Chapter 384: Ji Qi: I Shall Claim the Emperor

Dressed in blue, a Hua family disciple named Hua Qingming came to invite Fang Yu to a banquet.

The reason was that after he described the greatness of this senior brother Fang Yu to the powerful seniors on Star Peak, the outstanding disciples of the main peak wished to meet him.

"Fine, I'll go."

Fang Yu nodded and headed straight for Star Peak.

The mountains here were graceful and scenic, with thin mist swirling around the summits, while streams murmured at their bases, ancient trees entwined with old vines, utterly serene.

On the grass ahead, several young men and women sat cross-legged on the ground, a wooden table before them laden with fruits and fine wine.

"Ding ding dong dong."

Among them, a blue-clad man played the qin; his fingers danced, releasing fluid sounds that drifted through the air—melodious and pleasing, calming the soul.

Seeing Fang Yu and Hua Qingming arrive, the blue-clad man stopped playing, rose first, and the others followed, stepping forward to greet them.

"Friend, you must be Senior Brother Fang of Zhuofeng? I've long heard of you but never had the chance to meet; now that you've come, all the flowers and grass across these mountains have suddenly brightened."

The blue-clad youth was exceedingly courteous, smiling as he invited Fang Yu to sit.

He was tall and slender, no more than twenty-four or twenty-five, spoke little, and gave off an impression of gentleness and agility.

This blue-clad man possessed a unique aura, easily drawing people closer and inspiring affection.

His name was Hua Yunfei—his name closely matched his essence: flowing clouds, brushing winds, evoking a sense of ethereal emptiness.

"I arrive, and all the flowers and grass brighten? That's not right."

Fang Yu smiled at Hua Yunfei's words.

Undeniably, this young man named Hua Yunfei had real presence; his words were polite, utterly unlike the grandson of the Star Peak lord—he showed none of the arrogance typical of the offspring of the powerful. Fang Yu found this quite admirable.

Yet Hua Yunfei's words were too flowery: he arrived, and the flowers brightened? Not yet.

Fang Yu's intent shifted; he casually unleashed Wood Emperor Daoist Gang Qi onto the ground. Instantly, the flowers and grass below sensed a rare opportunity unseen in millennia, rejoicing wildly and growing at the slightest breeze.

In an instant, many of the plants gained spiritual awareness and bowed before Fang Yu in submission.

"Now, they truly have brightened."

Fang Yu sat cross-legged; all the flowers and grass around him paid homage.

"What? Is this the true power of Zhuofeng's top senior brother? I heard Zhuofeng had a natural inheritance, yet many senior brothers spent days learning and failed to master it—yet Senior Brother Fang has already achieved it?"

"A mere movement can make all plants bow? He's the King of Plants! Unbelievable—truly unbelievable."

"I once heard Senior Brother Yunfei's music could make a hundred birds pause mid-flight; today I've seen Zhuofeng's senior brother make a hundred grasses bow—this way, perhaps the next Zhang Sect of Tai Xuan Sect will come from Zhuofeng."

"Zhuofeng's inheritance is truly terrifying. Qingming Senior Brother has been on Zhuofeng so long—has he gained any insight yet?"

Most of the young men and women at the banquet were disciples of the main peak, Star Peak. Hearing Hua Qingming mention that Zhuofeng had produced a senior brother, they all wanted to meet him, for Zhuofeng's rise was inevitable, and its senior brother had the right to become the next Xuanmenzhang Sect.

That was why many disciples from Star Peak had come down to meet him—Hua Yunfei, their own senior brother, had personally extended the invitation.

Now that they'd seen him, it was truly extraordinary.

"Our Zhuofeng's senior brother can make flowers and grass bow to him?"

Witnessing this, Hua Qingming was stunned. Earlier, Senior Brother had crushed divine thunder with his bare hands; now he could make plants bow? The contrast in images was immense.

Which one was the real senior brother?

Deepening in awe, Hua Qingming suddenly felt that perhaps following this senior brother might truly be a wise choice.

Even Hua Yunfei, the youngest grandson of the Star Peak lord, paused, then laughed. "My earlier words were indeed exaggerated—now the plants truly have brightened. Today I humbly play a tune to congratulate Senior Brother Fang on your return."

Hua Yunfei gently touched the ancient qin; the "ding ding dong dong" melody flowed, carrying the quiet grace of a spring flowing over stones.

It was a pure, elegant piece. Under his light, agile fingers, the strings vibrated, releasing beautiful notes that drifted through the void.

Though a man, he moved with more grace than any woman, crafting a sublime melody that painted a poetic, pictorial realm, immersing all who listened—even birds were drawn to the scene.

A thrush, timid at first, eventually landed, perching before the qin; soon after, orioles descended, lured by the music.

Within half a watch, hundreds of birds had settled on the ground beside the ancient qin, listening to the mysterious, beautiful tones.

It was a wondrous sight: Hua Yunfei himself seemed to embody the spirit of heaven and earth, drawing a hundred birds to pay homage, merging with the scenery as if one with this small world.

"Good, good."

Fang Yu clucked in admiration. Hua Yunfei's music truly had depth—it had drawn a hundred birds.

Even after the piece ended, the birds refused to leave, fluttering nearby, adding a touch of beauty to the scene.