Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 264: I Greet the Supreme Lord!

TL: FoodieMonster007

Also, it seems that the Chairman of the Murim Alliance will be visiting you soon.

"…The Murim Alliance Chairman is coming here?"

Baek Suryong frowned as he read the letter. His mind raced as he recalled what he knew of the Murim Alliance Chairman.

The Fist King, Yayul Hwang. A member of the Ten Supremes and the current Murim Alliance Chairman. A man who treated the extermination of the Blood Cult's remnants as his life's mission.

As for his personality… According to Jaegal Soyeong, who older sister worked at the Murim Alliance and was going bald from dealing with the Chairman's rough personality, if the Fist King lost his temper, he would smash everything in his office.

"And he's coming to the Azure Dragon Academy to see me? Don't tell me…"

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Baek Suryong wondered if the Fist King wanted to come all this way just to test him. If that was his motive, he would have to refuse.

The Fist King was known to be one of the strongest among the Ten Supremes, on par with the Blue Sky Sword King. Baek Suryong couldn't defeat him yet… No, whether he could win or not wasn't the main issue.

The Fist King fought in the war against the Blood Cult fifty years ago. Like the Blue Sky Sword King, he might grow suspicious of me.

The instincts of a supreme master were eerily keen. Even the Blue Sky Sword King had once suspected him, though he had never found a single clue linking him to the Blood Cult.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"…At first, I thought you were a spy for the Blood Cult."

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Baek Suryong martial arts had improved a great deal since then, and he could hide his abilities more effectively, but he still didn't want to risk it.

"I don't want to meet him yet…"

He flipped the page to read the rest of the message.

The Murim Alliance Chairman's true motives have not been confirmed, but it seems he is coming to the Azure Dragon Academy to inspect the academy and meet the Azure Dragon Hero.

"Phew!" Baek Suryong heaved a sigh of relief. If the Chairman's main goal was Alliance business, then it would be unlikely for him to do more than have a brief chat.

Still, it's too soon to relax…

"Surely someone in the Chairman's position wouldn't just start punching people for no reason, right?"

Baek Suryong hoped that would be the case.

Although his schedule is not yet confirmed, given the Chairman's impatient personality, he will probably leave for the Azure Dragon Academy within three days. I'll inform you if there are any changes.

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That was the last line of the message. Baek Suryong read it once more, then burned it with Samadhi True Flame.

Brushing the ashes from his hands, muttered, "The Murim Alliance Chairman's visit, huh? That will probably be quite the grand event…"

The Chairman's arrival was an important occasion. The Academy would have to prepare a proper welcome. Nevertheless, he couldn't let this interfere with his teaching schedule, and the final exams for the first semester were just around the corner.

"Well, I'm sure the Principal will handle it."

Baek Suryong left his seat, opened the door, and stepped outside.

Immediately, the students, who had been training since dawn, stared at him intently as if waiting for him to say something.

Baek Suryong smiled. "That's enough for morning training. Go wash up and grab breakfast."

"Yes, Mr. Baek!"

After breakfast, Baek Suryong and his students headed to the Azure Dragon Academy. Now that the temporary closure had been lifted, they settled back into their daily lives.

Along the way, many students greeted them enthusiastically, their attitudes completely different from before. The Remedial Class, once scorned as being full of delinquents and problem children, was now admired by many.

"Mr. Baek Suryong!"

"Could you give us some pointers later?"

"Wiji Cheon, is it true you beat the Soul-Seeking Swordsman?"

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"When are you coming to the SRS, Cheon? The Sword Flower's been dying to see you!"

A crowd soon surrounded them.

"Out of the way! Move, you bastards! We're busy! Do we look like we have time to stand around chatting?" Hyonwon Kang barked, forcing a path open for Baek Suryong and the others.

Suddenly, he flashed a sly grin and rubbed his hands together greedily. "Mr. Baek's busy, so if you want to meet him, get in line. Though, we might let you skip ahead if you offer us a little something…"

SMACK!

Divine retribution struck the back of Hyonwon Kang's head.

"Ouch! Why'd you hit me?"

"'Offer you a little something'? Are you a bandit?"

"…Mr. Baek, even bandits have standards. We never stoop that low," Ya Suhyeok said.

"Oh, my apologies. To the bandits, that is."

The group continued their friendly banter all the way to class.

Stepping into the Defense Against the Unorthodox Arts classroom, Baek Suryong looked around at the students he hadn't seen in a while.

"Did you enjoy your unexpected vacation? Well, the final exams are coming up, so get ready for hell," he declared.

Groans erupted from every corner of the room.

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"Already? We barely learned anything yet!"

"That's reality, so let's just do our best until the end of the semester. Understood?"

""Yes, Mr. Baek!""

The students were excited. Having heard the rumors about the Azure Dragon Hero who had saved the Namgung Clan, they were eager to learn from a famous martial master.

However, it wasn't long before their merry cheers turned to miserable screams.

"AHHH!"

"H-Help!"

"He's gotten more ruthless after returning from the Namgung Estate!"

"How is this any different from the training in the unorthodox sects…?"

After the day's work was done, Baek Suryong returned to the White Dragon Manor to receive visitors. There were fewer of them now, but there were still plenty of fools guests who came to see the Azure Dragon Hero.

Some were especially obnoxious.

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"Azure Dragon Hero! I, Cheong Ilso, Senior Disciple of the Clear Lake Sect, challenge you to a duel! Today, I will defeat you and spread the name of the Clear Lake Sect's ultimate martial arts across the jianghu!"

"…Okay, I'm Baek Suryong. Please attack me whenever you're ready."

"You're just as arrogant as they say! Still, we martial artists speak through our fists, not words! As the ancient philosophers once said…"

"Aren't you the one who has a lot to say? When can we get started?"

"Shut up! Take this!"

Cheong Ilso, the self-proclaimed master, tied a headband around his forehead and charged forward with clumsy footwork.

CLANG!

He met the same fate as the others. Cheong Ilso's dao was cut in half in a single exchange, and he sank to the ground, his legs trembling with shock.

"My sect's legendary blade…!"

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If that sword was legendary, it wouldn't have snapped from a single strike. Sighing, Baek Suryong said, If you head out of here and take a left at the main road, you'll find a shop called the Wiji Smithy. You might find a blade better than that broken one there."

"But I don't have any money!"

"…That's not my problem."

"Ahem. I'll pay you back eventually, so could you lend me some money?"

What the fuck…? Fortunately, Baek Suryong managed to restrain himself from swearing out loud.

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However, Cheong Ilso took Baek Suryong's silence as a sign that he was considering it. "And, um, could you also give me some travel money? I traveled all the way here from the Clear Lake Sect to meet you," he added shamelessly.

Baek Suryong couldn't stand it any longer. Spotting Hyonwon Kang training nearby, he shouted, "Wonkang! Our guest is ready to leave. Please show him out."

"Yes, Hyung-nim!"

It was at times like this that Hyonwon Kang's true worth was revealed.

A short while later, Cheong Ilso, his eyes now swollen and bruised, was dragged out of the White Dragon Manor by Hyonwon Kang, screaming and kicking.

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"Azure Dragon Hero, you bastard! When I perfect my sect's ultimate martial arts, I'll be back to take revenge for today's humiliation!"

Baek Suryong rolled his eyes. "Sprinkle salt outside the door. A whole bag of it. I'm done with guests for today. No, I'm done with this whole 'meeting visitors' thing."

…And so, his busy yet mostly peaceful days continued, occasionally disrupted by a few rude oddballs.

With barely an hour of sleep a day, he spent his time teaching students, polishing his own martial arts, and reading reports from the Beggars' Gang and the Rogues' Guild.

The Blood Cult will strike soon. I need to be prepared.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

While he was reading a Rogues' Guild report, someone suddenly knocked at his bedroom door.

"Do you have a moment for this old man?" Wiji Yeol asked.

"Elder? Please, come in."

Wiji Yeol entered the room. Now that he could live without being on the run, he looked much healthier and happier than before.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your work," Wiji Yeol said.

"Not at all. Have a seat."

"I felt bad coming empty-handed, so I brought some wine."

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"That's perfect."

The two men faced each other, leisurely exchanging a few drinks. It had been a while since they last spoke like this.

"Could you please stop sending people to my workshop? My shelves are empty, and I don't have time to accept any more new commissions," Wiji Yeol laughed.

Baek Suryong chuckled, "Then why don't you hire more employees?"

"I plan to take on a few apprentices. I have a few candidates in mind already."

"Really?" Baek Suryong asked.

He was truly surprised. He didn't know much about Wiji Yeol's smithy, as he had deliberately refrained from poking around in his affairs out of worry that Wiji Yeol might feel pressured.

"Why did you come looking for me at this hour? You must be just as busy as I am."

Wiji Yeol grinned, as if he'd been waiting for that very question. "I came to celebrate."

"Don't tell me…" Baek Suryong eyed the long wooden box in Wiji Yeol's hands expectantly. It was about the length of a sword, and he'd been curious about it from the moment Wiji Yeol walked in. Gulping nervously, he asked, "Is it finally done?"

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Wiji Yeol nodded and opened the box with a proud smile. Immediately, a faint, blue glow spilled out from inside.

WHOOSH!

When the glow faded, a sword was revealed. The silver metal carried a soft blue sheen, and an ascending dragon was engraved from the base to the tip of the blade.

"I haven't finished the scabbard yet. I had one ready, but I'm planning to make a new one from that One-Horned Demon Dragon's horn you brought me. It won't take long."

"So this is the sword you forged for me…"

Baek Suryong took the sword out of the box and stared at it, spellbound. The balance was impeccable, and the thickness and length of the blade felt perfect. Simply looking at the frighteningly sharp edge made him feel as if his flesh was being cut.

"I kept the shape and length similar to Moon Shadow. You've used Moon Shadow for a while, so I figured it was best to stick to something you were comfortable with."

"It's heavier than Moon Shadow, though."

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"That's because of the Meteor Iron. Your martial arts are powerful, and a slightly heavier weapon will be better for unleashing destructive techniques."

Baek Suryong nodded in approval. He preferred a heavier sword anyway. "Did you achieve your lifelong dream?" he asked, grinning.

He was actually asking Wiji Yeol whether this sword had surpassed the Blood Demon sword.

Wiji Yeol smiled meaningfully. "We won't know for sure until they actually clash, but I can promise you one thing. You won't be able to use your sword as an excuse for any future losses."

"That's good enough for me." Baek Suryong smiled in satisfaction. He gently stroked the blade, enjoying the refreshing coolness.

I'm itching to take this out for a spin already.

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This was his first time feeling so excited about a weapon.

"…By the way, could you drop a bit of blood on the blade?" Wiji Yeol suddenly asked.

"What? Why?"

"It's one of my family's secret techniques, a ritual that helps the sword recognize its owner," Wiji Yeol replied, looking both excited and uneasy.

Baek Suryong nodded and dropped a bit of blood onto the blade.

DRIP…

The blood seeped into the engraved dragon. In an instant, the entire dragon pattern lit up with a crimson glow.

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WHOOSH!

The sword vibrated on its own, almost twisting itself out of Baek Suryong's grip. Only after releasing a sinister aura did it finally calm down.

"Hohoho…" Wiji Yeol let out a hollow laugh as he glanced from Baek Suryong to the sword he had crafted. "Maybe this was fate all along…?"

"Elder?"

Wiji Yeol rose from his seat and knelt down on the floor.

THUD!

Shocked, Baek Suryong jumped to his feet. "E-Elder? What are you doing?"

"I, Wiji Yeol, the last patriarch of the Wiji Clan, greet the Supreme Lord of the Blood Demon Divine Cult!"

"……" Baek Suryong could only watch in dismay as the old man prostrated himself in total reverence.