and smiled.
A sight I had witnessed many times in the past.
Back then, I had gritted my teeth and endured through determination to protect myself and vengeance against those who had brought the Sega low, but now lacking such motivations, his desperation seemed less acute than before.
“If you hold out, I’ll grant you one wish.”
“…Anything?”
“Yes.”
“Even if I ask to go to Giru?”
“Yes.”
“And I can eat and drink as much as I want there?!”
“Do as you please.”
Upon offering motivation to the still-innocent boy, Chu Hyeongi’s eyes gleamed with renewed determination.
The one who had been sprawled on the ground slowly rose again, clenching his fists.
Soon, he turned toward Gu Gunbaek, who had been moving to strike down the warriors, and shouted like a madman.
“Hiyah! Come at me! You damned master!”
“What? Have you ever seen such insolence?”
It did not seem that his words had offended Gu Gunbaek’s sensibilities.
Of course, the confident expression and gleam in his eyes that had initially appeared so bold began to dim as Gu Gunbaek approached with an ominous presence.
Whoosh—!
“Ugh!”
A moment later, a single punch sent him spinning through the air before he crashed to the ground.
Tsk tsk—
I clicked my tongue as I watched him fall.
He wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon, so I had my own matters to attend to.
The moment I turned to leave the Training Hall, Gu Gunbaek—who had been holding Chu Hyeongi by the collar with his fist raised—looked at me.
“Where are you going, you brat?”
“I have somewhere to be.”
“What are you doing, taking all the fun people away from here? Are you having fun without me?”
“I’m not sure if it will be fun, but… they have work that needs to be done.”
“Where are they?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“If something fun is happening, let me join in! I’m dying of boredom.”
“You seem to be… enjoying yourself quite well as it is.”
“Is watching that fool get beaten up fun? I want something more exciting than this!”
Gu Gunbaek’s eyes gleamed with childlike innocence as he pleaded.
This was deeply troublesome.
I quietly stepped backward and turned away.
“Please give them proper training for now. Soon… something interesting will happen.”
“Oho— is that something I’d enjoy?”
“I can’t say for certain, but it should be more thrilling than this.”
“Hahaha— fine! Let me exercise some patience!”
Pleased by my assurance, he released his grip on Chu Hyeongi’s collar and burst into laughter.
Had he been displeased, he would have thrown another punch.
I offered a bitter smile and set off once more.
Needless to say, the Nakhyang Jin Family had gates other than the main entrance.
A passage used only by direct descendants, meant for discreet exits—one that allowed me to slip away unnoticed.
Using it meant avoiding the scrutiny of prying eyes, which was why I’d been using it frequently of late.
Going through the main gate would have drawn unwanted attention.
Following the hidden path for a considerable distance, I came upon a small cottage.
Opening the floor there revealed a passage leading to the underground organization.
After a long walk, I pushed open the sealed door and emerged outside.
As I stepped out of the neatly arranged room, I saw forty warriors gathered in the center of a vast courtyard.
“Sigh— how much more of a beating will there be today…”
“I want to go home. Please send me home.”
“It would be better to get hit by that old man. At least one blow from him would knock you unconscious. But this… they keep beating us until we pass out…”
Complaints echoed from all around.
The events of the past two days must have felt like hell to them.
Even Yang Jachun sat in silence without saying a word, which made me think he was half in agreement.
I let out a soft chuckle.
At the sound, the warriors trembled violently, their necks creaking as they slowly turned to look at me.
“…Young Master, have you arrived?”
Yang Jachun was the first to rise.
He greeted me with a rigid expression.
Thanks to him, the others hastily scrambled to their feet and bowed.
“Greetings, sir!”
“We appreciate your guidance today!”
I observed them quietly.
As I simply stared without speaking, cold sweat began to bead slowly on their foreheads.
Of course, there was one exception.
In the most remote corner, a single figure’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Gu Gunbaek.
Being the lowest cultivation level among those present, I could sense his burning desire to grow one step further through this opportunity.
I acknowledged this with a nod.
Then I slowly raised my sword.
“Gasp?!”
“A-already starting?”
“Did I not tell you? I intend to drive this home as quickly as possible.”
*Clench*
At my words, Yang Jachun closed his eyes.
But soon, having steeled himself, he drew his blade.
*Shing—* *Crack—*
Simultaneously, swords were drawn from all directions.
Over the past two days, they had learned well that running or turning away changed nothing.
“From today onward, we fight at full strength. Prepare yourselves.”
It was nearly impossible to make someone grow in such a short time. Especially those who had already forged their own path.
But I could make them accustomed.
To an enemy’s blade.
I drew forth every martial technique of the Yeongsal Corps that I had committed to memory.
While I could not claim perfect replication, I was confident it would serve as sufficient preparation.
If they grew familiar with it, they could manage.
I held that certainty.
“Let us begin.”
Fundamentally, the Yeongsal Corps’ swordplay is cunning.
One cannot discern whether the blade path before your eyes is real or false.
The sword is so deceptive that you only know it has touched your body after the fact.
Their footwork was equally deceptive.
Their movements are so elusive that even when visible before your eyes, they scatter like afterimages—a level of concealment unmatched by others.
Without proper preparation, death is inevitable.
I drive it home with certainty in the remaining time.
Thwack—!
“Gack?!”
I step back, watching Yang Jachun fly backward.
Simultaneously, I lower my head, twist my body, and swing my sword.
Whoosh, whoosh, crack—!
Three men collapse in an instant, and I take in the sight of those still standing.
Then.
Gu Gunbaek’s sword comes flying at me.
I evade it while moving my blade with subtle precision.
The sword aimed at my abdomen suddenly shifts direction near my face, targeting my neck instead.
Clang—!
But Gu Gunbaek, as if anticipating this, deflects it and retreats.
Good.
This is exactly it.
Two days of torment have been worth it.
I smile, licking my lips.
It seems I need to press harder now.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, crack!
“Arrrgh!”
“Gack?!”
“…Young Master, take it easy— Gaaack!”

* * *

The Luoyang Marketplace.
Already crowded by nature, the streets of Luoyang had grown even more chaotic. The influx of people gathering for the Jin Family Head’s birthday celebration made it impossible to find space even at the street stalls.
In that place where there was scarcely room to set foot, a festival unfolded much like when I had saved someone before.
There stood a man taking in this spectacle with his eyes.
The man, seated at one of the bustling stalls and slurping down thin noodles, seemed to find them quite to his taste, for his chopsticks barely paused.
“Ahhh.”
Once he had drained even the broth, the stall owner, noticing this, set down a fresh bowl of thin noodles.
He had ordered it in advance.
The man regarded it with a satisfied expression and lifted his chopsticks once more.
“It seems to suit your palate well. Haha, seeing you eat so delightfully makes me even more satisfied.”
“I’ve heard the Young Master So of the Jin Family frequents this place often—now I understand why. The flavor is excellent.”
“Thank you, honored guest. Haha, yes, Jin Gongja does visit us quite regularly.”
“But I haven’t seen him recently?”
“Hmm, perhaps due to the Family Head’s birthday celebration, he’s been rather scarce these days.”
“I see.”
The man—Sa Gong-chun, rather—nodded and moved his chopsticks once more. He gathered a full portion of noodles and stuffed them into his mouth, sipped the broth, and set down his chopsticks with a satisfied expression.
“Then does that old man Hong Gu-hyeon come here as well?”
“Elder Hong, you mean? I’ve heard that Elder Hong is currently away on business.”
“Away on business?”
“Yes, well, the Young Master was quite ill recently. He’s improved somewhat now, but regardless, I understand he’s gone to Beijing for that reason.”
Sa Gong-chun nodded at the stall owner’s words.
Yet something seemed not to sit right with him, for his expression grew puzzled and he posed another question.
“Beijing? What business could there be in such a place?”
“The Imperial Medical Family, of course. Haha, though the Nakhyang Jin Family has no connections in the martial world, they maintain quite close ties with the Imperial Court, do they not?”
The stall owner spoke with a cheerful laugh and easy manner.
Soon after, he turned away to take another customer’s order and began preparing food.
At this, Sa Gong-chun clicked his tongue and turned his gaze away.
Then.
The moment he averted his eyes, the stall owner placed dumplings in a bowl and handed them to a customer, then tapped his index finger against the bowl in a subtle signal.
The customer who received the food rose silently from his seat, dumplings in hand.
Unfortunately, Sa Gong-chun could not witness this scene.
A transmission of sound piercing into his ear prevented it.
-The Ten Elders still show no sign of appearing.
-Something feels wrong.
Sa Gong-chun opened his eyes slightly and set down his chopsticks.
He had already confirmed the marks left by the Ten Elders.
Everything proceeding smoothly without incident…or so it had seemed?
Yet what was strange was that considerable time had passed since he left his own mark, and still there came no response.
Moreover, no one had appeared.
At least one or two of them should have shown their faces near the Jin Family residence, yet he had not spotted a single one, and so suspicion was inevitable.
Had something gone wrong?
Recalling thoughts I’d rather have avoided, my mind grew tangled and confused.
Little time remained.
The appointed day was drawing near, and without resolving this gnawing unease, any action felt dangerously uncertain.
My instincts had often proven accurate when they whispered of worst-case scenarios.
Yet a voice reached me that stirred my very soul.
-And First Leader has confirmed it.
-Confirmed what?
-That Jin Cheon-u possesses the Jade Orb. He’s been under surveillance for days and it’s been verified multiple times.
At the mention of the Jade Orb, my fist clenched involuntarily.
To discover so effortlessly what I’d been searching for all this time through the Ten Elders?
I, who had already lost one Jade Orb.
This time, I could afford no mistakes.
My eyes flickered with savage intensity.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————