They would rather believe someone had heard the sea valley’s wave-sound and been inspired to compose from it, than accept that such an extraordinary coincidence could exist in this world!

Faced with Jun Beiyue’s question, Elder Qin clearly hesitated. “This… Prince Yao, this really isn’t something we can explain clearly.”

“Surely Qinse Valley’s historical records must document when this sea valley was first discovered, and when it was first developed?” Jun Beiyue probed further.

Elder Qin exchanged a glance with Elder Se, shaking his head helplessly. “Qinse Valley’s historical records… aren’t entirely complete, unfortunately.”

Just moments ago, they’d insisted with such certainty that Qinse Valley’s records made no mention of “Sorrow’s Parting” at all, proving it couldn’t have originated from Qinse Valley—yet now, they claimed the records were incomplete!

These two elders were clearly concealing something.

Once excuses began piling up like this, there was no point continuing the conversation further.

Ziqing gently stroked the Wuzheng, saying flatly, “Regardless of how this zither and this melody came to be, at the very least, they were my mother’s belongings, weren’t they?”

“Indeed! After more than twenty years, they’ve returned to your hands once more—that too must be fate,” Elder Qin remarked with emotion.

“I wonder… did my mother leave behind any other belongings?” Ziqing asked further. With so few clues about the isolated island, her mother might well hold the key.

Elder Qin shook his head repeatedly. “After Jue Mingzi passed away, everything of his was burned together, the ashes scattered into the sea along with his own!”

“Then did my mother ever say anything?” Ziqing asked again.

Elder Qin still shook his head, advising gently, “The dead have passed on, Consort. These matters concern Madam Ci’s youth—if she never told you herself, then perhaps we truly shouldn’t either… only…”

Elder Qin hesitated, reluctant to continue. Elder Se, helplessly, picked up where he’d left off, “Consort, we have…”

Yet Elder Se, too, found himself unable to continue.

“If the two of you have something to say, please, speak freely,” Ziqing said flatly, still unable to guess what these two elders were trying to accomplish by revealing so much to her.

Jun Beiyue glanced at Xuanyuan Lige, equally unable to guess.

Yet unexpectedly, Elder Qin sighed and finally said, “Consort, Qinse Valley… would like to invite you to stay, to formally join the Qu family as a disciple!”

They wanted to take her as a student!

So that was why Xuanyuan Lige had kept pressing her to play at the gathering!

He must have recommended her to them long ago!

Xuanyuan Lige was the one exception Jue Mingzi had accepted as a disciple from the Longyuan continent—Qinse Valley normally didn’t accept outside disciples at all. Not just the disciples, but even the two Qinse elders themselves, barring special circumstances like the grand Liuxian gathering, couldn’t easily leave Qinse Valley, let alone leave Liuxian Island entirely!

However interested she might be in Qinse Valley, she certainly wasn’t willing to trade away her personal freedom for it.

“The elders honor me too greatly. My talent is quite ordinary—how could I possibly be worthy of joining the Qu family? This junior is truly overwhelmed,” Ziqing said with a smile, politely declining.

Yet Elder Qin hastily said, “Consort, you’re far too modest. Inviting you to join the Qu family isn’t about taking you as a disciple in the ordinary sense, but rather… rather…”

Here, he hesitated once more!

Jun Beiyue’s patience had its limits, finally cutting in, “Elder Qin, why beat around the bush so much? Please, speak directly.”

Elder Qin sighed, then finally steeled himself and spoke plainly. “Consort, your musical mastery is exquisite, your talent extraordinary—likely unmatched in the entire musical world today. With proper, rigorous training, you would surely become one of the greatest masters the musical world has ever known. That is precisely why the two of us wish to invite you to join the Qu family, so that you might one day lead the Qu family to even greater heights in the art of music!”

Though phrased politely, Ziqing immediately understood the true meaning—she was, quite unexpectedly, flattered and stunned to realize these two elders intended to pass on the position of family head to her!

Though the position of Qu family patriarch wasn’t hereditary by tradition, this was still an extraordinary proposal!

It seemed the Qu family, much like the Gu family, faced its own struggles—even a century-old great clan couldn’t avoid the inevitable decline that came with time; outwardly glorious, yet inwardly facing an uncertain future.

Just as Jun Beiyue hesitated, Ziqing immediately declined. “The elders honor me too greatly. I have no genuine interest in devoting myself to the study of music, nor any ambition in that direction—I truly couldn’t bear such a heavy responsibility. Please, the two of you should seek someone else.”

Xuanyuan Lige’s musical skill far surpassed her own—why not seek him out instead?

“Consort, we’ve given this matter very careful consideration. Please… do consider it as well,” Elder Se said with a helpless smile.

“I truly have no interest…” Ziqing was about to decline further, but Jun Beiyue stopped her, feeling inwardly helpless.

This foolish girl, always so direct. The two elders had already spoken so earnestly, and here she was refusing outright—how could that not leave these two old men feeling awkward?

He pulled Ziqing closer, saying flatly, “The two elders’ kind offer is difficult to refuse outright, but given the gravity of this matter, please allow my wife and me some time to consider it carefully, shall we?”

The two Qinse elders immediately brightened with delight. “Of course you must consider it carefully—no rush, no rush at all!”

Ziqing glanced up at Jun Beiyue, her small mouth unconsciously pouting slightly, seemingly displeased, yet she obediently said nothing further.

Such a subtle expression didn’t escape Xuanyuan Lige’s notice at all. He remembered clearly—this girl’s obedient demeanor had once been entirely feigned, hadn’t it?

He’d thought he’d never see it again, yet here he was, once more witnessing her display this girlish, coquettish side—still, only in front of Jun Beiyue.

Ziqing—why would she refuse?

The world of the Longyuan continent was a place where people devoured one another. To remain here, in this world beyond the mundane, how much better would that be…

Ziqing had originally expected Baili Weisheng might cling to them further, but to her surprise, only Patriarch Gu and the other two waited at the main gate. After bidding farewell to the two Qinse elders, the group set off on their return journey to the Gu family estate.

“Does this matter really need consideration?” Ziqing asked earnestly.

Jun Beiyue lounged lazily against a tall pillow, handing her a letter.

Ziqing recognized at a glance that it was from Prince Baxian. Yet upon opening it, she was startled. “This…”

Western Jing and Western Chu, over Yelu Qianqian’s refusal to grant Chu Feiyan passage, had been at war ever since, still unresolved. The two nations’ military strength was evenly matched, resulting in mutual devastation—and now, both the King of Western Jing and the King of Western Chu had simultaneously sent letters to Da Zhou, requesting military assistance!

“Quite clever of you, providing the spark that ignited this great war between Western Jing and Western Chu. Now, how do you intend to clean up the mess?” Jun Beiyue said with a smile.

Ziqing’s original intent in scheming against Chu Feiyan had partly been to sow discord between the two nations, securing peace along Da Zhou’s western borders—yet she’d never anticipated this conflict would spiral so completely out of control!

Western Chu and Da Zhou did have a peace treaty in place, and once such a treaty was signed, the two nations became allies—when an ally requested assistance, how could one possibly refuse!

She had to admit, this presented quite an opportunity—a golden chance to make things difficult for Western Chu!

Yet, though Western Jing’s relationship with Da Zhou was merely ordinary, if they truly pushed Yelu Qianqian to her breaking point, wouldn’t that be rather unjust? That princess was the least scheming, most innocent soul on the entire Longyuan continent—should Western Jing suffer defeat, how much blame and scorn would fall upon her frail shoulders!

Jun Beiyue’s smile wasn’t mere teasing—he was needling her deliberately. Such a golden opportunity to make things difficult for Western Chu—how could this wolf of a man possibly let it slip by?

Just as Ziqing hesitated, Jun Beiyue suddenly said, “Qing’er, I’ve had people search throughout the entire Longyuan continent, throughout all the surrounding islands, for clues about the isolated island’s whereabouts. There are only three leads: the Bai family’s Fusang divine tree, Qinse Valley’s sea valley, and… Western Jing’s Mingsha Mountain.”

Ziqing was startled. This fellow… he knew this much already—his true purpose in coming to the gathering had been the isolated island all along!

Seeing Ziqing’s shocked expression, Jun Beiyue affectionately tapped her nose, smiling. “Given the current situation, Western Jing and Western Chu will likely remain locked in stalemate for another month or two. We’ll wait until the very end—when it comes to this war, this prince has decided to back Western Jing!”