I'm The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 12
Ming Palace.
The bedchamber of Demon Sect Leader Dokgo Cheon.
Beyond the long, white fabric draping like the multicolored banner veiling the northern sky, the Leader’s shadow was faintly visible.
The innermost sanctum of Ming Palace—so secluded that even attendants were forbidden entry.
Only four people in the entire Demon Sect were permitted to intrude upon this place.
“Leader, I’m here.”
Loose footsteps. Loose attire. And even a loose voice.
Truly, everything about this man was loose, and so he sprawled lazily before the Leader with the same careless ease.
Such irreverent behavior before the Heavenly Demon himself would have been blasphemous—yet precisely because it was him, everything was permitted.
Guardian of the East, Guardian of the Land Gong Son Woo.
“You’re late.”
The Leader’s voice rang out, low and cold.
He couldn’t possibly mistake it for anything other than a rebuke, yet Gong Son Woo remained utterly nonchalant.
“My swallows are dead.”
Swallows—his personal soldiers, the scouts deployed for covert operations.
Though virtually powerless in martial arts, their talent for gathering intelligence was so exceptional even the Master of Medicine Hall would envy them.
Gong Son Woo grimaced slightly, uncorked the flask at his waist, and took a sip of wine.
“Ugh. I managed to catch one bug, but the bastard died before I could interrogate him. Brought him back just in case, but I doubt it’ll yield any results.”
“Connect it to the Blood Demon Palace. Draw its blood and reflect it in a mirror—you should be able to glimpse a memory or two.”
“That would be appreciated.”
Gong Son Woo fell silent for a moment and took another sip of wine.
He hesitated, reluctant to voice what came next.
“You’re still… like that?”
Though his question was heavily abbreviated, its meaning was perfectly clear.
Dokgo Cheon lifted the white fabric separating them and revealed himself.
Snow-white hair cascaded like a frozen waterfall; violet eyes shimmered with the madness of the Demon Art of Self-Manifestation.
His pale skin and crimson lips gave off an ambiguous aura—at once reminiscent of an innocent scholar, yet also evoking the decadent elegance of a dandy.
The Heavenly Demon of the age—Dokgo Cheon.
“If you’re asking about the Five Desires and Seven Emotions—yes. It remains as it was.”
“…”
Guardian of the Land tightly shut his mouth and turned away from Dokgo Cheon.
If he felt no sense of responsibility, that would be a lie—but he lacked the ability to bear such responsibility.
‘To lose all emotion as a human being…’
Strangers often praised Dokgo Cheon, claiming he had achieved the Ultimate Demon State, transcended human bounds, and ascended to the realm of gods.
But to Gong Son Woo—his friend and sworn brother—such words were nothing but nonsense.
Dokgo Cheon was broken. Cursed by a dreadful hex.
“And Wol Yeong?”
“…”
“Has your feeling for her vanished completely…? No, forget it. Don’t answer. That was a foolish question.”
Gong Son Woo realized he’d lost his composure.
In contrast, Dokgo Cheon remained expressionless and cold, as if utterly unmoved by his friend’s agitation.
“I’ll look into it further. I’ll keep searching—surely there must be some way.”
Just hold on a little longer.
Though left unspoken, the meaning was clear—but Dokgo Cheon’s mind was like a frozen lake. No matter how many stones one threw, not even a ripple would form.
[This is the timeline separator]A month had already passed since Na Rin entered Dae Seong Seodang.
At only four years old—among the youngest even among the Seodang children—her lessons were limited solely to the Thousand Character Classic.
‘At my age, I’m stuck learning “Heaven is Cheon, Earth is Ji”?’
Of course, learning characters was important, and the Thousand Character Classic did contain profound content for a beginner’s text—but at her age, no one expected her to grasp those deeper meanings anyway.
Thus, Na Rin passed her days by daydreaming during class and heading to the reading hall afterward for private study.
Which meant—
“Eventually… I’ve ended up coming here after all.”
“To First-Year Student Ju Na Rin of Dae Seong Seodang—from Goddess Ilwol.”
It also meant she hadn’t visited Ilwolmun even once in the entire month.
Na Rin let out a deep sigh.
Morning lessons in the Thousand Character Classic and afternoon duties at Ilwolmun—when was she supposed to actually study?
‘If I’d known it would be like this, I shouldn’t have accepted that advance payment.’
Back then, she’d been a destitute orphan dependent on alms from the Demon Sect Temple, but now she received a generous scholarship—so money wasn’t urgent anymore.
“Ugh.”
With reluctance, Na Rin tore open the letter.
It was simple: a single sheet folded a few times and sealed lightly with wax, easily opened.
“Are you well, Na Rin? I heard you’ve entered Dae Seong Seodang, and since you must be very busy with studies, I haven’t seen you around.
Children’s lessons finish at the Hour of the Ox, right? I’ll send a carriage at that time, so feel free to come to Ilwolmun afterward to do your homework. I’ll be waiting. They’ve brought in excellent tea and sweets.”
Beneath the concise wording lay a distinctly forceful undertone.
‘She probably has higher intimidation stats than Seventh Elder Grandpa.’
Notably, Goddess Ilwol hadn’t even mentioned the advance payment.
Still, since she was coming to help with chores anyway, being allowed to do her homework there was a lucky break.
“Narina~! Someone’s calling for you outside~!”
“Huh? Oh.”
Yu Ri, a classmate just one year older, came running in with the news.
Na Rin gave a distracted reply while packing her things, causing Yu Ri to pout.
“You dare speak casually to your older sister? Shame on you!”
“What’s in your heart, you’ll find in the Shim Sim Bo Gam~.”
“Oh yeah? Well, what’s in mine is the Sa Ja So Hak~!”
Na Rin stared wide-eyed in surprise, then gave an impressed “Oh~!”
Yu Ri puffed out her chest proudly with a little “Ahem!”—adorable.
“But Narina, where are you going?”
“To work.”
“Gasp!”
Yu Ri covered her mouth with both hands.
“You work? Like adults?”
“Yep. Get paid too.”
“Woww~! That’s amazing~!”
She was just too cute.
Na Rin decided that once she got paid, she’d buy Yu Ri some sweets on the way back.
“Where to? Where do you go to work?”
“Ilwolmun.”
—Is Na Rin inside?
“Ah!”
Yu Ri looked at Na Rin with a “What should I do?” expression.
Apparently, she’d been sent to fetch Na Rin but had gotten so caught up in chatting that she’d completely forgotten her errand.
Na Rin slung her packed bag over her shoulder and replied,
“I’m coming out now! Older Sister Yu Ri, I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay! Do your best!”
Na Rin climbed onto the open carriage waiting right outside Dae Seong Seodang.
The coachman spoke,
“So you’re the child named Na Rin whom the Goddess seeks.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“I’ll come at this time every day from now on—be ready and don’t forget to board.”
“Yes.”
“Hyah!”
The carriage set off.
Since it took less than half a watch to reach Ilwolmun from Chilseongwon by carriage, Na Rin could leisurely enjoy the scenery without hurry.
‘This area is really bustling.’
Though students like her stayed in dormitories, Chilseongwon wasn’t home only to Dae Seong Seodang.
Teachers, scholars, clerks receiving temple stipends—even officials like Chief Jang and servants, plus their families—all resided here. Where people gathered, money naturally followed.
Seventh Elder’s emphasis on learning had effectively revitalized the local economy.
‘Huh?’
At that moment, Na Rin spotted a familiar face among the lively marketplace crowd.
‘Uncle Bi Cha, right?’
Bi Cha—the leanest and most eloquent of the three guides who had brought her to the Demon Sect—walked with an ashen, ghostly pallor, as if he’d seen a specter in broad daylight.
“Bi…!”
She wanted to greet him—it had been so long—but hesitated at his unnatural expression, and in that moment, Bi Cha vanished into the throng.
“What was that about?”
She’d spent half a year with him, yet had never seen such an expression on Bi Cha before.
The Bi Cha she knew was a slightly cheeky, energetic, and likable chatterbox—a clever long-armed monkey of a man.
‘I should ask Dae Heung or Ma Jung about it later.’
Na Rin made a mental note and set aside thoughts of Bi Cha for now.
Soon after, her eyes widened dramatically upon arriving at Ilwolmun.
Though not her first visit, the scene before her was utterly unfamiliar.
“What’s the occasion today?”
Na Rin looked around in bewilderment, overwhelmed by the throngs blocking her path and the merchants’ loud haggling and calls.
The coachman stepped down first, lifted Na Rin off the carriage with both hands, and set her gently on the ground before answering,
“A caravan has arrived—so the market’s opened.”
“A caravan?”
“Haha. It’s a Persian word—you wouldn’t recognize it. In Central Plains terms, it’s called ‘caravan trade,’ but think of them simply as very large traveling merchants.”
Now that he mentioned it, many people wore distinctly foreign clothing.
Central Asian merchants—rarely seen in the Central Plains—had confidently set up stalls selling jewelry, spices, and other goods, filling the area with vibrant energy.
“Looks fun.”
“Right? You should beg the Goddess to let you explore—she seems quite fond of you.”
“I will.”
The coachman gave a brief farewell and disappeared again with the carriage.
Na Rin carefully navigated through the bustling market and headed toward Goddess Ilwol’s residence inside Ilwolmun.
“It’s been a while.”
Goddess Ilwol was dressed even more splendidly than last time, sipping tea.
Her ordinary greeting carried an unexpectedly imposing aura, as if scolding a subordinate.
An ordinary person would’ve immediately bowed their head and stammered, “I’m so sorry! I should’ve come visit you more often!”
“Yes. You’ve grown even more beautiful since last time.”
Of course, such intimidation was meaningless to Na Rin.
“Hehe. Thank you. You’ve grown quite a bit yourself in this past month.”
“Thank you.”
“Come, sit here. Let’s enjoy the fine tea and sweets I mentioned in my letter.”
Goddess Ilwol picked up a few dried crimson stigmas with small tongs and dropped them into a warm teacup.
Unlike her usual green tea, the water slowly turned a golden-yellow hue with a reddish tint—an intriguing sight.
“What kind of tea is this?”
“It’s saffron tea—beneficial for women. Though perhaps a bit early for you to worry about such things?”
While Na Rin savored the tea’s fragrant aroma, Goddess Ilwol pulled out a wooden box from somewhere.
Even before opening the lid, a sweet scent wafted out—clearly containing confections.
“This is what I wanted to give you.”
Click.
The moment the lid opened, Na Rin’s jaw dropped.
This might well be worth its weight in silver—or more.
“Is this a rice cake? Or candy?”
“It’s called Lokum from Rum (the Ottoman Empire)—or ‘Turkish Delight.’ Its texture is chewy like rice cake, yet sweet as candy. Paired with warm tea, it melts in your mouth like honey.”
Merely from the Goddess’s description, the confection sounded almost divine.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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Chapter Comments (464)
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Golden Moon Caravan.
What a nice name What a nice name What a nice name
A small whirlwind began to swirl beneath Na Rin’s feet, and her hair stood on en
I wander if circulating the energy unprepared might harm her body. We didn’t read about her preparing meridians or opening her own acupoints, etc. Or was she already born with the fully cultivated body? 🤷🏻♀️
Small, round, and soft—her forehead.
Oh my God, what is this? I hope he finds out she’s his daughter soon. I’m so excited! 💗💗
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I was visualising all special effects during their fight. It might have been spectacular! Pink plum flowers from the 4y.o and demonic purple from the Heavenly Demon. 🔥
Their interaction with each other and his attachment to her is so sweet. I hope he knows she’s his daughter. 🦋💗
How vile is this bloodthirsty demon, plotting to kill a child and preying on the weak.