The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 76

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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 76

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The resplendent chamber before my eyes far surpassed even the residence of Jin Ga-muk, the Family Head of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
The epicenter of all power, its very pinnacle.
The genesis and terminus of the Central Plains and the nation’s history.
The Imperial Palace.
Within it, the most magnificent and grandiose—a place no one could enter with ease.
The Emperor’s chambers.
Chaeseoha knelt there, her gaze fixed upon the floor.
She dared not lift her eyes upward.
Before her stood one whose gaze she could not meet.
‘Exhale…’
I steadied my trembling heart and regulated my breathing.
Then I felt the figure before me gesture.
Simultaneously.
Whoosh—
Another figure beside me rushed forward and forcibly grasped her chin, lifting it upward.
Then the Emperor’s visage came into view.
His towering frame and robust physique struck the eye first.
His build was so impressive it seemed impossible he approached a hundred years of age, and his face appeared far too youthful for such an age.
Even his complexion was ruddy with vitality.
Yet upon closer inspection, it was all illusion.
The healthy complexion was merely cosmetics applied to match his skin tone, and despite the youthful, taut musculature, his eyes had grown dull, their brilliance extinguished.
The faint scent of powder pricked my nostrils.
In that instant, I detected something amiss in that fragrance.
The Emperor himself and those around him seemed oblivious, yet my senses could not be deceived.
I averted my gaze without betraying my discovery.
It was then that the Emperor’s weighty voice reached my ears.
“Repulsive.”
Though I had heard such words countless times before, their impact felt different now.
My body shrank inward of its own accord.
The Emperor’s eyes held the emotion of one gazing upon something grotesque, abhorrent, and viler than filth itself.
It was not an unusual sentiment, yet it struck me with sudden force because it was something I had never felt in the Nakhyang Jin Family.
The Emperor’s single utterance shattered the dream I had been nurturing and violently dragged me back to reality.
“Conceal it.”
At the Emperor’s ensuing command, those beside him moved with urgency.
They withdrew a peculiar white mask from their garments.
It was a strange mask—not merely covering the lower face, but designed to encase the entire head completely.
The man paid no heed to Chaeseoha’s resistance, and before she could even protest, he fastened the mask onto her face and locked it in place.
Chaeseoha sank to the ground in shock at the sudden turn of events, and the Emperor standing before her gazed down at her with a measured expression before extending his hand.
“I hear you are descended from Uiseon. Take my pulse.”
“…!”
At those quiet words, Chaeseoha’s body trembled. She wanted to resist, but the reality of her helplessness only made her suffering more acute.
She carefully extended her hand and began to read his pulse.
‘…!’
The moment her fingers touched his wrist, she understood.
The Emperor had little time left to live.
This was far beyond what acupuncture alone could remedy.
The deterioration from age was troubling enough, but the cosmetics applied to conceal it had only made the situation far more grave.
This was no mere matter of a day or two of makeup.
He did not even realize this was the problem.
Because of it, his condition had only worsened, and that was why he had sought her out.
To save the Emperor now, nothing less than the Spirit Elixir of her own family would suffice, yet the problem was that she possessed none.
Jin Cheon-u had consumed the last remaining pill.
The greatest difficulty was that even the Spirit Elixir of the Rival Sects, which the Emperor could easily obtain, would be utterly useless for his condition.
The efficacy of an elixir created for healing could never be the same as one made for advancing inner strength.
If she admitted defeat now, she sensed that blades would rain down from all directions and tear her to shreds.
Chaeseoha steadied her breathing and carefully withdrew her hand.
Then the Emperor’s voice came.
“Speak.”
“Your body appears healthy on the surface, but within, it is already beyond remedy. This is deterioration from age, and no physician, regardless of their skill, could cure it.”
All eyes turned toward Chaeseoha as she spoke in that measured tone.
From this moment forward….
It was as though a blade rested against her throat.
One misspoken word, and death would come swiftly.
She steeled her resolve.
Sure enough, the atmosphere shifted.
She felt the Emperor’s gaze upon her grow sharp as a blade’s edge. As expected, the man at her side placed his hand upon his sword.
The moment the order came, he would draw it.
Chaeseoha spoke urgently.
“Yet there is a method that is not entirely impossible.”
It was impossible now.
But this was the Imperial Palace.
Unlike the Nakhyang Jin Family, if the Emperor commanded it, there were countless people who could procure even nonexistent medicinal ingredients within days.
Chaeseoha saw the Emperor’s pupils dilate and offered a subtle smile.
“Speak.”
“I must create the Spirit Elixir of my family. For that, I need materials, and to maximize the elixir’s efficacy, I must employ both acupuncture and medicine.”
“I might not have to die?”
“The Spirit Elixir our family produces is not an elixir of immortality. However, we can delay that time. It could be anywhere from a few years to more than a decade.”
Sweet words indeed for one who had been waiting only for death. If I could just create the Spirit Elixir, perhaps I could live for more than a decade longer.
The Emperor, too, would be tempted by the chance to escape death’s shadow, however briefly.
Moreover, I had naturally highlighted Chaeseoha’s value by explaining that acupuncture and medicine would be necessary.
The Spirit Elixir, acupuncture, and medicine.
No human who wished to live would dare treat her carelessly.
Of course, I had never succeeded in creating it until now, and even if I did, there was no guarantee it would be potent enough to save the Emperor, but in any case, it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my head anytime soon.
Chaeseoha found relief in having bought herself some time.

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“Hahahaha! This is entertaining! Truly entertaining!”
Gu Gunbaek’s voice rang out thunderously.
The other gamblers turned their gazes toward him, but only for a moment before they gasped in astonishment at the unexpected sight.
Piled high at Gu Gunbaek’s table were countless silver coins and silver ingots.
What had started with merely a few taels of silver had continued to accumulate until it reached an unmanageable amount.
As a result, those who had faced him were left completely stripped of their possessions.
Not a speck of dust remained, so to speak.
Silver coins, jewelry, clothing—everything of value.
The sight of a dozen Honored Guests fleeing completely bare was a rare spectacle one would never normally witness.
Even those watching couldn’t help but laugh at the scene.
“With this much, we could actually build a palace, couldn’t we?”
“Exactly! Master is the greatest!”
“Hehehehe! I shall pass this palace on to you, my boy.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
So delighted by the mountain of wealth before him that his spirits soared, Gu Gunbaek spoke with a solemn expression, while Jang Chuchyeong bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
With such riches piled before him—wealth he could never touch even if he served as a servant his entire life—how could his eyes not glaze over?
I watched the scene unfold and let out a quiet chuckle.
“Have you had your fill of enjoyment?”
“You brat! I’m on a winning streak—don’t jinx it now. To build a palace, I need one more big haul. Wait and see.”
Gu Gunbaek waved dismissively, showing no intention of leaving whatsoever.
Both he and Jang Chuchyeong had their eyes completely glazed over with greed; there seemed no point in saying anything more.
“Then I’ll take a look around and come back. Won’t you join me?”
“I’ll be here, so go ahead and come back.”
Without even glancing at me, he touched the cards again, showing no intention of leaving.
Jang Chuchyeong beside him was simply cheering and offering encouragement. From the look of it, neither of them seemed inclined to move.
In the end, I left the two of them at the Gambling Hall and turned my back.
Stepping outside, I headed back toward the Arena.
The heat had cooled somewhat from before, but bloody combat was still unfolding within.
As I confirmed this and turned my gaze toward where the Emperor and Chaeseoha had been, all I found was empty space.
“For now it seems manageable, but time won’t be on our side for long.”
From Chaeseoha’s perspective, the only way to survive was to create a Spirit Elixir. She had likely mentioned it, and for the dying Emperor, it was like grasping at a final lifeline.
But she wouldn’t be able to buy much time.
Procuring materials from the Imperial Palace would be instantaneous.
If she failed to create the Spirit Elixir, or if the truth of its imperfect efficacy was exposed, she wouldn’t survive—and even if I wanted to save her, the fact that she was in the Imperial Palace made it far from simple.
Chaeseoha’s abilities were far too remarkable to let slip away so pathetically.
Then I would have to resolve this here.
I turned my gaze and began walking slowly.
It was then that I heard the voice of a familiar figure.
“Haha! My lord! Is that something you purchased at the auction house today?”
“Indeed. It cost quite a bit, but what do you think? Isn’t it serviceable?”
Turning my gaze lightly to look, I saw many people gathered around the Masked Martial Artist.
Yet the situation appeared rather amusing.
They were women beautiful enough to be called beauties anywhere, but what was peculiar was that they wore only thin robes, with shackles fastened around one ankle each.
Whether this situation was humiliating, some of the women with faces flushed crimson couldn’t lift their heads and ground their teeth in resentment.
Slaves.
This was how freshly sold slaves from the auction house typically looked.
Seeing that even in this situation they hadn’t resigned themselves and still displayed their pride, I suspected they were daughters of some fallen high official.
Perhaps they were princesses of a fallen kingdom or concubines of a deposed emperor.
There were all manner of reasons why people ended up sold to such places.
I turned my gaze again to look at the men.
Their voices reached me faintly.
“Ah, now that I think of it, I heard you accomplished something remarkable recently? Because of that, the Yellow Dragon’s trust in you has grown tremendously. Haha.”
“Remarkable is too much to say. I simply found a person. I never expected them to be there, though.”
“Hm? They were in a place you knew?”
“Indeed. As they say, it’s darkest under the lamp. Haha.”
“Since the Yellow Dragon will grant you anything, you should be able to obtain whatever you desire now!”
“Obtain? It’s simply what was mine returning to me. Isn’t that so?”
“Ah—! That’s right! Of course, my lord! Haha.”
They were approaching each other, conversing pleasantly.
It looked rather amusing how they sent sinister glances toward the women being dragged along while maintaining a dignified demeanor.
I found the one among them who seemed most vulnerable.
The one following at a slight distance from my uncle’s side.
Even though he wore the same mask and was called an Honored Guest, his lower rank was apparent—he seemed unable to speak properly and was busy flattering with laughter.
As I narrowed the distance between us and passed by him.
I tapped the man’s shoulder and extended my hand.
“Ugh?! What are you doing!”
“My apologies. But before you cry out, wouldn’t it be better to look ahead and walk properly?”
“Ugh…!”
The man whose shoulder I had bumped into cried out and glared at me fiercely, but he seemed to lose his nerve at the words that followed from my lips.
A person’s actions and manner of speech inevitably reveal the power they possess.
An unguarded tone and gaze.
If one displays eyes that yield to no one and an air of solemnity, doubt creeps in—might the other’s station be higher than one’s own?
Just like this man now.
I could see him studying my unfamiliar mask, his eyes darting about.
He seemed to harbor hope that he might receive aid from my Uncle who walked beside me, yet all that came was the click of a disapproving tongue, and my Uncle and those who followed him were already drifting steadily away.
For this man, now was the time to salvage whatever pride remained.
“Hmph! Mind yourself going forward!”
With those words, the man hurried after my Uncle, his movements frantic.
I watched him disappear swiftly, then continued along my path.
I then glanced down at my hand.
A round bronze token caught my eye.
It was a rank far below the jade token, which could be considered the highest.
Naturally, this meant his station, authority, and the power he possessed were not particularly elevated.
But it would serve well enough.
I hastened toward the exit.
Now, I must pass the orb to the Imoogi who failed to become a dragon.
I smiled faintly as I thought of one person.
“Where might they be?”

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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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