Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 5 The Storm is Intense (1/2)

Everyone had left, and in the blink of an eye, only two people remained in the house.

Hong Feibai leaned against the doorway, watching those martial artists who had arrived with great momentum now stumbling away one by one in a pitiful state. The most ruthless among them, the wielder of the Ghost Owl Sword, had directly lost his life and was dragged on the ground like a tattered sack. Feeling immensely relieved, Hong Feibai let out a deep breath, his frustration vanishing as he laughed loudly:

"Hahaha, safe travels, don't send!"

"The snow is heavy and the road is slippery, be careful not to fall..."

Upon hearing this, the Yin siblings felt a surge of resentment in their hearts. If it were any other day, they would have taught him a lesson, but now they were afraid of the person inside the house, so they could only help each other stumbling away without even leaving a harsh word behind.

Watching their figures, Hong Feibai felt they looked like homeless dogs, his laughter grew even more unrestrained, and he felt extremely exhilarated, seeming to forget even the pain of his injuries. To him, the only way to fully express the exhilaration he felt from this scene was to indulge himself in three rounds of heavy drinking.

It was only after watching those several individuals deploy their movement techniques and disappear from sight that Hong Feibai finally felt refreshed and turned around with a raised eyebrow, slightly self-satisfied. Then he saw Wang Anfeng sitting on the stool, and those quiet black pupils; his expression faltered slightly, and he coughed lightly, suddenly becoming much more subdued.

Just moments ago, he had felt oppressed being in the same room with so many skilled martial artists, which was quite uncomfortable, but now that everyone had left, he felt even more suffocated.

It was as if the lead-gray sky outside was pressing down into his own heart.

It made him feel somewhat breathless.

Previously, he had been able to converse casually with the young man, but now that he was just sitting there, without any change in his demeanor or clothing, even his expression remained unchanged, making it difficult for him to start a conversation. As he hesitated, he suddenly heard Wang Anfeng say:

"Hmm, the heat seems about right now..."

Taken aback, Hong Feibai looked up to see Wang Anfeng standing up and taking out a large bowl of rice from the cupboard nearby. The stove had already been extinguished, but the residual heat was not easy to dissipate. In the iron pot, the sound of bubbling continued, and the pork and soybeans inside were cooked to even more flavorful perfection.

Wang Anfeng held a copper spoon and gently stirred it, the aroma becoming even richer. He looked up at him and smiled, saying:

"The soybeans from the village chief's family are prepared using their own method, tasting sweeter than those of ordinary families. Having been stewed together with the pork for quite some time, the flavor is especially rich. It's best served over rice..."

"And, it's best if the rice is cold, with grains that are distinct, not sticky like fresh rice. That way, when poured over, it won't turn into a mushy mess, and the taste is delightfully delicious."

As he explained with a smile, Wang Anfeng lifted the spoon, scooped up some of the sauce, and gently poured it into the bowl. The golden sauce filled the gaps between the white rice grains perfectly, and the perfectly sized pieces of pork landed on top, slightly trembling. With just a casual poke, they fell apart, filling the air with their fragrance.

With a smile still playing on his lips, he held out his hand with the bowl towards Hong Feibai, saying with a laugh:

"When I was young, this was my favorite dish. It's a pity Uncle Wang's cooking skills were terrible. If it wasn't undercooked, it was too salty, as if he'd killed and sold the salt merchant himself. I had to learn how to make it myself."

"If you don't like it, Feibai, please be forgiving."

Hong Feibai was slightly taken aback.

Previously, Wang Anfeng had addressed him as 'young hero,' but now he was calling him by name, which made the invisible walls in his heart dissipate quite a bit.

Moreover, he thought that although the young man in front of him was highly skilled in martial arts, he had never bullied others with his prowess or looked down on him because of his skills. How could he look down on himself?! A true man should act and travel in Jianghu without fear or restraint—wouldn't doing otherwise be laughable?

Suddenly, he also let go of the restraint in his heart, reached out to accept the bowl, and burst out laughing:

"How could I not, frankly speaking, the aroma has already been tantalizing the glutton in me."

"I was just about to sneak a taste, considering there's only this pot, and it hardly seems enough for the two of us. And adding those others would mean even less to go around, not letting them have any would appear stingy, I just endured it..."

........................

After that meal.

Hong Feibai felt a warm and comfortable feeling inside, much more relaxed. He had been pursued this time because he was on a mission. Although not urgent, there was a time limit, and now that those after him had been dealt with by Wang Anfeng, there were no worries left.

Therefore, despite some injuries, he got up to bid farewell to Wang Anfeng before sunset.

Outside the wooden door. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

Hong Feibai gave a fist salute to Wang Anfeng and smiled,

"Sir should head back..."

"The snowstorm outside is severe; please don't see me off."

Wang Anfeng nodded and said,

"Be careful on the road, and about the address 'Sir'..."

Hong Feibai didn't wait for Wang Anfeng to finish before he had already sprung up, his movement technique straight and direct, much like a longsword unsheathed. Although the changes were routine, his speed was not slow at all. In the blink of an eye, he had already leaped a dozen yards away. Midair, with his robes fluttering, the Fufeng knight laughed loudly,

"It won't do, it won't do, the address 'Sir' is still necessary."

"A courtesy that cannot be discarded, but I can't call you a senior; it makes it sound much older. 'Sir' is good, 'Sir' is the best... Hahaha, if one day the sir considers wandering in Jianghu, do come visit my Heavenly Sword Sect."

"I can't make such delicious dishes, but I do have fine wine and beautiful company awaiting."

"Farewell!"

With those words, Hong Feibai tapped repeatedly with the tips of his toes on a cold pine trunk, borrowing strength continuously, and disappeared like a alarmed swan into the vast distance. His movement technique was quite neat and dashing. Although it was not as unpredictable as the Ghost Owl Sword, it was still excellent. Among the Jianghu martial artists in their twenties from Fufeng, he could certainly rank high.

Wang Anfeng stood in the courtyard, watching Hong Feibai depart. In the winter day, the sky darkened early. At the edge of the sky, the setting sun was already visible, but even this sunset looked cold and desolate, intertwined with chilly blue and black besides some patches of red.

As his gaze fell back down, Wang Anfeng looked at the chaotic accumulated snow in the courtyard, at the wall shattered from a heavy impact, and at the heavy spear sticking out of the ground, now even more sinister from the falling snow. On the snowy ground, there were speckles of bloodstains, unwilling to disperse.

After standing still for a while, the normally tidy Wang Anfeng did not bother to clean up the courtyard. He simply turned around and slowly returned to the house.

Shortly after, two men wearing thick cotton coats with bulky hands and feet sneaked over from the village. They cautiously poked their heads out, and upon seeing the messy scene and the persistent bloodstains in the courtyard, their faces first showed shock, then quickly turned to joy.

One, with messy eyebrows and a flat nose as if smashed by a fist, snorted and lowered his voice, saying in a muffled tone,

"Now that's good, we finally got a hold on this outsider!"

"I always said foreigners can't be trusted, but no one believed me. The evidence is plain as day; I want to see if anyone in the village can still protect this murderer..."

The other, slightly more composed, patted his shoulder and whispered,

"Erzhuang, don't be impulsive."

"Let's go find Brother Niu."

"Hmm, let's go!"

Like when they came, the two slowed their movements, retreating ten steps before turning around and hastening away.

The men were from this village farm. They had spent two years trying their luck in the city, where they learned some farming techniques and had been hunters in the mountains, making them much sharper than ordinary villagers. As they moved through the snowy grounds, they made hardly any noise, and shortly after, they had walked far away.

Inside the house.

Wang Anfeng sat cross-legged on the bed, looking out the window, his expression peaceful. After a long time, he simply sighed softly.

Lifting his right hand, his sleeve slid down a bit, revealing the Buddha Beads on his wrist, and he said quietly,

"Return to Shaolin..."

A fleeting stream of light vanished in an instant. Inside the house, the firewood in the stove burned fiercely, making crackling sounds, and the figure of the young man had disappeared from the bed.

Outside, the blizzard grew stronger.

PS: The first release is here...