What is a Star Instructor?

Information about the Blood sect. It was strange how the Flying Eagle, Go Juyeol, shared with us what was considered confidential information from the Murim Alliance.

So, I began to doubt him.

'Is he simply a loose-lipped person?'

That would be an easier way to think.

But it's unnatural for someone of Go Juyeol's rank, the head of an investigation team, to leak information so easily.

'What if he's deliberately leaking information?'

In the treacherous world of Murim, where various schemes and strategies run rampant, one had to be wary of every word, small gesture, and action to survive.

I observed Go Juyeol more closely and realized one fact.

'He's definitely wary of us.'

He had his hands placed neatly on his knees, ready to move at any moment, and his gaze casually swept around the room, just pretending to be observant.

'And his feet.'

He kept his feet loose, ready to deploy his specialty, either Qing Gong or Retreat Technique, at any time.

'But why is he suspicious of us?'

When I thought about it, there were sufficient reasons.

A country martial arts instructor without a title had subdued an evil master. Also, without even seeing it directly, he found out that they were teaching evil techniques to their disciples.

'Most of all…'

No matter how much my father tried to hide it, someone of Go Juyeol's caliber would inevitably notice that my father was a skilled martial artist.

'He's convinced that my father is hiding something. And that's true.'

If that's the case, it's highly probable that Go Juyeol brought up the Blood Sect topic to gauge our reaction.

Perhaps…

'He suspects we might be involved with the Blood Sect?'

It might be a bit of a stretch, but it was clear that Go Juyeol was suspicious of us.

Thunk.

Go Juyeol set down his teacup and smiled gently.

To me, that smile seemed quite significant.

"It's a fine tea."

"I'm glad it suits your taste."

A subtle current flowed through the ordinary conversation. Both men were smiling gently, but Go Juyeol's gaze was much colder than when they first met.

"Master Baek's voice. It feels increasingly familiar as I listen."

"Ha ha. I suppose it's just a common voice."

"Is that so…"

The words were soft, but the questions were almost like an interrogation. My father avoided eye contact and evaded the questions.

Go Juyeol maintained his smile.

"Have we really not met each other? Not even once?"

"Ha ha. Perhaps we've brushed past each other at some point in life."

I saw a drop of cold sweat form on my father's forehead. At the same time, I recalled the complex expression and sigh my father had shown earlier.

'His expression was off when he said someone from the Murim Alliance had arrived.'

My father was definitely hiding something. Since I didn't know what it was, I had to rely on my imagination.If a top-tier martial artist had to hide their past and live in a rural area, what could it be?

'A Murim achievement?'

…Even so, that seems too far-fetched.

Achieving a Murim merit at the level of a top-tier martial artist is practically impossible.

Most likely, he could be some kind of wanted criminal by the Murim Alliance.

Anyway, it's still troublesome.

"Master Baek, if you don't mind me asking, may I inquire about your sect?"

"It's a small place you probably won't know much about."

"Hehe."

"..."

The tension in the room slowly increased. Sweat trickled slightly from my palm.

In the worst case, I might have to fight Go Juyeol.

'Though I'm still not fully recovered from the fight with the goat-beard…'

I mentally calculated the movements and scenarios if a fight were to break out.

The opponent isn't just Flying Eagle Go Juyeol.

'I'd also have to deal with the investigation team outside.'

The investigation team from the Murim Alliance's Gangseo Branch. I would neet to subdue Go Juyeol as quickly as possible before they arrived. After that, I would have to rush outside to subdue the investigation team.

I lowered my head to hide any potential killing intent that might show in my eyes.

'If my father is really a wanted criminal by the Murim Alliance and it gets exposed here… none of them can be left alive.'

I always lived with the worst-case scenarios in mind.

It was time to plan how to destroy evidence, escape, and the subsequent steps.

"Clearly a face I've seen before… Hmm… C-could it be?"

In an instant, Go Juyeol's eyes widened.As if recalling something, he slapped his thigh with his palm.

"Ah, I see!"

I tensed up, ready to spring into action and take the optimal route for an escape.

However, the worst-case scenario I had anticipated did not occur. Instead, the situation began to take a strange turn.

"So that's why you looked familiar!"

Go Juyeol's face brightened as if all his doubts had been resolved. The tension in his muscles eased as if the previous wariness had been a lie. In contrast, my father's expression grew darker and darker.Finally, my father sighed in resignation.

'What on earth is going on?'

Soon, Go Juyeol cleared up my confusion. With a bright smile as if meeting an old friend, he exclaimed,

"So it's none other than the Jade-faced Young Master!"

…Jade-faced Young Master?

It was the first time I had heard such a childish nickname, and when I turned to look, my father's face was flushed red as he responded.

"It's been a long time, hyung-nim."

✧

The two middle-aged men sat facing each other at the table, exchanging cups of alcohol.

"Hahaha! It's been such a long time my friend!"

"...It's been almost thirty years. I never imagined that you would come as part of the Alliance's investigation team."

"Why did you pretend not to know me earlier?"

"After leaving the academy in such a hurry and not contacting you since… I thought it would be impolite to acknowledge you first…"

"Impolite, my foot! Were we ever that formal with each other? If you say that, it makes me feel hurt!"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

My father awkwardly laughed and scratched the back of his head. I was watching my father with a bewildered expression from a little distance. So much information came at once that I was disoriented.

'It's a relief that there's no need to fight, but…'

My father turned to me and said,

"Introduce yourself again. This person is my peer from the Azure Dragon Academy, and we were as close as real brothers."

"So you're my friend's son. Haha! You look just like the son of the Jade-faced Prince, tall and handsome!"

"...Brother. I'm almost fifty now. Could we leave the old nickname behind?"

"Hahaha! Anyone who didn't know the Jade-faced Prince from our days at the Azure Dragon Academy was a spy!"

"..."

Go Juyeol laughed heartily, teasing my embarrassed father.

...Well, it's a relief.

With a lighter heart, I greeted him again.

"I'm Baek Suryong."

"Ah, yes, yes. Come and sit comfortably. Let me pour you a drink!"

From the conversation, it turned out that the two men had entered Azure Dragon Academy together over twenty years ago as peers.

The Azure Dragon Academy is one of the Five Great Martial Arts Academies directly managed by the Murim Alliance.

The Five Great Academies are:

The Heavenly Martial Academy in Hubei

The Xianshi Academy in ShanxiThe White

Tiger Academy in Sichuan

The Vermillion Bird Academy in Hunan

The Azure Dragon Academy in Jiangxi

The Five Great Academies are places that every martial artist dreams of joining if they are considered a major force in the martial world. Although there are further rankings within these five academies.

'Back in my day, there was only the Heavenly Martial Academy. Seems like things have changed a lot since then.'

Go Juyeol, recalling old memories, couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"Do you know how many hearts your father set on fire back at Azure Dragon Academy? He's still handsome now, but imagine how striking he must have been back then to earn the nickname 'Jade-faced Prince'!"

"Cough, cough! Brother…"

It was the first time I had seen my father look so embarrassed. After all, at nearly fifty, it's a nickname that's a bit shameful to mention.

I suddenly had a thought and asked my father,

"Was it because you were embarrassed that you've had no nickname all these years?"

"Hem, hem. It was a nickname given in jest by my academy peers. Since it wasn't a proper nickname, I said I didn't have one."

What a lame excuse.

With a face as red as a persimmon, it wasn't very convincing.

"Really…"

With the tension easing, a hollow laugh escaped me.

As I chuckled, my father, with a face still flushed red, downed another cup of alcohol. The night deepened. Although Go Juyeol's investigation team had transported the evil-doers to the Murim Alliance, he stayed behind with the excuse that there was still some investigation left. As several bottles of alcohol were emptied, the two warriors' posture naturally became more relaxed.

At that moment, Go Juyeol hesitated slightly before asking.

"But…"

He stared intently at the alcohol in his cup, not at my father.

"…What happened to Mayak Bing?"

Mayak Bing.

That was my mother's name.

My father smiled bitterly and answered.

"She passed away a long time ago."

"…So it turned out that way. Yes, she was in poor health."

"Yes."

An awkward silence followed.

Trying to change the subject, Go Juyeol laughed heartily and said,

"Haha! I must have misunderstood earlier! I knew I'd seen a familiar face, but I couldn't remember who it was, so I thought it might be someone from the wanted posters."

In fact, Go Juyeol had even considered subduing us.

…If that had happened, I would have had to use poison on him.

It's a blessing that it didn't come to that.

"I almost got a serious scolding."

"Hahaha! I almost got to experience your swordplay's fierce taste again after such a long time!"

The conversation, which began with reminiscing about old times, gradually expanded into various topics. The stories of people's lives were no different for martial artists. After all, living and eating are the most important things.

"Is being a martial artist financially viable? It doesn't seem like your situation is very good."

"It's enough for our family to make ends meet."

To be honest, it was tight. In this rural area, there's not much to charge for tuition, and after buying snacks for the kids, there's not much left. The classes for young adults that my father teaches are the main source of income.

"Is it necessary to teach martial arts in such a place as this? With your skills, you could easily teach at Azure Dragon Academy."

At the mention of Azure Dragon Academy, my father's expression briefly hardened before relaxing.

"This place is fine too."

"You young ones don't understand. Even with supreme martial skills, if you don't have money, you'll end up starving."

What Mr.Go said was a hundred percent right!

"Moreover, these days, the value of academy instructors is quite high. Haven't you heard that the top instructors at the Five Great Academies make a fortune?"

"I don't have the skills for that."

To Go Juyeol's frustration, he patted his chest.

"The skills of the Jade-faced Young Prince haven't dulled, have they? And with your face, even now, students would line up to be taught by you!"

"Brother…"

The conversation, half-joking and half-serious, left my father only awkwardly smiling.

But I could no longer just listen silently.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but…"

I had heard something that I couldn't just ignore.

It seemed I had heard a similar comment before….

"What's a 'star instructor'?"