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Episode 89: Charge and Buddha
The Changhae Military Academy is one of the small sects in Luoyang.
Since its relationship with the Baekse Chamber of Commerce broke a year ago, the number of disciples has dwindled to a dozen. However, as the relationship with Baekse began to improve, a problem arose.
Changhae Academy was absorbed by the Iron Blood Sect.
In reality, Changhae's ownership changed hands without the academy leader, Jeong Sochun, knowing.
It was all a scheme orchestrated by General Jeong Unbong and the Iron Blood Sect.
Originally, Jeong Unbong and Jeong Sochun were cousins who managed the academy together.
When the relationship with Baekse broke and the academy began to decline, the Iron Blood Sect approached Jeong Unbong.
Seduced by their promises, Jeong Unbong got Jeong Sochun drunk and made him sign a contract transferring the ownership of the academy, including its disciples and businesses, to the Iron Blood Sect.
Jeong Sochun later discovered that it had all been a ploy between Jeong Unbong and Jwayangseon, but it was too late to reverse the situation.
The other sects in Luoyang, fearful of the Yoomyung Cult, offered no help.
Jeong Sochun placed his last hopes in his family at Cheongpung Manor.
His father, Jeong Haeyu, had many connections, including numerous renowned masters.
Thus, he secretly sent his principal disciples, Jeong Mujin, his sister Jeong Yeongji, and his second disciple Lim Hyo.
However, the three could not reach Cheongpung Manor in Guryong Mountain.
Somehow, the Iron Blood Sect always blocked their way.
After a day of fleeing, the three, hungry, entered the restaurant, which proved to be a mistake.
Jeong Mujin, lost in his thoughts, silently watched the young man and the old man eat.
He knew that when they finished eating and left, all would be lost.
The Iron Blood Sect members they encountered on the way did not hesitate to attack them, trying to eliminate all relatives of the academy leader.
Jeong Yeongji gently touched Jeong Mujin's arm.
Jeong Mujin, surprised, looked at her and she whispered.
"Those two don’t look like wanderers, do they?"
Jeong Mujin nodded.
Judging by the way they ate, they were accustomed to this lifestyle.
"Then, let’s hire them to take us to Cheongpung Manor."
Suddenly, Jeong Mujin's eyes lit up.
If they were indeed fighters whom even the Iron Blood Sect feared, they could be their salvation.
Jeong Mujin, organizing his thoughts, approached the old man.
"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. Elder, could you…?"
The Old Dao of Nine Heavens, Shim Tong, slightly turned his head.
Jeong Mujin felt a chill seeing the old man's slit eyes. He seemed more dangerous than the Iron Blood Sect.
"What do you want?"
Shim Tong, still chewing his food, asked indifferently.
Jeong Mujin hesitated, but Jeong Yeongji quickly intervened.
"If you take us to Cheongpung Manor, we will pay you a thousand taels of silver."
For a moment, Shim Tong's eyes sparkled.
Recently, they had fought for ten taels of silver a day.
Taking someone and receiving a thousand taels just for that seemed like too good an opportunity.
"Young Master, what do you think?"
Shim Tong asked Yeon Jeokha with an indifferent expression.
"Do you know where Cheongpung Manor is?"
"No, I don't. Girl, where is Cheongpung Manor?"
Jeong Yeongji, although she found the relationship between the old man and the young man strange, answered hastily.
"It's not far. It's in Nancheon County. You can reach it in a day from here."
Shim Tong frowned slightly.
Nancheon County was in the opposite direction to where they had already passed.
Going back meant retracing their steps, and both Yeon Jeokha and he had no reason to do so.
Unless they were out of money, which was not the case.
Yeon Jeokha shook his head.
"No. A man does not go back."
Shim Tong looked at the girl and said.
"You heard the Young Master. We don't go back where we've passed. Find someone else."
Jeong Yeongji, with a look of disappointment, spoke again.
"Then, how about Changhae Military Academy in Luoyang?"
Shim Tong looked at Yeon Jeokha.
"Young Master, it's Luoyang. What do you think?"
"Fine. Very well. Nowadays, it seems money comes on its own. This didn’t use to happen."
"Right. It seems the world has improved while we were in the mountains."
Shim Tong, smiling, looked at Jeong Yeongji.
"It seems you are lucky. The Young Master has accepted, we will take you."
Jeong Mujin and Jeong Yeongji let out a sigh of relief.
Contrary to their relief, Lee Cheolwon's face twisted into an unpleasant grimace.
He was so close to getting what he wanted, and now these intruders were ruining everything.
Lee Cheolwon made a quick gesture to one of his men.
Using the sound transmission technique, he sent a message.
We will follow these guys. Go ahead and inform the boss.
The subordinate, without enough internal energy to respond, nodded and left.
After eating, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong got into Jeong Mujin's carriage.
The carriage had enough space for two more people.
With the escort secure, the second disciple Lim Hyo calmly drove the carriage.
Inside the swaying and creaking carriage, Jeong Yeongji began to tell her story passionately.
"…That's how the Iron Blood Sect took over our Changhae Military Academy."
Jeong Yeongji finished her long story.
However, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong's expressions did not change much.
Jeong Yeongji, a bit frustrated, asked.
"Isn't it outrageous?"
Yeon Jeokha did not respond and looked out the window.
Jeong Yeongji looked at Shim Tong for a reaction.
Shim Tong, with an indifferent expression, said.
"There are dozens of martial academies in Luoyang. Why didn’t you ask them for help?"
"We tried, but everyone was afraid of the Iron Blood Sect and no one wanted to help us."
"Did you try the Justice Alliance?"
"The Justice Alliance is known for not getting involved in matters related to the Yoomyung Cult."
The mention of the Yoomyung Cult piqued Yeon Jeokha's interest.
"The Iron Blood Sect is related to the Yoomyung Cult?"
"Yes. They say the new sect leader, Swayakdobu, who took over last year, is a member of the Yoomyung Cult. The Demon Warriors or something?"
"Demon Warriors?"
"Yes. They are extremely powerful martial artists. He used to be known as one of the Two Evils of Henan, but now he is called the Supreme Demon of Henan. It is said that his skill has surpassed that of the Immortal Sword Demon. Although they call themselves the Supreme Heroes of Henan."
Shim Tong, who was listening, frowned.
"Hmph! I don't know, but surely the Immortal Sword Demon is stronger."
"No, it's not the same Swayakdobu as before. It is said he received the blessing of the Yoomyung Cult and became a great master. There are rumors that even the leaders of the Seven Great Sects cannot match the Demon Warriors."
"He may have received supernatural abilities from the Yoomyung Cult, but his original skill is not as strong as the Immortal Sword Demon's."
Shim Tong emphasized the phrase "original skill." As long as the opponent remained human, he felt confident in defeating him. After all, he had defeated a great demon with supernatural powers before. Although, of course, it was Yeon Jeokha who dealt with the monster after its resurrection.
"I'm not sure…"
Jeon Yeongji murmured with an ambiguous expression. Although she didn't agree, she decided not to argue further to avoid provoking the old man who didn't seem to care about the Iron Blood Sect.
"So, what is your nickname, elder?"
"I am the Old Dao of Nine Heavens."
Jeon Yeongji tilted her head, confused. "Old Dao of Nine Heavens" sounded grand until the part about the Nine Heavens, but "Old Dao" only meant "old sword." She wasn't sure how impressive or insignificant that nickname was.
"Do you have a nickname, Young Master?"
"No."
Yeon Jeokha scratched his head. The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks referred to the ten sworn brothers, not a personal nickname.
"Ah, I see."
Jeon Yeongji asked no more questions. From her perspective, Yeon Jeokha was too young to have a nickname. Her initial question arose because the old man seemed to treat the young man as his master.
Jeon Yeongji's interest focused once more on the old man. Could the Old Dao of Nine Heavens save Changhae Military Academy?
They were trying to reach Cheongpung Manor for help. Now, any help would be welcome, even from an old man.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I don't know your full names."
Although she spoke of "you two," her eyes were fixed on the old man.
"My name is Shim Tong."
"I am Yeon…"
"Oh! Senior Shim, from which school or sect do you come from?"
Jeon Yeongji's haste interrupted Yeon Jeokha's response.
Shim Tong, trying not to laugh, answered kindly.
"I learned from the fourth young master of Waryong Manor."
Considering all the brothers, Yeon Jeokha was the fourth, so "fourth young master" was correct.
Feeling ignored, Yeon Jeokha puffed his lips and looked out the window.
"Do you mean the Waryong Manor of Luoyang?"
"Yes."
"Oh! I didn't know you were a disciple of Waryong Manor."
Jeon Yeongji's face quickly lit up.
Waryong Manor was a respected sect. Although it had been destroyed, its disciples still roamed the world, and meeting them here was unexpected luck.
'Heaven has helped us. Waryong Manor and the Yoomyung Cult are enemies, so they might help us…'
Filled with hope, Jeon Yeongji began to tell Shim Tong about the atrocities committed by the Iron Blood Sect.
The next day, when the carriage was about three hundred steps from the Luoyang gate, about twenty warriors emerged from both sides of the road and blocked the way.
Lim Hyo, surprised, pulled the reins, causing the horses to rear and stop.
The horses snorted and shook their heads in displeasure.
Shortly after, three men and one woman stepped out of the carriage.
Jeong Mujin and Jeon Yeongji, seeing the warriors, discreetly retreated.
Yeon Jeokha, worried about the Demon Warriors' skills, asked Shim Tong:
"Is the Bangju (Leader) here?"
"No, it seems he only sent his subordinates."
"I see."
With a bored expression, Yeon Jeokha moved to a nearby shadow. If the Bangju had been present, he might have intervened, but he saw no need to help Shim Tong in this case.
Jeong Mujin, Jeon Yeongji, and Lim Hyo also grouped around Yeon Jeokha, unsure.
Yeon Jeokha tilted his head, puzzled. Jeong Mujin's group acted as if they had nothing to do with the Iron Blood Sect's problem.
"Do they really think they can hire swords for a thousand taels to do everything for them?"
Honestly, he didn’t expect Jeong Mujin's group to step back completely. But at the same time, this showed the power of money.
Yeon Jeokha felt oddly relieved. Jeong Mujin's group did not act out of loyalty or justice, but because they had paid for protection. This meant he only had to do what they had paid for.
Yeon Jeokha found a place with a good view and sat down.
Jeon Yeongji crouched next to him and asked:
"Shouldn't you help Senior Shim?"
Yeon Jeokha did not respond, leaning against the tree and murmuring to himself that the three were just a burden he had to deliver.
"Old Shim! Don’t take long and finish quickly. I feel like it's going to rain, everything hurts."
Offended, Jeon Yeongji jumped up and went to Lim Hyo. She couldn't believe a young man was talking about body aches. It was amazing how Shim Tong endured Yeon Jeokha with such devotion.