Chapter 462 - 268: Springlike Zither Melody, Couplets at the Pavilion_2

Leaving the Alchemy Cauldron, Su Mu followed the path of bluestone along the long street heading north. The autumn wind gently swayed the willow branches by the lakeside, and a seven-story building with ornate carvings and paintings came into view.

In front of the Clear Moon Tower, the noise was already overwhelming, with heads jostling in a dense crowd, surrounding the bulletin board where poetic couplets were posted, leaving not a single gap. Many people were scratching their heads as they looked at the couplets, while the sound of excited discussions filled the air.

"This year’s couplet was personally crafted by Miss Xiaoqinglan!"

"To meet her once by chance and hear the beauty play one piece on the qin — I could die without regret..."

Through the bustling crowd, Su Mu’s gaze swept over the couplets on the bulletin board, perfectly echoing the tales Lin Xue had told. He lifted his eyes to see several graceful figures leaning against the railings above the building, lightly laughing, their sleeves fluttering, and jade ornaments ringing gently.

Amidst the tide of noise, Su Mu, who did not enjoy such clamor, was just about to leave the long street when the ethereal sound of an ancient qin emerged from the building abruptly, freezing the entire venue into silence at once.

After a city rain in the morning, a thin mist spread among the buildings, moistening the structure with a damp haze. All at once, the crowd only felt the qin’s sound gradually disappear from their ears, replaced by the drizzling sound of the morning rain blending with the autumn breeze.

When the melody ended, the crowd outside the Clear Moon Tower remained enraptured, unable to recover for a long time.

"What a piece... it’s a pity I was too far away."

Su Mu sighed softly, feeling a bit regretful. He finally gained some insight into the saying, "This melody can only exist in heaven; how many times can it be heard on earth?" It’s no wonder those noble family young men linger in brothels day after day.

The sound of musical instruments truly bewitches the soul.

"This piece compared to the Vice Whale Master of the Black Whale... is more gentle and moving, truly worthy of being one of Donglai’s three wonders."

Su Mu marveled silently, the disturbance of the Vast Qi in his body subsiding with the end of the melody. However, from this single piece alone, judging with his amateur’s appreciation skills.

It was not completely better than the one played by the Vice Whale Master; each has its own merits.

If the Vice Whale Master’s qin sound wasn’t entirely gentle, akin to a sword wrapped in soft gauze, hiding three inches of sharpness amidst the gentle twists;

Then today’s piece is like spring rain moistening jade, more lingering and reminiscent, like a song and a narrative.

"Using Vast Qi in qin music seems not to be an isolated example... I’m indeed ignorant."

The qin sound today was also infused with Confucian Vast Qi. The first person might be considered a coincidence, but two in a row indicated that Su Mu’s earlier speculation was incorrect.

Perhaps the path of music itself is one of the Confucian cultivation methods, merely that Su Mu had long lived in a small place and was ignorant of the world.

People must know themselves well. Su Mu was neither ashamed nor annoyed by this; rather, his horizons were broadened, and he felt joyful to witness more new things.

"Mountains and rivers are beautifully embroidered; the world is vast, and new talents are born continuously, each reigning for several hundred years... If one cannot see it with their own eyes and experience the flavor personally, isn’t it a waste of life?"

While the crowd outside the Clear Moon Tower lingered in their daze, Su Mu did not indulge in it in the least. A string of spiritual lights flickered in his mind, and the black-and-white interwoven ’Heart’ character on his chest shimmered with extraordinary brilliance. He quietly stepped away.

"Gulp, gulp!"

On the Clear Moon Tower, in a secluded corner, a figure wobbled, and a wine gourd at his waist made a few ’gulp’ sounds as the elder was about to undo it for a drink, a sudden gentle ’eh’ escaped his lips.

"Interesting, a peculiar fellow..."

In the elder’s drunken eyes, two silver beams lit up, with intangible spiritual power spreading silently as the elder hunched his back against the railing, looking up to drink his wine.

The next moment, the figure at the end of the street paused suddenly.

"An illusion?"

Before the words fully left his lips, Su Mu turned back to gaze at the Clear Moon Tower. The drunkenness in the elder’s eyes suddenly dissipated by half, showing a look of surprise and doubt.

"It’s not an illusion ... this kid can actually sense my probing."

In the alley, Su Mu withdrew his gaze, and soon his figure completely vanished into the alley.

"Elder, was my piece pleasing to the ears?"

The qin sound gradually faded. The blue-clad woman, whose face was veiled, lifted her eyes to look at the elder.

"Xiaoqinglan, your qin skills have indeed improved... I have some trivial matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first."

Before long, the alley was empty, the elder squinted his eyes with a hint of astonishment; unexpectedly, he’d lost the person in this commandery city.

The elder murmured and as spiritual light gathered at his fingertips, he was eager to perform a tracking technique.

Suddenly, a simple white jade pendant shaped like a wine jar at his waist shivered, causing the elder to frown slightly, and the spiritual light at his fingertips scattered abruptly. These days, the jade pendant’s vibrations became increasingly frequent, urging him strongly.

He pondered for a moment and finally sighed, sending a wisp of spiritual power into the jade pendant.

"Yao’er has fortuitously acquired fine wine; granddaughter wagers that you have never tasted it, hurry back!"

"Fine wine?"

A ripple flashed in the elder’s eyes, then gradually calmed, understanding that ordinary wine no longer had any effect on him, not even Moon Drunk brew.

His granddaughter was most likely just trying to deceive him back.

...

"That person... is very strong!"

Leaving the alley, Su Mu’s heart tightened, yet his eyes burned with excitement. Just a fleeting exchange of glances with that figure made him feel his heart almost stopped for a moment.

"With the Deer Cry Feast about to commence... perhaps the person is from the County Mansion."

But from beginning to end, the Sun Family Ancestor in the jade pendant on his chest showed no reaction, leading Su Mu to guess the person should not be an Upper Three Grades cultivator; but even if not, there was hardly any difference.

Both the qin sound and the elder just now heightened Su Mu’s anticipation for the Deer Cry Feast.

Upon returning to the residence, Su Mu took out the couplet brought back from the Qiancao Hall, studying it carefully.

Hearing the stir of Su Mu’s return, Li Lu soon emerged from the wine room, whenever he saw Su Mu after that incident, his heart inexplicably trembled, though not from fear — this emotion Li Lu himself could not explain.

Seeing Su Mu pondering over a piece of paper beneath the locust tree, Li Lu curiously drew near.

"Before the Clear Moon Tower, the immortal guest of Deer Cry steps on clouds to test the sword?"

Li Lu’s arrival did not escape Su Mu’s notice; catching Li Lu’s sly eyes glancing about thinking, Su Mu hadn’t even asked when Li Lu spoke first.

"Master, are you interested in this couplet?"

"Yes."

"Master, you don’t know how to compose couplets?" Li Lu was momentarily stunned, somewhat incredulous. She had seen Su Mu write before, and his writing was much better than hers, even her father’s; was it possible for someone like him not to know couplets?

Just momentarily stunned, Li Lu became interested, excited at the thought of helping Su Mu, readily patting her little chest.

"Then let me help you think about it, the couplet outside the old wine shop was crafted by me that time."

On hearing this, Su Mu immediately pictured the few forged letters by Li Lu in his head, recalling the crooked handwriting, he couldn’t help showing a strange expression.

Li Lu seemed to sense Su Mu’s skeptical gaze and blushed to defend herself.

"The, the writing is not mine... but I thought of the couplet."

"Alright, then I’ll trouble you."

Carelessly, Su Mu responded with a word in passing.

Not long after, Li Lu’s eyes suddenly brightened, exclaiming in surprise, "I’ve got it... I thought of something."