The Music Examination was held beneath the cascading waterfall, beside the Qing Shi Pond.
Song Qianji and Ji Chen set out from Rainbow Stone Creek to observe the Music Examination, a journey that spanned nearly half of the Huawel Sect.
The mountains and waters stretched far, and the mountain paths ran deep.
Yet the two felt lighthearted, their steps brisk, and the distance seemed to shrink.
Song Qianji’s ease came from his usual demeanor while strolling and admiring the scenery.
Ji Chen’s relief, on the other hand, stemmed from having finally muddled through the Calligraphy and Painting Examination, shedding his burdens and feeling unencumbered.
Suddenly, a cloud of dust billowed toward them as a team of deacons charged headlong down the path, holding aloft elaborate ceremonial canopies and screens, barging through without regard.
Song Qianji stepped to the side of the mountain path, making way for them to pass.
Ji Chen, impulsive by nature, directly intercepted a deacon at the rear of the procession:
“May I ask, fellow cultivator, are you heading to Rainbow Stone Creek by this route? What has happened there? Why such haste?”
The deacon, noting Ji Chen’s low cultivation level, showed impatience at first, but his expression shifted when a storage bag was slipped into his hand.
Glancing down, his face instantly brightened, and he smiled:
“Young immortal, you may not know—the Calligraphy and Painting Examination has just concluded, and the Calligrapher Sage is heading to the Literary Star Tower by Rainbow Stone Creek to review the papers. This was sudden, and we only just received the Sect Leader’s orders. It’s improper to use flying magical artifacts in the Sage’s presence, so we must hurry on foot…”
Ji Chen understood.
The Calligrapher Sage had just left the Flying Cloud Tower without prior notice, throwing the Huawel Sect’s higher-ups into a panic.
Sect Leader Xu Yun, unable to discern the Sage’s intentions and fearing any disrespect, urgently summoned all Peak Lords and elders to greet him, while also mobilizing the ceremonial music and procession as a precaution.
“Young immortal, if you seek immortal fortune, head to Rainbow Stone Creek now. Perhaps fate has a chance in store for you.” The deacon cupped his hands, offered these auspicious words, and hurried off.
Left standing there in a daze, Ji Chen stared blankly at Song Qianji:
“The Calligrapher Sage is coming in person? Surely not?”
The Huawel Sect had originally invited ten renowned and respected masters of calligraphy and painting from the cultivation world to serve as examiners, grading the papers and deciding the rankings.
Ji Chen felt that being ranked last by them, while embarrassing, was still acceptable—with an optimistic mindset, it was just a matter of brushing off the shame.
But if the Calligrapher Sage himself declared him hopeless, he would become the laughingstock of his clan, his life’s circumstances would plummet, and even his younger sister would be affected by his disgrace.
A single word could determine a person’s life or death, shaping another’s destiny—such was the power of a top-tier expert.
At first, Song Qianji didn’t grasp Ji Chen’s worry.
To him, once he had painted what was in his heart onto the paper, the matter was perfectly concluded.
The potato blossoms bloomed in his heart. As for where that painting was sent or who would judge it, he no longer cared.
But then Ji Chen said, “What if the Calligrapher Sage sees that circle I drew and thinks I was being flippant or disrespectful…”
Song Qianji suddenly understood and comforted him, “His heart is broad, and his learning encompasses the heavens. He likely won’t mind.”
This was half-true.
He had no idea how broad or narrow the other’s heart truly was.
But based on his past life’s firsthand experience, a Transformation Realm expert would absolutely not bother with the trivial troubles of a mere Qi Refining nobody.
You’re not the savior Wei Zhenyu, after all.
Ji Chen kicked a pebble by the roadside in frustration, lamenting, “If I’d known this, I really shouldn’t have drawn just one circle!”
Song Qianji asked curiously, “What else could you have drawn?”
“At least five circles! Four more than that single circle! Fill the entire paper, make it lively and bustling, round and complete!”
Ji Chen kicked the pebble back, finding a sliver of amusement in his misery.Song Qianji laughed, "With thousands of exam papers, it's unlikely ours would be picked out randomly. Any calligraphy or painting reviewed by the Calligrapher Sage must have been pre-selected by the examiners as the best."
Ji Chen's eyes lit up, "That makes sense! They wouldn't dare show inferior works to a Sage, fearing they might offend his eyes. Since we genuinely ranked at the bottom through our own skills, we shouldn't worry. Thank you for the reassurance, Brother Song!"
But Song Qianji thought to himself that in his previous life, the Calligrapher Sage never appeared at the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals.
When he first heard this news back then, he speculated it was because the Savior had revealed traces at the Huawel Sect.
However, just now by the Colored Stone Creek, he secretly observed everyone present but didn't spot any suspicious cultivators.
Song Qianji asked Ji Chen, "Among the cultivators participating in today's Calligraphy and Painting Examination, is there anyone surnamed Wei?"
Ji Chen chuckled, "Are you asking about Wei Zhanyang? The one who left his calligraphy on the stone wall together with Zhao Mu?"
"No, not him."
Wei Zhenyu kept a low profile in the early stages, remaining unknown to others.
Ji Chen scratched his head, "Wei is a common surname in the Cultivation World. Is the person you're looking for from the Wei family in Que She County or the Wei family in San Qing County?"
"Neither. That person should come from mortal origins, not from a noble family, and might even be a Rogue Cultivator." Song Qianji pondered, "Did you encounter any Wei-named disciples today with low cultivation levels who seemed completely unremarkable?"
Ji Chen shook his head, "Completely unremarkable yet daring to bear the surname Wei? Lower-level cultivators navigating the Cultivation World prefer avoiding trouble—changing their surname is more convenient to prevent accidental conflicts with others sharing the same name."
Song Qianji felt slightly disappointed; perhaps they were fated not to meet this time.
The Calligrapher Sage probably had no connection with the Huawel Sect.
If Wei Zhenyu wasn't here, why had he come?
"Is this matter important?" Ji Chen suggested, "I can hire people to help search—where there's a generous reward, there will be brave volunteers!"
Song Qianji quickly declined, "I was just asking casually, no need to trouble yourself. Let's go listen to the zither music."
Pine and cypress trees stood lush, with mist drifting among them.
"Ahead is Wind Mist Valley. Shall we take a look at the Go Examination while we're here? After all, we've come this far..." Ji Chen uttered the most terrifying eight-character mantra for outings: "Since we're already here, not looking would be a waste."
"Alright." Song Qianji nodded.
The valley lay low-lying, so spectators could only stand on the halfway-up-the-mountain platform, looking down.
Ji Chen asked, "Brother Song, do you know how to play Go? Have you played before?"
"Once." Song Qianji thought for a moment, "I suppose I know a little."
Playing Go consumed too much time—in his previous life, he never had such leisure.
But once, while breaking into an ancient Great Adept's tomb chamber to retrieve an ancient zither score for Miaoyan, he accidentally triggered a Go formation.
If he couldn't solve the unfinished game, he couldn't leave.
Song Qianji had no choice but to search through all the Go manuals in the tomb, learning as he played, applying newfound knowledge on the spot.
Thirteen days later, he broke through the formation, having nearly lost half his life in the process.
According to the tomb's time flow, solving that Go game had taken him a full thirteen years.
Thirteen years without a moment's rest, concentrating solely on one task—even an immortal would be driven mad.
That was Song Qianji's first time playing Go, and also his last.
Ji Chen assumed Song Qianji's "know a little" meant he had just started learning the rules, knew a few basic patterns, and couldn't yet analyze game records.
Immediately feeling like he'd met a kindred spirit, he excitedly agreed:
"I played twice as a child—once more than you!"
Mediocre amateurs ought to sympathize with each other and mutually prop up the bottom.
※※※
A waterfall hung like a white silk ribbon between the mountains, cascading down into the Qing Shi Pond.
The pond's waters churned violently, mist spreading everywhere, reflecting sunlight to form a colorful rainbow bridge.
Not far from the pond, three or four small bamboo houses stood connected.The sound cultivators participating in the Music Examination sat inside the building awaiting their turn, with seventy percent being disciples of the Celestial Sound Sect, while those from other sects accounted for only thirty percent.
They drank tea and chatted while listening to the zither music drifting from the lakeside.
Not every contestant had the chance to play a complete piece.
Some with inferior skills hadn't even finished half a piece before the examiners in the pavilion tossed stones into the lake.
The sound of stones hitting the water served as a sharp interruption, forcing the interrupted contestants to withdraw with their instruments.
The sunlight, pure and bright, filled the small building.
Young female cultivators gathered in groups of three or four, dressed in vibrant, elegant attire, radiant and dazzling.
In a corner untouched by the light, one person sat alone.
Several meticulously dressed female cultivators passed by and were quite surprised to see her.
"Isn't that He..." They blurted out the surname but immediately stopped, as if unwilling to address her as junior sister.
They stood at a distance, pointing and whispering about the corner:
"Why is she here too?"
"Ah, anyone who signed up can come."
"What's her performance order?"
"I heard she's the last to perform."
"Really? The grand finale?!"
Someone with inside information smiled oddly: "Her performance order was switched. The grand finale of the assembly was supposed to be Mengzhi Fairy."
"You mean this year's rising star, called 'Little Miaoyan'?"
"Exactly! After Mengzhi Fairy performs, it'll be her turn."
"Then what's the point of her playing? She might as well go home now rather than be driven offstage after just two notes."
Another added: "Not only that, I also heard that after the competition, Fairy Miaoyan will perform a piece as well."
The looks directed at He Qingqing instantly changed - from mockery and ridicule to concealed pity.
There had been cultivators before who came to the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals seeking immortal opportunities, only to be severely discouraged and have their dao hearts shattered.
Sandwiched between performances by Mengzhi Fairy and Fairy Miaoyan?
What a joke.
"I wonder who she offended to have her order switched like this."
"Maybe she didn't offend anyone at all."
After some thought, everyone agreed more with this explanation: "That makes sense."
Whether it was one of Mengzhi Fairy's admirers casually pulling in a scapegoat, conveniently picking this easy target—
—Mengzhi Fairy would absolutely refuse to perform right before Fairy Miaoyan. Who would want to serve as someone else's stepping stone?
Or perhaps it was those female cultivators from Azure Cliff Academy who disliked He Qingqing.
—Ever since she was rescued from the Demon Cave by the Courtyard Overseer, the label "the girl brought back by Ziye Wenshu" had been stuck to her.
This made many female cultivators subtly uncomfortable. A celestial deity shouldn't have any connection with mortals from the mud.
He Qingqing didn't need to offend anyone to be placed last in the performance order.
Because she was the easiest to bully and never fought back.
He Qingqing seemed oblivious to these comments.
She simply held her zither, sitting in the deep shadows of the corner.
Her back straight as a pine tree, unshaken by wind or rain.
Regardless of the coming and going of people around her or the swirling rumors, her fingers moved slightly within her sleeves as she continued practicing mentally.
Suddenly her fingertips stilled, clenching tightly.
"I heard her zither was smashed! How does she have a Green Ripple Platform now? Where did she get the Spirit Stones to buy such an expensive instrument!"
"Who knows? Has anyone lost a zither recently? Maybe someone just happened to lose a Green Ripple Platform?"
He Qingqing looked up, silently committing their faces to memory.
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