Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Baek Suryong sighed as he looked down at Wiji Yeol. There was no trace of shame or hesitation in the old man's actions, even though prostration was the highest gesture of submission, with one's elbows, knees, and forehead touching the ground.

"Elder, I am not the Blood Demon. I have nothing to do with the Blood Cult."

"……" Wiji Yeol stayed still like a statue, waiting for Baek Suryong's words. He even held his breath, as if even breathing too loudly was disrespectful.

"Look, Elder, I'm sorry for lying to you. At first, I didn't trust you, and later, I missed the opportunity to tell you the truth."

With all seriousness, Wiji Yeol took a dagger out of his pocket and laid it at Baek Suryong's feet. "…I will accept death as punishment for failing to earn your trust, my lord."

"Ugh…" Baek Suryong massaged his temples in frustration. This wasn't the first time he'd been mistaken for the Blood Demon, and he had already used this misunderstanding several times to interrogate Blood Cultists and escape danger.

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However, he never wanted Wiji Yeol to think that way. That was why, back when they first met, he had claimed to be a descendant of the Blood Wolves.

Is it because of this?

Baek Suryong glanced at the sword in his hand, with its faint blue glow and striking dragon engraving. Although it was no longer vibrating on its own, it still felt like a living creature.

More importantly, the moment the sword tasted a drop of his blood, the blue dragon on the blade had turned into a crimson blood dragon.

"This sword… Did you design it to respond to the Heaven Defying Divine Art?"

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"Yes, my lord." Wiji Yeol replied with a shaky voice, staying face down on the ground. "I forged this sword using a secret manual passed down from my ancestors, the ones who created the Blood Demon Sword. It is extraordinarily sharp and durable, but its true power can only be awakened by one who has mastered the Heaven Defying Divine Art."

"True power?"

"Along with the Blood Demon Sword, this is one of the only two swords that can fully contain the Heaven Defying Divine Art. It is the natural enemy of demons, and the sharpness of the blade can be adjusted according to the will of the wielder. If you wish, my lord, it won't harm your opponents even if you swing it with all your might."

Baek Suryong knew the term for such a weapon. "…It's a legendary weapon," he murmured in admiration.

Wiji Yeol prostrated himself even lower, pressing his forehead firmly against the floor. "I, Wiji Yeol, have dedicated my life to creating a sword worthy of the Blood Demon, our Supreme Lord!"

"Like I've said, I'm not the Blood Demon." Baek Suryong sighed. Clearing up this misunderstanding was going to take a while. "I admit that I've learned the Heaven Defying Divine Art, but I have no connection to the Blood Cult. I learned it by accident, in a secret cave created by a previous Blood Demon."

That was a lie, but he couldn't reveal everything. There was no way that Wiji Yeol would believe he was the reincarnation of the martial arts instructor who had destroyed the Blood Cult fifty years ago.

At the very least, however, he would make one thing clear.

"Elder. I detest the Blood Cult. If war breaks out, I will slaughter them with this very sword. So please, stand up. You have already severed all ties with the Blood Cult, haven't you? You have no reason to…"

THUD!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"My lord! Please don't doubt my loyalty!" Wiji Yeol shouted, lifting his head and slamming it back down.

Baek Suryong gaped at the shocking sight. Blood was dripping from Wiji Yeol's forehead. The old man hadn't used his inner qi to protect himself!

Fucking crazy cultists. It's a good thing I set up a sound barrier beforehand.

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He wiped away a drop of cold sweat, relieved that he had formed a qi sound barrier the moment Wiji Yeol had started acting weird.

"Doubt your loyalty? What are you talking about?"

"Instead of contributing to the revival of our Cult, I ran away and hid in the mountains like a coward… so I won't blame you if you consider me a traitor," Wiji Yeol confessed, feeling panic rising within him.

Could everything that has happened since he came to see me be a part of his scheme? Even Cheon's qi deviation? How cunning!

Wiji Yeol's body trembled with fear, and tears welled up in his eyes.

With a face as if he was ready to accept death, he pleaded, "I can pay for my sins with my life right now, but please… Please spare my grandson. His talent is extraordinary. Please allow him to serve as your sword, Supreme Lord. I'm sure he will be useful when you conquer the murim."

When he was done speaking, he slammed his forehead against the floor again and again.

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BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Stop! Elder! Stop it!" Baek Suryong yelled, but Wiji Yeol ignored him.

BAM! BAM! SLAM!

Alarmed, Baek Suryong grabbed Wiji Yeol's shoulders, worried that the old man would really smash his own skull and die.

However, Wiji Yeol refused to stop hurting himself. If he couldn't bash his head on the floor, then he would bite his tongue instead.

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In that split second, only one solution sprang to Baek Suryong's mind.

"Stop! This is an order from the Cult Leader!"

"Yes, my lord." Wiji Yeol reflexively obeyed and raised his head with difficulty. Blood was trickling down his face, and even more blood dribbled from his mouth, where he had bitten his tongue.

Baek Suryong let out a long sigh. "Haa…"

He had forgotten that the Blood Cult was quite literally a group of religious fanatics. If the Blood Demon demanded it, Wiji Yeol would gladly commit suicide despite being the patriarch of one of the Eight Great Clans.

He probably thinks I was testing him this whole time.

Activating the Blood Demon Eyes, Baek Suryong knelt down next to Wiji Yeol and made eye contact. "From now on, I will not forgive you if you take your own life or harm yourself without my permission."

"……" Frightened, Wiji Yeol flinched and nodded as if his life depended on it.

After securing the old man's promise, Baek Suryong canceled the Blood Demon Eyes and began, "Listen carefully, I…"

He concocted a story that mixed truth and falsehood.

He recounted how he had accidentally discovered the Blood Demon's legacy in a cave in his hometown, learned the Heaven Defying Divine Art, and then used that power to become an instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy.

He explained that he had mentioned the Blood Wolves to Wiji Yeol earlier because of the information he had found in that cave.

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Finally, he claimed to have found the Demonic Strategist's secret treasure trove in the Valley of Evil.

"In the Valley of Evil, I found martial arts, treasures, and elixirs left behind by the Demonic Strategist for the Blood Demon's successor. That's how I suddenly grew much stronger."

"The Demonic Strategist!" Wiji Yeol spat out the name through gritted teeth, his eyes burning with hatred.

"Do you believe me now? I'm not the Blood Demon. I only happened to learn his martial art."

"But…" Wiji Yeol hesitated, looking confused. Although there were some holes in Baek Suryong's story, it was plausible enough if he considered it as a series of lucky encounters.

After a moment of contemplation, he whispered in a subdued tone, "…Even if everything you've said is true, since you've learned the Heaven Defying Divine Art, you are definitely qualified to become the Cult Leader."

"What are you talking about? The Blood Cult should already have a Cult Leader."

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"…So you really don't know anything."

"……" Baek Suryong folded his arms and silently urged Wiji Yeol to continue.

Seemingly calmer, Wiji Yeol explained, "The Cult Leader died during the Murim Alliance's attack, and those filthy orthodox scum burned down our headquarters. Most of the elders and patriarchs died or ran away, hoping to someday rebuild our Cult. 'Prepare for the future.' Those were the Cult Leader's last words."

"……" This was Baek Suryong's first time hearing the details about the fall of the Blood Cult. After all, few who had survived the war were willing to talk about it.

"The survivors scattered, and since the Cult Leader had left behind no heir, no children, and no disciples, there was no one to unite them."

Baek Suryong nodded. It was unusual for a supreme master to have no children or disciples, but the Blood Demon was so powerful that no one worried about his possible death and the lack of a successor.

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"Anyway, with the sudden assault and the Cult Leader's death, the Heaven Defying Divine Art was lost."

"Wait." Baek Suryong tilted his head in confusion. "The Blood Cult has recently become active again. If there's no Blood Demon, then who's leading them?"

"The Apostles."

"Apostles?"

Baek Suryong recalled the Bloody Spirit's last words.

"The First Apostle told me to annihilate the Namgung Clan and bring him the Soulless that the Yin Yang Demon Lord created…"

"One day, the Apostles suddenly showed up and gathered the scattered cultists. Some elders and patriarchs joined them."

"Who are these Apostles, exactly?"

"I don't know. All I know is that each Apostle has incredibly powerful martial arts, and that they're all nurturing their own candidates for the next Cult Leader."

"……"

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"They sought my support, too, but I refused them because I didn't approve of the candidates they endorsed."

"Is that really everything you know?" Baek Suryong asked sharply.

"Haha…" Wiji Yeol laughed hollowly and bowed his head. "…My clan has lost our noble status. If I dared to return to the Cult now, I would be used as a tool until I die. I'm no good at fighting, and my grandson is my only family, so those crazy bastards would definitely take Cheon hostage. That's why I ran away. I fled from both the Murim Alliance and the Blood Cult. I just wanted to protect Cheon."

This was the end of Wiji Yeol's story. Having confessed all his secrets, he looked immensely relieved.

"I served the previous Cult Leader. My martial arts may be lacking, but I pride myself on my ability to judge people," Wiji Yeol added.

Baek Suryong grinned. "I remember. When we first met, you said that I was an unfinished sword."1

Wiji Yeol also smiled faintly. "From what I can see, you have inherited the true legacy of the Blood Demon Divine Cult. Not only have you mastered the Heaven Defying Divine Art, your abilities and leadership are reminiscent of the previous Cult Leader."

"……" Baek Suryong's eyes widened in shock at the high praise, especially since he knew that Wiji Yeol had met the Blood Demon before.

Suddenly, Wiji Yeol insinuated, "If you wish, you can become the true Supreme Lord of the Blood Cult."

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Baek Suryong shook his head without hesitation. "I'm not interested."

"This isn't something you should dismiss so quickly." Wiji Yeol stood up, as if he had made up his mind. "If you give me the order, I will gather the scattered cultists."

"What?" Baek Suryong blinked, dumbfounded.

However, Wiji Yeol was serious. "There must be others like me who reject the Apostles' authority. I will find them and tell them that the true successor of the Heaven Defying Divine Art exists."

"Elder!"

"This is a chance to bring the world to its knees. Are you really not interested?"

Wiji Yeol's gaze was so sharp that it felt as if it could pierce right through Baek Suryong.