The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 91
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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 91
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“What are we doing here?”
In a place where not a whisper of presence could be felt, Chu Hyeongi gazed at his master with a puzzled expression.
The absence of any human or animal presence was so complete that he couldn’t shake an ominous feeling—as though his master intended to bury him here.
Gu Gunbaek, who had stopped in this desolate and cheerless location, turned his gaze toward Chu Hyeongi.
“This place will do nicely. Sit in a cross-legged position.”
“Here? But why——”
“Why? To have you consume a Spirit Elixir, of course.”
“What?!”
At the mention of a Spirit Elixir, astonishment flooded Chu Hyeongi’s face.
Though he had lived a life removed from the Martial Arts World, he knew well enough what a Spirit Elixir was.
Even those with connections to Shaolin could neither seek nor obtain such a thing—it was, quite literally, a treasure beyond the reach of martial families.
Seeing his disbelieving expression, Gu Gunbaek broke into a grin.
“Your master is bestowing this upon you as a special gift. Ideally, I would give you a Tiger Dragon Elixir, but I don’t have one at present.”
“Tiger Dragon? What is that?”
“You don’t know? The Demon King’s disciple doesn’t know of the Beast Palace’s Spirit Elixir? Do you have a death wish?”
Gu Gunbaek raised his fist threateningly.
Sensing he might strike at any moment, Chu Hyeongi hastily retreated and waved his hands in protest.
“No, no—I should have been taught!”
“Study! If I’ve gone to the trouble of bringing you here and raising you, shouldn’t you at least know what your sect is? You foolish wretch.”
“I will! I promise I will!”
As Chu Hyeongi’s terror of the raised fist reached its peak and he cried out while backing away further, Gu Gunbaek finally lowered his fist and pointed at the ground with his finger.
He was telling him to sit in a cross-legged position here.
Naturally, Chu Hyeongi could not refuse.
How could he possibly object when being offered a Spirit Elixir?
“But… are you really sure about this? Can I truly consume something so precious?”
“This much is necessary for you to even stand beside him.”
“Pardon?”
“Look at that ghost of a man. Does he seem the same as when we were in Nakhyang?”
“…He looked the same every day to me.”
At Chu Hyeongi’s words, Gu Gunbaek snorted derisively.
Jin Cheon-u before coming to Beijing and Jin Cheon-u now were utterly transformed.
It was not merely that he had overcome a barrier—it was as though barriers no longer existed for him, or as though he ran along an already-cleared path. His growth was staggering.
Gu Gunbaek was confident that with deliberate cultivation, the title of Emperor could be achieved within a decade. Yet considering the growth Jin Cheon-u displayed now, he might become an unprecedented existence in the entire history of the Martial Arts World.
Could Chu Hyeongi, as he was now, truly stand beside such a man?
Gu Gunbaek shook his head.
At the very least, the Spirit Elixir seemed capable of offering some aid to Chu Hyeongi.
‘The Demon Palace’s name will rise considerably as well.’
If Jin Cheon-u achieved growth unprecedented in the history of the Martial Arts World, then the name of Chu Hyeongi standing beside him and the Demon Palace itself would come to prominence, and this presented a golden opportunity to spread the Demon Palace’s influence throughout the Central Plains.
Moreover, the Demon Palace’s people would be able to operate freely in the Central Plains.
As I entertained such thoughts and let a subtle smile cross my lips.
A peculiar presence emanated from somewhere, causing me to turn my gaze.
A distance that ordinary eyes could not perceive and ears could not hear.
But to Gu Gunbaek’s senses, it was unmistakably clear.
A group of people advancing toward some destination.
Their spiritual energy felt strangely familiar.
“Those ones from before…?”
The sensation was slightly different, but unmistakably the same.
The same spiritual energy as the group that had attempted to assault the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Though they were not openly revealing themselves, they could not deceive Gu Gunbaek’s senses at this level.
If they wished to conceal themselves, they could, but now their energy was leaking profusely as if they were in urgent haste.
“Why didn’t he kill them?”
My gaze then turned toward where Jin Cheon-u stood.
He surely could not be ignorant of their spiritual energy….
Yet no conflict had erupted, which meant Jin Cheon-u had deliberately allowed them to escape.
I was deeply curious about his intention.
But soon I shook my head, dispelling the idle thoughts, and immediately retrieved the Spirit Elixir from my pocket, placing it into Chu Hyeongi’s mouth.
“Huh?!”
“Concentrate and sit still.”
* * *
Ma Hyeong-chu, rushing forward, felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed a presence from somewhere. He turned his head.
Yet there was nothing visible to his eyes.
Even when he heightened his senses, he could grasp nothing.
Though his brow furrowed involuntarily, he did not stop to search for what it might be.
“Leader, is something the matter?”
“What do you mean?”
“Jin Cheon-u. Should we not kill him?”
At the voice beside him, Ma Hyeong-chu swallowed a groan.
It was certainly true that Jin Cheon-u was one of the targets the Sect sought. He was someone who had to be eliminated to swallow the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Moreover, the opportunity was favorable now.
Sleeping rough in the mountains without a single Imperial Guard—it seemed he could be cut down if one simply made the decision.
The Deputy Leader was speaking of exactly that.
“There will be opportunities aplenty, so there is no need to rush. And from now on, I am Cho Hyeon-gang, and we are members of the Chohyeon Sega.”
“Yes!”
Ma Hyeong-chu spoke as though it were nothing, his mind turning to Jin Cheon-u.
‘An ominous one…’
Unlike what he had said to the Deputy Leader, in truth he had not refrained from acting.
He had watched for opportunities several times to sever his breath in one swift stroke.
But no opening had revealed itself, and the moment he moved, he felt threatened by Jin Cheon-u’s natural hand gesture and had to stop.
Whether it was mere coincidence or intentional, he could not say, but that movement had severed the flow, and Ma Hyeong-chu’s hand had stilled.
That was when he felt the ominousness.
He had judged that an unforeseen situation might unfold, and so he had refrained from acting.
Ma Hyeong-chu bit his lip firmly.
‘The intelligence on Jin Cheon-u must be wrong.’
He would need to investigate this matter more deeply.
Fortunately, their destination was the same.
Hefei, Anhui.
Orders to protect the Chohyeon Sega were already being issued, and if he could meet the Young Master So of the Jin Family there, it would be ideal.
He would be able to hear in detail from the Young Master So’s own mouth about that day when the Shadow Assassins and those planted within the Nakhyang Jin Family had died.
Once that purpose was fulfilled, the next would be his neck.
Since he could accomplish two things at once, when that time came, he would finally understand what this ominousness was.
“Make haste.”
* * *
If the Shadow Assassins were created to locate and recover the Jade Orb, then the Blood Demon Squad exists to track down and eliminate traitors—or to protect their own interests.
I had been hunted by them several times in the past.
The Shadow Assassins were troublesome enough, but the Blood Demon Squad was by far the most vexing.
I was certain that even if I gathered every master of pursuit techniques, none could match their skill.
Despite my confidence in leaving no trace and hiding myself perfectly, it had been impossible to shake off the Blood Demon Squad’s relentless pursuit.
I had even attempted to turn the tables and hunt them down myself several times, but they concealed their tracks so thoroughly that I could never discover their hiding place.
And now I had encountered that very Blood Demon Squad here.
“They say misfortune begets misfortune, tangled and intertwined—how fitting that phrase is.”
I smiled and shook my head.
Ma Hyeong-chu, Leader of the Blood Demon Squad.
The image of that grinning face, constantly probing for an opening, flickered in my mind.
I had responded naturally and bound his hands and feet, but this would likely make him believe his information about me was flawed.
It was obvious he would dig deeper.
Yet thanks to this encounter, I had managed to glean some rather valuable intelligence myself.
“The Chohyeon Sega, then?”
A place I had suspected but never confirmed.
Yet the very fact that they used the name Cho Hyeon-gang suggested they were deeply connected to that organization—or perhaps the Chohyeon Sega was merely their branch.
Quite a worthwhile discovery.
I turned my head with a slight smile.
Gu Gunbaek and Jang Chuchyeong, who had remained hidden since the moon had set and the sun risen again to its zenith, were now approaching.
“Did it go well?”
“Indeed! Splendidly! And who do we have to thank for that! Hahahaha!”
Gu Gunbaek nodded with satisfaction and patted Jang Chuchyeong’s back repeatedly with his massive hand.
With each movement of that enormous palm, Jang Chuchyeong’s body jolted.
“Young Master, doesn’t he seem different somehow?”
At those words, I turned my gaze toward Jang Chuchyeong.
Indeed, thanks to Gu Gunbaek’s assistance, he appeared to have completely absorbed the Spirit Elixir’s energy.
Though it seemed he had not yet managed to contain all of the absorbed energy within his dantian, there was undoubtedly a distinctly different feeling about him now.
First and foremost, his spiritual energy had changed.
Whether by absorbing the Spirit Elixir and refining Gu Gunbaek’s cultivation method, his aura had begun to gradually resemble that of his master.
Like standing before a fierce beast.
Though infinitely inferior when compared to the Mountain Lord beside me, feeding him the Spirit Elixir had proven worthwhile.
Now he was finally becoming useful.
“Your spiritual energy has noticeably changed. Your solar plexus point has become more distinct as well. You’ve grown stronger.”
“Hahahaha! This is all thanks to you, Young Master!”
“Why would it be thanks to him?! I’m the one who helped you, so it’s thanks to me.”
“No, but if the Young Master hadn’t given it to me in the first place….”
“Tsk.”
“Master is the greatest. I live by faith in Master alone.”
As Jang Chuchyeong, his complexion visibly drained, hastily changed his words with an awkward expression, Gu Gunbaek finally seemed satisfied with the answer and burst into laughter once more.
I settled down before the extinguished campfire and began surveying my surroundings.
I seemed to be searching for someone invisible in this place.
“Where is So-ha?”
“She went to gather some medicinal herbs nearby. She won’t go far, so she should return soon.”
“What if she disappears again?”
“With you here, what is there to worry about?”
“Hahahaha! This one knows something! But don’t think you can use me for free.”
Gu Gunbaek’s eyes gleamed sharply as he smiled, as if the matter of the Nakhyang Jin Family still weighed on his mind.
It was a gaze that carried a warning—do this once more and I won’t let it slide.
I laughed lightly, shrugging my shoulders.
I knew well enough that I could manipulate Gu Gunbaek in such a manner only once. Anything beyond that was impossible.
For now, it was enough to nurture Chu Hyeongi.
“By the way, there were some strange fellows around here. Did you just let them go?”
At that moment, Gu Gunbaek looked at me with a curious expression and asked.
He must have sensed the presence of the Blood Demon Squad leaving this place.
I couldn’t confirm their identity without seeing them directly, but Gu Gunbaek seemed to have grasped it instantly.
The saying that he possessed senses sharper than beasts didn’t seem to be a lie.
He appeared to have caught the faint traces of their spiritual energy. His eyes were filled with questions.
His expression demanded an explanation for why I had let them go.
“So-ha was with me. A fight would have been complicated.”
“Pfft! I don’t think that’s all there is to it.”
Gu Gunbaek gazed at me with eyes that suggested he didn’t believe my words at all, as if wondering whether I had some other intention.
But that was the truth.
Given the circumstances, drawing my blade would have been practically difficult.
It might have been possible if I had evacuated Chaeseoha toward Gu Gunbaek, but those fellows possessed such swift lightness of movement that they would never simply let Chaeseoha escape.
Thinking it through to that point, I smiled.
“Look, I’m telling you there’s nothing to it. What’s wrong? Just tell me.”
“It’s nothing much. I simply wanted to observe.”
“Observe?”
At Gu Gunbaek’s question, I nodded.
Wasn’t I curious?
What exactly did the Chohyeon Sega possess?
Moreover, to understand how their movements had changed after the Nakhyang Jin Family’s attack failed, I needed to grasp their current situation.
He must have called me for the same reason.
I held back a quiet laugh, recalling that fellow’s smiling face.
“There’s no need to refuse when someone offers you a drink, is there?”
Whether that drink would be medicinal wine or poison was something I would decide.
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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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