Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 241
IF Story: Martial Arts AU
Wrong Ending, Genre Shift.
Author’s reference:
Adeline – Joo Ara
Shane – Sa Yihyeon
Genevieve – Jae Nabi
Lloyd – Noyi
Lucian – Dang Munhyeok
Translator’s notes:
– This AU takes place in the martial arts world, its customs largely based on ancient Chinese customs and practices. I’ll try to keep the names, sect affiliations and titles as close to the original as possible.
– Names here are written with the surname first and then the first name.
Ara was born with memories of her past life.
She didn’t know how it happened, but she was lying on a bed as a baby.
“Oh my, you’re awake.”
“You didn’t even cry. What a good girl.”
Me?
An adult who gets praised just for not crying. Is this heaven?
At first, she thought she was dreaming. After all, a large woman dressed in clothes that looked like they belonged in a Chinese historical drama was speaking to her as if she were a baby.
She was so startled that she froze without even crying, and then she heard the sound of something breaking.
“As expected of the Sect Leader’s daughter. Such incredible strength.”
“The wooden doll has turned to dust!”
Something that was probably a toy was clenched in Ara’s hand, crushed and twisted. That surprised Ara even more.
What is this. This is scary.
“Ara-agassi, your future is something to look forward to!”
(Young Miss Ara)
“The pride of our Demonic Sect!”
The woman smiled with satisfaction. It was clearly a warm smile, yet there was something chilling about it. Her eyes were dull and unfocused.
‘Demonic Sect? Young Miss? Sect Leader?’
Is this some kind of cult?
* * *
Fortunately, it wasn’t a cult.
‘Or, in a way, maybe it is?’
The place where Ara was born was the Sacred Palace, where the main headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was located.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Sect. In other words, the Demonic Sect.
It was a familiar name to Ara, who had read every kind of genre novel in her past life. After all, there was no martial arts story without a Demonic Sect.
Ara had been born as the daughter of the Demonic Sect Leader.
And she was an only child.
‘Honestly, this is a huge win.’
If someone is the leader of the Demonic Sect, they must be extremely strong, so they wouldn’t die easily. And since the Sacred Palace was located deep within the highest peaks of the Thousand Mountains, it would be difficult for most people to even reach it. As long as she didn’t leave the Sacred Palace, she would be safe even if the Murim Alliance attacked.
“Her meridians are weak, so she isn’t suited to learning the Demonic Sect’s martial arts. If we’re careless, it could even put her life at risk.”
“Does our Ara really need to become strong?”
She already seemed strong enough, so it was strange. Tilting her head, Ara listened to her parents’ worries being discussed above her. With this much strength, and yet they were treating her like she was frail.
“The Guardian Corps will follow her wherever she goes, but she should still be able to protect herself.”
“That’s true. Then as you said, the Demonic Sect’s martial arts would be too harsh for Ara. It would be better to start by teaching her an internal cultivation method that gathers the purest energy.”
“Then something from the Wudang Sect would be best.”
“We’ll teach only the basic method first, and gradually find the most suitable one later.”
If this counted as a weak constitution, how incredible would a perfect martial body be?
Even though she was born as the only daughter of the Demonic Sect Leader, instead of inheriting demonic arts, Ara had to build her foundation in the middle of the Thousand Mountains by practicing the Taiji Internal Method of the Wudang Sect.
“How did you obtain the Wudang method?”
“For you, Ara, there’s nothing this mother cannot do.”
Her mother answered with a beautiful smile. Ara felt a little intimidated.
“That’s very reassuring, but I’m still curious.”
“There are traitors everywhere, my child.”
“Ah.”
“It wasn’t that difficult. It wasn’t even a sect leader’s secret manual.”
“…I, um, I see…”
The answer was terrifying.
Fortunately, her parents and even the entire Council of Elders were completely devoted to Ara.
Her father, Joo Gugok, who looked frightening but whose expression melted whenever he saw her.
Her mother, Dang Miyeon, who looked like a fragile deer but came from a branch family of the Sichuan Dang Clan.
Perhaps because she was born to such a handsome father and beautiful mother, even at a young age, Joo Ara’s appearance stood out remarkably. Born pretty, into a wealthy family, and the child of the strongest being in the world. What better environment could there be to cling to for survival?
Still, she had a conscience, so she trained diligently. If it meant acting cute for the parents who would support her for life, a little training was nothing.
The training was harsh, but bearable.
There were many interesting people in the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
“Ara-ya, this big brother of yours caught— I mean, bought something healthy for you!”
(T/N: -ya, -ah, -ie are used as terms of endearment, similar to -chan and -kun in Japan)
“Aaaah, it’s a snake!”
“Ara-ya, I brought a thousand-year snow ginseng for you to eat. Don’t spit it out just because it’s bitter!”
“Ugh.”
Their methods were rough and mischievous, but she knew it was because they loved her.
The Taiji Internal Method suited her constitution perfectly, and her foundation-building progressed well. Ara’s parents, the guardians, and the Council of Elders even brought her rare medicinal elixirs to consume. Ara ate everything without refusing.
‘They say it’s good for the body.’
Having died an untimely death in her past life, Ara was deeply attached to staying alive.
‘I was born to good parents, so I’ll cling to them like a parasite, eat well, live well, and die peacefully!’
Ara burned with ambition.
* * *
She began to feel that something was strange one day when she was nine.
“Say hello, Ara. This child will become your fiancé.”
“My fiancé?”
Her father, Joo Gugok, pushed forward the back of a boy who was barely half her size, his expression displeased.
“He’s the most outstanding among the disciples. He was born with an innate constitution.”
“Aha…”
To Ara, who had lived in modern times, getting engaged at only nine felt like child abuse, but she understood that in this world, it was completely normal.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was not an organization that’s passed down by bloodline. The Young Sect Leader would be chosen from among the Sect Leader’s disciples, and the most outstanding one would be appointed.
‘Then that child will become the Young Sect Leader.’
