The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 69
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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 130
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Jin Ja-geom, one of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, furrowed his brow as he regarded those before him.
The total number of first-generation disciples currently remaining on Mount Hua was ten.
Yet when training time came, only nine appeared—yesterday, the day before, and for several days now, one had been absent.
It had already been four days.
At first, I let it slide because the boy was naturally free-spirited.
I knew he often ventured down the mountain, but he had grown far too headstrong to scold him for it.
But what began as two days became four, and now it was four.
It had far exceeded the time I could reasonably overlook.
Jin Ja-geom furrowed his brow and asked.
“Where is Baek Cheon?”
“That… we do not know, sir.”
“He has not returned to his quarters either.”
At the other disciples’ words, Jin Ja-geom’s gaze turned sharp.
It seemed strange that despite a fellow disciple from the same sect being absent for four days, not a single brother had gone searching for him.
With narrowed eyes, I examined each of the disciples standing before me.
Flinch—flinch—
Each time my gaze met theirs, the disciples visibly flinched.
From that alone, it seemed they had already gone down to the village and learned what had happened.
Sigh…
A sigh escaped from Jin Ja-geom’s lips.
“Let me guess. He went down to the village without permission and caused trouble again. But it’s trouble he cannot resolve on his own.”
“Gasp!”
“…!”
At Jin Ja-geom’s words, the disciples gasped, their faces turning pale.
Their reaction was more intense than usual, suggesting this was no ordinary incident.
If it had been that level, we would have simply suppressed it under the Mount Hua name and returned.
“Did he clash with Songnan?”
“…That is… yes…”
“If he clashed but hasn’t returned, does that mean he was soundly defeated?”
“No, sir! That is… we heard that a member of the Namgung bloodline appeared and stopped it…”
At the mention of Namgung, Jin Ja-geom’s eyes widened in surprise.
It was a name rarely heard, yet one everyone knew.
“Namgung? You mean the Namgung clan I know of?”
“Yes… they say this person intervened between Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon.”
“At that level of power?”
This is also quite surprising.
The Namgung clan’s collapse happened long ago.
Though their name surfaced occasionally afterward, they never regained their former glory, and I understand that the currently active Namgung Baek is treated as a plaything by Moryeong Hyeok.
So there’s a swordmaster from such a fallen Namgung clan who has risen to a level worthy of standing between the disciples of Mount Hua and Mount Songnan?
And a direct descendant of Namgung at that?
The situation felt rather perplexing.
But there was something even more incomprehensible than that.
Simply because they encountered the Namgung clan, why couldn’t they return for four days—what could be so serious about that?
As I looked at my disciples with confused eyes, I heard their trembling voices again.
“That is… they fought at the Unryong Inn, and the place was completely destroyed. However, the one who appeared alongside the Namgung clan member was none other than the Young Master So of the Nakhyang Jin Family….”
At those words, Jin Ja-geom nodded as if understanding.
Indeed, the Young Master So of the Nakhyang Jin Family was an opponent that even Baek Cheon’s background and Mount Hua’s name could not easily overcome.
But though this side was at fault, it troubled me that even the Jin Family would not return Mount Hua’s disciple for four whole days.
Moreover, I felt somewhat disrespected by it.
Jin Ja-geom sighed and began to move.
“Continue your training.”
* * *
In the training grounds prepared inside the annex of the Unryong Inn, three men and women continued to wield their swords ceaselessly today as well.
They seemed to have no particular interest in who was winning or losing.
The sight of them, too busy analyzing their opponent’s martial techniques and devising strategies to overcome them, could well be called the appearance of madmen intoxicated by the martial way.
“They’re truly insane.”
“I share that sentiment.”
The training grounds were visible through the window of my room. Because of this, I could better than anyone know how long they had wielded their swords and how fiercely they had exchanged blows.
Over these four days, without even going to the training grounds, I had gained the opportunity to observe the martial techniques of all three people, and thus spent a remarkably satisfying time.
But the problem lay elsewhere.
They wielded their swords day and night without rest.
Except when eating or sleeping, they never left the training grounds.
This was not merely true of Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon.
Namgung Yeon was the same.
She, who had always trained alone, finally found herself in a situation where she could cross swords with someone else and fill her gaps, so even her rest time seemed precious to her.
Thanks to this, I gained far more than I had anticipated, but I was growing weary of the constant sound of clashing blades day and night.
Chaeseoha felt the same way.
She, with vacant eyes, was handling medicinal herbs.
She ground them finely into powder, then mixed in something unknown to make it thick and paste-like.
Then, she applied it to her own face, and quietly approached me, beginning to spread it carefully and evenly across my stationary face.
I looked at her with an exasperated expression.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean? My skin has suffered greatly from not being able to sleep because of those sword clashing sounds. This helps with skin recovery….”
“Stop it.”
“Tch… if your skin isn’t good, you end up looking older.”
I shook my head at Chaeseoha’s words.
I had never given thought to such things as skin or appearance.
Besides, mine was smooth enough.
I turned my gaze back toward the window.
The fierce sword clash between the three men and women had come to an end, and I could see them sitting down exhausted, gasping for breath.
Unexpectedly, I had absorbed something valuable.
The martial arts of Huashan and Zhongnan were fundamentally different in nature from those of Namgung—they walked entirely different paths from what I possessed, so I wondered if I could create something more diverse. Even if not, simply observing was sufficient study in itself.
It would have been preferable to witness more profound martial techniques, but at this moment, this was not merely enough—it was overflowing.
As I watched for a moment.
I found myself frowning without realizing it.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have guests.”
I sensed the presence of individuals who had reached considerable levels of mastery.
It was not merely one person.
Two?
With that thought, I rose from my seat.
Pap-pap-pap-pat!
Suddenly, sounds erupted from the empty air. Someone stepped on the roof and unleashed tremendous lightness martial art, flying down before landing in the training ground with a heavy thud.
The same occurred on the opposite side.
The first arrival’s lightness martial art carried a weighty impression, while the second arrival’s technique was ornate and appeared light as a feather.
Like plum blossoms falling, they descended gracefully.
The two figures’ gazes naturally swept across their surroundings.
Then, confirming Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon standing in shock, they nodded and turned their attention elsewhere.
In that instant, our eyes met.
Not with me.
The two who had descended were facing each other.
Simultaneously, sword strikes erupted.
Clang-clang-clang!
Sparks flew repeatedly where the blades collided, and an incredibly crisp sword sound filled the training ground.
Each exchange carried the will of neither side yielding, and unable to endure the silence between them any longer, a rough man’s voice rang out sharply.
“Hihihi! You crazy bastard, it’s been a while! What are you doing in a place like this!”
“Mind your tongue. You’re nothing but a commoner.”
“Commoner?! You tiger-faced bastard!”
Each time the two clashed their swords, tremendous sword winds swept across the area.
Even Namgung Yeon, Baek Cheon, and Oh Hyeon, who had occupied their original positions, were swept away by the violent gale.
The two’s sword exchange grew increasingly fierce, and eventually they drew upon their inner energy, infusing it into their sword qi.
Whoooosh-whoooosh-whoooosh-crack!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—ack!
In an instant, sword qi erupted between them like a tempest.
Their determination to win was absolute and unwavering.
I couldn’t fathom why they had suddenly begun fighting, but it was clear they each believed victory was theirs alone.
To anyone watching, they seemed utterly oblivious to where they were or why they had come.
I furrowed my brow as I observed them.
Like master, like disciple.
Could they truly be this identical?
I exhaled a long sigh and offered a helpless laugh.
Whoosh—!
One of the sword qi they had hurled at each other suddenly veered toward me.
A force both heavy and razor-sharp.
Noticing Chaeseoha’s alarm, I threw myself out the window.
Seeing the sword qi streak toward me with lethal intent, I drew my blade.
My extended sword swallowed it whole in an instant, then deflected it away.
Boom—!
The sword qi, its trajectory violently altered, shattered the roof’s edge before dissipating entirely.
Clatter—
I listened to the debris fall from above and strike the ground as I regarded the two men with an incredulous expression.
“Is this a characteristic of the Huashan and Zhongnan sects? Drawing your blades and swinging them without regard for where you are or who might be present?”
“….”
“Good heavens!”
I frowned at the two middle-aged men before me.
One was undoubtedly from Zhongnan.
The embroidered character “十” on his chest, alongside the Zhongnan sect’s symbol, proved he was no ordinary disciple—he was the youngest of the legendary Ten Blades of Zhongnan.
And on the other hand.
When I turned my head, I saw a man dressed somewhat differently from Baek Cheon.
Yet I could instantly recognize him as a Plum Blossom Sword Master.
The sword in his hand was the renowned Plum Blossom Blade that such masters took pride in.
I cupped my fists toward both of them.
“I am Jin Cheon-u of the Nakhyang Jin Family.”
“Jin Ja-geom of Huashan.”
“Ha Hyeok-jun of Zhongnan!”
Jin Ja-geom of Huashan and Ha Hyeok-jun of Zhongnan.
Now I understood who these two were.
Jin Ja-geom, the youngest of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, and Ha Hyeok-jun, the youngest of the Ten Blades of Zhongnan.
They were the legendary rivals whose very sight of each other sparked conflict—a true dragon-and-tiger confrontation.
Now I understood the relationship between Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon.
Whether master and disciple or something else, seeing such behavior from their seniors explained everything.
I smiled and asked.
“Shall you continue?”
“Oho— I’ve heard tales of this one subduing Cheon Yul, but seeing him now, he possesses even greater confidence than the rumors suggest.”
“Fascinating. He doesn’t lose his nerve even standing before us.”
The threatening yet intrigued voices of the two men reached my ears. Then, those who had been facing each other suddenly turned their gaze toward me.
Their stares were piercing.
I could distinctly feel they were exerting pressure through their very gaze alone.
A laugh escaped my lips unbidden.
“I’m someone who not only subdued Cheon Yul but also walked away unscathed after facing Cheon Ju himself. With the presence of that Death Emperor still so vivid in my memory, why would I feel fear now?”
“…!”
“Heh….”
Could the aura of mere men like them compare to that of an Emperor?
At my provocative remark, both men’s expressions hardened. A sharpness that hadn’t been felt before now pierced through my entire body like an awl.
Yet I brushed it aside without concern.
The Plum Blossom Sword Master and the Ten Swords of Zhongnan.
They were essentially the ones leading Huashan and Zhongnan respectively.
They had reached heights incomparable to Baek Cheon and Oh Hyeon, who were trembling with ashen faces over there, and the depth of their martial knowledge was entirely different.
This was too good an opportunity.
I smiled naturally and met the aura of the two men head-on.
Crack—!
“…!”
“…?!”
As my aura collided with that of the two men, the ground split beneath us.
Apparently not expecting such direct confrontation, Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun’s eyes were filled with astonishment.
“This young pup certainly knows how to surprise people today, doesn’t he?”
Thinking my unleashed aura was a challenge directed at them, both men’s expressions soured.
Yet they would not shy away from an accepted challenge.
Their eyes conveyed such meaning.
I nodded and drew my blade.
“Consider the broken roof paid for with this.”
Then, with a sharp grin, I swung my sword.
At the same moment, the blades of Jin Ja-geom and Ha Hyeok-jun moved as well.
Thus, three flashing streaks of light flew toward one another.
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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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