Chapter 88

88. Third Parties, Please Step Aside

The small, old noodle shop, so tiny it lacked a sign, was packed with customers. Most of them were travelers passing through Luoyang, stopping briefly to satisfy their hunger.

With no waiters in sight, Xintong and Lian Jieha had to find their own seats.

Seeing no empty tables, Xintong decided to share a table.

As Xintong approached a table with an empty chair, an old man emerged from the back.

"Hehe, if there are no empty tables, you can sit anywhere. What would you like to order?"

Without responding, Xintong gestured to Lian Jieha.

"Master, please come this way."

Only after Lian Jieha sat down did Xintong turn to the old man.

"What’s the best dish here?"

"The noodles, stir-fried pork, and roasted duck are all delicious."

"Bring us those."

"Yes, yes."

The old man, noticing the swords and daggers at Xintong and Lian Jieha’s waists, bowed deeply before leaving.

The other diners, who were already eating, didn’t say a word about the shared table, as if it were the norm.

Only then did Lian Jieha notice what they were eating.

Noodles.

Looking around at the other tables, it was indeed noodles.

Most people seemed to have agreed to eat noodles.

At that moment, Xintong whispered.

"Master, they look like them."

A glint of recognition flashed in Lian Jieha’s eyes.

He didn’t need to ask who Xintong was referring to. They were likely the people who had been driving the carriage madly. Though he felt no particular emotion, curiosity got the better of him, and he turned his head slightly.

A man and a woman were devouring noodles frantically.

It was hard to distinguish them from the other customers just by their food, but Lian Jieha understood why Xintong had identified them.

They exuded the aura of martial artists, and both the man and the woman were exceptionally handsome.

They were eating noodles as if being chased from behind.

Their frantic carriage ride on the main road didn’t seem to be just a matter of temperament.

Lian Jieha couldn’t help but lick his lips.

Watching them eat made his mouth water, and his hunger intensified.

He was so eager to eat that his palms were sweating.

Perhaps because of this, his stomach growled.

Just as Lian Jieha turned his head away, embarrassed,

Bang.

Someone roughly pushed open the noodle shop’s door.

The upper hinge of the old door fell off, making it look even more dilapidated.

The eyes of the people quietly eating turned to the entrance.

Six men then rushed in.

The men, who had been looking around the shop with menacing faces, suddenly drew their weapons.

One of them grinned and said,

"Hehe. Did you really think you could escape from our hands? After just one day of hunger, you’re sprawled out in a noodle shop. Don’t you think you’ve underestimated us?"

Lian Jieha followed his gaze and turned his head.

Sure enough, the man and woman were pale, having put down their chopsticks.

The grinning man kicked a nearby chair forcefully and shouted,

"If you don’t want to die, get out now! You brats!"

The other men laughed and chimed in,

"What are you looking at? Idiots!"

"Move! You brats!"

As the atmosphere grew tense, the noodle-eating customers hurriedly stood up and left.

The old man, who had been helping in the kitchen, poked his head out through the door.

"What are you? Not leaving?"

One of the men, who had just made eye contact with the old man, glared at him.

The startled old man bowed deeply and slowly walked out of the kitchen.

Seeing this, Lian Jieha said,

"Ah, gee. Let’s eat! Old man, bring out the food quickly. I’m starving."

"Huh?"

The old man looked blankly at Lian Jieha and the man.

"My hands are shaking from hunger. Bring the food quickly. I’m not joking."

The old man glanced at the sword on Lian Jieha’s waist and slowly retreated to the kitchen.

One of the men, Si Mieyuan, glared at Lian Jieha with a murderous look.

He was already annoyed by their presence, and now they were interfering in their business?

He wanted to kill them immediately, but the weapons at their waists were a concern.

Si Mieyuan forced down his rising anger.

Even without the saying to be cautious of the old, the young, and women, it was suspicious for them to be here in this situation.

After a moment, Si Mieyuan said in a loud, clear voice,

"We are from the Luoyang Iron Blood Sect. We are capturing the half-disciples of Changhai Martial Hall. We would appreciate it if third parties would step aside."

Si Mieyuan believed the young man and the old man would back down at this point.

The Iron Blood Sect was a powerful sect that even the Seven Evil Sects dared not provoke. It was impossible to oppose the Iron Blood Sect and survive in Luoyang.

Suddenly, the woman among the man and woman shouted,

"Lies! Why are we half-disciples? You’re trying to take over Changhai Martial Hall! The chief warden shouldn’t be acting like the owner just because you’ve bribed him! The real half-disciple is that bastard chief warden who’s in cahoots with you!"

Si Mieyuan said mockingly,

"Crazy woman! We took over Changhai Martial Hall according to the contract. If you’re satisfied, it’s the chief warden’s decision, and if not, you’re half-disciples."

"Ugh! You tricked the chief warden into signing a fake contract, you bastards!"

Zheng Lianzhi, a senior disciple of Changhai Martial Hall, turned to Lian Jieha.

"Hero! The Iron Blood Sect are notorious criminals in Luoyang. They are trying to take over Changhai Martial Hall and kill us, who are seeking help from Qingfeng Hall!"

Zheng Lianzhi revealed the truth as if exposing a crime, but Lian Jieha’s face remained expressionless.

Unable to bear it, Zheng Wujin, Zheng Lianzhi’s brother, interjected,

"Hero! They are the evil sect in Luoyang, taking over Changhai Martial Hall and killing those who oppose them..."

At that moment, Lian Jieha rubbed his ears as if annoyed and said,

"Wow, really strange. Why are you bothering someone who came here to eat? If you want to fight, go outside. Let’s keep it quiet. Don’t cause trouble for others."

A smug smile appeared on Si Mieyuan’s face.

It was clear that the young man and the old man were intimidated by the Iron Blood Sect’s name and were backing down from Changhai Martial Hall.

"Move them."

Following Si Mieyuan’s order, five men approached the man and woman.

Zheng Lianzhi, who had been clenching her teeth, drew her sword.

"Come on, you brats. I’m tired of running. Let’s end this here."

Zheng Wujin and Lin Xiao also drew their swords from either side of her.

As the five men drew their sabers in response, the small noodle shop was filled with a murderous aura.

The five men, about to advance, looked at Si Mieyuan with puzzled eyes.

They needed to spread out, but the young man and the old man’s table was in the way.

If the young man and the old man didn’t move, they would have to face the three swordsmen one by one.

Finally, Si Mieyuan cleared his throat and said,

"Hem, hem, Hero. Could you please move your seat? The path is narrow, and we..."

Si Mieyuan trailed off.

The young man and the old man seemed to be ignoring his words.

'Are these guys crazy?'

To sit and insist on eating after hearing the name of the Iron Blood Sect, what kind of people are they?

Si Mieyuan turned his eyes to the old man.

Under the table, a red maple leaf sword sheath was visible.

The red maple leaf.

In Henan Province, there was only one famous expert with a red maple leaf sword sheath.

Shen Yangjue, the master of the Red Maple Leaf Sword, who had become less active over the past decade.

A demon known as one of the Two Evils of Henan, alongside the Iron Blood Sect’s leader, Zuo Yangxian.

'Could it be? Senior Shen?'

The old man and his disciple seemed to match Shen Yangjue’s description.

If it was Shen Yangjue, he was a close friend of the leader and should be treated with respect. Even if not, the six of them were no match for Shen Yangjue.

Si Mieyuan asked the old man, hoping for a positive response,

"Senior, are you the famous Shen Yangjue, known as one of the Two Heroes of Henan, alongside our leader?"

"Ha!"

Lian Jieha spat out the tea he was sipping.

The term "Two Heroes" made him laugh uncontrollably.

Si Mieyuan glanced at the young man with an annoyed look. How dare a brat interrupt when adults are talking?

At that moment, Xintong spoke.

"No, but is the leader of the Iron Blood Sect Zuo Yangxian?"

"Yes, but..."

Si Mieyuan looked at the old man with suspicion.

If he wasn’t Shen Yangjue, why was he so familiar with Zuo Yangxian’s name?

After much thought, Si Mieyuan heard a hoarse voice.

"When did he become the leader?"

"Last autumn... But who are you, Senior?"

"Go away. Don’t bother Master while he’s eating."

"..."

Si Mieyuan looked at the old man with dissatisfaction.

If he wasn’t Shen Yangjue, there was no reason to bow so deeply and cater to his mood.

The Iron Blood Sect, aligned with the Famous Teachings, had power that could be compared to the Yi Tian Sect in Luoyang.

That was why they could take over Changhai Martial Hall.

After some thought, Si Mieyuan said firmly,

"I don’t know who you are, Senior, but it’s best to step aside if you don’t want to be the enemy of the Iron Blood Sect."

Just then, the old man emerged from the kitchen with two bowls of noodles in his hands.

Sensing the tension, he hesitated to approach.

Unable to bear it, Lian Jieha gestured for the old man to come.

Only then did the old man bow deeply and approach the table.

Frustrated that things weren’t going as planned, Si Mieyuan bit his lip.

He wanted to flip the table in anger, but the old man was a concern. If he waited, it would drive him mad.

After much frustration, he shouted,

"What are you doing! Why aren’t you killing those brats!"

The five men rushed over, but were blocked by the table again.

With the man and woman standing with swords, advancing one by one would be suicide.

No matter how they approached, it was a problem.

In a narrow space, if they touched the old man and the young man, who knew what trouble would arise.

Si Mieyuan glared at the old man and the young man, grinding his teeth.

The old man and the young man were calmly eating noodles amidst the chaos.

'Damn, they must have some confidence...'

After trembling for a long time, a sigh escaped Si Mieyuan’s lips.

In such a dangerous situation, a normal person couldn’t be so calm.

To survive in the martial world, one needed quick wits.

Even if the Iron Blood Sect would avenge them, it would be meaningless after they were dead.

In the end, Si Mieyuan decided to wait until the two finished eating and left.

"Once Senior finishes eating, we’ll take care of it."

Si Mieyuan positioned his subordinates at the entrance to trap the man and woman.

A smile appeared on Xintong’s face as he slurped his noodles.

"Those guys are not ordinary. They’re like the fourth brother. Thieves have great instincts. Maybe they were thieves? Haha! The broth is delicious."

Si Mieyuan pretended not to hear their conversation, but his mind was working to identify them.

Their actions didn’t match those of the righteous sects.

Were there such people among the evil sects in Henan?

Just as the three groups were in a stalemate, the owner brought out the completed dishes.

Stir-fried pork, roasted duck, and unrequested green vegetables filled the table.

Lian Jieha and Xintong started tearing into the roasted duck with their bare hands.

Their hands and mouths were greasy, and they slurped noisily, like people who hadn’t eaten in days.