At that moment, Ye Qingyu's heart had a descriptive word running through it that was commonly used, but it's definition could hardly be captured —
Gentleness.
That's right, gentleness.
When the woman washing clothes suddenly smiled, Ye Qingyu suddenly felt that everything was logical and reasonable. In this entire world, there was nothing more gentle than this smiling face. Any peerless and beautiful face would lose it's splendour in such an extremely gentle smiling face.
Such a gentle smile was enough to make one lose their will and ambition.
This differentiation from what the sight saw and what the heart felt was too great.
It was enough to make even Ye Qingyu feel at this moment that the sunlight was too bright, enough so that it caused him to feel dizzy.
"Hehe, he is my friend. I would be bored on my own, so I invited him to see my two aunties," Xing'er said laughingly, then hopped over excitedly. "Aunt Heng'er, you haven't gotten even a bit older in these ten years. You've even gotten more and more beautiful. That's right, where's Aunt Han? Why can't I see her?"
As she said this, the girl turned backwards to give a strange face to Ye Qingyu.
Ye Qingyu did not say anything.
At this time, he had fallen into the role of a spectator, an outsider entirely.
Although he did not understand just what Xing'er wanted by coming here, but Ye Qingyu was sure on one thing: this was not just a momentary impulse of Xing'er. The situation was not as she described earlier, that she had only passed here by coincidence and brought Ye Qingyu here by chance.
The Xing'er that was a girl seemed like an impulsive and spoiled little princess.
But Ye Qingyu could clearly remember the Xing'er who had assumed the identity as the little student boy of the [Painting Saint]. Within the Pass Lord's residence, he was an important character who could not be ignored. When encountering the number one villain of this generation Yan Buhui deep within the territory of the Demon Race, Xing'er was calm and unshaken. Many martial experts that had experienced many battlegrounds would not have performed better than her.
For such a person with a background from the imperial family, her vision and cultivation would definitely be many times higher than the so called geniuses. Her actions, her words, would definitely not be as simple as it looked on the surface.
"You girl, you are still as silly as ever…" Aunt Heng'er stood up, placing all the washed clothing in a wooden tub. Then carrying the wooden tub, she smiled at them, "Do as you wish. Your Aunt Han must be currently undergoing a Zither lesson, let's go and have a listen…"
The wooden tub made up of some unknown material was filled with completely drenched clothing. It weighed at least several hundred pounds. But Aunt Heng just lightly lifted it with two of her fingers, like lightly lifting a strand of straw. Her initial impression did not seem to give off that as a person she was skilled in the martial arts, and she did not emit the slightest of yuan qi aura. But the more he looked, the more shocked he was. Gradually, Ye Qingyu had a sensation that the true strength of this so called Aunt Heng, was even higher than he himself.
Such a judgement made Ye Qingyu stunned.
It seemed ridiculous.
But without knowing why, following behind the two as they gradually went further into the courtyard building, the more he looked at the back of Aunt Heng, the more he felt that his judgement was correct. He did not have any evidence, but this was just an instinctive sensation that he had from his own heart.
As they walked, they passed a swathe of bamboo forest.
There was the infrequent sound of the Zither coming out.
The sound of the Zither was saintly.
Like flowing water.
Like floating clouds.
Like the tranquilness of a mountain stream.
Like light wind blowing past.
Ye Qingyu was never someone who understood music. But without knowing why, when he heard the faint and unclear sound of the zither emitting from the bamboo forest, such images would appear in his mind. The more they neared the bamboo forest, the more he felt there was an invisible gentle hand drawing something with Ye Qingyu's brain. Gradually, Ye Qingyu felt a sign that he was barely able to control the direction of his own thoughts…
"The sound of the Zither… there’s a demonic power in it, it's able to control someone's thoughts?"
After falling briefly into it, Ye Qingyu was stunned.
He shook his head, realizing the sound of the Zither was strange. He instantly focused and rejected this strange power to prevent his spirit from being disturbed by the sound of the Zither.
But without knowing why, some memories that were hidden deep within his heart suddenly and uncontrollably floated in Ye Qingyu's mind, flitting by without any restraints…
It was as if there was an irresistible power that was currently searching through Ye Qingyu's memories.
"Crap."
Ye Qingyu stopped his footsteps.
Without knowing why, he suddenly felt that his vision had become more and more blurred. It was like the moon within the water or flower within the mist. The path underneath him, the bamboo forest in front, as well as the surrounding landscape all became blurred…..
Why was it like this?
Ye Qingyu was shocked.
Just who did this Zither belong to, that it could reach such a terrifying state?
With his current cultivation today, he could verry well be referred to as a top level expert. But this zither sound that came from so far off had placed him under its control without even him noticing?
Ye Qingyu could be sure that everything around him was an illusion. His senses had already been controlled by the sound of the Zither. Such a method was really far too amazing. No matter whether it was the information sources from Dugu Quan or Ouyang Buping, or the report from the Two River Gang, it had not mentioned that there was such a terrifying existence within the capital that was so skilled in the musical arts.
Within his mind, there were all sorts of scenes constantly flickering.
From when he was small, till when he grew up, till when his parents died in battle, and he had hidden himself for fours years, till when he entered White Deer Academy and started practicing martial arts, meeting fortuitous encounters and heading to Youyan Pass…
Such thoughts that were incomparably coherent appeared uncontrollably without Ye Qingyu having any control over it in his mind.
"That's not right. These are not my own thoughts, but it’s constantly appearing… I understand… Not good, that master of the Zither is using the secret arts of the Zither to read my memories?"
Ye Qingyu finally had a moment of enlightenment.
Then all the hairs in his body stood up.
The reason that he would begin remembering his memories uncontrollably and that there were even memories that even he himself had forgotten was very likely due to the master of that Zither. A secret art was currently being used deep within his consciousness that began flipping through his own memories.
At that instant, Ye Qingyu had a feeling of his blood running cold.
Such a method was really too terrifying.
If his memories were really read by the master of the Zither, then what secrets would he have? Everything would be bared naked to the person…
This was unacceptable.
There was an anger that could not help but be provoked within Ye Qingyu's heart.
He activated his consciousness to the fullest, wanting to resist against the demonic power within the Zither.
But it seemed to have the opposite effect entirely.
Ye Qingyu discovered, the more he resisted, the more he concentrated his spirit, the quicker his memories were read from his mind. The scenes that appeared uncontrollably within his mind became increasingly clearer.
There was absolutely no way of resisting.
"What? What do I do?"
This was Ye Qingyu's first time encountering such a strange predicament.
He madly searched in his heart for a method to deal with this.
Without realizing, his body began to fluctuate with the nameless breathing technique.
After cultivating in it for so long, this nameless breathing technique had nearly became instinct for Ye Qingyu. Perhaps it was because his body could clearly sense the dangerous situation, it automatically began activating the nameless breathing technique.
The strange breathing rhythm and beat caused Ye Qingyu to slowly settle his spirit as the breathing technique fluctuated. Those scenes that uncontrollably flickered past his mind gradually disappeared. Then his brain was like when he normally cultivated, it was in a state of blankness.
This was the effect of cultivating in the nameless breathing technique day after day.
The Ye Qingyu right now was in a state where he had forgotten himself. Everything in his mind had already fallen into a slumbering state. Even if the zither had a greater demonic power, it had no way of making a person who had even forgotten themselves, remember anything regarding himself.
It was unknown how long such a state would last.
Ye Qingyu slowly opened his eyes.
The noise of the Zither had already disappeared.
Everything had been restored to normal around him.
There was still a path beneath his feet, this was still the picturesque courtyard residence. The little stone path led to the bamoboo forest far off, and there was still the faint sound of Zither coming out from it. But right now, hearing it, there was no longer that terrifying demonic power within, it was no different from the normal sound of a zither…
Ye Qingyu was still apprehensive.
At this time, Xing'er hopped out from the bamboo forest.
She carefully examined Ye Qingyu's expression. She did not see an expression of rage or the sort, and carefully approached him. With an expression of apology, "The matter is not as you imagine, I really did not mean to, don't misunderstand…”
The emotions of the little princess was currently conflicted.
She did not imagine herself that such a matter would occur. From the entire situation, it was like she had deliberately led Ye Qingyu here and allowed Aunt Han's zither sound to browse the secrets within Ye Qingyu's memories.
Ye Qingyu smiled: "How do I imagine it?"
"that is… that is…" Xing'er was stuttering from guilt, not able to formulate a complete sentence. Finally she lifted her head, closing her eyes, and displayed a heroic expression. Saying with fervour, "Fine, this time it was my wrong. I nearly caused you to fall into a perilous situation, if you want to kill me, I, Yu Xiaoxing will definitely not complain.”
"Hahahaha…"
Ye Qingyu could not hold his laughter.
Extending his hand, he tapper her head. "It's enough. As a princess, how could you admit wrong to one of your subjects? I don't dare accept… Are you finished with your business? If you are finished, is it time for us to return?"
"What?" Xing'er was stunned. “You're not angry?"
"You said it wasn't your intention, so why would I be angry?" Ye Qingyu asked back.
Xing'er hesitated, a charming smile appearing on her exquisite little face. Then she returned to normal, and said with a laugh, "The matter has not yet ended. Aunt Han told you to enter. Hey, just what sort of secret is hidden on your body? This forest that belongs to Aunt Han had never allowed a man to enter in a hundred years. Even father is not an exception. To think that she would let you enter and break all the rules… speak, just what is this?"
