The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 77

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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 77
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The Namgung Family Head’s voice wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t quiet either. Everyone in the Practice Hall had heard it.
Namgung Wan muttered to himself, as if chewing over the words.
“Good eyes?”
Tilting his head, Namgung Wan watched Baek Li-yeon walk away with concern.
“You’re planning to let this continue? Ryu-cheong isn’t the sort of boy to check on Yeon’s physical condition.”
“For now… let’s see how it unfolds. The Namgung Family Head seems to have his own thoughts on this.”
Baek Li-ui-gang spoke in an ambiguous tone. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked.
“Ah, but why does Yeon call the Namgung Family Head grandfather?”
“I instructed her to address him that way.”
As they exchanged their brief conversation, another match began. This time, it was entirely different from before.
Namgung Wan, watching the prolonging duel, muttered under his breath.
“Really like a little mouse… ahem, Yeon’s dodging quite remarkably.”
…
“Her footwork and body techniques are quite refined? Hmm…”
Namgung Wan thought the match was unfolding in quite an amusing way.
I launched the first strike the moment the second match began. Namgung Ryu-cheong didn’t seem surprised and calmly, deliberately blocked my attack as if gauging my strength. Even though I’d swung with resolve, the moment our wooden swords clashed, I nearly dropped mine.
‘Three times? Four times at most?’
Any more clashes and I would have lost my grip.
As I retreated hastily, Namgung Ryu-cheong countered with an offensive thrust. And I could perceive the trajectory of his sword. It felt as though nearly half of it bordered on the realm of foresight.
I evaded the relentless barrage of sword strikes in a frenzy, retreating steadily.
‘This… is working?’
Even as I dodged, my eyes widened in astonishment.
Multiple factors had converged to make this possible.
First, recently while being struck on the forehead by Cheonsan Yeom-je during training to perceive paths with my eyes, Namgung Ryu-cheong’s attacks appeared far more visible to me.
And when faced with crisis, I instinctively stepped into the footwork of the Baek Li Family that I’d practiced hundreds of times before my regression. The Baek Li Family’s swordplay and footwork were structured to deflect attacks and counterattack—in other words, they were designed to make one excel at evasion.
Finally, I had watched the matches between Namgung Ryu-cheong and Seo Ha-ryeong countless times. In other words, I was familiar with his swordplay. And though it was a shortcut, I was also drawing upon Natural Magnetism to a slight degree.
‘Just enough that my eye color wouldn’t change noticeably.’
In any case, I was essentially using inner strength.
Before long, I’d circled the Practice Hall multiple times. By this point, Namgung Ryu-cheong’s breathing had grown ragged.
It was only natural—Namgung Ryu-cheong was honestly not using his inner strength. I glanced at the Namgung Family Head, Namgung Wan, and my father. Those three would surely know that I was using my inner strength, my Natural Magnetism.
‘The fact that they’re saying nothing… means this much is acceptable, right?’
Meanwhile, Namgung Ryu-cheong firmly believed I was an inner strength cripple, so he couldn’t possibly suspect.
Namgung Ryu-cheong steadied his breathing and glared at me.
“You… stop running away.”
“Hah!”
I shouted, my expression turning serious at his jest, the resentment from hearing crude remarks about the Baek Li Family’s standards welling up inside me, and the confidence I’d gained from several successful escapes propelling my voice.
“Try catching me if you can!”
Fire flashed in Namgung Ryu-cheong’s eyes.
Did I provoke him too much?
I hurriedly ducked my head. Whoosh. A terrifying sound erupted from where I’d been standing moments before. My skin crawled with dread. It was exactly where my head had been.
“Are you insane? Are you trying to kill me?”
“You dodged it.”
“Still!”
“Be quiet.”
I scrambled backward to evade Namgung Ryu-cheong’s relentless sword strikes. Once again, we circled the Practice Hall.
“….”
“….”
I breathed heavily, my chest heaving.
‘This is exhausting!’
Though I’d evaded most of his attacks, I couldn’t escape them all. During my retreat, I’d been forced to block several of Namgung Ryu-cheong’s strikes, and now my grip had no strength left.
The wooden sword in my hand felt like a burden.
And finally, I could see that Namgung Ryu-cheong was beginning to grow accustomed to my evasion patterns.
‘And he looks slightly furious, eyes gleaming with intensity….’
This was likely the first time he’d faced an opponent who merely dodged without engaging in proper combat.
Occasionally, I glimpsed openings where I could land a meaningful blow against Namgung Ryu-cheong, but the problem was my own body. Evading was barely possible, but that was all I could manage. Even when I saw a weakness to exploit, I lacked the strength to capitalize on it.
‘Well, this is my only option.’
Looking at the wooden sword in my grip, I simply hurled it directly at Namgung Ryu-cheong. It was useless anyway—I couldn’t wield it properly. It was only getting in my way.
“…!”
Startled, Namgung Ryu-cheong batted away my wooden sword, and I closed the distance instantly. He extended his left hand—the one not holding the sword. It was far slower than Cheonsan Yeom-je’s strikes, which I’d endured countless times recently.
I twisted my body to evade his palm strike and drove my forearm outward to deflect it. I was close enough to feel the expansion of his pupils and the steadiness of his breath.
I brought my arm down sharply against the pressure point on Namgung Ryu-cheong’s sword wrist.
Thwack! A loud sound echoed, and I sighed.
“Ah….”
The strike landed true. But it lacked sufficient force.
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s grip weakened slightly, yet he didn’t drop the sword. Naturally, the wooden sword he still held was now pressed against my throat. I felt its cool touch against my neck.
I looked into Namgung Ryu-cheong’s wide eyes and conceded.
“I concede.”
“You….”
I drew a deep breath and collapsed where I stood.
“That was exhausting.”
My head was spinning. I clutched my throbbing temples while gazing up at Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“Ryu-cheong.”
“Why are you calling me so casually…”
I cut off Namgung Ryu-cheong’s protest and spoke.
“The sword is held by a person.”
“…?”
“Create something precious. Only then will you be able to surpass your limits.”
Father had drawn near to my side without my noticing.
“Yeon, you lost.”
“Yes.”
“Young master, that was an excellent match.”
“…No, it wasn’t.”
“I had originally intended to continue with more instructional sparring, but what do you think about stopping here for today? You seem to have much on your mind.”
As Father and Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke, I pushed myself up from the ground, only to collapse back down with a thud. My legs trembled uncontrollably, devoid of any strength. I made a pitiful expression and reached out my hand toward Father.
“Huff, Father, I can’t get up.”
Father grabbed my arm with an exasperated sigh and hoisted me to my feet. Then he supported me under the knee with his arm.
Namgung Ryu-cheong observed the father and daughter with an unreadable gaze.
* * *
Namgung Ryu-cheong climbed the stone steps of the pavilion mechanically.
Look at people. Create something precious.
‘What do you know about me?’
Namgung Ryu-cheong bit his lip.
Without understanding his inner turmoil.
He could simply ignore such pointless admonitions. But….
Baek Li-yeon’s gaze weighed on his mind. The emotion in her eyes was unmistakably concern. Who was worrying about whom? After just a bit of sparring, she could barely walk properly, yet her eyes held such worry.
‘Now that I think about it, her eyes seemed a bit brighter. Were they always like that?’
A sigh escaped him without his realizing it. It must be a misunderstanding. Even if it wasn’t, what did it matter to him whether her eyes were bright or not?
‘This was my loss.’
Defeat. Though he had won, it felt no different from losing. It was the complete opposite of his match with Seo Ha-ryeong. Even if the wooden sword had broken, he was confident he could have subdued her with the broken blade if he had continued.
But the match with Baek Li-yeon was different.
He hadn’t lost his sword, but if the force in his hand as he struck downward had been just slightly stronger….
‘It would have been better to pierce and break her meridian with inner strength rather than striking down… Ah, but I decided not to use inner strength. Then striking down would have been the best option. But the mistake was letting her get a foothold in the first place. Who knew she would throw her sword away? If she had twisted her body to dodge instead of deflecting the strike….’
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s steps up the stone steps had stopped. Standing in the middle of the stairs, he lost himself in replaying the match.
After dwelling on this for a long time, a thought that resurfaced made his chest tighten. Sword aura. It was strange that he couldn’t recreate it. Even when he sought advice from those around him, they all said that once you create it, you gain a powerful enlightenment. The sensation remains as if carved into your mind.
He could only say that he instinctively knew how to create sword aura—not a sensation he could explain. It was like being asked to explain how to breathe or how to blink.
Everyone said the same thing.
Fury surged like flames rising from his chest, and his vision blurred.
‘I am….’
As his mind grew distant, a sound echoed from far away.

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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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