Why do I have so many masters?

This courtyard was purchased for a hundred pieces of silver; it's extremely spacious and expansive.

Now inside, there are dozens of people seated, some armed with weapons, others empty-handed with thick muscles and tendons. The sharpness in their pupils is unmistakable.

They are all martial artists.

Moreover, they are martial artists who have experienced combat and strife, each resembling a fierce beast of the wilderness.

These martial artists were originally sitting quietly in the courtyard, waiting for that one person's decision. At this moment, a crisp knocking sound came from outside the door. Like a stone thrown into a pond, it naturally caused ripples to spread, and the silent martial artists lifted their heads in unison, looking towards the direction of the wooden door.

It was as if ferocious beasts were charging; the courtyard suddenly became deathly silent, quiet enough that one could hear a pin drop on the ground. From the treetops came the sound of rustling, and two wild geese, startled, flapped their wings and flew away, leaving behind two black feathers.

Yet as those feathers fell, they seemed to be influenced by some invisible force and floated down ever so slowly.

The knocking sound, however, continued steadily, and after several knocks, it ceased.

The door wasn't even closed, but the visitor still knocked; clearly, this was a person who knew proper etiquette.

In the inner hall, Fei Yuanzhen just felt that the atmosphere had become somewhat deathly silent and oppressive. Hearing that knocking, he let out an inward sigh of relief, his lips slightly pursed into a mild smile, saying,

"At this hour, I wonder which friend is visiting."

"I'll go open the door..."

He subtly diverted the topic, also hoping that the elder would calm his anger. After all, he and Fei Yuanbai were blood brothers, and he did not want to see the latter provoke the elder's displeasure.

But today, he was destined to be disappointed.

The elderly man with the eye ailment not only didn't return to his seat but stood up instead, his expression becoming grave. The knocking from outside resumed, still unhurried and calm.

The martial artists sitting below retained their solemn expressions.

The feathers slowly drifted down.

Then they were torn apart by an invisible Qi Mechanism.

Fei Yuanzhen's expression showed a slight change.

He finally realized that outside, under the quiet scrutiny of dozens of battle-hardened elite martial artists, even separated by a wall, it was unbearable for ordinary people, and it would instinctively agitate martial artists, like having a steel knife at their throats, producing a subconscious reaction. It was definitely not possible to remain so composed.

The old man's eyes glinted with a sharp light, his expression indifferent, he said,

"You step back."

Fei Yuanzhen subconsciously spoke, "Elder...

Before he could finish, the elder had already walked past him, leaving behind an indifferent voice,

"You are not qualified."

He walked through the hall, stepping slowly into the courtyard. His eyesight was faulty, but even from ten paces away, he could 'see' the Qi and blood rising to the sky like a signal of battle. The Qi and blood were so vibrant and young, like a newly matured tiger revealing its claws and teeth.

Even through a solid wall, he could feel the presence of the martial artist on the other side.

He walked slowly down the path.

With each step, he instinctively contracted his muscles, his blood pumping like the Yangtze River flowing down the riverbed, bringing with it an abundance of strength. Behind him, the martial artists who had been sitting cross-legged gradually stood up, silently and respectfully, following within five steps behind the elder. They paid no attention to Fei Yuanzhen and Fei Yuanbai who were following behind them.

The elder reached the door and slowly raised his hand to adjust his clothes meticulously, fussing over every detail. Then he opened the unlocked door to find a young man standing outside, dressed in a brocaded robe of war, with white as the base, outlines of red, adorned with a rising dragon.

As the old man opened the door, the young man had just retracted his hand from knocking. A breath later, the door was already wide open, revealing the elder, resembling a majestic lion. The young man's hand had just returned to his waist.

Behind him stood a man in his thirties, smartly dressed, holding a Mixed Iron Bright Silver Spear with both hands.

The elder's expression was calm as he said,

"Who are you?"

Wang Anfeng looked up serenely, saying,

"A visitor."

"Visiting whom?"

"The scoundrels, the great thieves."

Between the two, the atmosphere suddenly became as tense as a bow drawn tight.

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

Elsewhere in the city.

Gongsun Jing, alone, made his way toward a large courtyard. A hundred meters before the courtyard, two men were guarding, not allowing anyone to approach. They were two brawny men with bare arms, their muscles bulging, clearly hiding formidable strength, each with a Heavy Blade on their back.

The blades were unsheathed, the edges cold and sharp.

Seeing Gongsun Jing approaching alone, one of them frowned and reached out to push him, saying,

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"This area is off-limits..."

The voice stopped abruptly.

The hand that reached out to Gongsun Jing's shoulder was caught by an even more powerful hand, precisely at the wrist bone. With his face downcast and expression serene, Gongsun Jing twisted to the side.

There was a crisp snap.

Instantly, the brawny man's face turned pale, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his face. His companion's expression changed drastically, his hand reaching for the Heavy Blade on his back. But he could only draw the blade three inches before a severe pain struck his lower abdomen, turning his face deathly white.

With two successive kicks.

Both brawny men were sent flying backward like a torn fabric, coughing up mouthfuls of fresh blood.

At that distance, there were still others on guard. Seeing this scene unfold, their faces changed abruptly. After exchanging looks, one of them turned and sprinted toward the main gate, while the rest of them drew their weapons, their faces wary as they watched the large man approaching.