Not a Student, But an Instructor

"Guh..."

After drinking heavily all night, Go Juyeol didn't wake up until the afternoon the next day.

"This is unbearable."

Clutching his throbbing head, I handed him a cup of honey water with both hands, which I had prepared in advance.

"Uncle, please have some honey water. It's made from honey harvested by a local beekeeper and is excellent for curing hangovers."

"Oh, thank you, Ryong-ah."

As Go Juyeol gulped down the honey water, my father, looking even more exhausted, gave me a bleary-eyed glance.

Reeking of alcohol, my father spoke up, "Where's my honey water?"

"I just gave the last of it to Uncle. The honey's all gone."

"...Couldn't you have split it in half and brought two cups?"

"Oh, come on. That would lessen the effect. It's better to give the guest a proper cup. You're not saying you're stingy about giving your brother honey-water after 30 years, are you?"

"..."

My father couldn't bring himself to be angry and just glared at me with half-closed eyes. Meanwhile, Go Juyeol, who had downed his honey water in one gulp, suddenly stood up.

"Ah! Now I feel alive."

He picked up his coat, which he had tossed carelessly in the room.

"Ugh. The sun is already high. If I'm any later, I might have to write a report."

Despite his grumbling, Go Juyeol's expression was cheerful.

Last night, even as he mumbled about how the report was worth the price of reuniting with an old friend after 30 years, he was clearly a rare and kind-hearted person.

In my eyes, Go Juyeol was that kind of man.

As the head of the investigation team for the Kangseo branch of the Martial Alliance, he held a significant position. In a rural place like this, his words could easily make people tremble in fear, but he treated my father with respect even when he didn't recognize him and never flaunted his authority.

Moreover, despite my father having cut ties and disappearing 30 years ago, he greeted him warmly as if nothing had changed, showing how much affection he had.

My father, Baek Muheon, hadn't achieved great success and was merely a modest martial arts instructor in the countryside, yet he was treated so kindly.

'He's someone worth getting close to.'

"Whew. I suppose I should be on my way now."

After getting ready to leave, Go Juyeol turned to look at my father and me, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he spoke to my father.

"Brother, next time I'll bring some good liquor. Let's drink until we can't stand straight."

"Ugh, we really should start thinking about our age now."

"Ha! The famous Jade-Faced Prince of, who once ruled the nightlife in all of Jiangxi, is saying such things?"

"Brother!"

My father glared at him, a look of injustice crossing his face as he protested.

"You're taking things too far now! My son will misunderstand you!"

"Oh? Why don't you tell me more then, Father?"

"You're saying I'am lying? Then can you swear by the heavens and earth I'm not."

As Go Juyeol swore on heaven and earth, a look of discomfort appeared on my father's face.

…Wait, it was true?

"Ahem. But after I started dating Yakbing, I turned over a new leaf…."

"Heh heh heh!"

"Hahaha!"

Go Juyeol and I had a great time teasing my father.

After laughing for a while, Go Juyeol turned to me with a pleased expression.

"Ryong-ah, have you thought about what we discussed last night?"

Last night, I had a long conversation with him about the Martial Alliance and the Five Great Academies. Most notably, I learned a lot about the Azure Dragon Academy, where my father and Go Juyeol had studied together 30 years ago.

The Azure Dragon Academy in Jiangxi, is where the future leaders of the eastern martial world gather to hone their skills and train to become the next generation of righteous masters.

Though it's considered the weakest of the Five Great Academies, countless boys and girls still sweat and toil every year to gain admission.

"I'm still thinking it over."

Although I had almost made up my mind, I answered somewhat vaguely, to not freak out my father who was already looking at me with a worried expression.

Go Juyeol nodded, saying, "I see."

"There's still three months left, so there's no rush. If you decide to go, come find me then. I can always write you a recommendation letter."

"Yes, thank you."

"No need to thank me."

In Go Juyeol's satisfied gaze, I could sense a mix of regret and other complex emotions. I noticed it, but I pretended not to and smiled gently.

"…The longer the farewell, the more awkward it gets. I'll be on my way now."

"Take care, brother."

"Uncle, safe travels."

"Alright. Let's meet again soon."

After giving me a final few pats on the shoulder, Go Juyeol turned away.

—Whoosh!

He displayed an impressive technique, disappearing from our sight in an instant.

It was a swift movement befitting the nickname "Flying Eagle."

"Ha! Look at how cheeky this guy is."

As soon as Go Juyeol's figure vanished, my father squinted his eyes and looked at me.

"How is it that you're already calling him 'Uncle,Uncle' after just one meeting? You were practically glued to his side and flattering him."

Seems to me that he's still upset about me not getting him any honey-water earlier. But I had plenty to say to my father as well.

"Didn't you say the two of you were practically brothers? You even swore brotherhood last night."

I was the one who barely managed to stop them from writing a blood oath to die on the same day, while they were drunk.I hardly drank because my body is still quite weak, so I was sober the whole time.

My father's face turned red as he recalled his embarrassing behavior from last night.

"Ahem… It's hard to keep your emotions in check, especially when you meet an old friend after 30 years."

"Alright, just drink in moderation next time."

"If you want to play the good son, why don't you go next door and get some honey water?"

My father grumbled with a sullen expression like a child, but then his face suddenly darkened.

In a low voice, he asked me, "…Are you really thinking about going to the Azure Dragon Academy?"

I hesitated about how to respond so I asked him a question instead.

"If I say I'm going, will you try to stop me?"

"…You wouldn't listen even if I did, would you?"

I grinned and nodded.

I, or well the original Baek Suryong, was someone who once had such a strong desire to master martial arts that he even dabbled in demonic arts. Having nearly died (actually, he did die),, his father, Baek Muheon, naturally wore a look full of concern.

With a long sigh, he spoke, "So… you really haven't given up, have you?"

A son born with the cursed Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians, yet still wanting to become a martial artist at any cost, even at the risk of his life. Seeing his son, who had been quiet for a while after nearly dying, now struggling again to become a martial artist, he could only let out a deep sigh.

"Suryong, the martial world is not as admirable as you think."

"Yes, I know that."

There's probably no one who knows just how merciless the martial world can be to the powerless than I do.

At my calm reply, my father bristled and glared at me.

"What do you know? Do you think you've become a master just because you were lucky enough to defeat that one evil martial artist? If he hadn't let his guard down, you wouldn't have stood a chance!"

"Everything was already included in my calculations…"

Suddenly, my father grabbed my shoulder tightly and said,

"Your dantian was damaged from birth. I tried everything I could, but I couldn't fix it."

"…Yes, I know."

"You know?"

It was as if flames were rising in his eyes.

"You claim to know, yet you still want to enroll in the Azure Dragon Academy? Do you think that'll solve anything? If it would, I would've sent you there myself already!"

"…What? Enroll?"

I do plan to go to the Azure Dragon Academy, but I wasn't thinking of enrolling.

But, my father didn't give me a chance to explain.

His eyes were full of anxiety and concern, "You'll just be humiliated by other students for not having any internal energy. Many will probably pick fights with you. With your frail body, you wouldn't last even half a month!"

"No, wait a minute. I think there's some misunderstanding here…"

"Listen to your father first!"

My father grabbed my shoulders and shook me back and forth vigorously.

"No doctor I found could fix your dantian! They couldn't even diagnose what was wrong with you!"

"I get it… Please… stop…"

I know!

I know the diagnosis! And I know how to fix it!

 So please, stop shaking my head! My neck is really going to break!

Ugh…"

"Please, just listen to me this one time. You're twenty-seven now. The Azure Dragon Academy starts admitting students starting at the age of fifteen. How would you feel getting beaten up by fifteen-year-olds? Just settle down, find a nice local girl, and get married…"

"Ugh, come on! Just let go of me!"

I finally managed to pry my father's hands off me.

Ugh. My head is still spinning.

Before my father could launch into another lecture, I blurted out.

"What are you talking about? I'm not planning to enroll in the Azure Dragon Academy!"

"Find a nice girl… Wait, what? You're not?"

What on earth is he talking about?

I let out a deep sigh, "This is why I told you to drink less. You didn't listen to a word I said last night."

"So… you really aren't enrolling? Are you serious?"

My father blinked in confusion, looking at me like he couldn't believe his ears.

"I'm not enrolling! I'm absolutely serious!"

"…Then why are you going to the Azure Dragon Academy?"

I faced my father, still looking skeptical, and declared my intentions with a smile.

"I'm going there to make money!"

"…Make money?"

"I heard they have a job that fits my skills perfectly."

I grinned and glanced behind me.

The afternoon group of snotty-nosed kids was just starting to trickle into the training yard.

"Oh! It's Master!"

"Master! Grandmaster! Hello!"

"Please teach us the Ultimate Divine Art!"

The kids spotted us and came rushing over, kicking up dust as they swarmed us.

I turned away from them and faced my father, who still looked bewildered, "I'm not going there to be a student. I'm going to work as a staff member."

What's the difference between these noisy kids and the Azure Dragon Academy brats?

"…What did you say?"

"I said I'm getting a job."

But first, there's something I need to sort out now that I'm mostly recovered…

"Anyways, Dad, do you like hiking?"

There's a hideout nearby that the Green Forest Bandit King set up in the past.

'There should be some valuable elixirs hidden there.'

"Hiking? Why?"

Why else?

I need some help, and I thought I'd take you along and put you to work.