Bai Feiyao’s words seemed like an apology, but there wasn’t a trace of apologetic bearing to them—he didn’t even dismount, as if he were simply mentioning in passing to his host that he’d arrived late.

Everyone present, whether they knew Bai Feiyao personally or not, at the very least knew of the Bai family, since they’d made it to Liuxian Island at all!

The Bai family had always held second place on Liuxian Island, but over the past decade or so, they had shown a marked tendency to overtake the Gu family.

For one thing, the Gu family had always had only a single heir per generation, their numbers thin, while the Bai family flourished—though Bai Feiyao was the only son of his generation, he had no shortage of uncles, each of whom had established their own branch households, expanding the Bai family’s influence.

For another, the Gu family, in Gu Jun’s generation, had no successor at all, while Bai Feiyao was a young man of extraordinary talent—rumor had it that his vine arts had already far surpassed even the Bai family patriarch. The Bai family was simply waiting for the year-end ranking tournament for rising talents, intending not only to seize the title of Liuxian Island’s foremost family, but also to have Bai Feiyao formally succeed as family patriarch!

Even the two Qinse elders had long heard of this young master’s reputation.

The two elders of Qinse Valley were no pushovers. Faced with such disrespect from a junior, if they reacted immediately, it would make them seem lacking in magnanimity—but the annals of the Qu family’s zither gatherings could not tolerate such an insult going unanswered.

If this young upstart wanted to act arrogant, then they would just have to see exactly how much he had to back it up.

“So this is the Bai family’s young master. Ha, arriving late—there was no need to rush straight up onto the zither platform like that,” Elder Qin said with an easy laugh, then added, “Lige, young master Bai missed the opening of the gathering—why don’t you play a piece for him, to help settle his nerves and ease his tension.”

“Yes.” Xuanyuan Lige nodded, not even sparing Bai Feiyao a glance, and lightly plucked the strings.

It was only then that everyone, having fully recovered their senses, noticed something strange about Xuanyuan Lige—his fingers moved gently across the strings, yet no sound could be heard at all!

And yet, though no music could be heard, everyone was struck by it all the same!

This man possessed such mastery over sound that, in this vast, open square, only one person could hear his music!

Bai Feiyao’s expression at that moment made clear he was hearing it—and being affected by it. But just as everyone fixed their eyes on his reaction, unexpectedly, the horse beneath him suddenly reared its front legs and threw him off without warning!

Bai Feiyao himself clearly hadn’t anticipated that the music would strike his horse first. He tumbled and landed on his feet, stumbling a few steps before steadying himself.

Suddenly, Xuanyuan Lige’s hand moved swiftly—yet in that same instant, without anyone seeing Bai Feiyao make a move, two vines suddenly burst from the ground on either side of the Bloodstring zither, climbing up and wrapping around it with lightning speed. No sooner had they been seen wrapping around it than, in the blink of an eye, they had spread wildly across every string!

The ancient, mysterious zither was instantly swallowed in green!

In that instant, Xuanyuan Lige’s hands stilled, unable to play. The frenzied vines, as wild and unrestrained as their master, immediately climbed up Xuanyuan Lige’s arms, and the moment they touched flesh, two tendrils began burrowing into his skin.

This entire process took only an instant—too fast for the eye to follow clearly.

Only then did everyone recover enough to cry out in astonishment: “Vine arts!”

Jiang Chen’s face lit up with delight, while Gu Suying’s brow furrowed slightly, her expression grave, deep in some unspoken thought.

Ziqing marveled inwardly—Bai Feiyao truly lived up to his reputation. If the Bloodstring’s strings hadn’t been so resilient, the zither would likely have been destroyed already!

Still, she had no idea how long the Bloodstring could withstand this. She didn’t even notice her own worry, unsure whether it was reluctance to see the zither damaged, or an unwillingness to see that music-obsessed man harmed for the sake of his instrument—for a moment she’d entirely forgotten that this man was, in fact, her master!

Without realizing it, she found her fingers twitching slightly, readying herself to act.

But who could have known—just as Xuanyuan Lige’s hands were completely bound by the vines, suddenly, “Clang,” the Bloodstring let out an unexpected, muffled groan, and in an instant every vine on the zither shattered into fragments, flung into the air!

The two tendrils that had already burrowed into Xuanyuan Lige’s flesh instantly withered and died, as if struck by some deadly poison, shriveling into black!

After that muffled “clang,” flowing music began to pour from the Bloodstring like rippling water. Bai Feiyao instinctively stepped back, only now noticing that Xuanyuan Lige’s fingers had never stopped moving!

This fellow had been playing using wind blades!

He ought to be grateful—grateful that this zither wasn’t the Wuzheng, for wind blades could only produce sound on it, not the amplified destructive force of true wind blades. Otherwise, with Xuanyuan Lige’s fingering technique, he would have met his end without even a body left to bury!

This man, though not from Liuxian Island, not of the Qu family, was clearly not someone to be trifled with!

Bai Feiyao, being a man who knew when to yield, hurried to cup his hands in a bow before the music could ensnare him further. “Young master Xuanyuan’s talent is remarkable—this one admits he falls short, truly falls short!”

Though not quite an apology, his tone was sincerely earnest, representing a concession to the Qu family.

Xuanyuan Lige still didn’t spare him so much as a glance, continuing to play. A flash of resentment crossed Bai Feiyao’s eyes, his brow furrowing—the music had already begun to disturb his mind.

That someone so young as Bai Feiyao could possess such ability was, one had to admit, a great fortune for Liuxian Island. Elder Qin, who had always valued talent, couldn’t help but say, “Lige, when making friends through music, know when to stop.”

“Yes.” Xuanyuan Lige said flatly, gently pressing down on the strings to still them, and withdrew his hands.

Though not a formal duel, it had been a public contest all the same! Yet, surprisingly, Bai Feiyao showed neither anger nor shame at having lost. Without even looking at Elder Qin, he instead bowed generously to Xuanyuan Lige and said with a smile, “Young master Xuanyuan, when there’s opportunity in the future, let’s have a proper match sometime!”

Seeing this, Elder Se immediately said in a low, displeased voice, “Elder Qin, this child’s talent is impressive, but he’s far too disrespectful.”

“Young and full of spirit—weren’t you and I the same in our day? A lesson taught is enough,” Elder Qin said, taking his side without much concern.

But if Bai Feiyao’s arrogance, his wildness, was the loud, showy kind—

then Xuanyuan Lige’s arrogance was undoubtedly the quiet kind, the understated kind. He simply let Bai Feiyao’s words pass by like wind past his ears, not sparing him so much as a single glance even now, out of pure disregard. He gathered up his zither, rose, nodded to the two elders, and retreated to a seat below the head table.

Left standing alone on the zither platform, Bai Feiyao was immediately thrown into an awkward position.

“Hmph, that Xuanyuan Lige looks so refined, yet he doesn’t know the first thing about manners,” Gu Suying couldn’t help muttering.

Ziqing’s quiet little face couldn’t quite suppress a hint of amusement—she almost hoped Bai Feiyao would keep clashing with Xuanyuan Lige, so the man wouldn’t have time to come bother her at this gathering.

Such a heavy blow to Bai Feiyao’s pride had been dealt by Xuanyuan Lige, yet no one present dared to step in and smooth things over for him. Elder Se watched coldly, while Elder Qin seemed rather curious to see how the young man would extricate himself.

However good the relationship between the Qu and Gu families, one had to admit the Gu family lacked an heir. The Qu family, though they stayed out of worldly contention, still cared about the rise, fall, and order of Liuxian Island.

If necessary, why not let someone else sit in the top seat of Liuxian Island?

Bai Feiyao, this uncut jade—if polished for a few more years, perhaps by the time he took that seat, Liuxian Island would see a new era of development!

The arena fell silent. Bai Feiyao pursed his lips, then generously raised an arrogant, mocking smile and said, “Elder Qin, it’s rare that Liuxian Island has such an opportunity for everyone to gather together. I propose—young master Xuanyuan plays the zither, while the young masters of each family perform a sword dance, as a gesture from Liuxian Island thanking our friends who’ve traveled far from the Longyuan continent! What do you say?”

At these words, Patriarch Gu’s face instantly went pale. This wretched brat Bai Feiyao had indeed come to stir up trouble, openly bullying him in front of everyone!

Young masters of each family? Was the Gu family, first among Liuxian Island’s clans, meant to publicly admit it had no heir?