The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 171

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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 171
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With the Buddhist monk’s death, I thought I wouldn’t be able to prove that my aunt was the culprit behind my descent into demonic cultivation.
But revealing this much was sufficient. Everyone would assume my aunt was guilty anyway, and Baek Li-myeong’s crime would not escape punishment.
‘It’s not that I’m not disappointed….’
Just as I thought I had achieved my goal, a witness appeared from an unexpected place. It was Baek Family Aunt.
Baek Family Aunt had lost too much blood during her miscarriage. Because of that, she couldn’t move for a long time. Moreover, her grief was so profound that even when Baek Li-ui-muk tried to comfort her, urging her to focus on recovering her body, she only lay in bed weeping.
The moment she was able to move again, the first thing she did was visit Baek Li Pae-hyuk to testify about my descent into demonic cultivation.
Baek Family Aunt said she had happened to overhear a conversation between my aunt and Baek Family Grandmother when I fell into demonic cultivation.
Not only Baek Family Aunt, but also her Female Servant, who had married into a distant family years ago, was brought to testify.
She said they couldn’t tell anyone at the time. Because Baek Family Grandmother was too terrifying.
Well, there was reason to be terrified. Hadn’t I said I couldn’t find any witnesses?
The reason was that Baek Family Grandmother had murdered everyone connected to that medicine.
‘This is quite something….’
When I first heard about Baek Li-myeong’s descent into demonic cultivation and Baek Family Aunt collapsed, I didn’t suspect anything unusual because she had always been of a fragile disposition. It seemed like a natural occurrence.
But now that it was revealed, I could understand. Baek Family Aunt had realized it was my aunt’s doing the moment Baek Li-myeong fell into demonic cultivation, and she was shocked.
‘So this is where her silence that day has led.’
If she had spoken then, none of this would have happened.
Who was to blame?
I could tell that Baek Family Aunt had suffered the most. And all this news reached my ears through various channels without my needing to investigate—I simply sat still and listened.
So Nok released her wrist and picked up her brush again.
[People keep giving me things lately.]
“Hmm?”
So Nok pulled a pouch from her sleeve and opened it.
There were mostly coins, pieces of silver, and even ornaments like bracelets.
[They seemed to want me to look favorably upon them, so I only accepted things from people who had been kind to me before.]
“…Yes, you did well.”
Why they were doing this was crystal clear to me.
They were trying to realign themselves. Those who had previously sought my favor were hastily offering gifts to So Nok, hoping for her recommendation.
Then I felt someone approaching.
“Young lady, the Family Head is calling for you. Seok Tae-ui has arrived.”
“I understand.”
I prepared myself immediately and headed to my grandfather.
The servant led me to a place other than Subaekdang. Among those I passed on the way, not a single person was discourteous to me. It was a stark contrast to how they had treated me before.
When I arrived, my grandfather, my father, and Seok Tae-ui were all present.
“Come here.”
My father gently stroked my head and had me sit beside him.
I exchanged brief pleasantries with Seok Tae-ui before getting to the main point.
“It seems there’s no point in investigating further, so I’ve brought it.”
Seok Tae-ui placed a small medicine bottle and folded wrapping paper on the table.
In the meantime, I had asked Seok Tae-ui to investigate the medicine in detail.
“There’s no point in investigating further?”
“There are two problems, to begin with.”
Seok Tae-ui stroked his beard and paused for a moment before continuing.
“To research this, we would need test subjects. Since it involves experiments related to inner energy….”
He meant that without conducting human experimentation, it would be nearly impossible to uncover anything more.
Everyone seemed to grasp his meaning, and their expressions darkened.
Seok Tae-ui spoke with a bitter tone.
“It will be difficult, I’m afraid.”
Not all renowned Orthodox Sects were entirely righteous. There were certainly families that conducted experiments on human subjects.
The most famous were the Sacheon Dang Family and the Jinju Eon Family.
Of course, both claimed they used criminals and conducted research with their consent. Nevertheless, there was considerable controversy about these two families even among the Righteous Faction.
Moreover, unlike those two families whose secret techniques involved poison cultivation and corpse manipulation, the Baek Li Family was a sword-wielding clan. We could not help but feel resistance to the idea of bringing people in as experimental subjects.
Among the silence, Seok Tae-ui opened his mouth.
“And the second problem is that the quantity I received is insufficient to conduct proper research. That’s why you captured that Buddhist monk who supposedly gave you this medicine, didn’t you?”
My father and grandfather exchanged glances. My father spoke.
“I have something to tell you about that person anyway.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“…That monk is dead.”
“Ah, I see.”
But he showed little surprise—as if he had somehow expected this.
“However, it appears that monk was a spy for the Demonic Cult.”
“As I suspected… What?”
This was entirely unexpected, and he looked shocked.
“My goodness, the Demonic Cult, you say.”
My father bowed his head slightly as if in apology.
“From now on, the Baek Li Family will take full responsibility for your safety.”
Seok Tae-ui, who had been stroking his beard with a flustered expression, now spoke with a far more serious countenance.
“Let’s discuss that slowly for now. I had intended to tell you once I was certain, but given how things have developed….”
Seok Tae-ui gazed at my father and spoke.
“Regarding that demonic possession medicine. It seems… that medicine may be connected to the Fourth Young Master’s inner energy problem.”
“…!”
I clenched my fists tightly.
“I cannot be certain. As I mentioned, I would have needed to conduct more experiments, but that’s impossible now. However, since it’s connected to the Demonic Cult, I’m telling you this.”
I, too, who had been staring at the table for a moment, carefully opened my mouth.
“I think Seok Tae-ui’s hypothesis is correct.”
Puzzled gazes turned toward me.
“I also had something suspicious about it.”
“What is it?”
“When Myeong-i fell into demonic possession. Somehow… it felt similar to Father’s symptoms.”
Seok Tae-ui’s eyes brightened with keen interest.
“Explain in greater detail.”
I described to Seok Tae-ui the sensations I had experienced while calming Baek Li-myeong’s rampaging inner force, providing as much detail as possible.
“I see. Yes, that makes sense.”
Seok Tae-ui nodded slowly, as if contemplating something privately, then posed a question.
“The Fourth Young Master didn’t experience problems immediately after consuming the spirit medicine, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Then it appears the drug’s original purpose was to obstruct the flow of inner force. When consumed together with the spirit medicine, it seems to trigger deviation into madness.”
My father lowered his gaze slightly and examined his own hands.
“Indeed… if my condition had manifested when I consumed the spirit medicine, I would have inevitably succumbed to deviation into madness.”
And those who fell into such deviation typically died or became crippled. There would be no one alive to claim the spirit medicine itself was flawed.
Moreover, the very perception of such deviation posed a problem. Why, even in modern times, do so many regard mental illness as a matter of personal willpower? The perspective here was identical.
It was viewed as a consequence of insufficient personal resolve and capability.
Those treated as if they deserved punishment for greedily coveting the spirit medicine despite their inadequate abilities would never dare suggest the medicine itself was defective—they would only face ridicule.
‘I too believed it was my own fault until I learned my aunt had tampered with the spirit medicine.’
Seok Tae-ui sighed.
“This is truly insidious… a deadly poison designed specifically to target martial artists.”
My father spoke in a grave voice.
“That the Demonic Cult possesses such a drug is alarming. We must inform the Alliance immediately and alert other families to exercise caution.”
“Indeed. This cannot be an isolated incident affecting only our family.”
My grandfather’s voice halted my father just as he was about to rise.
“But to reveal this truth, we would have to expose what happened to Myeong-i and Baek Li-ui-ran.”
My father hesitated, his expression skeptical.
“Father, what do you mean by that?”
“If this matter becomes public knowledge, our family’s honor will be utterly destroyed.”
“Surely you’re not concerned with propriety at a time like this?”
I interjected before their voices could rise further.
“Father, Grandfather, please calm yourselves.”
I grasped my father’s sleeve and continued.
“And I also believe informing the Alliance would be premature.”
My father’s face bore the shock of profound distress. He looked nearly ready to weep.
Meanwhile, my grandfather wore a satisfied smile as he chided.
“Look at this! Even Yeon opposes your notion! How unreasonable must your thinking be for even this child to object?”
“Grandfather, don’t provoke Father!”
I exhaled deeply and turned to face my father.
“Father, don’t cry. Please, just listen to my explanation for a moment.”
A slightly indignant voice returned.
“…I am not crying.”
I smiled faintly and spoke.
“The Alliance likely has spies within it as well.”
“So we need to find out as soon as possible.”
“No, if they were going to use medicine, they would have used it long ago. It’s been years since I fell into demonic possession, hasn’t it?”
“….”
In that time, they could have made several attempts. But the Alliance remained quiet.
‘They must be in the middle of the Maeng Meeting right now.’
From what I remembered, the Alliance had run smoothly without major issues for several years.
My father spoke in a somewhat calmer tone.
“So what you’re saying is that the Demonic Cult must have had a reason for not making a move until now?”
“Yes! Exactly!”
“Right, right! That’s what I was trying to say!”
I pouted my lips and looked at my grandfather.
“Then you should have said that first—why are you arguing with Father?”
“I was about to, but that fool got so worked up that he challenged me first!”
“….”
At my gaze, my grandfather let out an awkward cough.

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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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