An old man with white hair and beard, wearing a spotless robe, stood at the entrance to the garden. His cloudy eyes were fixed intently on Gu Qingfeng with an incredulous gaze, and he seemed deeply moved, so much so that the muscles at the corners of his mouth trembled slightly.
"In my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to comprehending the famous pieces left by Lord Chixiao. As for this 'Drunken Chanting of the Blue Sea,' I've heard many people play it and have performed it countless times myself. Yet, it was only upon hearing Young Lord's rendition just now that I realized there are mountains beyond mountains, heavens beyond heavens. Incredible, truly incredible," the old man said. When the little girl saw him, she ran over and affectionately called him 'Grandfather.'
Gu Qingfeng gave a faint smile. "The elder overpraises me."
"Overpraises? No! I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable in Musical Arts. Just now, listening to Young Lord play 'Drunken Chanting of the Blue Sea,' your mastery of fingering, string technique, and rhythmic control were all exquisite. What is most astonishing is that you did not employ a single spirit art incantation; you played the piece 'empty,' yet managed to fully express its essence. It made one feel as if personally present, comprehending its meaning, even dreaming back to the Ancient Era, witnessing the myriad vicissitudes of the Lord's seclusion by the Blue Sea. It truly opened my eyes; I am filled with admiration."
The old man uttered a stream of amazed praise. Gu Qingfeng, leaning against a pavilion pillar, merely smiled faintly, not bothering with further modesty.
"Grandfather, is this big brother... really that amazing?"
"Playing 'Drunken Chanting of the Blue Sea' empty, yet fully conveying its essence." The old man nodded, his tone respectful. "This Young Lord's attainment in Musical Arts... is truly rare. I feel ashamed of my own inferiority."
With that, the old man cupped his hands and asked, "I have yet to ask for Young Lord's esteemed name."
Gu Qingfeng stood up, brushed some melon seed shells off the table, and replied softly, "The surname is Gu, given name Qingfeng."
Gu Qingfeng? The old man repeated the name, mentally reviewing all the Musical Arts prodigies he knew, but had no impression of this name. Not wanting to pry, he cupped his hands again. "Having just heard Young Lord play 'Drunken Chanting of the Blue Sea' empty truly opened my eyes. Might I invite Young Lord Gu to share a few cups of wine?"
"A few cups of wine..." Gu Qingfeng considered. He hadn't informed Ouyang Ye when he left, and wondered how the girl was doing. After a moment's thought, he decided against it. "I would like to drink a few cups, but... I have a friend waiting for me... Perhaps another time."
Gu Qingfeng walked over, ruffled the little girl's hair, and returned the guqin. "Little girl, keep practicing. Big brother is leaving now."
Watching Gu Qingfeng's hurried departing figure, the old man couldn't stop exclaiming in amazement. "To think I would encounter a young man with such profound attainment in Musical Arts here today."
"Grandfather, is that big brother's Musical Arts really that incredible? Is your attainment truly inferior to his?" The little girl had never heard her grandfather evaluate someone so highly, not even her most admired Sister Suhua. She found it hard to believe. "Grandfather, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"
"Grandfather is not exaggerating at all. When he played just now, whether it was fingering or string technique, it was all exquisite. Most importantly, he didn't use any spirit art incantations; playing empty, he fully conveyed the piece's essence. This young man's Musical Arts attainment is absolutely unfathomable. Saying I'm inferior to him might even be an understatement."
"Ah... Then how does this brother compare to Sister Suhua?"
"This... Grandfather dare not judge. Miss Su is a Musical Arts prodigy of our generation, the only one capable of capturing the artistic conception of the Lord's profound pieces. As for how high Young Lord Gu's Musical Arts attainment truly is, Grandfather really cannot say."
"Oh, right, Grandfather! When I was playing the piece Sister Suhua composed earlier, I kept making mistakes at the 'Three-Leaf Plum Blossom' passage. But then Big Brother taught me to change the fingering and spirit art, and then... I played it easily!"
"Oh? There was such a thing?" The old man took the music score, stroking his white beard as he examined it carefully. The deeper he looked, the more his brows furrowed, and the more shocked his expression became. He quickly sat in the pavilion and tried playing it. After finishing, he couldn't help but take a deep breath, yet still couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart.
"This piece was meticulously composed by Miss Su; it's a perfect work. It's normal that you couldn't play the 'Three-Leaf Plum Blossom' passage. Firstly, your cultivation is insufficient; secondly, your Musical Arts attainment hasn't reached that level. There are many complex fingerings and spirit arts you don't understand... But..."
"But who would have thought that by switching the 'Four-String Lesser Feather Art' to the 'Gentle Stroke Overlapping Stream Style' and using the 'Three-String Minor Restoration Art'... it could actually produce the 'Three-Leaf Plum Blossom' melody... Not only was there no sense of discord... it even seemed more profound than before... This is simply... simply too incredible!"
Perhaps too excited, the old man became somewhat incoherent. He took several deep breaths to organize his thoughts before gradually calming down. "That Young Lord Gu's attainment in Musical Arts is probably... probably even more unfathomable than I imagined. Compared to Miss Su, it may be even higher..."
"Sister Suhua said last time that if she had time, she would come to this Musical Arts Gathering..." the little girl said softly. "I wonder if Sister Suhua will come... If she does, I must have her meet that big brother."
"If Miss Su learns that her composition, after being modified, became even more profound than before, I wonder what she would think..." The old man stroked his white beard, unable to contain his astonishment. "I wonder which sect or school Young Lord Gu belongs to. His Musical Arts attainment is so deep, truly incredible... incredible..."
...
After leaving the garden, Gu Qingfeng retraced his steps. Just as he returned to the bathing area, he saw Ouyang Ye pacing back and forth with her arms crossed, looking furious.
Clearly, the girl was in a bad mood. Gu Qingfeng quietly approached, intending to tease her. "Little lady, who are you waiting for?"
"Who are you?!" Ouyang Ye glanced at Gu Qingfeng and snapped coldly, "This young lady is annoyed right now, get lost!"
Gu Qingfeng chuckled. "Oh? Don't recognize me so soon?"
Hmm? That voice sounds familiar.
Ouyang Ye turned around, scrutinizing Gu Qingfeng carefully. The more she looked, the more familiar he seemed. Suddenly, she exclaimed, "You! You're Gu Qingfeng?"
"I thought you'd forgotten me."
"You! Where did you run off to, you deadbeat?! Don't you know I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Where else could I go? I went looking for you." Gu Qingfeng yawned and stretched. "You left me alone and then vanished. I finished bathing, waited for you a while, but you never came. I had no choice but to go find you."
"You! Hmph!" Ouyang Ye wanted to scold him severely, but on second thought, it was her fault for not giving clear instructions before leaving.
"Forget it, I'll let you off this time. But..." Ouyang Ye furrowed her willow-leaf brows, examining Gu Qingfeng with a strange look. As she looked, she commented, "I never expected you to look quite handsome after bathing and changing clothes. It's just... why does something feel off?"
"What's off?" Gu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow, spreading his arms and looking himself over, finding nothing amiss.
"It feels weird, can't put my finger on it." Ouyang Ye pondered deeply. She felt there was something peculiar about Gu Qingfeng. How to describe it... It was like... a stagnant pool of dead water!
Yes! Exactly like stagnant dead water, devoid of any youthful vigor, filled with a sense of decline. Yet this decline wasn't like that of elders who had cultivated for centuries; it was more like a stillness—a stillness that felt uncomfortable, even frightening.
Like the stillness of the deep sea, or the terrifying silence within boundless darkness.
Strange! How could this be?
Just then, a shout interrupted her thoughts.
"Yeye, I've been looking for you for a long time. So you're here."
The voice belonged to a young man who appeared to be around twenty, with handsome features. He wore a Danluo treasure robe and a Qingyan jade belt at his waist—clearly from a prominent family. Both his brow and eyes exuded arrogance.
"Li Sen?" Upon seeing the young man, a flicker of disgust flashed in Ouyang Ye's eyes. She replied irritably, "Why are you here too?"
"Today, your aunt's mountain villa is holding the Musical Arts Gathering, and both you and Senior Brother Yunhong will be performing on stage, so I came. I've been waiting for you here for a long time. Let's go together."
"No need. You go with your group." Ouyang Ye glanced at Gu Qingfeng. "Let's go."
"Yeye, who is he?" The young man named Li Sen seemed very wary upon seeing Gu Qingfeng.
"None of your business."
"Yeye..." Just as Li Sen was about to say something, Ouyang Ye turned around impatiently. "I said, Li Sen, aren't you annoying?! You pester me all day at the sect, and now you're doing it outside too? So annoying!"
"Tell me, who is he!"
"Can't be bothered with you!" Ouyang Ye grabbed Gu Qingfeng's hand, ready to leave.
Seeing Ouyang Ye holding this stranger's hand, Li Sen seemed to realize something. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "Yeye, is he the Chiyan Young Lord you mentioned last time—the one you fell in love with at first sight?!"
"None of your business!"
"No! You must tell me!"
Ouyang Ye felt like she was about to lose it. Ever since joining Yunxia Sect, this Li Sen had been clinging to her for nearly two years, like a sticky plaster she couldn't shake off. She glared at Li Sen with disgust. "What exactly do you want?"
"I just want to know who he is!" Li Sen's aura was sharp, pressing like a sharp sword. He pressed on, "Is he that Chiyan Young Lord?"
"Fine! Since you're so desperate to know, I'll tell you!" Ouyang Ye hooked her arm through Gu Qingfeng's and said angrily, "That's right! He is the Chiyan Young Lord I told you about—the one I fell in love with at first sight. Satisfied now?"
"What?!" Li Sen's expression shifted dramatically, then he shook his head, his face stern. "Impossible! I've investigated long ago. You said that Chiyan Young Lord was a dragon among men, with exceptionally high cultivation, involved in all Ten Great Immortal Arts, especially excelling in Musical Arts. If such a person truly existed, why have I never heard of the name 'Chiyan Young Lord' in the Qingyang Region?"
"When did I ever tell you Chiyan Young Lord was from our Qingyang Region?" Ouyang Ye reached out, holding Gu Qingfeng's arm, occasionally straightening his belt or adjusting his collar, performing intimate gestures as if deliberately provoking Li Sen. "If he weren't the Chiyan Young Lord I fell in love with at first sight, do you think I'd act like this?"
"You!" Li Sen was furious, glaring fiercely at Gu Qingfeng. "Are you truly Chiyan Young Lord?"
"Me?" Gu Qingfeng looked at Ouyang Ye, who secretly gave him a meaningful glance, as if saying: Hey, play along.
Gu Qingfeng felt rather speechless but didn't refuse. Understanding her intent, he straightened his posture, pointed at Li Sen, and with a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth, assumed an arrogant stance and declared arrogantly, "That's right, young man. I am Chiyan Young Lord."
"You dare steal the woman I, Li Sen, love! You! Are! Seeking! Death!" Watching the person he loved holding this man's arm, Li Sen was filled with rage. His voice emerged coldly, each word spat through gritted teeth!
"Who's your woman?! Li Sen, if you dare say that again, don't blame this young lady for being impolite!" Ouyang Ye snorted coldly. "And I can tell you this: It won't be long before Chiyan Young Lord and I become Dao companions and start dual cultivating... So, stop pestering me from now on!"
With that, Ouyang Ye hooked her arm through Gu Qingfeng's and walked away without looking back.