The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 138

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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 138
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“Miss Baek Li.”
There were two young ladies of the Baek Li Family here, but one hadn’t appeared today, so the call was directed at me.
I turned to see who had spoken. Three girls in vibrant clothing stood together.
“Miss U So-jeo, what is it?”
“We’ve arranged to take a boat out on the nearby river today with some friends from the Academy. Would you care to join us, Miss Baek Li?”
I regarded U So-jeo with a look of mild surprise.
“I apologize for not inviting you sooner. We planned this quite some time ago….”
U So-jeo trailed off. My initial plan to build connections when I first arrived at the Academy had remained in a nebulous state.
‘Well, just because I’ve regressed doesn’t mean every future outcome will be successful.’
The greatest obstacle was that I had been in closed-door cultivation training continuously. Even combining all the time I’d spent at the Academy, it hadn’t yet reached a full year. One needs to see faces to grow close, but I couldn’t see anyone’s face.
Moreover, it had been less than a month since I’d finished my third period of closed-door training and returned to the Academy.
And the second reason was….
“I have a prior engagement, so that won’t be possible.”
I swallowed a sigh and looked forward again.
U So-jeo spoke with a slight note of resignation.
“Young Master Seok!”
I had already sensed his presence, so I wasn’t surprised. The hem of a crimson-jade robe swayed as he emerged from the shadow cast by the main gate.
The midday sunlight illuminated skin as fine as porcelain, and eyes with delicate lines curved softly. The exceptional beauty that had shown promise since childhood was only growing more refined with time.
The second reason. It was because of Seok Ga-yak.
I regarded Seok Ga-yak as he approached me with displeasure. This fellow kept pestering me to play with him.
‘Does this guy have no friends? He’s always chasing after me.’
When I wasn’t in closed-door training and attended the Academy, I was learning some medical arts from Seok Tae-ui, which made it difficult to drive him away. At my displeased expression, Seok Ga-yak laughed—a mischievous laugh tinged with innocence.
U So-jeo’s voice came again.
“Then will you join us as well, Young Master Seok?”
“Hm? Me?”
“Yes. I heard you had already declined, but wouldn’t you reconsider coming along?”
I turned to look at U So-jeo. Seok Ga-yak had different classes than us, so he shouldn’t have been close to U So-jeo, should he?
At that moment, the tallest of the three girls, wearing a crimson-red short jacket, was clutching U So-jeo’s sleeve with flushed cheeks.
‘Ah, I see….’
If my memory served correctly, the girl in the crimson-red jacket was Han So-jeo, who had turned fifteen this year.
‘An age when one’s interest in the opposite sex runs high.’
Seok Ga-yak narrowed his brow as if troubled.
“That is….”
I clapped my hands, cutting off Seok Ga-yak’s words.
“Alright! Let’s go together. That’s fine, isn’t it?”
Seok Ga-yak looked at me with a reluctant expression. I laughed mischievously, following his lead.
* * *
We made our way upstream along the river that ran behind the Academy. It was a small dock where few people passed through. A single pleasure boat with an awning was moored there—surprisingly large for the size of the dock.
It seemed she had deliberately chosen a quiet spot. It was likely because Master Ki, who taught at the Academy, disapproved of children indulging in extravagance.
U So-jeo and the other girls glanced briefly at Seok Ga-yak. Anyone attending the Academy would have noticed how unusually close Seok Ga-yak was to Master Ki.
Seok Ga-yak smiled gently and spoke.
“I know nothing of such matters, so please don’t worry.”
U So-jeo exhaled in relief, and Han So-jeo spoke in a small voice.
“…Thank you for your consideration, Young Master Seok.”
Was this really something worth thanking him for?
I nodded to myself as I observed Han So-jeo’s flushed face. Perhaps it was.
Han So-jeo continued.
“Do you enjoy boat rides, Young Master Seok?”
“I do.”
“How fortunate.”
Those few words seemed to have gathered her courage, and Han So-jeo pressed close to U So-jeo again, moving ahead of us.
I transmitted my voice to Seok Ga-yak.
[Our Ga-yak certainly is popular.]
Seok Ga-yak glared at me while biting his lip slightly. I deliberately averted my gaze.
The moment we boarded and stepped inside the canopy, I was startled. The interior was several times more luxurious than I had anticipated from outside. It was almost as if an entire banquet hall had been transported here.
Unlike my surprise, Seok Ga-yak appeared perfectly composed, as if he had anticipated it beforehand.
Inside, many young men and women were already seated. Seeing some unfamiliar faces, it appeared this gathering was not limited to Academy attendees alone.
The ages varied widely—from youths who appeared nearly grown to younger children who seemed to have followed their older siblings, some even younger than myself.
A few who recognized Seok Ga-yak and me looked at us with curious eyes.
That was when it happened.
“Baek Li-yeon?”
Ah, of course.
Now that I thought about it, there was no reason this person would be absent from such an occasion. I had been too preoccupied with Seok Ga-yak to consider that until now.
I turned toward the voice.
“Elder brother.”
I gave Baek Li-myeong a light nod. He now appeared almost fully grown into a young man. I had heard marriage talks were already beginning for him.
Baek Li-myeong spoke.
“What brings you here?”
“I was invited.”
“By whom?”
There was displeasure in his voice. It seemed I was not the only one to sense it—U So-jeo looked at Baek Li-myeong strangely.
“By me. Is something wrong?”
At U So-jeo’s words, Baek Li-myeong seemed to come to his senses belatedly.
Baek Li-myeong laughed and spoke.
“Ah, it’s just that Yeon doesn’t usually care for such gatherings. I was curious who had employed such a trick to bring her here. Besides, Young Master Seok had declined the invitation as well.”
U So-jeo, her expression brightening, gave Baek Li-myeong a brief explanation of how she had invited me. After hearing the full account, Baek Li-myeong turned to look at me and smiled.
“I see. So that’s how it came to be. Since you’re here, I hope you have an enjoyable time.”
“Thank you.”
Yet his eyes betrayed a wariness he couldn’t quite conceal.
Ever since I revealed that I’d achieved the second stage of the Mubaek Divine Art, my relationship with Baek Li-myeong had completely fractured. Of course, on the surface we laughed and pretended to get along, but it was all an act.
I watched Baek Li-myeong recede into the distance for quite some time.
Seok Ga-yak tilted his head slightly and spoke.
“What are you doing?”
“I was thinking his condition doesn’t look very good.”
“You?”
Seok Ga-yak asked in surprise.
“No, not me, but….”
I shook my head and gestured toward the departing Baek Li-myeong.
“You startled me.”
Seok Ga-yak exhaled as if relieved and continued, his voice lowered so those nearby couldn’t hear.
“I heard he’s been consuming every spirit elixir he can find, but one must be moderate with such things. At this rate, something truly catastrophic might happen.”
The Baek Li Estate could provide reasonably good spirit elixirs continuously, even if the highest grades were beyond reach. And Baek Li-myeong’s body bore deep traces of several spirit elixirs he hadn’t fully absorbed. Yet it seemed he’d recently forced himself to consume more.
Even beneficial medicine requires moderation. Spirit elixirs that aid inner force cultivation were no exception. Consumed to excess, their efficacy diminished, and if one were truly unlucky, the inner force could become uncontrollable, leading to deviation during cultivation.
“During your closed-door training, Seok Tae-ui visited several times regarding spirit elixirs.”
Though Seok Tae-ui would certainly be wary of me as someone in league with you, it seemed his skill mattered more than his suspicions.
‘What good would my concern do anyway?’
I was the reason he’d driven himself to this point.
Even if I urged him to exercise restraint, my words wouldn’t truly reach his ears.
“Young lady! Young Master! Come over here!”
U So-jeo called out. The boat had remained at the dock to pick up a few more passengers before departing. My seat was surrounded entirely by the children of martial families, yet Seok Ga-yak was utterly out of place among them.
However, Han So-jeo and a couple of other young ladies had surrounded him, engaging him in animated conversation as if delighted.
‘He does look rather uncomfortable, though.’
I suppressed a laugh as I watched one young lady extend her wrist, asking him to take her pulse.
Beyond that, quite a bit of gossip circulated among us. One might call it martial world scandal.
Before my return, I had no friends except my servant Dang-geum, living in near-complete seclusion. Because of that isolated existence, most of these stories were entirely new to me and utterly fascinating.
“I heard the Sword Sage took on a disciple last year, and the age….”
“At this Kirin Society, among the martial world achievements….”
“The Huashan Sect is holding a friendly match, and the Huashan Sword Immortal….”
I provided interjections like “Wow!”, “Really?”, and “Is that so?” as I listened with genuine interest. I was thoroughly enjoying myself when——
“Right, did you hear? This time, Young Master Namgung defeated the successor of the Gwangmu Sect in thirty exchanges.”
The teacup I was holding trembled slightly. Had I been drinking, I might have spat it out.
“Isn’t the Gwangmu Sect successor much older than Young Master Namgung?”
“Oh, not that much of a difference. Probably about five years his senior.”
“Even so, if he’s the Gwangmu Sect successor….”
“But why did the Gwangmu Sect and Young Master Namgung fight?”
“Does one need a reason to strike down heterodox trash?”
“I’m just curious about the context.”
While the fight and its outcome had spread, the details had yet to travel this far.
The story was straightforward—a tale of improving relations between Seo Ha-ryeong and Namgung Ryu-cheong.
Tensions had erupted between the Gwangmu Sect and the Suhyang Sect, two pillars of the Unorthodox faction. While friction between the Unorthodox and Orthodox sects was commonplace, this conflict was severe—it had nearly escalated into outright war.
And in this narrative, Seo Ha-ryeong and Namgung Ryu-cheong grew closer by helping one another. Originally, my father should have played a role in this story too, as he would have become Namgung Ryu-cheong’s master.
But since that never came to pass this time, my father’s part was omitted. I had worried considerably that this might deviate from the future I remembered.
Yet my concerns proved unfounded. Namgung Wan stepped into my father’s role, and the story unfolded exactly as I recalled it.
Through this and countless other events, I could now be certain of one truth: no matter what I changed, the broader trajectory of the future remained intact. Just as Namgung Wan had taken my father’s place in the conflict with the Gwangmu Sect.

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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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