The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 205

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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 205
The Baekho Dan Vice-Leader’s brow furrowed slightly as he spoke.
“Surely they’re not coming out to greet us?”
“That’s what it looks like.”
Baek Li-ui-gang watched the approaching figures with an upright posture.
“Didn’t you send word that Cheon Gwi-jo was dead?”
“I did.”
There was no need for them to make such a grand spectacle coming to fetch us.
A sudden troop of mounted warriors appeared, and the people on the main road scattered to the edges to make way.
“Oh my!”
“Goodness!”
Several people collided and stumbled in their haste to get out of the way, creating quite a commotion. Yet no one dared express anger or shout at them—they could only glare resentfully at their departing figures.
The warriors who had galloped up in an instant leaped down from their horses.
The horses that had run swiftly snorted and tossed their heads as they caught their breath.
The Baekho Dan warriors also dismounted. Some of them tried to hide it, but dissatisfaction was plainly written across their faces.
Behind a man who held his head high while stroking his beard, a young warrior cupped his fist in salute.
“We congratulate your safe return, warrior.”
Baek Li-ui-gang returned the salute and addressed the bearded man.
“I did not expect the Byeok Family Head himself to come.”
“I came to welcome the weary members of the Murim Alliance.”
Beside the Byeok Family Head stood his son, Byeok Seong-yul.
When he had encountered Cheon Gwi-jo as a member of the Kirin Society, he had still possessed the air of a boy, but now he had grown into a young man past twenty.
Byeok Seong-yul could not meet Baek Li-ui-gang’s eyes and averted his gaze.
Then the Byeok Family Head spoke.
“Didn’t the Namgung Minor Family Head come with you?”
“I believe we had already sent word about that.”
From Ak-yang, Namgung Wan had sent word that he would remain behind while only the Baekho Dan would accompany us. No matter how quickly they had traveled, the messenger bird would have arrived well before them.
“I heard as much, but I thought I’d just confirm. I heard the Namgung Minor Family Head suffered a grave injury?”
I had not included such details in the messenger bird’s message.
Baek Li-ui-gang stared at the Byeok Family Head for a moment before speaking.
“If you know he suffered a grave injury, surely you understand why he could not come with us?”
The Byeok Family Head flinched and then spoke.
“No, I merely spoke out of concern.”
His words contradicted each other entirely.
Baek Li-ui-gang replied calmly.
“When we meet again, I shall tell him that the Byeok Family Head was concerned for him.”
Then the Byeok Family Head raised his voice and spoke.
“Ahem, I heard the Namgung Minor Family Head’s injury was so severe he may never wield a sword again.”
“….”
The onlookers who had gathered to watch gasped in surprise and began to murmur among themselves.
Words like Namgung Minor Family Head, sword, and injury drifted through the air—a stark departure from the careful efforts to suppress news of the Murim Alliance’s weakened forces.
Matters that warranted quiet deliberation behind closed doors were being broadcast as if for all to hear.
Bu Dan-ju replied, his voice strained with suppressed anger.
“There is no need for concern, Byeok Family Head. The Namgung Minor Family Head has made a complete recovery!”
I expected Byeok Family Head to be flustered, yet he countered as though he had been waiting for this very moment.
“How curious. It would have been fortunate if others could be treated so readily. It seems the Namgung Clan Head alone enjoys exceptional fortune.”
Bu Dan-ju’s eyes narrowed, sensing he had been drawn into a trap.
The onlookers murmured, “Well, of course,” and “Thank goodness,” among themselves.
Byeok Family Head swept his gaze deliberately across the crowd before asking again.
“Does the Tianshan Flame Emperor have no disciples here?”
This time, Baek Li-ui-gang answered immediately.
“Are you referring to Yalyu?”
“I am.”
“Why do you ask about that child?”
Byeok Family Head turned the question back on Baek Li-ui-gang as though he were the suspicious one.
“Is it not natural for a relative to inquire after someone’s whereabouts?”
“I have never once heard the Byeok Family searching for Yalyu all this time.”
“What concern is that of yours? One might think you were the guardian, hearing you speak.”
“The Byeok Family does not even know Yalyu’s biological father, and to my knowledge, no one in the Byeok Family has ever heard of him.”
Byeok Family Head cleared his throat and answered without shame.
“Ahem, family matters.”
Then he muttered as though for all to hear.
“Why pry so deeply into others’ household affairs? Yet you won’t even reveal who your own daughter’s mother is….”
“….”
“That remark was uncalled for, was it not?”
One of the White Tiger Unit warriors cried out, his voice sharp with anger.
Byeok Family Head, stroking his beard shamelessly as though he had done nothing wrong, lifted his chin—then suddenly flinched and retreated as his eyes met Baek Li-ui-gang’s.
Bu Dan-ju spoke coldly.
“Did the Family Head come to receive us, or to interrogate us?”
The gathered onlookers also voiced their disapproval, questioning what he was doing.
“Exactly. Why come at all if this is your intention?”
“What is this behavior? You rushed here as though something urgent had happened, causing trouble—it would have been better if you hadn’t come at all!”
Byeok Family Head’s face flushed red, then drained of color.
At that moment, Baek Li-ui-gang suddenly gazed upward. As everyone followed his gaze, they could see a bird circling above his head.
When Baek Li-ui-gang extended his hand, the bird glided slowly toward him.
Byeok Family Head furrowed his brow and asked.
“What is that?”
“Can you not see? It is a carrier pigeon.”
A warrior of the Baek Li Family answered curtly, as though spitting out the words.
“I am not so ignorant as to ask what it is. I ask where it came from.”
“What are you planning to do with that knowledge?”
“No, this person has been… Who exactly are you to speak to me with such disrespect?”
As the dispute between the Baek Li Estate warrior and Byeok Family Head escalated, the Baekho Dan Vice-Leader interjected.
“Both of you, please cease. I am Jeon Seo-gu, sent from the Alliance Leader’s household.”
“….”
Byeok Family Head’s brow furrowed slightly.
Baek Li-ui-gang’s expression hardened as he read Jeon Seo-gu’s letter.
The Vice-Leader called out with a puzzled tone.
“Alliance Leader?”
Baek Li-ui-gang spoke, his gaze fixed on Byeok Family Head.
“Don’t you have something to say to me?”
“That’s what I came to discuss.”
As Byeok Family Head gestured, the Murim Alliance warriors behind him drew their blades.
The gathered crowd gasped and hastily retreated.
The Baek Li Estate warriors and Baekho Dan members were equally startled, immediately drawing their own swords in response.
The Vice-Leader shouted.
“What are you doing!”
Byeok Family Head spoke.
“There are rumors that the Baek Li Estate has colluded with the Demonic Cult.”
An outcry erupted immediately.
“That’s absurd!”
“We have no desire for this either. Baekho Dan Leader—no, you’re no longer the Baekho Dan Leader. You were dismissed the other day, so now you’re merely a former leader. Vice-Leader, the ones you should be pointing your blades at are not us!”
The Vice-Leader clenched his teeth.
“Who removed the Alliance Leader without authority? Where did you hear such ridiculous rumors… Could it be the Alliance Leader himself? Is the Alliance trying to suppress the Alliance Leader right now?”
“Judging by his recent conduct, we won’t treat him poorly. The Alliance will investigate thoroughly and clear this up.”
At that moment, a Baekho Dan warrior shouted toward a well-groomed young man standing behind Byeok Family Head.
“Byeok Prince! Explain yourself. Surely you won’t spout nonsense when you owe the Alliance Leader a debt of gratitude!”
“….”
Byeok Seong-yul flinched and averted his gaze.
Byeok Family Head stepped forward and bellowed.
“Don’t bother the wrong person! I’ll explain! Baek Li-ui-gang! You and your family agreed to attend the Maeng Meeting. Yet you suddenly changed your mind and turned back midway. Why?”
“An urgent matter arose in my family, and I had no choice.”
Despite Byeok Family Head’s aggressive interrogation, Baek Li-ui-gang’s voice remained composed.
Byeok Family Head stared at him as if to see how long he could maintain such composure, then shouted again.
“What kind of matter could that possibly be!”
“Didn’t Byeok Family Head just tell me not to meddle in family affairs?”
Byeok Family Head seemed momentarily at a loss for words. The crowd that had retreated but still surrounded them nodded and murmured in agreement.
Byeok Family Head clenched his teeth and shouted.
“Hmph, evasion won’t help! It’s already been revealed! That your sister has colluded with the Demonic Cult!”
“…!”
The warriors of the Baek Li Family flinched in surprise.
They didn’t know the exact circumstances. However, they were aware that before they departed to rescue Namgung Wan, a great commotion had erupted within the Baek Li Family, and Baek Li-ui-ran had been driven away somewhere.
“And only the Baek Li Family escaped the Demonic Cult’s assault!”
“….”
“What an extraordinary coincidence! A traitor emerged within the Baek Li Family, yet only they managed to avoid disaster!”
A warrior of the Baek Li Family finally regained his composure and shouted.
“Is that all you have to slander the Baek Li Family?”
“Hmph. Then how do you explain this? The disciple of the Tianshan Flame Emperor you vouched for—Yalyu—has mastered the Absorption Demonic Art!”
Both the warriors of the Baek Li Family and the White Tiger Unit stared in shock.
“Young Master Yalyu has mastered the Absorption Demonic Art?”
“Indeed! Cheon Gwi-jo was a demonic cultivator who had mastered the Absorption Demonic Art. Yalyu must have learned it from Cheon Gwi-jo!”
“….”
“And Cheon Gwi-jo, whom we barely captured, died suddenly. Why, is his death also mere coincidence?!”
At that moment, one voice rang out distinctly above the murmuring crowd.
“It does seem suspicious. If you’re innocent, there should be no problem going before the Alliance!”
It was a planted agitator, strategically positioned within the crowd.
Bu Dan-ju clenched his teeth.
To think they would frame us so thoroughly.
It was a baseless accusation.
The Byeok Family Head had intended this from the start—to gain public opinion and justification. If they left this place, the rumors would spiral beyond control, and if they meekly entered the Martial Arts Alliance, the Baek Li Family, now bound by blood ties, would be unable to act freely.
Bu Dan-ju looked toward Baek Li-ui-gang.

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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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