I'm A Minor Villain In A Martial Arts Novel (38 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 4

“What are you thinking?”

I looked at Nangong Xianzong with a puzzled expression.

Nangong Xianzong had always looked at me as if I were a bug.

Though he was a busy man, he often made time to come see me.

And then he would hurl insults at me.

[For someone claiming to be Nangong Xian’s daughter, you’re utterly talentless. Just as useless as your father.] [I’m truly looking forward to the day when the Clan Head sees you. He’ll surely be disgusted.]

Nangong Xianzong had played a large part in making me believe Grandfather would despise me.

So I couldn’t understand why he was now acting as if he were worried about me.

Nangong Xianzong muttered regretfully,

“Why on earth did you go outside at such a late hour?”

He placed his hand on my shoulder and then turned toward Nangong Jintian to speak.

“Father, Lin has always been a playful child. That’s why Yun Ling has suffered so much.”

Nangong Xianzong hurriedly added,

“She probably went outside to teach those servants a lesson.”

“I wasn’t trying to teach the servants a lesson.”

At my reply, Nangong Xianzong raised his voice angrily.

“What do you mean, you weren’t?!”

The weight of Nangong Xianzong’s hand on my shoulder felt unbearably heavy. I had told him several times about the servants’ misconduct.

He was, after all, my nominal guardian. Yet every time, Nangong Xianzong had only blamed me.

I tightly shut my eyes.

I was terrified of Grandfather’s scolding that was surely coming. But Grandfather’s scolding wasn’t directed at me.

Instead, he turned to Nangong Xianzong and spoke.

“I wasn’t asking you!”

“A-ah, Father?”

I slowly opened my eyes.

Grandfather’s face was expressionless—impossible to read.

Yet strangely, it felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped.

As a chill swept through the room, Nangong Xianzong’s face turned deathly pale. Seizing the moment, I quickly spoke up.

“I went outside to ask for help because I had a fever. I was starving on top of it—I couldn’t bear it any longer.”

Fortunately for me, my condition was still terrible.

The cold sweat streaming down my forehead provided ample proof for my words.

As I kept speaking, Nangong Xianzong’s face grew increasingly pale.

Grandfather’s gaze shifted to Nangong Xianzong’s hand gripping my shoulder.

Feeling that stare, Nangong Xianzong released my shoulder and stepped back hesitantly.

Grandfather slowly approached me. Bowing his head slightly toward me, he asked,

“Why were you hungry?”

I could feel Nangong Xianzong’s sharp gaze piercing into me.

With his eyes, he was telling me:

Don’t say a word.

Nangong Xianzong had often told me that no matter what I said, no one would believe me.

And in truth, he was right.

I’d already been hurt too many times by the people of the Nangong Clan.

Even if I told the truth here, would Grandfather believe me?

‘Even if he believed me, would he even care?’

He, who had neither blood nor tears, might only look down on me with pity.

What would the original Nangong Lin have done in this situation?

[Nangong Lin was a deeply distrustful person. She never trusted her family in the Nangong Clan.

She ceaselessly lashed out at the seemingly sincere members of the Nangong Clan.

Each time, Ji Tianwu felt bewildered.

Nangong Lin would sneer toward Ji Tianwu and say,

“There’s no one in this world you can trust. My own family taught me that.”]

I understood Nangong Lin.

If I stayed here much longer, I might have acted just like her.

But I lifted my head and met Grandfather’s eyes directly.

Just as when I first saw him after waking up in Nangong Lin’s body, I didn’t avert my gaze.

I didn’t know precisely how Nangong Lin, the Heavenly Demon Sovereign from the original story, had lived her life.

She’d been nothing but a minor extra, so her past was never described in writing.

Thus, I had no idea how to act in this situation.

I decided I’d just do what I truly wanted to do.

It no longer mattered how the original Nangong Lin would have acted.

All that mattered was that I wanted to walk a different path from hers.

‘Because I really want to live.’

Though the body I’d entered belonged to Nangong Lin, who was destined to die, I wanted to live.

I wanted to survive and be happy.

I wanted to someday live a life like ordinary people—laughing, chatting, and cherishing someone dear.

Wasn’t it far too cruel to have my fate sealed as dying after endless mistreatment?

To do that, I had to escape the Nangong Clan.

If I left Yun Ling and Nangong Xianzong unchecked, they’d surely take my life eventually.

“It’s because… I have such poor bones and physique.”

“…”

“My servant Yun Ling told me there’s no food for a talentless child like me.”

I clutched the dagger with both hands and let out a sob.

Uncle Dagger had gone quiet ever since Grandfather entered.

But the moment I finished speaking, the dagger vibrated fiercely—wooong!

It was a faint tremor others couldn’t feel, as if it were furious at my words.

“Xianzong, explain yourself. Weren’t you the one who promised to care for Lin?”

At Grandfather’s words, Nangong Xianzong rushed forward with an impatient look.

“Father, it’s just a child’s words.”

“…”

“Children often make up stories they’ve heard from others.”

Then Nangong Xianzong shot me a sharp glare.

“She might even hold a grudge against me because of something I recently said.”

“…”

“Don’t you know Lin’s reputation? I was only trying to guide the child onto the right path.”

As Nangong Xianzong finished speaking, I noticed members of the Nangong family behind him frowning in agreement.

“I heard Lin skips training and treats the servants rudely.”

“Could it be that these words are also meant to slander Brother Xianzong?”

“Good heavens! How could she? Slandering her own caring uncle!”

I looked at Nangong Xianzong.

He wore a smug smile.

He believed people would trust his words, not mine.

“Lin doesn’t even know Changgong Sword Art, the Nangong Clan’s basic sword technique. She always skipped sword training.”

His words silenced the room.

Everyone frowned as they stared at me. Some looked at me with clear disdain.

Not a word he said was true. I hadn’t skipped training—I hadn’t been allowed to attend.

Nangong Xianzong stood confidently, as if certain of his own righteousness.

Then, like delivering a final blow, he called out,

“Yun Ling, come in!”

The door opened, and Yun Ling walked into the room.

I realized Nangong Xianzong had orchestrated this. In the short time I’d been unconscious, he’d already set up this scheme—

making it impossible for anyone to believe me even if I told the truth.

“Go ahead and speak. Tell us what kind of child Lin is.”

Yun Ling glanced at me and smirked, lifting one corner of her mouth.

“Young Miss Lin has always told me she has no talent anyway and refused to learn martial arts. She’s always late waking up and frequently skips training—she’s just lazy.”

Refusing to learn martial arts without even trying—such an attitude was utterly contemptible for a martial artist.

I saw Grandfather’s brow twitch. Seeing his clearly angry reaction, I forced a bitter smile.

‘He’s definitely angry at me.’

Just then,

Another voice echoed in my head.

[After hearing all this, I’m absolutely livid!]

Uncle Dagger sounded furious. Tremors rippled from the dagger.

[Who dares say you have no talent?!]

I gripped the dagger in my hand.

[What are you waiting for?! Cut their heads off! How dare they disrespect you, a member of the Nangong Clan?!]

“But they’re also of the Nangong blood.”

[The spirit of the Nangong Clan has truly fallen to the ground! To oppress a child like this!]

“I’m fine. I knew I’d have to face something like this someday.”

This was within what I’d expected. I just didn’t know how Grandfather would react.

[If you show them Changgong Sword Art, won’t that silence them? If they see you can handle a sword, they’ll shut up.]

But I didn’t know Changgong Sword Art.

Though it was only the Nangong Clan’s most basic sword technique, they hadn’t even taught it to me.

I couldn’t understand what Uncle Dagger was saying.

How could I possibly perform Changgong Sword Art when I’d never learned anything?

[I originally didn’t plan to step in myself, but I have no choice now!]

“What are you going to do?”

[May I take control of your body?]

I looked down at Uncle Dagger, lost in thought.

‘What is this? Not Ghostbusters, but Ghost Wuxia?’

I was flustered.

No—more than that, was it even possible for someone to freely move my body?

‘That sounds scary… you want me to hand over my body?’

[Aren’t those people oppressing you far scarier than a dagger you’ve just met?]

Uncle Dagger was right. The situation was already as bad as it could get.

There was nowhere left to retreat. At this point, I trusted a strange dagger more than my own clan.

“At least Uncle Dagger warmed me.”

I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to believe in something, just this once.