The Spirit-Capital Sect might not compare to the Bingxuan Sect or the Nine-Hua Alliance, but it was still the largest sect in the Liujin region. To be so blatantly humiliated by Wu Han naturally infuriated Luo Jinheng, his face darkening on the spot. And at that moment, the sound of a zither began.
The zither melody was melodious and pleasing to the ear. As it entered one's ears, it was like a gentle breeze arriving, or like soft sunlight sprinkling down, causing every pore on one's body to involuntarily open, enjoying the beautiful music, sinking into it, forgetting all troubles, with every shadow of gloom completely dissipating.
The zither music moved, its rhythm like a thought, inducing a spiritual resonance, as if one's soul had left its shell, soaring freely and unrestrained in the boundless sky—as carefree as could be. It was also like dreaming into the mortal world, drinking and chatting merrily, giving rise to amorous thoughts, reaching a climax.
Inside the tavern.
It was as if everyone had been captivated by the zither music. They were either standing, sitting, or drinking, their expressions without exception all intoxicated, unable to extricate themselves.
On the performance platform, the enchanting Liu Piaopiao danced with her zither, her delicate jade-like hands plucking the strings. On her bewitchingly beautiful face hung a coquettish, half-smiling expression. Her soul-stealing, captivating eyes gazed at the white-robed man sitting leaning against the wall on the western side.
The zither music reached its climax. A light breeze stirred within the tavern. On the performance platform, Liu Piaopiao's red robes fluttered, her three thousand crimson-red strands of hair dancing wildly. A few strands brushed past her exquisite nose, fluttering slightly at the corner of her mouth.
She gazed, just gazed like that.
What she played was mutual affection between lovers; what she danced was flying side by side; what she gazed upon was a loneliness like spring longing.
On the western side of the tavern, Gu Qingfeng still sat there leisurely as before, drinking his wine, listening to the little tune.
He naturally knew what this woman was trying to do.
He could also tell that this woman and Wei Qing belonged to the same kind of people, likely guardians arranged by that mysterious woman of Bing Xuan before her bloodline inheritance. Moreover, this woman also seemed to have a Soul Pearl on her.
Gu Qingfeng's purpose in coming to the mountain villa was not to snatch Soul Pearls. He only wanted to know about the people and matters related to the Soul Pearls.
All signs indicated that the mysterious woman of Bing Xuan seemed to have set up a grand chessboard.
Not only had she deceived the Heavenly Dao of the Old Heaven, she also seemed to have deceived Karma.
Of course, that wasn't important.
What was important was that Gu Qingfeng was now uncertain whether the chessboard Bing Xuan had set up had anything to do with him. In other words, whether there was so-called Karmic entanglement. If there was, then this matter would become complicated, and his own Karma would likewise become incredibly complex.
That monk Bu Er was someone who possessed a Buddha's Edict. If he appeared in the cave dwelling to investigate Karma...
Then this matter would be hard to explain.
Karma was the root; all great Dao laws were contained within it.
Once Karma became chaotic, pulling one hair could affect the whole body.
In other words, if that monk Bu Er really came to investigate the Karma of this matter, then people bearing Heaven's Edicts would inevitably appear as well, and likely had already appeared...
If what that woman of Bing Xuan did back then affected immortals and demons, then Immortal Edicts and Demon Edicts would also follow in succession.
In his heart, Gu Qingfeng hoped that woman of Bing Xuan had no Karmic entanglement with him.
He hoped so.
If there was, he truly didn't know what to do when the time came.
Looking at Liu Piaopiao dancing with her zither on the stage, Gu Qingfeng shook his head, finding it somewhat amusing.
He knew this woman had always wanted to probe him, figuring she probably also wanted to know exactly who possessed the Soul Pearls.
Probably just like him.
Probing the so-called Karma.
If he was probing Karma for himself.
Then they were probing Karma for that woman of Bing Xuan.
At that moment, Liu Piaopiao's voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"Young master...
What are you thinking about?"
Gu Qingfeng held a cup of wine, squinting at her as he responded, "You guess."
"You guess whether I'll guess or not?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, noncommittally.
"Young master."
On the performance platform, Liu Piaopiao wore a half-smile, her eyes conveying affection. That strand of crimson-red hair fluttered slightly at the corner of her fiery red lips. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Gu Qingfeng as she transmitted a secret message: "Your physical body is ordinary, nothing special. Your cultivation is merely at Foundation Establishment. You have no turbid aura on you—neither a reincarnated person nor someone who seized a body for rebirth. You also have no pure aura—neither someone bestowed by immortals, nor by demons, nor even by heaven. Just what kind of person are you...
You truly make this young lady curious..."
"This lord is a God."
"Hehe..." Liu Piaopiao chuckled lightly, then added, "I wonder if this vulgar young lady has the honor to share a drink with a God like you."
"What's this about?"
Gu Qingfeng squinted at her, smiling as he said, "Last time you wanted to plant a blood parasite on me...
Want to try again?"
"So you do know about blood parasites."
On Liu Piaopiao's fox-like, charming face, that coquettish half-smile still hung. A crimson hue also began to shimmer in her beautiful eyes.
"Alright, enough. Put away those bewitching eyes of yours."
Beside him, Fei Kui was already deeply intoxicated by the zither music. Gu Qingfeng could only pour his own wine. He filled a cup and responded, "They're useless against this lord. Why waste the effort?"
"Hehe..." Liu Piaopiao's delicate jade hands dancing with the zither became increasingly chaotic. The zither notes were like lofty mountains and flowing water as she laughed, "Do you dare to make a bet with this young lady?"
"What kind of bet?"
"Let's bet on whether this young lady can bewilder your heart."
"Ha!"
Gu Qingfeng let out a scoffing laugh, disdainfully saying, "Forget about bewildering my heart. Even if you could affect this lord's heart palpitations, even just the tiniest bit, I'd consider you capable."
"Hehe, 'lord'!
Your tone is a bit too big, isn't it!"
"Can't help it."
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, smiling, "Habit."
"Fine!
If you lose, you let me take a look at the Soul Pearl in your hand."
"Just a look?"
This rather puzzled Gu Qingfeng. He asked, "You don't want it?"
"No, just a look."
"Alright, no problem."
Gu Qingfeng thought for a moment, then asked, "What if I win?"
"If you win, this young lady will be at your disposal."
"With just these looks of yours?"
Gu Qingfeng looked Liu Piaopiao up and down, shaking his head as he responded, "Sorry, not interested!"
"You!"
On Liu Piaopiao's fox-like face, shame and anger instantly appeared, only to dissipate a moment later. Her crimson beautiful eyes stared at Gu Qingfeng. After a long while, she finally said, "Fine. The lord is indeed the lord. Very well...
This auntie would like to ask the great lord, what do you want then?"
"Just help me with one thing."
"What thing?"
"You'll know when you lose."
"Fine."
As Liu Piaopiao agreed, a piece of music also came to an end.
The people below the stage seemed still immersed in it, one after another gazing as if in a daze, reminiscing, excited, thrilled. Many had flushed faces, sitting there with eyes closed, their expressions still savoring the experience. A long time passed before everyone seemed to awaken from a dream, coming back to their senses. Looking at the lazy yet enchanting Liu Piaopiao on the performance platform, their eyes were filled with infatuation.
"Breathtaking!
Truly breathtaking! They all say our Chizitou's founding ancestor, the Monarch, was proficient in musical arts, hailed as 'one melody, one reincarnation.' Just now, Young Lady Liu's melody truly made this humble one's soul dizzy, dreamlike and illusory, endlessly savoring. It was like falling into reincarnation, dreaming for millennia—how delightful! With Young Lady Liu's mastery of musical rhythm, you wouldn't be inferior even compared to our Chizitou's founding ancestor, the Chixiao Monarch."
Sitting at the very front, Wu Han stood up. On his handsome face, his expression was moved, slightly excited. His eyes gazed with particular infatuation, even going so far as to bring up the Chixiao Monarch to flatter Liu Piaopiao, using it to express his admiration.
"Might this humble one have the honor of inviting Young Lady Liu for a small drink?"
Wu Han rose, going down on one knee, extending a hand in an inviting gesture. Perhaps feeling his sincerity wasn't enough, Wu Han then went down on both knees, extending his hand in invitation. Going down on one knee and both knees were not the same concept. If one knee represented submission and loyalty, then going down on both knees was more than just submission and loyalty—it was already a bow, and a bow of supreme respect at that.
However, Liu Piaopiao on the performance platform paid no heed. She merely stood up, holding a cup of crimson-red fine wine, looking at Wu Han with a half-smile, slightly shaking her head as she lazily replied, "Sorry, this young lady cannot agree to you."
Hmm?
Wu Han hadn't expected to be refused. He raised his head, his face full of astonishment, his voice solemnly as he asked, "Why?"
"Why?
Hehe..." Liu Piaopiao downed the crimson-red fine wine in her cup in one go, her voice soft as she said, "Because this young lady is going to accompany her sweetheart today..."