The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 131

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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 131
At that same moment, Mu-yeong, who stood guard, watched Baek Li-ui-gang. The expression on Baek Li-ui-gang’s face as he observed Baek Li-yeon had grown terrifyingly rigid.
Veins bulged prominently across the back of his hand gripping the sword’s hilt. The handle he clutched seemed as though it might shatter at any moment.
It was not a good sign. If he remained this tense, the observer might exhaust himself before the one cultivating their energy did.
Mu-yeong opened his mouth briefly, then closed it without speaking. Despite being wound so tightly, the aura emanating from Baek Li-ui-gang remained utterly serene.
He’ll manage it well on his own.
I observed the small child. With eyes closed, the child’s expression was peaceful. Had it not been for the turbulent fluctuations of true energy, one might have thought she was sleeping where she sat.
And I looked back at Baek Li-ui-gang again.
Ah, so even Baek Li-ui-gang becomes this tense when it concerns his daughter. That was the thought that crossed my mind.
Four days. That was how long it took me to transfer all the energy of the Gongcheong Stone Jade to the Jegal Family Head.
I was slightly taken aback.
But this time, whether because of the Gongcheong Stone Jade or not, even after cultivating energy continuously for four days, my body felt remarkably refreshed.
And finally, I met the Jegal Family Head’s clouded eyes. In that moment, I didn’t regret the Gongcheong Stone Jade—it was quite a satisfying sight. Of course, that was assuming the Jegal Family Head didn’t lose consciousness again.
He briefly tried to sit up, then his head flopped backward and he collapsed, which truly startled me.
Fortunately, this time he’d lost consciousness simply because he was exhausted.
In other words, he’d fallen asleep. It was absurd. And here I was, having done all the work.
* * *
Time passed swiftly again, and it was one of those days when the midday heat was so oppressive that movement became difficult.
“Here you are.”
Eon-du arrived dripping with sweat and handed me a bulging pouch.
“I’m relieved you’re here. I should have been more attentive, but I’ve been so preoccupied… Is there anything else you need?”
I examined the thick pouch. Inside were numerous easy-to-eat snacks.
“No. That’s all for now.”
“I’m grateful you visit the young lady so often. Phew, it seems the young master has completely forgotten about us.”
“There’s that too… I asked my father about it.”
“What did he say?”
“He said to win through skill.”
“Well, I… I… well.”
Eon-du could only sigh in exasperation without saying anything more. Leaving him behind, I departed the Residence Quarter.
After walking through the vast Baek Li Estate for quite some time, as I drew closer to my destination, my vision grew dizzy from the countless small auras.
Soon, teenagers in white training robes and children around my age began to appear. A few who recognized me bowed their heads in greeting.
This was where the warriors of the Baek Li Family stayed and trained. And at the outermost edge of this Training Ground, there was a small space where young trainees who had not yet become disciples resided. They served their seniors while training, and once their martial talent and physical foundation seemed adequate, they would be selected as true disciples.
I climbed up to where training straw dummies were stacked in the corner of the wall. Soon my head poked up above the wall.
Inside the wall, I could spot familiar faces. They were orphans my father had rescued from Heukssi on the way back from the Namgung Clan.
After that, my father allowed those children to stay at the Baek Li Estate and learn the sword. Of course, the choice was theirs. They could become servants or leave the Baek Family. Some children even managed to find relatives while staying at the Baek Li Estate.
But only two children had left the Baek Li Estate.
“Going anywhere, we’d still be hungry anyway.”
“My real parents passed away. After that, I stayed at my uncle’s house, but he kept hitting me… ”
The children had remained for different but similar reasons.
And almost all of those who stayed chose to learn the sword. It looked far more impressive to be a warrior than a servant. It was a natural choice, after all.
‘They’ve improved quite a bit.’
Several of the children here were drenched in sweat yet refused to set down their swords, pressing forward with their training. When they first arrived at the Baek Li Estate, they didn’t even know how to grip a blade properly. Now they carried themselves with the bearing of true disciples.
‘They’re all so desperate.’
Even a child could understand why.
Especially for those who had nearly been sold like merchandise in Heukssi and weathered the storms of this world—the opportunity my father had given them was a lifeline that could transform their entire futures. Those who grasped this truth threw themselves into their training with everything they had, and their progress was nothing short of remarkable.
Just then, a small child emerged from behind the building carrying an armful of white training robes and spotted me.
“Sister!”
“Jin-jin! I told you to call me Young Miss!”
Another boy hurried after him, speaking urgently. Both were orphans my father had brought here.
Jin-jin was the same child who had taken a bowl from me while his nose was running back then.
I smiled and spoke to him.
“Hello. Have you been doing well?”
“Yes!”
“Then pretend you didn’t see me here and go on your way.”
“Yes!”
Jin-jin waddled away.
“Oh, wait. Jin-jin, come here. You too.”
I called Jin-jin and the boy behind him back. Jin-jin waddled over again.
“This is a secret.”
Both nodded vigorously.
As I fumbled in my pocket, their eyes already gleamed with anticipation. I pulled out a handful of peanuts and pine nuts, then paused.
“Hmm, neither of you has free hands.”
I glanced around briefly, then climbed onto the stone wall. Like baby birds with open mouths, I placed the peanuts and pine nuts directly into their waiting mouths.
“There. Now go.”
The children’s cheeks bulged as they nodded and departed.
After watching the training ground a moment longer, I leaped down to the ground. Using Natural Energy, I made barely a sound. I was growing more accustomed to wielding Natural Energy with each passing day. As I circled around the wall to properly enter the training ground, that was when it happened.
Jin-jin’s voice called out from somewhere in the distance.
“Sister! Sister—no, Young Miss!”
Jin-jin came running at full speed, nearly on the verge of tears.
“Help! So-han brother is…!”
* * *
So-han was the smallest of all the children my father had brought. Yet from what I’d observed, he possessed the greatest natural talent with the sword. Though he did have one problem….
Crash! A loud noise accompanied by raucous laughter erupted from one corner of the training yard.
“Hahaha, he looks like a drowned rat!”
“Can’t even fetch water properly—what good is he?”
“Failure’s spawn!”
Following Jin-jin, I arrived at the stable. So-han lay sprawled on the ground, completely drenched in water, the object of ridicule. His face was pale with fear.
So-han’s problem was that his temperament was far too timid. Those surrounding him looked down upon him and snickered.
Since so many aspired to become warriors of the Baek Li Estate, the trainees came in all varieties. Yet they could generally be divided into three categories.
First were the young masters and ladies from the branch families of the Baek Li Estate. They received privileged treatment among the trainees. Their presence here was merely for show, to network with their seniors.
For reference, most of the children who sparred with the Twin Cousins to match their mood were disciples from that clan family.
Below them were the children of Baek Geom Unit members. Thanks to their early education, they generally possessed both superior skills and backgrounds.
And at the very bottom were the children of those who worked for the Baek Li Estate. From estate managers to porters, anyone whose child showed even a hint of physical promise would contribute their saved money to place them here.
It was the only way to become a formal disciple of the Baek Li Estate. If one could only become a formal disciple, they could walk with their head held high within the Baek Li Estate, so it was only natural.
And… the orphans my father brought could not fit into any of these groups. Some, whose origins were unknown, harbored resentment about training at the Baek Li Estate.
And quite naturally, that resentment transformed into harassment.
“Hahaha, what a stench!”
“How dare you. That’s exactly where you belong!”
It was then that a boy in white robes spoke. Those white robes were the uniform worn by formal disciples.
“Hey, clean it.”
“Pardon?”
“You got mud splattered on my shoes. Clean them quickly.”
So-han flinched at the sharp command and tried to wipe the shoes with his own sleeve.
“What are you doing, trying to clean my shoes with those filthy clothes? Are you trying to make them even dirtier?”
The boy shouted harshly and kicked at the muddy water pooling on the ground. The muddy water splattered across So-han’s face, which had been relatively clean until then.
The children burst into laughter again.
“Go get clean water and a towel, quickly!”
So-han rose to his feet, his shoulders trembling, his body covered in mud.
Then.
“Here. A clean towel.”
At the voice blocking So-han’s path, their gazes fixed on me. I handed So-han the handkerchief I had in my possession.
“Ah, Miss!”
The boy in white robes and the other children startled and retreated. They whispered frantically among themselves, loud enough for me to hear every word.
“What? When did she arrive?”
“I don’t know! Didn’t we tell someone to keep watch?”
“Oh no, of all times…!”
Expressions of ruin appeared on the boys’ faces. I gestured to So-han to get up quickly and stepped forward in front of them.
“What exactly are you doing right now?”
“W-well…”
The children whose eyes met mine hesitated and looked uncertain. But the boy in white robes was different.
“We were just teaching a slow-witted child some manners. Is there a problem?”
Rather, the boy spoke to me with confidence.
“And I’d like to ask you something. What brings you to this place, Miss?”
“…”
“I mean—you can’t even use a sword, yet you keep coming and going from the Training Ground like this. Don’t you find that amusing?”
Had being a formal disciple made him so bold? It seemed he had deliberately come to torment the children connected to my father.
The boy continued with a smirk.
“I hear you’ve recently resumed sword training.”
As the boy’s composure spread like a contagion, the other children relaxed their tension and began to laugh.
I gazed at them quietly.
The young master grinned and continued.
“Did you perhaps want to learn swordplay? Would you like me to teach you?”
“Yes.”
“Pardon?”
“Show me a technique then.”

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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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