Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 73 Drunkenness (1/2)

Wei Heshuo had heard that cry from afar, and his appreciation for the young man increased; he called out loudly:

"Good!"

Many martial artists on the other side were so terrified by Wang Anfeng's Sword Qi that they felt their liver and gallbladder split open, but then they heard this loud shout from the sky, and their bodies shivered. They then saw a martial artist around twenty-five or twenty-six years old descending gracefully, with an ordinary face but an unusual aura of righteousness. He held a knife in his right hand, appearing majestic and imposing.

While he did not display any martial arts techniques, those seasoned in the Jianghu naturally had sharp eyes. At this time, anyone daring to initiate a conversation must either possess hidden skills and act boldly or be a martial artist from the government offices.

Moreover, there was a dignified air between his brows, and although the long knife in his hand was sheathed in a common scabbard, it was wider than the usual knives used by Jianghu travelers by a good measure. Clearly, his martial arts focused on strength and power, and this was understood by the onlookers.

Presumably, the commotion caused by everyone drawing their swords earlier had attracted the attention of the city's Patrol Officers, and regret filled their hearts.

While these Jianghu travelers had earlier been emboldened by alcohol to curse Sun Xingwei, the arrival of a Patrol Officer and the swords broken by the Sword Qi now made them as demure as maidens waiting in their boudoirs, daring not to make the slightest move. They only watched as Wei Heshuo strode forward, laughing out loud:

"What a great line, 'One should not judge others by their ears!'"

"My name is Wei Heshuo, may I ask for the young brother's name?!"

Wang Anfeng saw his heroic demeanor and righteous aura and felt a slight sense of goodwill, responding with a fist salute:

"My name is Wang Anfeng."

"Haha, so it's Brother Wang."

As the two of them conversed, quick-thinkers on the stage started slowly moving towards the edge, hoping to leave behind the platform. Competing in the ring was one thing, but having drawn their swords together, it was clear they had provoked the Great Qin's wrath.

If they did not leave soon, they would surely face several days of detention.

With these thoughts in mind, they began to stealthily move towards the periphery. Their eyes covertly watched the scene, and seeing Wei Heshuo only engaged in conversation with Wang Anfeng, they felt a sense of relief. Just as one foot was about to step off the platform, happy with their covert escape, they suddenly bumped into a corpulent belly, causing them to stumble.

Before they could turn around to look, a large hand grabbed their arm. A shake and a tug dissipated all their Vigorous Qi.

Martial artists of various sects either practiced External Cultivation or devoted themselves to Inner Strength—it was rare to master both. This martial artist had some fortuitous encounters and acquired the Dharma of the Pine Crane Qi Technique, thus setting aside his external cultivation.

With his arm now seized, all he could feel was an overwhelming strength gripping his bones, seemingly audible as they cracked. Frightened repeatedly, his liver and spleen felt like they could burst, and he screamed in pain. The onlookers shuddered in fear, looking around and only then realizing that a group of martial artists, each with a hostile expression, had encircled the platform at some unknown time.

The leader was a seven-foot-tall man with a pair of shiny black whiskers, holding a sword in his right hand and pulling out a tiger-head token with the character for 'capture' etched into it from his chest, he coldly shouted:

"Outside the platform, you've openly gathered and drawn swords, intending a deadly fight—take them away!"

The crowd shouted in unison:

"At your command!"

The look in their eyes toward these Jianghu martial artists was filled with coldness.

Being from a legalistic background, they looked down on Yi Nanping and had to begrudgingly call him a good swordsman. Yet, that Sun Xingwei, whose heart and actions could be regarded as exemplary for Great Qin, had been slandered like this; their anger swelled with a desire to teach these thoughtless ruffians a lesson and let them understand what bringing disaster through one's words meant.

Because the Constellation Ranking List is adjudicated by the Academy and the Government Office, government martial artists are not included in the assessment, but they should not be underestimated. The Flying Cloud Swordsman had been defeated by Wang Anfeng, shattering his state of mind, and being only seventeen or eighteen years old, he was no match for the experienced arrest officer who captured him with ease.

A constable not yet thirty, holding a long knife, walked toward Wang Anfeng. The young man frowned slightly, sensing that he would likely have to visit the Government Office, but to his surprise, Wei Heshuo suddenly raised his hand to stop the man, laughing:

"This gentleman is a righteous person, Brother Li, you wouldn't want to harm one of our own."

Then, turning to Wang Anfeng and winking, he said with a fist salute: "Brother Wang, with official duties piling up, I won't chat with you any longer. Remember, especially in the bustling parts of State City, you must be careful when you act. Next time, you might not be so lucky and could end up in the Heavenly Prison for ten days."

"We shall meet again in the future."

He then smiled at Wang Anfeng and turned to walk towards a Zhao young master who seemed somewhat terrified. Along the way, he passed a table, picked up a chicken leg, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed with gusto.

These people had just gathered dozens to draw their swords together, and even did so amidst the bustling market. Their punishment cannot be too severe, but they still must spend a few days eating prison rations on the floor of a cell.

By the gods, this chicken leg is damn delicious.

Way better than a flatbread.

Wang Anfeng watched as the crowd dispersed and suddenly remembered someone was still waiting for him on the upper floor, so he turned around and went back up to the North Martial Inn. The skirmish earlier happened at great speed with no significant commotion, so Baili Feng and the others hadn't noticed anything unusual. It was only when Wang Anfeng took his seat that Xue Qinshuang, with a smile, whispered softly beside him,

"Not bad sword energy..."

Wang Anfeng was momentarily stunned and saw the excited sparkle in the girl's brown eyes, her excitement difficult to hide. He couldn't help but chuckle, dispelling the gloom from earlier, and as he sat down, replied in a low voice,

"I won't spar with you."

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

Wang Anfeng didn't go to claim the Lost Treasure.

His intervention was because those martial artists slandered Old Sun; if he asked for the treasure, the young man felt he couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart, feeling as though he wasn't acting out of injustice, but had used it as an excuse to seek the Lost Treasure.

Although he hadn't managed to obtain the Lost Treasure this time, leaving some regret, he was nonetheless quite satisfied.

What he hadn't expected was that Master Fu Mo was not only extremely skilled in martial arts and well-educated, but also had a remarkably low alcohol tolerance. During the banquet, after repeatedly being urged to drink, he had passed out drunk.

The Pavilion Master of the Wonderful Treasure Pavilion was generous and wanted to pay for several upscale rooms for everyone at the North Martial Inn. However, he was politely refused by the group. Wang Anfeng and the others found an inn that was not luxurious but was quite clean, and took Fu Mo to a room to rest until he would awaken, before planning to depart.

"I didn't expect the old man to be such a lightweight..."

Baili Feng was playing with a cup at the table, his expression somewhat helpless.

He wasn't begrudging the elder's poor drinking ability but rather felt a headache about how Fu Mo, despite his low tolerance, stubbornly pretended to be hearty and would not refuse any coming drink. For someone his age, he seemed to lack the sophistication younger people like them had in dealing with others and navigating the Jianghu.

Tuoba Yue glanced at Wang Anfeng and asked, "Anfeng, you're good at cooking... do you know of any remedies for intoxication? Otherwise, we might be stuck here for several days."

She was from a foreign region and valued the knowledge taught in the Academy; she was eager to experience the elegance of the Hidden Sect on this journey. Yet, if the trip was extensively delayed due to Master being drunk, she couldn't help but feel frustrated, thus her inquiry.

Wang Anfeng was momentarily taken aback by her question and then said,

"This... I'm actually not very familiar with that."

Although Innkeeper loved alcohol, in his memories, he had never been drunk; the Innkeeper himself was very strict with both himself and others, only touching alcohol during the Chinese New Year, so indeed, he was not skilled in using food to cure intoxication. However, seeing the troubled look on Tuoba Yue's face, he thought for a moment and laughed,

"But I do know of some medicinal substances that can counteract intoxication, like trifoliate orange. Lu Ji in 'Shuyi' once said, 'In the past, there were southerners who accidently dropped a piece of this wood into a jar of wine, turning the wine into water.' That statement is surely an exaggeration, but it's reliable for nullifying the effects of alcohol. With the addition of bitter herbs and spiny pear boiled into a porridge, it should be somewhat effective."

Tuoba Yue's eyes lit up upon hearing this and she asked, "Really?"

Your adventure continues at empire

Wang Anfeng nodded. The four of them had been traveling together for a long time and their friendship had grown deep. Although he didn't know why Tuoba Yue was so concerned, he still stood up, smiled, and said,

"Since that's the case, you all wait here for a bit. I'll go to a nearby pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs and borrow the inn's kitchen to cook the Medicinal Porridge."

"Then we're very grateful."

"It's nothing."

Wang Anfeng went out alone, walking on the street. It had been two days since his arrival, and only now could he calm down to have a good look at the State City. He had only walked for a short while when he heard the sound of horse hooves. He stepped aside to avoid the cavalcade but didn't expect the riders to head straight for him.

At the forefront was a large black horse, ridden by a wooden-faced middle-aged man. As he approached within ten meters of the youth, he suddenly pulled the reins, causing the steed to neigh sharply, and the man dismounted.

PS: First update.