“Whose disciple are you? Have you taken a master?” the Zither Immortal asked.

“I am just an orphaned girl, temporarily studying at Blue Cliff Academy,” He Qing Qing answered.

“That you could learn this piece is your fortunate destiny,” the Zither Immortal asked again. “What do you think the piece depicts?”

“This piece has myriad scenes, ever-changing. My level is shallow; I dare not speak carelessly,” He Qing Qing said softly.

Everyone in the pavilion was a master of the zither way; it wasn’t her place to evaluate the piece.

Immortal Lady Wang Shu couldn’t help but feel nervous. This process was too familiar—first asking about one’s background, then testing one’s attainments.

She looked toward the bamboo building where Miao Yan was, only to find no one at the railing.

Where had Miao Yan gone?

“It’s all right, just say what’s on your mind,” the Zither Immortal smiled.

He Qing Qing: “I only feel that it tells the story of a person. He struggled his entire life, yet his fate was full of hardships…”

“Hmm. What else?”

Encouraged by that gentle smile, He Qing Qing boldly continued:

“The night is long, but glory is brief. Unfulfilled wishes, and unachieved ambitions, ultimately left with no place for burial. A hero thus far, why be a hero? Better to be an ordinary person! I—”

Her voice suddenly rose, trembling slightly. “I feel it’s not worth it for him!”

Several people in the pavilion were stunned.

The crowd by the pool who heard this were shocked.

Discussions and praises all stopped at once; everyone stared at He Qing Qing.

The Zither Immortal wasn’t surprised and sighed lightly:

“If this world had no heroes, it would be too lonely.”

He raised his head. The bright moon was clear and silent, its light carrying a chill, silver radiance like falling snow:

“This piece has three days and nights of wind and snow. Let’s call it ‘Wind and Snow Entering Battle,’ shall we?”

Immortal Lady Wang Shu forced a smile: “The name you’ve given is excellent, very fitting.”

She looked at He Qing Qing, her gaze slightly cold.

This young girl was about to soar to great heights with “Wind and Snow Entering Battle,” and she had no power to stop or change it.

Immortal Lady Jiang Yun also looked at He Qing Qing, her gaze containing scrutiny, yet she remained silent as if waiting for something.

The Zither Immortal continued: “Among the younger generation of music cultivators today, Miao Yan has the deepest attainment, truly inheriting Divine Sound Gate’s tradition. If you had entered my sect some years earlier, you might not be inferior to her now…”

Immortal Lady Wang Shu’s face suddenly paled.

If these words of her master spread, Miao Yan’s hard-earned reputation would be damaged.

He Qing Qing’s heart began to beat violently, her chest rising and falling.

She could even hear her own slightly rapid, nervous breathing.

Not necessarily inferior to Miao Yan?

Before tonight, she wasn’t even qualified to play Miao Yan’s pieces. Could it be that after tonight, she could be compared to that heavenly immortal?

However, the Zither Immortal shifted his tone:

“Unfortunately, there is hatred in your heart; you cannot complete this piece. Having endured wind and snow, one might have regrets toward people, but not toward heaven and earth. What this piece depicts is a true hero; at the end of the piece, he must return to nature, return to heaven and earth as one, with neither love nor hatred. You should not hate, what a pity.”

He said “what a pity” twice, as if lamenting that a fine piece of jade had a flaw.

He Qing Qing was startled.

Her heart, which had almost leaped out of her chest, suddenly tightened.

Hugging her zither, her fingertips pressed so hard they lost color, her ten fingers aching to the core:

“I should not hate?”

“Not only should you not, but you cannot,” the Zither Immortal said calmly. “If you want to learn my zither, you should cast aside all resentment and hatred. Are you willing?”

A cold wind blew her skirt; He Qing Qing felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

Looking at the pavilion again, that person’s smile remained. It wasn’t gentle after all, just indifferent.

Being able to deduce the composer’s intentions from the zither sound, he could naturally also hear the player’s experiences.

As the player, though her face was veiled, she had already been seen through.

Every scar on her face, every wound on her body, was seen by that person’s indifferent gaze.

She felt extremely awkward, feeling as if the green stone beneath her feet suddenly split open, her entire body sinking into the deep pool.

“I…” she opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound, as if cold pool water had covered her mouth and nose, making it hard to breathe.

She knew she should say she was willing. Just answering this one sentence would rewrite her fate; she would no longer have to endure others’ bullying.

Several people in the pavilion were equally stunned, not knowing why this little girl hesitated.

Such an immense opportunity—what was she still hesitating about?

Could it be that she was too dull-witted to guess the Zither Immortal’s identity?

From the poolside to the hillside, countless listeners were even more nervous than He Qing Qing.

Tonight they would witness the rise of a genius; how could they not be excited?

She would surely cast aside all past suffering and be completely reborn.

The Zither Immortal patiently asked a second time: “Are you willing?”

He Qing Qing turned her head, looking toward a certain place.

At some point, Song Qian Ji had already left.

Among the surging crowd, countless familiar or unfamiliar faces, none was the face she wanted to see.

Those classmates who had become kind and friendly were even cheering for her as if many things had never happened.

Was this kind of fate-changing truly what she wanted?

“I have never harmed anyone, never done evil, never asked for justice or heaven’s principle… why can’t I even hate? I am not an immortal,” He Qing Qing said word by word. “The hatred in my heart is hard to dispel!”

She was used to lowering her head and speaking softly; her voice had never been so high and sharp.

“How dare you!” Wang Shu shouted angrily: “The Zither Immortal is present, how dare you be disrespectful?!”

Though many had guessed it, when this title was spoken, it still shook everyone’s spirit.

One of the strongest in the world—who wouldn’t revere him?

“I dare not be disrespectful, I just want to ask, what have I done wrong?” He Qing Qing trembled all over, like a leaf in the wind. “Can you tell me?”

The Zither Immortal still smiled indifferently, not angered at all, because these things weren’t worth his anger.

He said calmly: “The great Dao leads to heaven; heaven’s will does not judge right or wrong.”

He Qing Qing began to laugh.

So that’s how it was.

So this was the principle of immortals.

“I am not willing,” she said softly.

After speaking, she hugged her zither and bowed, with perfect etiquette.

Turning around, she moved away from the pavilion in the pool.

She raised her hand, letting the veil flutter off, revealing her true face.

—A face crisscrossed with scars, horrifyingly disfigured, features barely distinguishable!

The crowd burst into commotion, gasps rising continuously.

He Qing Qing’s expression remained unchanged as she raised her face to the moonlight.

She didn’t shed a single tear; she would never cry again.

The crowd automatically made way for her to pass.

People’s expressions were complex—some frightened by her appearance, some confused and puzzled, some regretful, pained, and sympathetic, and even some gloating over her misfortune.

Someone had refused the Zither Immortal. She was either a fool or mad.

“Senior Brother Wen Shu!” a shout rang out from the cliff by the pool.

With a rumbling sound, Zi Ye Wen Shu dressed all in black, leaped directly down from the cliff, landing by the pool.

Shattered stones fell, dust rising all around.

The students of Blue Cliff Academy were slightly stunned, then hurriedly bowed to the Academy Supervisor.

“Congratulations to Supervisor Senior Brother on his breakthrough,” they all congratulated.

Such a young Yuan Ying realm cultivator—who wouldn’t admire and envy him?

From now on, among the younger generation, no one could compete with Zi Ye Wen Shu anymore.

Under the gaze of thousands, Zi Ye Wen Shu remained silent and walked directly toward He Qing Qing.

The black-clothed young man, like a deity statue, stood in front of the white-dressed young woman with her ruined face.

“Thank you for playing this piece tonight; because of it, I broke through my shackles.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu’s voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard it.

“You’re welcome,” He Qing Qing said.

“I owe you a favor that I must repay.”

He Qing Qing said two more words: “No need.”

The Blue Cliff students watched in shock, feeling that the scene before them was extremely unreal.

There had never been a time when Zi Ye Wen Shu talked more and others talked less.

“Come back to Blue Cliff Academy with me. From now on, I will protect you completely and support your cultivation,” Zi Ye Wen Shu extended his hand.

He didn’t need to say more; he had always kept his word.

Others, beyond their shock, envied He Qing Qing’s good fortune, which had taken a surprising turn.

To have such a figure owed her a favor, bowing his head, even if she didn’t become the Zither Immortal’s disciple, as long as she returned to Blue Cliff Academy, she would still get whatever she wanted.

Not to mention how many female students who admired the Supervisor would pinch their palms in pain, tear their handkerchiefs to pieces, and turn red with jealousy.

He Qing Qing said: “You saved my life; I helped you break through. I, He Qing Qing, and you, Zi Ye Wen Shu, are now even, with no further connection.”

“Excuse me,” He Qing Qing passed by the black-clothed young man without looking at him again.

She wasn’t “that little girl brought back by Zi Ye Wen Shu” in others’ mouths.

She had a name; she was He Qing Qing.

Zi Ye Wen Shu still had his hand extended, his expression bewildered, as if confused.

This time, not just the Blue Cliff students but everyone was stirred by huge waves in their hearts.

Refusing both the Zither Immortal and Zi Ye Wen Shu, refusing the strongest elder and the most outstanding genius in the cultivation world.

Slapping two faces in one evening—what exactly did she want to do?

In the world, there was such an extremely arrogant cultivator who didn’t know her limits.

Where else could she stay, would dare to keep her?

He Qing Qing didn’t know and didn’t care what others thought; at that moment, she only wanted to go to Song Academy to say goodbye to that person.

In this world, humans and ghosts were hard to distinguish; the moonlight was bone-chillingly cold.

The path ahead was vast and hazy, whether life or death, from now on she would have to walk alone.

“Wait!” From the pavilion in the center of the pool came a shout.

Compared to Wang Shu’s young voice, this female voice was already aged.

“Jiang Yun, have you thought it through?” the Zither Immortal suddenly spoke.

Immortal Lady Jiang Yun’s eyes revealed sorrow: “Master, I don’t have much time left.”

The Zither Immortal didn’t say much, just nodded faintly: “Fine. It’s up to you.”

Immortal Lady Jiang Yun stepped forward, walking to He Qing Qing:

“My name is Jiang Yun, and my life zither is ‘Nine Heavens Jade Pendants.’ I am the peak master of Lotus Flower Peak of Divine Sound Gate, with thirty-six disciples under me, but I have not yet taken a direct disciple. Would you like to be my disciple?”

Her face was aged, with three thousand white hairs, her gaze stern. But such a powerful figure was introducing herself.

He Qing Qing looked at her and said in a daze: “I have hatred in my heart.”

“I don’t care about those things. If you want to hate, then hate; if you want to love, then love!” Jiang Yun grabbed her hand. “If you learn my skills, whoever treats you well, you go and repay them; whoever bullies you, you go and take revenge!”

He Qing Qing’s entire body trembled.

“Are you willing?” Jiang Yun asked urgently.

He Qing Qing nodded, her eyes slightly red, choking as she said: “Master.”

“Good disciple.” Jiang Yun smiled, her wrinkles smoothing out. She said “good” three times. “From now on, the young disciples of Divine Sound Gate will have a senior sister!”

***

The bright moon traveled through the clouds, illuminating the rugged mountain path.

Song Qian Ji opened the wine jar, and a rich fruit fragrance dispersed with the night wind.

The formation master truly didn’t deceive me; such a fragrant wine.

Let me drink a sip first.

One sip, two sips, three, four sips—Song Qian Ji tilted his head back, gurgling down nearly half the jar.

It entered smoothly and had a sweet aftertaste.

It didn’t seem like wine at all, more like rich fruit juice.

When he walked into the mountain pavilion, he suddenly felt the world spinning, and patted a pillar:

“This pavilion is too, too shaky.”

The night breeze was slightly cool; Song Qian Ji squinted his eyes.

There were already people in the pavilion, one sitting and one standing, seemingly an old grandfather with his granddaughter out enjoying the cool air.

The young girl wore a yellow dress, her gaze bright and lively like a fledgling bird leaving the nest.

The old man leaned against the chair back, his face sickly.

“Excuse me, I’ll just enjoy the breeze and then leave,” Song Qian Ji greeted them.

The yellow-dressed girl turned to look at him, surprised: “You can see us?”

Master’s concealment illusion formation should confuse the mind.

In this person’s eyes, this place should appear empty.

Song Qian Ji thought this was a strange question. Two living people—who wouldn’t see them?

I only drank a little bit of wine; I’m not blind.

The young girl used her gaze to ask the old man how to deal with this person, but the old man remained unmoved.

So the young girl didn’t ask further.

She knew her master wasn’t in a good mood today.

When news spread that the Calligraphy Saint had designated the champion of the calligraphy and painting trial, her master was full of joy and sent people to investigate that Ji Chen’s background thoroughly, only to discover they had been deceived.

The Calligraphy Saint making such a commotion, setting up false appearances—was it pure boredom, a habitual deception;

Or had he already found a suitable disciple and was concealing the true target?

If it was the latter, who was that person? Where were they now?

She couldn’t tell, and fearing her master would become depressed and his illness would worsen, she invited him to Star-Plucking Terrace to appreciate the stars.

Hua Wei Sect’s Star-Plucking Terrace was at a very high elevation; through the night mist, one could see the entire panorama of Wind Smoke Valley.

Including the chess trial finals, Li Er Gou versus Zhao Lin.

Li Er Gou’s chess style was taught by Wei Ping, and he already had some skills.

It was like watching Wei Ping. Wei Ping had not yet taken the Calligraphy Saint as his master; hopefully, her master would feel better after watching.

This match would determine the champion of the chess trial.

The two were evenly matched, fighting a difficult battle, and even by nightfall, they hadn’t determined a winner.

Song Qian Ji followed their gaze, saw people playing chess in the valley, and silently observed the board.

The three people in the pavilion all watched the chess silently, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Until Song Qian Ji called out: “The white piece is wrong!”

The young girl glared at him angrily: “Hey, drunkard!”

He ignored her, and when the black player placed a piece, he called out again:

“Ah, you’re wrong too.”

The young girl said coldly: “Do you understand the way of chess?”

Song Qian Ji gave a drunken hiccup and smiled:

“I understand it especially well!”