Why do I have so many masters?

Wang Anfeng looked around and, not having spotted an enemy, finally opened his mouth to ask:

"What's going on?"

After seeing Wang Anfeng, the child's fearful expression seemed to diminish significantly. Like a young animal, he buried his head and scurried over to his side, his head buried against the youth's waist, his body trembling slightly, obviously terrified.

Baili Feng split his mouth into a smile and said:

"Nothing much... I saw him hiding all by himself in the distance and just wanted to pat his head to get him to come over here."

"But I didn't expect to get bitten quite hard."

The corners of the military family youth's mouth twitched slightly. His cultivation had not yet reached Ninth Grade, and he had not put much effort into external cultivation. Yet, he had been bitten, causing a wound that oozed blood. Setting aside the rest, it was truly embarrassing for him, a martial artist who wielded a Mo Blade, to be injured by a little boy.

Humiliating, truly humiliating.

All Baili Feng wanted was to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Xue Qinshuang was still somewhat pale but managed to maintain her composure as she said:

"What's the situation inside?"

Wang Anfeng's expression grew grim as he shook his head and replied:

"All dead, each killed with a single blow to the heart. The first four who died had signs of poisoning, almost as if they committed suicide out of fear after their exposure."

"But I don't understand why they didn't run."

"Right, Wu Lao Liu had a maple leaf left on him."

Since the matter was complicated and couldn't be explained in a moment, after a brief discussion, they decided to first wake up the innkeeper, who had just fallen asleep. The middle-aged shopkeeper, irate and holding back a stomach full of anger, extinguished it completely after just one glance inside the room.

A chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his legs went soft, and he collapsed to the ground, retching.

Baili Feng raised his hand to pull up the proprietor and, feeling a sense of empathy, patted his shoulder and sighed:

"Stop throwing up, brother, it's too embarrassing. At this point, we should report to the authorities first."

"There must be government officials on duty in the governmental office."

At this time, the shopkeeper was so shocked that he had lost his senses. Although martial artists roamed the land, such a bloodbath was rare to witness in this remote county town. His mind was in total disarray, and upon hearing this, he could only nod blankly. He had only walked a few steps when he turned back and stuttered to the group of young men and women:

"Heroes... with a murder just committed in the inn, we only know some simple farm work. If we encounter the murderer, it's likely another life will be lost... this..."

Baili Feng felt a headache coming on as he listened and said:

"Forget it, I'll go instead."

He was about to get up but was stopped by someone.

Tuoba Yue, dressed in red, raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, tilted her chin upward disdainfully, and said:

"With that sickly yellow horse of yours that just settled down to rest, how could it run?"

"Don't you plan to hit the road tomorrow?"
Stay tuned with empire

Baili Feng was taken aback, reminded of this fact, and his face became slightly frozen.

The girl in red withdrew her gaze, shook her head, and sighed:

"Ah... there's no telling what kind of birds you'll find in a large forest."

"Great Qin actually has such strategists like you?"

"Amusing, quite amusing."

Her tone was sincere and innocent, as if a naïve girl had witnessed something unbelievable, but it ignited a fire in Baili Feng's heart that burned fiercely.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, Tuoba Yue didn't even spare him a glance and walked past him, leaving only her back to Baili Feng. The sound of silver bells ringing proudly, she said:

"My horse can travel three thousand li in a day, unlike your sick horse."

"You all stay here; those people have not yet been cleared of suspicion."

"Do not let a single one escape."

As her words echoed, the girl had already stepped out, followed by the clear sound of a horse's neigh. Baili Feng's gaze passed through the doorway to the street, where he saw a streak of red clothing and a red horse like a blazing fire, whipping past in the long street.

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

Inside the guest room, Wang Anfeng applied acupuncture to the child, using his own Mixed Yuan Body's power to disperse the remaining poison in the boy's body. After such a startling change, the child was exhausted and drifted into a deep slumber.

Wang Anfeng was about to get up when a small hand gently grasped the hem of his clothes. The youth was slightly startled as the sleeping child trembled slightly, murmuring in his dreams:

"Father..."

The youth's expression softened.

He raised his hand to gently place the child's hand back under the blanket, carefully tucking in the edges.

Moving slowly and quietly out of the room, he shut the door behind him and let out a sigh of relief before heading to another guest room where the rest of the group was gathered. Gong Yu was by the side, with a blood-red maple leaf lying next to her. Upon seeing him approach, she nodded slightly and spoke:

"This incident involves Danfeng Valley, and we will report it to Great Qin. I shall also inform my master."

"Regardless of whether it's true or not, today's matter ends here."

"Danfeng Valley is not something you're currently equipped to deal with."

Everyone was silent, their expressions unhappy. Baili Feng turned his face away, cursing under his breath, filled with frustration but also aware that what Gong Yu said was the truth.

No matter how many doubts there were in this matter, it was no longer something they could handle.

At least not with their current capabilities.

This was the end of it.

Danfeng Valley, a secretive sect regarded as part of the evil path in Fufeng County, allegedly lacked an Upper Third Rank master but had plenty of Middle Third Rank experts. They possessed a damaged divine weapon that consolidated the sect's fate, and with this weapon, Fourth Rank experts had fought on par with Third Rank masters.

Ordinary heroes couldn't afford to provoke such a leviathan, only the Iron Cavalry of Great Qin could crush it.

Yet there was a delicate balance between Jianghu and Great Qin.

Jianghu affairs ended within Jianghu.

Great Qin couldn't trample over Jianghu, deploying its eighteen contingent Iron Cavalry to crush the sects of Jianghu, and the top warriors of Jianghu also couldn't harm the officials and imperial clan of Great Qin. This was the unspoken agreement and boundary between both sides.

If Great Qin wished, it could sweep away all sects within its borders, but top Jianghu martial artists could also make it so that no one dared to be an officer, to the point where the Great Qin Imperial Clan could become extinct.

At that time, the Imperial Court would be in turmoil, there would be no heroes in the world, and the vast Great Qin Empire would become exceedingly frail, even to the point of falling apart.

At that time, the surrounding vassal states, docile as hounds, would bare their fangs at Great Qin.

The world would be in chaos, and the people would have no livelihood.

Baili Feng frowned and suddenly asked, "Then… what about that child, Elder Gong Yu?"

Gong Yu glanced at him and said,

"Hand him over to the county official."

Baili Feng hesitated, "But… that child…"

Just now, everyone was comforting the child, but he wouldn't answer when asked his name, and it seemed that due to torture by martial artists, he was extremely wary of those dressed as martial artists like Baili Feng and the others, only with Wang Anfeng could he relax.

Gong Yu shook her head; she grew up in Qingfeng Edge and revered the Great Elder as a grandmother, placing great importance on the affairs of the mountain, and simply said coldly:

"We don't have much time."

"Hand him over to the local county official."

Her voice paused, then she explained,

"Although Danfeng Valley's actions are extreme, they regard themselves highly and would never stoop to intervene in what they consider a minor matter."

Hand him over to the officials? Those incompetents, who knows how long they will drag things out before resolving this.

Baili Feng's expression changed, and although the child had bitten him, he was generous and didn't take it to heart. At this moment, compassion surged in him, yet he knew Gong Yu had her own difficulties.

A thousand words were left unsaid, only turning into a long sigh, and he fell silent.

Wang Anfeng also fell silent. The child's whispers and the tear stains at the corners of his eyes came to mind. His gaze drooped, he reached to pull off the wrapping from his body, and from within it, he took out the exquisite wooden box, gently placing it on the table. Gong Yu frowned, then saw the young man step back and say,

"Elder, this is the collection of books Ren Lao entrusted to me."

"I will hand it over to you now."

Baili Feng exclaimed,

"Anfeng?"

Wang Anfeng averted his eyes, and with a fist salute towards Gong Yu, he said,

"I dare not trouble Elder. I will take the child back myself…"

"As for Qingfeng Edge, I will not go."

"Please forgive me, Elder."

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

After the government officials arrived, they took all the members of the Great Stone Gang into custody. Wang Anfeng, having answered their questions, lay awake and restless in bed. Eventually, he flipped over and climbed onto the rooftop, lying on the tiles, staring into the starry night, lost in thought about the day's events.

Suddenly something fell towards him. With a flick of his hand, he caught it—it was a pastry.

He was slightly stunned, then sat up and saw Xue Qinshuang in a white dress standing elegantly on one side of the rooftop, smiling at him, and said,

"Can't sleep, huh…"

The young man averted his gaze and nodded. Xue Qinshuang walked over to Wang Anfeng, fell silent for a moment, then said softly,

"You were a bit abrupt when you spoke earlier, Anfeng."

Wang Anfeng bit into the pastry, mumbling an acknowledgment.

The young woman chuckled lightly and sat beside him, saying,

"But don't worry."

"I've already explained it to Elder Gong Yu earlier, and she doesn't seem to be taking it to heart."

"It's funny, I've known you for quite some time, and this is the first time I've seen you lose your temper. It's rare."

Xue Qinshuang laughed out, but then felt it wasn't right and shook her head.

Staring at the night sky, she pondered for a while and then continued,

"But the opportunity to attend Qingfeng Edge, which is extremely rare, engaging with disciples of the Hidden Sect, enhancing martial arts—it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

"Are you just going to let it slip by so easily?"

"The child will probably be alright if left to the officials."

Wang Anfeng shook his head, swallowed the pastry, and with a vague voice, said,

"It will be late, he will be scared…"

Xue Qinshuang was speechless; she could not refute him. After sitting for a while, she stood up, ready to return to her room, but at that moment, Wang Anfeng suddenly spoke.

The quiet night seemed to add a distant echo to the young man's voice.

"Miss Xue, why do you practice martial arts?"

"To be the best in the world?"

Xue Qinshuang nodded, and Wang Anfeng said,

"Then you should understand me."

The young woman tilted her head, looking puzzled at Wang Anfeng.

The young man propped himself up with his hands on the tiles, gazing up into the dark night.

His eyes were warm and gentle, he said softly,

"If being the best in the world is the purpose of your martial arts."

"Then my reason for practicing martial arts is what's happening right now."

PS: Thanks to the generous scholar who dares to confront ghosts, here's a lengthy chapter. I will make up for the extra after the next update, my respects.