Twilight Boundary-Chapter 693 - 684: Second Master’s Resentment

"Wait a minute, when did Incense Master Xu get so friendly with Second Master?"

Seeing Master Xu act so cordially and informally, everyone nearby was taken aback. Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu exchanged perplexed glances.

Hu Ma, however, remembered. Back when the Second Master had taken him and the others to the Red Lantern Lady's Club, it was because of those two blue Tai Sui that they had received special attention from Xu Wensheng, who was a manager at the time. Xu Wensheng was a reasonable man and had often asked Hu Ma to pass on his greetings whenever Hu Ma returned to the village.

The Second Master had appreciated it too. Being friendly with a noble from the city was a great honor, and every time he received something, he was eager to parade it around the village.

Of course, when the Second Master bragged about it in the village, others usually just laughed it off, not quite believing him. It wasn't until this very moment, seeing the well-dressed and dignified noble himself rush over to bow to the Second Master, that their eyes were truly opened in astonishment.

"Oh my, oh my..." The Second Master finally reacted. He and Master Xu Wensheng faced each other and bowed deeply. Then, clasping each other's arms, he laughed and said, "Did you receive the mountain goods I had the lads send you?"

"I did, I did! This time, I've brought some fine wine for you, old brother. We must have a good long talk."

Starting with Master Xu, Bald Zhang and the others also stepped forward to offer their greetings, creating a lively scene.

The Second Master had never been the center of so much attention in his entire life; his dark face was positively glowing.

Just as the Old Clan Chief of the village came to his senses and hurriedly invited the guests into the village to rest, while also busying himself with arrangements for a feast, Incense Master Xu—now Manager Xu—turned and spoke softly to Hu Ma, "We set off a bit early. The food-protection general told me not to tell you, but he has already prepared a congratulatory gift and is on his way here too."

Hu Ma was rather surprised. "I didn't even send him an invitation. Why would he come all this way for this?"

Manager Xu chuckled. "He said that a major event like the Sacrificial Mountain is all about joyous celebration and prestige. When he got married, even though you couldn't make it to the wedding feast, you still sent a gift. Now that you're holding your Sacrificial Mountain ceremony, how could he possibly not attend?"

"Heh heh, he may not have received an invitation, but he insists that your relationship is close enough to dispense with such formalities. He also said he wants to come secretly, just to give you a big surprise..."

As he spoke, he gave Hu Ma's palm a proud squeeze. "You've really given me a lot of face this time! After your little ghost entered the encampment, it delivered an invitation to me first. How grand was that!"

Good heavens, Little Hongtang just ran straight into someone's tent to deliver an invitation? Hu Ma was quite taken aback. I'll definitely have to teach her proper etiquette in the future. Little Hongtang is getting too unruly...

But if the food-protection general wants to come, then let him. If he wants it to be a secret, then I won't announce it. If he wants to surprise me, then I'll let him surprise me!

Although the Sacrificial Mountain ceremony hadn't officially begun, the arrival of these distinguished figures from the city had already brought Dayang Village to life. Banquets were held daily, and the village was bustling with excitement and crowds.

Hu Ma now truly understood the saying, "a joyful event uplifts the spirit." With Dayang Village so full of life, even the surrounding evil spirits seemed to have quieted down. At night, the village was brightly lit, and one could even walk freely through the nearby woods.

Of course, this was also because the Second Master had been thorough in his preparations, having already gone to burn incense in all the nearby places known for frequent disturbances.

With so many capable individuals now in the village, if any evil spirit didn't know its place, it would be taught a harsh lesson.

As more people arrived for the ceremony, it became apparent that the number of guests far exceeded initial expectations. Hu Ma, for instance, had only sent invitations to three or five close acquaintances, people he knew wouldn't mind the inconvenience of the journey.

However, as news spread, more people decided to come. Some came to pay their respects out of courtesy, while others were drawn by the prospect of meeting Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu, two influential figures in the Food Protection Army. Thus, the number of guests continued to swell beyond anticipation.

Besides those under the food-protection general, there were also nobles from prominent families and wealthy merchants and gentry from the city.

It had to be said, these people certainly knew their etiquette.

The only problem was that the village was somewhat unprepared for such a large number of guests. Fortunately, Manager Xu had thought ahead and arranged for tents to be set up, so accommodating everyone wasn't an issue.

Amidst all this lively celebration, however, there were also some unexpected arrivals.

Along with several young masters and house servants from the city who had come to offer congratulations, an elderly gentleman with a white mustache also arrived. Dressed in a silk gown, he appeared quite robust. He was accompanied by several fierce-looking disciples on horseback, while he himself rode in a palanquin carried by two men. Another horse-drawn cart followed, laden with wine and congratulatory gifts. They reached the entrance of the village and stopped. The old man surveyed the surroundings, a look of deep reflection on his face.

A disciple beside him, who looked to be in his fifties or sixties, remarked, "This little village doesn't look like much. How could it have produced two generals?"

"It must be the good feng shui of their ancestral graves!"

The old man, hearing this, shot him a look and snorted coldly. "Of all things to believe, you choose to believe that nonsense from the Haishou Path?"

"What feng shui? We've never believed in such things."

"Do you really think two generals emerging from this small village is just a matter of good feng shui and coincidence?"

"Don't be fooled. This village may be small, but there must be a capable expert from the Shousui Path here. It's only by their guidance and training that those two could have distinguished themselves under the food-protection general. I've already inquired; this capable person's surname is likely Zhou. You are to treat him as an elder."

"When you meet him later, you must not be impolite. Whether you brothers can secure good prospects for yourselves under the food-protection general will depend on the standing we elders have in the jianghu."

The disciples all eagerly agreed and then prepared to enter the village to pay their respects.

However, at the entrance to Dayang Village, lines of people—some in military attire, others in official robes—were crowded together.

The villagers responsible for welcoming guests and recording names were capable individuals handpicked from the surrounding villages. Although they were reasonably articulate and some could even read a few characters, they hadn't experienced many grand occasions, so things were somewhat disorganized.

They waited there for quite some time, but no one came forward to receive them. One of the disciples scanned the crowd and spotted a sturdy-looking old man in a black cotton shirt.

Noticing that many people around were greeting this old man, the disciple assumed he was someone of importance in the village. So, he called out, "Old fellow, come over and receive our party."

"This is our master, Old Master Peng Tie Shoupeng from Mingzhou Prefecture. He has come to observe the ceremony."

The old man who was called over hurriedly put on a smile. "Coming, coming! Oh my, this is..."

As he bustled forward to offer his respects, he looked up and saw the white-bearded old man on the two-man palanquin. His expression instantly froze.

He stood as if struck by lightning. After a long moment, he asked tentatively, "Master Peng... is that you?"

The white-bearded old man had been waiting for quite some time without even a sip of tea and was feeling parched. Hearing the sudden question, he frowned slightly. He looked at the man before him, who clearly appeared to be an ordinary old craftsman from the village, and gave a faint smile. "And you recognize me?"

"Forgive my failing eyesight..."

"I..." Hearing the affirmative, the old craftsman's eyes suddenly welled with emotion, and his voice trembled. "Master Peng, it's me..."

"I'm Zhou Huai..."

"When I was young, I followed you for eight years, hoping to learn your skills..."

"Zhou Huai?" At first, Tie Shoupeng showed no recognition at the name. But gradually, a flicker of memory seemed to surface.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted. He straightened up, his voice filled with surprise. "It's you? Zhou Laoer?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I..." The Second Master looked dejected. He tried to force a smile several times, but failed. Finally, with a bitter smile, he said, "I... I'm originally from this village. You... Sigh, regardless, I did call you Master when I was young. Please... please come inside!"

Saying this, he stepped aside, his gait appearing somewhat unsteady.

A hand suddenly reached out to steady him. A voice asked with a smile, "Second Master, who is this?"

"It's... it's Master Peng." The Second Master looked up, seeming to deflate like a pricked balloon. He said in a low voice, "That set of moves you learned, it was passed down by him."

"Hmm?" The person supporting the Second Master was none other than Hu Ma, who had been roped into helping with the guest register. He had just noticed the Second Master's strange demeanor and hurried over. He heard the name 'Master Peng' but had no particular impression of it.

But when the Second Master mentioned the 'moves', understanding instantly dawned on Hu Ma. He finally knew why his master had reacted so strongly upon seeing this man.

The Second Master had learned that set of moves in his youth. He had followed a master for seven or eight years back then, but had only managed to learn that little.

It couldn't be helped; the man simply refused to teach him anything substantial.

The Second Master had yearned to learn a true skill, even dedicating a significant part of his life to it, yet he had never been properly initiated into any Path—and it was all because of this very man.

Hu Ma's expression darkened slightly as he raised his eyes to scrutinize Tie Shoupeng.

Tie Shoupeng, upon recognizing the Second Master, also showed a distinct look of awkwardness. They were already at the village entrance, so there was no turning back. Yet, this unexpected reunion clearly put his party in an uncomfortable position, especially with the young man—Hu Ma—glaring at him so unfriendlily.

"Don't cause any trouble." Just as Hu Ma was sizing Tie Shoupeng up, the Second Master suddenly tugged at his sleeve and urged, "Aren't you going to invite our guests in?"

Hu Ma paused for a long moment before finally nodding. He forced a smile. "You're right. Please, come in!"

The village had its customs: on such a joyous occasion, even a beggar appearing at the door would not be driven away, and all past grievances were to be temporarily set aside.

It was common for longstanding enemies between villages to take advantage of such festivities to bury the hatchet with a smile and a drink.

Of course, Hu Ma knew that some things could never truly be dissolved.

Meeting Hu Ma's smile, Tie Shoupeng found he couldn't quite read the young man. He looked young, so Tie Shoupeng assumed his skills were probably mediocre. Hearing the Second Master mention that this 'boy' had also learned his set of moves, a myriad of thoughts instantly flashed through Tie Shoupeng's mind.

Slowly, he raised a hand, alighted from the palanquin, and began to walk inside. As he did, he asked, "Laoer, those two commanders in the Food Protection Army, Liang and Zhu, were they also taught by you?"

Hu Ma interjected with a smile, "Those two are my junior martial brothers. The Second Master is our master."

Tie Shoupeng's eyes flickered, his thoughts unreadable. He paid no heed to Hu Ma's words, instead turning his gaze abruptly to the Second Master. "After you returned to the village back then, you didn't learn skills from anyone else, did you?"

The Second Master shook his head slightly and sighed softly. "Who else would have taught me?"

Tie Shoupeng stroked his white beard, a faint, contemplative smile on his lips. "That's good. Let's go inside then!"