The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 267

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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 267
I hadn’t ascended to the Martial Arts Arena without purpose.
Every time Yalyu manifested his true energy, I observed the structure meticulously. From the framework of his qi to his sword aura, and even the protective energy enveloping his body—I studied it all with exquisite precision.
And with each clash of blades, I struck Yalyu’s true energy with my own martial power, destabilizing the very structure of his qi.
If once wasn’t enough, then twice, thrice, four times—I continued relentlessly.
Eventually, the accumulated shocks caused Yalyu’s true energy to slip beyond his control.
I lowered my sword and spoke.
“Mere defense won’t grant you victory.”
“….”
‘Ah, how exhilarating!’
Was my nature truly so wicked?
My lips curved upward without any deliberate effort.
Of course, Yalyu was showing me some restraint even now.
He was pressing forward with his attacks, yes. But he hadn’t unleashed the lethal intent that he wielded so effortlessly against others.
Naturally, I hadn’t used lethal intent against him either. But I had never been one to rely heavily on such techniques, whereas Yalyu’s every sword form typically carried traces of killing intent.
I smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. Despite appearances, I’m quite well-versed in demonic cultivation.”
“….”
Yalyu simply stared, his lips stained with blood. Then, suddenly, he spoke.
“I can’t.”
His voice was low and subdued.
I tilted my head.
“You….”
Then he fell silent again. After attempting to speak several times, his expression returned to its usual blankness.
Yalyu’s aura swiftly transformed into the cold, mechanical presence he always carried. And gradually, the crimson hue of his eyes deepened, becoming more vivid and saturated.
[I didn’t want to show this much.]
Around Yalyu, who was transmitting his voice, a crimson energy began to spread subtly.
Not perfectly divided, but the left side leaned toward black while the right side leaned toward red.
Grrrrk.
[…I didn’t need to show techniques I didn’t want to.]
[But I’m curious.]
Yalyu’s lips had turned deathly pale, contrasting sharply with the fresh blood still staining them.
[How you’ll stop it.]
Black and crimson energy flowed down Yalyu’s arms, coalescing upon his blade. It resembled a black dragon and a crimson dragon ascending the sword itself.
His voice transmission reached me.
[My advice: don’t block it. Evade.]
Yalyu swung his sword.
The force behind Yalyu’s strike felt utterly unremarkable.
One might even question whether this was truly a supreme technique. Yet the movement itself was extraordinarily bizarre.
The two energies—the black dragon and the crimson dragon—clashed fiercely as if biting each other’s tails, as if they were attempting to consume one another.
I had never witnessed such a method of wielding qi before.
In the instant the attack came flying, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.
I understood instinctively—splitting that qi apart was impossible. Then what should I do?
I twisted my sword to its side and gripped it firmly.
My blade, gleaming white with light, collided head-on with Yalyu’s qi. And the moment we made contact—
I felt my inner energy being violently sucked away.
My eyes widened. It was absorbing the sword aura condensed on my blade so completely that even the radiant glow vanished in an instant.
‘What is this?’
I hastily restored the sword aura before it disappeared entirely, but the devouring force showed no signs of weakening.
It wasn’t just my inner energy either. It was greedily absorbing the natural qi from the surroundings as well, quietly amplifying its destructive power.
A method I had never seen in all my life.
‘What do I do?’
Since the attack had left Yalyu’s hands, perhaps I could control it.
‘No—I have to.’
The moment I focused my consciousness on Yalyu’s qi—
“Hng!”
A groan escaped me as my head felt like it was splitting apart. It was as if I’d thrust my head directly into a raging storm.
Tsk! Tsk-tsk! Tsk-tsk-tsk!
Yalyu’s qi raged fiercely, as if refusing to acknowledge that I had seized its reins.
I barely managed to grasp the reins of those sharp, glowing energies that were tearing through my mind.
And then I understood. This cannot be stopped.
Could anyone stop a storm? That would be inhuman. And I realized the impact this qi—which had seemed insignificant at first—would have.
‘Is he insane? Unleashing something like this here?’
I abandoned the attempt to control it. Instead, I focused on preventing it from absorbing the surrounding qi. And somehow, I wrenched the direction of the reins.
Suppressing something that surged up from within, I deflected it diagonally upward in one motion.
I watched as Yalyu’s qi, which I had repelled, soared high into the sky at an angle.
Crack-pop-sizzle.
The qi that had shot into the empty air swelled up, showing no intention of dissipating.
Concentric circles spread outward from that point like ripples from a stone thrown into a lake—visible to my eyes. It felt as though space itself was warping.
“Oh.”
I quickly unfurled my sword barrier.
Boom!
…Kwaaaaaaang!
Like a cluster of lightning bombs detonating, a tremendous shockwave erupted, and screams erupted from all directions.
“Aaaahhh!”
“Duck down!”
Crack-crunch!
I also heard the sound of something collapsing and shattering.
“Help me!”
“Ahhh!”
During the Martial Arts Tournament, stray attacks flying out of control were not uncommon.
While members of the Murim Alliance were stationed to prevent this, they could not block every attack. Injuries occurred from time to time, but no one could have anticipated something like this.
I withdrew my sword barrier from within the gale-force winds so fierce that it was difficult to maintain balance.
Snap!
Fragments from unknown sources grazed my face as they flew past. The howling wind rushing past my ears was so deafening that all other sound was blocked out.
I kicked off the shattered Martial Arts Arena and surged forward.
The unexpected impact had turned the Tournament Arena into complete chaos.
Only when people could barely steady themselves did the dust from the Martial Arts Arena, pulverized by the shockwave, slowly settle.
And there, against the neck of the young man in the tattered black martial robes, rested a pristine white blade.
Someone shouted.
“She won! Baek Li-yeon has won!”
Waaaaaaaaaaa!
The roar of the crowd erupted. It was a cry that struck the ears even more forcefully than the shockwave itself. The spectators screamed in fervent excitement.
“What did I just witness?”
“Has there ever been a match like this? I have something to pass down through my generations!”
“Baek Li-yeon! Just look this way once!”
Unlike the frenzied spectators, the expressions of the Murim Alliance members were quite different.
The red canopy had vanished without a trace.
They appeared to be continuously stroking their beards with troubled expressions, or exchanging silent transmissions with one another with grave faces.
I could understand why they wore such expressions. My strength and Yalyu’s had far exceeded their expectations.
The direction of future hegemony had become far too clear.
The Judge Monk was nowhere to be found, so Gongsun Bang Chief Strategist climbed onto the Martial Arts Arena and shouted.
“Baek Li-yeon wins! The champion of this Heavenly First Martial Arts Tournament is Baek Li-yeon of the Baek Li Family!”
But the Chief Strategist’s voice was drowned out by the cheers still reverberating through the air.
I slowly withdrew my blade from Yalyu’s neck.
Apart from the blood at the corner of his mouth and his disheveled vital energy, Yalyu’s condition was relatively intact compared to mine.
‘He would naturally understand his own attack. That he would suffer such damage. And yet, an attack like this….’
My thoughts scattered into fragments. It felt as though someone were kneading my brain and draining it away.
My body no longer felt like my own—even the motion of withdrawing my blade felt like mere muscle memory, moving through countless repetitions.
At that moment, Gongsun Bang Chief Strategist, who had climbed onto the Tournament Arena, suddenly asked a question.
“…Do the two of you perhaps know each other?”
I glanced at Yalyu for a moment before answering.
“Just… a madman.”
“…Ah. Well, I see.”
The Chief Strategist trailed off ambiguously.
In the awkward silence, a lone “haha” laugh echoed out.
Who would laugh in such a situation? It was Yalyu.
I pointed at my temple with my index and middle fingers, as if to say, look at that, and made a circular motion.
The Chief Strategist offered an uncomfortable laugh and spoke.
“…Both of you should head down now and receive treatment. There will be a championship award ceremony shortly.”
The moment I nodded, something began trickling from my nostrils—a nosebleed, unmistakably.
I pressed my sleeve against the bridge of my nose and applied pressure to the acupoint. The child who had collapsed without even realizing she was bleeding no longer existed.
As weariness settled over me and my vision tilted for a moment, I felt both my arms being steadied.
“Are you alright?”
“Are you okay?”
My father stood on my left, Namgung Ryu-cheong on my right. I hadn’t even noticed them approaching in my dazed state.
Yalyu stood at a distance, watching me with an unreadable expression.
Perhaps fortunately, both of them were so focused on me that Yalyu seemed entirely preoccupied elsewhere.
I felt Namgung Ryu-cheong release his grip on my arm as my father’s gaze fell upon him.
“I’m fine. Really, I’m fine. Just need a moment to rest….”
Mid-sentence, as blood surged up my throat, I clamped my mouth shut.
Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke.
“The Namgung Family Hall has excellent medicine for internal injuries. I’ll bring some for you.”
“I appreciate your concern, but the Baek Family has sufficient medicine as well.”
At that moment, Uncle Namgung Wan—I’m not sure when he’d arrived—flashed a fierce smile at Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“You shouldn’t be concerning yourself with that right now. Just wait and see.”
His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly—clearly he wanted to throw a punch, but restrained himself out of propriety with so many eyes watching.
As I descended from the Martial Arts Arena, Yalyu had already vanished from sight.

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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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