Chapter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠269: The Weight of a Borrowed Name-2

Myo A-ran, who had been glancing at Seonwoo Jin with meaningful eyes, opened her mouth to speak.

"The current problem is that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠while an outsider, Seonu Gongja, has mastered the Southern Cross Sword, there is no one within the sect to inherit it. So... in my humble thinking, this occurred to me. If Seonu Gongja were not an outsider, would not everything be resolved?"

At her words, Ja Gae-chu and Yu Hae-eung asked with puzzled expressions.

"Hmm?"

"Seonu Gongja... not an outsider?"

Seonwoo Jin shut his eyes tightly with a troubled expression.

It was because he understood what she was getting at.

Myo A-ran continued speaking.

"I believe the grace that Seonu Gongja has bestowed upon our Hainan Sect is so great that it would be more than enough for us to honor him as a benefactor and elder of our sect. Is that not so?"

At that, the faces of Ja Gae-chu and Yu Hae-eung, as if realizing something, began to brighten.

"That... is certainly true."

"Hmm."

Myo A-ran smiled faintly and continued.

"So, if Seonu Gongja would only permit it, we would accept him as a member of the Hainan Sect. Whether as a Dharma protector, an honored elder, or whatever the position may be."

Having said that, she glanced at Seonwoo Jin once more with meaningful eyes and spoke.

"Of course, if Gongja could personally succeed the Hainan In Clan, that would be the best outcome for us. After all, even if we were to pass the Southern Cross Sword on to someone else, there is no guarantee that they would reach the same level as Gongja. Is the Southern Cross Sword not known as the most difficult ultimate technique to master among the Hainan Sect's martial arts?"

At her words, Ja Gae-chu and Yu Hae-eung let out exclamations of admiration and gazed at Seonwoo Jin with expectant eyes.

"Ohh, indeed!"

"Hoh!"

Myo A-ran's words were an undeniable fact.

Although Seonwoo Jin had been able to master it without much difficulty under Mukrang's guidance, the Southern Cross Sword was in truth the most challenging ultimate technique among the Hainan Sect's martial arts.

The prevailing assessment was that the Southern Cross Sword, which required imbuing a simple cross-shaped sword strike with deep meaning, could not even be imitated without reaching a certain level of attainment.

So if Seonwoo Jin would only succeed the Hainan In Clan, whose line had been severed, it would surely be a celebration among celebrations for the Hainan Sect.

All the matters that were currently giving them headaches would be resolved at once as well.

At that, even Hyeon Cheong-gun, who had been hanging his head in dejection, began to gaze at Seonwoo Jin with expectant eyes.

'This is awkward.'

Seonwoo Jin forced a bitter smile.

He simply felt sorry that he had to betray their expectations once again.

He bowed his head solemnly and spoke.

"I thank you for thinking so highly of someone as insignificant as myself. However, I am already serving as the young family head of the Guizhou Seon-woo Clan. Although it is but a small sect that cannot compare to the Hainan Sect, that does not mean I can relinquish my position as the young family head of the Seon-woo Clan and succeed the Hainan In Clan. I apologize."

At Seonwoo Jin's answer, disappointment settled over the faces of Ja Gae-chu, Yu Hae-eung, and Hyeon Cheong-gun.

But Myo A-ran, as if she had expected this, immediately continued speaking.

"We could never have the audacity to ask our benefactor Seonu Gongja to abandon his family and come to the Hainan Sect. Naturally, you must prioritize your own family, the Seon-woo Clan. What I was suggesting was not that you leave ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Seon-woo Clan and succeed the In Clan."

At her words, Seonwoo Jin's expression now turned puzzled as well.

It was because he could not understand how one could succeed the In Clan without leaving the Seon-woo Clan.

Then Myo A-ran smiled brightly and spoke.

"What I was suggesting was whether your Seon-woo Clan could take on the role of the Hainan In Clan."

"...Excuse me?!"

"Myo Sojeo! Th-that is!"

"......."

Her words were shocking.

For Seonwoo Jin to become the successor of the In Clan, and for the Seon-woo Clan to outright replace the In Clan's position, were two entirely different matters.

As everyone stared at her with astonished eyes, she smiled brightly and spoke.

"The In Clan's line has been severed. In any case, it means the Hainan In Clan can no longer exist. If so, then ultimately the only way for the Southern Cross Sword to be carried on is for another family to inherit and continue the Southern Cross Sword, is it not? And as it happens, rather than the In Clan being continued, many families of the Hainan Twelve Families have instead disappeared, and the situation is such that this will continue. And... in my thinking, the grace we have received from Seonu Gongja is more than sufficient to accept the Seon-woo Clan as a member of the Hainan Sect, is it not? No, would it not rather be a position where we are the ones who must make the request?"

"Hmm."

"Indeed."

At her words, Ja Gae-chu and Yu Hae-eung let out murmurs of contemplation and sank into thought.

They were beginning to think it was quite plausible.

Although the distance to the Seon-woo Clan in Guizhou was far too great, the land-based foundations of families like Ja Gae-chu's Ja family within the Hainan Sect were already larger than their foundations within Hainan Island itself.

So if they considered it a Guizhou branch of the Hainan Sect, it would be no detriment at all to the Hainan Sect.

As Ja Gae-chu and Yu Hae-eung seemed to begin receiving the idea positively, Myo A-ran now looked at Seonwoo Jin again and spoke.

"Of course, from Gongja's standpoint, the thought may occur to you: is it truly necessary for the Seon-woo Clan in Guizhou to become a member of the Hainan Sect? But if Gongja were to become a member of the Hainan Sect, we could become your strength in the fight against the Blood Cult. Does Gongja perhaps have no need of the power of the strongest faction in the Southern Sea?"

Myo A-ran asked that with a bright smile.

Her wise eyes sparkled like jewels.

Looking at her, Seonwoo Jin could not help but let out a hollow laugh.

'The strongest faction in the Southern Sea, huh....'

Since Ma Gyeong's forces had fallen, the strongest faction in the Southern Sea could now certainly be said to be the Hainan Sect.

So if they could now fully concentrate the might of those who had become peerless in the Southern Sea against the Blood Cult, it would surely be a support that would make even the backing of any of the Nine Great Sects seem unenviable.

After a moment of thought, Seonwoo Jin opened his mouth.

"I...."

***

The Guizhou Seon-woo Clan.

The stature of the Seon-woo Clan, which had been rising rapidly like the morning sun after recently absorbing the Ha Clan that had once split the provincial capital of Guiyang in two, was currently somewhat diminished as the Seon-woo Clan had halted its external activities.

The reason was the news of the young family head Seonwoo Jin's death.

When the thunderbolt-like news had spread that Seonwoo Jin, who had gone inside the frontlines, had gone missing, everyone in the Seon-woo Clan had been engulfed in shock.

Everyone in the Seon-woo Clan had witnessed Seonwoo Jin's astonishing martial prowess and had accepted him in their hearts as the young family head.

From the elders down to every single ordinary warrior.

Thus it was only natural that no other sibling of the Seon-woo Clan could now take his place.

The news of Seonwoo Jin's death could not help but bring a shock too terrible to everyone.

The members of the Seon-woo Clan, without exception, were engulfed in shock and despaired.

"The young family head...."

"How could this...."

"It makes no sense."

The internal and external affairs of the Seon-woo Clan, which had seemed as though a smooth and open road lay ahead, were instantly thrown back into chaos.

At that, various voices began to shake the Seon-woo Clan.

Some said that since Seonwoo Jin had died, a new young family head must be appointed as soon as possible, while others opposed this, saying that the capacity of the other candidates was so paltry that doing so would darken the Seon-woo Clan's future.

Then some insisted that even now, family head Seon-wooJung must sire another child, while yet another side denounced this, asking what kind of senseless, unrealistic argument that was.

It was just as the atmosphere of the Seon-woo Clan was growing ever more chaotic amid these countless voices.

Seon-wooJung, the head of the Seon-woo Clan, who had until then maintained his silence, officially made this declaration regarding all the surrounding voices.

- Missing did not mean dead! Until Seonwoo Jin's death was confirmed, the young family head of the Seonwoo Clan was Seonwoo Jin alone, and we would await his safe return. Therefore, if there was anyone who spread such wicked rumors again, they would never be forgiven in the name of the Seonwoo family!

It was a declaration that they would not acknowledge Seonwoo Jin's death.

It meant they would not give up hope that he would return alive, until the very end.

At that declaration, the people fell silent.

Because no one wanted to suffer retaliation from the Seonwoo Clan, which had now grown to become one of the counted powers even among the Guizhou Eight Families.

But behind the scenes, people still clicked their tongues and shook their heads.

Voices saying that Seonwoo Jung was making a mistake by failing to acknowledge reality were dominant.

And although Seonwoo Jung knew those voices well, he deliberately did not react and was quietly strengthening the family's internal foundations while refraining from external activities.

Then one late night, while Seonwoo Jung was working with the elders in his office, someone came to visit him.

"Clan Head, are you very busy?"

"Hmm? Ah, So Yeohyeop! No! I was just about to finish up my work."

The person who came to see Seonwoo Jung was a beautiful woman who appeared to be only in her early to mid-thirties—the Chaos Soul Witch, So Nan-so, who was staying as a guest at the Seonwoo Clan.

Seeing that her visit seemed to involve personal business with Seonwoo Jung, the elders promptly finished their work and gave them the room.

A short while later, once all the elders had left, Seonwoo Jung, who had been waiting, hurriedly asked her.

"What is it? Could it be...?"

Then So Nan-so took a letter from her bosom and answered with a bright smile.

"Yes, word has come from that child."

"Ohhh!"

Seonwoo Jung hurriedly rushed to her side.

Then he took the letter from So Nan-so and tore open the envelope as he spoke.

"That rascal! He ought to send word more often!"

But even as he spoke such scolding words, his face bore a smile brighter than ever.

Seonwoo Jung, in truth, already knew that Seonwoo Jin had not gone missing.

Not only that, but he also knew that Seonwoo Jin had left the frontline and was heading toward Zhejiang Province.

This was because Seonwoo Jin had delivered a letter through the Hao Gate when he left the frontline.

And since the Hao Gate in Guizhou City could now be considered Seonwoo Jin's allied force, the letter had been able to reach Seonwoo Jung through So Nan-so long before the news of his death was conveyed by the Murim Alliance.

So Nan-so smiled and asked Seonwoo Jung.

"Are you that happy?"

Then he awkwardly composed his expression and answered.

"Hmph, hmph. What is there to be so happy about a letter from a brat of a son? I was merely a little curious about how he was faring."

"Is that so? Just moments ago, I could have sworn I was watching a child who had just received a gift."

"Hmph, hmph."

At the sight of Seonwoo Jung unable to make excuses and averting his gaze, So Nan-so laughed again and spoke.

"Since you are this happy with just the letter, I look forward to seeing how you will react when I deliver this news as well."

At her words, Seonwoo Jung wore a puzzled expression and asked.

"This news? Is there some other news as well?"

"Yes, it was not only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a letter that arrived this time."

"Hmm? If not only a letter, then...?"

"Along with the letter, he apparently sent a beautiful woman and a newborn baby. A baby boy, they say."

At those words, Seonwoo Jung's surprised eyes widened greatly.

"A, a baby boy, you said?! Could it be Jin-i's...?!"

"I do not know the details either. The story is probably written in the letter, is it not?"

Hearing that, Seonwoo Jung hurriedly began to read the letter.

And as he read the letter, his expression grew increasingly grave.

From the change in Seonwoo Jung's expression, So Nan-so could intuitively sense that the child was not Seonwoo Jin's.

She asked with worried eyes.

"What is the matter? Is the child not a descendant of the Seonwoo family?"

Then Seonwoo Jung handed the letter to So Nan-so.

"Would you read it?"

So Nan-so read the letter with puzzled eyes.

Then she slightly furrowed her brow and spoke.

"It was the child of the Blood Sea Demon Blade, Yun Sak. Or rather, should I say he is of the bloodline of the Hainan Demon Sword, Jin Tae-do? What a child of twisted fate."

The people Seonwoo Jin had sent were the woman and child of the Blood Sea Demon Blade, Yun Sak.

He had sent them to the Seonwoo Clan through the letter, asking that they be looked after.

So Nan-so looked at Seonwoo Jung's troubled face and asked.

"Are you worried that the child might later seek to avenge his parents?"

At her question, Seonwoo Jung nodded.

According to what was written in the letter, the child's father, Yun Sak, had apparently been killed by Seonwoo Jin.

Moreover, it seemed that his real biological father, Jin Tae-do, was also an enemy of Seonwoo Jin.

At this point, Jin Tae-do was already dead, but even without knowing that much, Seonwoo Jung could not help but worry.

Because if the child grew up and later learned the truth, he would surely receive a great shock, and furthermore, might even seek to exact revenge upon Seonwoo Jin.

So it was only natural for Seonwoo Jung to agonize over whether it was truly wise for the Seonwoo Clan to care for such a child.

As Seonwoo Jung's deliberation continued for a while, So Nan-so watched him for a moment, then suddenly spoke with a mischievous expression.

"How about doing as the world says, at this opportunity?"

"Hmm? What the world says—what do you mean?"

Then she answered with a grin.

"With rumors circulating that Jin-i has died, there have been voices saying that the Clan Head needs a new son. Take this chance to make her your new wife. And raise the child as a child of the Seonwoo family."

At her words, Seonwoo Jung's face scrunched up sharply.

"What nonsense is that? How could...?"

Seonwoo Jung was about to say it was absurd, but before he could, So Nan-so continued speaking.

"From what I saw, that woman's beauty was truly outstanding. To the degree that I wondered if she might even earn the title of Guizhou's Greatest Beauty once word spreads. And though I only saw her briefly, aside from having been weathered by hardship, her character did not seem particularly poor. To that extent, even if you were to take her as a new wife, Clan Head..."

Then Seonwoo Jung let out a deep sigh and asked her.

"Are you speaking sincerely?"

At his question, So Nan-so answered with a twirling smile.

"Of course it is sincere. Why would I say something that was not sincere?"

Seonwoo Jung stared blankly at So Nan-so for a moment.

And then he finally opened his mouth and spoke to her.

"In my heart right now, there is room for only one person. So if I were to take another woman as my wife, she would surely end up unhappy. Do you still think I should do so?"

So Nan-so looked back at Seonwoo Jung for a moment, but in the end, she averted her eyes.

Because she could not bear to keep meeting Seonwoo Jung's passionate gaze directed at her.

Inside her chest, a heart beating flutteringly like a teenage girl's felt unfamiliar to her.

Seonwoo Jung slowly approached, firmly took her hand, and said.

"So Yeohyeop—no, Nanso. My heart is directed only toward you. So please, do not say such things. Making the mistake of taking a woman I do not love as my wife is something once is enough."

At his words, So Nan-so's face flushed bright red.

Then Seonwoo Jung gently but firmly embraced So Nan-so, whose face was flushed like a young girl's.

People simply did not know, but Seonwoo Jung had already taken a new wife.

And she was the first wife he had taken for Seonwoo Jung himself—not for the Seonwoo Clan—since Seonwoo Jin's mother.