A Baby Cat Who Commands the Dog Clan - Chapter 133
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 133
Dok Bi Jo’s crimson lips curled upward in a twisted smile.
“I shall use the remaining time to cultivate. A special training regimen to surpass that child called Dang Cheon Gang.”
Nam Goong Baek’s brow furrowed at her words, then smoothed.
This old woman was undoubtedly a master whose cultivation surpassed even his grandfather’s.
‘Perhaps she might devise a favorable solution.’
From what he heard, it didn’t seem she intended to harm Seol Ah.
Though her insistence on being called “elder sister” was rather presumptuous…
“You there, little whelp of the Nam Goong Family!”
At Dok Bi Jo’s call, Nam Goong Baek’s head snapped up.
“I intend to begin training this furry beast starting now.”
Nam Goong Baek nodded with a bewildered expression.
But Dok Bi Jo’s next words went far beyond mere bewilderment.
“And you as well.”
“What?”
“I shall teach you one of my sword techniques.”
“…!”
“Of course, it is an Orthodox Sect martial art. Moreover, it is a single-lineage transmission technique of a rather exceptional swordmaster.”
Single-lineage transmission—a martial art passed down to only one person to preserve its lineage.
‘Whose technique could it be? That old woman doesn’t favor the sword… No, more importantly, why teach it to me?’
Nam Goong Baek, lost in thought, shook his head vigorously.
“I refuse. There is no need to walk a path other than the Nam Goong sword…”
“Ho, so your sloppy mastery of that vaunted Nam Goong sword is why you couldn’t move an inch against me?”
“What…!”
At those words, Nam Goong Baek’s eyebrows twitched.
“Once you perfect the Chuang Gong Great Duel Sword Technique, you’ll become like your grandfather. Do you think you could have stopped Nam Goong Ho from taking that furry beast away?”
At her disparaging words about his grandfather, sparks flashed in Nam Goong Baek’s eyes. Yet he could not refute Dok Bi Jo. It was the truth.
The woman before him appeared strong enough that even young Nam Goong Baek could sense it.
“Return to the Nam Goong Family Estate and train yourself to death. But learn from me here as well.”
So spoke Dok Bi Jo. The playfulness that had lingered in her voice had vanished without a trace.
“To find your own strength, it is wise to observe diverse martial arts from an early age.”
My own strength?
‘If I find that, could I protect Seol Ah?’
In the moment Nam Goong Baek’s heart wavered, a sound pierced his ear.
It was a secret transmission from Dok Bi Jo.
– Had I harbored ill intent, that furry beast would be a corpse by now. Because you failed to protect that child.
Hearing those words, Nam Goong Baek’s fists clenched involuntarily.
– Will you continue to face such moments in the future?
“…!”
Nam Goong Baek lifted his head. His blue eyes blazed with fury.
* * *
Crimson and emerald banners billowed majestically across the crystalline sky.
Today was the final trial for selecting the next Young Master of the Sichuan Tang Family. The heavens over Sichuan had blessed the occasion with rare, unblemished blue.
“Hehehehe! Surely this is the blessing of fortune upon the Dang Sect.”
Dang Family Master Dang Won Pyung’s booming laughter echoed across the heavens.
And with good reason—Hong Seol, who was supposed to face Dang Cheon Gang, had yet to appear.
At this rate, a default victory was assured.
Moreover, thanks to that mysterious eagle capturing even Poison King Dang Song Baek, I had salvaged my own reputation as well.
“Hehehehe!”
It was only natural that he continued grinning from ear to ear.
Seated beneath the awning beside the Martial Arts Arena were not only he and his companions.
“On a day such as this, to have the great luminaries of the Martial Arts World grace us with their presence is nothing but an honor.”
At his greeting, Nam Goong Ho and Dang Yi Mu, seated beneath the canopy, reluctantly nodded their heads.
Nam Goong Ho’s face had grown corpse-like in mere days, his lips pressed into a rigid line as he stared straight ahead.
Dang Yi Mu was little different. His hollow eyes seemed to gleam with a cold, murderous light.
Yet Tian Tong Gai, the Beggar Sect Master, was grinning widely—oddly at ease.
More than that, he seemed eager for drink.
“Ahem, my throat grows parched. How pleasant it would be to wet my whistle with a cup of wine…”
At Tian Tong Gai’s words, Dang Family Master nodded, and the Servant who received the order rushed off.
Witnessing this, Nam Goong Ho ground his teeth inwardly.
‘Who knows what might be happening to my Seol and Baek right now!’
Such obliviousness was almost impossible.
Nam Goong Ho, regarding Tian Tong Gai with displeasure, spoke in a low voice.
“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That this woman Dok Bi Jo would do no harm to Seol Ah and Baek, and that we should wait.”
“Yes, I said exactly that.”
“Don’t you think it would have been right to chase after them immediately?”
Had the Three Martial Oddities attacked together, even the legendary Dok Bi Jo would have been powerless.
This remained true even though they had suffered the Mountain Poison and lost half their martial power to the Yin-Yang Acupoint Breaking Technique.
Dang Yi Mu seized the moment to pressure Tian Tong Gai as well.
“We waited as you said, and now it has come to this day.”
His gaze turned toward the Sam Dok Ro waiting below the arena.
If Hong Seol did not return by the time they ascended the stage, the Young Master selection would naturally result in Dang Yi Woon’s defeat.
“If the children do not return in time, and if anything has befallen them, we shall not forgive you.”
Dang Yi Mu’s crimson eyes were brimming with venom.
“For creatures calling themselves the Sword King and Poison King to be so spineless…”
Tian Tong Gai stroked his unkempt beard dismissively, his tone heavy with displeasure.
“I have but one talent—reading people. That old woman will not harm the children, mark my words.”
“Waaaaaah!”
At that very moment, cheers erupted from the crowd surrounding the Martial Arts Arena.
The Sam Dok Ro had ascended the stage.
No one heard Tian Tong Gai’s quiet words from within that barrel.
“…unless I’m actually helping instead.”
* * *
Meanwhile, someone paced anxiously beneath the Martial Arts Arena.
“I should win nine times out of ten… so why does my heart feel so uneasy?”
Dang Cheon Gang, son of the current Dang Family Master, wiped his sweaty palms on his robes.
“Could it be because I had a bad dream last night?”
The previous night, Dang Cheon Gang had experienced an unsettling dream.
He had seen a massive black eagle circling across a blue sky.
Troubled by the ominous feeling, he had summoned a Servant at dawn to bring Chengdu’s most renowned fortune teller to him.
‘The fortune teller said that if a black eagle appears in your dream, you’ll win the competition.’
Though he had sent the fortune teller away with a generous reward, Dang Cheon Gang’s unease persisted.
It was truly inexplicable.
Whenever anxiety crept upon him, Dang Cheon Gang would shake out his sleeves.
Clatter.
A sound came from inside his sleeves—caused by the numerous hidden projectiles he had concealed there.
Hearing that sound brought him reassurance.
“Father once said that even a great serpent opens its jaws fully when hunting a mouse.”
Dang Cheon Gang turned his gaze toward his father, Dang Won Pyung, with eyes as sharp as ginger root.
He was grinning widely as he looked at Poison King and another seated beside him.
He must be certain that today his son would become the Young Master.
Dang Cheon Gang turned his head toward Dang Yi Woon, who stood alone beside the Martial Arts Arena.
Even from a distance, his anxiously clenched lips were visible.
‘Though I feel sorry for Yi Woon…’
He could repay that debt by becoming master of the Dang Sect and advancing the family.
“The time has come, ho, ho, ho.”
Soon the Sam Dok Ro, led by Hyeop Juk Do Elder, ascended onto the Martial Arts Arena.
When Dok Geo Mi, the Elder overseeing the final test, glanced around, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.
He carefully began to speak.
“Since Hong Seol has not appeared for today’s promised martial match…”
At that moment, the gathered crowd suddenly began to murmur.
Dok Geo Mi, believing his authority had been disrespected, cleared his throat and raised his voice.
“Quiet, all of you! Quiet!”
Though his shout carried an undercurrent of inner force, the people scarcely closed their mouths.
Something seemed to have occurred within the Estate Grounds.
Then, one of the Fierce Snake Squad’s warriors rushed in frantically and prostrated himself.
“Master!”
At that, Dok Geo Mi clamped his mouth shut.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————