Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 17 Xue Qinghe

Feng Yao gently pushed open the door carved with ancient patterns, and a wave of energy so rich it was almost tangible immediately hit him. He took a deep breath, feeling the surge of soul power within him, and slowly walked into the simulated space prepared for him.

The scene in the room made him slightly stunned - the dome was as bright as the starry sky, and there was only a simple cushion on the ground. Feng Yao stepped onto the cushion and sat cross-legged, but did not rush to start meditating.

"The energy concentration here," he whispered to himself, feeling the almost dense soul power fluctuations in the air, "is just like the legendary paradise." This thought made his heart move, and he slowly took "Fuxi" back into his body.

A bold idea came to my mind: "If I use the Xiantian Bagua Plate..."

As his thoughts turned, an ancient eight-trigram plate quietly emerged in his palm. The plate was neither gold nor jade, and the eight trigrams were arranged according to the principles of heaven and earth, exuding an aura of timeless vastness.

At the moment the Bagua Plate appeared, something strange happened—

Before Feng Yao could even activate his soul power, the mysterious patterns on the disk spontaneously lit up with a faint glow. The eight hexagrams of Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui flashed in sequence, connected by threads of golden energy, forming a perfect cycle in the blink of an eye.

"This is.?!"

Feng Yao's pupils suddenly shrank as the shadow of the Eight Trigrams suddenly expanded, transforming into a massive light array five meters in diameter that enveloped him. The eight trigrams swirled through the void like living creatures, each rotation resonating with the energy of heaven and earth.

What is even more shocking is that in this Bagua formation, the originally chaotic energy fluctuations have become extremely clear - the heat of fire, the softness of water, the agility of wind, the energies of various attributes are clearly distinguished, yet coexist harmoniously.

"What a blessed place." Feng Yao's eyes flashed, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.

Instantly, a flash of inspiration flashed through Feng Yao's mind like lightning. He stared at the energy ripples flowing in the Bagua disk and suddenly thought: "In a purely fire-attributed environment, water-attributed and ice-attributed soul masters would find it difficult to even meditate. If I can actively adjust the energy distribution around me..."

This thought invigorated him, and he immediately attempted to pour soul power into the Bagua Plate. However, to his disappointment, no matter how much soul power he poured in, the dense energy field around him only fluctuated for a moment before returning to its original state like a tide.

"Sure enough." Feng Yao shook his head and smiled bitterly, looking at the fading light of the Bagua Plate in his hand. "How can a martial soul without even a single spirit ring possibly shake this energy field constructed from countless natural treasures?"

This simulated training ground is like a towering mountain, and his power at the moment is just that of a small shovel.

Just as he was about to put away the Bagua plate and start his regular meditation, a scene from his past life memory suddenly emerged - weren't the compasses in the hands of those Feng Shui masters evolved from the Bagua?

"Wait." Feng Yao's eyes lit up again, "Since we can't change the entire situation, why not find the most suitable position within it?"

He once again injected soul power into the Bagua Plate, this time not attempting to forcibly alter the environment, but carefully sensing the flow of energy. Miraculously, with the aid of the Bagua Formation, the previously chaotic energy fluctuations became clearly discernible—the east was filled with flourishing wood energy, the south was filled with concentrated fire spirits, and the northwest was filled with faint fluctuations of metal.
"The qin belongs to wood, the beginning of the five elements. Its corresponding hexagrams are Zhen and Xun. Now is night. Meditation is the path of spiritual growth for soul masters. We should seek the Zhen hexagram."

Feng Yao's lips curled slightly as he slowly walked, holding the Bagua plate. When he reached a room to the east, the Zhen hexagram on the Bagua plate suddenly lit up, and a sense of vitality suddenly emerged.

"Right here!" He sat cross-legged, sensing the energy fluctuations that best suited him. While he couldn't alter the entire training ground, with the help of the Bagua Plate, he successfully located the most suitable spot for himself within this vast sea of ​​energy.

Feng Yao slowly sat cross-legged, collecting the Xiantian Bagua Plate within his body. As his breathing steadied, his consciousness gradually sank into a mystical state. His breathing rhythm resonated strangely with the energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment, and he seemed to become one with the space.

Feng Yao could clearly sense that at this specific location, energy was flowing into his body like a trickle, becoming exceptionally gentle and peaceful, blending perfectly with the soul power within him.

Feng Yao, in meditation, had a face as serene as an ancient well. Only the fluctuation of soul power corresponding to the breathing frequency

In this tiny space, Feng Yao seemed to have found the perfect balance between the principles of heaven and earth and himself. Every breath he took set the energy of the surroundings in motion; and every fluctuation of energy, in turn, fueled the advancement of his soul power. This state of cultivation, where man and nature are one, is the realm all soul masters dream of.

The night passed in silence. Feng Yao habitually came out of meditation, and suddenly a strange wave of soul power began to surge around him.

"This is."

Feng Yao suddenly opened his eyes and felt the soul power in his body surge like a river, flowing through his meridians. He clearly felt that the bottleneck of level 27 that he had reached a few days ago was shattered at this moment.

"Overnight, not only did it reach level 28, but it also had a huge surplus. Such a speed..."

Feng Yao let out a sigh, his face full of emotion. His training this night was definitely comparable to several days' training in the outside world. Even in such a simulated training field, unless others were extremely lucky and found a room location that suited them, it would be difficult for them to have such a high utilization rate as Feng Yao. Looking at the soul power condensed in his palm, which was more condensed and pure than last night, he couldn't help but laugh.

Feng Yao slowly rose, noticing his robes were soaked with the night dew. He realized he'd spent an entire night cultivating in this simulated environment. Through the room's glazed windows, he could see the morning sun gilding the buildings of the Tiandou Imperial Academy.

"It's time to eat and train." Feng Yao straightened his robe, slowly pushed the door open and walked out. When he was about to leave, he looked at the closed door reluctantly. For a moment, Feng Yao suddenly felt that meditating here every day would be a good choice.

Feng Yao walked towards the morning light, a smile on his face. This night's gains were far more than just a simple soul power breakthrough.

Through the simulated training field, Feng Yao has gained a deeper understanding of the usage of the innate Bagua plate and the laws of energy operation.

The morning sun streamed through the window lattice. After finishing breakfast in the dining hall of Tiandou Imperial Academy, Feng Yao slowly walked towards the training grounds, clutching his Fuxi qin. The morning breeze brushed against his clothes, casting a slender silhouette on the stone pavement.

In the early morning training ground, the members of the Royal Fighting Team were doing warm-up exercises, and the air was filled with the atmosphere of youthful vitality.

"Good morning, everyone." Feng Yao approached slowly, holding Fuxi. The morning light cast a soft glow over his handsome features. "Good morning!" everyone responded. The Shimo brothers waved naively, Oslo nodded coolly, and Yufeng gave an exaggerated, aristocratic greeting.

Dugu Yan's emerald-like hair drew a graceful arc in the air. She turned to look at Feng Yao with a mischievous smile in her eyes: "Xiao Feng, the effect is good, isn't it?"

Feng Yao's lips curled up slightly, and his fingertips gently stroked the zither case. "The effect is unexpectedly good." His voice was filled with unconcealed joy. "It even makes me reluctant to leave. I successfully broke through last night and am now at level 28."

"What?!" Dugu Yan's exclamation made the entire training ground silent. Her green eyes widened. "Level 28? You are only twelve years old this year, right?"

Feng Yao smiled modestly: "It was just luck."

Yu Feng, standing by, exaggeratedly covered his chest with his hands, pretending to be heartbroken. "Tsk tsk, you're only twelve years old, and you're only level twenty-eight! Are you going to leave us mortals any chance of survival?!" His eyes spun under his golden hair. "If this continues, I'm afraid in a few years, we'll all be calling you Senior Feng!"

This antics drew laughter from everyone. Even the usually stern Oslo couldn't help but curl his lips. Although Yu Tianheng's face remained stern, a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.

Ye Lingling stood in a corner, her silver hair gleaming softly in the morning light. Her eyes, looking at Feng Yao, held not only surprise but also an inexplicable glint.

Under Qin Ming's careful guidance, the Royal Fighting Team always maintained a positive training atmosphere. Although the morning time was usually at the players' disposal, everyone spontaneously came to the training ground for extra training - this had become an unwritten tradition of the Royal Fighting Team.

After a brief greeting, Feng Yao, holding "Fuxi," slowly walked toward the corner where he'd played the qin the previous day. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow across the small space. He sat cross-legged, his slender fingers gently stroking the qin, as if greeting an old friend.

Soon, the clear sound of a zither spread across the training ground like the gurgling of water. Unlike the ethereal sound of yesterday, today's zither music held a touch of vibrant energy—the joy of a breakthrough, transformed into notes dancing across the strings.

As the zither music flowed, Feng Yao's soul power flowed along the strings, echoing the melody and creating a mysterious resonance with "Fuxi." He closed his eyes and concentrated, his entire being seeming to merge with the zither music, comprehending the mysteries of the interweaving of music and soul power through his practice.

An unknown amount of time passed, but just as Feng Yao's soul power was about to be exhausted, a burst of crisp applause suddenly reached his ears. The applause was rhythmic and calm, yet it carried a presence that could not be ignored.

Feng Yao raised his head, slightly bewildered, his long eyelashes fluttering as he saw a handsome young man in a moon-white brocade robe. Sunlight danced on his gold-trimmed cuffs, casting a dazzling halo of light. Behind him stood two reserved guards, while the young man himself, with a perfectly gentle smile, stared intently at Feng Yao.

"What a good song, with exquisite melody and profound artistic conception." The young man nodded approvingly in a clear voice.

At this moment, everyone in the Royal Fighting training grounds also noticed something was amiss. Yu Tianheng was the first to react, quickly moving closer, and the rest of the team quickly gathered around him.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Everyone saluted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the training ground.

Feng Yao quickly stood up, and between bows, he discreetly surveyed Xue Qinghe. A hint of surprise flickered across his face, but in his heart, he understood: "Qian Renxue, it seems the Education Committee has already shared all my information."

A gentle breeze blew by, bringing with it a faint fragrance. Feng Yao noticed that Xue Qinghe's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. Deep in those seemingly gentle eyes, a hint of subtle inquiry flashed.

Xue Qinghe nodded slightly, his reserved yet gentle gaze sweeping over the crowd. A perfectly composed smile played on his lips, and his voice was as clear as jade. "I heard the Royal Fighting Team has a new young talent, a master of the zither, so I came to see him."

"Your Highness, thank you for your kind words." Feng Yao stepped forward calmly and performed a standard court greeting. The "Fuxi" guqin in his arms shone with an ancient sheen in the sunlight, its dark patterns faintly visible, as if echoing its owner's demeanor.

Xue Qinghe's eyes flashed with surprise—this seemingly commoner boy's manners were even more refined than those of many aristocratic children. He looked at Feng Yao with interest and said gently, "Could you please play another song for me, Mr. Feng?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." Feng Yao sat gracefully on the floor, his slender fingers gently plucking the strings. Instantly, clear music flowed like a spring, each note carrying the power to purify the soul. The training ground suddenly fell silent, even the sound of breathing becoming faint.

Xue Qinghe stood with his hands behind his back, his face seemingly calm, but a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He noticed that when Feng Yao played the zither, the two spirit rings flowed naturally, and the spirit power and the sound of the zither blended perfectly - this kind of control was beyond the reach of ordinary spirit masters.

The song ended, the lingering sound lingering. Xue Qinghe gently clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent! Feng is not only an exceptional qin player, but also possesses exquisite control over his soul power." He paused, his voice gentle but unyielding, "Would you be so kind as to come and chat with me at noon?"

Feng Yao simply stood up and bowed again. "It's my honor." His voice was calm, as if he were merely responding to a perfectly ordinary invitation. Only in the depths of his deep eyes did a barely perceptible flicker of thought.

Xue Qinghe nodded with satisfaction, his gaze lingering on Feng Yao for a moment longer. He turned gracefully, his moon-white brocade robe shimmering softly in the sunlight. "In that case, I'll host a banquet for you at noon."

After the prince left, the atmosphere in the training ground became lively again. Dugu Yan was the first to rush to Feng Yao's side, her emerald hair slightly lifted by her hurried movements. "Xiaofeng, do you know what this means?"

Feng Yao gently stroked the strings and smiled, "Maybe you're just interested in music?"

"Stop pretending to be confused." Dugu Yan lowered her voice, "You must know the prince's intentions."

"I understand." Feng Yao's fingertips gently stroked the strings of the zither. "But it's never a bad thing to make a good connection." He looked up at the direction where the prince left in the distance, a trace of deep thought flashing in his eyes. "As for those court disputes, it's not something a great soul master like me should get involved in, nor is it something I can afford to get involved in."

Dugu Yan heard this, her emerald eyes flickered slightly, and she nodded: "I'm glad you think so." Her tone was filled with rare seriousness, "It's just..."

She glanced around hesitantly, then lowered her voice and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always been a recluse. He suddenly visited today and invited you alone. I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Feng Yao smiled noncommittally, took back "Fuxi", and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Sister Yan, I know what to do."

(End of this chapter)