NOVEL NEXT The Time-Limited Elixir of the Ruined Clan
Chapter 8
“Hmm, then I shall reward you. If there’s anything you want, just tell me.”
“A reward?” The granddaughter opened her eyes wide and looked up at him. Danmok Cheongi was just thinking about the commoner child that she had recently taken a liking to. He was said to be a child who followed the merchant who brought in food and did odd jobs, and since there was no place for an orphan to live in the world, it wouldn’t be bad to raise him as his granddaughter’s companion from a young age. “Then I really want to learn martial arts now!” * * * How can I use more, more, more spiritual energy? This has been Ryeon’s most pressing issue lately. It was a matter directly linked to her own life and also depended on the remaining life of Danmok Cheongi. That said, if she simply poured the energy into Danmok Cheongi, it would be like dumping seawater into the small spring he had cherished. In other words, it would ruin everything. As Ryeon pondered over the method, Danmok Cheongi once again gave her a strong rope. ‘Tea ceremony!’ To Ryeon, who had regretted making hard and tough chapssal-tteok, the tea ceremony appeared like a cloud path leading to the heavens. When she thought of the tea leaves, as she soaked them in warm water and gently swirled the teapot, she realized that she could carefully infuse her energy at each step, especially since her companion would drink it right there on the spot—could it get any better than this? Thanks to this, recently, Ryeon’s complexion and mood had significantly improved. She could use her spiritual energy, her grandfather was gradually getting better, and it couldn’t get any better than this. The only problem is that she still can’t learn martial arts. ‘I thought I could tell him when his heart melted a little.’ It’s hard to say that the clan’s situation is good, even in empty words. To be honest, it looked precarious even in her eyes. Although the estate was vast, there were many unused spaces, and with few people around, there were desolate corners everywhere. Did they say that a rich family can last for three generations even if they go bankrupt? It seemed that the family’s endurance was solely due to that. ‘The problem is that I’m the last of the three generations.’ If she doesn’t revive the family as soon as possible, it will really be ruined without anything left. Wasn’t that the future she saw? It would be easier to get rid of the current manor and move to a smaller place, so it would be easier to collect the remaining family assets, but clearing out this place that holds the family’s history would mean completely giving up on a comeback, so that’s not possible. Rather, if they could sell the current estate and move to a smaller place, it would be easier to manage their remaining assets. However, organizing this place, which is steeped in the family’s history, would mean completely giving up on a comeback, so that’s not an option either. It seemed that her aunt and acting head of the household, Danmok Hyunyo, was trying something in Henan Province, where the Murim Alliance is located, but there would be limits to reviving their fortunes by relying on others. Therefore, she thought that if the eldest grandchild were to express a desire to learn anything, they would immediately agree. ‘I didn’t know that he would tell me to start with writing.’ This is also a form of learning. Although she already knows everything… However, she couldn’t say she already knew all the characters, so Ryeon found herself unable to escape the grasp of her uncle, Danmok Hyunwoo, who had recently stopped his secluded training, and was forced to learn to read. “The chicken looks strange.” “It’s not that it looks strange, it’s that it looks cool…” Ryeon glanced at Hwaryun, who was squatting beside her, watching the chicken. This boy still looked like a small beast, but his complexion had improved a bit since the first time they met. It was because she would always feed him rice balls or dumplings whenever they met like this. Actually, she had asked the nanny to check on him, half in tears, fearing that Hwaryun might leave and she would never see him again. The nanny was worried that Ryeon was paying too much attention to a child whose origins were unclear, but she was also worried that Ryeon would really cry, so she hurriedly went to find out where Hwaryun was staying. ‘How did he end up going all the way from Hangzhou to Tianshan? How could I get a little closer to him and ask him to join the family?’ “Isn’t this almost a phoenix?” Ryeon, who had been thinking about this and that, smiled slightly at Hwaryun’s words. Sometimes, when she thought of this little boy as the next Young Cult Master of the Demon Heavenly Cult, a chill ran down her spine. However, when she called him Sister and she playfully gave him a light tap on the head, he quickly raised his voice and talked about a phoenix at the sight of a chicken, which was cute. “No. It’s a black chicken. It’s a chicken with black bones. Right, Black Moon?” A pitch-black chicken that was walking around the chicken coop nodded its head once when it saw her. But the red glow on the jet-black eyes made it look unusually intelligent, and the tips of its feathers seemed to sway with a warm red glow. ‘It wasn’t like that at first…’ “No matter how I look at it, the chicken is strange.” Hwaryun squinted his eyes and alternated his gaze between the black-boned chicken and Ryeon. Ryeon grabbed Hwaryun’s cheek playfully and then pulled out a rice ball from her pocket. “Eat this, little kid.” “Even the Young Miss is a little kid.” Hwaryun, having heard Nanny Jang frequently call Ryeon ‘Young Miss,’ quickly picked up the habit and often called her that as well. The words that followed were not particularly polite, but Ryeon didn’t expect that from him anyway. Since Hwaryun wouldn’t eat the rice ball if she just handed it to him, Ryeon split it in half, then halved the remaining portion again, and pushed it into his mouth. As she did so, she brought up the thoughts she had been pondering. “Ryun-ah. Don’t you know how to write?” “What about Young Miss? Do you know?” “You always ask me again without answering.” “Where would I ever learn how to read?” From the way he talks, it feels like he’s already mastered the Thousand Character Classic. Ryeon grumbled to herself inwardly. “Really? Then would you like to learn with me? I don’t know how to read yet either.” “How come Young Miss doesn’t kno—” The boy, who seemed about to question her, trailed off at the end of his sentence. Ryeon, feeling slightly embarrassed, rubbed her cheek. The eldest grandchild of a prestigious family, at the age of eight, didn’t know a single character because she had been bedridden all this time and only now had come to her senses. “I’ve decided to learn from Uncle, so why don’t you join me? We’ll study in the evening. Uncle said he’d be happy with it too!” Hwaryun looked at her with a confused expression, but without waiting for an answer, Ryeon kept pushing the rice ball into his mouth. Hwaryun waved his hand, trying to avoid it. “I’m not okay with it?”“Why?” “What use is it for me to learn letters?” Ryeon suddenly found herself at a loss for words and continued to shove the rice balls into his mouth. “Well… then later when you grow up, okay? You can read martial arts manuals and stuff. I’ll teach you everything.” Hwaryun chewed and swallowed her rice balls tightly. “I’m not going to learn martial arts?” Caught off guard by such an unexpected remark, Ryeon widened her eyes in surprise and stared at Hwaryun. “What? Why?” Even when Ryeon responded in confusion, Hwaryun replied indifferently. “They say that no matter how well I do in a noble family like this, I’ll end up just cleaning up after the young ladies and masters.” “….!” Ryeon wanted to argue that it wasn’t necessarily true, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. His words weren’t completely wrong after all. ‘Ah! Is that why Ryun entered the Demon Heavenly Cult?’ Because the strongest person there can sweep away anyone without looking back? As she thought about it, her heart sank again. He seemed like the type of person who would do that, though! ‘No!’ “Um… then do you know about the Mount Hua Sect in Shanxi Province? It’s not a family but a sect. As long as you have the skills, anyone can become the leader, regardless of their background! It’s really amazing…” “Shaanxi Province is too far from here.” “Hey, you…” You little rascal! The Demon Heavenly Cult’s stronghold, the Tianshan Mountains, is over ten thousand li northwest from here! How could you even get there?! Ryeon couldn’t bring herself to shout like that. “Then… where do you want to learn martial arts?” “It’s not like I can learn just because I want to learn it?” “No, let’s just say you can learn it.” When you’re young, don’t you often make ridiculous hopes and wishes? Like imagining entering a grand mansion with ninety-nine rooms? But Hwaryun didn’t seem interested in those things at all. “If I learn sword fighting, won’t it just lead to death? It’s best to stay far away from that kind of stuff.” Ryeon made an expression of disbelief. Who on earth is this pessimist? ‘Was Cheon Hwaryun like this when he was young? How could a kid like this end up as the Young Cult Master of the Demon Heavenly Cult?’ Could it be that he was such a talented genius that they just happened to meet and ended up becoming a Young Cult Master? That would have been a bit too much. Hwaryun, who had no idea what Ryeon was thinking, held onto Ryeon and continued to speak. “Don’t do that, Young Miss.” The voice of the boy, who was two years younger than her, sounded remarkably mature. Ryeon, who was looking at him with a surprised expression, tried to persuade him again. “S, still… when those wicked Blood Factions attack, shouldn’t there be a way to protect yourself?” ‘Let’s just have one right path this lifetime! Please! Cheon Hwaryun!’ However, a playful smile appeared on Hwaryun’s face at those words. “Then the wonderful and rightful warriors of the martial world will save us from those nasty Blood Factions .” His words carried a hint of sarcasm towards the entire martial world. Ryeon could only twitch her lips. “No, but still, if you know how to read… you can write letters and such.” “You need paper to write.” “If you know how to read, you can earn money to buy paper. You can buy food, and eventually, you can buy a house too.” “Why are you trying to teach me how to read?” Ryeon was speechless for a moment. Why? “That’s…” Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and
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