The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 214

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 214
* * *
“It’s finished.”
“Yes.”
A group of people stood atop a hillside.
An elderly man with a sword at his waist and a middle-aged man gazed out at the distant vista of Ak-yang, while the martial artists behind them moved busily about, collecting the corpses.
“How utterly disappointing. Had I known it would be this simple, there would have been no need for me to intervene at all. To think the Donghobang Master’s skills were merely at this level.”
“Did I not tell you? Moreover, Yeon’s abilities are truly remarkable.”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk glanced at his son.
Baek Li-yeon had left home immediately after her coming-of-age ceremony, and in the two years since, she had made extraordinary progress. Now, a year later, there was nothing that could constrain her.
She had already been incomparable to her peers, but now she had become formidable enough to sever the arm of the Donghobang Master—a man twice her age.
Beneath Baek Li-ui-gang’s pleased expression lay a faint undercurrent of concern.
Baek Li-ui-gang murmured softly.
“What on earth could have happened to her?”
“It is settled. As children grow, even parents cannot know all their secrets. Hmm?”
“What is it, Grandfather?”
“Yeon is looking this way.”
“What? That cannot be. No matter how keen one’s eyes are….”
Baek Li-ui-gang, gazing toward a manor so distant it appeared as a mere dot, wore an expression of astonishment.
Baek Li Pae-hyuk chuckled and spoke.
“So I’ve been caught.”
* * *
After hastily settling the affairs of Donghobang, I made my way toward Grandfather and Father. It was a stronghold the Baek Li Family had established after the various incidents that had unfolded in Ak-yang.
“What brings you here?”
Grandfather, dressed like a wealthy merchant, let out a scoff and spoke.
“Have I come to a place I shouldn’t be?”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it! If Grandfather is here, what about the family?”
Ever since the Murim Alliance had been attacked by the Demonic Cult, not only the Mudang Sect but several families and sects of the Orthodox Path had come under successive assault from the Demonic Cult. Those unprepared were sealed away, and in the worst cases, entire clans were annihilated.
Moreover, with such a Demonic Cult backing them, the heterodox factions had run rampant as well.
Grandfather’s very whereabouts had become an extremely sensitive matter.
“And Father is here too—why have you brought so many Baek Geom Disciples?”
Grandfather and Father were disguised as merchants, while the Baek Geom Disciples appeared as their escorts.
“Tsk, you worry over nothing. Fear not. No one has discovered that we’ve come here. This face-changing technique you created is truly excellent.”
Grandfather and Father had altered their faces using the face-changing technique.
Their manner of speech, their voices, their bearing—all were identical to Grandfather’s, yet their faces were completely different, which felt strange even as I acknowledged it.
The face-changing technique that Grandfather and Father used this time was something Father and I had devised together by putting our heads together. In other words, it was an adaptation based on the Demonic Cult’s White Mask Transformation Art.
It had been possible because I had used my Golden Eyes to discern the structure of the White Mask Transformation Art and commit it to memory.
Originally, the White Mask Transformation Art, true to its nature as a Demonic Cult technique, carried considerable pain and side effects.
Father and I had reduced the pain and side effects, modifying it so the body would not suffer strain. However, it was difficult to learn, required reapplication every half day, and had limitations in how much the appearance could be altered.
The Baek Li Family did possess a face-changing technique passed down through generations. However, its practical application was far too limited.
‘Even the slightest circulation of inner energy caused the reversal technique to unravel….’
Baek Li Pae-hyuk touched his face with satisfaction as he spoke.
“Those fools couldn’t even recognize it.”
“Those fools?”
“Haha, greetings, young lady.”
Just then, Dae-gae emerged from a corner and bowed to me.
“Congratulations on defeating the Donghobang Master. Severing both arms—how merciful of you.”
I laughed bitterly.
Merciful? My actions had been almost mercenary in nature, but regardless, Donghobang belonged to the Black Gangs.
Whether the armless master survived would depend on his usual conduct, his relationships with other factions, and the character of his subordinates.
“Thank you.”
Dae-gae spoke with genuine admiration and fervor.
“To defeat the Donghobang Master at your age—people won’t believe it easily when they hear your story. I witnessed the duel myself, and it was truly remarkable.”
Dae-gae’s eyes flickered toward the sword at my waist. He was clearly curious about the technique of drawing from empty space.
I ignored this and looked at Baek Li Pae-hyuk with embarrassment.
“Could I have defeated the Donghobang Master through my own strength alone? It’s only because Grandfather stood behind me.”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk nodded contentedly, stroking his beard.
“You understand well.”
“Besides, well… Ah! His skills seemed purchased with money.”
My father and grandfather nodded in understanding.
Only Dae-gae’s eyes showed confusion.
Should someone like that really be handling information?
I explained for Dae-gae’s benefit.
“His inner energy was profound, but he seemed to lack practical combat experience.”
Particularly, he seemed to have little experience fighting true masters.
Dae-gae scratched his head foolishly and laughed.
“Ah, I understand now. That makes sense. The Donghobang Master has been at the forefront for nearly twenty years.”
The previous old master who founded Donghobang died suddenly one day while indulging in wine and women.
Naturally, everyone expected the eldest son to inherit Donghobang, but the fourth son—who had kept a low profile and focused solely on making money—joined forces with several executives beneath the master and systematically murdered his older brothers before claiming the master’s seat.
That was the current Donghobang Master, whom I had rendered one-armed.
He and the executives who sided with him seized control of Donghobang, and…
And that was the extent of his capabilities.
At the time, he possessed enough martial prowess to defeat his older brothers one by one. It was impossible to fathom how he had concealed such skill.
But after becoming master, he indulged recklessly and devoted himself to wine and women like his father, and his skills deteriorated.
There were those among the Black Gangs who coveted Donghobang’s power, certainly…
But the master, skilled at earning money, hired and employed masters with his wealth.
“He resolved his martial weakness through money. There’s nothing money can’t solve, but money has no loyalty.”
The masters hired by Donghobang quickly withdrew when they faced me. If they touched me, Grandfather would intervene, and that wasn’t worth the cost.
Baek Li Pae-hyuk gazed at me with eyes full of pride.
“Grandfather, don’t worry! I didn’t rush in blindly. I investigated carefully and determined it was worth doing.”
Of course, the Beggar Sect’s assistance played a significant role in identifying them.
That was when Father spoke.
“Don’t forget that you were able to fight so smoothly this time partly because of Ryu-cheong’s support.”
At his sudden words, I bit my lip.
Dae-gae interjected from the side like a prompt.
“Now that I think about it, the Namgung Prince utterly destroyed the two Black Sword Faction branches that were cooperating with Donghobang.”
When we first stormed Donghobang, we couldn’t sweep them all away at once partly because we couldn’t locate the Donghobang Master, but also because I sustained injuries from other Black Gangs who came to aid Donghobang during the battle.
Though the wounds weren’t severe, I judged it impossible to continue fighting and withdrew.
And afterward, when Namgung Ryu-cheong arrived in Ak-yang, he literally obliterated the two Black Sword Faction branches that had been supporting Donghobang, just as Dae-gae said.
After that, the other Black Gangs became reluctant to aid Donghobang.
Grandfather rebuked me.
“Why speak of such things? And Ui-gang, doesn’t Yeon understand that as well?”
Father gazed at me, then spoke calmly.
“Yes, I spoke out of turn.”
As Father lowered his head, Grandfather turned to address me.
“Yeon, I understand that you weighed various circumstances and confronted Donghobang. Still, be even more cautious going forward.”
His voice carried a hint of hidden meaning.
Then Dae-gae, who had been carefully gauging the mood, spoke.
“The Donghobang Master had hired the Seomseoyukssal.”
“The Seomseoyukssal?”
Dae-gae spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“Yes. They were hired so secretly that we were late in discovering it.”
The Seomseoyukssal were notorious assassins.
As their name suggested, they were six assassins from Seomseong, and they were famous for invariably succeeding in any contract they accepted.
He had hired a far more formidable force than I’d anticipated.
‘So that’s why he was so confident.’
Moreover, since Seomseong, the primary operational territory of the Seomseoyukssal, was distant from Hunan Province where the Baek Li Family resided, if they eliminated me and fled to Seomseong, what could Grandfather do?
Would Grandfather chase them all the way to Seomseong and search that vast region for the Seomseoyukssal?
“Right. He probably intended to have them attack first, before you faced the Donghobang Master one-on-one.”
“I sensed something like a trap, but so that was it.”
I nodded slowly.
I knew a trap had been laid, but I trusted in my golden eyes’ ability.
If I detected anything suspicious, I planned to observe the situation rather than rush in immediately.
“But why didn’t they appear? Wait… could it be… Grandfather?”
As I tilted my head in confusion, my eyes brightened as I looked at Grandfather.
“Grandfather, thank you.”
Grandfather stroked his beard and nodded slowly.
Then Father interjected.
“It was your father who dealt with the Seomseoyukssal.”
“What!”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk stared at Baek Li-ui-gang in utter disbelief.
I opened my eyes wide, then gazed up at my father with an expression of admiration and respect, speaking with genuine awe.
“Father faced them yourself? You’re not injured, are you?”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk interjected again, his voice sharp and commanding.
“With me standing right here, what could possibly concern you?”
Baek Li-ui-gang spoke as though he were merely stating a simple fact with perfect composure.
“There was no need for your grandfather to intervene.”
“My mere presence alone was enough to bind their hands and feet.”
“That was hardly necessary. I could have handled them.”
“What did you say?”
“Enough, both of you! Please stop!”
Honestly, it seemed the two of them were bickering more intensely with each passing moment.
Father had always presented himself with utmost respect and dignity in Grandfather’s presence, yet I couldn’t fathom when this had changed.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————