Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

"…I thought another thief had broken in," Namgung Su said, carefully lowering the ladle.

Baek Suryong wiped away a bead of cold sweat. From the bits of vegetables clinging to the ladle, Namgung Su seemed to have dashed out while cooking. If he had not blocked the attack in time, those veggies would have splattered across his cheek.

Nevertheless, Namgung Su's words were more concerning.

"Another? A thief broke in before?" Baek Suryong asked.

Namgung Su nodded casually. "Not just one. I've already caught three."

At that moment, the students vaulted over the wall and landed behind Baek Suryong.

"…Mr. Namgung Su?"

"Why is Mr. Namgung here?"

"Everyone, stay on guard! This might be a trap!"

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"He might be wearing a human skin mask…"

The students stared blankly at Namgung Su in an apron with a ladle in his hand, unable to believe their eyes. However, no matter how hard they stared, the ladle did not magically turn into a sword.

"I see you're all back in one piece," Namgung Su said, wearing his usual condescending expression, apron and ladle notwithstanding. Glancing at the students, he asked, "Have you eaten dinner yet?"

Does this man not know embarrassment? Everyone wondered.

"No, we were planning to eat after getting home… but why are you here?"

"Let's discuss that indoors. Too many ears out here."

Namgung Su turned around and walked into the house as though he owned the place. From the looks of it, he had probably been staying at the White Dragon Manor for quite a while.

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"No… I mean, why… Fine, let's head in."

Giving up, Baek Suryong and the students followed Namgung Su indoors. Immediately, a mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air, arousing their hunger.

"Hmm?" Caught red-handed nibbling at the side dishes, Namgung Mi's eyes went wide. She quickly attempted to divert her brother's attention though, asking, "Oppa? Who are they…?"

Baek Suryong and his students currently looked like beggars. After fighting the spirit beasts, they had borrowed clothes from the Viridian Forest Bandits, and then traveled through the wilderness instead of the roads to concentrate on training. By now, their clothes were so ragged that even real beggars would avoid them.

"Ah!" Namgung Mi clapped her hands. "Did you bring these beggars here to feed them?"

"Sort of."

"What did you just say? 'Sort of'?" Grumbling, Baek Suryong took off his bamboo hat.

The moment Namgung Mi saw his features, she sprang to her feet and dashed to his side. "Mr. Baek!"

Baek Suryong was a benefactor of the Namgung Clan and a good-looking one at that, so she liked him nearly as much as her own brother.

"Have you been well?" Baek Suryong asked, giving Namgung Mi a gentle pat on the head.

"Yes! Why did it take you so long to get here?"

"I was training the kids."

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Namgung Mi glanced past Baek Suryong to the disheveled students, who waved in greeting.

"Unnie! Oppas!" she called, beaming as she approached them. She had only known them for a short time, but she had a very friendly personality.

Suddenly, her eyes zoomed in on a fluffy white furball poking its head out from Ya Suhyeok's arms. It was small, with round eyes, adorable paws, and soft, downy fur.

Namgung Mi swallowed hard. "C-Can I pet the cat?"

"It's actually a tiger."

Namgung Mi extended a hand toward the bundle of fur. Whether the animal was a cat or a tiger didn't bother her. She was the daughter of a renowned murim clan, after all.

The little furball didn't like being touched by strangers, so it batted Namgung Mi's hand away, baring its tiny fangs. "Hiss!"

Unfortunately, Namgung Mi wasn't the least bit intimidated. She only grew more determined.

"So cute!"

A quick chase ensued, with Namgung Mi and the furball circling around an irritated Ya Suhyeok.

"Mimi," Namgung Su called, removing his apron and folding it neatly. "Dinner's ready. Settle down, will you?"

"Yes…" she replied, pouting as she sank down next to Namgung Su. Even so, her gaze lingered on the furball.

Like a homeowner addressing visitors, Namgung Su said, "I didn't make much since I was only cooking for two, but beggars can't be choosers."

"You cooked all of this on your own?" Baek Suryong asked, astounded. There were more than a dozen side dishes, and every dish that Namgung Su had prepared looked delicious.

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After days of surviving on fruit and grilled meat, the group's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Yummy…"

"Did you really make all this, Mr. Namgung?"

"…It's surprisingly good."

Forgetting the strangeness of the situation, the still-growing students devoured their food and flashed Namgung Su a thumbs-up. His cooking wasn't merely good, it was divine.

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Only after all the plates were empty did they finally find the energy to talk.

Baek Suryong took a sip of tea, then asked, "Now, fill me in. Why are you living here, and who are all those people outside?"

"Baek Suryong, you're currently suffering from the consequences of fame."

"Well, I did expect some commotion, but…"

Baek Suryong had predicted that the buzz this time would be a bit more intense than his return from the Valley of Evil, but he never imagined that dozens of people would camp outside his house around the clock.

Namgung Su explained, "There are martial artists seeking duels, merchants and politicians aiming to establish ties with you, spies from the Nine Sects One Gang, opportunists hoping for handouts, people who want to become your disciples, beggars, thieves, and…"

"Okay, that's enough!" Baek Suryong exclaimed in disbelief. "I knew I'd become famous because of what happened at the Namgung Estate, but isn't this overkill?"

Namgung Su sighed deeply. He had seen this coming, especially since Baek Suryong, who had spent more than two weeks training in the mountains, was completely out of the loop.

"Not in the slightest. This is a normal amount of attention for someone who is being considered as a new member of the Ten Supremes."

"…A WHAT?" Baek Suryong asked again, wondering if he had misheard.

The students' eyes widened like startled rabbits.

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"The Ten Supremes. You have been nominated to fill the vacancy left by my grandfather."

"…!!"

The Ten Supremes were considered to be the closest to absolute might in the current era, where no one person was unquestionably superior.

Of course, there were some who argued that limiting the number to ten was pointless in such a large jianghu filled with countless martial artists, and that there might be plenty of retired masters or recluses whose strength matched that of the Ten Supremes.

There had even been cases where such hidden masters had defeated a member of the Ten Supremes and claimed their position.

Nevertheless, to hold a title among the Ten Supremes had tremendous symbolic value. Each was a phenomenal master, and the faction or clan they came from benefited greatly from their appointment.

That was why many people craved such status.

"Me? One of the Ten Supremes?" Baek Suryong said incredulously. I've never even been part of the murim's top hundred! I'm just a rising star who has barely begun earning renown, but now they're nominating me for the Ten Supremes?

"Don't worry, you haven't been officially selected yet. You're just one of the favorites."

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"That's still outrageous."

"I know, it's absurd… and it's mostly because my father spoke so highly of you," Namgung Su sighed regretfully.

"The Namgung Patriarch? What exactly did he say?"

Namgung Su launched into a long explanation of what his father, the Ironblood Swordsman Namgung Cheon, had been doing since they left the Namgung Estate.

In order to raise funds and support for the reconstruction after the disaster, Namgung Cheon had met with many key figures from the Murim Alliance, the Nine Sects One Gang, and the Five Great Clans.

The thing was, whenever people asked him about the Azure Dragon Hero, he always replied, "The Azure Dragon Hero's martial arts are in no way inferior to mine."

Those brief remarks caused quite a stir. The only reason the Ironblood Swordsman wasn't one of the Ten Supremes was because of his father, the Blue Sky Sword King, but many believed that his martial arts were more than enough to earn him the title.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Therefore, by saying that the Azure Dragon Hero's martial arts weren't inferior to his, the Ironblood Swordsman inadvertently started a rumor that the Azure Dragon Hero was equal to the Ten Supremes.

"Even though it's turned into a huge headache, he probably meant it as high praise. Still, as soon as the rumor spread, swarms of martial artists came here in search of you. They wouldn't take no for an answer, so the Headmaster and I ended up taking turns guarding the place."

Feeling bad about his father's actions, Namgung Su had volunteered to help out at the White Dragon Manor.

However, three different thieves had broken in within a few days, so he'd ended up swinging his ladle without thinking, not caring who was at the door.

"Now that you're back, it's going to be even more chaotic. The temporary closure will be lifted in a few days, and I'm not sure you'll be able to commute freely to and from school."

"This is… troublesome," Baek Suryong sighed.

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He had wanted recognition as a martial artist, but it was far too soon for him to join the Ten Supremes. Not only did he feel he wasn't ready, but the weight of fame brought serious complications… like how his students would perceive him.

"So does that make us the students of one of the Ten Supremes?"

"I should've this coming. No matter how much stronger we get, Mr. Baek always keeps outpacing us."

"Fuck, I should've slapped him when he had qi deviation. That was probably my only shot at getting back at him."

"Senior, quit being ridiculous."

While the two instructors continued their serious discussion, the students murmured among themselves.

"Can't we simply send them all packing?" Baek Suryong asked.

Namgung Su shook his head. "We might be able to send away the civilians, but the problem is the martial artists who want to duel you."

Namgung Su nodded toward some of the more powerful figures lurking outside the mansion. "At daybreak, they'll come knocking and demand a duel. They know you're inside, so they won't wait any longer."

"Ugh…" Baek Suryong groaned. Accepting each and every duel would eat up all his time, and although he could turn down a few, refusing them all would also ruin his reputation.

Both are bad.

If he belonged to the Nine Sects One Gang or the Five Great Clans, his organization would shield him, but unfortunately, he was just a country boy from a rural martial arts academy.

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For martial artists seeking combat, instruction, or fame, there was no more tempting target than him.

"They think I'm the easiest to deal with."

"…I'm sorry, this was my family's mistake. Father never foresaw things escalating like this," Namgung Su apologized. If it had been the Namgung Clan, such rumors wouldn't have been a concern, so they hadn't anticipated it.

"It's fine, I knew things would end up like this sooner or later. It just happened a bit earlier than I planned," Baek Suryong said, drumming his fingers on the table in deep thought. "Let me get this straight. These uninvited people showed up because of my rumored achievements, but if we chase them out, my reputation takes a hit."

"Yes."

"I think I'll be fine."

"…?"

Baek Suryong smirked. Giving things away wasn't his style. If he couldn't avoid them, he had to get something out of those uninvited guests.

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Organizing his thoughts, he stood up. "Okay. Let's welcome the guests starting tomorrow."

"…Are you serious?"

A mischievous grin spread across Baek Suryong's face. "Don't worry, the masters who visit here won't leave empty-handed. Everyone!"

""Yes?""

"Get ready to welcome our guests!"

The following morning, the gates of the White Dragon Manor swung open.