Chapter 200: Heretical Paths (Added update 2/2 for Alliance Leader 'Universe Star Abuse')

When she was at Li Xiang Garden, Xiao Yu had also learned musical instruments from her aunt.

Relying on the muscle control and physical coordination of a sword Dao grandmaster, she could basically play a piece of music completely and smoothly according to the score.

As for the effect... if placed on the internet of her previous life, she would at least win the reputation of a "great talented woman" or "Teacher Yu."

"It's like a wooden stump that has become a spirit, learning to play the zither."

This was the evaluation of her zither skills by the aunt who taught at Li Xiang Garden, which made a group of aunts who understood the trade nod quietly, and the daughters who didn't understand cover their mouths and giggle.

Now watching Sister Shao Yao play the zither, she suddenly felt a sense of despair similar to the day Aunt Liu threw her sword into the lake: since Sister Shao Yao exists in the world, there is no need and no qualification for others to touch the zither.

A few days ago on the painted boat, she also heard Sister Shao Yao play the zither, but at that time she was thinking about other things, only feeling that the zither sound was melodious and clear, and didn't truly realize how brilliant Sister Shao Yao's zither skills were—actually, she couldn't say how high Sister Shao Yao's zither skills were now either.

Just in terms of fingering techniques, when Xiao Yu played the zither, one string would have one or two notes; the aunts at Li Xiang Garden were stable at three notes, and could play at most four notes.

The aunt had said that there were fingering masters who could play five notes on one string at the same time.

Now Sister Shao Yao's slender ten fingers were leisurely plucking the strings, and she could easily reach eight or nine notes.

She was not showing off her skills.

Every note emitted from the strings was conveying emotion and artistic conception, with extreme layering.

It even vaguely touched Xiao Yu's Heart Sea Formula, giving her a brand new realization of the "Divine Dao Dimension" in her heart.

It was as if Sister Shao Yao's zither sound could not only spread in the human world and be heard by people, but the zither sound could also enter other dimensions, enter the Ghost Dao, Divine Dao, and Heavenly Human Dao, vaguely drifting into the ears of underworld ghost gods and heavenly immortals.

For example, when ghosts talk to ghosts, humans "close at hand" cannot hear it, or cannot hear it clearly.

Because humans and ghosts are on different paths and are in different dimensions.

When gods evaluate human affairs, the humans being evaluated on the side are also unaware, because humans and gods are on different paths and are in different dimensions.

Now Sister Shao Yao is playing the zither in the human world, and ghosts, gods, and humans can all hear it.

If she played the zither in the Ghost Dao or Divine Dao, the zither sound could still enter the ears of humans, ghosts, and gods.

The artistic conception of the zither sound itself permeated the multiple dimensions of the surrounding time and space.

It shouldn't be entirely psychological.

Xiao Yu believed that Sister Shao Yao's zither sound had entered the "Dao."

For example, now, when she played "Hundred Birds Singing," the zither sound was high and passionate, spreading to several miles away, attracting a group of birds to gather near the pavilion, hovering and flying, chirping to echo the zither sound, and they refused to leave even when people drove them away.

It was fortunate that Xiao Yu had seen many big scenes now, so she could remain calm.

If it were when she had just left the sand dunes, suddenly seeing a refined and otherworldly beautiful "fairy" attracting birds to hover with zither sound, she would definitely have foolishly shouted "An immortal has descended to the world, I wish to worship you as a father."

"Sigh, Sister Sister Shao Yao, why are you still learning sword from me! Your zither has long surpassed charm, and even created an artistic conception that can be perceived by mortal birds," Xiao Yu sighed.

The Black Girl didn't sing the opposite of her this time, and nodded in agreement, saying, "If zither Dao were converted into sword Dao, Sister Shao Yao, your realm would not be much worse than Li Manman's."

Sister Shao Yao's face fell, and she said gloomily, "Not much worse, still not as good as her!"

The Black Girl sighed, "Why must you compare with her? Such a peerless figure may not appear once in a few hundred years. Competing with her is asking for trouble."

Xiao Yu doubted, "I don't believe the zither skills of the Five Absolute Sword Beauties can be stronger than Sister Sister Shao Yao's."

The Black Girl pondered, "Zither Dao is different from sword Dao; in sword Dao, if someone is unconvinced, they can have a fair fight, and the winner will be revealed."

"The superiority of zither Dao, unless the gap is particularly obvious, can be heard by ordinary people."

"Otherwise, everyone's feelings are different, and the evaluations are also varied; even appearance, bearing, status, and strength can affect the listener's judgment of the zither sound."

This is the effect of atmosphere.

The same chef roasting sweet potatoes on the street is just a street stall.

If changed to a famous Michelin restaurant, the same roasted sweet potatoes might make customers feel extremely satisfied.

After a pause, the Black Girl added, "For me personally, Sister Shao Yao's fingering technique is passed down from the ancient immortals of the Great China, which is obviously a step stronger than Li Manman's."

"But Li Manman can not only create an artistic conception sufficient to confuse mortal birds."

"Even the five senses and consciousness of mortals will be affected, as if entering another world."

"So powerful?" Xiao Yu was shocked at first, subconsciously wanting to doubt, but she had just witnessed Sister Shao Yao's zither skills.

If Li Manman were really stronger than Sister Shao Yao, it wouldn't be impossible to confuse people with zither sound.

Of course, whether it was Sister Shao Yao or Li Manman, they were purely infecting people with the artistic conception of zither skills, not cheating with strange arts or illusions, such as "Sonic Wave Gong" or "Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds."

"Do you think the 'Five Absolute Sword Beauties' are blown out? Without real material, who would truly be convinced by her?" the Black Girl said.

Xiao Yu revealed a look of yearning, "Will Li Manman organize banquets or literary gatherings recently?"

"Without seeing that 'Five Absolute Sword Beauties' in person, I cannot imagine such a powerful character image in my mind."

The Black Girl started sneering again, "Do you think Li Manman is willing to see just anyone?"

Xiao Yu said lightly, "She can choose not to see anyone, but if I visit her, she must come out to welcome me."

"By your second-class nobility title? Nowadays, the young masters of the Great China gathered in Luodu, which one doesn't have a Great Qin military merit title, whose title isn't higher than yours? Look at how many of them have seen Li Manman?" The Black Girl was full of sarcasm.

"By the three-foot green peak in my hand! If she truly pursues the ultimate of sword Dao, how could she miss my Pure Yang Sword Qi?"

The sarcastic sneer on the Black Girl's face disappeared, and she sighed, "When your internal qi enters the True Qi Realm, she might really take the initiative to come to Tianmen Town to find you."

"Why True Qi Realm? Sword dueling isn't comparing internal power," Xiao Yu said.

The Black Girl said, "Because she is too strong! In the five major passes of Immortal Martial 'Heart, Spirit, Intent, Qi, Body', you are particularly prominent only in spirit and intent; you are a lame monster."

"Li Manman practices Immortal Law!"

"Immortal Law doesn't distinguish between the five major elements; she also practices both Buddhism and Daoism, and is perfect."

"Now dueling sword with you, she must try her best to suppress her strength and cannot enjoy herself."

"Practicing both Daoism and Buddhism, perfect," Xiao Yu asked curiously, "Did she also practice body-tempering techniques to develop physical potential, and the 'Heart Sutra' to enhance heart and spirit power?"

If Li Manman practiced body-tempering techniques, then her body-tempering techniques must be very advanced and wouldn't affect her current figure.

Otherwise, if she practiced into a two-meter-tall fierce woman with shoulders thicker than a wall, how could she still be the "Five Absolute Sword Beauties"?

Practicing the Heart Sutra of "Heart" power is even more rare; Xiao Yu has never encountered it so far... Chen Haoran Righteousness seems to be related to the heart; she hasn't practiced it and is not sure.

She was a little envious of Li Manman.

She hadn't seen the peerless talent of the Five Absolute Sword Beauties yet.

But the richness of Li Manman's cultivation resources made her envious to the point of jealousy.

"I said, Li Manman is different from us. What we practice is Immortal Martial; your sword, my Confucianism, and Sister Shao Yao's zither are all heretical paths, but Li Manman practices the Golden Elixir Great Dao."

The Black Girl shook her head bitterly, "The Golden Elixir is perfect and all-encompassing, like a small heaven and earth universe; it doesn't matter what qi, spirit, or heart..."

"Sigh, forget it, envying others is useless."

"Let's get back to the main topic, shouldn't you let us see your sword Dao?"

"It's already noon, let's have lunch first, take a short break, and then practice sword," Sister Shao Yao said.

Xiao Yu smiled, "You let Sister Huaping serve the dishes; before the official banquet starts, I can still perform a set of Nine Flower Swords for Grandmaster Wen."

The Black Girl shouted, "I don't want to see the Nine Flower Swords; I'm already tired of seeing the Nine Flower Swords. Perform the 'Pure Yang Sword Qi' that beheaded Ge Qing for me to see!"

Xiao Yu wondered, "As far as I know, no one in Yingxiang Mansion practices the full Nine Flower Swords; how are you tired of seeing it?"

The Black Girl said lightly, "In front of peerless beauties like Li Manman and Li Qianyue, the Nine Flower Swords are just small toys."

Sister Shao Yao felt uncomfortable in her heart and also felt indignant for Xiao Yu, saying, "They just practice according to the sword manual; Sister Fengxian has long walked out of her own Dao, Nine Flowers as One, condensing the Flower God."

"Li Manman has at most the charm of nine kinds of flowers; Sister Fengxian has comprehended dozens of kinds of flower sword intent, and can even have countless kinds!"

"The Flower God is the main god who dominates sword intent, and you have even comprehended dozens of kinds of flower sword intent?" The Black Girl frowned and said, "Yu Fengxian, has no one told you that consuming too much heart and spirit will affect your future condensation of the Origin Elixir and promotion to Human Immortal?"

"I believe that when the car reaches the mountain, there will be a road, and when the willows are dark and the flowers are bright, there will be another village!"

Xiao Yu didn't explain the matter of "casting sword bones."

She found the "Black Iron Sword" from her own package and shouted, "Watch carefully!"

The iron sword slowly left its sheath, and the blade was covered with bright red sword qi.

"Swish!" Sword light flashed, and the table holding the zither was missing a corner.

"Clang!"

The iron sword returned to its sheath, Xiao Yu looked at the Black Girl and said, "This is Pure Yang Sword Qi; what are your thoughts?"

The Black Girl blinked, quietly dispelling the slight confusion on her black face, lowered her head and rubbed the gap in the table with her palm for a while, and stammered, "Very sharp, very powerful, worthy of being the Pure Yang Sword Qi that can behead heavenly court god generals."

Xiao Yu laughed loudly, "Fart Pure Yang Sword Qi, that sword just now was just ordinary blood evil sword qi."

The Black Girl was furious, pointed at her and scolded, "What a vulgar and cunning Sha Man, how dare you tease me!"

Xiao Yu smiled, "It's not teasing, it's just as a sword technique teacher, teaching you the basic principles of sword Dao—be down-to-earth, don't be ambitious!"

"You opened your mouth wanting to see Pure Yang Sword Qi, but you can't even distinguish the most ordinary evil spirit; what's the use of seeing Pure Yang Sword Qi?"

The Black Girl became more and more angry, but was speechless and completely unable to refute.

After a day of getting along, Xiao Yu's perception of the Black Girl Wen Zhiruo changed a lot.

The Black Girl was indeed arrogant, but her arrogance was not the naturally annoying arrogance, but the arrogance of a Confucian scholar cultivated after the fact during the process of practicing the Confucian path.

She despised those who didn't understand etiquette, but she practiced it herself and valued etiquette very much.

When learning sword from Xiao Yu, she first performed the etiquette of a disciple, even if she was sarcastically mocked by Xiao Yu for having poor talent, even if she was overwhelmed and unable to understand the true meaning of the sword Dao taught by Xiao Yu, she still maintained etiquette, honestly endured the mockery, listened seriously, and expressed gratitude with a salute whenever she gained something...

When the hour of teaching ended and it was time to judge who learned the most and who taught the best today, the "honest disciple Wen Zhiruo" immediately disappeared and turned into the sharp-tongued, calculating "annoying black charcoal."

"Fine, fine, fine, you are powerful, you are number one, Sister Sister Shao Yao is number two, I learned the worst and taught the worst," Xiao Yu said helplessly, also feeling bored.

The Black Girl sneered, "Do you think I am so narrow-minded that I won't let go of this small false name?"

Xiao Yu said, "I think talking about this topic is a waste of time."

"I also think that while it's not dark yet, we can talk about other more meaningful things."

Sister Shao Yao smiled, "Don't worry about it being dark; Grandmaster Wen rarely comes to Tianbao Residence, so she will stay for at least two days."

"There is even a quiet room specially prepared for her upstairs."

"Of course, Sister Fengxian also has her own embroidery room."

Xiao Yu nodded, looked at the Black Girl and asked, "Who did you learn your Chen Haoran Righteousness from?"

The Black Girl was shocked and said, "I didn't tell you about Chen Haoran Righteousness..."

She turned to Sister Shao Yao, and Sister Shao Yao shook her head gently.

Xiao Yu smiled, "Have you forgotten Dou Yilin and Sending Dou Gengyan?"

The Black Girl first seemed to realize something, then looked at her with longing eyes and asked, "You have witnessed Dou Yilin's Chen Haoran Righteousness; is it really as vast and bright as the sun as the legend says?"

The 12 chapters owed to the alliance leader were finally completed today, and the update will return to three chapters a day tomorrow (everyone, don't give me alliance leader rewards anymore; I am already exhausted and have no strength to add updates).

In addition, the Black Girl Wen Zhiruo appeared today; taking this opportunity, I will talk about Xiao Yu's future development route—actually, it's very simple: Bodhi Patriarch, who combines Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, is her direction of progress.

Now that she has met a grandmaster of the Confucian path, the Chen Haoran Righteousness that Sending Dou Gengyan gave Xiao Yu can be practiced. ===== CHAPTER 201 =====