The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 67

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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 67
Namgung Wan continued to track those who had attacked Palgwae Village. Yet he had uncovered nothing of significance. And now, what Shim Bu-gwan had discovered while investigating Man Shin-ui’s Alchemy Chamber in Palgwae Village was this.
[Jo Chung left behind a cipher before his death.]
[Jo Chung… I see.]
Jo Chung was a Namgung Warrior whom I had sent ahead to watch over Man Shin-ui. Based on the sequence of events, it appeared that while Jo Chung was keeping watch over Man Shin-ui, he had detected suspicious movements directed toward Palgwae Village.
It seemed that Jo Chung, having headed toward Palgwae Village, had died fighting to protect Man Shin-ui.
Namgung Wan straightened from his reclined posture, his eyes gleaming with intensity.
[Then who was it?]
[Assassins from Gwisalmun.]
Namgung Wan wiped the frown from his face.
[This situation is developing in a peculiar manner.]
[Shall we attempt to track Gwisalmun now? Though I suspect our prospects for success are slim.]
[No, there’s no need. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t.]
[Sir?]
[Gwisalmun was annihilated not long ago.]
Shim Bu-gwan’s eyes widened in shock.
Assassin sects do not reveal their identities. Yet death always leaves traces. When those traces accumulate, a name eventually emerges.
Gwisalmun had been among the three most formidable assassin sects in the Central Plains. For such an organization to be utterly destroyed? That was no trivial feat.
[Could Gwisalmun’s annihilation be connected to Man Shin-ui’s death?]
[I cannot say. Even if I wished to know, they are all dead now… Let us go directly to Father. This is not a matter I should judge alone.]
[Yes.]
Just as Shim Bu-gwan and Namgung Wan were about to leave, Baek Li-yeon, who had been passing by the wall of the Medical Chamber in the distance, suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Both Namgung Wan and Shim Bu-gwan looked on in alarm.
“What is it? Did she fall?”
Shim Bu-gwan urgently grabbed Namgung Wan’s waist as he was about to rush forward.
“Family Head! Wait a moment and observe. It appears the young lady sat down deliberately rather than falling.”
“What?”
At Shim Bu-gwan’s words, Namgung Wan infused his inner energy into his eyes to see more clearly.
Upon closer inspection, her posture was indeed different from someone who had stumbled or fallen. And beside Baek Li-yeon, Namgung Ryu-cheong was fidgeting and saying something.
Though I heightened my hearing by channeling inner energy, the distance was too great to discern their conversation.
“What are those two doing in the middle of the street? Have they no shame?”
Unable to contain himself, Namgung Wan took a step forward when Namgung Ryu-cheong suddenly shouted.
“…Yes! Just do it!”
Namgung Wan spoke in exasperation.
“Do what? What on earth are they doing?”
Soon after, Namgung Ryu-cheong sat down before Baek Li-yeon. Then Baek Li-yeon, springing to her feet, promptly climbed onto his back.
Both Namgung Wan and Shim Bu-gwan were so startled that their jaws fell open.
The Old Physician, having finished his work, emerged and asked.
“My goodness, what are you two doing here? And what has so astonished you?”
“Elder, please look over there!”
“What is there to see? My eyesight isn’t good enough to make out something so far away.”
“You can’t see it? You’re telling me you can’t see Young Master carrying Miss Baek Li-yeon on his back?”
“Huh?!”
Later, Namgung Wan’s curiosity got the better of him, and he asked Namgung Ryu-cheong why he had carried Baek Li-yeon on his back at that moment. But Namgung Ryu-cheong refused to open his mouth about it, and the truth remained forever unknown.
* * *
About ten people occupied their respective positions in the silent great hall. The sound of a heavy door opening echoed, followed by light footsteps.
Everyone prostrated themselves without even breathing.
“Listen.”
The figure who approached the seat sat down casually and looked down at those kneeling before him.
“It seems the Murim Alliance has caught wind of Gwisalmun’s destruction.”
A man kneeling alone in the center responded immediately.
“Sect Leader, the handling of Gwisalmun was flawless.”
“Flawless?”
The Sect Leader’s head tilted slightly.
“I misspoke.”
“It matters little if those sluggards learn of it. I’m curious what they could possibly uncover. However, the Namgung Clan participates in the Alliance’s investigation.”
The Murim Alliance’s investigation team, born from the endless coalitions and divisions of the Martial World, would normally conduct a superficial investigation into the destruction of an assassination sect and call it done.
There was no benefit to be gained from investigating an assassination sect, so it was only natural. But if the Namgung Clan had involved themselves, that changed everything. A child under their protection had nearly died in this incident. They would stop at nothing to uncover the culprit and restore their honor.
The Sect Leader, drumming his fingers on the armrest, spoke.
“Chong Gun-sa.”
“You called for me, Sect Leader?”
A voice came from behind the left side of the seat.
“What do you think should be done?”
“Wi Ji-baek would suffice. Something simple yet honorable would be enough.”
“Good.”
At the Sect Leader’s gesture, Chong Gun-sa departed from the great hall.
Soon after, the Sect Leader spoke to the man kneeling in the center.
“Come here.”
The kneeling man approached cautiously, his body tense. When his uncertain steps halted, unsure how far to go, the Sect Leader raised his hand. Suddenly, the man suspended in mid-air was pulled swiftly to the Sect Leader’s feet.
The man’s complexion turned deathly pale.
Void Seizure—a legendary martial technique said to be executable only by supreme masters. This ability to move objects through inner force without physical contact became more difficult the greater the distance and the larger and heavier the object.
Moreover, using it on a living being with consciousness consumed vast amounts of inner force, even if the target was small. This was because life naturally resisted the inner force attempting to control it.
Naturally, it was accepted doctrine that people could not be targets of Void Seizure.
The depth of the Sect Leader’s inner force was unfathomable. The Sect Leader spoke calmly to the man, whose face had turned ashen.
“Lower your head.”
At the Sect Leader’s voice, the man carefully bowed his head, and the moment the Sect Leader’s pale hand rested on the crown of his head—
“…!”
The man’s form collapsed without a sound. His fluttering robes slowly descended to the floor as gray powder scattered in a hazy cloud.
No one in the Sect Leader’s Hall made a sound or showed any sign of surprise.
In the chilling silence, female servants appeared from nowhere and quickly swept away the scattered clothing and powder from the floor.
The Sect Leader, who had been tapping his armrest in a steady rhythm, spoke.
“Woo Sa-do, what are your thoughts?”
“It appears Heaven itself aids our Sect.”
“Aids our Sect?”
“Yes. Baek Li-yeon’s survival of the landslide was an unforeseen outcome, but it has rendered unnecessary our need to locate Man Shin-ui’s Alchemy Chamber while evading the Murim Alliance’s scrutiny.”
“Hmm.”
The Sect Leader nodded and spoke.
“The Baek Family?”
“They remain.”
“Can we not recover them?”
“They are foolish and greedy, and recent grievances run deep—a slight provocation would suffice. However, doing so would make it difficult to escape the attention of both the Namgung Clan and the Baek Li Family. The probability of open conflict is high.”
The Sect Leader turned his head and fixed Woo Sa-do with an unwavering gaze.
Woo Sa-do dropped to his knees abruptly.
“I beg your forgiveness.”
“…Very well. For now, we must focus on recovery.”
With those words, the Sect Leader fell silent, and stillness descended upon the Sect Leader’s Hall.
“Eighty percent.”
The Sect Leader rose to his feet.
“We shall recover Baek Li-ui-gang once his poisoning has deepened beyond eighty percent.”
“I accept your command.”
At that moment, someone standing at the edge of the Sect Leader’s Hall stepped forward and prostrated himself.
“Sect Leader.”
“7th Division Commander. How dare you presume to speak without knowing your place!”
Woo Sa-do’s voice cracked like thunder.
The others in the Sect Leader’s Hall regarded the kneeling 7th Division Commander with cold eyes. This was hardly surprising—the division that had failed consecutive missions was the 7th Division, and the man who had just been reduced to dust also belonged to it.
The 7th Division Commander spoke quietly, his head bowed.
“I have a report to deliver.”
The Sect Leader raised his hand to silence Woo Sa-do and addressed the 7th Division Commander.
“Speak.”
“We have received word that the Jegal Clan is making moves against the Namgung Clan.”
Ordinarily, this report would have been delivered by a man under the 7th Division Commander’s command. But he had been reduced to dust before he could even submit it. Forced by necessity, the 7th Division Commander had rushed to deliver the report himself.
The Sect Leader spoke in an even tone.
“It seems the Jegal Family Head has learned of Baek Li-yeon. How pitiful—even bearing the Heavenly Curse, she still clings to life.”
The 7th Division Commander dropped to his knees.
“I shall accept whatever punishment you decree.”
Yet the Sect Leader’s gaze did not turn toward him.
“Man Shin-ui, Yalyu, and the Jegal Family Head.”
A faint smile flickered across the Sect Leader’s expressionless face as he gazed into the void. Several in the hall swallowed dryly, and the 7th Division Commander pressed himself flat against the floor.
“All coincidence is ordained for the sake of the seeker.”
“….”
“So this time it’s Baek Li-yeon? Our Sect’s dominion over the world grows ever shorter.”
The Sect Leader gazed upon the 7th Division Commander.
“Prepare a gift for the occasion.”

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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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