Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

An explosion of light. No other words could describe the sight of the Blue Sky Sword King's sword as it shot forth, ripping through the suffocating darkness like a dazzling comet.

"Someone's a bit impatient," the Night Emperor chuckled, smiling brightly as he extended his palm and solidified the darkness around him into a thick defensive wall.

BOOOOOM!

Light clashed with darkness, unleashing a massive shockwave that threatened to topple the sturdy walls of the Namgung Estate.

"Enemy attack!"

"Protect the Patriarch and the Former Patriarch!"

The deafening roar of the clash between these supreme masters sent the Namgung Clan martial artists scrambling.

Concerned about needless casualties, Namgung Cheon shouted, "The opponent is a supreme master! Fall back one hundred meters and surround him!"

The Namgung Clan martial artists retreated to form a perimeter around the Night Emperor, but they were so disorganized that it was more of a confused mess than an effective blockade.

SWOOSH!

The Night Emperor vaulted onto a rooftop and grinned lazily, like a common thug in a back alley. "Swinging your blade the instant we meet, eh? It's been a while, so shouldn't we at least exchange pleasantries before we fight?"

The Blue Sky Sword King narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the Night Emperor. "…Have we met before?"

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For more than a decade, he had heard countless tales of the Night Emperor, a man who had committed enough atrocities in just ten years to be called the Heavenly Blight. Even so, he was certain this was their first meeting. If they had crossed paths before, he would never have let the man get away alive.

"Kukuku… As expected, you don't remember me. Well, I was just a little brat back then."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the karmic retribution you brought upon yourself twenty years ago. Need I remind you of those disgusting deeds you committed while hiding behind a mask of virtue?"

"……" The Blue Sky Sword King's face turned cold and unreadable, masking the terrifying killing intent that seethed within.

Still, the Night Emperor continued, unconcerned, "I am merely one of the calamities born from your actions."

Darkness poured out of the his body, spreading across the sky like an unraveling tapestry, and his oppressive aura made it seem as if gravity had multiplied two- or even threefold.

Trembling, the surrounding Namgung Clan warriors retreated even further.

"Surely you understand now?" the Night Emperor taunted.

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SMASH!

Brilliant blue sword qi burst forth from the Blue Sky Sword King's blade as he unleashed the Infinite Heavens Sword Technique at full power, demolishing the roof beneath the Night Emperor. �

"Hahahaha! It seems I struck a nerve!"

Laughing wildly, the Night Emperor rose higher into the sky, then struck the ground with darkness in the form of a whip. This technique, fueled by dark enhanced qi, was the signature move that had earned him the alias of Sage of the Unorthodox.

BANG! CRASH!

Deep furrows spread in all directions where the darkness-enhanced qi struck the ground, sending pale dust billowing into the air and obscuring everyone's vision.

SWISH!

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A single sword shot up in a blinding flash, slicing through the thick cloud of dust before abruptly changing direction and hurtling itself straight at the Night Emperor.

This was the Flying Sword Technique, known to ordinary folk as a skill wielded only by immortals.

Nevertheless, the Night Emperor moved with impossible grace, dancing in midair and narrowly dodging the Blue Sky Sword King's blade.

"T-The sword is flying on its own!"

"And isn't that the Airwalking Technique?"

The Namgung Clan martial artists gaped, shocked by the sight of a sword and a man soaring through the air. Martial arts techniques thought to exist only in legends were unfolding before their very eyes. This was a realm of power beyond their comprehension.

They're evenly matched?! Namgung Cheon's eyes went wide in disbelief. "The rumor about the Night Emperor being the strongest unorthodox master is true…"

Aside from the Blue Sky Sword King and the Night Emperor, he was the strongest martial artist present. His eyes tracked the Night Emperor's every move, while his hand remained poised to draw his sword at a moment's notice.

I heard that the Night Emperor wields dark enhanced qi as if it were an extension of his body, but this even more astonishing than the rumors.

Surprisingly, the darkness that surrounded the Night Emperor was all enhanced qi. Among the grandmasters, only he could manifest such immense, tangible qi and control it with such ease.

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And he has only been active for a mere ten years…

In those ten years, the Night Emperor had killed scores of former demon lords and wiped out three entire sects. He made no distinction between orthodox and unorthodox sects, sending more than a hundred masters to their deaths. Within five years of his first appearance in the jianghu, people had already come to know him as the strongest unorthodox master, the Heavenly Blight.

CLANG! BOOM! CRASH!

Every time the two masters clashed, the earth churned and quaked. Even the ground they didn't touch cracked, and the walls were lacerated as if scratched by the claws of a wild beast.

"Tsk!" Worried about the growing destruction to his home, the Blue Sky Sword King ascended into the sky for an aerial faceoff, but the devastating effects of their battle continued to wreak havoc on the Namgung Estate.

Namgung Cheon could endure it no longer. "Father! Let me assist you!" he shouted, stepping forward.

Although he was not on the same level as the two legendary figures battling in the air, he was a transcendent master in his own right. This was no time to be concerned with his father's pride. They had to eliminate the Night Emperor swiftly and restore order to their clan.

"Tsk tsk! Is the great Namgung Clan Patriarch planning to gang up with the Blue Sky Sword King against a single enemy? How cowardly," an unknown voice remarked.

Sensing a chilling gust of qi sweeping in from the side, Namgung Cheon quickly drew his sword and slashed.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

In an instant, he exchanged more than a dozen blows with the new enemy before pausing to catch his breath.

He's a master! Namgung Cheon thought, staying on guard as he faced his opponent—a hunchbacked old man who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

The old man's eyes crinkled into a crescent moon shape. "My Liege desires a one-on-one duel with the Blue Sky Sword King, so how about you entertain this old man in the meantime, Patriarch?"

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"I've never heard of the Night Emperor keeping an old minion like you."

"Kukuku… it seems your tongue is sharper than your blade. This old man is the Asura Demon Sword."

The Asura Demon Sword…. That notorious demonic master from the previous generation!? Recognition dawned on Namgung Cheon, and his expression hardened. "I thought you were dead…"

"Kukuku… I was halfway across the Sanzu River when my Liege dragged me back. I've served him ever since." The Asura Demon Sword licked his blade, and a chilling aura emanated from him. "They say the Namgung Clan's swordsmanship is quite impressive. Care to enlighten me?"

Waves of powerful qi radiated from the Namgung Patriarch. "Of course. Allow me to teach you a lesson. I'll take your head as the tuition fee."

"Kukuku! I hope your swordsmanship is as impressive as your boast!"

The Asura Demon Sword clashed with the Namgung Patriarch. Every swing of their blades caused a thunderous explosion, while the raging sword qi ripped the ground to shreds.

At the same time, chaos broke out all over Namgung Estate.

"Enemy attack!"

"Form ranks!"

"Deploy the sword formation and counter!"

Black-robed figures appeared out of nowhere and attacked the Namgung Clan martial artists. Each of their strikes was deliberate, precise, and full of killing intent as they targeted vital points without a moment's hesitation. They were clearly seasoned murderers.

DING! DING!

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Occasionally, sorcerers appeared among the black-robed ranks, ringing bells as they passed.

"UWEEEEK!"

"BLEARGH!"

Mysteriously, the sound of the bells caused many Namgung Clan martial artists to cough up blood, go berserk, and turn on their own allies.

"What are you doing?"

"Get a hold of yourself!"

The Namgung Clan descended into chaos. If the attackers had been an elite force from the unorthodox sects, they would have fought back without hesitation, but now the aggressors were their own relatives.

As the Namgung Clan martial artists hesitated, unable to bring themselves to harm their kin, the black-robed figures seized the opportunity and slaughtered them.

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"AAAAAAAH!"

"KUWAAAK!"

The screams of the Namgung Clan martial artists echoed through the air. Blood splattered across the battlefield, and the number of corpses on the ground steadily increased. To make matters worse, their top masters, the Blue Sky Sword King and the Ironblood Swordsman, were engaged elsewhere.

The Night Emperor looked down at the hellscape the Namgung Clan had become. "Amusing, isn't it? This is your karmic retribution."

"DIE!" The Blue Sky Sword King, now a raging inferno of fury, lunged at the Night Emperor with enough force to tear him apart.

It was clear, however, that their battle was far from over.

RUMBLE!

Above the Namgung Clan, massive dark clouds gathered, spreading across the sky.

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"What's going on?"

"I hear screams and the sounds of fighting everywhere…"

"The stench of blood is overpowering. Something terrible has occurred!"

The new instructors of the Five Great Academies gathered together, their expressions grim. Flames had erupted throughout the Namgung Clan, screams and shouting mingled with the clash of weapons, and the sickening smell of blood carried by the wind all combined to paint a terrifying picture.

"The Namgung Clan is under attack!"

"What kind of lunatics would do this?"

"Why are we still standing here? We need to escape!"

"Running away might be even more dangerous. We could be mistaken for enemies…"

"What if it's too late? The enemy might be heading this way right now."

"I-I'm sure the Namgung Clan will finish this up soon. They're not called the world's strongest clan for no reason, right?"

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The new instructors were divided between those who wanted to wait and those who wanted to flee. Despite their exceptional martial arts skills, most of them had little experience in the jianghu.

Sama Yeong stepped forward. "The Vermilion Phoenix Academy will escape. Fortunately, our dorms are on the outskirts of the Namgung Estate, so with any luck, we can make it."

She had faith in the might of the Namgung Clan, known as the world's strongest. However, any enemy bold enough to attack them must have prepared extensively.

She turned to Tang Baekho. "What about the White Tiger Academy?"

Tang Baekho hesitated briefly, then came to the same conclusion. "The White Tiger Academy will also escape. Even if we stayed and tried to help, we wouldn't be of much use. We should be grateful if we don't end up as hostages."

It was a pragmatic assessment of their abilities.

"And the Azure Dragon Academy?"

Sama Yeong and Tang Baekho looked at the Azure Dragon instructors. For some reason, their de facto leader Baek Suryong was nowhere to be seen.

"The Azure Dragon Academy will remain here. Please, go ahead and escape first," Myeong Il'oh answered grimly. They couldn't abandon Baek Suryong, even if he was the strongest among them.

Sama Yeong and Tang Baekho nodded regretfully, but they understood the Azure Dragon's stance.

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"Then we'll leave first."

"What a shame. Where on earth did the person we need most disappear to… Anyway, I wish you luck."

CRASH!

As the instructors of Vermilion Phoenix Academy and White Tiger Academy opened the main gate of the dorms, the door shattered and someone rushed through.

Startled, everyone stepped back, their weapons drawn and ready.

"Is everyone alright?" Namgung Su asked. Blood stained his white clothes, and he was panting heavily, as if he had just fought a fierce battle. His usual calm and composed demeanor, however, remained unchanged.

He looked at the Azure Dragon Academy instructors first. "Has anyone been killed or injured?"

"No."

"…Where's Baek Suryong?"

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"We don't know. We haven't seen him since he left to take a nap."

"Of all the times… Fine, I understand." Namgung Su turned to the other academies' instructors. "The new instructor training course is canceled."

"What?"

"Mr. Namgung! Please tell us what's happening!"

"Where are the other Namgung Clan members?"

The instructors bombarded Namgung Su with questions, but he ignored them.

"There's no time for explanations. Something terrible has happened at the main family. We need to escape the Namgung Clan's territory, head to the nearest Murim Alliance branch and request reinforcements. Follow me."

Namgung Su's decision mirrored Sama Yeong and Tang Baekho's.

Turning around, he led the way toward the mountains. Having roamed Mount Tianzhu since childhood, he was confident he could evade any pursuit there.

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"Mr. Namgung Su! What about Suryong-hyung…"

The Azure Dragon Academy instructors followed close behind him, their voices filled with concern.

Without looking back, Namgung Su replied plainly, "As long as that damned bastard doesn't have any baggage dragging him down, he could fall into hell and still climb back out alive. You should be more worried about your own survival."

"…Understood."

Moments later, a group of black-robed figures blocked their path. One, who appeared to be a sorcerer, shook his bell furiously.

Namgung Su frowned. "Let's break through," he said, drawing his sword and charging forward like a bolt of white lightning.

BZZZZT!

The lightning qi struck the black-robed figures, leaving them paralyzed, and his sword immediately followed, cutting them down with pinpoint precision.

The new instructors followed Namgung Su, watching him admiringly as he cleared a path.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from afar. "Wait!"

The Erudite Sage, who had left to assess the situation after the attack began, used movement arts to catch up to Namgung Su.

"Third Young Master! Why are you taking the new instructors up the mountain path?"

"There's been a crisis at the main family. I'm evacuating the new instructors."

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"…Allow me to help you. You should take the left path at the upcoming fork."

"Thank you."

Namgung Su breathed a sigh of relief. With him leading the way and the Erudite Sage providing support, they should be able to safely evacuate the new instructors.

The Erudite Sage is skilled in miscellaneous knowledge and sorcery. With his help, we can easily cross the mountain. After that…

He had only let his guard down for a moment.

SPLURT!

The Erudite Sage plunged a dagger into Namgung Su's abdomen.

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Translator's Note: Kukuku… What did I say about people who laugh "kukuku"? Happy cliffhanger week.