Chapter 393 - 189: Choosing a Master, Part 2

At his words, many people secretly exchanged glances.

’Is Feng Xianzhi a plant hired by Jiang Ran?’ they thought.

’Otherwise, why would he be so polite?’

Those who already had their own schemes rolled their eyes, feeling Feng Xianzhi was being utterly shameless, practically volunteering to be Jiang Ran’s lackey.

Jiang Ran simply smiled.

"Villa Master Feng, please take a seat. Allow this humble junior a moment to explain the matter to everyone."

Feng Xianzhi cupped his fist in a salute and then sat down.

Jiang Ran’s gaze swept over the crowd, and he began to speak with a light chuckle.

"In years past, the world’s foremost master of mechanisms, Wind and Fire Mountain, had twelve proudest creations.

"The Jianghu People call them the Twelve Celestial Artificers.

"It is said that these Twelve Celestial Artificers possess craftsmanship that rivals the gods, and that each contains a profound secret.

"A thousand years have passed in the Jianghu; time flows on relentlessly.

"Over time, the Twelve Celestial Artificers have been scattered, resurfacing throughout the Jianghu!

"By a stroke of incredible luck, I came to possess one of the Twelve Celestial Artificers—the Jiaowei Zither...

"However, such a priceless treasure naturally attracts covetous eyes.

"To be perfectly honest, ever since word spread through the Jianghu that the Jiaowei Zither was in my possession, I have been endlessly plagued by trouble.

"Countless mysterious figures have tried to seize it openly, steal it covertly, or employ all manner of sinister plots...

"It has truly left me weary from fending them off."

He paused and sighed, his voice laced with exhaustion, but then he smiled again.

"Though I may be of humble ability, how could I possibly hand over such a priceless artifact to these conniving villains?

"Nor did I dare claim it for myself...

"That is why I entrusted the Three Rivers Gang with spreading a message throughout the Jianghu.

"To hold this Tea and Zither Appreciation Assembly on the eighth day of the tenth month, here on Sunset Plateau of Three Immortals Mountain!

"The purpose is none other... than to find a worthy master for the Jiaowei Zither."

As Jiang Ran finished this sentence, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

Although they had long suspected Jiang Ran wouldn’t hold this so-called Tea and Zither Appreciation Assembly for no reason...

...hearing him state it so explicitly was something else entirely.

In an instant, some were thrilled, others were moved, and many were simply astonished by his decision.

After all, who would be willing to simply give away such a priceless treasure?

Just then, a voice called out:

"May I ask, Young Hero Jiang, how do you intend to choose a master for the Jiaowei?"

"The Jiaowei is, first and foremost, a zither. It cannot fall into the hands of a common, uncultured brute."

"Therefore, the first requirement is that this person must be well-versed in the musical arts."

The moment Jiang Ran said this, the faces of more than half the people present turned Black.

Good heavens. With a single sentence, he had offended most of the people there.

Feng Xianzhi glanced around instinctively and saw many people grinding their teeth.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and said to his wife,

"Young Hero Jiang isn’t wrong, but just look at how this crowd is reacting... The vast majority of people in the Jianghu spend their entire lives focused on martial arts. How many of them have the leisure for scholarly pursuits?"

Mrs. Feng chuckled.

"But where some despair, others rejoice. Look at Yan Wengge and Shang Yue’Er."

Feng Xianzhi looked over and, sure enough, saw delight on both their faces.

Both were renowned throughout the Jianghu for their musical abilities.

When it came to musical expertise, they were the undisputed experts.

Jiang Ran’s words were exactly what they wanted to hear.

Just then, however, Jiang Ran’s tone shifted:

"However, the Jiaowei is not just a zither. It is also one of the Twelve Celestial Artificers.

"Rumor has it that the Jiaowei Zither holds a great secret.

"If someone can unravel this secret, they will be able to command the Jiaowei Zither."

"And in doing so, transform it into a formidable weapon.

"This is the primary reason it is so fiercely contested in the Jianghu. If one only knows music but lacks martial skill, possessing it will inevitably lead to disaster.

"Therefore, the second condition is that one’s martial arts must be superior to all others!

"Neither of these two conditions is more important than the other.

"We can begin with a friendly contest of martial arts. Then, from among the most skilled fighters, we shall find the one with the greatest musical talent.

"In this way, I believe we can select a true master for the Jiaowei—one who is both proficient in music and powerful enough to protect it.

"I wonder, what does everyone think of this?"

After Jiang Ran finished his speech, the entire venue fell silent.

Those proficient in music worried their martial arts weren’t good enough, while those confident in their fighting prowess knew nothing of music.

By proposing these two requirements, wasn’t Jiang Ran just making things impossible for everyone?

And yet, Jiang Ran’s requirements were not at all unreasonable.

’After all, the Jiaowei is a zither. If you don’t understand music or how to play a zither, what’s the point of fighting for it?’

’Even if you did manage to learn its secret and could control it at will...’

’...if you can’t play it, what good is it? Even if you know how to use it without it backfiring, what’s the point?’

’And on the other hand, if you only understand music and have no martial skill, you won’t be able to protect the Jiaowei. You might take the zither today, but you’d be dead by tomorrow.’

Everyone present understood this point perfectly.

So, while Jiang Ran’s two conditions were incredibly demanding, they were also perfectly logical, leaving no room for objection.

Feng Xianzhi glanced around. Seeing that no one was speaking up, he prepared to offer more sycophantic praise.

He was more than willing to do so.

Feng Wu was their son, the apple of their eye.

Jiang Ran had done Feng Wu a great kindness, which was a kindness to their entire family.

They had no way of repaying this debt of gratitude, so how could he possibly let an opportunity like this pass by?

But before he could speak, another person laughed and said:

"Excellent!

"Young Hero Jiang speaks with great reason. We shall naturally abide by your terms."