I received intensive care for a while. The doctor looked at me and said:

“You must not use martial arts for some time.”

His face showed difficulty.

“If this happens again, you may never be able to use martial arts for the rest of your life.”

Dagger Uncle flew into a rage upon hearing those words.

[You think something like this will happen again! How dare you say my disciple cannot use martial arts.]

It took quite some time to calm Dagger Uncle down.

I stopped my training.

It was due to Grandfather’s order to focus on recovering my body.

We decided to postpone searching for the spirit medicine until after I had recovered to some extent.

I recalled what happened after I collapsed.

‘I didn’t expect Nam Gung Hwa Su to actually get kicked out.’

In the original story, Nam Gung Hwa Su lived well in the Nam Gung family.

Until his father Nam Gung Hyun Jong died, that is.

‘Of course, he meets his end at Ji Cheon Wu’s hands in the future…’

He even rises to the position of young lord in the Nam Gung family. Though he never becomes the family head.

But now he’s been completely expelled from the Nam Gung family at a young age.

“Miss, please be careful.”

Yak Ran said, carefully supporting me.

“I’m fine. I can walk now.”

Unlike initially when I couldn’t move, now my mobility wasn’t that uncomfortable.

Still, Yak Ran was as careful with me as if handling a fragile porcelain whenever she saw me. Ji Cheon Wu, who was beside her, also nodded.

“Right, it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”

You’re an invalid too…

Instead of telling Ji Cheon Wu that fact, I asked Yak Ran something I’d been curious about.

“But why is it so noisy today?”

“I heard an investigation team came from the Murim Alliance.”

“An investigation team?”

“Yes, because of the death of the Fierce-faced Asura.”

For a moment, I felt cold sweat running down my back.

I had heard the whole story from Ji Cheon Wu. That after I collapsed, Dagger Uncle appeared and defeated the Fierce-faced Asura.

Ji Cheon Wu didn’t ask me for details. I knew it was his consideration.

He must be waiting for me to tell him the secret first.

‘Ji Cheon Wu said he woke up after collapsing to find the Fierce-faced Asura dead.’

But there were many unbelievable circumstances. So the Murim Alliance sent an investigation team to visit the family.

It was then that a man appeared.

“Hello.”

I looked warily at the man approaching me.

‘He’s clearly not an extra!’

The man had an extremely handsome face.

“Miss Nam Gung Lin? I am Je Gal Yu Ryong. I have something to ask you.”

As soon as Je Gal Yu Ryong finished speaking, another man beside him poked his head out.

He complained to Je Gal Yu Ryong.

“Brother, what are you going to ask such a child?”

“Dang Hae Jun, what rude words.”

“Isn’t it true? How could a lazy child like that, famous even in the Nam Gung family, have any connection with the great hero who defeated the Fierce-faced Asura?”

“Hae Jun.”

Ignoring Je Gal Yu Ryong’s attempts to stop him, Dang Hae Jun continued in an excited tone.

“The swordsmanship of the one who cut down the Fierce-faced Asura was truly unmatched in the martial world. To defeat such an evil demon, he must truly be an extraordinary person.”

“That may be true, but…”

I couldn’t hide my disbelief as I listened to their conversation.

Excuse me, that was me…

Hearing their words, Yak Ran frowned. She carefully whispered in my ear.

“They are disciples from the Heavenly Academy, accompanying the Murim Alliance investigators.”

Heavenly Academy.

It was a place where outstanding martial talents from each family were sent.

“They probably came along with the Murim Alliance investigation team to gain experience.”

“I see.”

“Dang Hae Jun, I heard this person is close to Nam Gung Hwa Su.”

Nam Gung Hwa Su was also attending the Heavenly Academy. I could understand why someone I’d never met before was picking a fight with me.

He must have heard about what happened to Nam Gung Hwa Su. Yak Ran’s eyes were cold.

She flinched as if wanting to throw a punch right away.

It was the same for Ji Cheon Wu.

Dagger Uncle also whispered in my ear.

[If you want me to teach those guys a lesson, just say the word.]

I carefully grabbed Yak Ran’s hand. Then I whispered to Dagger Uncle.

‘I don’t intend to use force in front of so many people.’

I am still weak. Everyone thought so.

I had no intention of hiding my strength, but I also had no intention of correcting people’s thoughts.

It wouldn’t do me any good for Dagger Uncle’s existence to be revealed.

In the worst case, I would only lose Dagger Uncle.

[Hmph, don’t worry. I’ll protect you. Other people can’t even understand my words.]

I hugged Dagger Uncle to my chest. It might have been a passing remark for him, but that simple sentence felt warm.

Outstanding disciples often know each other from childhood.

Dang Hae Jun and Nam Gung Hwa Su must have known each other since they were young.

‘That’s why he’s looking at me like that.’

Dang Hae Jun’s gaze on me was like looking at a traitor.

But I was more concerned about Je Gal Yu Ryong than Dang Hae Jun.

I wondered why Je Gal Yu Ryong was with someone like Dang Hae Jun.

‘Hey you, weren’t you Ji Cheon Wu’s greatest supporter?’

In martial arts novels, most people from the Je Gal family had outstanding strategies.

And in the fight against the Blood Sect, Je Gal Yu Ryong and his father became reliable supporters for Ji Cheon Wu.

‘I thought he looked handsome, and sure enough, he’s not just some extra.’

I couldn’t believe that Je Gal Yu Ryong was associating with someone like Dang Hae Jun. Dang Hae Jun was still looking at me with contemptuous eyes.

“Seeing that pathetic appearance… It’s no wonder there are bad rumors.”

Even as Dang Hae Jun openly picked a fight, I wasn’t angry.

‘Openly picking a fight with me in the Nam Gung family must mean he has a purpose.’

Ji Cheon Wu was the one who got upset at Dang Hae Jun’s words.

He faced Dang Hae Jun with a fierce expression I had never seen before.

“How rude. What do you know about Lin to talk like that?”

“You…”

Dang Hae Jun’s gaze on Ji Cheon Wu was strange.

Je Gal Yu Ryong blocked Dang Hae Jun.

He grabbed Dang Hae Jun’s head and bowed.

“I apologize, we’ve been rude.”

I felt a laugh of disbelief coming on.

[That guy, how cunning.]

I slowly turned my head.

Grandfather was looking at me.

The situation started to take a strange turn. Dagger Uncle didn’t seem to like this situation at all.

He shouted at me in an angry tone, seething:

[If those guys dare say anything to you, I won’t let them off easy!]

If I made a mistake, I could be misunderstood as causing trouble over nothing.

Although things had improved a lot, my position within the Nam Gung family was still not good.

Even though Nam Gung Hwa Su was gone, my uncle Nam Gung Hyun Jong would be ready to bite my neck at any time.

Grandfather approached me with a face so stern it was frightening.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I was used to being misunderstood.

It was also the method Nam Gung Hyun Jong used most often.

Even with my eyes closed, I didn’t hear any scolding. I felt confused.

Usually, a reprimand would fall around this time.

“How pitiful am I to be raising something like you!”

Remembering Nam Gung Hyun Jong’s words, I felt my mood automatically dropping.

‘Does Grandfather think the same way?’

But I encountered an unexpected situation.

Grandfather picked me up in his arms.

His frosty gaze turned towards Je Gal Yu Ryong and Dang Hae Jun.

I was flustered by Grandfather’s appearance, as if he was taking my side.

“What’s going on?”

Dang Hae Jun looked at Grandfather with a reddened face.

It was obvious what he was thinking.

He must find Grandfather’s reaction unexpected.

After all, everyone knew how terrible my position was within the Nam Gung family.

I watched Dang Hae Jun’s actions while clinging to Grandfather’s clothes.

Dang Hae Jun hurriedly cupped his fists and bowed his head.

“Greetings to the head of the Nam Gung family.”

It was a gesture imbued with courtesy on a completely different level from how he treated me.

But Grandfather’s expression showed no signs of softening.

“I asked what’s going on.”

“There was a commotion while inquiring about the extraordinary person who dealt with the Fierce-faced Asura.”

“A commotion?”

Je Gal Yu Ryong answered Grandfather’s question.

“The head of the Murim Alliance is particularly eager to find the extraordinary person who killed the Fierce-faced Asura. We know it wasn’t the head of the Nam Gung family who took action.”

“…”

“If it wasn’t the head of the Nam Gung family, there’s no one in this Anhui Province who could kill him. Not among the known righteous masters. Since Miss Lin is involved in the incident…”

I felt a moment of worry. The silver tongue of Je Gal Yu Ryong had been emphasized several times even in the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Listening to his words, one could believe even falsehoods to be true.

But Grandfather was resolute.

Grandfather spoke without even listening to all of Je Gal Yu Ryong’s words.

“Get out.”

“Pardon?”

“I won’t repeat myself.”

Dang Hae Jun stepped back.

On the other hand, Je Gal Yu Ryong was looking at Grandfather and me with sparkling eyes.

An aura rose from Grandfather’s body.

I could see the expressions of people looking at Grandfather change in an instant.

Everyone inside the Nam Gung family fell silent.

Dang Hae Jun, who had been so boldly mocking me, was now trembling with a pale face.

His quivering legs spoke volumes about Grandfather’s position in the martial arts world.

Grandfather continued:

“We have no need for guests who behave rudely in the Nam Gung family. Leave my family immediately.”