Chapter 25: Suddenly Hearing the Sound of a Pipa on the Water

Cheng Yunqi's thoughts withdrew from the jade slip, but his eyes remained closed, quietly comprehending the mantra sound from just a moment ago.

After a brief rest, Cheng Yunqi put away the jade slip and glanced at the giant rock opposite.

He formed a seal with his left hand, thumb pressing his middle and ring fingers, index and little fingers straight, channeled the gold-element magic power within his body, pointed at the giant rock, and shouted the command:

"Split!"

A sharp magic intent fell upon the giant rock with the mantra sound, and spiderweb-like cracks immediately appeared on the surface of the rock.

The next moment, the lake breeze blew, and a layer of stone skin peeled off.

Cheng Yunqi took a look; the magic intent had only penetrated half an inch into the giant rock.

However, Cheng Yunqi was not too disappointed. Cultivation was always from shallow to deep, becoming more refined with practice.

Practicing repeatedly in this way, while Cheng Yunqi's magic mantra became more profound, the magic power in his body also decreased rapidly. Fortunately, this osmanthus forest was an excellent gold-element land, making it very convenient to absorb gold energy.

By the next day, a concave hole four feet square and one foot deep had already appeared on the giant rock, and the fallen rubble had all been crushed into stone powder by Cheng Yunqi. Cheng Yunqi estimated that in another day, it would be no problem to accommodate himself sitting cross-legged inside. Although cutting it directly with "Autumn Water" might be faster, this process was even more a process of practicing the magic mantra and comprehending the gold element.

By the end of the Shen hour and the beginning of the You hour, the sun was slanting westward, which was the time when gold energy was strongest. Cheng Yunqi was meditating and absorbing Qi when he suddenly heard a sound like tearing silk and striking metal coming from the lake surface.

Cheng Yunqi opened his eyes. The mother-bell had no reaction; this sound was at least three miles away, yet it was so clear when it fell into his ears.

He took his sword, left the pack in the stone cave, and walked toward the water in the direction of the sound.

At this moment, three more high-pitched sounds came—clanging, but these few sounds varied in pitch and seemed to carry a melody, causing a stinging sensation when they fell into his ears. It did not sound like a movement made by a mortal.

The sound seemed to come from the north, but Cheng Yunqi stood by the water and looked into the distance, yet he could see nothing and did not know what the sound was.

Cheng Yunqi was a bit curious. He had been out of the mountain for a month, and it had been plain and uneventful; he had not met any other cultivators along the way. Today was the first time, so he could not hold back, summoned his "Dragon Carriage," and rode the clouds into the great lake.

The sound was still ringing, and Cheng Yunqi felt something was wrong. Why did it sound like it was coming toward his direction?

When he got closer, Cheng Yunqi could already hear human voices.

"I say, young hero of the Jin Xiang Sect, it's not your people I killed, so why are you chasing me across half the great lake?"

Jin Xiang Sect?

Cheng Yunqi knew that the full name of the Jin Xiang Sect was the Tai Xi Jin Xiang Sect, which was a great sect on Poyanghu, specializing in the gold element, skilled in refining tools, and especially skilled in making seals and zithers.

Thinking of this, Cheng Yunqi suddenly realized that this high-pitched sound, like tearing silk, was it not the sound of a pipa?

The Jin Xiang Sect was a righteous Daoist sect, so who was the one speaking?

However, the Jin Xiang Sect disciple seemed unwilling to pay attention and did not respond, only the pipa sound became increasingly urgent.

Cheng Yunqi had the heart to help, but he did not know the cultivation realms of those two people. He was just a small Daoist in the Qi Refining stage, so he should not drag the young hero down.

Thinking of this, Cheng Yunqi pressed down his "Dragon Carriage," and seeing a small island nearby, he hurried down.

Cheng Yunqi hid in the vegetation and looked up. Before long, he saw two dots appear on the lake surface in the distance.

Sure enough, they were coming in this direction. The dot in front could already be seen as a human figure. Cheng Yunqi breathed a sigh of relief as he saw clearly; this person fleeing in front looked young, not much older than himself, so his cultivation realm could not be heaven-defyingly high. He would not happen to encounter some old monster who had returned to youth or a heaven-gifted Daoist child.

It was just that this person was strangely thin and wore a loose cyan Daoist robe. Flying against the wind, the robe fluttered, making his thin figure even more prominent. The lower half of this person was trapped in a mass of grayish mist, which carried the cyan-robed Daoist skimming across the lake surface at high speed, faster than Cheng Yunqi's "Dragon Carriage" by a fraction, though not by much.

However, this person looked quite relaxed, not at all like someone fleeing for his life. After Cheng Yunqi finished sizing up the person in front, the young hero of the Jin Xiang Sect behind also flew closer.

The young hero stood tall and upright, wearing a cobalt-blue Daoist robe with a white egret pattern on his chest, stepping on a white feather the size of a small boat, holding an apricot-yellow pipa in his arms. Just this outfit alone would make anyone give a thumbs up.

The young hero's appearance was even more handsome, graceful and elegant, with an imposing manner, bright eyes, and sparse eyebrows.

These two were like the villain and the hero in a storybook. The only flaw was that this villain was not evil enough; if he were disheveled and covered in blood, it would set off the righteousness of this Jin Xiang Sect member.

However, this villain had a foul mouth. "I say, Jin Xiang Sect, you've chased me all this way without opening your mouth. Are you a mute or a eunuch? Can't you be seen? Or are you actually a woman born with a man's face? I can smell the fragrance on you even against the wind; how much powder did you put on?"

The young hero seemed unable to bear it any longer. "Evil path, everyone has the right to punish you! Thin Daoist, you came to my Poyanghu to commit murder; how can I let you escape!"

"Heh!"

The one called the Thin Daoist laughed upon hearing this, turned his head back, and raised a red dew-collecting pouch with his right hand. "I say, young hero, you are the Jin Xiang Sect, and I am the Fa Xiang Sect; it sounds like we are one family. I just killed a person from a small sect, which has nothing to do with you, and this Poyanghu isn't owned by your family, so why do you care? How about this: if you let me go today, the guy I killed had quite a bit of wealth. Look at this heavy dew pouch; how about I share some with you? We are already at the edge of the great lake, and no one can see..."

"Suppress!"

"Ouch!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

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Before the Thin Daoist finished speaking, a sudden change occurred on the lake.

Suddenly, a magic mantra interrupted the Thin Daoist's chatter. The galloping Thin Daoist seemed to hit a wall and paused in mid-air, letting out a cry of pain. The Jin Xiang Sect young hero following behind immediately seized the opportunity, his right hand quickly plucking and picking at the strings, emitting four notes. Whether it was the pipa being extraordinary or the young hero's magic power being thick, four golden rays appeared and disappeared in the void, like four flying knives, falling straight toward the Thin Daoist.

The pause lasted less than a breath, and the Thin Daoist broke free immediately. But those four golden rays were transformed from the pipa string sounds, which were extremely fast. The two were still half a mile apart, but the golden rays had already arrived instantly.

"Ghost Fire!"

The Thin Daoist cursed a strange phrase. His right hand was still tightly clutching the money bag, but his left hand released the talisman arrow he had been holding, his wrist turned, and he produced a copper plate, which he threw out.

The copper plate grew in the wind, turning seven or eight feet in size, just enough to protect the Thin Daoist.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"

Several sounds of metal clashing connected into one. The golden rays left four deep marks on the copper plate, as if chopped by a knife or axe. If this had landed on a human body, it would likely have resulted in missing limbs.

"Absorb!"

Amidst the crisp sounds, the same voice that triggered the change sounded again. The talisman arrow that had just fallen from the Thin Daoist's fingers suddenly flew away diagonally.

The Thin Daoist's eyes widened, which made his already fleshless face look even more terrifying. He wanted to reach out to block it, but he was a beat too slow and grabbed nothing but air.

"Ghost Fire! Which grandson is it!"

The book is on the new book list, so I ask for everyone's support, votes, and welcome comments and messages.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 26 =====