sinovels Chapter 123 Melody
Chapter 123 Melody
"This is because our sect leader observed the celestial phenomena at night and discovered that the stars were shifting, which seemed to foreshadow a calamity in the mortal world and unrest among the demon race. For the sake of all living beings, he specially dispatched the ten disciples of our sect to various provinces to select talents for the sect, so that together we can protect the survival of our human race's lineage and save the people from suffering."
A stir broke out among the people below the platform.
Fairy Li's words were practically a warning that the world was about to descend into chaos. The sect leader felt they should stockpile provisions early, so he began collecting consumables to prepare for the future.
Yang Silang was skeptical. The Shun Dynasty was indeed nearing its end and seemed to be heading into chaos, but he doubted whether it was related to celestial phenomena.
In other words, aren't these powerful families one of the root causes of the turmoil?
He looked at the calm expressions of the direct descendants of those aristocratic families on the platform, wondering if they were already aware of the matter and therefore indifferent, or if they knew that Fairy Li was talking nonsense and therefore had no reaction.
After the crowd calmed down, Fairy Li continued.
"Today, I'll humbly offer a song as a tribute!"
"Of course, this is no ordinary piece of music; it contains a minor Taoist technique."
"Those who can remain seated after listening to this music will be examined in detail by me; if you dance to the music, that's fine too, as it can replenish your blood and energy and nourish your true qi, and there's no harm in it."
"What do you all think?"
Among the people below the platform, someone immediately shouted that there was no problem.
Some people are saying, "Isn't this what we came for?" Please, fairy, cast your spell quickly!
Some people also said that they love killing demons the most, so their minds must be firm and they can sit still for the rest of their lives!
Seeing that no one objected, Li Xinlian immediately nodded and said "okay".
She reached down to her waist, where an old leather bag hung, incongruous with her attire and demeanor.
But with a single stroke, an iron zither appeared in her hand, as tall as a person and as thick as a person's waist, with transparent yellow strings that looked like they were made of the sinews of a demon.
On the platform, some people expressed their envy and shouted out for storage bags.
Pei Buqi explained to Yang Silang that these were storage bags made from the hides of demonic beasts that possessed storage abilities. The smaller ones could hold three to five pounds, the medium ones could hold three to five bushels, and the larger ones were said to be able to hold three to five houses.
Yang Silang thought of his small cubicle, which weighed more than three or five jin, but was far less than three or five dou, and certainly couldn't hold such a large iron zither. He was indeed envious and sour.
on the platform.
Fairy Li placed her hands on the strings of the zither and smiled at everyone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, now that you are ready, please listen to me play a piece!"
Huang Shouren clapped his hands beside him.
"Senior Sister Li, please wait..."
He made a gesture, and the dozens of aristocratic servants and martial arts masters who had been standing around the platform as attendants retreated like birds, quickly leaving the mountaintop and rushing down the mountain.
As someone rushed out, they grabbed and pulled out several people outside the flower gate. It turned out that there were still some unconscious or awake people there, who had been heavily guarded away and were mostly injured and unable to get down the mountain on their own, hoping to try their luck.
Among them was the young man surnamed Huang in the brocade robe.
It turned out that Huang Shouren and other scions of prominent families wanted to clear the area.
How could mortals like us possibly listen to the celestial music of fairies?
Those who do not enter the flower gate are not worthy to hear this celestial music.
The old martial arts master guarding the flower gate just now scooped up a dirty young man in a brocade robe from the pile of rubble, grabbing him by one foot. It was none other than the unlucky man surnamed Huang, who was five generations removed from the family.
His skeleton was shaken apart by the force of the blows. He lay there conscious but unable to move, unable to even get down the mountain.
Perhaps because he had insulted the old martial arts master by calling him an old dog, which was a huge embarrassment, the old martial arts master was now determined to drag him down the mountain by the feet.
The mountain path was rugged and full of broken rocks and gravel. If this young man surnamed Huang were to be dragged down the mountain by his face, not only would his face be disfigured, but his life would also be in danger.
The grandmaster grinned maliciously; he had been so humble to his master before, but now he was just as ruthless to outsiders.
Something unbearable was about to happen.
"Wait a minute..." Li Xinlian plucked a string, her voice clear and delicate, directly reaching the old martial arts master's ears, "Heaven cherishes life, and all who come are guests."
"Having arrived at the flower gate, we are destined to meet."
"These friends have stayed from beginning to end, how can they not be considered guests of my Five Symbols Sect?"
"Let them stay where they are and listen to a song together..."
The old martial arts master was taken aback. Realizing what the fairy meant, he didn't let go and immediately turned to look at Huang Shouren.
Huang Shouren frowned, unsure whether he disliked Li Xinlian's unauthorized changes to the rules or the old martial arts master's foolish and embarrassing appearance.
He waved impatiently.
"Didn't you hear the fairy speak?"
"Aren't you going to do as I say?"
The old martial arts master was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed three times. He put the young man in the brocade robe down and even stroked his whole body, managing to put all the broken joints back together.
Then he turned and hurriedly ran down the mountain.
Four or five other unlucky souls who had a similar experience to the young man surnamed Huang also managed to stay. The group of people excitedly kowtowed and thanked the fairy for her kindness.
No one really expected to be chosen by the fairy to join the Five Symbols Sect, but at least they had this opportunity, right?
If you don't get selected, it's because you're unlucky or lack the ability, but at least you've fulfilled your wish to climb the mountain and seek the Tao.
Some even thought further—after this incident, it was the fairy herself who promised us to listen to her celestial music. If we climb the mountain again in a few years, given this precedent, we probably won't be turned away at the flower gate.
Once you enter the flower gate and make some connections, your life might truly be changed!
They were busy kowtowing in gratitude.
The servants and martial artists rushed down the mountain, their figures turning into tiny dots rushing downhill in a dozen breaths, with none daring to linger on the mountaintop.
No matter how skilled they were in martial arts or how loyal they were to their families, at this moment, they didn't even have the right to listen in.
They were slaves, not guests, and were not worthy to hear the fairy's celestial music, even if some of them might actually pass the test.
The difference between high and low, noble and base, is clearly revealed at this moment.
Fairy Li was kind-hearted, but not so kind as to tolerate everything. For example, she didn't say anything to these servants who came down from the mountain, so as not to spoil the aristocratic families' fun.
Just the sight of the four or five people kowtowing outside the flower gate made Huang Shouren somewhat displeased.
At this moment, there was no one else on or off the platform.
Huang Shouren forced a smile and gestured.
"Fairy Li, please..."
Li Xinlian smiled and nodded.
The next moment, her hands caressed the surface of the zither like a spring breeze, her slender fingers deftly plucked the strings, the red cardamom on her fingers was very bright, and the melodious sound flowed smoothly in everyone's ears!
Everyone listened intently.
Many people close their eyes to hear more clearly and amplify their hearing to the maximum.
Having cultivated his soul, Yang Silang immediately recognized the faint yet rhythmic fluctuations of magical power within the music. It was as if a scene was directly etched into his Niwan soul.
At first, the sky was bright, the distant mountains were verdant, and the clouds were light and the wind was gentle; after a while, the wind rose and the clouds surged, and a light drizzle fell. The sky was still bright, and the rain and mist moistened the green mountains, adding a touch of moisture and poetic beauty to the air.
At this moment, everyone on and off the platform wore expressions of joy and relaxation.
When I was young, a strong wind suddenly came, the clouds piled up like ink, and the raindrops formed lines that slanted down into the earth, falling on the trees and leaves in the mountains with a rapid, pattering sound.
Many people in the crowd lost their smiles and became serious.
A moment later, the wind picked up and the clouds gathered, and the sky was half dark, as if it were covered by a black veil. Rain fell from above like a curtain across the sky and earth, and the rain pounded against the mountains and forests, making a continuous gurgling sound.
Among the seated people, a few had already stood up involuntarily, their faces showing tension.
In an instant, the sky and earth changed color again. Dark clouds covered the sky, completely blocking out the light. Occasionally, thunder rumbled and roared. It was as if a huge hole had been torn in the sky, and rain poured down like a celestial river. The trees in the mountains were bent over and their leaves were broken, looking quite disheveled.
By this point, most people in the room had stood up and were involuntarily dancing to the rhythm of the rain. Only a dozen or so people were still able to remain seated on the ground... Of course, this excludes the direct descendants of the aristocratic families on the platform.
As Li Xianzi played the zither, she swept her gaze across the crowd.
Well, it's normal that these direct descendants of noble families on the platform are sitting still. They have all cultivated the Dao, and the most outstanding ones, such as Wu Shuying, have reached the Possession Realm, while most of the others are at the Wandering Soul Realm.
The slight vibrations of the soul-stirring zither music could not shake their minds.
However, there were still more than ten people sitting steadily below the platform, which shows that aristocratic families are not lacking in people with talent for cultivation.
Looks like we need to increase the difficulty!
Li Xianzi's zither music resounds once more!
This time, the entire world seemed to have fallen into a mysterious space, pitch black and so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Blood-red lightning occasionally struck down, illuminating the world. The once beautiful mountains and forests had now become mountains of corpses and seas of bones. Rain fell from the sky, forming a river of blood that turned blood-red!
The whole world seemed to be in the deepest hell!
On the platform, the direct descendants of various powerful families had distorted expressions.
They had Taoist magic protecting their souls, but they were still severely impacted. Did this Fairy Li have to be so harsh?
Under the platform.
"what……"
People kept jumping up, their eyes filled with terror, their faces covered in sweat—they were terrified.
Only three people remained, sitting firmly on the ground with unwavering gazes.
Li Xianzi stopped testing them here. With a change in the music, the terrifying scenery disappeared, spring returned to the earth, the light of day reappeared, the gale subsided, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped. The mountain was still the same mountain, the lush forest remained the same, and it was still a wonderful world.
Influenced by the music, most people got up and danced and cheered, which dispelled their previous fear. They felt warm all over, their blood and energy were vibrant, and they gained a lot of benefits.
The three people sitting on the ground also received some unknown benefit; their complexions became rosy, and the light in their eyes shone even brighter.
When Fairy Li's fingers left the strings, the lingering sound remained, and many people were still captivated by the scenery, not yet awakened.
After a while.
People gradually came to their senses.
Yan Nanxing and Jin Xiangyu held hands.
The former grinned foolishly, while the latter blushed and shyly let go of his hand. Looking at the footprints on the ground, the two of them held hands and danced for a long time.
Sun Shiwei and Ye Liuyun held hands.
After regaining consciousness, the two hurriedly let go and looked at their footprints on the ground. They found that the footprints were arranged in a series of circles, so they secretly used their inner energy to erase the traces.
As for Yang Silang, he was pretending to pat his sleeves.
The apocalyptic scene was indeed terrifying, but to him it was nothing more than that. After all, the blood river suppressed beneath the feet of the Heavenly Venerable Ruyi was far more terrifying than the scene created by Fairy Li.
If it were just this test, he could sit there until Fairy Li flicked all ten of his fingers until the skin was worn off and he wouldn't budge.