Chapter 382
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**Chapter 382: Who Has More Influence?**
**Henan, Luoyang.**
**Goseong Village.**
**Noon.**
Two men entered through the village gate.
One of them was Yeon Jeokha, carrying a bamboo backpack, and the other was Shim Tong, the Old Dao of the Nine Heavens, who followed him empty-handed.
“Old Shim, why don’t you go grab a drink somewhere?”
“Can’t I go with you?”
“Why?”
“If someone bothers you, I can take care of them.”
“Who would dare to bother me?”
“Haven’t you received many unpleasant looks on your way to Luoyang? I just want to make sure you won’t be bothered.”
Shim Tong’s words made Yeon Jeokha pause for a moment.
It was true that his face attracted attention, but not of the positive kind.
In unfamiliar streets, people avoided him like he was a plague.
Though that wasn’t the worst part.
Those who considered themselves strong pointed at him and said, “Why don’t you stay home instead of wandering around?”
Of course, every time that happened, Shim Tong intervened and put them in their place, but still, it felt uncomfortable.
After all, he was on a charity trip, but his face seemed to invite violence.
“Don’t worry. Yeon Military Academy is part of the orthodox faction. No one will bother me because of my appearance.”
Shim Tong nodded at Yeon Jeokha’s words.
After all, members of the orthodox faction were hypocrites, so they wouldn’t act openly.
“Then, Master, I’ll be at the biggest tavern having a drink. When you’re done, come find me.”
“Okay. Go.”
Yeon Jeokha waved his hand at Shim Tong.
He didn’t want anyone recognizing Shim Tong.
Even though his face was swollen and covered in sores, making him hard to recognize, it was better to be cautious.
Even being accompanied by Shim Tong could lead someone to guess his true identity.
If someone with a keen eye suspected him, it would only be a matter of time before his identity was revealed.
And if that happened, it would make no sense to have been using the Buddhist name of Yeon Namcheon.
Understanding Yeon Jeokha’s mood, Shim Tong walked away quickly.
Once Shim Tong was out of sight, Yeon Jeokha finally began to walk.
Although it was winter, the village was large enough to have quite a few people in the streets.
Some martial artists could also be seen carrying weapons.
Yeon Jeokha stopped a young man who was running by.
“Older brother.”
“Did you call me?”
The young man turned around and frowned slightly.
He hadn’t noticed before, but seeing him from the front, it seemed he had suffered from smallpox.
“I wanted to ask you something. I’ve heard there’s a new Yeon military academy in this village. Do you know where it is?”
“I’m not sure of the name, but I know where the new military academy is. Follow this road, cross the bridge, and turn right. At the end, there’s a military academy that just opened.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Yeon Jeokha expressed his gratitude, but the young man had already hurried away.
With an uncomfortable expression, Yeon Jeokha watched the young man’s back and began to walk.
After walking for about twenty minutes, he finally reached the bridge.
Just as he was about to step onto the bridge, a group of people appeared behind him.
From the weapons they carried and their fierce faces, they appeared to be from the evil faction.
One of them shouted at Yeon Jeokha, who hesitated.
“Get out of the way!”
Yeon Jeokha stepped back without saying a word.
Then, about thirty martial artists quickly passed over the bridge.
Yeon Jeokha let them pass and then calmly walked onto the bridge.
“Tsk, tsk! What’s so urgent to act like that?”
After all, it didn’t matter if they arrived a little earlier; he didn’t understand why they lived like that.
***
**Yeon Military Academy.**
Yang Ihwa, the owner of Yeon Military Academy, had been busy since the morning preparing for the inauguration.
The men only had to greet the guests, but the women had more work.
Yang Ihwa was extremely occupied setting up the reception.
Even with two maids, it wasn’t enough, so she also recruited women from the neighborhood to help with the preparations.
Yeon Mubaek, the Dragon Swordsman, had told her to stay by his side, but that was ignoring reality.
Even in the middle of winter, Yang Ihwa was soaked in sweat.
She placed a clean cloth on the patio table and returned to the kitchen.
“Ah!”
While trying to catch her breath, a maid approached her and asked:
“Ma’am, it seems that the food is ready. What should we do with the women?”
“How many came?”
“Ten.”
“Just keep three and send the others away.”
“Yes.”
The maid left with a cheerful expression at hearing that only three women would stay.
Yang Ihwa looked outside through the open kitchen door.
For now, she could only see the maids and neighborhood women, but soon the place would be filled with guests.
She needed to leave a good impression on the people about Yeon Military Academy.
Food was the beginning and the end of everything.
Having grown up watching her mother do the same at the Yang Manor, she had no difficulties.
Remembering the Yang Manor made her throat tighten.
Then, she recalled the person who had turned the bustling Yang Manor into ruins.
‘Yeon Jeokha…’
Just thinking about that name sent shivers down her spine.
She had heard his story from her husband, but she felt no compassion for him.
The pain that she and the Yang Manor had suffered was too great.
As Yang Ihwa sank into sadness remembering the fallen Yang Manor, the main door of Yeon Military Academy swung open.
A group of people entered and overturned the patio tables.
The maids and neighborhood women ran to hide in the kitchen.
Yang Ihwa calmed the fleeing women and then carefully stepped outside.
**Main Hall.**
Yeon Mubaek, Yeon Seungbaek, and Yeon Seolju, who were having tea with the guests from the wife’s family, stopped.
They hadn’t yet conducted the inauguration ceremony, but the outside was in chaos.
Yeon Seolju looked at Yeon Mubaek with surprised eyes.
“Brother?”
“It seems we have uninvited guests. Guests from the Jeong Manor, please wait here. We’ll go see what’s going on.”
At Yeon Mubaek’s words, Jeong Gyeokcheon, the Swordsman of the Mountains and Seas from the Jeong Manor, waved his hand and said:
“What nonsense are you saying? We are not strangers. Would you ignore the troubles of our Jeong Manor?”
“Of course not.”
“Neither will I. In the martial arts world, we must trust and support each other. Who else can we rely on?”
As he spoke, Jeong Gyeokcheon stood up.
The martial artists from the Jeong Manor who accompanied him also stood up silently, as if it were the most natural thing.
“If you insist, I won’t stop you. But we can handle this ourselves, so don’t overdo it.”
“Understood. We will only stand behind you as a screen. Go ahead.”
Jeong Gyeokcheon calmly pointed forward.
Yeon Mubaek, Yeon Seungbaek, and Yeon Seolju opened the door and stepped into the main hallway.
Behind them, the martial artists from the Jeong Manor lined up.
Yeon Mubaek, who was in the hallway looking out at the patio, had a stern expression.
The patio was already in complete disarray.
With that, the inauguration ceremony would be impossible.
Yeon Mubaek, with anger bubbling inside him, shouted loudly after gathering his internal energy.
“Who is causing this ruckus at Yeon Military Academy?”
His voice resonated, and the martial artists who were creating the chaos stopped.
A man in his forties stepped out from among them.
It was Lee Cheolwon, the Swordsman of Death.
“Hello, Director Yeon. I am Lee Cheolwon, the external leader of the Iron Blood Hall (cheolhyeolbang).”
“Ah, it’s you, Leader Lee. Our Yeon Military Academy belongs to the Infinite Heaven Alliance. What business does the Iron Blood Hall have with us?”
Yeon Mubaek mentioned the Infinite Heaven Alliance first.
But the name of the alliance did not impress his opponent.
“Director Yeon, don’t you know who our leader is? Our leader is one of the Warrior Demons of the Yoomyung Cult. Who do you think has more influence, the Infinite Heaven Alliance or our leader?”
Yeon Mubaek gritted his teeth.
It was well known that the Seven Great Sects and the Four Great Families had surrendered to the Yoomyung Cult.
The Infinite Heaven Alliance, established by the Seven Great Sects, was beneath the Yoomyung Cult.
In the end, mentioning the alliance had only harmed him.
“Hmm, it seems there’s a misunderstanding. Our Yeon Military Academy has no relation with the Iron Blood Hall. Why did you come to cause trouble at our inauguration?”
“You can’t just deny the relationship.”
“What relationship does Yeon Military Academy have with the Iron Blood Hall?”
Yeon Mubaek was furious, but he restrained his anger and stared intently at Lee Cheolwon.
As a member of the orthodox faction, Yeon Military Academy was an orthodox military academy.
On the other hand, the Iron Blood Hall was a notorious evil faction in Luoyang.
They had no connection with the evil faction, so it was perplexing that they acted as if they did.
“The Goseong Village is in Luoyang, so you can’t say it’s unrelated to our Iron Blood Hall.”
At those nonsensical words, Yeon Mubaek gritted his teeth.
It was obvious they were making excuses.
“And so what?”
“If you want to open a military academy in Goseong Village, you must first obtain permission from the Iron Blood Hall.”
“Why should we obtain permission from the Iron Blood Hall if we belong to the Infinite Heaven Alliance?”
“Why? I already told you. Our leader has more influence than the Infinite Heaven Alliance.”
“Are you willing to give us permission?”
“Of course not.”
“No?”
A cold smile appeared on Yeon Mubaek’s lips.
But Lee Cheolwon didn’t pay him any mind and continued speaking.
“Aren’t there already two military academies in Goseong Village? A small village doesn’t need a third. It would be better if you moved somewhere else.”
“And who would benefit from that? The Blue Dragon Academy? The White Tiger Academy?”
“That’s none of your business. Just tell me if you’ll move or not.”
“I have no intention of moving.”
“Then you might die.”
Although his tone was soft, Lee Cheolwon’s eyes exuded a murderous aura.
Yeon Mubaek responded with sharp words.
“Do you have the capability?”
“Ha, ha, ha! I don’t know where you came from, but you have guts. Do you know who you’re talking to?”
“Lee Cheolwon?”
At Yeon Mubaek’s words, the members of the Iron Blood Hall erupted in insults.
“You bastard!”
“A brat who doesn’t even have dry blood!”
“Child with closed eyes!”
Just as the situation was about to explode, Jeong Gyeokcheon, who was behind, stepped forward.
“I am Jeong Gyeokcheon, the Swordsman of the Mountains and Seas, owner of the Jeong Manor in Kaifeng. Grand Master Lee, as they say, one should avoid fights and seek an agreement. It’s difficult to accept that you move immediately. Is there no other way?”
“There might be one.”
“What is it?”
“Hand over that woman and I’ll wait a month. How about that?”
Lee Cheolwon’s finger pointed at Yang Ihwa, who was standing by the pavilion with an anxious expression.
In an instant, Yeon Mubaek lost his temper and drew his sword, charging at Lee Cheolwon.
“Bastard!”
Lee Cheolwon was taken aback but did not step back.
Instead, like a veteran of the martial world, he ran towards him and unsheathed his sword.
*Clash, clash, clash!*
Sparks flew between the two.
Jeong Gyeokcheon watched the fight between Yeon Mubaek and Lee Cheolwon with worried eyes.
Although it seemed evenly matched, Yeon Mubaek appeared slightly more stable.
But the problem was the more than thirty members of the Iron Blood Hall.
The seven martial artists from the Jeong Manor would not be able to face them.
‘It was a mistake.’
They should have investigated the backgrounds of the military academies in Goseong Village more thoroughly before acting.
But who would have thought that an orthodox military academy would confront the Iron Blood Hall, an evil faction!