It was beautiful swordplay.

If other martial artists had seen Nam Gung Lin’s sword, they would have been shocked. Ji Cheon Wu also saw Nam Gung Lin’s sword. It was swordsmanship that he couldn’t follow even if he watched.

If it weren’t for heaven-bestowed talent of a thousand years, he wouldn’t have dared to even look. Ji Cheon Wu lowered his head to look at the miserable state of the Fierce-faced Asura.

Even though the demon head threatening his life was dead, he felt worried rather than relieved.

Ji Cheon Wu glared at the one who had taken over Nam Gung Lin’s body, while clutching his shoulder.

“Who are you? What have you done? Get out of her body.”

At his reaction, like a hedgehog raising its quills, Nam Gung Lin shook her head as if dumbfounded.

[I was planning to do that even without you telling me.]

Nam Gung Lin said this as she walked towards Ji Cheon Wu.

Then she flicked Ji Cheon Wu’s forehead.

Surprised by the sudden strike, Ji Cheon Wu stepped back in confusion.

[How cheeky. I save your life and that’s how you speak to me.]

“But, Lin…”

[I can’t return right now. If that child regains consciousness, it will be painful. It’s better if I occupy this body as much as possible.]

Ji Cheon Wu’s face hardened.

He could sense that the person before him cared for Nam Gung Lin. That meant they weren’t an enemy.

The wariness disappeared from Ji Cheon Wu’s face. He asked the person before him in an urgent tone.

“Is Lin badly hurt?”

[You’re not the one who should be asking that, but.]

Nam Gung Lin said this as she placed her hand on Ji Cheon Wu’s body.

Ji Cheon Wu was startled and tried to move, but he couldn’t avoid her touch.

As she pressed on his acupoints, the bleeding stopped. She rummaged through her belongings and threw some medicinal powder for wounds and cotton cloth to Ji Cheon Wu.

It was a somewhat careless gesture.

[That child wanted to give these to you.]

Ji Cheon Wu looked down at the medicine and cloth in his hands.

His vision blurred.

It was because he could feel Nam Gung Lin’s feelings of concern for him.

‘Why, for someone like me…’

Ji Cheon Wu realized what he should say first.

“Thank you for saving me.”

[It wasn’t my will. That foolish child was stubborn about it.]

She seemed somewhat angry.

Her gaze towards Ji Cheon Wu was not kind.

[The innate energy is damaged. When she wakes up, she’ll feel extreme pain. Why do you think this child is hurt?]

Ji Cheon Wu’s body stiffened.

His hand holding the medicine trembled.

Nam Gung Lin was hurt. The reason was too obvious. It was because he was weak.

Because he was weak, he was captured by the Fierce-faced Asura. Then he was saved by Nam Gung Lin’s hand. Nam Gung Lin got hurt trying to protect him.

[Are you frustrated?]

He was frustrated.

He was angry at himself for not being able to do anything. While Nam Gung Lin moved to save him, he couldn’t do anything. His fists clenched.

He couldn’t bring himself to raise his head.

[Do you want to protect this child? There are many villains in this martial world. Moreover, she already has many enemies.]

And then.

[You’re nothing but a burden.]

It was a cold statement, but it was true.

Today, Ji Cheon Wu was Nam Gung Lin’s burden. The cold reality weighed down on him.

[Become stronger.]

Ji Cheon Wu’s eyes met Nam Gung Lin’s. What was there wasn’t Nam Gung Lin’s warm brown eyes that were always kind. They were cold and chilling eyes.

The one in Nam Gung Lin’s form made him realize the reality.

[Become stronger and stronger. Until there’s no match for you in the entire martial world.]

Ji Cheon Wu closed his mouth.

A determined will showed in his eyes.

“I will become stronger.”

At this moment… a goal in life was born for a genius who would shock the world.

Seeing Ji Cheon Wu like this, Nam Gung Lin raised one corner of her mouth.

[Of course, no matter how much you try, you’ll still be weaker than my disciple.]

Nam Gung Lin sat down on the ground.

[I’m going to meditate, so stand guard.]

“…”

[When I open my eyes after closing them, I’ll be back to that child’s original self.] [This is the timeline separator]

Nam Gung Hyun Jong couldn’t understand the current situation at all.

‘Returning to the family just because of a maid’s words.’

They were heading towards the family house after hearing the words of Nam Gung Lin’s maid, Yak Ran.

The news was that Nam Gung Lin had left home to find Ji Cheon Wu.

He couldn’t understand Nam Gung Jin Cheon’s actions, returning to the family just because of something like that.

Moreover, Nam Gung Jin Cheon had deployed all the family’s warriors and was even using his own qi sense to search for Nam Gung Lin.

Nam Gung Hyun Jong opened his mouth in a displeased tone.

“Just because a child left home, to ignore the Murim Alliance’s request for support and return to the family!”

“…”

“She just left home, didn’t she? She’s a child who often behaves eccentrically anyway.”

The one who answered Nam Gung Hyun Jong’s words was Nam Gung So So.

“Brother, let me give you a piece of advice.”

She glared at Nam Gung Hyun Jong as she continued speaking.

“People have something called tact. And if you don’t have that tact, sometimes it’s good to keep your mouth shut.”

“W-what?”

“Besides, the Fierce-faced Asura has already escaped the net. You know that too, don’t you? What’s the problem?”

Nam Gung So So wanted to make Nam Gung Hyun Jong shut his mouth.

Nam Gung Yu Cheong also had an anxious look on his face as he lowered his head.

“Lin said she was going to tell the adults that Cheon Wu had disappeared. But why…”

Nam Gung So So bit her lower lip hard. She understood how Nam Gung Lin must have felt.

‘With me and father away from the family, there would be no one to take Lin’s side. She couldn’t trust anyone.’

Nam Gung So So looked at Nam Gung Hwa Su in front of her. Nam Gung Hwa Su seemed uninterested in the current situation, pretending not to care.

Unable to bear it any longer, Nam Gung Yu Cheong opened his mouth towards Nam Gung Hwa Su.

“Hwa Su, why did you do that to Cheon Wu?”

Nam Gung Hwa Su looked at Nam Gung Yu Cheong in surprise.

Nam Gung Hwa Su shook his head.

“That guy left on his own. I don’t know much about it.”

He looked at Nam Gung Yu Cheong as if displeased.

‘Why are they making such a fuss about this?’

Nam Gung Hwa Su had sent servants to call for Ji Cheon Wu.

Ji Cheon Wu’s resistance was stronger than expected, but he became obedient when Nam Gung Lin’s name was mentioned.

The reason he kidnapped Ji Cheon Wu was because of what Mo Yong Hee had said.

“If I were the Fierce-faced Asura, I would rather flee towards the Nam Gung family.”

Taking Ji Cheon Wu to the mountain behind the house was half done as a prank after hearing those words.

Nam Gung Hwa Su tied up Ji Cheon Wu and left him in the mountain behind the Nam Gung family house.

He intended to bring him back before grandfather and aunt returned.

It was because his mood soured every time Nam Gung So So called Nam Gung Lin and Ji Cheon Wu geniuses.

Nam Gung Hwa Su recalled what he had said after tying up Ji Cheon Wu.

“If you’re really a genius, the Fierce-faced Asura will take you. Because he hates geniuses.”

“So you should have listened well. Do you know how cruel of a demon head the Fierce-faced Asura is? You’re as good as dead now.”

“Even if you live, it won’t be living! You’ll be blinded.”

Nam Gung Hwa Su broke out in a cold sweat.

Even he didn’t expect the situation to turn out like this. More precisely, he didn’t expect grandfather and aunt to take action to this extent, and he didn’t expect the Fierce-faced Asura to actually flee towards the Nam Gung family.

‘Moreover, Ji Cheon Wu has disappeared.’

When he grasped the situation and tried to send servants to bring Ji Cheon Wu back, he was already gone.

‘Did the Fierce-faced Asura really take him?’

The worst situation would be if Ji Cheon Wu returned alive. What if the returned Ji Cheon Wu blabbed about what he had said to grandfather?

It was terrifying just to imagine.

Nam Gung Hwa Su glanced at Nam Gung Jin Cheon and trembled.

Nam Gung Jin Cheon was expanding his qi sense without saying a word.

He was searching for Nam Gung Lin’s whereabouts.

‘Grandfather likes Nam Gung Lin.’

It was the first time he had seen grandfather look so angry. If he found out everything, he might even be expelled from the family.

‘Just die, both of you. Don’t ever come back.’

Then he certainly wouldn’t have to suffer any humiliation.

It was then.

A family warrior was running towards them quickly. Nam Gung Jin Cheon also seemed to have sensed something, as he stopped spreading his qi sense and opened his eyes.

The face of the warrior who ran up was pale.

He was trembling as if he had seen something terrifying. Nam Gung Hwa Su’s face lit up.

The warrior’s face turning so pale surely meant something bad had happened.

But what came out of the warrior’s mouth was completely different from what he had expected.

“Ji Cheon Wu has returned. Young Miss Lin is also safe.”

After finishing those words, the warrior turned his gaze with a fearful face. Ji Cheon Wu was there.

Nam Gung Hwa Su’s legs trembled.

Ji Cheon Wu was covered in blood. If that was all, he wouldn’t have felt such fear.

On his back was Nam Gung Lin, covered in wounds. Nam Gung Yu Cheong let out a groan as he looked at Ji Cheon Wu.

His gaze was directed precisely at Ji Cheon Wu’s hand.

“Cheon Wu, that is…”

Ji Cheon Wu walked steadily and handed Nam Gung Lin over to Nam Gung Yu Cheong.

He then walked towards Nam Gung Jin Cheon and raised something held in his hand. Ji Cheon Wu’s eyes were directed precisely at Nam Gung Hwa Su.

Nam Gung Hwa Su felt it becoming difficult to breathe.

It was completely different from the look in Ji Cheon Wu’s eyes that he had known until now.

Ji Cheon Wu had always been a guy with lifeless eyes.

But the eyes of Ji Cheon Wu looking at him now were full of killing intent.

Nam Gung Hwa Su wet himself and collapsed.

“The Fierce-faced Asura is dead.”

What was held in Ji Cheon Wu’s hand was the head of the Fierce-faced Asura, cut off with surprising cleanness.