Why do I have so many masters?

Wang Anfeng borrowed the kitchen from the inn's cook, and the slightly uneasy shopkeeper didn't hesitate at all. He eagerly pulled out the unwilling cook and handed everything in the kitchen over to Wang Anfeng.

Wang Anfeng took out the accompanying gift sent by Wuxin and discovered that the dried lilies inside were not ordinary goods, but rather superior grade items with excellent quality. Only a true gourmet could hope to pry such things from the hands of shrewd merchants.

Thinking of the cold-faced Wuxin picking through a pile of food, Wang Anfeng had a somewhat strange expression on his face. He couldn't help but complain internally, then began to skillfully handle each ingredient. Fortunately, the cook had soaked the barley and red rice last night, saving him a lot of work today.

After making the porridge, Wang Anfeng bent down to pick up a bowl, silently counting the number of people in his mind. His movements suddenly stopped, his eyes slightly widening. He counted the number of people again, his mouth twitching slightly, and he squeezed a crack into the porcelain bowl.

He suddenly remembered what he had forgotten.

Liu old...

In his mind appeared an image of an unkempt white-haired old man in gray clothes, followed immediately by a sense of regret.

He should have gone to Xingde Square to bring the old man back as soon as things ended, but at that time he was with Xu Sixing, who absolutely couldn't be seen by others. Then Li Bo came in, and he was busy comforting Dongfang Ximing.

Then Wuxin visited and left him with a big trouble.

His mind was almost entirely occupied by this matter.

When he came to his senses, he was almost unconsciously carrying the ingredients sent by Wuxin, walking downstairs, and turning into the kitchen of the inn, all of which happened almost seamlessly.

So Liu Ling, who should have been picked up by him at Hour of Chen, was now still standing alone on the tall building of Xingde Square, being blown by the wind.

Wang Anfeng raised his eyes; this kitchen was somewhat cramped. In front of him was a meter-high stove, connected to the wall at the back. Next to it was a three-tiered large steamer, and a window was opened above, with sunlight pouring in through the simple carved window sill.

Wang Anfeng used the sun to confirm that it was now three-quarters past Hour of Si.

In other words, he was almost an entire hour late, with making this pot of porridge taking a little more than half an hour.

In folk customs of Great Qin, Hour of Chen is also called the Meal Hour, the time when people have breakfast. Liu Ling not only was standing alone on the rooftop being blown by the wind, but was probably hungry too.

Wang Anfeng's mouth twitched.

He glanced at the porridge he had just finished preparing, its aroma wafting from the bowl.

He lifted it to take a sip.

Now that things had come to this, he had to calm down first.

......

In the Shaolin Temple.

Hong Luoyu looked outside at Wang Anfeng, watching the familiar young man drink a sip of porridge, his mouth twitching slightly, he turned his head and said:

"Anfeng, has he already given up on thinking..."

The monk flipping through the Buddhist scriptures paused slightly, not looking aside. His voice was calm and gentle, imbued with the sandalwood incense in the Buddha hall, making one's heart calm, and he said:

"In every big event, there's tranquility."

"The worldly troubles plague everyone, yet only by staying purely self-aware can one remain unmoved by the dangers...like a mountain."

Hong Luoyu's mouth twitched, and he said: "You just mentioned danger, right."

Yuan Ci placed one hand in front of his chest and chanted a Buddha's name, his expression calm, and said:

"Actually, the Taoist Sect has fasting, and Buddhism also has meditative concentration."

"The desire for food is not necessary."

Next to them, Wu Changqing had a surprised look, twiddling one of his mustaches, pondering for a moment, and said: "Master, does this mean that starting from the desire for an empty stomach, one severs the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and from experiences of color, sound, scent, taste, touch, and dharma, one attains self-emptiness, returning to pure self-awareness?"

Yuan Ci did not answer, only spoke one phrase, "Amitabha."

Hong Luoyu was silent for a moment and then floated behind Wu Changqing, saying faintly:

"No..."

"The Great Monk means one meal won't kill anyone, why panic."

"Hmm?! This..."

Wu Changqing was stunned, his hand slightly trembling, almost pulling out his own mustache, and he turned to look at Yuan Ci, finding the monk already seated cross-legged on a green stone, his eyes slightly closed, breathing smooth and long, obviously already in meditative concentration.

"..."

The old man felt a little awkward, cleared his throat, pretended that nothing had happened, and turned to look at the scholar in azure on the main peak. After thinking for a moment, he said: "Sir, it seems like you intend to activate the spy you placed before?"

Hong Luoyu instinctively sneered, preparing to cross his arms in front of his chest, only to remember that the mechanism had developed many cracks due to the last all-out attack and had been withdrawn.

He now found himself without arms again.

This left him feeling particularly displeased, slightly irritable, as he clicked his tongue, and said:

"Who knows?"

"But that woman took so many benefits from that Ying guy; she'll surely suffer later. I've seen all kinds of merchants, but never anyone like him. Every benefit taken from him means paying a multiple of its cost in return."

"That woman is likely staking her life here."

Wu Changqing sighed and nodded, his heart softened. The woman named Shi Huaidie had previously opposed Wang Anfeng merely to serve her master, but afterward, she treated his group with respect, so he felt a bit sympathetic toward her.

The old man shook his head, suppressing his inner turmoil, suddenly remembered something, looked at Hong Luoyu, and said:

"Luoyu... there's always been something I couldn't understand, and I wonder if I should mention it."

Hong Luoyu, without thinking, said:

"If you're wondering whether to mention it or not, then don't mention it."