The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 13

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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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Chapter 13
Before Grandfather could voice his displeasure, Aunt swiftly interjected.
“Father, Pyo and Ak-i have been training so diligently. They’re already approaching the third stage of the Baek Li Divine Art!”
The Baek Li Divine Art—a martial technique that only blood members of the Baek Li Family could master.
Grandfather gazed at the twins. They quickly straightened their posture, yet arrogance radiated unmistakably from their raised chins.
Uncle hastily chimed in to echo her sentiment.
“Pyo and Ak-i are already approaching the third stage? How remarkable. Ui-ran, congratulations. Father, isn’t this truly extraordinary?”
Aunt, who had been covering her mouth while smiling, suddenly glanced sideways at Father and spoke.
“If Ak-i and Pyo surpass the third stage at seven years old, they’ll break Ui-gang’s youngest record too!”
Aunt deliberately provoked Father, who had remained silent.
….
Father lowered his gaze and drank his tea without a word. For reference, I had fallen into demonic cultivation before even receiving instruction in the Baek Li Divine Art.
‘I later asked Father to teach me and learned it superficially, but….’
Without inner energy, I remained stuck at the first stage.
In any case, the first stage represented the most fundamental level—barely taking the first step. From there, one progressed through stages: second, third, fourth, and so on.
As the stage increased, the martial techniques one could unleash grew more powerful. Even with identical sword swings, the first stage could fell branches, the second stage could cut through trees, and the fifth stage could cleave boulders.
However, advancing stages became progressively more difficult. Reaching the sixth stage from the fifth alone required twice the effort expended to reach the fifth. The seventh, eighth, and ninth stages were even more demanding.
Moreover, the ninth stage was known as the Wall of Lamentation. So formidable was this barrier that countless individuals, despite dedicating their entire lives, never surpassed it.
Even among the successive Family Heads of the Baek Li Family, those who transcended the ninth stage could be counted on one hand. Given such difficulty, the disparity between those who surpassed the ninth stage and those who did not was immense.
And Grandfather, the supreme master of the Martial World and one of the Top Eleven Experts Under Heaven, had reached the tenth stage—the highest realm ever produced by the Baek Li Family.
Father currently stood at the eighth stage, nearly approaching the ninth. Later, he would shatter all of Grandfather’s youngest records and ascend to the ninth stage.
Many believed Father would achieve the tenth stage even faster than Grandfather, and that he might one day reach the legendary eleventh stage. Some even speculated that the mythical twelfth stage might be within reach.
But Father ultimately never reached the tenth stage… and passed away.
Grandfather asked with evident skepticism.
“Are they truly approaching the third stage?”
Even Father, a genius among geniuses, had surpassed the third stage by eight years old. Grandfather, for reference, had transcended the third stage at nine and was called a prodigy.
“Of course! The children train so diligently! Seeing how much they love training, they truly take after Father.”
Aunt seized the moment to lavish praise upon the twins.
Grandfather held his head high, alternating his gaze between the twins while stroking his beard.
“If Pyo and Ak-i surpass the third stage, that would indeed be remarkable.”
“Father! It’s not merely remarkable!”
I lowered my head and composed my expression. From what I remembered, the twins would need at least five more years before surpassing the third stage.
‘Last time too, they were spouting such nonsense about surpassing it soon….’
After a brief silence, Grandfather turned to regard Baek Li-myeong.
“Very well, then. As for Pyo and Ak-i, let us set that aside. Li-myeong, what are your thoughts on attending the Academy?”
Baek Li-myeong, maintaining an upright posture, answered as if he had been waiting for this question.
“It is an opportunity to receive instruction from an esteemed master. I wish to attend. However, I am troubled by the thought of resting while Pyo and Ak-i devote themselves so earnestly to martial arts. Would it not be better for me to dedicate myself to martial training as well?”
Though he spoke in roundabout terms, his meaning was clear: he did not wish to attend if Pyo and Ak-i were not going.
Grandfather’s eyes twitched slightly. His stern expression now turned toward Baek Li-ri.
“Li-ri, what are your thoughts?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“The Academy. Do you want to go, or would you rather not?”
At first, he seemed to be speaking gently, but irritation crept into his tone by the end.
Baek Li-ri stood frozen, her mouth hanging open.
Baek Li-ui-muk stared at Baek Li-ri with desperate intensity, as though willing her to understand through sheer force of will. Seeing her father’s expression, Baek Li-ri replied with a bewildered face.
“Why would I go there? We can simply have the teacher come here instead.”
Oh… it was a remark that drew admiration unbidden.
A granddaughter of the Baek Li Family ought to possess such a mindset.
I nodded inwardly in agreement, but unfortunately, it seemed Grandfather did not share the sentiment. Seeing Grandfather’s neck flush crimson with rage, Baek Li-ui-muk hastily rebuked her.
“Li-ri! What in the world are you saying! What have you been listening to all this time?”
Baek Li-ri stood with her mouth agape, then began to whimper.
“Father, why are you angry with me?”
“Baek Li-ri!”
Finally, Baek Li-ri burst into tears. Baek Li-myeong beside her, at a loss, tried to soothe his younger sister.
Grandfather, his eyes blazing with fury, glanced around the table before slamming his hand down with a sharp crack.
“Enough! None of you shall go!”
It was a catastrophe.
And I wanted to leap from my chair in indignation.
‘What is he saying? I want to go!’
Though I possessed knowledge of what lay ahead, it was insufficient. For now, Father and I had managed to navigate this crisis adequately, but I harbored no delusions that we could continue to do so indefinitely. I needed to study this world more thoroughly.
Moreover, the connections Baek Li-myeong, the twins, and Baek Li-ri had cultivated at the Academy were invaluable—we exchanged aid and support through them. That was precisely why Grandfather had intended to send Baek Li-myeong: to build his network.
But the current Baek Li-myeong could not possibly understand this.
‘Look at him, look at him. He’s absolutely delighted.’
Even as Baek Li-myeong comforted his sniffling sister, there was an unmistakable glimmer of satisfaction in his expression at Grandfather’s prohibition.
The twins were no different.
Grandfather could not fail to perceive the joy in his grandchildren’s hearts. His brow furrowed sharply as he bellowed.
“Dinner ends here. Everyone, withdraw at once!”
If anyone stood abruptly, they would truly incur his wrath. Everyone remained seated, and Grandfather shouted again.
“Why are you still sitting! Go!”
They exchanged glances, each hoping someone else would rise first or that someone might appease Grandfather.
Then my father spoke.
“Father.”
“Why do you call upon me!”
“You did not ask Yeon.”
“….”
Baek Li-ui-muk, Baek Li-ui-ran, and even Baek Li-myeong turned to stare at Father with astonishment.
Baek Li-ui-ran spoke with a scoff.
“You wish to say such a thing at a moment like this? Grandfather is furious, yet you think only of Yeon? And what would Yeon know? She is the same age as Li-ri. There is nothing to ask her.”
And who caused this anger in the first place!
At Baek Li-ui-ran’s words—fanning the flames of an already raging fire—Grandfather’s gaze turned toward me, filled with displeasure.
“Very well, good. Yeon, what do you think? Do you wish to attend the Academy or not? There is no need to lie!”
On one side came the sound of sniffling; on the other, a gaze as fierce as a predator’s.
‘Ah, why must my turn come to this mess!’
I opened my mouth hesitantly, as though intimidated by the chaotic atmosphere.
“I….”
Father regarded me with a gentle gaze, as if to reassure me.
Emboldened by this, I spoke.
“I do not understand why Grandfather is angry.”
Aunt let out a scoff and tilted her chin upward with a knowing smirk.
I looked at her, then at the twins beside her.
“Ak-i and Pyo do not wish to avoid the Academy—they cannot attend it, can they?”
“Cannot attend?”
“Yes.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Grandfather narrowed his eyes and asked.
I spoke with an expression of genuine bewilderment.
“Do the two of them not need to enter closed-door cultivation training?”
“What on earth are you saying!”
Aunt cried out in shock.
She had worn an anxious expression ever since I mentioned the twins.
Closed-door cultivation training—a form of practice where one severs all contact with the outside world, remains in one place, and focuses entirely on cultivation.
Once one entered such training, no visitors were permitted. Practitioners typically consumed a preservation ration called Bigyok-dan, which tasted absolutely vile. They would train for anywhere from a month to several years while consuming it.
In certain circumstances, it was even imposed as a punishment.
And the twins had been pampered and revered since birth.
‘Can you truly endure closed-door cultivation training?’
I feigned innocence and spoke.
“However, Aunt, I heard that Grandfather underwent closed-door cultivation training when he achieved the Third Star. Father did as well, or so I was told.”
I turned to look at the twins and blinked.
“Are the two of them not doing the same?”
Even Grandfather and Father, who were called prodigies, had made such efforts—so what of you? That was the implication.
And before I could be accused of anything, I spoke with a somewhat bitter expression.
“I truly envy my older brothers. To already be approaching the Third Star—I offer my congratulations in advance.”
“You, you little…!”
The twins, their faces flushed crimson as they began to shout, were stopped by Aunt, who looked startled.
“What are you saying? Closed-door cultivation training? Your father never did such a thing!”
“Oh? Is that so?”
I tilted my head in confusion and turned to look at Father.
“It seems I was mistaken. Why did you not undergo it, Father?”
The twins, meeting Father’s piercing gaze, flinched in alarm and sat down obediently.
After subduing the twins with a single look, Father spoke.
“You haven’t misunderstood anything. I too entered closed-door training. However, because your grandmother fell ill, I had no choice but to emerge after merely two days.”
“Ah, Baek Family Grandmother was unwell?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. I didn’t know.”
As I spoke, my gaze shifted to the twins, who were sniffling and whimpering, beginning with Baek Li-ui-ran. Both she and the twins appeared in perfect health.
My gaze alone was more than sufficient to convey my meaning to Baek Li Pae-hyuk.

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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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