Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 146: The Handsome Playboy Baek Muryong

TL: FoodieMonster007

Where the fuck did this lunatic come from?!

The White-Haired Demon couldn’t believe what was happening. Moments ago, the fight had clearly been in his favor, but suddenly Baek Suryong’s demeanor and fighting style changed completely, as if he wasn’t the same man he’d been when the battle began.

CLANG!

The White-Haired Demon paled, barely managing to deflect Baek Suryong’s strike. “How? How can you use so many martial arts at the same time…?” he mumbled, his voice quivering with disbelief.

Baek Suryong’s movements were unpredictable. One moment he would fight like an outer arts master, delivering powerful strikes with solid defense. The next, he would switch to a powerful and vicious blade technique. Then, as if that weren’t enough, he dodged with footwork so precise it seemed otherworldly, following it up with swordsmanship so precise it sent shivers down the White-Haired Demon’s spine.

Normally, learning so many martial arts techniques would spread a person too thin, yet Baek Suryong’s execution was so flawless, the White-Haired Demon felt as if he was fighting against several experts who were attacking him from all sides simultaneously.

Soon, as he struggled to keep up, his movements grew desperate and frantic.

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Although the White-Haired Demon wasn’t considered one of the greatest murim masters, he had always believed that his Blood Jade Claws were on par with their martial arts. Now, he realized how wrong he had been. Every technique Baek Suryong used rivaled the most advanced martial arts of legend.

Did he really master all these techniques at such a young age?

It defied logic. No one should be capable of such a feat. However, if Baek Suryong was truly a heaven-sent genius, someone who was destined for greatness, someone who was fated to become the world’s strongest, then maybe, just maybe, it was possible.

A surge of rage and despair flooded the White-Haired Demon’s mind. His envy and resentment boiled over, and with a monstrous grimace, he roared, “AAARGH! You motherfucker! Stop running away like a rat and face me head-on!”

At the sound of the White-Haired Demon’s qi-enhanced voice, the students winced in pain and quickly covered their ears.

Only Baek Suryong met his wrath with an unwavering gaze and a faint smile, chuckling, “What are you talking about? I’m not running away, I’m too busy beating you up.”

Nevertheless, as the battle progressed, Baek Suryong’s smile grew wider and wider. The moment he stopped relying solely on the Heaven Defying Divine Art, a whole host of new insights bubbled up in his mind, allowing him to seamlessly integrate the various martial arts his masters had taught him.

The four martial arts… they can definitely be used at the same time. No, maybe… maybe they can even be merged into a new martial art?

He was ecstatic. Even though he hadn’t mastered even half of what his masters had taught him, and mastering just one of the martial arts might take him a lifetime, he had gained a little bit of enlightenment in this battle. It wasn’t much, just a glimpse of something greater, something he wasn’t sure he could fully grasp yet, but it was definitely there.

What shall I call it? Eh… I’ll come up with a name for it later. For now, I need to focus on the raging madman.

Baek Suryong smirked. “Thanks to you, I’ve gained a lot of insight into my martial arts.”

The White-Haired Demon’s eyes flashed with rage as he charged at Baek Suryong, his long white hair whipping wildly behind him. “Are you mocking me?! The Blood Jade Claws is the ultimate martial art! That’s why you keep dodging like a rat! You’re afraid to face me directly, aren’t you?”

Known for his obsession with martial arts, the White-Haired Demon was usually composed and rational, but the moment anyone challenged his pride in martial arts, he completely lost control—just like now.

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As the White-Haired Demon’s attack blazed towards him, Baek Suryong smoothly sidestepped and swung his sword at the back of the man’s hand, sighing disappointedly, “Sigh… Tell you what. To express my gratitude, I’ll show you how pathetic your martial arts really are.”

BANG!

Even with sword qi infused into the strike, the White-Haired Demon’s hands, fortified by the Blood Jade Claws, remained unscathed.

“See? My hands are still intact! Your pathetic sword can’t even scratch the Blood Jade Claws!” the White-Haired Demon let out a crazed laugh, holding up his glistening blood-red hands as if to show them off.

“I’ll break them.”

“What?”

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“I said, I’m going to break them. Watch carefully,” Baek Suryong replied coldly as he raised his sword again, eyes glinting with icy determination.

CLANG! BOOM! WHAM!

Baek Suryong relentlessly targeted the White-Haired Demon’s hands. While he had ample opportunity to strike at other vital points, from the head to the heart to the throat, Baek Suryong opted to focus all of his attacks on his opponent’s hands.

And so, little by little, cracks began to form on the Blood Jade Claws.

Panic setting in, the White-Haired Demon howled, “S-Stop it! Stop, I said!”

Still, Baek Suryong didn’t stop. He continued to slash, his strokes unwavering and precise, until finally the technique that had taken the White-Haired Demon decades and the blood of countless victims to perfect finally began to crumble.

CRACK… CRACK…

“No… no! Please, stop! Stop!” The White-Haired Demon’s eyes filled with horror as he watched his cherished Blood Jade Claws break apart before his very eyes. With a heart-wrenching scream, he collapsed to his knees, staring in disbelief at the shattered remnants of his most prized technique.

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“M-My Blood Jade Claws…”

His eyes dimmed, hollow and lifeless, as if his soul had been shattered along with the claws. For a man whose entire existence revolved around martial arts, seeing his greatest weapon destroyed had broken his spirit.

“Hoo…” Baek Suryong sheathed his sword and breathed deeply to collect himself. Then, glancing around at his students, he noticed that they were staring back at him in stunned silence.

Grinning, he remarked cheekily, “Well, I think that’s enough of a martial arts demonstration, no?”

The students, finally shaking off their shock, hurriedly nodded and rushed over, surrounding Baek Suryong with cheers and admiration.

“Y-Yes!”

“That was amazing!”

“Teacher, you’re incredible!”

“Mr. Baek! Can you teach me that step technique again?!”

“What’s this? Why are delinquents like you suddenly acting all respectful?” Baek Suryong gasped, pretending to be horrified at their over-the-top reactions. Yet, the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth betrayed his amusement.

“First, tend to Wiji Cheon,” he said gently, exasperated.

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“Ah, yes!” Geo Sangwoong exclaimed, quickly scooping up Wiji Cheon, who was sweating profusely and was on the verge of fainting.

Baek Suryong checked Wiji Cheon’s pulse. “Does anyone have emergency medicine?”

“I’ve got some healing pills from the Trading Company,” Geo Sangwoong said, offering the pills.

Baek Suryong administered the medicine, stabilizing Wiji Cheon’s condition. It wasn’t enough to completely counteract the poison, but it would slow down its effects. Fortunately, the poison didn’t seem to act quickly, and Wiji Cheon’s symptoms slowly improved.

After checking his pulse once more, Baek Suryong turned toward the students. “Take him and step aside. I have something to discuss with that man.”

The students nodded and quietly moved away, realizing that Baek Suryong likely planned to interrogate the White-Haired Demon.

When he was sure the students were out of sight and earshot, Baek Suryong approached the empty-eyed man.

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“Heh… you think you can torture me into talking? Just kill me already,” the White-Haired Demon snarled. He had looked like a man in his prime when Baek Suryong first saw him, but due to the destruction of his demonic art, he now resembled a frail old man, his wispy white hair making him look like a ghost of his former self.

Regardless, Baek Suryong grabbed a fistful of his hair without hesitation. “You’ll die, but not before you tell me everything about the Valley of Evil.”

“Heh, why should I? You can’t threaten me with death. There’s nothing you can do…”

“Oh, there is, and you’ll know how soon. Now, look into my eyes,” Baek Suryong whispered, activating the Heaven Defying Divine Art.

In an instant, his eyes and hair turned blood red, and the Blood Demon Eyes burned into the White-Haired Demon’s soul.

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“White-Haired Demon. Look into my eyes.”

Although Baek Suryong wanted to stop relying solely on the Heaven Defying Divine Art to fight, he wasn’t averse to using the abilities he possessed.

“Wha-wha-what…?” the White-Haired Demon stammered, trembling violently as though he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

As someone obsessed with martial arts, he knew exactly what he was witnessing. It was something he’d once heard from his Senior Brother, the Bloody Ripper.

There was only one martial art in the murim that could turn someone’s eyes and hair blood red, but the very thought of the name sent shivers down his spine. It was a name few dared to speak in public. Only in the shadows did they dare to whisper it.

“C-Could it be… are you the B-Blood De-… gah!”

Before the White-Haired Demon could finish his line, though, Baek Suryong reached out and grabbed his throat, his fingers tightening around it. Releasing the full force of his killing intent, he stated emotionlessly, “Your technique… it resembles the Demonic Strategist’s Black Death Claws.”

Just mentioning the Demonic Strategist made Baek Suryong’s blood boil, but this was necessary. Grinding his teeth, he continued, “What is your connection to the Blood Cult? Is the Valley of Evil their creation, or only linked to them?”

“I-I have no connection to the Blood Cult…” the White-Haired Demon choked, his eyes rolling back as he began to drool uncontrollably.

SSSHHHH…

Noticing the madman pissing his pants, Baek Suryong abruptly released him, dropping him to the ground with a loud thud. With a look of utter disgust, he snapped, “Tell me everything you know about the Valley of Evil. If you do, I’ll grant you a swift death.”

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“Y-Yes…”

The White-Haired Demon prostrated himself, spilling every detail he knew without hesitation.

“……”

“Why the long face, Mr. Baek?”

Even though Baek Suryong had successfully extracted information from the White-Haired Demon, his expression was anything but pleased. He stood silent for a moment, going over what he’d just learned in his mind.

Finally, he remarked, “The Valley of Evil… it’s more fortified than I thought.”

The White-Haired Demon had described the place as a natural fortress, nearly impossible to breach.

“Due to its geography, the valley is naturally difficult to infiltrate, and after the Murim Alliance’s last raid, its defenses have also been greatly strengthened. Currently, there are wards all around the valley, and high-level martial artists patrol at all hours of the day. Even the gatekeepers are martial experts. With all those safeguards in place, I’m quite sure that not even a supreme master will be able to sneak in unnoticed.”

“I was planning to sneak in, abduct the Demon Doctor, and be out before they noticed… Damn it!”

As the Blood Demon Eyes guaranteed that the White-Haired Demon couldn’t lie, Baek Suryong had to accept his words as the truth. With infiltration off the table, his only option left was direct confrontation.

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It could work… but we’re running out of time.

According to the White-Haired Demon, the poison would fully spread within three days. Even with the medicine from the Golden Dragon Trading Company, Wiji Cheon wouldn’t last more than another day or two.

Baek Suryong frowned, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Hyonwon Kang suggested, “Mr. Baek, if sneaking in’s not an option, why don’t we just walk in? You know, boldly, right through the front door?”

It was the kind of idea only a true delinquent could come up with.

“What?” Baek Suryong asked, confused.

“Think about it. It’s the Valley of Evil, right? If we disguise ourselves as evil villains, wouldn’t they just let us through?”

“That’s cra…” Baek Suryong trailed off as he looked around at his students. They all had a rough, almost villainous look about them, especially Hyonwon Kang and Ya Suhyeok, whose faces could pass for seasoned criminals even by Baek Suryong’s standards.

Hyonwon Kang frowned. “Why are you looking at us like that?”

Baek Suryong chuckled, “You know what? You’re right.”

“Wait, what?”

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It seems like disguising ourselves won’t even take much effort.

“Yaaawn…”

At the entrance to the Valley of Evil, three expert martial artists sat lazily atop a large rock, bored out of their minds.

A hulking man with a massive axe slung over his shoulder grumbled, “I’m soooo bored. We haven’t had any decent new recruits lately.”

“Hey, lumberjack, if you’re so bored, why don’t you go chop some firewood or something?” a man with narrow, slitted eyes and a serrated blade at his waist teased, grinning slyly.

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“What? Fucking butcher bastard, you courting death?”

“Heh, feeling stiff? Maybe we should loosen up a bit, just like old days.”

Just as the two men were about to jump off the rock and draw their weapons, however, the third man interrupted, “Both of you, shut up. You’re disturbing my meditation.”

Grumbling, the other two climbed back onto the rock. These three men—Hell Axe, Wolf Fang Blade, and Seclusion Training Freak—were the notorious gatekeepers of the Valley of Evil.

“…Someone’s coming,” Seclusion Training Freak said, suddenly awakening from his meditation. He stood up, his unusual deep blue eyes fixed on several figures approaching in the distance.

Before long, five people reached the base of the rock. Each one had a face that screamed “I’m a villain!”, but the two at the front were particularly intimidating, even to the gatekeepers.

Hell Axe stepped forward. “Who are you?” he demanded.

One of the two roughest-looking men stepped up, slinging a dao over his shoulder. Grinning wickedly, he said, “Greetings, brothers. We’re the Zhejiang Five Devils. We heard about the Valley of Evil’s reputation and are seeking refuge here.”

He motioned to his companions, all of whom had the air of villains proud of their infamy.

“Hey, gang. Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I’ll go first. I’m the Crazy Asura, Hyeok Wonkang.”

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“I’m the Explosive Iron Fist, Ya Hyeoksu.”

“…The Cold-Blooded Flying Devil, Yeo Gok.”

“The Rakshasa Sword Demon… Wiji… uh, Wiji Ho.”

The absurdity of their self-proclaimed aliases had the gatekeepers holding back laughter.

“Kuhaha… Huh?” Hell Axe, who had been chuckling, suddenly stopped.

His eyes landed on the man at the very back. Unlike the others, this man had a refined, almost elegant air. Too elegant, in fact, for a supposed villain, and strikingly handsome to boot.

“And who’s this pretty boy?” Hell Axe asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before the man could answer, however, Hyonwon Kang slapped him on the back, cackling, “Hahaha! This here’s our eldest brother, the Handsome Playboy Baek Muryong, master of bedroom arts and seduction techniques!”

“Ah, I see. Seduction techniques, huh…”

“No wonder he looks like a gigolo…”

“Damn that face, I’m jealous.”

The gatekeepers, convinced by Hyonwon Kang’s explanation, nodded approvingly.

Meanwhile, the so-called Handsome Playboy Baek Muryong scowled irritably as if he’d just swallowed shit.

Translator’s Note: Wonkang is so dead. Handsome Prince Baek Muheun father of Handsome Playboy Baek Muryong HAHAHAHAHA Grandpa needs to hear this…