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Fufeng Academy.
Wang Anfeng’s right hand grasped the wooden handle of the blade, his mind calm and serene as he delved into the Buddhist state of mind encapsulated by the No-Self Aspect, No Other Aspect, and No Life Aspect. Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed through his dark pupils, and with a flick of his wrist, the technique of force taught by Master Ying almost instinctively sent out a cold gleam that vanished in an instant.
With a twist of his right hand, the blade was inserted upside down beside him.
The thin and sharp edge of the blade buzzed incessantly, vibrating the air and adding a hint of chilliness.
Someone suddenly cheered loudly from beside him.
"Good!"
Wang Anfeng smiled, as the ingredients on the cutting board in front of him had been transformed into evenly cut small pieces, clean and distinct. His right hand skimmed past the nearby kitchen knife, scooped up a fist-sized copper spoon with a flick, and swept all the diced meat into the boiling oil. The sizzling sounds persisted as the meat turned golden brown and a rich aroma wafted up.
Behind him, Baili Feng with his bushy eyebrows, wearing white clothes, Xue Qinshuang who was dressed like an elegant gentleman, and Tuoba Yue who had already sat down at the table, were relishing their meal. Wang Anfeng, wearing a grey apron over his vigorous attire, waved his spoon and spatula in front of the stove with focused determination, as meticulous as when he practiced martial arts at Shaolin Temple.
The fragrance of cooking wafted out from the wooden house.
The passing students of the academy couldn’t help but salivate, yet due to the imminent assessments, they could not satisfy their cravings in town. With hands over stomachs and a look of suffering, they murmured to themselves and quickly walked away.
In this meal, Wang Anfeng showcased all he had learned: the techniques honed in Great Liang Village, the medicinal cuisine of his second master, and the skill of using Inner Strength to process ingredients learned during his time at Qingfeng Edge. All were combined into one. Although certainly unable to compare with his second master, the taste was by no means inferior to those of renowned chefs in restaurants. Even in his youthful heart, he felt quite pleased with himself.
The table was laid with a full spread, and the four of them ate while casually discussing various matters.
Before Tuoba Yue’s arrival, Wang Anfeng had already shared his thoughts and worries with Baili Feng and Xue Qinshuang, so when they spoke, they were all quite considerate of Tuoba Yue’s feelings.
Yet the latter showed no particular signs of concern, his demeanor as cheerful and open as ever. Talking about recent interesting events in the academy, he still laughed freely, as if the vulnerability Wang Anfeng had observed was nothing but an illusion, never truly manifesting.
Wang Anfeng exchanged a glance with Xue Qinshuang.
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This only increased their concern.
After the meal, Tuoba Yue made his excuses and left first. Baili Feng scratched his head, seemingly reluctant to put down his chopsticks and laughed awkwardly.
"I’ve had my fill too..." he said.
"The Master calls for me on a matter, you guys keep eating, I’m off."
With those words, he rose hastily, grabbing the heavy Mo Blade beside him. As he walked away, he seemed somewhat flustered and almost tripped over the chair. After a couple of forced laughs, with the Mo Blade on his back, he staggered off and quickly caught up to Tuoba Yue’s figure without walking shoulder to shoulder, engaging him in conversation just as he always did, in his usual carefree manner.
The long autumn path was covered with fallen leaves, and the young man from the Military Family, clad in his vigorous attire, folded his arms behind his head. The setting sun cast a reddish glow on his face, adding a hint of warmth.
Suddenly, Xue Qinshuang said,
"Anfeng, what if we bought him?"
"Or perhaps, after purchasing him, we could have someone else step in and take the boy away... In this way, we could save the boy’s life and let Yue’er know, so she doesn’t have to worry anymore. Although she seems carefree, her thoughts are more meticulous than mine."
"I’m somewhat worried about her."
Hearing the young girl next to him, Wang Anfeng fell silent for a moment, then shook his head and sighed,
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"No, it’s not possible..."
"That day I didn’t know what he said to Tuoba Yue, but it was probably something like, ’If you try to save me, I will kill myself right here,’ which would explain why Tuoba Yue couldn’t save him."
"The frontier regions have little regard for justice and their customs differ from those of the Central Plains. As outsiders, not knowing their ways and rashly intervening can often backfire."
"Furthermore, that young man is resolute. I believe he didn’t merely utter threats. Tuoba Yue probably knew this, hence his choice."
Xue Qinshuang nodded slightly, a hint of regret in her expression. Then something occurred to her, and she turned to Wang Anfeng beside her, slightly perplexed, and said:
"Anfeng... how do you know his temperament is strong?"
Wang Anfeng’s heart skipped a beat, but his facial expression remained unchanged, feigning normalcy as he replied:
"Intuition."
Xue Qinshuang nodded slightly, not dwelling on this minor detail, and Wang Anfeng quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his reply was unreliable and out of character for himself, but what else could he do? He certainly couldn’t tell Xue Qinshuang, ’The young man’s name is Qie Bian He Li, he is my subordinate, that’s how I know...’.
The young man was helpless.
However, considering Qie Bian He Li’s character, he was certainly capable of such an act.
If Tuoba Yue couldn’t get over the hurdle in his heart and secretly bought him back, with his astuteness and intelligence, guessing who was behind it all wouldn’t be difficult. He would probably find Tuoba Yue and commit suicide in front of him.
At that time, Tuoba Yue’s emotions would likely undergo a tremendous change.
Thinking back to the foreign girl, who had appeared tough on the outside but tender on the inside, beautiful and generous, Wang Anfeng shook his head slightly and stopped thinking about it.
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"Hurry up! Didn’t you eat enough?"
The man dressed in heavy cotton clothes cursed as he swung his leather whip. With his dark face and prominent cheekbones, he didn’t look like a native of Great Qin. Accompanying his curses, a group of ethnic men in thin clothes carried woolen felts from the wagons into a storage room.
Chains of crude iron bound their hands and feet, each with a large iron ball attached. To any discerning eye, it was clear these men were slaves from foreign nations. Although there was pity in the eyes of those looking at these men, they could only sigh secretly, unable to lend aid.
Qie Bian He Li did not stand out among these men.
Yet, even he bore scars new and old, and his frame suggested someone of sixteen or seventeen years old but appeared more like a fourteen-year-old. Whether it was the pressure of recent times finally taking its toll, his originally unkempt black hair surprisingly showed strands of silver, making the young man look even more woeful. And it was for this reason that even the overseer dared not be too harsh on him.
This behavior wasn’t out of kindness, but simply because the slave was, after all, the master’s property. If he died at their hands, it would cause a lot of trouble, possibly leading to their own ruin. Why bother?
Thus, the frequency of the whip on the young man’s shoulders was also lesser.
Perhaps because the overseer found Qie Bian He Li annoying, his arm suddenly lifted, the tip of the whip cut through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound, aimed straight at Qie Bian He Li’s back.
The muscles in the young man’s back tensed, and inner strength surged through his body.
At the same time, at the other end of the alley, a gray donkey ambled along, its bell chiming clearly.
PS: First update