Why do I have so many masters?

The martial artist led the way, and Wang Anfeng followed behind, heading towards a pavilion.

The crowd that remained behind exchanged glances, among them a man whose eyes hid a peculiar light. With a faint smile, he said, "Since His Highness is here, it’s normal for Mr. Lin to be present as well. However, I wonder why they would send someone to invite young master Wang."

"Moreover, considering the look of things..."

He didn’t continue, but everyone understood his implication.

Based on the look of the martial artist just now, he seemed to bear ill intentions.

Then another noble’s daughter laughed and said:

"But hasn’t Mr. Lin always been in Heaven Capital City? I’ve never seen him hide his talents before."

"I wonder why this is happening?"

The girl’s features were delicately charming; she chuckled with her lips pursed, looking innocently curious, as if the words slipped out without much thought. The young man who had spoken earlier cursed silently, but only shook his head gently with a mild expression and replied:

"I, too, do not know."

He lifted his gaze toward the group partially obscured by the distant plum blossoms, squinting slightly.

They should not be acquaintances, not at all.

Given the status of that person, the Keeper of Books didn’t even have the qualifications to harbor a grudge against him.

Another man dressed as a wandering Jianghu hero frowned slightly and said:

"Instead of being so curious, why not watch from closer by?"

The people looked slightly startled but then heard the young martial artist speak again: "Since he hasn’t forbidden us from getting close, and chose to meet the Keeper of Books outside, it clearly indicates that he doesn’t mind others watching."

"If he didn’t want spectators, then there would be guards keeping people away."

"Today is the Imperial Grandson’s banquet, and considering Mr. Lin’s character and behavior, he surely wouldn’t take offense over such small matters. With that being the case, why sit here guessing? Being timid and hesitating isn’t becoming of a man."

The girl’s eyes gleamed with vivacity as she chuckled suddenly:

"But, young hero,"

"I am but a young lady; what’s wrong with being timid and hesitant?"

The young martial artist furrowed his brows, feeling that everyone around him was shrouded in a fog. Despite their youthful years, which should be filled with pure ambition and straightforwardness, they were so engaged in these other schemes, which he found contemptible. His expression turned coldly aloof, and without responding, he simply huffed and strode towards the pavilion.

The man who had spoken earlier watched the martial artist walk away, his smiling face becoming slightly reserved, and his eyes revealed a hint of disdain.

People of Jianghu, nothing more than common rabble, he thought.

No matter how skilled in martial arts, they are still but pawns of fate.

After some thought, he realized that there was some truth to what the martial artist had said. Curiosity also kindled within him, and he harbored the urge to find out more. Yet not wishing to venture alone, he glanced around, clapped his hands with a light chuckle, and said:

"The young hero has already spoken to this extent."

"In that case, we can’t allow the noble clan’s face to be tarnished; let’s go together..."

He shifted the responsibility onto the young martial artist from earlier, thinking if anything were to come up later, he could say that it was for the noble clan’s honor and to avoid being belittled by those from Jianghu that he had no choice but to go.

The girl chuckled, looked at the noble son, and said:

"Young Master Lu, you’re being naughty..."

Her voice paused, then she smiled and added:

"But since you invited me today, how could I refuse and hurt Young Master Lu’s face? I expect you to remember my kindness in the future."

The young man surnamed Lu squinted, knowing he now owed a small favor but considering another matter, he wasn’t bothered in the slightest and merely smiled slightly, saying:

"Lu will surely remember Miss Su’s kindness."

............…

This royal villa, built by master craftsmen from Fufeng, was designed with meticulous care. Each step revealed a new scene; with artful arrangement and variety, while each scenery held its unique beauty, the central three were the most exquisitely breathtaking.

The pavilion in front of Wang Anfeng was an ordinary one, but at this moment, it outshone even the central three. Whether the flagstone path, the lake beside the pavilion, or the few clusters of winter plums, all appeared exceptionally natural, forming a distinct Heaven and Earth that seemed to exclude outsiders.

An odd sensation arose in Wang Anfeng’s heart.

It was as if stepping into it would disrupt the serene and natural aura, never to return to its original state.

At the end of the winter plums stood that pavilion, with its eaves soaring high. Underneath, there was only an old man sitting by a table, brewing wine and observing the plums.

He was dressed in a light grey robe with unbound hair, leaning more towards grey, casually draping over his shoulders. His demeanor was calm, as if nothing in the world could stir his eyes.

His face bore lines of age, appearing as a typical elderly man.

However, to Wang Anfeng, it seemed that the peculiarity of the entire setting started with this elder.

This seemingly self-contained world of winter plums, flagstones, pavilion, and lake had its own indistinguishable and unspeakable ’energy’ flowing inconsistently—all starting and ending with the old man.

Constantly revolving, it formed what could be called a perfect ’cycle’.

The swordsman didn’t seem to notice the uniqueness of this ’world’; his steps didn’t slow as he stepped into it. As a Sixth Rank martial artist, robust in vigor, he didn’t disrupt the world’s cadence. Instead, this world became even more natural and enormous, expanding three inches outward.

This turn of events was beyond Wang Anfeng’s expectations. As the ’world’s’ boundary touched him, it encompassed him in the blink of an eye. The invisible, intangible ’energy’ flowed around him, starting from the winter plums, across the flagstones, from the lake, moving through him, and then flowing out without any abnormality.