Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

ROOOOOAR!

Amidst the raging storm of qi, the room was left in shambles. Cracks snaked across the walls, and the ceiling swayed as if it might collapse at any moment.

At the center of this chaotic energy, Baek Suryong meditated with an unnervingly calm expression. Although his face was a bit pale from the excessive use of qi, it was not to an alarming degree.

Waving the students away, Mae Geuklyom commanded, "Students, leave the building."

When the students had left, Mae Geuklyom and Baek Muheun cautiously entered the room, carefully deploying a qi barrier to prevent the ceiling and walls from collapsing. If they left things as they were, the whole building might collapse, disturbing Baek Suryong at a critical moment of enlightenment.

Outside the building, Geo Sangwoong directed the students to spread out across the courtyard and stand guard to ward off any possible disturbances.

"Just in case, let's keep watch out here," he said.

"Okay!" The students readily agreed.

For martial artists, moments of enlightenment were immensely precious. However, the stronger one became, the harder it was to catch even the faintest glimpse of the next level. Some would spend years secluded in distant caves, searching for a single elusive clue. Others would go so far as to risk their lives, jumping off cliffs in a desperate bid to awaken their latent potential.

I wonder how much stronger Mr. Baek will become?

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The students glanced toward Baek Suryong's room, their eyes filled with envy and admiration. Some among them, though, began to whisper to each other in timid rebellion.

"If we don't hit him now, we'll never get another chance."

"Don't even think about it. Knowing that petty guy, you might get beaten up every day for the rest of your life as payback."

"That's true…"

"But Senior, aren't you already getting beaten up every day?"

"……"

Nevertheless, it was harmless banter. the students kept their hands on their weapons and their eyes sharp, watching closely to make sure nothing disturbed Baek Suryong in his moment of enlightenment.

About fifteen minutes passed.

FWOOOOSH…

The fierce storm of qi slowly subsided, flowing back into Baek Suryong's body. Once the last traces of qi settled, crimson flowers began to bloom above his head.

One flower… Two flowers… Three flowers…

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Three crimson flowers blossomed partway, only to dissolve into the air like a fading mirage.

"Could this be…the Trinity Blossoms?"1 Mae Geuklyom murmured in disbelief.

The Trinity Blossoms appeared when qi concentrated in the upper dantian manifested as flowers, and symbolized the perfect union of the trinity that was one's mind, body, and spirit. At this level, one was no longer limited to simply releasing enhanced qi, but could also control it freely.

But… the flowers aren't perfect.

According to what Mae Geuklyom had read, when a martial master achieved true harmony of the trinity, all three flowers should bloom fully. However, Baek Suryong's flowers had only bloomed partially before disappearing.

Something's weird. If his awakening was incomplete, he should not have manifested the Trinity Blossoms at all… Did something hold him back midway?

"Father-in-law, I think he's waking up!" Baek Muheun suddenly shouted, snapping Mae Geuklyom out of his thoughts.

Baek Suryong, who had been hovering a foot off the ground, slowly descended and opened his eyes. His mind still hazy from a dream that felt almost indistinguishable from reality, he blinked several times, focusing on the sensations flowing through his body and reestablishing his sense of self.

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"Hoo…" he exhaled slowly.

Baek Muheun carefully approached his son, worry etched on his face. "Suryong? Are you okay?"

For a moment, Baek Suryong stared at his father blankly, but clarity gradually returned to his eyes. "…Dad?" he muttered dazedly.

"Yes! It's me!"

"How long has it been since we parted earlier?"

"About four hours? Not that long, actually."

"Four hours…"

He felt like he had spent days, maybe even weeks, in the dream.

All that happened in a mere four hours?

Baek Suryong shook his head, chucking helplessly. In the dream, he had fought hundreds, perhaps thousands, of life-and-death duels, reviewed and analyzed countless Blood Cult demonic arts, conversed with the Blood Demon, and finally confronted and defeated the Blood Dragon Captain he had once admired.

It was a priceless opportunity worth more than any treasure.

I wonder if I can enter that dream again? Well, even if I can, now isn't the time.

Baek Suryong uncrossed his legs and rose to his feet, but suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head, followed by a wave of dizziness. Losing his balance, he staggered and toppled over.

"Suryong!" Baek Muheun cried out, reaching out to catch his son.

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Meanwhile, Mae Geuklyom infused warm qi into his body, saying concernedly, "Your qi has been greatly depleted. You need to rest and recover."

"…Can I get some fresh air first?"

"But…"

"Father-in-law, please let him go outside for a bit. I'll tidy up the room."

"…Very well," Mae Geuklyom conceded. Since the room was a mess anyway, he couldn't his grandson rest there as it was.

With Mae Geuklyom's support, Baek Suryong stepped outside, only to be mobbed by a group of anxious students.

"Mr. Baek!"

"Are you okay?"

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"I'm fine, and you kids need to go back to bed," Baek Suryong replied, patting each of their heads. Were their worried faces always this adorable? They're like little puppies…

After the students left, Baek Suryong sat down at the pavilion where his father and grandfather had been drinking earlier. Taking a few deep breaths of fresh air, he turned toward his grandfather and explained, "Sorry for worrying you. I had a dream."

Mae Geuklyom nodded. Martial enlightenment came in many forms. Some described it as a flash of inspiration, while others found themselves suddenly performing techniques they had never been able to use before, almost as if in a trance. Enlightenment in the form of dreams weren't exactly uncommon, either.

Although Baek Suryong's dream was quite different from what Mae Geuklyom imagined.

"It was an incredibly lucid dream. I fought all sorts of masters there, and though I ended up beating them all, I got severely injured and almost died a few times."

"You were very fortunate."

"…Yeah."

Breathing in the crisp night air, Baek Suryong felt his headache ease. The memories from his dream surfaced, sharp and clear. Among them, his final battle with the Blood Dragon Captain stood out, the sensation of his last thrust piercing the man's heart still tingling in his fingertips.

Lifting his head to gaze at the countless stars in the night sky, he murmured, "Because of this dream, I was able to look at my martial arts from a new perspective. I thought I was using everything to the fullest, but it turns out I wasn't even close."

I wonder how much of that power I can manifest in reality?

No matter how much his martial arts had improved in the dream, he couldn't immediately replicate those techniques here. If he were to face someone at the Blood Dragon Captain's level right now, he couldn't say for sure that he would emerge victorious.

Number 27 and Baek Suryong's body are quite different, but it shouldn't take long to adapt.

All he needed was time. Eventually, the skills he had gained in the dream would become ones he could use in reality.

And when that moment finally arrived, he would step back into that dream once more. After all, he hadn't seen everything he wanted yet, and the Blood Demon's words hinted strongly that he could return to the dream.

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Come back again sometime.

In truth, the dream he'd experienced barely covered a third of his previous life. He had yet to lose his qi center, take up the role of an instructor, or even meet his four masters.

If I combine my current experiences with those from the dream of my past life, could I defeat the Blood Demon?

He didn't know. That was a question for the future. Currently, he couldn't even begin to estimate the Blood Demon's strength.

Regardless, the next time I go there, I'll definitely kill him.

Baek Suryong gritted his teeth and clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He knew that it was only a dream, but still he burned with the desperate desire to rewrite that cursed ending.

Suddenly, Mae Geuklyom reached out and patted his hand comfortingly. "Grandson, don't you think the wind is getting chilly?"

Jolted back to his senses, Baek Suryong let go of the killing intent that had seeped out without him realizing it. For a moment, he had come dangerously close to being swept away by his own rage and consumed by his inner demons.

A wave of dread and relief washed over him. Martial artists often became emotionally unstable right after enlightenment, and he was no exception. Thankfully, the experienced Mae Geuklyom had intervened in the nick of time.

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"Let's go back inside," Mae Geuklyom said warmly.

Baek Suryong nodded. "…Okay, Grandpa."

When they returned, Baek Muheun had already finished cleaning up the messy room and laid out a fresh set of sheets.

However, Baek Suryong had no intention of going to sleep just yet. "Dad, Grandpa, I want to talk to you two about…"

"No, you need to sleep first."

"Lie down."

"What? No, hold on a minute. Let me at least… ARGH!"

FLOP!

Taking advantage of Baek Suryong's exhaustion, Baek Muheun swept his son's legs out from under him, sending him sprawling facedown on the bed.

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Pouting, Baek Suryong protested, "Why are you treating me like a patient? I'm tired, but I can still talk…"

"We can always talk later," Mae Geuklyom interrupted, reaching out and sealing his grandson's sleep acupoint.

Normally, this level of acupoint sealing wouldn't have affected Baek Suryong, but he was exhausted and mentally drained.

"Noooo… Zzzz…" Baek Suryong groaned, struggling to keep his eyes open. Eventually, however, he succumbed to fatigue and drifted into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Beside the sleeping Baek Suryong, the two older men grumbled to each other.

"Jeez, to think he actually threw a tantrum about not wanting to sleep at his age. How childish."

"See? He still needs to be looked after."

"By the way, isn't he really handsome? I wonder whose son he is…"

"He's his mother's son, obviously."

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"……"

Baek Muheun stayed at the White Dragon Manor for three more days, spending the anniversary of his wife's death touring the Azure Dragon Academy with his father-in-law and son, and the next two days wandering around the city revisiting old memories.

When it was time to leave, he packed his things without hesitation. The kids at the Baek Academy were waiting for him.

"Remember to send me a letter every month. Otherwise, I'll move here permanently," Baek Muheun nagged.

Baek Suryong nodded impatiently. "Yeah, yeah."

"You show up out of nowhere and then disappear just as quickly…" Mae Geuklyom grumbled irritably.

Baek Muheun grinned slyly. "Aww, are you sad that I'm leaving, Father-in-law?"

"Hmph! I'm just glad to be rid of a freeloader!" Mae Geuklyom scoffed, even while quietly slipping what looked like a dried root into Baek Muheun's satchel.

Baek Suryong smiled warmly. The tension between his father and grandfather seemed to have eased considerably. While Mae Geuklyom still frequently expressed his disapproval of Baek Muheun's lazy and sneaky habits, he was even giving his father a parting gift now.

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"Eat it… or don't," Mae Geuklyom mumbled in a barely audible voice.

"Thank you, I'll enjoy it," Baek Muheun replied, looking touched, before turning toward his son.

"……"

"……"

Baek Suryong scowled. He and his father had already said their goodbyes the day before, but during the whole time they were together, he never got to discuss the diary with Baek Muheun. Rather, each time he tried to bring up the subject, his father would either change the topic or make up some lame excuse to leave the room.

"I'm off," Baek Muheun said.

"Safe travels."

Baek Muheun lightly patted Baek Suryong on the shoulder, then left, smiling.

Baek Suryong and Mae Geuklyom watched as his figure faded from view. Reconciling with his father-in-law had lightened the burden on Baek Muheun's heart, and his relaxed, unhurried stride reflected this newfound freedom.

It won't be long before this change affects his martial arts as well. He'll be much stronger the next time we meet, Baek Suryong mused.

Suddenly, even though he had already walked quite a distance, Baek Muheun turned around and waved.

[Suryong! Whether you remember anything from before the accident or not, you'll always be mine and Yakbing's son.]

"……"

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[Did you really think I wouldn't know if my son was real or fake? Write home often, okay?]

Grinning mischievously, Baek Muheun quickly turned around and used his movement arts to run away before Baek Suryong could respond.

"Well, I never…" Baek Suryong laughed incredulously, shaking his head. After three days of dodging the subject, his father had hit him with a blow from the blue.

Until now, being busy was just an excuse he used to avoid sending letters to Baek Muheun. As a ghost from fifty years ago with no memories of being Baek Muheun and Mae Yakbing's son, he couldn't bear to keep deceiving the man who loved him so dearly.

However, things were different now.

When he awoke from the dream, fragments of his childhood memories had returned to him. They were still incomplete and dominated by memories of his past life, but it was enough.

He was Baek Muheun's son.

Letting out a soft sigh, he whispered to his father, who was now just a small dot on the horizon, "Okay, Dad. I'll make sure to do that."

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1. Trinity Blossoms (三花聚顶): Literally, "three flowers gathering above the head". A common cultivation realm that I have no clue how to translate. ↩