NOVEL NEXT I Will Raise It as the Best Family in the World
Chapter 15
The Red Mist quarter, bathed in moonlight, was extremely beautiful. (t/n : I want to change crimson chamber to red mist quarter)
Tap, tap. The sound of even footsteps echoed in the garden of Red Mist quarter. The flowers began to shine even brighter as if to welcome them. Seol Jadan looked at each flower one by one. – Wife, this child’s… name is Woonyeong. Seol Woonyeong. Please remember. – Brother, no. – No. Seol Woonyeong, the daughter of Seol Jadan and Lady Dang Joyeong. – B, brother. – Wife, please remember. Our child, Seol Woonyeong – Seol… Woonyeong – Yeah, Seol Woonyeong. – Please… take care of… Yeong-ah… Each time he gazed upon a flower, he recalled the words of someone who cherished each flower dearly. Though considered a faded memory, it felt vivid, as if it had happened just yesterday. He tried to forget, but it was unforgettable. – I’m sorry, brother. When the child grows up, please give her this necklace. – You can deliver it to her by yourself, I won’t accept it. – If you deliver it, the child will appreciate it more. Seol Jadan took out the necklace she had hidden in her sleeve. The jewel shone brightly in the moonlight. – Look. This flower is really pretty, isn’t it? – That’s right, it’s really pretty. – Yes, it’s poisonous. The name is Yin Lotus Flower. I can see from your expression. Are you scared? – No, it’s not like that. – Have you heard of the Snow Lotus Flower? The Snow Lotus Flower only grows in the crevices of the cliffs in the distant Mount Tian. – In such a barren place? – Although it is a barren place, it is a place where good energy gathers. Therefore, it is said to be highly effective as a medicine, and is also called, ironically, the flower of the emperor. – It must be a really cheeky nickname. – Right? Should I move the Snow Lotus Flower to another place? It wouldn’t survive. That’s because it lacks the desired energy. But those that survive like this become Yin Lotus Flower. It creates its own energy. – Therefore. – It’s poisonous. That’s why it bloomed so red and beautiful. Brother, I. – Yes, wife. – I hope my child grows up to be like a Yin Lotus Flower. – Is that so? – Yes. No matter where she grows up, I hope she becomes a strong and beautiful child who creates her own energy. – That’s how she will grow. – If it’s Brother, I trust you’ll raise her that way. Dang Joyeong’s expression was more beautiful than a flower bathed in moonlight. Sadly, it was incredibly beautiful. ‘No, you shouldn’t have trusted me.’ Seol Jadan shook his head. She should have been held more and cared for more. It wasn’t the child creating her own energy, but Seol Jadan himself who should have raised her with his own strength. She should have grown up like Snow Lotus Flower, not Yin Lotus Flower. The child was lovely. However, whenever he faced the child, the face of the one he missed inevitably came to mind. As much as the child was adorable, his longing for Joyeong only grew stronger. That’s why it was difficult for him to see the child. Woonyeong must have sensed Seol Jadan’s feelings. ‘There’s no way she wouldn’t have known. That brilliant child, facing her father’s cowardly heart…’ Seol Jadan began learning martial arts from his father, Seol Wonpyeong, when he was five years old. He excelled in martial arts and was also highly skilled in the Five Elements. Learning various techniques and mastering them one by one was enjoyable. He was always diligent in his training. However, for some reason, using martial arts outside of training sessions wasn’t allowed. It was even forbidden to reveal to anyone that he was learning martial arts at all. The young Seol Jadan couldn’t understand it. He discovered the family’s secret when he turned twelve. It was said that protecting the Seol Family meant protecting the Murim itself. They said it was an ancestral order, but he couldn’t understand. They said they must protect the Seol Family from the dangers that may one day come to the martial arts world. Why should the power of the family not be revealed, why should the Seol family sacrifice themselves for the well-being of the Murim, and why can’t the eldest son of the Seol family live outside the Seol family home… He couldn’t understand anything. He was tired of Hong’an County, and the crouched Seol Family felt suffocating. At twenty years old, having reached the pinnacle of the first-class, there was a woman who persistently intervened to handle a conflict in front of Seol Jadan, who was involved in a dispute with the bandits during his first permitted Gangho. With her scholar-like appearance, Dang Joyeong was a beautiful and witty woman who laughed, saying, ‘I feel like I’ll die if I’m hit.’ Dang Joyeong spoke about his worries about his family, which he vaguely explained. – My thoughts are a little different, you’re just avoiding it for a while, right? It’s not like you’re completely abandoning your family. You love your family, right? At that moment, everything in the world seemed to have changed. Returning to the Seol Family wasn’t as frustrating as before. Seol Jadan accepted all responsibilities. But after reuniting with Dang Joyeong, only to have her leave this world, leaving behind only their child, everything about the Seol Jadan crumbled. – Father, why is it that you’re in hell? Hell would be enough with just me alone… And a new world was rebuilt one by one. He didn’t know Woonyeong was having such thoughts. He didn’t know she was going through such things. No, it was all an excuse. He just wanted to believe that everything was going well. Seol Jadan himself was cowardly. – You love me, right? Her voice rang in his ears again. There was no need to run away anymore. Seol Jadan began to walk slowly. And the steps got faster little by little. The warm moonlight poured down onto the quiet garden where flower petals swayed quietly. * * * When Woonyeong, who had collapsed after a commotion with Seol Dopung, woke up, Physician Son diagnosed that she was just surprised. Seol Jadan and the nanny also seemed worried about what the physician said. They returned only after confirming that Woonyeong had eaten diligently and gone to bed in front of everyone. She also expressed her determination to learn martial arts from Seol Wonpyeong. Now, she needed to plan how she would proceed with her training. ‘Whoever comes as my martial arts teacher, I should start with the Three Essentials as the foundational practice, and after making the dantian, and finally cultivate the Unified Harmony. Initially, cultivating Unified Harmony is advantageous for hiding one’s skills. Hmm, I wonder if Unified Harmony suits my current body. Theoretically, it’s perfect for now, but…’ It was a path she had already tried once before. However, martial arts isn’t about achieving the same results by simply retracing the path you’ve already taken. Even when learning the same martial arts from the same master, the achievements and levels of the disciples vary greatly. There were differences in qualifications and understanding, but the most important thing was what path each person opened. The time to learn martial arts is different from the past, the environment, and physical condition are different. In order to achieve higher and deeper, she had to think about more things. It was also Woonyeong’s responsibility to decide which path to take. ‘Hmm. It would be best if I could bring Old Man Teng as my martial arts teacher. I’ll see if I can meet him first. It’s a matter of saving lives, after all.’ Once she begins her training, Woonyeong will demonstrate faster progress than anyone else. She would manage to conceal her skills to a certain extent, but it was necessary to reveal her condition of Heavenly Martial Physique to her family. She needed someone to disclose this fact. As expected, the right person was Old Man Teng. A figure was approaching from afar. Woonyeong closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. ‘Grandfather?’ The person who carefully opened the door to the inner room and entered was Seol Wonpyeong. Woonyeong kept her eyes closed, while Seol Wonpyeong stood silently by the bedside. Seol Wonpyeong’s hand came down. The hand stopped right in front of her face without touching Woonyeong. Lowering his hand, he quietly opened his mouth. “Child, I’m sorry. How can I repay this sin… What should I do about this sin…” Seol Wonpyeong’s voice was different from his usual voice and from when he was angry in the main room earlier. The sorrowful voice was filled with regret. – You should take me with you… Why am I the only one who survived… Why me… Woonyeong recognized that voice. When missing her family, her own voice sounded similar. “I will grant whatever you desire. Go ahead and do as you wish.” Seol Wonpyeong, who had been standing for a while after speaking, moved on. Only after the presence had disappeared did Woonyeong let out the breath she had been holding. “Phew. I was surprised. I didn’t know he was thinking like that…Well, it is what it is. But still, if you say you’ll grant anything, I’ll accept.” Suddenly, it was another presence. Woonyeong controlled her breathing again and closed her eyes. Seol Jadan, entering the room quietly, didn’t make any moves. He simply watched Woonyeong from a distance. Woonyeong could sense it. She could feel it. Seol Jadan was crying. From that distance, unable to come closer, unable to make a sound. He was just crying. Seol Jadan, who had been crying for a long time, quietly opened the door and left the room. As Seol Jadan’s cautious footsteps faded into the distance and his presence completely disappeared, Woonyeong finally let out a deep sigh of relief. It was a deeply sad night for everyone in the Seol family.
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