Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 4 A Thousand Miles of Illusory Clouds, News of an Old Friend (2/2)

Inside the wooden hut of the village on a winter day, wafts of cooking smoke rose.

The savory fragrance of stewed pork with soybeans became increasingly rich and tempting. Hong Feibai, who was considered a rising talent in Fufeng, squatted in front of a stove, fan in hand, gently fanning the flames while stealing glances at the people inside the house, and secretly swallowing his saliva.

Not far from him squatted a tall man, over eight feet in height, who had removed his armor. In his thirties, his face was bruised and swollen.

Mountain River Spear Ma Hongkuo.

A master from one of the three great factions in the martial realm of Fufeng, the Giant Whale Gang.

With Seventh Rank cultivation, he was known for being ruthless yet principled.

The technique he had just used, "White Horse Cries on the Glacier," could stir up wind and snow with fierce and extraordinary vigorous Qi. With just this technique, there were hardly any martial artists in the realm of Fufeng who could withstand it.

And the one who had tried to assassinate him was indeed his subordinate.

At the doorway stood a stocky man with a round head, round face, and a beard framing his cheeks.

On his right fist, he wore a coarse cloth handwrap, casually wrapped a few times with a straw rope, with bloodstains that seemed to linger.

Jia Lezhan.

A renowned ranger from Fufeng, his "Five-Step Divine Fist" had once flattened over a dozen Ninth Rank martial artists without suffering a single injury himself, and he staggered away after drinking five dou of wine.

Moreover, there was the infamous Ghost Owl Sword.

The Yin siblings, whose actions often straddled the line between righteousness and evil, doing as they pleased. Aside from them, there was an elegantly dressed woman in the house skilled in mounted archery, her martial arts at least at the Ninth Grade, and outside under the shelter, five skilled members of the Giant Whale Gang squatted, each capable of subduing fierce horses and wielding heavy blades.

Hong Feibai withdrew his gaze, watching his nose, his nose watching his heart.

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But how could his thoughts remain calm? He was filled with wild thoughts.

Just these martial artists from an ordinary village, if taken out, were feared capable of stirring up considerable unrest in a state city.

Just inside this house, there were four or five martial artists who had made a significant name for themselves in the past two years.

This didn't even take into account the nonchalant youth who had subdued all these martial artists.

Thinking of this, even if Hong Feibai was somewhat dull, he knew he had underestimated the situation. The injuries on his body must have been treated by that youth. Only such unfathomably deep martial arts could lighten his hidden injuries so much that he could survive the icy incursion on a snowy night.

Just as he was pondering this, the wooden door creaked openslightly.

Wang Anfeng, dressed in coarse clothes, stepped inside.

Without a word spoken, the atmosphere inside the house, which had been barely calm just a moment ago, suddenly became tense. With the rustling noises, all the martial artists, whether squatting or leaning, stood up, looking somewhat uneasily at Wang Anfeng, who had appeared.

Hong Feibai, who had been lost in his thoughts, also stood up subconsciously following the others, still holding the fan for the stove in his hand. He looked at Wang Anfeng, intending to address him as 'Brother Wang' as before, but after witnessing the shocking scene just now, how could he still manage to speak so casually? His lips parted slightly, but in the end, he only managed to say:

"Sir..."

Ma Hongkuo, having taken off his armor, struggled to stand up and cupped his fists in a salute, saying in a muffled voice:

"Ma owes Sir thanks for sparing my life."

Wang Anfeng shook his head and replied:

"There's no need."

Amidst this exchange, his steps were ordinary, yet they moved like a mirage, sidestepping Ma Hongkuo's attempted bow. The latter's heart sank, unsure what Wang Anfeng's actions implied.

Could it be that he truly didn't plan to spare his life?

Then why didn't he just kill him with one blow earlier? Did he have some other scheme in mind?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, his expression became increasingly uncertain.

Wang Anfeng had already reached the stove and lifted the lid off the pot, instantly releasing a cloud of white steam and an intoxicating aroma that filled the small room. Wang Anfeng took several porcelain bottles from his waist and lightly sprinkled their contents into the pot. He lightly stirred with a spoon, and the aroma grew even more tantalizing as he let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

Thankfully, he hadn't lost control of the cooking heat.

Otherwise, the flavor would have diminished by more than half...

As he relaxed inwardly, Wang Anfeng turned his back to everyone, his mouth watering. He fought back the urge to indulge himself and set down the copper spoon, feeling somewhat lost at that moment.

After managing to suppress his craving, he turned to look at the tense martial artists, and to the graceful woman standing next to Ma Hongkuo, and asked:

"It's the same question again."

"The 'Thousand Mile Mirage', this miraculous fragrance from Pharmacist Valley — where did you get it from?"

He had been seriously injured two years ago and spent a long time in Shaolin Temple for recovery. Even though the effect of the three-thousand-year-old Dragon Blood Ginseng still lingered, it took him almost three months to fully heal. It was only then that he came to understand what had happened on that day.

The entire Sect of Pharmacist Valley had been eradicated.

After the incident involving the medicine men was exposed, this sect, which had previously enjoyed a decent reputation in the Fufeng region of Jianghu, fell from grace overnight, becoming the target of everyone's aggression. People in Jianghu wanted nothing to do with Pharmacist Valley, and within a matter of days almost all of the remaining sect disciples had been killed, their corpses strewn across the streets, their silver coins and secret manuals plundered.

Indeed, Pharmacist Valley had committed many evil deeds, and while the mastermind had been executed, and the accomplices had all been killed, the leakage of such sensitive information about the medicine men was a disaster of epic proportions. Given 'Match for Yamaraja's' notoriously ruthless nature, those disciples who had left the sect long ago to practice medicine everywhere must have been unaware.

Yet because of this incident, they, too, perished, even implicating their families.

Wang Anfeng had once sought the pair Chuan Lian and Meng Yuexue, whom he had known in the past, even going so far as to carve their names into a jade plaque and entrusting it to Gongsun Jing of the Giant Whale Gang to search for them. It took several months, with the gang's disciples riding fast horses covering the entirety of Fufeng County, but all for naught.

Their only achievement was that, due to a misunderstanding by other sects, Gongsun Jing rode a thousand li on a fast horse and defeated several masters with his spear technique, aggressive as raging flames and awe-inspiring like the vast wilderness, hence earning the grand reputation of the Cloud Swallowing Spear Hero, praised far and wide.

Just as the fire refining mountainside sealed off and as Pharmacist Valley's sect perished, the storms of change surged through Jianghu, and as a result, the Giant Whale Gang grew stronger.

Regarding Pharmacist Valley, the only thing that was known was that Chuan Lian and Meng Yuexue were not among those who died in the turmoil at that time. Beyond that, no information was obtained.

And yet, in the hands of this woman before him, there was medicine from Pharmacist Valley.

Two years prior, when Chuan Lian and Wang Anfeng were discussing pharmacology, Chuan Lian had casually mentioned this Miracle Medicine called 'Thousand Li Fantasy Cloud'. Never did Wang Anfeng expect to encounter it today, and how could it not make him think of the two who had disappeared in the chaos two years ago? That's why he had intervened just now to stop her.

Hearing Wang Anfeng's words, the beautiful woman did not dare to keep anything secret and respectfully said:

"Yes."

"I came upon this Flying Eagle and the medicine by a fortunate coincidence in Xi Dingzhou City."

"That day, after drinking some alcohol and getting spirited, I went to Qi Xiangzhai, planning to buy some rouge. I happened upon two martial artists bullying a young girl, and in a fit of anger, I stepped in and taught them a lesson."

"The girl then shared the recipe for the medicine with me, and as for the Silver Feather Flying Eagle, it was something I acquired by a fortunate coincidence."

Wang Anfeng's expression remained unchanged. He had been through many things and was no longer as naive as he used to be, trusting others easily. His voice was calm as he asked:

"A young girl?"

"What is her age, and what does she look like..."

The woman answered one by one, and Wang Anfeng narrowed his eyes as if in thought, remaining silent for a moment before he said:

"You did not harm the innocent, so this time, I will not kill you."

"Now leave..."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Ma Hongkuo and the beautiful woman bowed deeply to Wang Anfeng, saying:

"Thank you, sir."

"Ma will surely repay this kindness someday!"

Having said this, the two turned and left, and it was only after they had stepped outside that Ma Hongkuo took a deep breath, the cold air making him realize that his back was drenched in sweat. He had been so terrified that he didn't even bother to grab his armor or weapons. He whistled through his mouth, and moments later, the sounds of horse hooves could be heard fading into the distance...

In the room, seeing that Wang Anfeng indeed did not make another move, the emaciated man known as the Ghost Owl Sword relaxed, his figure flickered as he prepared to dash out. However, at that moment, the hand that Wang Anfeng had rested on the table suddenly moved. The clang of the sword sent shivers down everyone's spine.

Electricity seemed to crackle in the empty room.

A jet of fresh blood sprayed forth.

The assassin, agile and fast, had only managed a single step out when he fell to the ground, clutching his throat, making gurgling noises, his eyes wide open, fixed on Wang Anfeng. After a brief struggle, he was no longer breathing.

Wang Anfeng placed the longsword in his hand back on the ground and said:

"I said before that those who did not harm the innocent could leave."

"Ghost Owl Sword, Song Hongzhen, you have taken at least thirteen innocent lives with your own hands; it's best that you stay..."

The people were startled.

With information from the illustrious Jianghu sect, the Giant Whale Gang, as well as intelligence from the Great Qin Military Family's spies, though Wang Anfeng had not traveled through Jianghu himself, he knew far more about its affairs than all the martial artists present.

Chilian Gang, which had left earlier, dealt with matters of Jianghu within its own circle and never killed the weak or the innocent under its spears.

Therefore, Wang Anfeng allowed them to leave.

But this newly famous assassin's hands were too dirty.

Amidst the metallic clang, the Ghost Owl Sword was sheathed. Wang Anfeng spoke:

"Please take this man's body with you."

The remaining three exchanged glances, swallowed hard, and although they found it somewhat repulsive, they still picked up the open-eyed corpse of Ghost Owl Sword, cautiously making their way outside, fearing a sudden flash of the blade.

It was only after leaving the room that they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking back, they saw only wisps of smoke rising peacefully, but in their hearts, they were left with the feeling of having narrowly escaped death.

PS: The second update