The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

"What about it?"

When Jin Sohyun asked with an innocent expression, Gwak Myeong let out a small laugh.

"Don't pretend you don't know. You should have already understood the meaning of my words."

"Tsk..."

Just as he said, the moment Jin Sohyun received the map with the layout of the Four Divine Assembly venue from Gwak Myeong, he had figured out his intention.

It was clear that the evil hands of the Heretic's Path Alliance would reach for the rising stars gathered at the venue.

Therefore, Gwak Myeong was trying to use Jin Sohyun to block the Heretic's Path Alliance's evil hands in advance.

"How can an ordinary lazy person like me stop the Heretic's Path Alliance?"

"If you don't want to, then participate in the Four Divine Assembly right now. You won't lose, so you'll have to spar with at least ten people until the final match. And if you dare to lose on purpose..."

Gwak Myeong smiled slyly.

"For the one year until the next Four Divine Assembly is held, you will have to undergo hellish training."

"Kkeung..."

Jin Sohyun's body slumped down on the chair.

Jin Sohyun, who had been repeatedly lifting and dropping the map on the table with his fingertips, let out a deep sigh.

"Does the Martial Arts Alliance really have so few talented people?"

"There are many talented people. Besides you, outstanding masters of the Martial Arts Alliance will guard the venue."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be unnecessary for me to step forward?"

"It is said to be prepared for the unexpected. To deal with the cunning Heretic's Path Alliance, a corresponding countermeasure is needed. You are just one of the countermeasures that the Martial Arts Alliance is preparing."

Jin Sohyun, who was scratching his head, had no choice but to nod.

It was clear that even if he said he didn't want to, Gwak Myeong would try to use him by any means necessary.

"What should I do?"

"It's simple. Wander around the venue and if a suspicious-looking person appears, watch them. And if that person tries to pull any tricks, then subdue them without delay. If they resist..."

Although he didn't finish the sentence, Jin Sohyun seemed to know what Gwak Myeong was about to say.

"I'll do that."

"Don't worry about catching the wrong person. I will take all the responsibility."

"If that's the case..."

Having finished his business, Jin Sohyun took the map of the venue and got up.

Then, Gwak Myeong handed him one more book.

"Take this too."

"What's this now?"

"It's a register with the personal information of the officials from each Daoist Temple. In case you might attack an innocent official, familiarize yourself with it in advance."

"Yes."

By the time he came out after receiving the register, night had already fallen.

Jin Sohyun, who was walking under the faintly shining moonlight, suddenly looked up at the sky.

The night with a full moon was not dark.

"The moon is especially big today."

Jin Sohyun, who was looking up at the large moon, discovered a hawk flying as if swimming under the moon.

The hawk, which had been flying freely in the sky, descended at a high speed.

The destination was the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.

The hawk, which was rapidly descending towards the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple as if snatching prey, dropped a small bamboo tube it was holding with its talons.

Jin Sohyun, who discovered this, stretched out his hand.

Swish—!

The bamboo tube that was falling to the ground was sucked into Jin Sohyun's grasp.

"What is this?"

It seemed the hawk in the sky was a messenger hawk.

If so, this bamboo tube must contain a letter for someone.

"This is why my father said that even messenger hawks need proper training."

To drop a letter that might contain important information so carelessly.

Jin Sohyun turned his body to deliver the bamboo tube to Gwak Myeong.

If the messenger hawk's destination was the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple, it was highly likely that the owner of the letter was Gwak Myeong.

At that moment, Jin Sohyun felt an engraving on the surface of the bamboo tube, as if it had been carved.

"...What is this?"

Jin Sohyun's eyes widened slightly as he confirmed it.

"Jin... Sohyun."

Engraved on the bamboo tube was his own name.

Jin Sohyun, who realized that he was the owner of the bamboo tube sent by the messenger hawk, felt a sense of foreboding.

He immediately pulled out the stopper of the bamboo tube, and inside was a small, rolled-up note.

Jin Sohyun's face hardened as he took it out and checked the contents.

[The Shanxi Jin Family will be left with only ashes tonight.]

***

"Is there no possibility that it's a prank?"

"Who would be able to pull such a prank on the Jin Family? Besides, the messenger hawk that delivered the letter was a specially trained hawk. It's not something an ordinary person could do."

Late at night.

The bamboo tube brought by one of the Jin Family's escort warriors brought a heavy tension to the manor.

Engraved on the bamboo tube was Jin Seomok's name.

Jin Seomok, who had checked the letter through this, dropped the bamboo tube he was holding.

The content of the letter delivered to him was simple.

[Today at midnight, the Jin Family will be annihilated.]

The content of the letter was like a low-quality joke.

But Jin Seomok, who could not completely ignore it, evacuated his wife, Yu Seoheung, and his daughter, Jin Gahyeon, to a secret place prepared in the manor's basement.

And he gave an order to the Martial Marquis to gather all the escort warriors of the manor.

Sweat formed on the forehead of Jin Seomok, who was sitting in a chair and controlling the situation.

"Who could the opponent be?"

Who would dare to send a warning letter to the Jin Family?

Oh Yoran, who was standing with her arms crossed in front of the curious Jin Seomok, narrowed her eyes.

"The Heretic's Path Alliance."

"If it's the Heretic's Path Alliance... isn't that the most dangerous organization in the current dark path? Why would such a place target a merchant family like us..."

Jin Seomok could not understand.

Even though the Jin Family was a huge merchant family that dominated Shanxi Province, there was no reason for the Heretic's Path Alliance to threaten them to the point of sending a warning letter.

Unlike Jin Seomok, who was confused because he didn't know the reason, Oh Yoran seemed to know the intention of the Heretic's Path Alliance.

‘It is highly likely that the ones they are aiming for is Sohyun.’

Since Jin Sohyun was currently under the protection of the Martial Arts Alliance, they were targeting the Jin Family, where his family was.

‘But it won’t be easy.’

Oh Yoran gripped the large flute tightly in her hand.

No matter how many outstanding masters the Jin Family knew, it was no match for the Heretic's Path Alliance.

Moreover, as long as they were a merchant family and not a martial family, there was a limit to the martial power they possessed.

But that didn't matter.

Oh Yoran actually felt sorry for the Heretic's Path Alliance who had sent the warning letter.

‘Sending a warning letter was a mistake. Because we have him.’

Oh Yoran's gaze turned to the roof.

"As expected, they're aiming for the Jin Family."

On top of the tallest building in the Jin Family's manor.

An old man stood with his hands behind his back.

Emitting a blue light from his eyes.

***

"Are you ready?"

"We are finished."

Seolpyeong's eyes were cold as he came to the Jin Family with the assassins belonging to the Alliance under Mu Yu's command.

The number of assassins deployed for this one mission today was a total of fifty.

With this number, it was a force that could overthrow a decent minor sect in half a shichen.

And yet, Seolpyeong did not hurry.

Since they had sent a warning letter, it was clear that the Jin Family would also be fully prepared to face the assassins of the Heretic's Path Alliance.

Seolpyeong gathered the fifty assassins in one place.

They were dressed in black from head to toe and carried short swords on their backs.

"The opponent is the Jin Family. They are not an opponent to be taken lightly just because they are a merchant family. And our goal is not their death."

The assassins and Seolpyeong made their purpose clear.

"Jin Sohyun is our real target. So, do not kill the family head and his wife or younger sister, but capture them alive."

"As you command."

As the assassins finished their preparations, Seolpyeong's gaze turned to the sky.

A full moon rose in the cloudless sky.

"It's a sky that's not very welcome for assassins."

As midnight approached, the assassins dressed in black began to move stealthily.

***

"Damn it!" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Jin Sohyun unfolded his lightness skill with all his might and leaped over the mountains at a lightning-fast speed.

‘How much time is left?’

Jin Sohyun, who was running while pouring out his internal energy without holding back, glared at the moon in the sky and calculated the remaining time.

Feeling that there was not much time left, Jin Sohyun gritted his teeth.

‘It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Master will be there.’

Jin Sohyun had asked Kang Cheon, whom he had reunited with after a long time, to guard the manor for the time being.

It was because the Heretic's Path Alliance, who might be aiming for him, could threaten his family someday.

‘Master Kang will be there, so they’ll be safe. Yes! Because Master is strong!’

Although he tried to comfort himself, Jin Sohyun's heart became more and more impatient.

What if the Heretic's Path Alliance attacked the manor in a way that even Kang Cheon did not expect?

What if his family got hurt because of that?

No, what if Kang Cheon was absent in the first place?

"That can never happen!"

Strength automatically entered Jin Sohyun's two legs as he kicked off the ground.

Jin Sohyun, who was flying several zhang in one step, tilted his head back and bent his waist backward.

Swish—!

Cut hair floated in the empty air.

"What is this now!?"

What had cut his hair was a thin thread.

If it hadn't been for the moonlight emitted by the full moon, he would not have noticed it.

A thin thread connected between the trees.

Jin Sohyun frowned as he looked at the thin, silver-white thread that held a sharp energy.

‘They knew I would come.’

At the same time, he felt faint presences from all directions.

Their number was quite large.

‘Sending the warning letter was to draw me out of the Daoist Temple.’

Jin Sohyun's heart pounded.

With not much time left, and even assassins of unknown identity.

Since there was no time to delay, Jin Sohyun gripped the flying swords he had brought in both hands.

"Sorry, but I don't have much time."

"Kekeke..."

An old man appeared from the darkness.

The old man, with unremarkable plain clothes and an ordinary appearance, stared at Jin Sohyun with eyes close to gray.

"This is the first time I'm seeing you in person, Jin Sohyun."

"Did you send me the warning letter, grandpa?"

"I didn't send it directly, but I can't say I didn't."

"What are you planning to do with my family?"

"Hmm... well... that's not my department."

"Move. I don't want to hurt you, grandpa."

"You're the first one to call me grandpa. It's quite an affectionate title."

At the old man's still relaxed attitude, Jin Sohyun became angry and took a step forward.

Thump—!!

A huge energy squirmed and pressed down on the old man.

"Hoo? Indeed... when I heard about you, I thought it was just an exaggerated rumor. But now that I'm facing you in person, I see that the rumors about you are not an exaggeration."

The old man's gray eyes glistened.

"Rather, the rumors underestimated you."

"I don't have time."

Jin Sohyun, who was about to pass the old man, stopped in his tracks.

Soon, his pupils began to emit a blue light.

Jin Sohyun, who had begun to look around with his Heavenly Eyes, realized that sharp threads were surrounding him like a spider's web.

"You're quick-witted. What you see is silver thread. It has a strength that can never be cut by an ordinary sword, and a sharpness that can cut a thick tree like tofu."

As if the old man's words were not an exaggeration, a hard strength and sharpness were felt from the silver threads surrounding Jin Sohyun.

The problem was not just that.

A faint presence was felt among the silver threads that were densely surrounding the area.

Jin Sohyun looked around and thought.

"The Nameless Pavilion..."

At his murmur, the old man nodded his head with his hands behind his back.

"Let me introduce myself again. I am the master of the nameless ones, the Nameless Guests, the Nameless Pavilion Master. Of course, I don't have a name either, so feel free to call me Nameless."

Finally, Jin Sohyun realized that the blade of the Nameless Pavilion had come for him.

That blade was sturdy and sharp, and it felt as if his whole body would be cut into pieces if he moved even a little bit wrong.

In a moment where even the air was sharp and he had to be careful even to breathe.

A smile suddenly spread across the lips of Jin Sohyun, who was holding the flying swords.

Nameless, who discovered this, made a puzzled expression.

‘Why is he smiling?’

In a situation where anyone should be afraid, Jin Sohyun was instead smiling.

Soon, his gaze sank calmly.

At the same time, the eight flying swords that had left the sword sheath rose into the air.

"Thank you,"

Jin Sohyun said.

"For coming to me first."

(End of Chapter)