The zither trial was located beneath the waterfall, beside the green stone pool.

Song Qian Ji and Ji Chen set out from Colorful Stone Creek to watch the zither trial, which required traversing nearly half of Hua Wei Sect.

Mountains and waters stretched far, and the mountain paths ran deep.

But the two were in good spirits, their steps light, and didn’t feel the distance.

Song Qian Ji was relaxed, as he always was when strolling and enjoying the scenery.

Ji Chen was relaxed because he had finally endured the calligraphy and painting trial, shed his burden, and felt unburdened.

Suddenly, they saw dust rolling on the opposite side as a team of stewards rushed toward them, holding elaborate ceremonial canopies, screens, and other ritual implements, charging straight ahead.

Song Qian Ji stepped to the side of the mountain path, making way for them to pass first.

Ji Chen, with his lively personality, directly stopped a steward at the end of the procession:

“May I ask, friend, are you heading to Colorful Stone Creek? What happened there? Why such hurry?”

The steward saw his low cultivation level and showed impatience, but his hand was slipped into a storage pouch.

Looking down at it, his expression immediately changed, and he smiled:

“Young Immortal Lord may not know, but the painting trial just ended, and the Calligraphy Saint is going to read the examination papers at Wenxing Tower by Colorful Stone Creek. It happened suddenly, and we just received orders from the Sect Master. It’s inappropriate to use flying magical tools in front of a sage, so we must rush by foot…”

Ji Chen understood.

The Calligraphy Saint had just left Flying Cloud Tower without prior notice, and the Hua Wei Sect’s leadership was quite alarmed.

Sect Master Xu Yun True Person couldn’t fathom the sage’s intentions, yet feared being disrespectful, so he urgently summoned all peak masters and elders to welcome him, while also mobilizing the ceremonial team for any needs that might arise.

“If Young Immortal Lord wishes to seek immortal fate, head to Colorful Stone Creek now. Perhaps it’s destined,” the steward cupped his hands, offered these auspicious words, and then hurried away.

Ji Chen remained stunned, staring blankly at Song Qian Ji:

“The Calligraphy Saint is coming to see in person? No way?”

Hua Wei Sect had originally invited ten renowned and respected calligraphy and painting masters from the cultivation world as examiners to evaluate the papers and determine rankings.

Ji Chen felt that being ranked last by them, while embarrassing, was acceptable. With an optimistic attitude, it would be like water off a duck’s back.

But if the Calligraphy Saint personally declared him hopeless, he would become the laughingstock of his clan, his life circumstances would surely plummet, and his sister would also be implicated by him.

The power to determine life and death with a word, to influence another’s destiny—this was the power of supreme cultivators.

Song Qian Ji initially didn’t understand Ji Chen’s worry.

For him, once he painted what was in his heart on paper, the matter was complete.

The potato flower bloomed in his heart. As for where the painting went or who evaluated it, he no longer cared.

But Ji Chen said: “What if the Calligraphy Saint sees my circle and thinks I was being perfunctory and disrespectful…”

Song Qian Ji suddenly understood and comforted him: “The venerable sage has a broad mind and profound learning. He probably won’t care.”

This was half-true and half-false.

He had no idea about the breadth of the other’s mind.

But based on his past life experience, a Transformation Realm powerhouse would not bother with the trivial matters of a Foundation Establishment small fry.

You’re not the world savior Wei Zhen Yu.

Ji Chen kicked away a stone by the roadside and said with frustration: “Had I known this, I truly shouldn’t have drawn just one circle!”

Song Qian Ji asked curiously: “What else could you have drawn?”

“At least five circles, four more than that one! Fill the entire paper, make it lively and complete! Circles upon circles!”

Ji Chen kicked the stone back, finding humor in his misery.

Song Qian Ji laughed: “Among thousands of examination papers, ours won’t necessarily be the ones shown. The calligraphy and paintings personally reviewed by the Calligraphy Saint must have been selected by the examiners.”

Ji Chen’s eyes brightened: “That makes sense. They wouldn’t dare present inferior works, fearing they might offend the sage’s eyes. We two earned our last place by true skill, no need to worry. Thank you for the enlightenment, Brother Song!”

But Song Qian Ji thought that in his previous life, the Calligraphy Saint had never appeared at the Dengwen Elegant Gathering.

When he first heard this news, he speculated it might be the world-savior showing his traces at Hua Wei Sect.

But just now at Colorful Stone Creek, he had secretly observed the entire scene and hadn’t seen any suspicious cultivators.

Song Qian Ji asked Ji Chen: “Among those participating in today’s calligraphy and painting trial, was there anyone surnamed Wei?”

Ji Chen smiled: “You mean Wei Zhan Yang, who inscribed on the stone wall alongside Zhao Jie?”

“No, not him.”

Wei Zhen Yu kept a low profile in his early years and wasn’t well-known.

Ji Chen scratched his head: “Wei is a common surname in the cultivation world. Is the person you’re looking for from the Wei family in Queshe County or the Wei family in Sanqing County?”

“Neither. That person should be born of ordinary people, not from a prestigious family, perhaps even a wandering cultivator.” Song Qian Ji thought for a moment. “Did you encounter any Wei disciples today with low cultivation who seemed unremarkable?”

Ji Chen shook his head: “Unremarkable and daring to use the surname Wei? Low-level cultivators in the cultivation world prefer to avoid trouble. Changing surnames is more convenient to avoid sharing names and offending others.”

Song Qian Ji felt slightly disappointed—perhaps there was no chance to meet this time.

The Calligraphy Saint probably had no connection with the Hua Wei Sect.

If Wei Zhen Yu wasn’t here, why would he come?

“Is this matter important?” Ji Chen suggested, “I can pay someone to help search. Where there’s a reward, there are brave men!”

Song Qian Ji hastily declined: “Just asking casually, no need to trouble anyone. Let’s go listen to the zither.”

Pine and cypress trees flourished, and clouds and mist drifted.

“Wind Smoke Valley is just ahead. Shall we take a look at the chess trial as well? Since we’ve come this far…” Ji Chen uttered the most terrifying eight-character true saying for outings: “Since we’re already here, it would be a waste not to look.”

“That works.” Song Qian Ji nodded.

The valley terrain was low and concave, so observers could only stand on platforms halfway up the mountainside, looking down.

Ji Chen asked: “Brother Song, do you play chess? Have you played before?”

“Once,” Song Qian Ji thought for a moment: “I suppose I know a little.”

Chess consumed time; in his previous life, he hadn’t had such leisure.

But once, when he entered an ancient master’s tomb to obtain an ancient zither score for Miao Yan, he was inadvertently trapped in a chess formation.

Unable to solve the endgame, he couldn’t exit.

Song Qian Ji could only search through all the chess manuals in the tomb, learning as he played, and applying knowledge on the spot.

Thirteen days later, he broke through the formation, having lost nearly half his life.

According to the time flow inside the tomb, breaking this chess formation took him a full thirteen years.

Thirteen years of continuous focus on a single task without a moment’s rest would drive even immortals mad.

That was Song Qian Ji’s first time playing chess, and also his last.

Ji Chen thought Song Qian Ji’s claim to “know a little” meant he had just started learning the rules and mastered a few opening moves, but couldn’t yet play a full game.

He immediately felt like he’d found a kindred spirit and excitedly chimed in:

“I played twice when I was young, once more than you!”

Small fry should sympathize with each other, propping each other up from the bottom.

***

The waterfall hung like a white silk ribbon between mountains, flowing straight down into the green stone pool.

Water surged in the pool, and mist permeated the air, reflecting sunlight to display a colorful rainbow bridge.

Not far from the pool, three or four small bamboo buildings were connected.

The music cultivators participating in the zither trial sat inside the buildings waiting for their turn. Seventy percent were disciples of the Divine Sound Gate, while disciples from other sects accounted for only thirty percent.

They drank tea and chatted while listening to the zither sounds coming from beside the pool.

Not every participant had the chance to play a complete piece.

Some with insufficient zither skill hadn’t played even half a song before an examiner in the pavilion threw a stone into the pool.

The sound of the stone hitting the water was like a command to stop, and the participant interrupted and had to take their zither and exit.

Clean, clear sunlight filled the small buildings.

Young female cultivators gathered in groups of three or four, dressed in bright, splendid clothes, radiant.

In a corner untouched by light, one person sat alone.

Several meticulously dressed female cultivators passed by and were quite surprised to see her.

“Isn’t that He…” They blurted out a surname, then immediately stopped, as if unwilling to call her junior sister.

They just stood far away, pointing at the corner and whispering:

“How did she come too?”

“Well, anyone who registered can come.”

“What number is she?”

“I heard she’s the last one to perform.”

“No way, the finale?!”

Someone with inside knowledge smiled strangely: “Her performance order was switched. The finale was supposed to be Immortal Lady Meng Zhi.”

“You mean the currently rising star known as ‘Little Miao Yan,’ Immortal Lady Meng Zhi?”

“Exactly! After Immortal Lady Meng Zhi finishes, it’s her turn.”

“Then what’s the point of her playing? Better to go home now than to play just two notes before being dismissed.”

Another person said: “Not only that, I also heard that after the competition, Immortal Lady Miao Yan will also play a piece.”

Everyone’s gaze toward He Qing Qing immediately changed, from mockery and ridicule to implicit sympathy.

In the past, there had been cultivators who came to the Dengwen Elegant Gathering seeking immortal cultivation opportunities, only to be crushed, their dao hearts shattered.

Playing the zither between Immortal Lady Meng Zhi and Immortal Lady Miao Yan?

What a joke.

“I wonder who she offended to have her order switched.”

“Perhaps no one.”

The crowd thought about it and agreed more with this explanation: “That’s it.”

Perhaps one of Immortal Lady Meng Zhi’s pursuers casually pulled someone to serve as a backdrop for her, just happening to pick this soft persimmon.

—Immortal Lady Meng Zhi would refuse to play consecutively with Immortal Lady Miao Yan. Who would willingly serve as someone else’s accompaniment?

Or maybe those female cultivators from Blue Cliff Academy who didn’t quite like He Qing Qing.

—Ever since she was rescued from the demon cave by the Academy Supervisor, the label of “the girl brought back by Midnight Manjusri” had stuck to her.

This made many female cultivators subtly uncomfortable. The heavenly deity should not have any connection with mortals from the mire.

He Qing Qing didn’t need to offend anyone to be scheduled last.

Because she was the easiest to bully and never fought back.

He Qing Qing seemed not to hear those words.

She just hugged her zither, sitting in the deep shadow of the corner.

Her back was as straight as a pine tree, unmoved by wind and rain.

As people came and went around her, amid the swirl of rumors, her fingers moved slightly within her sleeves, still practicing playing in her mind.

Suddenly her fingertips stopped and clenched tightly.

“I heard her zither was smashed. How does she now have a Green Ripple Platform? Where did she get the spirit stones to buy such an expensive zither!”

“Who knows? Has anyone lost a zither recently? Perhaps a Green Ripple Platform was stolen?”

He Qing Qing looked up at them, silently memorizing their faces.