I'm A Minor Villain In A Martial Arts Novel (38 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 10

Nangong Jintian fell deep in thought. He imagined Nangong Lin wrapped in a fur collar. But soon, his brows furrowed.

It was because he recalled Nangong Lin’s original quarters—the old, shabby room, the worn-out furniture, and the utterly impolite servant.

He could now clearly understand how Nangong Lin had been treated during all the years he’d been absent.

Lava seemed to boil in Nangong Jintian’s eyes.

Having returned after eight years and witnessed Nangong Lin’s plight firsthand, Nangong Jintian couldn’t help but feel bitterness churn inside him.

“This family has truly fallen into disgrace.”

Yao Lan spoke toward Nangong Jintian.

“You deliberately kept as much distance from the clan as possible. In a situation where we don’t even know how far those villains might have reached out…”

Nangong Jintian was strong.

In the entire martial world, only a handful could rival him. Yet, after Nangong Xian disappeared, he came to realize something:

No matter how strong he was, those around him were weak.

That no matter how desperately he wished to protect them, there were times he simply couldn’t. But he knew all of that was merely an excuse.

Clenching his teeth, Nangong Jintian thought exactly that.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Yao Lan spoke carefully.

“I’m worried because Miss Lin is far too intelligent. Exceptional rising talents often disappear.”

Nangong Jintian nodded at Yao Lan’s words—the disappearance of outstanding rising talents.

Such incidents hadn’t yet occurred among the Nine Sects and One Alliance or the Five Great Clans.

Thus, the matter hadn’t drawn public attention yet. But disappearances did frequently happen in weaker sects.

Though not entirely certain, Nangong Jintian believed the Blood Sect was behind these acts. This was precisely why he’d hurried back to the clan, relinquishing his position as leader of the Wulin Alliance.

After all, no one would dare target the Nangong Clan while Nangong Jintian was present.

As if only just remembering, Yao Lan turned to Nangong Jintian and asked,

“I heard you summoned Miss Suosuo.”

“Yes. The time has come.”

“Then the young master will be arriving as well.”

Yao Lan clapped her hands with a delighted expression.

“Nangong Xianzong—seeing his face will be quite a sight. This should be entertaining.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Several days had passed since I’d gotten into a fistfight with Nangong Huashu and brought Ji Tianwu here.

Looking at Ji Tianwu standing before me, I couldn’t help but marvel.

After washing with warm water, Ji Tianwu… was handsome. He’d been good-looking even when covered in dust, but now it was as if his face had been gilded.

‘Truly, the protagonist.’

In the original story, Heavenly Demon Sovereign, Ji Tianwu’s appearance was frequently praised.

Watching both me and Ji Tianwu, Yao Lan spoke to me cautiously.

“If you intend to let this boy stay here, you’ll need permission from the clan head. Even assigning him as your servant requires following proper procedures.”

I nodded.

I couldn’t simply keep Ji Tianwu by my side without good reason.

To have him remain near me, I needed a valid justification.

‘I must take Ji Tianwu as my personal servant.’

Normally, any matter concerning me should have gone through Nangong Xian, but at some point, I’d been told to speak directly to Grandfather instead.

This suited me just fine.

‘If I’d spoken to Uncle, he would never have allowed it.’

I looked at Ji Tianwu with a troubled expression.

‘I can’t possibly leave Ji Tianwu like this.’

Ji Tianwu had originally been Nangong Huashu’s servant. If I sent him back, Nangong Huashu would endlessly torment him.

‘And then, in the future, I’d end up killed by Ji Tianwu’s own hands.’

Of course, even if that weren’t the case, I still wouldn’t want Ji Tianwu to suffer at Nangong Huashu’s hands.

In the novel, the protagonist’s tragic childhood was summed up in just a few lines.

But experiencing it firsthand showed me that, for those involved, those few lines represented far more than mere words.

Moreover…

I glanced down at the hand clutching my sleeve. Ji Tianwu’s small, bony hand refused to let go.

For the entire several days since I’d brought him here, he’d remained like this.

He showed no intention of leaving my side.

‘Where in this behavior do I see the ill-tempered, unpleasant protagonist described in wuxia novels?’

Ji Tianwu’s personality in Heavenly Demon Sovereign seemed entirely different from what I saw now.

Uncle Dagger grumbled, clearly displeased.

[This kid doesn’t seem like the type at all…]

“…”

[Whatever happened to that fierce glare he used to give when beaten by those wretched people? He used to look absolutely ferocious.]

I couldn’t deny what Uncle Dagger said.

After all, I knew better than anyone exactly what kind of person Ji Tianwu would become in the future.

‘But maybe—just maybe—he’ll turn out a little kinder than in the original story.’

A small hope lifted its head.

Perhaps Ji Tianwu’s cruelly depicted personality stemmed from his traumatic childhood.

I met Ji Tianwu’s eyes. Immediately, his face flushed, and he lowered his head.

There was absolutely no trace of the ill-tempered demeanor described in the novel.

Most of all, looking at Ji Tianwu’s face, I couldn’t imagine him ever becoming that harsh person.

Above all else—he was too handsome, too handsome, too handsome. With such a delicate and beautiful face, it was impossible to picture him as the ill-natured Ji Tianwu from the original.

I thought once again.

‘Indeed, I must protect him.’

Ji Tianwu still held a fragile, tender heart.

Which meant he needed my protection.

[Don’t let yourself be fooled by appearances!]

‘But even so… he has to be reasonably good-looking…’

[Back in my day, this body boasted the most beautiful face under heaven! But now I’m trapped inside a dagger. In the end, appearances are just fleeting dust.]

Ignoring Uncle Dagger’s words, I took a step forward.

I left Ji Tianwu in Yao Lan’s care.

‘And… about now, those people should be returning to the clan.’

I stood before Grandfather’s room.

I could feel the gaze of the servant guarding the door.

“You can’t enter here without permission.”

I recognized this servant.

He often chatted warmly with Uncle—that is, he was Uncle’s man.

“I wish to see Grandfather.”

“It’s impossible unless the clan head summons you first.”

The servant was firm.

I realized just how difficult it would be to meet Grandfather.

Nangong Xianzong clearly intended to prevent any meeting between Grandfather and me.

I clenched my teeth.

‘It won’t go the way Uncle wants.’

I stood my ground.

I intended to wait right here until Grandfather emerged.

One shichen passed, then two, then three.

As time went on, the servant’s expression grew increasingly uneasy. He looked at me with clear impatience.

He probably thought I was about to collapse at any moment.

‘He must assume I’ll give up and leave soon.’

News of my fever-induced collapse had surely already spread throughout the clan.

Uncle Dagger’s worried voice echoed in my ears.

[Are you alright? Just say the word, and I’ll smash him to pieces right now! A good beating will wipe that arrogant attitude off his face.]

‘If you keep smashing everyone like that, there’ll be no one left in the clan—not even me.’

[If this place treats you so cruelly, it’s better off gone.]

Hearing Uncle Dagger’s words, I felt another pang of emotion.

In this vast clan, Uncle Dagger was the only one who truly cared for me.

‘It’s touching… but my legs are starting to tremble.’

I couldn’t stop my legs from shaking.

The servant shook his head as he watched me.

His eyes clearly showed contempt—as if mocking my feeble constitution.

Just then,

Uncle Dagger whispered something quietly into my ear.

At the very same moment, the servant spoke to me.

“Just leave already. The clan head has no intention of seeing you.”

“And who are you to decide that?”

At my reply, the servant frowned in irritation—and that was precisely when my legs gave out.

I lost control of my balance and collapsed forward.

“How utterly pathetic. With such inadequate training and pitiful strength, do you really think you can stay here any longer?”

“…”

“No wonder the clan head dislikes you! He refuses to come out precisely because he can’t stand the sight of you!”

The moment his words ended, a cold voice rang out.

“What nonsense have I just overheard?”

The servant’s face turned deathly pale.

I turned my head.

Seeing the person standing there, my eyes brightened.

The owner of that sharp, spirited voice was someone I knew.

Nangong Suosuo—my Aunt, whom I was meeting for the very first time, stood right there.

Beside her stood a boy who looked two or three years older than me.

That extraordinary, striking handsomeness.

And the vibrant aura shining in his eyes.

This was absolutely not the kind of appearance an extra could possess.

I recognized him instantly.

‘Nangong Yuqing!’

In the original story, he was the sole ray of hope in the hopeless Nangong Clan.

The only one who protected Ji Tianwu when the clan’s villains tormented him. If Ji Tianwu was the ill-tempered protagonist, Nangong Yuqing was the justice-driven hero.

“Good heavens, my dear! Are you alright?”

My Aunt rushed over and wrapped me in her arms.

She glared fiercely at the servant, who now didn’t dare lift his head.

“How dare you not recognize your master and act so arrogantly!”

“I—I…”

“Silence! I don’t want to hear any excuses.”

I could feel the slight tremor in Aunt’s fingertips—born of fury.

Safe in her embrace, I closed my eyes.

In the novel, too, Nangong Suosuo had always been portrayed as a righteous character.

She was the only one in the entire clan who had shown kindness to the talentless, insignificant Nangong Lin.

Though I already knew this, her warmth still felt wonderfully comforting.