The Time-Limited Elixir of the Ruined Clan - Chapter 105

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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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Fallen Noble Families’ Limited Lifespan, Episode 105

“Ju, Ju Ran?”
She and Peng Ju Ran had traveled together by canal to the Nam Gung Family Estate, but this was the first time she’d seen him take the lead while they were together.
“I want to do it—don’t you, So Hyeong?”
“Huh? Yeah… yeah, that’s right.”
“Mind if I join in too?”
“The more of us there are, the better!”
At Dan Mok Ryeon’s cheerful words, Peng Ju Ran exhaled a short breath of relief.
Geum Jong Ha, watching the scene unfold, pushed out his lower lip in clear displeasure.
“I told you I’d be your study partner.”
“Come on, it’s more fun when we all do it together.”
Geum Jong Ha shot Ak So Hyeong a look that said ‘What’s so good about it?’ While the prickly Ak So Hyeong locked eyes with Geum Jong Ha in silent quarrel, Peng Ju Ran quietly drew closer.
“Isn’t the Dan Mok Clan renowned for the blade? You seem well-versed in spear technique too.”
“Whether it’s a blade or a spear, they’re both weapons, so the fundamentals are the same, right? Besides, we don’t only use swords. Seong took up the saber.”
As Dan Mok Ryeon spoke, she subtly tugged at Dan Mok Seong’s arm, and though Seong held her head high, she didn’t pull away.
Peng Ju Ran glanced at Dan Mok Seong with somewhat surprised eyes, then caught a glimpse of the saber at her waist and nodded.
“I see… Did anyone in the clan say anything about it?”
To Peng Ju Ran’s question, Dan Mok Seong answered in a clipped voice.
“Of course the elders can say whatever they wish. But my path is one I carve myself.”
“…!”
The words sounded so impressive to the children’s ears that they all fell silent for a moment, then Geum Jong Ha began clapping first, exclaiming “That’s magnificent, Seong!” and everyone else followed with cheers and applause.
Watching this, Dan Mok Ryeon burst out laughing and clapped along.
Dan Mok Seong’s face flushed, but she didn’t tell them to stop—she only turned her head away sharply.

* * *

“Ju Ran, why did you want to do that study session?”
Ak So Hyeong, who had boldly declared his enthusiasm but now found his worries taking precedence, asked Peng Ju Ran the question.
Peng Ju Ran, whose expression had been subtle since earlier, scratched the back of his head.
“She seemed… a bit odd.”
“Odd how?”
“Well, to be precise…”
Peng Ju Ran paused to gather his thoughts, then spoke.
“She’d never seen your spear technique before, so how did she understand it that well?”
“Huh?”
Ak So Hyeong blinked.
Peng Ju Ran waved his hand dismissively, saying it was nothing.
“I was just curious. I thought maybe if we studied together, I’d figure out what’s what. Plus, that Dan Mok Seong uses the saber, so I’m curious about that too.”
“Ah, I see…”
“If one of them used the spear, you’d be curious, wouldn’t you?”
“Well… I suppose so.”
‘But Dan Mok Ryeon doesn’t even use the spear—so how did she understand all of it?’
Because she understood everything, because she had recognized him, Ak So Hyeong’s attention had been utterly captivated by Dan Mok Ryeon’s words.
That a proud man like Ak So Hyeong would apologize without resistance was because his heart had softened when faced with someone who had acknowledged his spear technique—in any other circumstance, it would have been unthinkable.
He would have cursed and declared he could never apologize to a branch family member, whether he’d lost or not.
‘I thought he’d mock her when she stopped, saying she couldn’t even do that.’
Surely some of the children watching had harbored such thoughts.
Yet the way it all resolved so smoothly—it felt as though they were witnessing the activation of some mysterious Qi Men Array Formation that she didn’t understand at all.
Ak So Hyeong suddenly grew animated and spoke of his spear arts, the watching children fell under a spell and listened intently, then he awkwardly and sheepishly apologized, and now they were all agreed to study together.
‘What… is this, some sort of fairy tale?’
So Peng Ju Ran decided to participate in that study session as well. It seemed he needed to observe this strange phenomenon from nearby.

* * *

The night had grown deep.
Lanterns hung from the eaves of the Palace Hall, glowing like the moon. Beneath them, two elderly men who had been discussing Swordsmanship while passing a Wine Cup back and forth felt the commotion outside and set down their cups.
One of the two, Nam Gung Hwan, furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue, then gestured for Chong Gwan to approach.
“What is it?”
Chong Gwan hesitated for a moment before reporting to Nam Gung Hwan what he had learned.
Nam Gung Hwan listened in silence, then raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.
“The children decided to do Autonomous Training together this evening?”
“Yes. Dan Mok Ryeon of the Dan Mok Clan proposed it, and it brought together Peng Ju Ran of the Haebok Peng Family, Ak So Hyeong of the Shandong Ak Family, and Geum Jong Ha of the Geum Ga Jang. They gathered to study together until just recently, then returned to their quarters.”
“Those rascals all agreed to gather and study just like that?”
“Yes, they made a wager with Dan Mok Ryeon, and…”
After hearing the details of the wager, Nam Gung Hwan nodded in understanding, dismissed Chong Gwan, and let out a breathless laugh.
“So the children gathered together to study, all the way out here?”
Dan Mok Cheon Gi, seated across from Nam Gung Hwan, hid his faint smile behind his teacup.
Nam Gung Hwan caught that smile and shot Dan Mok Cheon Gi a sidelong glance.
“No wonder you came so quickly when we called. You wanted to show off your granddaughters, didn’t you?”
“You summoned me, and now you complain that I arrived? Should I leave then? And what am I supposed to do about the fact that my children happen to be sharp?”
The two men bickered as they drained an entire pot of wine.
“The Moyong Family seems likely to arrive tomorrow.”
“I thought they never participated in such gatherings.”
Dan Mok Cheon Gi spoke while swirling his empty cup.
The Moyong Family was located in Liaoning Province, well north of the upper end of the Gyeong Hang Grand Canal, and had no history of attending such meetings.
“They’re coming because you said you’d be here.”
“Why would they want to see this old man’s face?”
“Are you trying to play dumb? You know what lies beyond their territory to the north, don’t you?”
……
Dan Mok Cheon Gi stopped his moving hand. The Moyong Family’s location was indeed far to the north, but beyond them, in even colder lands……
Dan Mok Cheon Gi shook his head with a bitter expression.
“That’s not a story that would unfold as conveniently as I might wish.”
“My, what a foolish sentiment I’m hearing.”
“Stop spouting nonsense. More to the point—Dan Mok Ryeon has come all this way and gathered the children to study together, so where are your grandchildren? Why have we heard nothing from them?”
“Ah, no! Here I was offering you kind words, and now you attack me out of nowhere!”
“I’m not attacking—I’m simply asking.”
“Our children will join in as well! Surely your grandchildren haven’t excluded mine and left them out, have they?”
“That’s something the children will decide among themselves. If we interfere, it won’t be truly autonomous anymore, will it?”
“Goodness, what a meticulous old man! We have a duty to guide the young ones properly!”

* * *

The children didn’t seem eager to study, but they disliked being excluded from the group even more. That was why they ended up training together late into the night.
‘Is it more like a stage for everyone to show off to everyone else, rather than actual study? Is that why they’re so excited?’
As they gathered one by one, it became noisy—”I can do that too,” “I can manage that,” “I know that one.”
“You don’t want to learn Spear Technique? Ah, no, I was just asking!”
It was then that Ak So Hyeong thoughtlessly asked Dan Mok Ryeon, only to receive such a sharp look from Dan Mok Seong that he startled and waved his hands in alarm.
The answer came not from Dan Mok Seong or Dan Mok Ryeon, but from Geum Jong Ha, speaking with great pride.
“Our Dan Mok Ryeon possesses such dazzling talent with the blade—why would she suddenly take up the spear?”
“This is unheard of!”
“So are you famous? Are you?”
“I am famous! The Shandong Divine Spear, Ak So Hyeong! You haven’t heard of me?”

“Creating a title by tacking on your region and weapon together? That went out of fashion in our past life! Anyone can do that. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even accept something like the Zhejiang Divine Blade.”

……!
In an instant, Ak So Hyeong’s face flushed red. Now that he thought about it, he felt ashamed of himself.
“This…… is infuriating……”
When Dan Mok Ryeon thought it was time to stop and tried to quiet the children, she noticed something.
A small boy had entered her field of vision—a child peering around from near the wall of the Guest Hall quarters.
……!
The moment the child met Dan Mok Ryeon’s eyes, his shoulders shrank. Then Geum Jong Ha recognized him.
“Nam Gung Seo Jin?”
“Seo Jin?”
“That’s Seo Geon’s younger brother, isn’t it?”
The boy hesitated for a moment, then caught sight of Dan Mok Ryeon’s gesture and edged forward, uncertain.
“Ah… hello. I’m Nam Gung Seo Jin…….”
His manner was utterly different from his elder brother’s fluent tongue—soft, almost fragile.
“Hello, I’m Dan Mok Ryeon. Were you watching from over there?”
“Yes? Yes…… it looked fun…….”
“Are you thinking of including him in the training too?”
Dan Mok Seong asked quietly. There was something sharp beneath her tone, and Nam Gung Seo Jin’s shoulders tensed.
Dan Mok Ryeon regarded him with a smile.
“Would you like to join us? We’re not doing anything grand, but.”
Until now it had been little more than a scattered display of skills, though it clearly seemed entertaining enough through a child’s eyes. Nam Gung Seo Jin nodded eagerly.
“Yes, I… I’d like to. I brought a Wooden Sword too…….”

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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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