Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 122

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Martial Arts AU: Misunderstood Ending Genre Change (2)

But how could she escape?

‘I’m too small and precious an ordinary person.’

Until she turned 9, Ara had grown up under her parents’ excessive overprotection. She never did anything alone. Even when taking a nap by herself, someone was always with her. Even within Yihwa Palace, Ara’s dwelling in the Imperial Palace, at least two maids were always assigned to her. Though Ara couldn’t see them, there was always a guard stationed within sensing distance of her presence.

When she thought of it as being protected, it felt incredibly comfortable and reassuring, but now that she needed to escape, it seemed utterly hopeless.

Moreover, even if the surveillance disappeared, that would be a problem too.

The Imperial Palace of the Heavenly Demon Sect was built in the deepest part of Heavenly Mountain.

It was an impregnable fortress that had never once been conquered.

That meant Ara couldn’t possibly walk out with her insignificant, slow feet.

Though Ara had learned lightness skills, being somewhat faster on her feet wasn’t enough to escape that impregnable fortress or treacherous mountains. Ara briefly looked out the window.

The scenery she had seen every day for 9 years was beautiful, but thinking she had to escape through there on her own feet, it looked like nothing short of hell.

Not only were there sheer cliffs and strange rock formations, but the sea of clouds stretched endlessly without a visible end.

‘Crazy, why would anyone go through there.’

But she had to go.

Moreover, even escaping the Imperial Palace would be problematic. Below the Imperial Palace were villages where the believers lived. Not just one or two either.

‘The region where our sect is located, in terms of my previous life, was the western edge… around Xinjiang Uyghur, wasn’t it?’

Ara, who had been about to spread out paper to plan her escape, became momentarily solemn.

Was it real that to visit Korea in this life, she would have to cross the Asian continent? It was too far.

Ara also considered routes going westward. The historical setting in martial arts novels was usually a mix of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Since airplanes and cars didn’t seem to exist, and printed materials weren’t well developed either, she could assume neighboring countries were at a similar level. However, she faced a major problem.

‘I can’t speak English.’

Ara wasn’t fluent in English. She wasn’t even sure if the English she learned in her previous life would work now.

‘Let’s try moving within China first.’

At least she needed to be able to communicate to make a living…

Ara decided to go to Luoyang.

The reason was simple.

Because it was the region most difficult for the Heavenly Demon Sect to reach.

Luoyang housed the headquarters of the Martial Arts Alliance.

And near Henan Province where Luoyang was located, there were many representative orthodox sects. From Shaolin to Mount Hua, Zhongnan, and Wudang.

‘Still, having lived as a believer for 9 years, I feel some resistance.’

Ara chuckled.

Ara had never seen anyone from the orthodox sects since birth.

All she had heard were the elders who doted on her occasionally cursing among themselves, calling them “cowardly bastards” and “hypocritical bastards with different faces inside and out.” The guards didn’t seem to like them much either, and though they tried not to speak in front of young Ara, she could sometimes sense killing intent leaking out, suggesting they harbored deep grudges.

Ara liked both the Council of Elders and the guards. So she wanted to dislike what they disliked. Because it troubled the people she cherished.

However, precisely because of this, there was no better place for Ara to flee and hide than Luoyang.

‘If I’m lucky enough to escape, no matter how capable our sect is, it would be difficult to ransack Luoyang like looking into the palm of one’s hand.’

Ara pursed her lips and sighed.

With a 9-year-old body, there was nothing she could do. No matter how much she worried, for now she could only decide on her destination and goal.

‘For now, let me practice lightness skills to death…’

She needed to become at least a first-rate master.

Ara clenched her fist and steeled her resolve.

***

Five years passed from then.

Ara, who had been diagnosed with a weak constitution by her parents, devoted herself to training as if she had become a different person.

As if responding to Ara’s enthusiasm, her parents, the Council of Elders, and the Law Enforcement Association brought various spiritual medicines like swallows bringing food to their chicks. When she turned eleven, Ara opened her conception and governing vessels under her father’s guidance. The internal energy built through Taiji mental cultivation was pure but small in quantity, while the internal energy gained from spiritual medicines was abundant. Thanks to this, she became a half-baked first-rate master with abundant internal energy but no enlightenment. In terms of internal energy quantity alone, she surpassed even supreme masters.

“Eating too much isn’t good either.”

“You’re talking as if I’m some kind of pig.”

“Who said you’re a pig? I’m saying you only need to eat what I give you since it could be poisonous.”

Saihyeon smiled wryly.

Ara looked disgusted and glared at him.

“Don’t you have anything to do? Why do you keep coming here like this?”

“Is it a problem for me to come see my fiancée?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be bad if you neglected your training and someone else became my fiancé.”

Ara muttered indifferently.

If you don’t become the male lead, that might actually be better. Then I wouldn’t have to act coldly toward this innocent boy and hurt him. Of course, then I’d have to do the same thing to whoever else became my fiancé…

‘Anyone would be better as long as it’s not Saihyeon.’

Ara’s tiny conscience cried out in pain.

“Someone else?”

“Yes, anyone but you…”

“Do you think I’d let anyone other than me become your fiancé, Ara?”

Ara unconsciously looked up at Saihyeon. His voice sounded extremely cold, but Saihyeon was smiling as usual. Beautifully like sunshine. She must have misheard. Ara shrugged her shoulders.

“If you neglect your training and a believer superior to you appears, it would change, wouldn’t it?”

“That won’t happen.”

“Well, if you keep coming to me whenever you have time…”

Ara glanced at the flowers on the table.

“Giving me things like this, I think being overtaken by someone else would happen quickly?”

“I said that won’t happen.”

“There’s nothing in this world that can’t happen. Ah, forget it. I don’t want to see you, so please leave now.”

“Do you really hate seeing me that much?”

Ara hesitated.

How could she hate seeing him?

‘Why is he making that face again…’

It was like the face of a puppy raised for over ten years being abandoned by its owner. Ara bit the inside of her cheek. Saihyeon with teary eyes was pretty enough to ruin several countries. If Ara were the emperor, she would have granted everything Saihyeon wanted regardless of whether the country perished. But Ara wasn’t the emperor, and she was a villainess whose life was currently in danger.

What kind of male lead even has coquettish abilities?

And why isn’t he using them on the female lead but wastefully on the villainess?

‘This bastard obsessed with social climbing!’

Even though Ara was the sect leader’s only daughter, she had no real power, yet he was doing his best to win her over.

Saihyeon was a lion-like male lead.

“It’s not that I dislike you.”

Finally, Ara, whose heart had softened, spoke quietly. As she sat in her chair and lowered her head, Saihyeon knelt in front of her and looked up from below. Ara couldn’t raise her eyes due to guilt. Saihyeon’s hand that grasped her hand was rough with thick, bumpy knuckles, unlike his refined face.

Saihyeon was a good fiancé.

Even though it was a nominal engagement, he visited Ara at least once a month to bring her gifts.

Once a month was when he was busy; in reality, he would drop by whenever he had time, even briefly, to see her face. He never came empty-handed. As if he wouldn’t lose to the guard brothers or elder grandfathers, he would buy silk and jewelry accessories with money from who knows where.

If he had just given gifts, she would have returned them, but Saihyeon acted vulnerable to Ara like this every time. He would tell her she was pretty, and his affectionate feelings would overflow visibly in his attitude and face.

How could she not grow attached?

Ara was human too. It was human nature to want to give something back in return for what one received.

“Why do you like me so much anyway?”

“I like you because I like you, what reason do I need?”

“I don’t even remember when we met.”

“It’s okay because I remember.”

What kind of romantic is this?

‘Acting like this when you’ll abandon me completely later when Saint Genevieve appears.’

If you were just going to abandon me, that would be one thing, but you’re going to kill me.

No, no.

Ara bit her lip.

Unlike her initial thought that she wouldn’t need to run away if it was just breaking off the engagement, Ara had now firmly decided that she must escape no matter what.

She couldn’t help but grow attached, and her heart couldn’t help but waver.

Ara wasn’t confident she wouldn’t be jealous when Saihyeon brought Saint Genevieve and had his heart stolen by her.

If it wasn’t mine from the beginning, that would be fine, but if Saihyeon were to become mine.

Ara steeled her heart and coldly shook off Saihyeon’s hand.

“Get out. Please get out.”

“Ara.”

“I said get out!”

“….”

Ara squeezed her eyes shut. Ara let Saihyeon lift her hair and stroke it regretfully. She endured without opening her eyes until he left, and soon he let out a small sigh and left the room. Ara only opened her eyes after a long while.

On the table lay a single white lotus flower.

Beside it, a small spark arose, then blazed up as a chick wreathed in flames appeared.

It was Noi, the phoenix spirit.

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