Chapter 21: The Qin Melody Moves the Weapons

Watching Li Guanyi's stunned expression, Murong Qiushui burst into laughter, tapping his forehead with a finger as white as jade, scolding, "Little kitty, challenging your auntie? How…"

"Hmm, cute in your stupidity."

She retracted her finger, flicked it lightly, and let out a soft chuckle.

She handed Li Guanyi the vegetables she had bought, then stepped nimbly into the house; when she went out, she deliberately disguised herself—making her eyes appear smaller, her complexion dull and yellow, like a poor, sickly woman.

But when she stood before Li Guanyi, her eyes brightened, her lips curved in a smile, and the disguise seemed to vanish entirely—anyone would instinctively sense she was a peerless beauty, like a pearl still shining despite being covered in dust.

Li Guanyi lowered his head to look at the vegetables.

Cabbage, radishes, and some mustard greens.

These vegetables had been brought early by the villagers and townsfolk near Yicheng.

By this hour of afternoon, their appearance had deteriorated, and after being picked over all day, many were damaged; some shrewd old women would even tear off the less appealing leaves and discard them, while farmers eager to return home accepted lower prices at this time.

They didn't look good, but when chopped and boiled into porridge or stir-fried, they were no different.

Auntie always came at this time.

Li Guanyi carried the vegetables inside and saw Auntie's light steps; her gaze swept over the upturned bowl, and her amber eyes brightened noticeably. She turned to face the boy returning with the vegetables and asked, "So, what happened today?"

Li Guanyi briefly recounted what had occurred.

Murong Qiushui laughed: "They fired you? That spring clinic's owner has no eye for talent—but Xue's little girl has sharp vision. My little kitty is naturally the best among all the boys in Yicheng."

"What I didn't expect, though, is that my little kitty still remembered Auntie said she wanted roast goose—and bought it on the very first day."

It was a teasing, playful tone.

Murong Qiushui's eyes sparkled with mischief.

Li Guanyi's temple twitched; he knew Auntie was in the mood to "play with a child" again. He looked away, stubbornly saying:

"No, I didn't buy it specially for you."

"I just passed a braised meat stall and only roast goose was left—I bought it reluctantly."

"Oh? Really?"

Murong Qiushui stepped closer, hands clasped behind her back, smiling sweetly: "Blushing?"

"Aaaahhh, are you going to eat it or not?"

"Hahaha, of course I will."

The roast goose was still warm, the braised pork stewed long enough, and the vegetables, blanched and tossed with oil, salt, and vinegar, were crisp and refreshing; on the small stone table, Li Guanyi sat opposite Murong Qiushui.

The roast goose tasted excellent.

But he felt that Auntie's smile after eating it made him happier than the goose itself.

Murong Qiushui's eyes softened, and she murmured:

"Today's vegetables taste better than before."

Li Guanyi grumbled: "You're teasing me again."

Murong Qiushui gazed at the boy before her, her expression tender, then smiled mischievously: "Caught by my little kitty."

After dinner, Li Guanyi cleared the dishes, but Auntie had already taken down the Jiao Wei Qin, her slender fingers plucking gently; Li Guanyi practiced the qin daily—Auntie had taught him qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but only the qin was mandatory every day.

Auntie, who was always so kind to him, never yielded an inch on this point.

But today, after tuning the strings, she began to play herself.

Li Guanyi was cleaning up the cooking residue, expecting the usual gentle, spring-wind-autumn-moon melody—when suddenly, a sound like shattering metal and stone rang out. In an instant, his spine tensed instinctively, his muscles flared as if exploding, and he felt the phantom surge of cavalry charging, swords and spears roaring.

It took several breaths before he realized it was the sound of the qin.

The boy walked forward slowly and saw Auntie seated there, the Jiao Wei Qin laid across the table, her fingers as white as jade, yet the playing was fierce—like a thousand armies and ten thousand weapons in motion. Li Guanyi vaguely saw an entire host of soldiers gathering behind her.

Somehow, the internal energy of his Break Formation Art stirred more actively than ever before.

When the piece ended, Li Guanyi's internal energy had completed one full circuit.

And unlike when he deliberately guided his energy,

it felt more seamless.

More natural.

Li Guanyi calmed his internal energy.

Auntie, in her plain green robe, smiled at him, her slender fingers caressing the strings like rolling clouds.

"Little kitty, how was that? Is Auntie impressive?"

Li Guanyi looked at the stunningly beautiful face before him, filled with eager anticipation, as if begging for praise. He sighed. Sometimes Auntie was mature; sometimes she was childish. Helplessly, he said: "Impressive, very impressive. Auntie is the most impressive in the world."

The woman plucked another string and said: "Can the qin aid cultivation? Of course. The qin is the voice of the heart; the spirit governs energy."

"Though I don't understand martial arts, I know playing the qin helps regulate breath—just as some cultivators choose to dwell in mountains and wilds to preserve their Heart's Realm and achieve breakthroughs. Qin music can influence one's Heart's Realm, then shape similar sounds."

Li Guanyi recalled the earlier sensation—that this melody seemed perfectly matched to his internal art. He suddenly remembered General Yue Qianfeng's account of the origin of this art, then looked at the smug Murong Qiushui and asked: "What's this qin piece called? I've never heard it before."

Murong Qiushui propped her chin on her hand: "This? I composed it myself as a child. An old man passed by, stood there for a long time. I asked why he was staring, and he said he loved the melody and asked if I'd teach it to him. He even named it—'Break Formation Art.'"

Li Guanyi fell silent.

He could almost confirm: Auntie was the little girl that old master had met—the one who, at age eight, played the qin with the grandeur of a master. He grinned and said: "It's the same name as my internal art."

He told Auntie the origin of the Break Formation Art.

Murong Qiushui glanced at him, dismissively: "There are too many qin pieces describing armies breaking formations."

"Break Formation Art, Charge Into Battle Melody—there are at least eighty or a hundred of them."

"Besides, even if your old master's internal art was inspired by this melody, it's only because he had enough accumulated insight. What does it have to do with my qin? If he'd seen trickling water that day, he could've awakened the same martial art."

"Come."

Murong Qiushui shifted aside, motioning for Li Guanyi to sit beside her.

Then, as usual, she slowly taught him how to play the qin.

While playing, the spirit grows empty and clear.

He could faintly feel his inner Qi circulating within him, naturally — the internal cultivation of the *Breaking Formation Melody* put Qi first, nurturing a breath of inner Qi and then tempering and refining it from the inside out, involving the essence and Qi among the three of essence, Qi, and spirit; when playing the qin, his mind moved with the music, which was the spirit at work.

At this moment, as he played, his inner Qi flowed, and essence, Qi, and spirit all shifted according to the same spiritual resonance.

Ineffably wonderful.

Li Guanyi practiced the qin while curiously asking, "So, that eight-year-old girl from twenty-two years ago — was she really you, Aunt?"

"Of course not."

Li Guanyi was stunned.

Murong Qiushui laughed, resting her chin on one hand, her black hair falling slightly, her smile mischievous: "Because that year, I was five."

Li Guanyi stared blankly: "Didn't you say eight…"

Murong Qiushui looked at Li Guanyi in puzzlement, her expression seeming to say *why is my little kitten so silly*, and then said matter-of-factly: "Of course I tricked him. When the white-bearded old man asks how old you are, how could you possibly tell him?"

She said with feigned concern: "Little cat, you mustn't be tricked by pretty Misses in the future."

The corner of Li Guanyi's mouth twitched, and he could only change the subject:

"Then what is this qin piece actually called?"

Murong Qiushui frowned and thought for a long while, then answered:

"Mm, probably, maybe…"

"Mm, *Daily Practice Composition of the Ninth Day of the Eighth Month of the Jiachen Year, Part Three*?"

Li Guanyi: "…………"

Murong Qiushui smiled sweetly, pressed her palm on top of Li Guanyi's head and rubbed it, laughing softly: "Of course, whatever my little cat wants to call it is fine — it follows you. Call it *Breaking Formation Melody* if you like, call it anything you like, it's all fine."

"Whatever my little cat likes to call it, that's what it's called!"

"Whatever piece he likes it to be, that's what it is."

"Under heaven, no one can say otherwise!"

Li Guanyi lowered his eyes, hummed softly in agreement, then decided to bring out his trump card, saying: "Aunt, I've prepared a gift for you too."

Murong Qiushui smiled brightly and held out her hand: "Mm? What is it?"

Li Guanyi cradled his aunt's hand with one hand, and with the other placed the Bai Yu pendant in her palm, slowly drawing his hand away. Murong Qiushui saw the Bai Yu pendant, and the composed smile on her face gradually froze; her eyes widened, and a trace of sorrow welled up in them.

Li Guanyi said softly: "I've redeemed it."

Murong Qiushui did not speak for a long while. The dense emotions in her eyes piled up like gathering clouds and rain; Li Guanyi could not read them. After a long time, Murong Qiushui smiled slightly and nodded, tucking the jade pendant away. Li Guanyi, looking at the pendant that was clearly no ordinary person's possession, said: "May I ask you a question, Aunt?"

"Who exactly were my parents, and my uncle? What happened to them?"

"And why are we being hunted?"

Murong Qiushui said: "Didn't I tell you? Once we leave Chen Country, I will naturally tell you everything."

She looked at the Li Guanyi before her, who had learned superior Wu Gong and whose body seemed to be improving, and thought of how he had already had contact with the Xue family. Her voice paused, and for the first time she let slip something new: "But remember one thing."

She reached out and straightened Li Guanyi's clothes, saying softly:

"Stay away from the Chen royal family."

(End of chapter)