Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 336: Don’t Move!

Baek Suryong recalled what the Branch Manager had said to him last night while munching on dumplings.

"Men and women who are confident in their appearance often seek a meeting with Artist Pung Wol. In Xi'an, watching them is the most entertaining sight after fires and fights."

More precisely, watching people get turned away at the main gate was the entertainment. Seeing those self-confident people fail to even cross the threshold of the manor, turning back hastily with flushed faces as if they were fleeing, was apparently a sight to behold.

"We have quite a few beautiful flowers in our Beggars' Gang, so we tried to send them in, but they were all rejected without even passing through the main gate. Brother might not make it either, so be prepared…"

Are you fucking comparing me to beggars?

The words almost leapt out of Baek Suryong's mouth, but he couldn't in good conscience say that to the Branch Manager who was advising him sincerely.

"…Brother, my ass."

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He shuddered at the thought that he had, even for a moment, considered the beggars his brothers.

Wait. Could it be..? Are those beggars slowly brainwashing me by constantly reminding me about the honorary beggar thing? Holy shit. From now on, I should avoid getting involved with beggars as much as possible.

Baek Suryong shook his head, making a resolution he probably couldn't keep. Regardless, he was confident he would pass Artist Pung Wol's test.

I inherited my looks from the Handsome Prince, after all.

Filled with confidence, Baek Suryong arrived in front of a large manor.

"Is anyone home!" he shouted.

He waited a moment, but there was no response. He did not call a second time. He sensed movement in the manor.

There's nothing to gain by being impatient.

He waited leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back. About an hour later, the main gate of the manor opened, and a large-framed old man shouted, "Who goes there!"

Baek Suryong unconsciously narrowed his eyes. Wow! He's an incredible master.

Despite suppressing his aura, the old man looked so ferocious that most people wouldn't even be able to meet his gaze.

I don't think he's Artist Pung Wol. A bodyguard, then?

The old man lowered his voice, "I asked, who are you?"

"I have long admired Senior Pung Wol, and have traveled a long way to visit him. Might I trouble you for a cup of tea?" Baek Suryong replied confidently, clasping his hands together in greeting.

The old man's eyebrow twitched slightly. "Artist Pung Wol has no appointments today."

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"But it is a fine day for tea, no? Why not make an appointment now?" Baek Suryong joked, smiling.

However, the old man did not smile. Rather, he looked like someone who had never learned to smile since birth. He simply stared intently at Baek Suryong without saying a word.

Baek Suryong met his gaze calmly. There was no reason to look away.

If anything, the onlookers watching from afar looked more nervous.

"Whew! That man must have two lives. Did you see him just joke with Geomno?"

"Isn't he scared…?"

"Won't we end up having to dispose of a corpse at this rate?"

Baek Suryong's eyes flashed. Listening to the distant whispers, it seems that this old man is called Geomno (Sword Elder), but that can't possibly be his real name. He's probably one of the retired masters of the previous generation. Regardless, with such a master protecting him, it's no wonder that Artist Pung Wol has no need to worry about thieves.

"Remove the human skin mask. This place does not admit guests with false faces," Geomno said expressionlessly, like a wooden puppet with a moving mouth.

That statement, however, enraged the onlookers.

"A human skin mask?"

"He's a fraud!"

"Damn it! This makes my bet void!"

Such things had occasionally happened. Some martial artists would wear human skin masks or use bone contortion arts to change their faces in order to meet Artist Pung Wol. However, none of them had ever managed to fool Geomno's eyes.

Huh? Why is that man still so calm?

The onlookers stared at Baek Suryong in puzzlement, but all they could see was his unwavering back.

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"Hahaha! As expected, you noticed it immediately. I was worried about causing a commotion on the way here, so I had no choice but to hide my real face," Baek Suryong admitted, then slowly peeled off the human skin mask.

Although this mask was better-looking than the one he had worn yesterday, and could even be considered handsome in its own right, it was far inferior to his original appearance.

"……" Geomno stared at Baek Suryong's true face for quite a long time. He did not react visibly, but Baek Suryong did not miss the flicker of interest in his eyes.

Baek Suryong grinned. "If you suspect that I used some kind of bone contortion art, you're welcome to touch and check yourself."

Geomno shook his head. "There's no need. After working here for a long time, I've learned to quickly distinguish between real and fake. Besides, even if it was fake, that's still good enough to pass." Pausing for a moment, he sighed in dismay, "Haa… looks like there will be chaos."

"Pardon?"

"It's nothing. Come in."

Geomno turned around, and Baek Suryong followed him into the manor.

CLANG!

Only after the gate closed did the onlookers, who had been listening with bated breath, begin to buzz.

"W-What? Who on earth is that man?"

"Did you hear that? He said he wore a human skin mask because he was worried about causing a commotion!"

"Geomno actually let a visitor in! How many years has it been?!"

"Who in the world is that man! Does anyone know?!"

Everyone burned with curiosity, but unfortunately, no one had seen the true face of the man who had passed Geomno's test.

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"I am Geomno, the chief steward," Geomno introduced himself.

Baek Suryong replied, "My name is Baek Suryong. Though I am often known as the Azure Dragon Hero in the murim, I hardly deserve the title."

"I see." Geomno nodded and gestured for Baek Suryong to follow him, giving no indication that he was familiar with the title of Azure Dragon Hero.

Is he completely uninterested in the affairs of the murim?

Baek Suryong actually found Geomno's indifferent attitude pleasant. Recently, he had felt uncomfortable more than once due to his growing fame.

The two walked together in silence. Baek Suryong looked around, marveling.

It's like a completely different world.

The visible scenery transformed with every passing moment, like the changing seasons. Small birds sat in the trees and sang, and flowers in full bloom swayed in the breeze. A trickling stream flowed by, and deer frolicked around it. After spring, it was summer, then winter, then red and yellow leaves bloomed on bare branches.

What an impressive display of sorcery. Perhaps this is what the Peach Blossom Spring where immortals live would be like.

Baek Suryong sensed artificial flows of qi throughout the manor, indicating that significant parts of it had been created with sorcery. If he had tried to break into this place recklessly, he would have had quite a hard time.

They soon crossed the courtyard, arriving at a detached building. If not for Geomno, Baek Suryong would have gotten lost several times on the way.

"Please wait here for a moment. I will fetch the Master."

"Understood."

"Feel free to look around, as long as you don't go too far out."

Geomno left the detached building, and Baek Suryong wandered around inside, exploring the place.

"A painter is a painter, after all."

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Artist Pung Wol's portraits, said to be unobtainable even with a thousand gold pieces outside, adorned every wall, depicting beautiful men and women in diverse settings. Their expressions and gestures varied widely, but they all shared one common trait.

Everyone was smiling happily.

"…Hm?" Suddenly, Baek Suryong froze, and his eyes widened in shock.

At first, he doubted his eyes. There was a painting of a person he never expected to see displayed in such a place. The more he looked, however, the more certain he became.

"Dad?"

The man in the painting looked even younger than the current Baek Suryong, but it was definitely Baek Muheun. His face hadn't changed much, the only difference being his inquisitive eyes and confident smile that must have made the hearts of countless women flutter.

"Ha! No wonder he was called the Handsome Prince," Baek Suryong chuckled, looking at his young father.

His father, however, was not alone. Right beside him stood a woman, holding his hand tightly.

"……"

The woman was petite, thin and looked extremely frail. Her sparkling eyes, however, were more defiant than anyone else's, and the smile on her lips was filled with such pure joy that it made him envious.

"Haha…"

So that's Mae Yakbing.

The mother whom he had never seen before.

To think that I would come across a portrait of my parents in their youth in a place like this.

Although the memories of his past life as a Blood Cult instructor were still more vivid in his mind, the memories of Baek Suryong's present life were slowly returning to him.

"Your mother was the most beautiful woman in the world. You can tell just from the fact that she captured your daddy's heart for a lifetime, can't you?"

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He remembered the stories his father used to tell him when he asked about his mother as a child. The childlike sparkle in his eyes as he spoke of her.

"I admit it. Mae Yakbing, you are more than beautiful enough to steal that old man's heart."

A faint, nostalgic smile formed on Baek Suryong's lips. He didn't know the reason why a portrait of his parents was hung here, but he gazed at the painting for a long time, unable to tear his eyes away.

Time flew by.

"…Stay right there, don't move!"

"Hm?" Sensing an unfamiliar presence behind him, Baek Suryong turned his head.

"STOP! I told you not to move!" the owner of the voice just now burst out angrily.

Baek Suryong blinked in confusion. The new arrival was a person whose age was difficult to estimate. He had the voice of an old man, but a wrinkle-free face that made him look much younger. Although his hair was white, it was thick and lustrous. His bright purple silk robes, which were difficult for most people to pull off without looking ridiculous, suited him extremely well.

It wasn't hard to guess who he was.

"Could you be… Artist Pung Wol?" Baek Suryong asked.

"Who I am is not important right now!"

Then what's important? Feeling completely befuddled, Baek Suryong recalled that eccentrics in the murim tended to be weird even among the weirdos.

"Ah, I told you not to move! Please, I beg you!"

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Baek Suryong stopped mid-motion just as he was about to perform a clasped hands greeting.

No, he couldn't move.

What the hell!? Did he use sorcery on me?

Baek Suryong sensed that he could easily break free if he felt like it, but he didn't want to piss Artist Pung Wol off for no reason. Thus, he simply stared at the madman with a puzzled expression.

"I'll go fetch my painting tools right away, so just stay like that. Understood? Absolutely. Do. Not. Move!"

Having said that, Artist Pung Wol turned and zoomed out of the building as if taking flight.

Geomno, watching from behind, sighed and apologized on his master's behalf, "My apologies. As you can see, he's that kind of fellow. He hasn't matured at all despite his age."

"Is that person really Artist Pung Wol?"

"Embarrassingly, yes."

"Then do I have to keep standing like this?"

"Probably, yes."

"……"

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Speechless, Baek Suryong remained as still a stone statue until Artist Pung Wol returned.