Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 294: The Legacy of the Ice Moon Goddess

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Hehehe…."

"Fufufu…"

"Kekeke…"

A wave of irrepressible grins spread across the students' faces as they ate breakfast. Summer vacation had officially begun, but the joy and anticipation of going home was only part of their delight.

"Sir Last Seat, does the food suit your taste?" Hyonwon Kang asked Baek Suryong cheekily.

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"……" Baek Suryong ignored him and silently chewed his food.

Ya Suhyeok chuckled, "We made an extra effort to cook something delicious today. After all, as of yesterday, Mr. Baek has officially ascended to the last seat of the Ten Supremes."

"…Knock it off," Baek Suryong sighed.

Yeo Min smirked mischievously. "Mr. Baek, please try some of this meat. If you want to climb up from the last seat, you need to eat well…"

"I said, knock it off," Baek Suryong growled through gritted teeth, shooting his students a death glare.

Ever the responsible senior, Geo Sangwoong scolded his juniors, "Enough! Cut it out! Or do you want to taste the world's tenth most powerful fist?"

Hyonwon Kang exaggeratedly bowed his head in apology. "My sincerest apologies! How dare I anger the last seat of the Ten Supremes…!"

Finally, even Wiji Cheon, who had been sitting quietly, couldn't help but join in the teasing, "Everyone, be careful from now on. As you know, Mr. Baek may be the last, but his temper is more than enough to claim the first…"

That was the last straw.

"YOU DAMN PUNKS!" Baek Suryong roared, smacking each student's forehead with his spoon.

TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK!

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The students, clutching their foreheads, groaned in pain after being whacked at the breakfast table.

"Ow! Why hit us when we were just congratulating you? We even made you breakfast to celebrate your ascension to the Ten Supremes!" Hyonwon Kang, the one with the biggest lump on his forehead, protested with a wronged expression.

Baek Suryong snorted. "How is teasing the same as congratulating?"

"Well… I admit there was a little of both…"

"You little…!"

"Hiiik!" Hyonwon Kang flinched and covered his forehead, but the spoon suddenly changed trajectory like a lightning bolt.

SMACK!

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Struck on the bridge of his nose, Hyonwon Kang was knocked off his chair, but even he fell, he couldn't stop himself from retorting, "A-As expected of the Ten Supremes' last seat…" ṙÂꞐőꞖÈṥ

Baek Suryong's mouth twitched. "How about I personally escort you all the way to the Hyonwon Clan…"

"Mr. Baek! Hold yourself back!"

"Let go of me! I said let go!"

After a slightly more chaotic breakfast than usual, the students gathered at the front gate of the White Dragon Manor with their luggage. Despite each of them sporting a lump on their forehead, they were all still grinning from ear to ear.

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"Fufu, I can't believe our teacher is one of the Ten Supremes," Hyonwon Kang remarked.

"We need train hard so that we don't bring shame to Mr. Baek," Wiji Cheon said sternly.

"Wherever you go, always remember—we are the Azure Dragon Hero's students!" Geo Sangwoong chimed in.

"Hehe, I'm going to brag to all my hyungs at the bandit keeps," Ya Suhyeok chuckled.

The four planned to either return home or go to club training camps over the holidays. Only Yeo Min had decided to stay at the White Dragon Manor.

Standing next to Baek Suryong to see her friends off, she sighed, "Seriously, you bunch of delinquents…"

Baek Suryong raised his fist to smack the rowdy boys one last time, but in the end, he held back. As students of the latest addition to the Ten Supremes, they definitely had reason to be happy.

And they showed it, celebrating since yesterday as if they it was their own achievement.

He was the only person who found the whole affair a nuisance.

Well played, Chairman.

To elevate Baek Suryong's standing without offending any of the Ten Supremes, Yayul Hwang had delivered the most exalted praise in front of a large audience. This was a carefully calculated move, as the new Chief Instructor's rising fame directly benefited the Murim Alliance.

Of course, his martial prowess played a role, but the political motivations were clear.

That damned bastard looks like a bear, but he's as sly as a fox.

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While Baek Suryong did desire renown, it wasn't to this extent. Too much fame would restrict his movements and attract unwanted attention from the Blood Cult.

Considering what I did at the Namgung Estate, avoiding the Blood Cult's attention is probably already impossible…

Baek Suryong snapped out of his thoughts, noticing the students' expectant eyes.

Are they waiting for me to say something cool before they leave…?

Chuckling, he patted each student's head, "Don't get into trouble over vacation, don't get hurt, and train hard."

At moments like this, a simple farewell was enough.

Perhaps sensing the sincerity behind his words, the students grinned and clasped their hands together in farewell.

""Yes, Mr. Baek! We'll be back!""

With that, Hyonwon Kang, Ya Suhyeok, and Geo Sangwoong headed home, while Wiji Cheon went to join the SRS training camp.

"I'll be heading out as well, Mr. Baek," Yeo Min said before heading to town. Although she was staying at the White Dragon Manor over the break, she too had errands to run.

"…It's the first time the White Dragon Manor has felt this empty," Baek Suryong muttered as he looked around the deserted manor.

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The students had cleaned everything neatly before leaving, and the emptiness felt strange. Where the training grounds were normally alive with students' shouts, screams, and the smell of sweat, there was now an eerie quiet.

I'll be meeting the other new instructors in the evening, and Namgung Su tomorrow right before I leave… Maybe I should visit Grandfather first.

Sitting alone in the empty house felt a little pathetic.

KNOCK KNOCK…

"Mr. Baek Suryong. Are you inside?" a soft, nervous voice asked.

"Hmm?" Recognizing the voice, Baek Suryong opened the door and greeted his unexpected guest, "What brings you here, Madam Seo?"

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Looking slightly anxious, Seo Ri'ae clasped her hands together in greeting and said, "My apologies for visiting so early in the morning. I asked at the academy and was told that if I didn't come today, I wouldn't be able to meet you."

Baek Suryong carefully studied Seo Ri'ae's complexion. Even though she looked more fatigued than before, her eyes were clear and bright.

Looks like her qi deviation has improved.

At the very least, it didn't seem as though she had come to argue about Bang Baekhyun.

Baek Suryong invited her inside, saying, "Come in for now."

"…Thank you."

The two sat down across from each other. Seo Ri'ae seemed to have something to say, but every time she met Baek Suryong's gaze, she hesitated.

In the end, Baek Suryong broke the silence. "Bang Baekhyun told me that he applied to the Omniscient Bureau."

"Mmhmm."

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"Did you not oppose it?"

Seo Ri'ae smiled faintly. "… Which parent can win against their child?"

Baek Suryong blinked in surprise. Unlike the uptight, even hysterical woman he remembered, her demeanor was calm and lonely.

Seo Ri'ae continued, her voice laced with regret, "I don't even remember when everything started to become a blur. I kept telling Hyun that he had to become the Murim Alliance Chairman, that he would succeed as long as he followed my instructions, and that I would kill myself if he disobeyed me… But my good son, he never once resented me, simply complied with all my unreasonable demands."

"……"

"I really thought it was the best choice at the time. I told myself that everything I did, I did for my son, and that all the hardships he suffered would be worth it when he was rewarded in the end," Seo Ri'ae whispered hollowly, like ashes after a fire.

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Baek Suryong remained silent, simply listening.

"When I regained consciousness, Hyun told me… he understood I acted as I did out of love. He also said he didn't care if he never became Murim Alliance Chairman, that I should trust him… The child, who hasn't shed a tear since he was ten, cried and begged me.

"That's why, I wanted to express my gratitude in person. Thank you, Mr. Baek, for saving my son. If there is any way I can repay this debt… I will do whatever it takes."

Seo Ri'ae stood up and bowed deeply, not for curing her qi deviation, but for saving her son. Her words made it clear just how much Bang Baekhyun meant to her.

"Did you come here today just to tell me that?" Baek Suryong asked.

"No. Actually…" Seo Ri'ae lifted her head and looked at him with clear, unwavering eyes. "I watched your duel with the Heavenly Martial Commander. You used ice arts."

Baek Suryong nodded. As I thought, that's the real reason she came here in such a hurry. She's either here to ask about the White Ice Divine Art or…

"Do you possess the White Ice Bangles?" Seo Ri'ae asked.

"…I do, but only one of them," Baek Suryong admitted. There was no point in denying it when Seo Ri'ae was already certain.

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"I can't believe it…!" Seo Ri'ae exclaimed in disbelief. "The artifact I searched so desperately for… to think it would appear like this…"

She was looking for it? Confused, Baek Suryong shot her a questioning look.

However, Seo Ri'ae continued asking, "May I ask where and how you found a White Ice Bangle?"

"I had a miraculous encounter, but I'm sorry. I can't share the details."

"Miraculous encounter… a miraculous encounter."

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It was the go-to excuse among martial artists.

Seo Ri'ae looked as if she wanted to press further, but seeing Baek Suryong's firm expression, she let the matter drop. Gritting her teeth, she resolved to reveal the past she had hidden for decades.

"Mr. Baek. Actually… I'm from the North Sea Ice Palace."

Baek Suryong nodded. "I suspected as much when I treated your qi deviation."

"How much do you know about the North Sea Ice Palace?"

"Not much, besides the fact that they shut themselves off from the world decades ago."

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Not long after the Blood Cult-Murim Alliance War ended, the North Sea Ice Palace declared that it was going into isolation. Although they had always been a secluded sect, on the surface, their decision seemed to have nothing to do with the Blood Cult.

However, now that he thought about it, there was a strong connection.

"About sixty years ago, our then Empress, the Ice Moon Goddess, disappeared while wandering in the Central Plains."

"……"

"When she didn't return to the palace for more than ten years, a fierce succession battle broke out. This power struggle greatly weakened the Ice Palace…" Seo Ri'ae told the story of the civil war that had broken after the Ice Moon Goddess' capture by the Blood Cult.

This was news to Baek Suryong, and even the Murim Alliance chairman of the Central Plains had probably never heard of it.

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"Afterward, the new Ice Empress closed off the Ice Palace and strictly forbade anyone from traveling to the Central Plains until we finished rebuilding our strength. However, there were a few exceptions. In an effort to retrieve its missing sacred artifact, the White Ice Bangles, a select few Ice Palace martial artists, myself included, were secretly sent to the Central Plains."

Seo Ri'ae paused and smiled bitterly. In a distant tone, as if she had long since stopped grieving, she said, "My story isn't all that interesting. I spent years wandering foreign lands in search of the artifact, and along the way I met a man and fell in love with him. Soon, our union bore fruit, but our happiness didn't last long.

"Inquisitors from the Ice Palace found me, branded me a traitor, and tried to kill me. After all, the Ice Palace is a deeply secluded sect with strict laws, and treason is punishable by execution.

"Although Hyun's father managed to kill them all, he died in the process, and I barely escaped with my unborn son. Moreover, I never knew when another group of pursuers would come for me. To survive, I had to forge a new name, a new identity, even a new face. I had to protect my innocent child at all costs.

"Finally, my darling Hyun was born. As I looked at the tiny life in my arms, I swore that I would raise him well, make him successful, just to prove those Ice Palace bastards wrong, to get my revenge on them. Later, when I realized Hyun was extremely talented in martial arts, I wondered if, for example, he could become the Murim Alliance Chairman…"

Baek Suryong sighed heavily. He already knew what had happened next. Love turned into obsession, obsession became fixation, and fixation slowly led Seo Ri'ae into qi deviation…

He asked, "So the reason you couldn't enroll Bang Baekhyun into the Heavenly Martial Academy…"

"It was because my fabricated identity would have been exposed. The Heavenly Martial Academy is known for thoroughly investigating not only the students but also their parents' backgrounds. I couldn't risk it," Seo Ri'ae explained, looking relieved at having revealed nearly twenty years of secrets.

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Baek Suryong nodded in understanding. "I see."

"Besides, the reason I'm telling you all this is…" Seo Ri'ae hesitated, as if agonizing over whether she should continue, but in the end, she decided to leave the decision to Baek Suryong. "If you truly possess a White Ice Bangle, and if you have inherited the legacy of the Ice Moon Goddess…"

"Yes? Keep going…"

Seo Ri'ae recalled the chilly qi that had seeped into her body when Baek Suryong treated her qi deviation. The purity and density of the energy was unlike anything she had ever felt.

The martial art he had used could only be the complete White Ice Divine Art, which was only passed down to the rulers of the North Sea Ice Palace and their direct descendants.

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "…In that case, Mr. Baek, you are a more legitimate successor to the White Ice Divine Art than the current Empress of the North Sea Ice Palace."

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