Why do I have so many masters?

After a few moments of silence, an elder quietly appeared behind Qin Fei, about fifty or sixty years old, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a gentle face. With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, he smiled slightly at Wang Anfeng and said:

"Since the young layman has invited me, how could I not show myself without being impolite?"

Zhao Xiujie looked stunned, and Qin Fei, who had been sitting, was taken aback, his eyes momentarily brightened. He abruptly stood up with his hands held in a disciple's salute, but before he could bow, the Taoist lifted his hand to stop him. Unable to continue his bow, the old man chuckled and shook his head, then turned to Wang Anfeng and spoke:

"I am Xuan Chengzi, the young layman is courteous."

Wang Anfeng clasped his fists and said:

"I did not realize it was an elder. For any neglect, please forgive me, please take a seat."

The old Taoist nodded his head. Although he declined Qin Fei's courtesy, he did not refuse the latter's offer of a seat, taking the place that had been Qin Fei's, while the young man in white stood respectfully behind him, his palms trembling slightly.

Xuan Chengzi accepted the cup of tea, took a sip, and praised:

"Indeed, a good state of mind."

"The elder flatters me."

The old man just chuckled, continued to sip his tea quietly, and didn't initiate further conversation. As he was the elder, the atmosphere, which had been fairly harmonious, now shifted subtly. Added to this was Zhao Xiujie's bewildered demeanor, and Qin Fei's clear inner turmoil, which led him to take his leave after just a short while.

When it was time to part, the young man in white took a brocade box from the guard beside him, turned it around, and handed it to Wang Anfeng, saying:

"Brother Wang, our visit today was quite abrupt, please do not take offense. Here is a small token of our regard, I hope you won't disdain it."

As he spoke, he opened the brocade box to reveal a pile of silver ingots resting on red velvet cloth, dazzling to the eyes. Wang Anfeng was momentarily taken aback and promptly tried to refuse, but Qin Fei gathered his expression and, having secured the brocade box, handed it back to Ah Er. He took another box from Ah Da and offered it again, saying:

"I guess Brother Wang does not covet wealth. The items in this box are merely things I use in my cultivation, they are not valuable."

"Please don't refuse this time."

Wang Anfeng hesitated, since the other had put it that way, to repeatedly refuse would be impolite, so he reluctantly accepted the brocade box, saying:

"Then please wait a moment, Brother Qin."

With that, he turned and went to the kitchen. After a short while, he returned holding a shiny little jar and handed it over, saying:

"This is a dish I pickled myself; it's quite good with rice. If you don't mind, please accept it as a reciprocal gesture..."

Qin Fei accepted the jar, saying:

"Since it's made by Brother Wang, it must be delicious. Thank you."

"Then we'll take our leave now, Brother Wang. Please do not see us out."

Wang Anfeng watched them go until they were out of sight before turning back into the house. Curious, he looked at the brocade box on the table and gently opened it. The box was divided into two layers; the top layer contained a pair of ginseng roots and three exquisite porcelain vials.

The bottom layer held a pair of jet-black gauntlets, streamlined in design, affording protection and with razor-sharp metal edges layer upon layer, resembling a dormant eagle ready to strike, indicating their extraordinary quality.

After bidding farewell to Wang Anfeng, Qin Fei and his group took their steeds and hurried on their way. Zhao Xiujie was full of questions but, seeing Qin Fei's face almost as cold as frost, he was silently intimidated by his cousin and merely held his queries inside.

Their several riders broke through the snowy scene, entering straight through the county gate, and all the way back to the Zhao residence. Qin Fei dismissively handed the silver coins to Ah Da and Ah Er, instructing them to retire, then he strode back to his room with a taut face. Once alone, he locked the door behind him and exhaled, saying softly:

"Master, you can come out now."

There seemed to be a quiet sigh, and the old Taoist appeared beside him like a specter, saying:

"The old Taoist has taught you only some basic foundational techniques; you need not be like this."

Qin Fei merely lowered his eyes and did not respond. Xuan Chengzi sighed helplessly and said:

"After several years, you remain as stubborn as ever."

The youth's eyes showed a glint of nostalgia but he didn't answer, instead, he asked:

"Master, why did you suddenly come back... and even took the place of a Shadow Guard by my side?"

"Do you plan to stay long this time, or why not just stay for good?"

Xuan Chengzi shook his head. In the absence of others, he didn't need to worry about the young man losing his dignity in front of the servants. He unceremoniously tapped Qin Fei's forehead with his hand and said:

"Foolish child!"

"The cultivation technique I practice requires roaming through famous mountains and great rivers, absorbing the grand qi of Heaven and Earth, to discern the dragon and tiger, match the Kan and Li trigrams, distinguish clarity from turbidity, and aim for a breakthrough to the Upper Third Rank. How could I settle in one place for long? You, my boy, you want to ruin my cultivation, don't you?"

The youth raised his hand and touched his forehead, his face blooming into a smile, a stark contrast to his previously aloof expression—full of youthful vigor, yet it also made the old Taoist feel unbearably stifled, turning away to avoid looking at him.

Qin Fei had just reprimanded Zhao Xiujie for lacking depth, and his behavior and manners had been both sophisticated and steady—anyone who saw him would feel compelled to compliment him.

But had he forgotten that he himself was only a fourteen-year-old kid...

In ordinary families, which thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy would worry about having depth or being measured in their conduct? They should cry when they want to cry, laugh when they want to laugh, and play pranks on the girls they fancy. That's what true comfort is, isn't it? And in wealthy households, causing colossal troubles for their fathers to clean up is nothing unusual, right?

The more the old Daoist thought about it, the more upset he felt, and he couldn't help but muse about taking that badly notched Taihe Sword for a trip to Tianhe County, touching the corner of his mouth as he spoke:

"The old Taoist is just wandering through here. The observatory master of Yúnzhōng Guān, known as Kong Taoist, in Wangxian County within the Taoist Sect, happens to be my good friend. With nothing much to do, I crossed over the mountain range from Tianyang County to see him for a drink. I came across that lady from the Military Family guarding your mother's side and found out you were here too."

"I thought to myself... it's been a few years since I've seen you, so I talked to her and asked if I could replace the Shadow Guard to accompany you for a day. Hmm, she was very cooperative."

"Granted, you've indeed grown quite a bit, and sturdier too, not bad, not bad."

As he spoke, he reached out and ruffled the youth's hair like he would when Qin Fei was a child. Qin Fei squinted his eyes. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and he tried to suppress a laugh upon hearing his master say he had grown up, unaware of how laughable his own expression must look. But the old Taoist couldn't bring himself to laugh and felt only increasing heartache.

He even began to doubt whether his decision years ago to leave Qin Fei in search of breakthrough methods, abandoning Tianhe County to wander through the Great Qin lands, had been a mistake.

By nature, not wanting the atmosphere to become oppressive, he volunteered to share the interesting stories from his travels over the years. The youth listened quietly; as he recounted each experience, the old man unconsciously added advice and cautions, and before they knew it, one or two hours had passed. Only when a servant summoned the courage to knock did they realize dinner time had arrived.

Qin Fei curtly instructed the servant to bring the meal to his room, and the servant, relieved, retreated. Soon a full table of dishes was presented: five dishes plus one soup, all incorporating medicinal herbs beneficial for cultivation, and a pot of Wangxian County's unique wine, which ranked first in robustness among the northern seventeen counties.

Even the pickles from Wang Anfeng were served in a White Jade bowl, placed at the center, adding a splash of color to the table. The master and disciple continued their conversation from before while enjoying the meal and wine. The elder took a sip of his drink, glanced at the pickles, and said:

"Speaking of that Wang Anfeng... he is quite exceptional. With the year-end approaching, given your status, you should have the opportunity to meet with some martial arts seniors in Wangxian County and participate in various clan gatherings... Although they might be somewhat dull, they can be of some use to a martial artist of your level."

"After all, a martial artist can't just work in isolation."

"Try to get an additional spot, and personally deliver it to that young man, inviting him to join you."

Qin Fei, though typically reserved, couldn't help letting down his guard around those close to him—like Axiao, Zhao Xiujie, and especially the elder in front of him. Hearing this, he couldn't quite conceal his competitive spirit and said:

"He might be skilled in qinggong, but so what if his qinggong is strong?"

"The only way to determine a martial artist's strength is through a fight."

The Taoist glanced at him, tapped his chopsticks, and snatched away the pickle Qin Fei had just picked up, holding it with the chopsticks and said:

"Qinggong? Hmph... it means you haven't seen enough..."

"Then master, do tell!"

The old Taoist snickered. Having had a couple of drinks and feeling more open-hearted, he no longer insisted on the formal title and answered:

"Still acting like a child, can't handle a bit of criticism?"

"Just listen, you only noticed that the kid's qinggong footprints are all the same, but you missed one thing. What's more impressive is that he steps instinctively into those uneven spots on the ground, with one foot deeper than the other, almost instinctively reacting, adjusting his stance and steps... heh, this kind of qinggong is already sufficient for real combat."

"Most importantly, within his energy circulation and steps, there are traces of the first level of my Taoist sect's legitimate 'Nine Palaces' techniques."

The old Taoist smacked his lips, and as he saw Qin Fei's expression turning serious, he continued:

"Not to mention, that chain on his body; from what the old Taoist observed, it's at least five hundred pounds. Yet, his muscles and veins do not show any sign of bulging, which means his inner strength must be continuous and resilient. Its volume is unknown, but just these two aspects alone put him far ahead of you, and in a fight, you would be at a disadvantage."

"With the ability to bear five hundred pounds, his muscles and bones need not be mentioned and won't be inferior to yours."

"His punches are heavier than yours, his movement technique is stronger, and at best, you're only on par with him in terms of inner strength. So, how do you plan to beat him?"

Qin Fei's expression grew somber, and just then, a servant's voice came from outside, announcing the Mistress was calling. Qin Fei frowned slightly and looked at the old Taoist, who gestured for him to go out by himself while he stayed alone in the room, contemplating the young man he had seen today and murmuring to himself:

"Sensitive beyond ordinary people, he wears silver needles around his waist, carries an ancient zither on his back, his steps contain the legacy of the Taoist sect's legitimate teachings, he grasps the mindset of the Confucian sect, yet his aura is solid as a mountain, as if a Heavenly Dragon walks upon the earth..."

"Heh, who has taught this disciple, as if he knows a bit of everything."

With a chuckle, Xuan Chengzi put the pickle he had stolen from Qin Fei into his mouth and chewed it.

Almost instantly, the smile on the old Taoist's face completely solidified, then turned slightly blue, as he rolled over and fell to the side.

"Ugh..."