Chapter 549: Memories Like the Wind, Ling Xianliu

"The strings are broken; once we reconnect them, that's it."

"Instructor Ye, strings like these, the result after reconnecting will be completely different from before, right?"

Although she didn't know much about the qin, she still understood this principle.

Just as a shattered mirror cannot be restored, a broken string cannot be rejoined. Even if one spends great effort to mend it, it will undergo a huge change.

Lu Yunfeng said nothing, but his thoughts were clearly the same as Hong Wu's.

"Is that so?"

Ye Qingran gave a mysterious smile.

Then she produced a Jade Bottle from somewhere, pinched the two broken strings together, and from the bottle poured out some liquid. After several rubbings, the two completely severed strings miraculously fused, with no seam at all, looking as if they had never been broken.

"That's just too amazing, isn't it?"

Ye Qingran's maneuver left Hong Wu staring dumbfounded.

Lu Yunfeng's eyes were also clouded and indistinct.

After Ye Qingran similarly reconnected the other two strings, she removed the old strings and reinstalled them onto the PhoenixTail Guqin.

Then she adjusted the tension of the strings.

Such a professional action made Lu Yunfeng and the others instantly realize she knows the qin.

"Alright, give it a try."

Ye Qingran handed the tuned PhoenixTail Guqin back to Lu Yunfeng.

Lu Yunfeng took it, gave Ye Qingran a deep look, then sat cross‑legged and began to play.

The moment the first note sounded, a strange brilliance flashed across Lu Yunfeng's eyes.

Hong Wu and Qin Feixue exchanged a glance, also breaking into joyful smiles.

The strings are truly repaired, with no flaw at all!

Lu Yunfeng's ten fingers fluttered, creating myriad patterns on the strings.

As he played, he was immersed, expressing his inner emotions through the music.

Listening to this piece, Ye Qingran felt a growing sense of puzzlement.

From the melody, she heard Lu Yunfeng's bewilderment and confusion, as if trapped in a painful realm, struggling.

What exactly has he gone through?

The piece ended.

"The strings are exactly the same as before, with no change!"

Lu Yunfeng said to Ye Qingran.

Ye Qingran merely nodded, showing little surprise.

"Instructor Ye, what is inside this bottle? It's unbelievably magical."

Ye Qingran shook the bottle, "This is a concoction I developed; its restorative ability is quite decent."

She said it offhand.

Calling that 'quite decent'?

Isn't that a bit too modest?

The azure sky was crystal clear.

Mountains stretched around Shenzhou Academy, winding like a roaming dragon.

At this moment, in the nearby mountains, a wisp of black vapor shot up from the ground and entered the body of an Ink Leopard; the leopard instantly went rigid, its eyes turning pitch black, then quickly returned to normal…

The surrounding air was filled with the scent of death.

No one noticed the scene; Shenzhou City remained a bustling sight.

Ting Yu Xuan.

"Miss, a message came from the Dark Night: Grand Elder Nan Xin of Dan Valley has set out for Shenzhou Academy and should arrive soon."

"Oh? They actually sent that old fellow Nan Xin himself; it seems Ling Xueyao has finally decided to drive our family of four out of the academy."

Ye Qingran smiled after hearing that.

However, the smile never reached her eyes.

Back then, she was pushed into the Soul‑Breaking Abyss by Lin Xueyan and Ye Huanhuan.

It was her master who saved her.

He healed her wounds, helped her search for her child, and taught her alchemy…

Her master is her reborn parent, owing her a life‑restoring grace.

Through every moment spent with him, she deeply perceives that her master is kind and upright.

Later, she learned from her master that his true identity is Ling Xianliu, the eldest son of the former Valley Master of Dan Valley.

Before that, she had already heard of Ling Xianliu's deeds.

The first prodigy of Beimingzhou, the millennium‑rare genius alchemist of Dan Valley, the youngest Dan Saint…

In short, an endless halo of glory.

Someone like that should naturally ascend to the position of Lord of Dan Valley and lead Dan Valley to new brilliance.

But…

The Ling Xianliu she met was not like that.

His cultivation was ruined, his spiritual power severely damaged, rendering him unable to practice alchemy.

From a peerless prodigy and youngest Dan Saint to a fallen valley dweller, how could he face such a chasm?

And the one who drove her master to this was not someone else, but the current Lord of Dan Valley, Ling Xianliu's own brother!

Grand Elder Nan Xin is also an accomplice!

Ye Qingran, immersed in memories, exuded a heavy killing intent all around her.

"Miss," Han Xing called to her, his eyes full of worry.

Having followed Ye Qingran for years, they naturally knew the secrets that others did not.

Medicine King Valley and Dan Valley were destined to be mortal enemies.

"I'm fine."

Ye Qingran shook her head.

"That old immortal in Nanxun arrived just in time; it's also time to collect some interest!"

Ye Qingran said softly.

Her tone concealed a chilling killing intent.

Back then, Ling Tian took advantage of his unpreparedness and killed Ling Xianliu's wife and children, causing his mind to suffer a severe shock, nearly driving him mad.

Later, Nanxun and others pursued him relentlessly, leaving him gravely wounded and his cultivation ruined.

Ling Xianliu fought with all his might to escape; afterwards, Ling Tian and his companions publicly claimed that Ling Xianliu had suddenly gone mad, killed his wife and children, and fled to Dan Valley...

Purely murderous and heart‑crushing!

Since the master can no longer cultivate, let this age‑long hatred be avenged by me, his disciple!

A figure drifted down; upon seeing the newcomer, Han Xing and the others politely stepped back.

Ye Qingran felt a sudden heat on her back, and in the next instant she fell into a warm, solid embrace.

"I'm here."

The man's voice was deep and mellow, like aged wine.

Ye Qingran's unhappiness was instantly healed.

She pressed her face against Fu Hanxiu's chest and said, "Hmm, having you here is wonderful."

Where my heart finds peace is my home.

In this lifetime, finding someone one truly loves and can rely on wholeheartedly is a very happy thing.

She was lucky to have found such a person.

"If you agree, shall I go destroy Dan Valley right now?"

That sounds very domineering.

Ye Qingran: "......"

Is this perhaps the Emperor Sovereign's confidence?

Although it was rough, Ye Qingran found it very satisfying.

"Not for now," Ye Qingran thought for a moment and still declined.

Dan Valley is ultimately the master's home.

She intends to expose the current Valley Master's vile face.

She wants to tell everyone in Beimingzhou that Ling Xianliu did not kill his wife and children back then.

She wishes to sweep away the dissenters and then bring her master home.

Fu Hanxiu did not insist.

He had always known that Ye Qingran had her own opinions, so he would not force her.

Anyway, he would always guard by her side, ready whenever called.

"By the way, I obtained some ancient books from the Purple Extreme Pill Sect, all about Mysterious Gu..."

"Is that so? Bring them over for me to look at."

Ye Qingran became interested.

She has recently been working hard to overcome the challenge of Mysterious Gu.

She still lacked a bit of insight, so she needed some ancient books to provide new ideas.

As the foremost pill sect of the Xi Ji Shengyu, the Purple Extreme Pill Sect does have some resources.

Fu Hanxiu retrieved the ancient books and handed them to Ye Qingran.

"Actually, even if you hadn't drawn Mysterious Gu from me back then, I would still have agreed..." Fu Hanxiu whispered in her ear, his words tinged with pity.

Ye Qingran lifted her eyes from the ancient books, rolled them, and said, "Hehe, don't say that, I deeply regret it!"

Had she known he was so easy‑going, she wouldn't have drawn Mysterious Gu for him. The monthly pain was as punctual as a period, and just thinking about it was bittersweet.

Fu Hanxiu pulled her into a tighter embrace.

"I truly feel heartache."

Ye Qingran smiled and petted him like Xiao Hu Xiao Chen, stroking his head.

If someone from the Deer Hunt Summit saw this, they'd definitely drop their jaw.

"All right, big sister, I will soon find a way to cure Mysterious Gu!" Ye Qingran declared, her eyes shining.

She was quite happy.

One must know that conquering Mysterious Gu in this world is akin to curing cancer in the twenty‑first century.

What an accomplished feeling!

Fu Hanxiu gazed deeply at her face.

What he liked most was her radiant demeanor, always seeming full of confidence and so proactive, stirring in him the urge to understand her more deeply.

Ye Qingran perused the ancient books with great interest, and then, somehow,