Why do I have so many masters?

On the second day, at the third quarter of chen hour.

Loud sounds of reading echoed throughout the Academy as a rider of the Imperial Guard, riding a fast horse, emerged from the residence of the Imperial Grandson and entered the Academy. Dismounting at the gate in a hurry due to the official mission he was on, he still wore the Great Qin Bright Armor with a blood-red cloak on his back, attracting the attention of the students along the way with his extraordinary presence.

He first paid a visit to the old Masters of the Academy and Ren Changge in the Wind Character Tower.

Then, he delivered invitation cards to the various Masters.

With all matters settled sans incident, the leading Imperial Guard officer finally breathed a sigh of relief. Subconsciously, he began walking towards the exit, covered a few hundred meters, then remembered the special instructions given by his superior just before his departure. Slapping his forehead, he turned back.

He passed the Academy’s path and the bamboo forest in winter.

He walked past the imposing and martially grand Wind Character Tower, and a group of seven men stopped in front of an inconspicuous wooden house, their expressions changing and no longer relaxed.

The leading officer instinctively gripped the hilt of the saber at his waist.

At this moment, the tense feeling in his heart was no less than when he had met those famous Masters earlier.

Even then, it seemed as if the clamorous sounds of a grand bell continued to echo in his ears.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of distractions and maintained his dignified demeanor, took a few slow steps forward, then suddenly paused slightly as he detected a strange scent through his nose.

It was somewhat pungent.

The man’s brow furrowed subconsciously.

It was like the smell of burning stones he had encountered in a quarry he once visited.

A trace of curiosity crossed his mind, but he did not delve into it. What was most important now was to convey His Highness’s intent. Recalling the reckless demeanor of the young man in the hut the day before, he was truly uncertain about today’s outcome. Taking another deep breath, he cast aside this trivial matter, raised his hand to knock on the door, and stood up straight.

Inside Shaolin Temple.

"Hahaha, Little Anfeng, you really put on quite a show yesterday!"

"Just, I wonder if the chicken you ate afterward was also tasty. Hey hey hey, Old Medicine Jar, I remember chicken shells are also a type of herb, aren’t they?"

Hong Luoyu’s face was filled with joy.

Ever since Wang Anfeng returned the previous night, apart from the time spent on cultivation, his mouth hardly stopped moving, as if he had discovered some treasure, his face full of excitement, and his originally clear eyes narrowed like a fox that had caught its prey.

He was indeed very pleased.

This feeling, aside from the time years ago when he accidentally discovered a secret of the surname Ying, had not occurred for a long time. If he delved deeper into his memory, it would be only...

Only...

"Hey, what are you doing sitting up so high?"

A crisp voice echoed from his memory, like silver bells hanging beside a skirt.

The smile on Hong Luoyu’s face paused slightly.

It was fleeting.

No one noticed.

Wang Anfeng endured the almost incessant ’noise’ of his third Master, his temples throbbing painfully.

At that moment, Wang Anfeng’s vision suddenly shifted rapidly, almost instantaneously changing from the scenery of Shaolin Temple to a simple wooden house. Taking a deep breath, the smell of eggshells bursting in boiling oil from last night hadn’t completely dissipated yet.

He was back in Fufeng Academy.

A realization dawned in Wang Anfeng’s eyes.

It must have been someone approaching nearby, and to prevent any anomalies from being noticed, Mr. Ying had directly sent him back to the Academy.

But who could it be?

There came a sound of knocking at the door, followed by a steady and powerful voice:

"May I ask if the Keeper of the Books is present?"

"I am here on behalf of His Highness to pay a visit..."

........................…

It has been an age-old practice for the Imperial Grandson to inspect various places and additionally hold banquets.

This is also tacitly approved by the Imperial Family.

For the Imperial Grandson, such tacit approval and latitude provided him with an opportunity to gain his own power and also served as a test of his capabilities. Many talented individuals tend to be wild and proud of their talents, and winning them over is no easy task.

Once, after getting drunk, the Emperor had laughed heartily, proclaiming that all heroes of the world should come under his command.

Such magnanimity, who else could replicate it?

This banquet, proclaimed as a joyous occasion shared with the people, was not exclusive to officials, hence it was quite large-scale. Among the attendees were officials in authoritative attire, each followed closely by attendants, as well as wealthy merchants in splendid clothes, and numerous Jianghu heroes clad in ordinary clothes, carrying swords and sabers.

Whether they were officials, wealthy merchants or heroes, they were all rather restrained at the moment, no longer displaying their usual demeanor.

No matter their usual conduct, no matter whether they were unrestrained warriors of the Jianghu, once they stepped into this compound, they were governed by a different set of rules.

Fine music from all directions began to rise melodiously.

Dressed in heavy armor and wielding weapons, the Imperial Guard stood solemnly on both sides. The weapons in their hands were no longer the ceremonial Mo Blades used previously but were entirely ink-colored and obviously very heavy. Despite the chilly winter sunlight, one could feel the cold and sharp aura emanating from the blades, instilling a sense of secure trust in one’s heart, yet also subtly stirring a slight unease.

The Imperial Guard of Great Qin were selected from the elite formidable individuals among the eighteen routes of the Iron Cavalry, tasked with protecting the safety of the Imperial Family of Great Qin.

As Great Qin was a nation founded on martial prowess, the Imperial Guard naturally could not just be a mere facade.

A rugged-looking martial artist from Jianghu with broad shoulders walked forward. He was tall and large, but at that moment, he walked as if he were an old woman in her seventies or eighties, moving slower and slower as if the ground beneath him was not solid but a sticky swamp. After taking a few steps, he simply stopped outright and watched as the people on either side of him passed by and walked ahead.

He was quite a renown martial artist from the Fufeng region.

With his Seventh Rank martial arts skills and his heroic vigor, he had once made quite a stir in Jianghu, earning himself a significant reputation. Even the disciples of the noble clans in Fufeng would be quite polite upon seeing him, addressing him respectfully as ’Hero.’

However, since stepping into this courtyard today, he felt an extremely uncomfortable sense of oppression, which made his heart heavy as if chains were binding him, no longer feeling the usual freedom. This sensation grew heavier and more tangible, not seeming like a mere illusion of his own making.

Looking left and right at the Imperial Guards, and seeing those distinctly sharp Mo Blades, he couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful, uncertain whether coming here was right or wrong.

After thinking for a moment, he simply turned around and walked towards the exit.

But after just a few steps, he was stopped by an Imperial Guard dressed in Mingguang Armor.

The guard, who looked to be about thirty, seemed to casually stand in front of him, effectively blocking his path forward. He performed a fist salute and said,

"Sir, the banquet has not yet started. Please take a seat for a moment."

"Or is there something else? Feel free to instruct the servants."

The guard’s words and demeanor were quite polite, yet they subtly indicated a refusal to let him leave. The Jianghu martial artist felt his heart rate quicken and glanced around, only to see that within ten meters around him, seven guards had made a subtle response in that instant – some shifted their positions, some looked up, showing various reactions.

A barely discernible murderous aura emerged.

Like a spider web, it confined him.

The martial artist’s pupils slightly contracted.

His martial arts were not weak, and having survived many battles in Jianghu, he had even rolled among corpses. He almost instantly judged that the actions of these guards perfectly blocked any possible reactions he could have made in the next moment.

A martial artist values his vigor most.

In that instant, the guards had locked down his actions. If he made any sudden movement the next moment, he would instantly face the blades of seven Mo Blades, either slashing or swinging at all his vital points. Even though each of the guards’ martial skills was inferior to his, in that instant, he couldn’t guarantee his safety.

The thought flashed through his mind, and the martial artist knew he could not leave.

He wasn’t particularly concerned for his safety, as these precautions were due to the rules of the Imperial Family, meant as a just-in-case measure. He was accustomed to acting freely, and being bound by so many rules today made him uncomfortable.

He merely chuckled awkwardly and waved his hands, saying,

"It’s nothing, nothing."

"I just drank too much water earlier and was looking for a restroom to relieve myself."

He deliberately spoke crudely.

The guard nodded slightly, his expression unchanged and still polite. He gestured with his hand to the side and said,

"If you need to use the restroom first, please go that way."

"There will be maids and servants along the way. You can ask them for directions. However, please leave your weapon here for safekeeping."

The rugged martial artist was not surprised by this and had only carried an ordinary steel blade with him today. He casually unbuckled it and set it aside, scratching his head with a laugh,

"Haha, I see, thank you, thank you…"

The guard withdrew his hand and watched the martial artist walk away, casually waving his hand.

The other guards resumed their previous stances.

To those who had not experienced much combat, it appeared they had not moved at all.

From a concealed spot,

"Stand down."

A low voice reached the ears of a martial artist. His expression unchanged, he withdrew the repeating crossbow capable of piercing a ten-yard rock, brushed his hand over the mechanism, and with a click, the primed arrow was withdrawn. He executed a movement technique to further conceal his figure.

His gaze sharp as a hawk’s, he scanned over the many guests in the separate courtyard.

In the backyard,

The rugged martial artist was using a wall for support, his body breaking out in goosebumps.

Damn it, it was just walking away, why be so vigilant?

He cursed under his breath, but then saw another Imperial Guard approaching not far away. The guard’s gaze seemed unintentional but fell on him, prompting another friendly smile on his face as he turned and headed towards the restroom.

Seeing the toilet, he remembered that he had just relieved himself before coming today.

The presence of the guard lingered.

The man’s mouth twitched slightly.

It seems, today, without any urine, he would have to force some out.

PS; here’s the second update of the day...