The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 180

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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 180
I folded my handkerchief carefully to prevent the powder from scattering.
Even with my protective energy circulating, my palm and fingers where I’d gathered the powder burned with a sharp sting. An ordinary person would have been unable to endure it.
I spoke while concealing my reddened palm.
“How did you know?”
“That’s what I should be asking you.”
Yo-yo spoke with a cold expression. The girl who had worn so many ordinary expressions was gone.
I sighed deeply.
“I wasn’t asking you!”
I looked at Yalyu, who still gripped Yo-yo by the nape of her neck.
The reason Yo-yo couldn’t escape was simple.
The moment she detonated the smoke and attempted to flee, Yalyu struck her pressure point.
‘To strike a pressure point in that fleeting instant before anyone could even react—’
Yalyu tightened his grip on her neck. Yo-yo whimpered and lowered her head.
“You’re being loud.”
Then he glanced at me and smiled slightly.
“Just a feeling, I suppose.”
I hadn’t even transmitted my discovery to Yalyu through silent communication, fearing Yo-yo might sense it.
Instead, I’d made a fuss about wanting to watch, deliberately examining everyone in the inn.
Fortunately, I found nothing amiss with the Chef or Assistant.
The Inn Owner, who had been sprawled nearly flat on the ground, slowly pushed himself up.
“W-what just… cough! Hack, ahem… what on earth just happened…?”
He coughed intermittently, still seeming unable to comprehend the situation.
I glanced over the bewildered Inn Owner, Original Employee, Chef, and Assistant before speaking.
“You all saw it, didn’t you? Yo-yo attacked me and suddenly released that strange smoke. If you’d stayed in it any longer, you would have died.”
“Eek!”
The Inn Owner recoiled in terror at my exaggerated threat.
‘Whether she killed them or not, she likely intended to escape while Yalyu and I were occupied rescuing the inn’s people from the smoke.’
I approached Yo-yo.
“How exactly did you do this?”
The moment I saw Yo-yo, I’d noticed something strange—it was her face.
Her face appeared doubled, so to speak.
The image seemed to split into two.
Intrigued by this oddity, I examined her more carefully and even detected traces of martial cultivation.
I was genuinely startled. Had I not concentrated and scrutinized her thoroughly, I would have dismissed her as an ordinary commoner.
Normally, even a cursory glance revealed whether someone had trained in martial arts, yet I couldn’t fathom how this technique had deceived my eyes.
As I focused intently on Yo-yo’s face, I began to grasp how it was done.
‘It’s similar to applying a formation array to her face. It’s almost like a technique… I’ve heard the Demonic Cult possesses the White-Faced Illusion Art for changing appearances. Could it be that?’
Whether formation array or technique, both shared a common principle: a central axis governing the flow of transformation.
Just as a formation array shatters when its axis collapses, the technique applied to this face operated similarly.
I jabbed several points on her face with my fingers, channeling true energy into them, and the sorcerous patterns flowing across Yo-yo’s visage began to unravel.
Yo-yo, whose expression had remained cold throughout, suddenly contorted her face as if in agony. With a faint crackling sound, her features began to shift and transform.
“Hah…!”
A sharp intake of breath came from behind me.
“So this is her true face?”
The face that had appeared to be a young girl’s transformed into that of a woman in her early twenties.
“Wh-what…!”
I turned to look at the astonished Inn Owner.
“Do you know her?”
The Inn Owner shook his head urgently.
“I’ve never, never seen her before.”
What? Why the sudden formality?
When I shifted my gaze to them, the Original Employee, the Chef, and the Assistant all claimed they had never seen her either.
I narrowed my eyes.
“You’re not lying, are you?”
“Truly, truly, I don’t know her!”
The Inn Owner jumped up and desperately insisted on his innocence.
“After the original employee injured his leg, have you seen her since?”
“Ah, no. I only heard through Yo-yo that he was injured….”
“Did you know Yo-yo from before?”
“Ah, w-well, I saw her a few years ago, yes.”
“When you saw Yo-yo, didn’t you find anything strange?”
“Well… there were some differences, but I didn’t think much of it. I saw Yo-yo when I was young, so I thought she’d just changed as she grew. And since the face wasn’t completely different, I didn’t suspect anything at all.”
“So they looked somewhat similar?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
I couldn’t know what the real Yo-yo looked like, but it seemed this woman had altered her appearance to resemble her and used sorcery to make people believe she was someone they knew.
“Then….”
Bang! Suddenly the kitchen door burst open roughly.
Beyond the open door appeared Namgung Ryu-cheong and a Baek Geom Disciple. They seemed to have rushed over upon sensing the commotion.
Namgung Ryu-cheong, who held a sword, hardened his expression upon seeing the kitchen’s situation.
The Baek Geom Disciple asked in a puzzled voice.
“Miss? What’s happening now? Who is this woman you’ve captured?”
“That’s what we need to find out now.”
* * *
A pharmacy tucked away in a corner of the Back Alley.
A thick medicinal scent wafted from the herbs displayed on the counter into the street. A man dressed as a laborer, carrying a long bundle on his back, paused before it, glanced around briefly, and stepped inside.
A Young Man who had been slicing dried medicinal herbs with a cleaver lifted his head at the sound of footsteps.
“Is there something you’re looking for?”
“How long does it take to prepare a medicine?”
The Young Man regarded the customer with a puzzled gaze, then brushed off his hands and stood up, calling out.
“Grandfather! We have a customer!”
An elderly man with drooping eyelids emerged from the back of the pharmacy, opening the door.
“Who might you be? Your face is unfamiliar—you don’t appear to be from Ak-yang.”
“Grandfather, why ask such things? The customer is asking how long it takes to prepare medicine.”
“That depends on what medicine is needed. What sort of medicine do you require?”
“Medicine to prevent necrosis of the affected area.”
“What?”
The old man’s eyes narrowed.
“Necrosis? Were you bitten by a snake?”
The Mysterious Man responded in a clipped tone.
“Can you prepare it or not?”
“Quite the temperament, I see. I can prepare it, certainly. However, it would be better to examine the affected area directly before prescribing. If necrosis is involved, acupuncture and moxibustion may be necessary. Should the patient be unable to move easily, I could bring a stretcher and my granddaughter to—”
The Mysterious Man cut off the Old Physician mid-sentence.
“Never mind. Just prepare the medicine.”
“What… very well then. Is this urgent?”
“…”
“Ah, I understand. I understand.”
The old man waved his hand dismissively and entered the pharmacy with his granddaughter.
Creak. Thud. Tap-tap-tap.
Between the sounds of drawers opening and closing and the grinding of medicine, the Old Physician’s voice could be heard.
His voice was lowered, and mixed with other noise, an ordinary person would not have been able to hear the conversation from beyond the door.
“Necrosis, you say? I should really examine the patient. What sort of day is this? Unusual customers keep arriving one after another.”
“Exactly. Earlier, some strangers came asking if we’d treated any wounded people.”
“Indeed. Those ones looked like Jianghu martial artists at a glance. What business would Jianghu people have here? We don’t usually see their kind in these parts.”
The Mysterious Man, who had been eavesdropping, stiffened his face and muttered.
“Those bastards… all the way here…”
The Mysterious Man reached his hand toward the bundle he’d set down as if to retrieve something immediately.
“Old man.”
A clattering sound came from within, and the Old Physician answered.
“Did you call for me?”
“You said Jianghu martial artists came looking for a wounded person?”
The old man startled, then wore an awkward expression.
“Ah, you heard that? You have sharp ears indeed.”
“When did they arrive?”
“Some time ago. Let me see… I’d say a little over an hour ago.”
“Phew.”
The Mysterious Man exhaled in relief, then questioned the old man as he turned to head back into the inner room.
“What did they seem to be looking for?”
The old man frowned in annoyance.
“They wouldn’t say anything, so why are you so curious about other people’s business? Just take your medicine and go.”
The Mysterious Man retrieved a pouch from his breast and handed it to the Old Physician.
The Old Physician opened the pouch with a sullen expression, his eyes widening.
“Payment for the medicine.”
“Ah, is today a day when money comes in? Right, those people seemed to be searching for someone too. But as you can see, our pharmacy is small—we cannot accommodate critical patients requiring intensive care. Since we have never treated nor received any wounded patients, they apologized and left after paying us.”
The Old Physician spoke as though he had just realized something.
“Could you also be someone from the Jianghu? Ah, it seems I was right. This is quite remarkable indeed.”
The Mysterious Man’s expression hardened in an instant.
The Old Physician, unaware of the change, continued muttering, intoxicated by his own deduction.
“Then you would understand—those who came today were from the… tsk, what was it? I’m certain I’ve heard of that family before.”
“Wait. Old Master, did you say a family?”
“Yes. They mentioned where they were from… ah, my memory… boy, what family were those people from again?”
The Old Physician called toward the inner chamber, and a Young Man answered from within.
“The Baek Li Family, Grandfather! Stop detaining customers with your pointless chatter and come here!”
The Old Physician ignored his grandson’s words and continued.
“Ah yes, the Baek Li Family, that’s right. That’s the one. Isn’t that quite a prominent family? I was curious, so I asked around—apparently those family members have been visiting every pharmacy and medical clinic in Ak-yang.”
The Mysterious Man grasped both of the Old Physician’s shoulders with evident excitement.
“Old Master, do you happen to know where those family members are staying?”
“Ah… I did hear where, but…”

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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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