Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 535 - 178 Sending Off with a Sword (1/2)

Wang Anfeng split open the mountain gate's grand formation with a single sword strike yesterday, ascended the mountain, and today he was ready to descend. He was still in that same green robe, with a wooden sword strapped to his back, and by his side was the elegantly clad, celestial-like lady swordsman in white, untouched by even a speck of worldly dust.

Lin Qiaofu and Lv Baiping were a step behind them.

The young girl had a student's cloth bag strapped around her waist, bulging as if she had also brought with her a thick dictionary. By her side, Lv Baiping seemed to have been unable to persuade her otherwise, appearing helpless as he followed along.

Originally, it was only these four who were traveling together, but just as they reached the middle of the mountainside, they bumped into a finely dressed young man. Beside the youth was a middle-aged man with a rather stern face, wearing vigorous attire with unexpectedly armor guarding his shoulders and a straight sword slung at his waist, exuding an aura of "keep away."

The young man's face was somewhat stiff, but he still spoke politely:

"Predecessor Gong Yu."

Gong Yu paused, her gaze sliding from the young man's face and falling onto his clothes, sinking into thought and making the latter quite uncomfortable as if her piercing gaze was as sharp as a sword. He wanted to look away, yet he didn't dare to do so, and could only stand in place with a forced laugh.

Wang Anfeng chuckled inwardly and took the initiative to greet warmly:

"It turns out to be Young Master Yuchi."

Yuchi Jie's face was so stiff it seemed about to crack, but hearing the words, he sighed in relief and sent a grateful look towards Wang Anfeng, saying, "Indeed, it is I, but may I ask who this brother is…"

Wang Anfeng clasped his hands in greeting, warmly responding:

"This one is Wang Feng."

Lv Baiping's gaze was peculiar as he observed the affable and earnest-faced man in green, his eyes twinkling with an honest smile, but Yuchi Jie merely slapped his forehead and laughed, realizing:

"So it is Brother Wang."

In Shaolin Temple, an Ancient Taoist who had just witnessed this scene paused, then turned to the Scholar in green beside him, saying:

"I just knew, how could someone of your temper produce such a pure-hearted child?"

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"Indeed, you've led him astray."

The Scholar in green couldn't be bothered to respond and just snorted coldly.

At the Qingfeng Edge, Gong Yu's gaze turned cold once more. Lin Qiaofu, who knew her best, saw a flash of sudden understanding in those cold jade-like eyes, but to others, it seemed as if Gong Yu's expression had not changed as she said indifferently:

"What brings Young Hero Yuchi from practicing martial arts on the mountain to here?"

Her inquiry was as direct and pointed as the sword in her hand.

Yuchi Jie chuckled awkwardly, guessing in his mind that Gong Yu's previous silence was probably due to her pondering this very issue, so he replied immediately:

"This junior indeed wished to spend more time on the mountain, but unfortunately, my grandfather has fallen gravely ill, and we have received an urgent message by Flying Eagle. With no alternatives, I was forced to leave the mountain."

In his heart, he was prepared for further questioning, confident in his explanation as this wasn't some fabricated excuse but a genuine message from that old man in his family sent by a Flying Eagle messenger.

Even he, his grandson, didn't understand how his grandfather, who was fine before and could still consume large amounts of meat, fell sick within just a few days, insisting that he leave today no matter what.

There were no more beauties like that in the city.

Yuchi Jie murmured inwardly, displaying a sincere expression on his face as he waited for Gong Yu's interrogation.

However, after asking just one question, Gong Yu merely nodded, withdrew her gaze, and seemed uninterested in pursuing further, leaving Yuchi Jie feeling like he had exerted strength in vain, filled with doubts and uncertainties, wondering if he had somehow offended the Young Sect Leader of Qingfeng Edge.

The face was indeed beautiful, but there was no trace of any change in expression, which made Yuchi Jie even more anxious internally. He felt it would have been more comforting to be scolded properly by Aunt Master Xuan, who was thirty years old, at least sparing him the unease of uncertainty.

Gong Yu's side, Lin Qiaofu covered her mouth and giggled softly.

Gong Yu looked at Wang Anfeng and nodded slightly, Wang Anfeng nodded back and smilingly said to the young man:

"Young Master Yuchi, we need to descend the mountain first, so we won't be able to accompany you further."

This was a way of taking one's leave, but Yuchi Jie felt unsettled.

He was born into a military family, and it was only after his family spent much effort searching through the Yan Country's national treasury for several martial arts manuals that they managed to secure him a place here.

Having been raised by his grandfather, he knew that coming to the mountain to learn the superior swordsmanship of Qingfeng Edge was a mere pretext, while entertaining foolish daydreams about adding a sword-bearing disciple of Qingfeng Edge to his side was like a pig intoxicated by spring dreams.

If he dared to harbored such thoughts, his grandfather would likely personally take up one of the seven-hundred-pound Divine Martial Repeating Crossbows and shoot a dozen bolts at his face. It would be better for him to be left brainless by those bolts, as long as his third leg was intact to continue the family line.

His most important task on the mountain was to establish a bond with this colossal force that would undoubtedly dominate the Jianghu for the next fifty years.

It might be a lifeline one day, the very lives of his entire clan, and now, possibly having incurred Gong Yu's displeasure, even though he desperately wished to leave, how could he bear to do so? With a strained smile, he said:

"The path down the mountain is one and the same, so why don't we travel together?"

"I can also walk at a faster pace."

Seeing that Gong Yu did not object, Wang Anfeng agreed with a smile, and the group continued their descent. Yuchi Jie no longer had the mind to appreciate the scenery of Qingfeng Edge one last time, his sword slung at his waist as he walked alongside Wang Anfeng, keeping a distance of three steps from Gong Yu, neither daring to come closer nor straying too far.

When they reached the courtyard at the foot of the mountain, that Aunt Master Xuan was still there, showing not the slightest hint of amiability towards Yuchi Jie, but she was slightly more polite to Wang Anfeng. Although Qingfeng Edge was a Hidden Sect, it was not ignorant of news, aware of many major events that had taken place in the Jianghu.

But unexpectedly, there was another person there, dressed in loose-fitting clothes and smelling faintly of medicinal herbs, and most striking of all, his head full of white hair.

The old man held an ordinary-looking longsword in his right hand, standing not far from the courtyard. Upon seeing Wang Anfeng and Gong Yu, he trotted all the way over. Still several meters away from the group, he clasped his hands together and gave a deep bow, his face beaming with a smile as he said,

"I am the humble old man, Taishu Jian. I have seen several of you."

Wang Anfeng still remembered this old man who had cried his heart out before the sword array, raised his hand in return, and smiled, "Why is the elder here?"

Running his hand over his head, Taishu Jian replied,

"This old chap has nurtured the mountain for a good while now, but after all, the disciples of Qingfeng Edge are all young maidens, so I thought of leaving the mountain. I learned from the lass who was treated for her injuries that you two were coincidentally departing today, so I waited here."

"I was hoping to leave the mountain together."

Wang Anfeng looked at Taishu Jian, who seemed just like anyone else and did not show any sign of surprise that the man who had waited at the foot of the mountain for three long years was planning to leave the mountain the very next day; he just nodded slowly. Taishu Jian sighed deeply, smiled, and gave another cupped-fist salute to Wang Anfeng, finally feeling relieved.

How could he not have wished to stay longer on the mountain?

But just yesterday he found out that this man and woman seemed to be leaving the mountain, and he was only familiar with these two. If they were to leave, then how could he continue to learn more swordsmanship?

Only after arriving at the mountain did he realize that Qingfeng Edge truly did not accept male disciples, let alone an old man like him.

He tossed and turned sleeplessly in bed; as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with that swordsman in green clothes brandishing a sword, creating a sky full of dazzling lights. So he bit the bullet, thinking it was better to follow these two into Jianghu, where he might see that kind of swordplay again.

It was certainly better than staying on the mountain till his injuries healed completely, only to be asked to leave by the others.

A voice sounded in Wang Anfeng's ears, saying,

"Crazy kid, this old man has other ideas in mind."

"He's not honest, very dishonest..."

Wang Anfeng glanced at Taishu Jian's tightly clenched hand holding the longsword and nodded, indicating that he had already figured it out.

The disciples of Qingfeng Edge might only be aware that they were about to leave the mountain, but not when exactly, and the fact that this old man had been inquiring about the two of them as soon as he set foot on the mountain surely meant that he had an agenda.

The old man had managed to wait for them, which suggests that he had already been waiting there for quite some time.

And the reason why he was waiting for them here was something Wang Anfeng could guess about seventy to eighty percent of.

Three years of spring and autumn, he had waited patiently at the foot of the mountain because of that reason.

One day on the mountain, tossing and turning, and the following day he was ready to take up his sword and leave the mountain again for the same reason.

The voice by his ear paused, then laughed,

"It's best that you know. Think for yourself."

"Your master, well, is just a bit worried."

In the Shaolin Temple, Hong Luoyu stopped using the Dharma of long-distance voice transmission and sighed, staring fixedly at the clouds in the distant sky, murmuring,

"The disciple has grown up..."

The voice paused again, and the Thief of Divine Features sighed heavily, shaking his head repeatedly in a regretful manner,

"Really, it's just... sigh..."

"Once the disciple grows up, they're no fun at all..."

By the time they reached the foot of Qingfeng Edge, they were very close to the Eight Gates Sword Formation they encountered when entering the mountain. Stepping out of the sword array meant leaving Qingfeng Edge.

This location wasn't far from the courtyard of Jiu Zizai. Riding hard, it was possible to cover half a day's journey.

Seeing the Eight Gates Sword Formation before them, Wang Anfeng and Gong Yu simultaneously halted their steps, unnoticed by the others who continued to walk ahead, leaving the two behind.

Gong Yu steadied herself and turned to give Wang Anfeng a look, then proceeded onwards. The others didn't even realize Wang Anfeng had fallen several steps behind, and with Gong Yu leading, they entered the sword array. The eight gates turned, and their figures disappeared from sight.

Wang Anfeng stood still.

The wooden sword on his back trembled faintly, but not as sharply as when he first encountered the sword array. It was more as if facing a fearful and unbeatable adversary, even the sound of the sword's cry carried a slight sob.

In all of Qingfeng Edge, only two people possessed such an aura.

Zhu Ling would never easily unsheath the sect's Divine Weapon, the Five Phoenix Sword, so the identity of the other was clear at a glance.

Wang Anfeng took a deep breath, patted the hilt of the wailing, trembling longsword behind him, turned around with a calm expression—although his heart was surging like a tide—raised his hand in a salute, and said softly,

"Junior Wang Anfeng greets the senior."

Thirty steps ahead of him stood a woman.

Clad in white, her black hair flowed, a sword in her hand.

Just this single person subdued the soaring Lingxiao Sword Intent of Qingfeng Edge.

PS: Today's first update is here...