Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yao Mengji wanted to slap himself in the face!
Who did he think Li Nianfan was? He was like a god! Of course, the Thousand-Year Black Ice would listen to him! While it was bossing Yao Mengji around at home, it had to be as humble as it could be in front of the expert!
Being able to work for Li Nianfan was its biggest pleasure! How could it only let out a drop every ten years? It was not a fool!
Qin Manyun was shocked and did not know what to do. She wanted to stand on the sidelines and remain invisible!
Li Nianfan smiled. “Thank you! But I can’t take your gift for free! Tell me, what do you want?”
Qin Manyun was a friend of Luo Shiyu, and this old man probably knew the Holy Emperor and Bai Wuchen since they lived in the same circle. He must have heard word about something that he wanted. Thus, he came all the way here to be friends with him.
Coming with such enthusiasm, he must have something that he wanted! These men of culture were all after writings or paintings, or perhaps chess or tea.
Although Li Nianfan did not know anything about cultivating, he was a man of culture. After all, he was trained by the System for five whole years!
Having met these friendly cultivators, Li Nianfan thought that if he could secure their friendships through the love of arts, he would be in much safer hands in this Immortal Realm.
He wondered if these cultivators were the big ones in this realm. If he could be lucky enough to be friends with the big ones, how great would it be!
If it were not for his friendship with the cultivators, he would not have a full yard of elixirs or even the protection of the flying cultivators in the sky a few days ago.
It was nice to be friends with bigshots!
On the other hand, Yao Mengji was having a difficult time. He could feel his scalp itching and goosebumps all over his skin. He was anxious!
A test!
This was a test!
‘How should I answer this question?
‘If I say I have no intention of receiving anything, the expert wouldn’t believe me which would make me seem bogus! But if I ask for something, what would the expert think of me? Also, what can I even ask for? Do I even deserve any of the items here?’
It was a very difficult question to grasp!
If he answered wrongly and offended the expert, he would be done for!
It was merely a few seconds, but to him, it felt longer than a century as droplets of sweat started appearing on his forehead.
‘What an expert! So scary! A word from him can mean so many deeper meanings! I’ve cultivated for a thousand years and yet I have no idea how to answer!’
Finally, he bit the bullet and said, “I…I’d like Mr. Li to…to…give me some pointers.”
Li Nianfan shook his head. This old man spoke with such restraint! Why so nervous!
Perhaps this was the weakness of all the cultured men in this realm.
“You mean to show you the instrument?” Li Nianfan asked directly.
Since he stepped into the house, Li Nianfan noticed that Yao Mengji had been staring at his Guqin without blinking. Even when he spoke, he would take a sneak peek at the Guqin from time to time. That cautious look on his face made it quite apparent that he had a thing for the stringed instrument! He was likely to be a music-lover!
Yao Mengji exclaimed, “Yes! Exactly!”
An expert he was! Perhaps he could tell right away that I was cultivating with music. If he could give me a pointer, or two, it would be my biggest blessing!
Li Nianfan said, “I can’t teach you, but we could exchange our knowledge.”
“So, Mr. Li, shall we play a duet? Or…” Yao Mengji asked sheepishly.
“No duet!” Li Nianfan shook his head and rejected him without hesitation. He was merely an ordinary man, how could he play a duet with a cultivator? Was he trying to kill himself?
Who would know what would happen when these cultivators played their instrument! What if their Spiritual Qi accidentally harmed him?
“Why don’t you play it? I’ll listen,” Li Nianfan pointed at his Guqin. “My instrument is right there. Why don’t you go give it a try?”
Yao Mengji trembled. His face flushed red as his breathing turned rapid. It was as though he had just heard something absurd and could not believe his ears. “Mr. Li, am I allowed to play on your instrument?”
“It’s just an instrument. Why not?” Li Nianfan found it almost funny! This old man was hilarious!
Breathe in… Breathe out…
Yao Mengji tried to control his breathing and said to himself, ‘Be calm! I have to be calm! I cannot appear frightened in front of Mr. Li.’
He stared at the Guqin, as if walking into a temple. He made his way to the Guqin one step at a time.
‘This is a Spiritual Item! Perhaps even beyond that! And I’m allowed to play on this Immortal treasure?’
He felt as if he was in a dream. His mind blanked and he had tears in his eyes. It was already the greatest blessing in life to be able to have a look at a Guqin like this. He would give away his chance at becoming an Immortal just to play on this instrument!
‘Mr. Li is indeed an expert! He’s willing to let a sloppy man like me touch and play on his instrument!? I have no more regret in life!’
Yao Mengji sat before the Guqin. He reached out with trembling hands, as if he was about to touch his lover but was afraid that he would taint his lover’s clothes—extremely hesitant.
At this moment, he felt like a stoic warrior facing his death.
‘Being able to become Mr. Li’s chess piece is the greatest blessing in my life!’
With that, he whispered to the Guqin before placing his hands on the instrument and said, “Pardon me.”
A truly Spiritual Item!
Yao Mengji knew that if it was not the expert playing it, the Guqin would have attacked him right away and kicked him out of there.
He calmed his racing heart. His age-washed eyes let out a gaze he had never had before. This was a chance given to him by the expert…as well as a test.
Accompanying the expert was just like accompanying a tiger.
If he was good at it, it would be fine. If he could not play well and tainted the Guqin instead, his life would be over!
He took a deep breath and held it in for ten seconds before letting it all out with a long sigh.
With that, he started plucking at the strings. His movements were smooth and fluent like water flowing down a river.
Ding…
Beautiful music came out of the Guqin—sometimes relaxing, sometimes rapid. Waves flew in the air, drifting far away.
Between the sky and the ground, a cooling breeze came by, blowing on Yao Mengji’s white beard and hair. He looked like a wise old man.
Li Nianfan closed his eyes as he listened, sometimes nodding, sometimes shaking his head. It seemed that this old man really liked music. He put in quite some effort into his performance. If graded by the System, he would have reached at least a level eight.
However…
Li Nianfan could not help recalling the time when he was controlled by the system! Back then, he thought playing the instrument at level ten was already hitting its peak, yet the System told him level ten was just the beginning.
In the words of the System, the first ten levels were just the basic foundations. After mastering that, one also needed to take into account the meaning of the music, one’s surroundings, feelings, and emotions to pass the test!
Anyway…that was the past!
He did not know how he managed to survive those days!
