Why do I have so many masters?

Behind him, the Eight Gates Sword Formation was in operation, showing not the slightest anomaly, leaving only Wang Anfeng and the cold, distant female warrior thirty steps away.

Having received his gesture of respect, Murong Qingxue waited for Wang Anfeng to stand straight before saying,

"On this descent from the mountain, Yu'er will need your extra care."

Among the three disciples of Qingfeng Edge, the one with the highest martial arts prowess was Gong Yu, and she was also the most beautiful. But in the bustling Jianghu, she was also the most worrying, Wang Anfeng had come to somewhat understand this over the past few days and nodded, saying,

"Senior, rest assured, it's my unshirkable duty."

Murong Qingxue nodded, then became quiet. Wang Anfeng had no choice but to stand with his hands hanging down in front of her. After a while, Murong Qingxue gently flicked the longsword in its scabbard from her hand. It did not fall to the ground but instead floated lightly in front of Wang Anfeng, spinning gently.

Wang Anfeng was slightly startled.

Murong Qingxue looked at him and said quietly,

"The sword on your back cannot be easily wielded, can it?"

"This sword is for your protection."

Wang Anfeng's heart jolted with shock, but the person across from him was, after all, peerless in the world, and with the Wooden Sword no longer suppressed by the Sword Scabbard's spiritual charm, it was expected to be seen through. He had anticipated this when ascending the mountain, and thus did not lose his composure.

After expressing his thanks, he reached out to grasp the hilt of the sword and clasped the spinning longsword in midair in his hand. The sword seemed unremarkable, no different from an ordinary one.

Wang Anfeng glanced at Murong Qingxue, drew the sword from its scabbard, and its blade rang out as it revealed an inch, its cold gleam like water, clearly a superb sword that would not go unnoticed in Jianghu. His heart skipped a beat, and he sheathed the sword, holding it with both hands, he said solemnly,

"Senior, this sword is too valuable, I cannot accept it..."

Murong Qingxue looked at him and said,

"This sword is only lent to you. During your journey, you are to pass it on to someone else."

Wang Anfeng was startled and then realized, saying,

"Is it Senior Jiu Zizai?"

Murong Qingxue shook her head and said with a light laugh,

"No, although he has learned the martial arts of many schools, mastering swordsmanship requires focus. His sword skills depend on brute force, and to him, there's little difference between a sword and a saber. His swordsmanship is still beneath yours at the moment."

Wang Anfeng thought for a moment, then lowered his hands and instead gripped the sword in his right hand, saying,

"Then I ask the senior to tell me, to which senior should I deliver this sword?"

Murong Qingxue shook her head and said,

"I do not know."

"Senior doesn't know?"

Wang Anfeng looked at the woman before him, who even more than Gong Yu, resembled an Immortal.

When she said she did not know, her demeanor and presence were exactly like the time when Gong Yu had said she could not recognize him because he had changed into a blue shirt. Wang Anfeng felt helpless, unsure of what to say.

Murong Qingxue paused and then continued,

"Carry this sword with you on your journey, and you will naturally hand it over to the right person. With your wisdom, you will understand when the time comes."

"This sword has been hidden away within Qingfeng Edge for over a hundred years; it is time to return it to its rightful owner."

Although Wang Anfeng was still somewhat perplexed, the conversation had reached this point, and he could only keep the sword properly, gripping it in his hand, and nodded, saying,

"I understand."

Murong Qingxue gave a nod and added,

"Take care on your journey."

Wang Anfeng breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't know why, but in the presence of this Immortal-like senior, he always felt an inconceivable tremendous pressure. Now feeling slightly relieved, he nodded in response,

"Then I shall take my leave; please return, Senior."

"Mm."

The woman nodded, her gaze falling on Wang Anfeng and sweeping over him. As he turned away, she suddenly spoke softly,

"Give my regards to that Daoist Priest."

Wang Anfeng's body stiffened abruptly.

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

Lin Qiaofu and the others followed behind Gong Yu, walking amidst the Sword Array.

Yuchi Jie and the sword-carrying elder, Taishu Jian, walked very carefully within this Sword Array, afraid of making a wrong step. The former did so because he knew his own limitations and dared not be reckless.

The latter, though a Sixth Rank Martial Artist recognized as an expert in the Jianghu, had personally witnessed the full power of this grand formation and knew the significant weight of its strength, so he was all the more cautious.

The middle-aged martial artist following behind Yuchi Jie, relying on his status as a Sixth Rank Martial Artist, bore a cautious expression, but not with the same vigilance as Taishu Jian.

However, Lv Baiping was much more at ease, moving as if in her element, while Lin Qiaofu followed her closely, clutching tightly to her small cloth bag in one hand and holding onto Lv Baiping's clothes with the other, her little face already pale with fright.

Though she was a disciple of Qingfeng Edge, and in some sense, the most central figure, most beloved by fellow seniors and peers, she was very much like Fu Mo, the master of Fufeng Academy, in that she led a life secluded from the outside world, hardly ever stepping foot out of her home.

While Fu Mo had been cajoled into venturing out a few times by the old master, Lin Qiaofu had stayed on Myriad Swords Peak ever since she learned to read, spending her days in the Library. She had never once traversed the mountain's protective grand formation but was acutely aware of its formidable power, hence her fright as she followed from a safe distance.

Yuchi Jie followed at the back, witnessing peril at every step. Although Gong Yu was leading the way, Yuchi Jie was still worried. Glancing at the seemingly much more frightened little old man beside him, a hint of smugness rose in his heart.

He made small talk with Taishu Jian to dispel the lingering fear in his mind and said:

"Old man, are you called Taishu Jian?"

The elder smiled warmly and replied:

"Yes, indeed. My parents wanted me to live a sturdy life, so they named me Jian."

"Taishu? That's quite an unusual surname."

"Unusual? Not at all. In our area, every family bears this surname, even the old beggar at the entrance of the village is from the Taishu lineage."

"Huh? Even beggars have names?"

"Look at what you're saying, young master. Beggars are people too; they have parents just like everyone else. And if they have parents, they have names. To tell you the truth, that beggar's name is much nicer than mine," the old man said without reservation.

"Oh? Let's hear it?"

After thinking for a moment, Taishu Jian smiled and said:

"If this little old man remembers correctly, it's Taishu Yongnian."

Yuchi Jie paused, feeling the name was vaguely familiar, but after racking his brains, he couldn't place it and could only say nonchalantly:

"The name does indeed have grandeur, quite wasted on a beggar."

Taishu Jian waved his hand and chuckled:

"Not wasted, not wasted at all. That was the name his parents thought up after much deliberation."

"For one's own children, how could it be wasted?"

As they conversed, they reached the last sword array. Yuchi Jie saw Gong Yu and the others had already made it through, so he checked his steps and looked back at Taishu Jian, who was one step behind him, and said:

"There's something I've been curious about for a while."

"The old woman at the gate of the Qingfeng Edge always disliked men. How did you manage to wait there without being chased off by her?"

He thought of Taishu Jian, who had just been squatting at the gate of the Qingfeng Edge's courtyard.

The Sixth Rank family retainer following behind him opened his mouth as if he had something to say but was a step too late, resolutely withdrawing his gaze.

Taishu Jian scratched his white hair and laughed:

"That little girl, ah..."

"She probably thought this old man looked pitiful. Really, she is truly a disciple of Qingfeng Edge, both beautiful and kind-hearted..."

He grinned, giving a thumbs-up and revealing a face full of honesty and sincerity while he tugged at his somewhat old clothing with the other hand.

Yuchi Jie's mouth twitched slightly. Thinking about that always cold-faced woman who seemed like she was owed thousands by everyone, he felt the old man before him and the woman he described weren't the same at all.

Taking a step forward naturally, he felt a gentle breeze brushing past him.

The next moment, Yuchi Jie lost his balance and was about to tumble to the ground.

The retainer behind him, as if expecting this, stepped forward at the same time and extended his hand to steady Yuchi Jie, preventing the noble young master from tumbling face-first.

Yuchi Jie's heart skipped a beat, like stepping into the void in a dream, breaking out in a cold sweat. Following that was annoyance and embarrassment. He turned back and cursed:

"That blind dog, throwing things..."

His voice cut off abruptly as there was nothing on the ground behind him. His expression froze for a moment, and then, belatedly realizing, he stiffly turned to look. Gong Yu still had the same composed appearance, with no hint of emotion.

However, Lv Baiping beside him was not one to hide her feelings. Her gaze at Yuchi Jie was full of displeasure, and her bright eyes roamed over him, seeming to ponder where to strike next.

Yuchi Jie, startled into cold sweat, forced out a stiff smile and said:

"A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..."

"It was my own carelessness..."

Lv Baiping snorted coldly and looked away while even Lin Qiaofu, normally the soft-hearted one, had a hint of blame in her gaze toward him.

But Yuchi Jie felt a little relief inside, realizing that what just happened was at most a warning. Otherwise, with Gong Yu's skills, his retainer wouldn't have been able to catch him.

He would have needed a proper fall to get the message across.

Right, that old man!

Yuchi Jie suddenly realized something and turned back to look.

There was Taishu, carrying his shabby longsword, hands in his sleeves, appearing as content as an old man holding a child in his village, his mouth twitching into a slight grin as he finally understood why the old man had been capable of such a sincere and radiant smile, saying what he said.

Clever old fox!

Yuchi Jie ground his teeth silently, his gaze searching for another person to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. After looking around for a while, he couldn't spot them and paused in confusion:

"Where's Wang Feng? How come he's gone?"

PS: Here's today's second update…