Why do I have so many masters?

Wei Qi's sneer at the corner of his mouth faded as the coldness in his eyes intensified. He said,

"A smile can shed ten years of burden." (fourth tone)

"A smile can shed ten years of burden." (third tone)

"A face bearing a smile, body all indigo in hue, insects and ants vanishing from around it, flesh neither decaying nor emitting odor but exuding a faint scent of herbs; such a bizarre manner of death—if not for the secret and unparalleled technique of the Three Laughs Yin Luo Finger from your Pharmacist Valley, what other martial arts could accomplish this?"

"Hm?!"

Chuan Lian opened his mouth, unable to offer a rebuttal, and said,

"This, indeed, is the result of the Three Laughs Yin Luo Finger, a martial arts technique of our sect."

Wei Qi stepped forward aggressively, his voice cold with anger,

"Well then, I must ask Chuan Lian, does your valley have any elders present here?"

"Does your valley have any other sect members here?"

"In your valley, who has been taught this closely-guarded secret technique? Are you going to tell me that this sinister technique, known far and wide in the Jianghu of Fufeng City as the unrivaled art of your Pharmacist Valley, has also been stolen by someone?!"

"Chuan Lian, do you have anything else to say?!"

With each statement, he stepped closer, and as his last words fell, he raised his right hand, swung his heavy hammer through the air, and a tangible wave of viscous Inner Qi struck towards Chuan Lian. The heat wave rolled, the sound chilling; he was obviously in a rage.

Cold sweat formed on Chuan Lian's forehead in greater quantities.

The Three Laughs Yin Luo Finger Technique within Pharmacist Valley was only taught to him of the younger generation, and apart from him, there were only a few elders focused on medicine who, although skilled in healing, possessed mediocre martial arts prowess and never ventured out of the valley.

Now in Fufeng City, he was the only one capable of using this peerless martial technique. With these many clues pieced together, even he began to doubt whether he was the culprit. As he listened to the interrogation, cold sweat dripped down and he struggled to shake his head, his voice hoarse,

"I... I have nothing to say... too much evidence."

"But I truly did not commit this murder."

Wang Anfeng frowned slightly and said,

"In the past five days, Brother Chuan has been discussing medical knowledge and pharmacology with me, how could he have killed this man?"

Wei Qi, incensed to the point of laughter, said,

"How could it be possible to kill someone? Were the two of you sharing a bed? The time of death cannot be ascertained after someone is killed with the Three Laughs Yin Luo Finger. Have you also seen my subordinate? Could it be you believe I killed my own steward and am framing this simpleton?"

"What a joke!"

His speech was filled with anger.

Though this wealthy businessman had always been extremely respectful to him, the latter's own status was not insignificant. With average skill in martial arts, he had reached only the Eighth Rank by his forties. But he was exceedingly tactful in handling affairs. In the county city, he managed all the business of the Fire Refining Sect. Now that he was dead, many trade routes and methods were lost to the sect, which had no other steward as experienced as him.

Replacing the steward, reestablishing business contacts, confirming deals—it was uncertain how much silver would be lost in these activities. Even a large and prosperous sect like the Fire Refining Sect would not easily bear such a loss. Moreover, he was only a Young Master, not the Sect Leader. Causing displeasure among the Elders—if they decided to strip him of his position, it wouldn't be difficult.

How could he not be filled with both shock and anger?!

Now he had no choice but to kill the murderer on the spot in order to restore his standing in the eyes of the Elders. This matter concerned his own position. With his weapon raised, he angrily said,

"Chuan Lian, we are both people of Jianghu. Since we are from Jianghu, we shall follow the laws of Jianghu."

"If I fall to your hand, say no more; others will handle it. Come on, let our swords speak for us!"

As he spoke, his Qi Force surged like an enraged bull. With one step, he appeared in front of Chuan Lian. The weapon was raised, and the hammer came smashing down. Wang Anfeng's wooden sword sang as it jabbed towards the hammer, only to be parried by Chuan Lian's light pat on his shoulder. Caught off guard, he was sent flying several meters by the robust Inner Strength and landed off to the side, while Chuan Lian managed to dodge the hammer with some difficulty.

As the heavy hammer struck down, it left a deep pit in the ground, flinging mud and dirt about—it was clear that Wei Qi intended to take his life. Alarmed, Wang Anfeng exclaimed,

"Brother Chuan... "

Chuan Lian raised his hand to stop him, his expression grave as he spoke,

"Brother Wang, do not interfere. Just keep the young sister safe."

"This person was indeed killed with a secret technique from my Pharmacist Valley, there's no doubt. Whoever used this martial art to kill has an undeniable link to my Pharmacist Valley."

"With the matter of the sects' strife at hand, Brother Wang, it's better for you not to get involved rashly."

In his words, the former dullness was gone. As he comforted Wang Anfeng, he was already engaging in fierce combat with the furiously enraged Wei Qi. Both were the elite of their respective sects, not yet thirty but already at the Eighth Rank.

One relied on immense strength and heavy momentum, desperate to save the situation and secure the position of Young Master from being shaken—thus, his attacks were wild and ferocious. Chuan Lian, however, was compelled to fight, yet he could not really claim Wei Qi's life. Otherwise, the matter would be irrefutably confirmed, and Pharmacist Valley, despite its lofty status, was certainly no match for the Fire Refining Sect; his involvement was somewhat constrained.

Fortunately, Chuan Lian was extraordinarily talented and simple at heart. His Internal Force Cultivation was sufficiently profound. With the selfless teaching of two generations of Valley Masters from Pharmacist Valley, even with holding back some power, he managed to just barely restrain the furious Wei Qi. No matter how heavy the hammer's force or how wild the attack, it was all controlled within those two long palms.

After exchanging more than fifty, sixty moves, Wei Qi, who hadn't fully recovered from a previous internal injury, started to feel somewhat sluggish, his movements gradually slowing. Chuan Lian let out a sigh of relief. With a light slap on the hammerhead, it flew up, but he didn't pursue the victory. Instead, he took a step back and ready to speak,

"Wei Qi, let's just..."

Before he could finish, Wei Qi suddenly shouted lowly, his palm vibrating the hammer handle, which broke with a crack, transforming into a heavy razor shape. He gripped the handle and flung it forward. Nine dark razors, originally entwined, now shot through the air towards vital points on Chuan Lian's body.

Taken aback by the sudden turn, Chuan Lian reacted quickly, given his profound cultivation. His hands swept across to form an invisible wall of Qi Force in front of him. The razors, made of exceptional materials designed to break through internal True Qi, shattered his Qi Force. However, their speed slowed as a result. Chuan Lian's hands stretched out, blooming like a lotus, catching eight of the razors.

Only the last razor, with the strongest Qi Force and spin, was left hurtling towards him.

At that moment, Chuan Lian's Inner Qi was exhausted, and although he had no way to dodge, he managed a half breath, stirring the Inner Qi within his Dantian once again. His body paused midair and then soared several meters, catching the last Flying Dagger with his feet. In this instant, he displayed tremendous Qinggong and Internal Force Cultivation. Even Wang Anfeng, who was watching the battle, couldn't help but feel admiration rise within him.

Just then, a spark suddenly burst forth, penetrating Chuan Lian's shoulder with the speed of lightning, too quick to cover one's ears. The attack continued with relentless speed, aiming to rupture his Dantian. Unable to hold back any longer, Wang Anfeng drew his sword and intercepted the fiery attack.

An intense wave of heat rolled over him, as if fierce flames were scorching the sky. Wang Anfeng subconsciously countered with Thunder Vigor, and a bolt of lightning danced on his Wooden Sword, shattering the flames.

Wei Qi's expression changed drastically, but before he could retreat, Wang Anfeng was already upon him. Anfeng was furious that Wei Qi had attacked stealthily even though Chuan Lian had clearly shown mercy, so when he struck this time, he showed no restraint.

His left hand's Point Star Finger Technique struck out continuously like a series of afterimages, passing over several major acupoints on Wei Qi's body. Wei Qi's robust Inner Strength normally protected his vital acupoints, unfazed by the expertise of Acupoint Striking. However, due to the fierce battle that had just taken place and Wei Qi's now-depleted Inner Qi, Point Star Finger wasn't just any ordinary martial arts move, and it pierced through Wei Qi's defense of Inner Strength.

We Qi had already sustained internal injuries from Wang Anfeng, and now the youth had once again shattered his acupoints, triggering the internal injuries in his body. His complexion turned deathly pale as he coughed up blood, staggering backward. The handle of the hammer he was clutching hit the ground, revealing it to be an exquisitely crafted Spear.

The blade of the spear wasn't made of Common Iron, but instead looked like a crystalline stone, with flickering flames inside that indicated its extraordinary nature.

After repelling Wei Qi, Wang Anfeng didn't pursue further but instead took up a protective position in front of Chuan Lian.

Wei Qi took a few quick breaths, wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, and sensed the internal injury in his chest and abdomen worsen. Noticing that his secret attack had provoked Wang Anfeng to step in, he laughed loudly and said:

"Excellent, excellent, excellent!"

"What a powerful Thunder Vigor, what a fine Cangyuan Sword. Truly, fifty thousand Silver seems to be an undervaluation!"

"Wang Anfeng, I will remember today's incident!"
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Having said this, he dragged his spear, stumbled out the door, and was met by a crowd of onlookers circled around. Seeing Wei Qi's pallor and Wang Anfeng standing with his sword, they presumed Anfeng had defeated him. They exchanged glances of astonishment, and some of their gazes fell on the sword in Anfeng's hand, noticing the lingering traces of lightning on the blade, a look of covetous heat flashing in their eyes.

Wang Anfeng didn't bother with these onlookers, instead sheathing his Wooden Sword and turning to check on Chuan Lian, taking his pulse. He felt that Chuan Lian's Inner Breath was chaotic, with a fierce fiery energy circulating in his meridians, constantly damaging his organs. After a moment's thought, he realized that the power from the crystalline stone was difficult to remove with medication and would likely require quiet recuperation.

After pondering for a while, he said:

"Brother Chuan, where you are staying may no longer be safe."

"If you have nowhere else to go, why not join me and your junior sister at the Academy? You can stay at my place... After all, the Academy is the Academy. Even the bold wouldn't dare to murder someone in the Academy."

Chuan Lian's complexion was ashen. At the mention of this, he opened his mouth to speak:

"Then, what about you..."

Wang Anfeng smiled and said:

"I've been here quite a while and know a few people. Finding a bed isn't a problem for me."

"This..."

Chuan Lian was somewhat hesitant, but then he looked back at the slightly inebriated Meng Yuexue and finally sighed:

"Then I must thank you greatly, Brother Wang."

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

The next day, Wang Anfeng, who had rested at the Shaolin Temple for a night, emerged from a secluded patch of grass, carrying breakfast back to the wooden hut.

He saw Chuan Lian, Meng Yuexue, and Su Wenchang, dressed in white, looking anxious outside the door. Su Wenchang was particularly restless, pacing back and forth with furrowed brows. When he saw Wang Anfeng, his eyes lit up, and he quickly approached. Even a few steps away, he had already begun speaking urgently:

"Anfeng, where did you rest last night?"

Wang Anfeng was taken aback. How could he disclose the existence of the Shaolin Temple? He therefore did not respond directly but instead said with a smile:

"Why are you suddenly so interested in me, gambler?"

Su Wenchang waved his hand dismissively and spoke seriously:

"There's no time for jokes now, Anfeng. Tell me, where did you sleep last night? At Baili's? Or perhaps with Elder Yan...?"

"It's important."

Seeing the seriousness of Su Wenchang's demeanor, Wang Anfeng refrained from another joke and asked with a slight frown:

"I really can't disclose that. What's the matter?"

Su Wenchang sighed, his shoulders slumping and a worried look crossing his face:

"Then it seems you're going to be wrongly accused..."

Wang Anfeng was increasingly confused.

Seeing Wang Anfeng's puzzled face, Su Wenchang sighed again and said:

"This morning, Wei Qi of the Fire Refining Sect was found dead in the Quiet Room."

"He died from a sword wound."

"The wound was charred black, as if struck by lightning."

Wang Anfeng's smile froze on his face.

PS: Today's second update...