Why do I have so many masters?

Fufeng County, North Martial City.

Giant Peng Gang headquarters.

Gongsun Jing reappeared in his study, having previously ordered his subordinates not to enter, so nobody within the headquarters noticed that their gang leader had left the place earlier.

The man sat in his chair, listening to the familiar sounds of martial practice. He didn't move for a long time until the banging of weapons by the gang members completed an entire set. The huffing and puffing gradually stopped, and a gleam finally flickered in his eyes as he let out a murky breath, reviving his spirit.

After being silent for a moment, he reached into his bosom and slowly took out the jade plaque. He carefully examined the finely detailed text on both sides and the splendidly carved patterns. His hands caressed it, feeling the uneven surface, and an almost dreamlike realization appeared in his heart.

It really wasn't a dream.

Although the other party hadn't shown any malice towards him, the sheer terror of their strength and background were reason enough to make his heart tremble with unease.

This had nothing to do with moral stance.

As his palm gently stroked the jade plaque, Gongsun Jing's expression became more solemn. He struggled internally, debating whether to discard this plaque, which represented either a stroke of destiny or a nightmare. While he had submitted in that secret realm, it had been under duress.

His mind raced as he seriously contemplated the decision.

An organization as massive as a leviathan, a hidden force with at least three grandmasters of the Upper Third Rank, was gradually reaching out its tendrils into this world. Although he was no great military strategist, he could vaguely perceive the changes this would bring to the world, to Fufeng County.

Too weak to protect himself if he stood aside, getting involved could mean no place to bury his corpse upon death.

With this thought, Gongsun Jing breathed out lightly.

In this day and age, grandmasters were extremely rare, but looking at the whole world, martial artists at the grandmaster level weren't uncommon during the storms that brewed over a hundred years in Jianghu.

Considering Great Qin itself, with its Seventy-Two Pillar States, each Pillar of the State possessed either the strength of the Third Rank, standing in the Martial Art Mysterious Passage Realm, or they were capable of contending with grandmasters without perishing, relying on their divine weapons, unique cultivation techniques.

The numbers in the world could be imagined.

The world was vast; Great Qin was not the only country, Great Qin's expanse did not limit itself to Fufeng alone. One could not grasp the entire picture in a lifetime. A commandery alone spanned thousands of miles, nearly a hundred counties in seven prefectures with people practicing martial arts as numerous as carps crossing a river. Over the long years, there would always emerge one or two prodigies. With such accumulation to this day, an era of martial arts prosperity had finally been gathered.

However, it was rare to see a sect with at least three grandmasters, among which two were anything but ordinary. More importantly, this sect was preparing to re-enter the world, and its enormous influence was enough to involve the Jianghu of several counties, with countless deaths and injuries. He, a mere Seventh Rank Martial Artist, involved in this, would almost certainly face inevitable death.

It's a pity that he had originally thought there might only be one or two grandmasters and had considered trying.

Gongsun Jing sneered at himself in his heart.

But although this jade plaque was proof of identity, what if they didn't need the plaque to take him there?

If he discarded it, he would certainly anger the master within that force.

By then, not only would he be in danger, but also those close to him might face life and death difficulties…

Gongsun Jing slightly closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, finally making a decision.

His palm gripped the jade plaque tightly and with a forceful flick, he turned it over to read the text on it.

If escape was no longer an option, he could only desperately cultivate, take the benefits from that secret realm to enhance his cultivation as much as possible, so that he might find a slim chance of survival amidst the upcoming storms.

He really was... aboard a bandit's ship.

.....................…

The next day.

In Fufeng County City, a heavy autumn rain had fallen, gradually cooling the temperature. Martial Artists still had their inner strength to shield themselves, whereas the ordinary people who had not practiced martial arts were already starting to wear thicker clothes.

Inside Wind Character Tower.

Wang Anfeng held a book and yawned widely, rubbing his eyes. He felt sore everywhere and couldn't help but slightly smile. For some reason, he seemed to have angered Mister Ying again yesterday and was rigorously trained as a result.

But what exactly he did wrong, Mister Ying wouldn't say.

The young man felt quite vexed in his heart.

Turning the page of the book in his hand, his mind once again wandered to the man he had inexplicably acquired as his subordinate yesterday at Shaolin Temple.

Gongsun Jing of the Giant Peng Gang.

He said he had three thousand disciples under his command.

Three thousand people, did Great Liang Village even have that many people?

A surge of complex emotions flooded Wang Anfeng's heart. He felt as though he had not truly entered Jianghu yet, but he was already deeply connected to it.

Or was it that, even while being in Fufeng Academy, he had already stepped into Jianghu?

The wooden door of Wind Character Tower was pushed open.

The autumn breeze was refreshing, and a fallen leaf just happened to drift in, landing on the page of the book in Wang Anfeng's hands. Counting the days, it was almost August.

It was also in August of last year that he had his first encounter with Jianghu and met the disciples of the Temporal Sect.

Wang Anfeng picked up the fallen leaf, his thoughts shifting. Suddenly, he remembered the Chick Phoenix Banquet last August fifteenth, Liu Wuqiu, Xiahou Xuan and Huangfu Xiong whom he had promised to meet again in Jianghu, Qin Fei, and also the girl Zhang Tingyun who had taken away the black bear.

Is it that people come and go, and that is Jianghu?

Wang Anfeng opened his palm, letting the leaf fall.

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

Tianhe County.

In Tianhe County, some people may not know of the Prefectural Governor, but no one is unaware of the Qin residence.

Years ago, the Tianhe Commandery Princess forcefully married off a gentleman of the Taoist Sect, an event celebrated joyously by the people of Tianhe County. Following the example of those above them, if the maidens of the world were to be compared to blooming flowers, then the girls of Heaven Capital City would be the radiant and elegant peony, while the girls of Tianhe County would be the roses with the most thorns.

Thorns piercing the heart, with beauty that penetrates to the bone, mesmerizing to behold.

The Qin Residence.

"When he attacks you with this move, you should evade by turning and reining in your horse, then take advantage of the momentum to counter with Jade Maiden Shuttling and target several of his vital points."

"If he does that again, you will have to..."

In the garden, a young man dressed in white sat upright on a mahogany chair, explaining martial arts with meticulous detail. Facing him, a beautiful young lady with delicately arched eyebrows and a gentle smile listened to the young man's favourite topic of martial arts.

In the bushes.

A young martial artist, tall and sturdily built with an open and honest countenance between his brows, crouched there. A boy not more than five or six years old rode on his neck, adorable yet impish. He continuously watched the pair, curving his lips disdainfully and waving at the air as he spoke in a low voice:

"Brother is really too slow!"

"Sister Yu'er is practically throwing herself at him, and he's there explaining martial arts... I, I..."

He placed a hand on his forehead, sighing repeatedly.

"Why do I, Qin Xiao, have a brother like this?"

The young martial artist below him stretched his lips into a smile and said:

"It's because you, Ah Xiao, were born later."

Qin Xiao rolled his eyes, clapped his hands, and knocked on the young man's head, saying:

"Asking for a beating."

"No... I need to go rescue them, let's go..."

Just as he was about to leave, the girl on the other side, with a warm and gentle smile, seemed to unintentionally tilt her face away. Instantly, the bodies of the two, big and small, turned ice cold, unable to move anymore. After a while, the warrior below swallowed hard and said with a dry laugh:

"I think... that, you know..."

"We are probably not suited to go over there right now, don't you think, Ah Xiao?"

A stiff smile appeared on Qin Xiao's face as he nodded his head.

"Indeed, you're right."

"The fairy-like Sister Yu'er surely wouldn't want us to go over."

The girl on the other side retracted her gaze, still looking at Qin Fei with soft eyes. She lifted her hand, carelessly picked up a hard nut, and squeezing it, she seemed unable to crack it open. So, she handed it to Qin Fei and said in a coy voice:

"Big Brother Fei, open it for me."

Qin Fei was slightly stunned, his brow furrowed slightly while he smoothly took the nut from the girl's hand, saying:

"Yu'er, you should also begin martial arts training. I can't be by your side all the time."

"Then Yu'er will stay by Big Brother Fei's side all the time."

"You..."

Qin Xiao and the young martial artist, not far away, trembled at the sound of her tenderly acting spoiled, recalling the dragon-like gaze from earlier, and the same thought emerged in their minds.

Girls, so terrifying...

The young man began to seriously consider the feasibility of going to the Taoist Sect to cultivate and leave the secular world.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiao thought of the little girl he met in Wangxian County and silently amended the statement with a new definition.

The beautiful as a fairy Sister Yu'er, so terrifying...

Ah, I wonder how Tingyun is doing now.

I wonder if she misses me.

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

The Taoist Sect.

A woman in a Taoist robe, still looking graceful, was curled up in the shadows, her body shaking.

"I don't want to see her, I don't want to..."

"It's too embarrassing."
Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire

"Let someone else teach if they want to teach..."

Thinking of that petite figure, she felt nightmares already emerging in her heart.

Being bombarded with endless questions until she dared not take on disciples or teach scriptures anymore.

Just then, a small shadow was cast upon her. The Taoist nun trembled and stiffly lifted her head to see the distant blue sky, the sea of clouds at the Taoist Sect, and the white crane flapping its wings among the green pines. She also saw her own disciple, the girl who is commonly known by the Taoist name Tingyun, with tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.

Zhang Tingyun knelt down in front of the Taoist nun, stretched out her palm, and gently patted her master's head.

Her voice was soft and sweet as she said:

"Master, don't cry."

"Don't cry, there, there..."

The tears in the corners of the Taoist nun's eyes grew larger.

"Wah ah…"

At the Taoist Sect's training ground, a woman ran away covering her face, those who saw her felt heartache, those who heard, tears fell.

An old man, sitting on a bluestone with a horsetail whisk in hand, pursed his lips and muttered to himself.

This was already the seventh time.

Really, can't these juniors be a bit more emotionally resilient?

Just at that moment, the old man saw the little girl stand up straight. Her Taoist robe was slightly too large, making her look even more petite and cute. He watched as she tilted her head in thought, then looked in his direction. His body couldn't help but tremble, but he maintained the composure that an elder delivering a sermon should have, only mentally shouting.

Is she looking this way?

No, she's actually walking over here?

Enough, little girl, stop where you are, or this old man won't be polite!

The old man's eyes grew wide as if that could somehow make the young girl stop.

Stop moving...

Immeasurable Heavenly Lord, make this little girl stop moving!

The old man's forehead began to sweat as he watched Zhang Tingyun slowly approach, and upon seeing those pure, untainted eyes, a look of affection involuntarily surfaced on his face. But deep down, he was inwardly screaming to the heavens.

Immeasurable that Heavenly Lord, Supreme Elder Brother, you old furball.

Why aren't you waking up yet!

The old man's heart filled with a desire to weep without tears.

Junior Brother, I can't handle this...

PS: Second update