Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 716 - 28: The Former Scholar Visits Again (Two in One) - Part 2

Chapter 716 -28: The Former Scholar Visits Again (Two in One) – Part 2

In Xi Dingzhou, near a lake.

Wang Anfeng uttered a low yell as he attacked Xue Qinshuang with Shaolin Changquan in front of him. Although the moves of Shaolin Changquan were simple, they contained an inexplicable depth of craftsmanship, a far cry from his green and unripe style of four or five years ago.

However, he still failed to overcome Xue Qinshuang.

Neither of them fully utilized their Inner Strength. What was supposed to be a sparring session looked more like two martial artists practicing the same martial arts techniques, feeding each other moves that were expertly executed, appearing rather plain to the onlooker.

As the sparring turned dull, both retracted their moves simultaneously. Wang Anfeng, looking somewhat helpless, shook his fists and ruefully said, “I’ve never been able to beat you before, and now I still can’t see where your limits lie.”

Xue Qinshuang laughed and said,

“It’s not just you who’s moving forward; I haven’t been standing still these past months either.”

Wang Anfeng asked,

“You’ve been cultivating in your family’s secret grounds, what realm have you reached now?”

Xue Qinshuang stretched out her hand, her two fingers indicating a small gap, and smiled,

“Just slightly higher than yours.”

Wang Anfeng seemed resigned as he said,

“I fear that slight edge might as well be Kunlun.”

Xue Qinshuang, smiling warmly at him, said,

“Then, would you dare to shake Kunlun single-handedly?”

Wang Anfeng declared it was naturally so; Xue Qinshuang no longer pursued the subject. She seemed to recall something else and added,

“The cultivation of a martial artist highly values sharp essence. With sharp essence, one can break through all barriers like bamboo; lose heart, and a decline in realm is natural. With your current progress in martial arts, you might reach the doorstep of a grandmaster in a few years, so there is no need to rush in pushing open that door.”

“Although both are upper third rank grandmasters, there’s a vast difference between grandmasters, like Li and the Great Elder, who must have spent a long time at this stage before achieving grandmaster status.”

“Lie dormant for three years, and soar to the sky in one flight; silent for three years, and astonish all with one cry.”

“Ordinary grandmasters are no match.”

Wang Anfeng nodded and said, “I understand.”

“I never expected you to be the son of that Divine Martial General; I was quite startled when I found out.”

“Me as well… ”

“Once you become the Master of the Divine Martial Mansion, remember not to neglect your cultivation, nor let yourself fall too far behind me.”

As she spoke those words, the light happened to shine upon Xue Qinshuang.

Her brown eyes glittered as if reflecting light.

Wang Anfeng, as if he had trekked a long journey and drank much wine, felt strangely tipsy inside and smiled,

“It’s actually you, with just a hair’s breadth of a difference; be careful lest I surpass you.”

Xue Qinshuang merely laughed, her arms behind her back, then suddenly asked,

“So… who is Lotus?”

Wang Anfeng: “…”

When they traveled from Jiangnan Road to Fufeng, it was already June. The journey took more than a month, and yesterday marked the beginning of autumn.

Although it was already the start of autumn, the temperature hadn’t dropped at all. In another half a month or so, the end of the hot season would arrive, even the sounds of cicadas day by day grew weaker, as if the vitality within them had been dried out by the sun.

But even if the temperature was high, the cultivation at Divine Martial Mansion didn’t slack off at all. Ever since Li Qidao appeared, the old soldiers of Divine Martial Mansion, already buoyed by the strangulation of Grandmasters, acted as if they were on stimulants, wishing they could train nonstop for 24 hours a day, every day pushing the young martial artists of Divine Martial Mansion to near death.

The former stronghold’s people had dispersed and were reassigned among the Divine Martial Iron Soldiers.

Huang Xiaoping held that treasured axe. As the precursor of Divine Martial Mansion was almost the largest gang in Fufeng County, naturally, it had a huge family fortune to squander. Ingredients for all kinds of exotic mechanisms seemed to cost nothing at all.

Mo Xiaoqi was still with the Fire Head Army, and it was the rugged Great Village Chief Zhao Meng who finally managed to recast that large iron pot back into his giant axe. He slept with it every night and toiled tenaciously alongside the soldiers of Divine Martial Mansion in their harsh training.

Although Hang Yong of Liu Sword Sect was not strong in martial arts, his reserved and resilient nature stood out among all the young martial artists of Divine Martial Mansion. He was valued by more than one of the old soldiers of Divine Martial, who continually increased his training intensity; however, he never complained and silently completed the training tasks, which could only be described as tormenting.

After obtaining Wu Changqing’s approval, Wang Anfeng sent the medical prescriptions he had developed outside of Wanling City to Chuan Lian and Meng Yuexue, entrusting them and over a hundred pharmacists to handle the daily cultivation needs.

Since top-tier medicinal ingredients weren’t necessary and the steps for solidifying pills were omitted, they could indeed sustain the elite cultivation of Divine Martial Mansion.

The relationships among clans and factions in Jianghu resembled the rivalries among martial artists. In the past, if they sensed movements like that of the Giant Whale Gang, the factions within Fufeng would have been full of suspicion and unease, worrying whether the Giant Whale Gang and Gongsun Jing had covert plans against their own factions.

But now, it was different. After renaming itself to Divine Martial Mansion, news from Jiangnan Road swept in like a sudden storm, scattering the intentions of these faction leaders whether noble aspirations or sneaky plans, leaving none.

That very night, countless former dominant faction leaders sighed under the moon.

In the past, there were some who considered competing with the Giant Whale Gang for the title of the largest gang in Fufeng. Now that the Grandmasters were dead, what spirit was there left to compete? Was it a disdain for their own lives or were their necks just too stiff?

Back when everyone thought they could arm-wrestle, there might have been doubts in their minds. Now, however, facing certain defeat, and with nowhere to flee if someone wanted them dead, they stopped entertaining foolish thoughts. Taking advantage of the fact that their heads were still attached, it was better to relax, drink, and eat – truly carefree.

This news spread not only in Fufeng but also to Jiangnan Road, which was more than ten thousand miles north of Fufeng. It took only a few days to travel, showing just how sensational and heated the news was.

In Heaven Capital City, the hub of the world, the news arrived even faster. Street storytellers in the markets had already crafted their narrative, getting up early to secure a good spot in the teahouses and restaurants. After setting out a couple of Copper Coins for a cup of water wine to moisten their throats and striking their startling wooden block, they launched into their tales.

Telling the tales from when a man in white had crossed a hundred miles of river.

Speaking of the Great War of the Seven Kingdoms, speaking of Divine Martial’s sharp military edge.

Talking about how one mansion eradicated a kingdom.

And about Divine Martial’s resurgence twenty years later.

This place was just an ordinary teashop selling big bowls of tea common in Heavenly Capital City, priced at one coin per large bowl, which was truly down-to-earth. The storytellers here naturally didn’t possess remarkable eloquence, and not many listened.

In one corner of the teashop, however, sat a Scholar, quietly sipping tea, listening attentively.

Next to him, a beautiful young girl and a boy of about twelve or thirteen years of age.

The girl was as graceful as a pond full of lotuses, and the boy’s eyes were wide with rapt fascination.

The storyteller, playing coy, never disclosed the names of the characters in the story until the very end. Then, with a thunderous clap of the startling wooden block, sparking the courage in his belly to sweep a daunting glance across the floor, he adopted a grandiose posture before finally divulging the names, revealing that at a young age, this person had become famous in the Fufeng Academy, securing the grand reputation of the Book Guard. This elicited sparse response.

An older storyteller finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the thin sweat from his brow and respectfully bowing to all four corners.

The Scholar in green clothes opened his eyes and sighed with a smile:

“What a magnificent symphony of gathering and scattering waves.”

The child beside him intrigued, whispered, querying where was the music of the qin?

The Scholar smiled without answering, appearing not very wealthy yet placed a piece of Silver on the neighboring table, stood up, and left the teashop. In the distance, one could see the towering gates of Heaven Capital City. Not far was a Taoist Temple, behind which, a peach blossom forest had flourished ten years ago, considered a local beauty spot then, but now somewhat neglected.

There was much foot traffic of nobles and wealthy merchants. The Scholar, though modestly dressed, exuded a demeanor far surpassing others, striding forward. Glancing at the still bustling peach blossom forest, he softly said:

“A hundred-acre garden, half covered with moss, peach blossoms gone, rape blossoms flourish, to where does the Taoist who planted the peaches return, the Scholar from before now returns again.” frёeωebɳovel.com

Then, looking towards the distant Tai Chi Palace, he softly continued.

“Jiang Shouyi came here to ask for a vast abode for the children of humble families…”

PS: Today’s two chapters are presented as one…