Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 733 - 39: The Destitute, Rotten Scholars and Good-for-nothings (5500 words combined)

Chapter 733 -39: The Destitute, Rotten Scholars and Good-for-nothings (5500 words combined)

At the inn below, Jiang Lan saw the elderly man in blue emerge, and his delicate face, reminiscent of a blue lotus in a pond, finally showed some change. He paused and said softly,

“Grandpa Wu, you shouldn’t have come out…”

The aged scholar flicked his sleeves, unleashing a wave of Qi Force that sent several black-clad swordsmen, who had hidden their cultivation, flying backward. The martial arts of the Confucian Sect were not particularly suited for battle, but the rich Inner Strength he had cultivated over many years was beyond the reach of ordinary martial artists.

When the black-clad swordsmen landed, the indentations in their chests formed a terrifying curve.

Such injuries, even if tended by an Immortal, would undoubtedly be fatal. The continuing waves of Qi Force frightened the other attacking swordsmen into stepping back two paces, fearing that the next moment the heavy Qi Force from those sleeves would crash onto them.

With this move, the elder in blue immediately halted the courtyard brawl, and the white-haired swordsman praised, “Excellent Inner Strength, pure enough!”

“If your cultivation were not damaged, even I could not withstand your attacks for long. The Pure Yang Qi of the Confucian Sect is indeed formidable!”

The elder in blue’s face turned pale, and blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. Clearly suffering severe internal injuries from just mobilizing his Inner Strength, he ignored the bravado of the white-haired swordsman and, with his back to Jiang Lan, said,

“Miss Lan wanted to preserve this old man’s life by tricking me to leave, but I have always been straightforward and cannot bear to see others die for me, so I came back.”

“Moreover, deceiving subordinates to lead them into a deadly trap as sacrificial pieces—although I taught you to study and conduct yourself properly, I never taught you such wicked principles. Tell me, where did you learn this?!”

His words grew increasingly stern toward the end.

Jiang Lan did not defend herself but merely bowed and said, “Disciple admits her guilt and asks for punishment.”

Situ Che, looking bitter, sighed and said,

“You should leave, sir.”

“The lady did not deceive us, and the brothers bear no grudges. All of us, our families included, owe our lives to Mr. Jiang. Dying in Jianghu for righteousness is better than dying of old age in bed, and we can do so with a clear conscience.”

The elder in green mulled over the phrase ‘with a clear conscience,’ then loudly declared,

“But this has left me with a guilty conscience!”

“Among us are those ready to die for their beliefs, those who seek a quick resolution with the sword, and those who die pathetic or starve, but never has there been such a thing as using others’ lives to barely survive.”

“Better to die!”

Situ Che’s face turned crimson.

The old man then looked back at Tian Zhide, who had fought fiercely and was now gasping for breath. Having wiped the blood from his mouth but still meticulous in his manners, he returned the gesture and said,

“I have yet to ask for this brave man’s honored name…”

Shaken by the elderly man’s capabilities, Tian Zhide, feeling intimidated, stepped aside and returned the gesture, saying,

“I am not worthy of such honor. I am Tian Zhide, a disciple of Fei Poyue.”

He mentioned his master without thinking, as the name of Fei Poyue was only known in Fufeng County, and they were thousands of miles from Fufeng. Not many here would recognize it, yet the extraordinary elder nodded in realization and said,

“Ah, a distinguished disciple of Brother Fei, no wonder you possess such noble righteousness.”

Tian Zhide, showing a touch of embarrassment, bowed and said,

“A fellow disciple is in trouble; it is not our sect’s way to ignore him in peril. However, I also have important sect matters to attend to, so I could only come alone.”

The elder Mr. Wu nodded and sighed,

“Providing help amid hardship is indeed commendable.”

Seeing these men behaving as if he were not present, the elder from the Mysterious Sword Sect felt a surge of anger, and scoffed,

“Indeed worthy of being disciples from Jiang Yang, truly a lineage of pretentious and decaying Confucians, spoiling the eyes and ears of the world. Better to kill and be rid of it.”

Turning around, Mr. Wu, in his wide robes, spoke again, though his tone was colder now,

“Wei Qianfeng, you have stagnated at the Fifth Rank Realm for twenty years. Years ago, you came to One-Leaf Pavilion to seek guidance from the Pavilion Master. Out of respect for your sincerity, he suggested you witness the sunset over three thousand miles of the Great Desert and the waves of the northern sea stretching tens of thousands of miles.”

“You only grasped the superficial layer, and since then, you have put on a facade of grandeur as if you embody the broad ambit of Jiangdong, yet you do not understand the principle of unity between knowledge and action, only skimming the surface.”

Wei Qianfeng, his vulnerability pointed out, could no longer maintain his formidable appearance. The small veins on his forehead twitched, and his face took on a ferocious aspect.

Wu Qiong stood with his hands behind his back and said,

“If you think I slander you, I have only one question for you. If I were not injured and standing at the gates of heaven, would you dare to face me?”

“Would you still dare to draw your sword?!”

Inside, Wei Qianfeng felt as though millions of sharp Sword Qi were rising, about to boldly declare ‘Why wouldn’t I dare?’ Yet inexplicably, when the words reached his lips, they failed to come out. His mouth opened, but he remained silent, his expression growing ever more dark and grim.

With disdain on his face, Wu Qiong scoffed and waved his sleeve.

“No wonder you’ve made no progress in twenty years.”

Wei Qianfeng’s body shook violently.

Twenty years of stagnation.

This had long been a sore spot in Wei Qianfeng’s heart. Despite his daily diligent practice and refusal to rest, he had made no advances, managing only to maintain his current level at the Fifth Rank Realm. It was commendable that he hadn’t regressed.

Yet, each time he awoke from sleep in the dead of night, facing the mirror with white hair, he knew his years were flowing away like water, yet he still had not reached the gates of heaven, let alone witnessed the magnificent waves beyond. Thinking back on his youthful bravado, he couldn’t help but shed tears of bitter regret.