Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 454: I'm Only Just Getting Started

The fight to determine the leader of the Viridian Forest Alliance ended. The winner celebrated while the losers shed bitter tears.
"Wahahaha! Our boss is the Viridian Forest Alliance Leader!"
"Boss! Let's have a feast today!"
Mimi sniffled quietly, her round eyes glistening. "They said there were pop-ups," she whispered, her cute voice trembling. "But... we don’t have any!"
"You rascals! Stop fooling around and put me down!"
Jang Geol hoisted the Viridian Scholar onto his shoulders and ran a joyous lap around Zhurong Peak. Gu Gil jogged behind him, taking off his shirt and waving it like a flag.
"Nyan!" Silver Tiger excitedly joined the procession, a large group of animals trailing behind him.
The bandits welcomed their new Alliance Leader with no less fervor. Men from the Viridian Forest were simple and carefree. Under their combined efforts, the whole of Zhurong Peak tremored from their celebration.
"Haha, what a rowdy bunch." Baek Suryong chuckled at the boisterous scene, then turned to observe the Giant Spirit and Tiger Pass Bosses. In stark contrast to the victors, the two defeated men stood with bowed heads, while the bandits from their keeps stood by as if at a funeral.
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
The Black Snake Alliance Chairman approached the Viridian Scholar. "That was quite a boisterous fight."
The excited bandits flinched and immediately quieted down. The man's immense presence demanded silence. Even Jang Geol quietly set the Viridian Scholar back down on the ground.
"Black Snake Alliance Chairman..." The Viridian Scholar watched the Black Snake Alliance Chairman anxiously. He could not guess what the unpredictable man would say. If their little event had invoked his wrath, they lacked the strength to withstand it.
What if this is exactly what he was hoping for?
A sense of trepidation gripped him. Infighting among the three strongest bandit bosses only weakened the Viridian Forest. Under these circumstances, the Black Snake Alliance's sway over the unorthodox factions was bound to strengthen.
I was so happy about beating the wolf that I forgot about the tiger hiding behind it.
The Viridian Scholar steeled himself. No one here was his friend. That included the Black Snake Alliance Chairman, the seemingly disinterested Soul Hunting Bow Phantom, as well as the other unorthodox leaders.
"Do you have something to say to me?" he asked firmly.
The Black Snake Alliance Chairman smiled thinly. "Thank you for the good show, Bandit King."
"...!" The Viridian Scholar's eyes widened and his expression brightened.
It was just one phrase, but it carried great significance. It meant that the absolute ruler of the unorthodox sects had acknowledged him!
The bandits supporting the Viridian Scholar also perked up.
"...The Viridian Forest won't forget the Black Snake Alliance's consideration."
"It was nothing."
The Viridian Scholar turned and offered a clasped-hands greeting to the Phantom King and Blue Eyed Freak. "I apologize for the delay caused by our Viridian Forest's internal affairs. Could you give me a little more time to wrap things up quickly?"
The Black Snake Alliance Chairman looked up at the darkening sky. The sun had already begun to set over the horizon.
"It's late, so let's continue the meeting tomorrow," he said, then turned and descended Zhurong Peak without a second thought.
Baek Suryong landed without a sound, his crimson eyes glinting in the silvery moonlight. "So this is what siding with the Cult reduced you to. Repenting like a sinner before an altar of rice bowls. Pathetic. You think remorse will cleanse your folly?”
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom followed him, yawning.
"...How selfish."
"Well, what can we do?"
The Phantom King and Blue Eyed Freak grumbled irritably, but neither wanted to raise a protest.
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
"...Let's go." The Phantom King climbed back into his sedan chair and commanded his jiangshi. For a moment, his gaze lingered on Maeng Ryonghwi from behind the jade mask, but no one noticed.
After the unorthodox leaders left, only the Viridian Forest bandits remained on Zhurong Peak.
The Viridian Scholar called over the Giant Spirit Boss and the Tiger Pass Boss. "You declared you'd recognize me as the Viridian Forest Alliance Leader. Prove that those weren't just empty words."
From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.
"What more do you want us to prove?"
"Are you telling us to swear an oath of loyalty?"
The Viridian Scholar was a very meticulous person. Rather than a verbal oath, he pushed a contract he had prepared in advance into their faces. "The two of you need to sign here."
""......""
The bosses' faces soured as if they had bitten into something foul, but they signed the document that officially marked the reformation of the Viridian Forest Alliance.
Baek Suryong nodded, satisfied.
In this respect, he's much better than Master Maeng.
As a martial arts instructor, he too understood the importance of proper documentation.
Still, he could tell that the two bosses were disgruntled. Although they tried to hide their emotions, these self-serving tyrants simply could not conceal their feelings.
They're bowing their heads for now, but they'll surely cause problems soon.
He glanced at his junior brother. The Viridian Scholar was likely aware of this, but he seemed more inclined to show mercy and embrace them for now than kill them and contend with the ensuing chaos.
...Not that he agreed with the leniency.
If my dear Junior Brother can't do it, then as his Senior Brother, I must step up.
His eyes gleamed with unparalleled coldness as he watched the duo descend Zhurong Peak.
"See you in a bit," he whispered.
First, though, he planned to meet the Phantom King.
That night, the Giant Spirit Boss and the Tiger Pass Boss established a temporary camp at the foot of the mountain. Although their demonic arts had healed most of their injuries, their inner qi and stamina were severely depleted, so they could not travel far and settled for resting nearby.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH.
Killing intent flickered in the Giant Spirit Boss's eyes as he ate a wild boar that his subordinates had caught alive. Revealing blood-stained teeth, he muttered, "Viridian Scholar. Maeng Ryonghwi. Black Snake Alliance Chairman. I'll kill them all...!"
Across from him, the Tiger Pass Boss also gorged himself on a live animal, chewing and swallowing a deer's entrails whole. "Don't forget about the Blue-Eyed Freak and the Phantom King. Especially the Phantom King, that damn traitor!"
Their subordinates kept their distance, terrified by the sight of their inhuman bosses.
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
The Giant Spirit Boss's eyes flashed fiercely. "Weren't you the one who said the Phantom King was on our side?"
Had the Phantom King voted against Maeng Ryonghwi's proposal to elect an Alliance Leader, they might not have had to fight the Viridian Scholar in the first place. As a result of his decision, though, they were caught in Maeng Ryonghwi's scheme and lost everything.
"...We shouldn't have trusted that slippery bastard from the start," the Tiger Pass Boss snarled through gritted teeth. He suspected that the Phantom King had struck a deal with the Viridian Scholar, but he had no idea what it was.
The Giant Spirit Boss suggested, "Are you planning to just go back obediently? Our forces will obviously be split apart. It would be better to go back to the original plan..."
Their original plan was to ambush the Viridian Scholar with all of their forces.
However, the Tiger Pass Boss shook his head. "There's a better way."
"What way?"
"The Blood Cult."
"...!" The Giant Spirit Boss's eyes widened in shock, and he furtively glanced around. Fortunately, his subordinates were far away. He asked in a low whisper, "You want to bring in the Blood Cult?"
"It's the only way for us to survive anyway. We'll get support from the masters of the Blood Cult, kill the Viridian Scholar, and divide the Viridian Forest between us."
The Giant Spirit Boss hesitated. "But the Blood Cult is..."
"Then are you going to serve under that bastard, the Viridian Scholar?" The Tiger Pass Boss bared his fangs at his co-conspirator, his eyes filled with madness.
"Fuck...!" The Giant Spirit Boss insides boiled. Kneeling in front of that bastard once was humiliating enough, but now he had to serve him too? He would rather die.
Mimi sniffled quietly, her round eyes glistening. "They said there were pop-ups," she whispered, her cute voice trembling. "But... we don’t have any!"
In the end, he nodded in agreement. "Kufufu. Right. We've done it once, there's no reason we can't do it a second time."
"I'll contact them when I return to the mountain keep."
Grotesque laughs echoed through the darkness as the two inhuman monsters grinned at each other.
THUD! THUD!
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
Suddenly, one by one, the bandits on guard duty dropped to the ground like flies. An eerie wind extinguished all the torches.
""Who's there!"" the two bosses shouted, shooting to their feet.
"I expected this... but you bastards are even worse trash than I thought."
STEP, STEP...
A man emerged from the darkness. His wild, blonde mane fluttered in the night wind, but his face was as frigid as winter.
"Ads?" Ak Yeonho complains, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What ads?"
"To think you'd decide to bring in the Blood Cult so soon. You are indeed your traitorous fathers' sons," Maeng Ryonghwi sneered, his eyes glittering with an icy, chilling light.
"Maeng Ryonghwi!" The Giant Spirit Boss grabbed a nearby axe and charged. At the sight of Maeng Ryonghwi, the cause of this mess, a ferocious energy exploded from his exhausted body.
WHOOSH!
The wickedly large axe tore through the air in a savage arc, aiming to split Maeng Ryonghwi in half.
Faced with the imminent threat, Maeng Ryonghwi drew his blade calmly. "I'm tired of holding back."
The Giant Spirit Boss's widened. The moment the willow leaf dao emerged from its sheath, Maeng Ryonghwi flashed past him like a thunderbolt.
SQUELCH!
He watched in stunned disbelief as his right arm and axe fell to the ground, leaving a trail of deep crimson across the night sky.
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
"Keuaaak! My arm! My aaaaaarm!"
Screaming in agony, he spun around, instinctively stretching out his left hand to grab Maeng Ryonghwi.
If I can just grab him, I can definitely kill him!
The Giant Spirit Boss was confident in himself. He, who had mastered the Blood Cult's demonic arts on top of his innate talent, had never lost a contest of strength. Even now, he did not attribute his loss to the Viridian Scholar as being due to inferior physical prowess.
GRAB!
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
A sadistic smile formed on his lips as he caught Maeng Ryonghwi's wrist.. "Kuhahaha! I'll crush your bones to bits!" he laughed, tugging and squeezing with all his might.
I'm going to break his wrist, then pin and crush the writhing bastard!
Unfortunately, things didn't turn out the way he envisioned at all.
"You were acting so high and mighty with just this much strength?" Maeng Ryonghwi taunted.
"H-How...!" The Giant Spirit Boss was thunderstruck. No matter how hard he tried, Maeng Ryonghwi didn't budge.
He simply looked down at his seized wrist and chuckled, "Not even a tenth of Master Maeng's."
Smirking, Maeng Ryonghwi sheathed his blade and grabbed the Giant Spirit Boss's fingers, bending them backward one by one.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
"Kkeueok...!" The Giant Spirit Boss's eyes rolled back in pain. He tried to pull his hand away and retreat, but Maeng Ryonghwi's grip was stronger than iron. "Stop! Stooop!"
"Why should I?"
WHAM!
Maeng Ryonghwi slammed his fist into the Giant Spirit Boss's jaw, knocking him down, and then sat on his massive body. Lava-like fury blazed in his piercing eyes as he glared down at the terrified face beneath him.
"You know, I tried to act calmly, for my Junior Brother's sake..."
The Giant Spirit Boss was not the disciple who had betrayed Master Maeng. He was the son who betrayed the traitor. He had tried to remain calm by reminding himself of this.
Nevertheless, the moment he learned that Master Maeng's supposed successor had learned a Blood Cult demonic art, the moment he found out they were trying to bring the Blood Cult into the Viridian Forest again, he totally lost it.
"...But I really can't take it anymore. From the instant you called me a greenhorn, I've been waiting for this moment."
A terrifying killing intent exploded from Maeng Ryonghwi as the Blood Demon Eyes manifested, dyeing his eyes blood red.
"I-I surrender! S-Spare me..."
The Giant Spirit Boss, who had never known terror before, began to tremble uncontrollably. Not even the demonic art clouding his reason could erase his fear. On the contrary, because he had learned demonic arts, the man before him seemed even more terrifying, as if the master of all demons was looking down on him.
"Use the Undying Yaksha Demonic Art to prolong your survival. You never know, I might get tired before you die?"
"Please, please...!"
Baek Suryong ignored the desperate pleas and began to break the Giant Spirit Boss the same way he had initially planned to break the upstart young bandit.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
At first, the Giant Spirit Boss let out shrill screams. Over time, however, his screams faded until he could do nothing but convulse from shock.
While all this was happening, the Tiger Pass Boss turned and fled without hesitation, using his movement arts at full capacity.
Damn it! To think Maeng Ryonghwi was such a monster!
He had only allied with the Giant Spirit Boss out of necessity. He felt no obligation to save the man.
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
Unfortunately, he didn't get far before ominous beings that resembled contorted, lifeless dolls blocked his path.
"Grr..."
"Wait," a man in a jade mask commanded, staring down the Tiger Pass Boss from his sedan chair. Moonlight cast a sinister glow on his purple robes as it fluttered in the breeze. Glancing at Maeng Ryonghwi in the distance, he muttered, "Tsk. If you rip him up like that, it'll be difficult to turn him into a jiangshi."
The Tiger Pass Boss shrieked, "Phantom King! So you were in league with that bastard after all!"
Mimi sniffled quietly, her round eyes glistening. "They said there were pop-ups," she whispered, her cute voice trembling. "But... we don’t have any!"
"...I'm not in league with anyone. I simply make deals out of necessity."
The Phantom King flicked a finger, and the jiangshi attacked the Tiger Pass Boss simultaneously. Like the two bandit bosses, he too had stationed more troops at the foot of the mountain.
Exhausted from fighting the Viridian Scholar, the Tiger Pass Boss struggled to fend off even five jiangshi. Frantic, he pleaded, "Phantom King! Get these jiangshi off me! I'll give you anything you want...!"
Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."
"Nothing you can offer interests me."
The Tiger Pass Boss's unease intensified. "At least tell me what you want!"
"Did you think I ever intended on letting you get away?" a chilling voice asked from behind him. "Not a chance. I'm only just getting started."
The Tiger Pass Boss's face paled as he glanced back. Maeng Ryonghwi was standing right behind him, having approached him silently.
Seeing the blood splattered across Maeng Ryonghwi's clothes and face, the Phantom King clicked his tongue. "Don't cut that one up. It'll lower his grade when I make him into a jiangshi later."