Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 14 Play a tune

A man and a cat stared at each other.

"What is this...?"

Li Lingyue was increasingly confused, her mind filled with questions.

Is this still my unruly, rebellious little ancestor?

I feel a bit of liver pain!

Li Lingyue felt a surge of jealousy. What an ingrate! I provided you with good food, drink, and lodging, and you immediately went to befriend outsiders!

Yuan Qingshuang was equally surprised. Now it seemed that Lu Chenyuan had made a sachet with a scent that suited Ni Jun's tastes and had a remarkable effect, even making Ni Jun feel drunk. But Ni Jun had already recovered, so why was he still so close to him?
Zen Master Yunhe smiled and said, "Since General Yuchi, few people have mastered the 'Gold-Swallowing Treasure Talisman,' and even fewer have been able to reach the side of the Lion King. Perhaps it is also moved by the sight of the object, and therefore treats it with special regard."

Li Lingyue and Yuan Qingshuang suddenly realized.

Lu Chenyuan still didn't understand, and turned his head: "What does Master mean? Is Jin... Ni Jun related to General Yuchi?"

Zen Master Yunhe smiled and said, "No."

Yuan Qingshuang reminded her from the side, "Do you remember what I told you about its origin?"

Lu Chenyuan, with his exceptional memory, naturally recognized it: "It was a beloved pet given to the princess by the Imperial Preceptor Ye Fashan, a descendant of the Hidden Immortal's spirit pet... Hidden Immortal..."

"The Hidden Immortal is none other than Gu Yunsheng, the Celestial Master who protected the nation during the reign of Emperor Taizong."

Li Lingyue continued, "Gu Yunsheng, courtesy name Wuyai, was a founding hero of the Tang Dynasty. Originally a scholar from Jiangnan, he went to sea to seek immortality. After many years, he returned and had mastered a set of immortal techniques. He was well-versed in the classics of the three religions and the essence of the hundred schools of thought. He helped Emperor Taizong unify the world and establish his rule in the Central Plains. He was hailed as a 'true immortal on land,' a 'sage of the three religions,' and a 'master of the hundred schools of thought.'"

It's him?

No wonder.

Gu Yunsheng created the "Gold-Swallowing Treasure Scroll," and the descendants of his spirit pets were naturally familiar with this power.

Lu Chenyuan never expected that the legendary Celestial Master had so many other titles behind him!
He asked in bewilderment, "Why have I never heard of the name 'Hidden Immortal' before?"

Li Lingyue scoffed, "That's because you're ignorant!"

"..."

Seeing her smug look, Lu Chenyuan thought to himself, "Finally, you've found a chance to shut me up!"

Yuan Qingshuang wanted to laugh, and said gently, "There are some secrets behind this. In short, the court has been intentionally downplaying the influence of the Celestial Master. It's not that they are jealous of his talent, but everything concerning him is of utmost importance. The fewer people who know about him, the better. You will understand the specifics later. Therefore, few people in the common people know about his deeds. Even the local soldiers only know that he participated in the Xuanwu Gate Incident, but they probably don't know what kind of power he used that day, or what he did afterward."

Lu Chenyuan nodded. This matter was indeed vague. The elders only knew that he disappeared after the third year of Zhenguan, but they did not know what happened to him afterward.

The title "Hidden Immortal" is most likely related to something that happened later.

Just by hearing those two words, you know that Gu Yunsheng has definitely done something extraordinary!

Could it really have shattered and ascended to immortality...?

Lu Chenyuan felt a chill run down his spine. Could there really be "immortals" in this world?
Just as he was thinking, the golden lion raised its claw and pressed it against his lungs. True energy burst forth from its claw, and golden light surged. The true energy of the Golden Palace Scripture in Lu Chenyuan's body immediately began to circulate uncontrollably. The two forces seemed to echo each other, and their brightness and darkness changed simultaneously!

Lu Chenyuan was even more surprised. This was no longer just of the same origin; it was the same true energy!
Jin Ni was very happy, as if he had found a companion. His eyes sparkled, and he was even happier than when he was smoking catnip.

It carefully took a few steps back, squatted down on the golden carpet, and stared intently at Lu Chenyuan.

Lu Chenyuan then sat up and felt the golden energy that had flowed through his body. It was much purer and more domineering than his own. But trying to reverse the cultivation method based on this insight was wishful thinking. He should just honestly coax the rich woman and earn merit to exchange for a cultivation method.

Lu Chenyuan seized the opportunity and smiled at Jin Ni, "Now that you've received the gift, can you help me out?"

Pooh!
The golden lion tilted its head and spat out the sachet in one gulp. The sound was loud and the eyes were disdainful. In an instant, it seemed to have transformed from a little beast begging for a pat into a majestic lion king. The disdain on the cat's face was as obvious as it could be, as if to say: You really think you can control me with this little bit of lousy medicine!
That feels so good...

Li Lingyue's lips curled up, her eyes filled with schadenfreude.

This scene is just like eating a bite of ice-cold watermelon on a hot summer day, refreshing from head to toe!
She was really worried that this scoundrel would so easily turn the Jin Group against her, but now look, the Jin Group is still the Jin Group.

Good job!
Lu Chenyuan was a little confused. As expected of a cat, it could turn on you in an instant.

The golden lion transformed into a streak of light and leaped back to the Sumeru pedestal, then quickly returned, its mouth now holding a hollow, ghostly ball.

This ball is carved from the tooth of some kind of large mythical beast. It is about seven inches in diameter and has a gilded bell hanging from the top. The bell is engraved with a lion-shaped pattern and makes a clear, melodious sound like shattered jade. Six sets of five-colored silk ribbons hang down from the outside and are tied to the ends with ivory rat-shaped pendants, making it look like an embroidered ball.

Jin Ni placed the ball at Lu Chenyuan's feet, his eyes filled with anticipation and eagerness: Let's play ball!
Lu Chenyuan then realized that this guy was treating him like a playmate...

Believe it or not, my status has improved.

Compared to Zen Master Yunhe, who was merely a "servant" to him, Lu Chenyuan was already of equal status. Cats can be capricious with their owners, but they completely ignore servants and strangers. Only when they are of equal status can they make deals. Jinni's subtext was: Let's play ball. If we have fun, I'll help you.

Lu Chenyuan couldn't possibly play ball with it. He was only at the second realm and simply couldn't afford to serve such a sacred beast that guarded the city!
Once it's had its fun, it'll fall apart.

How can we catch thieves and earn merit if we don't do that?

This time, the villain Ashina Yan is of high status and has committed a major crime, but his martial arts skills are not high. Moreover, he is trapped by the formation and cannot use the Yinshan internal energy or shamanic magic. This is a great opportunity! If it were someone more powerful, he would not be able to capture him even if he wanted to, but this person is different. If he can capture him in one fell swoop, it will be a great achievement!
Even if I can't get the whole book, I can at least get the second one. If all else fails, I can get a divine weapon to improve my cultivation.

Not to be missed.

Lu Chenyuan pleaded with a pained expression, putting on an even more earnest act than when facing Li Lingyue: "Can we change the game? I haven't been practicing this skill for very long, and I'm far from having inexhaustible energy or an indestructible body. Besides, I have important matters to attend to, and I need to save some energy to catch the thief..."

The excitement in Jinni's eyes vanished, and it drooped its head, scratching at the ball with its paws, looking very disappointed.

Seeing this, Lu Chenyuan's competitive spirit instantly flared up!

Disappointed? I've never disappointed my clients!

He subconsciously tried to salvage his image, looking around for other toys to replace them. His eyes lit up when he inadvertently caught sight of the guzheng on the shelf. He said softly, "How about this? You enjoy music, and Master Yunhe is a highly respected elder. Her Highness the Princess probably won't let him play for long. After he finishes, I'll play for you for half an hour. My skills are certainly not as good as the master's, but it's better than nothing. What do you say?"

The golden lion looked up unexpectedly and examined it carefully.

Lu Chenyuan's face was full of tenderness, and his expression was sincere.

His attitude stunned Li Lingyue and Yuan Qingshuang, who knew him somewhat.

Is this the same thug who beat Xu He this morning? Is this the same madman who cursed everyone on the stage earlier?
Li Lingyue even had a feeling that this guy wasn't this honest and sincere when he was facing her.

Am I not even as good as a cat? The golden lion was quite satisfied with his attitude, and its disappointment faded considerably. However, it wasn't pleasing to the ear to just any music. With a wave of its paw, a low table and a guzheng flew over and landed in front of Lu Chenyuan.

Lu Chenyuan understood that this was an interview.

If there's an opportunity, things will be much easier!

Lu Chenyuan immediately sat down, straightened his posture, and made a simple adjustment to the pitch, recalling the interesting things that happened when he was learning the zither.

Among the wealthy women he associated with was a master proficient in various Chinese and Western musical instruments. She was rich and was a violinist and music academy lecturer with millions of subscribers.

This teacher had a strange habit: after each sexual encounter, he would enthusiastically lecture the student while completely naked, holding a pointer. Good students were rewarded, and bad students were punished.

To win the reward, Lu Chenyuan worked diligently from dawn till dusk, striving to be a model student. Later, the teacher got fed up. She realized that he was really willing to go all out with money as a reward, so she switched to using his body: leopard print, thongs, see-through clothing, cheongsams... As a result, the student studied even more enthusiastically, putting in all his effort and studying like crazy.

In less than five years, we have made rapid progress!
"I wonder how she is now. She suddenly traveled through time and disappeared without a trace... Yesterday's lesson was a waste of time."

Lu Chenyuan smiled, took a deep breath, and focused his attention on the guzheng in front of him.

Of all the musical instruments, he was most talented and learned the guzheng and drums the best.

Zheng——

Lu Chenyuan sat upright, his fingertips lightly caressing the zither strings. The sound of the zither began to flow slowly from the low register, its timbre as hazy as the night mist over a spring river. It seemed like ordinary, elegant music, yet it contained hidden mysteries.

As he plucked the zither strings, the techniques of rubbing, vibrato, and glissando in his left hand appeared and disappeared, like a dragon lurking beneath the surface of water.

Everyone present, including the cat, was knowledgeable in music. Upon hearing his skillful playing, Yuan Qingshuang and Zen Master Yunhe both showed their approval. For someone with a military background, this level was quite impressive. Jin Ni tilted his head, indicating it was so-so, while Li Lingyue frowned. He really could play…

Lu Chenyuan's fingers continued to move, and the sound of the zither gradually tightened. He began to use the heavy hooking and supporting technique to simulate the "camp drum". His left hand pressed the strings on the left side of the goose pillar to create intermittent vibrations, creating the sound of a war drum.

The peace was shattered, and danger was imminent!
"This is the joy of battle!"

The crowd noticed something amiss. Lu Chenyuan's left hand moved swiftly across the twenty-one strings, using a continuous vibrato to depict the extension of the camp. His right thumb continuously plucked and struck the strings to create a dense rhythm, which, combined with the rapid strumming of his left hand, caused the scale to spiral upwards in the pentatonic scale, creating an atmosphere of impending storm!
"Okay! What piece is this?"

The more Zen Master Yunhe listened, the more astonished he became, and he couldn't help but become engrossed in it.

This benefactor Lu's playing technique was ordinary, but the piece was truly exquisite. What was most strange was that I had never heard it before.

Yuan Qingshuang and Li Lingyue's expressions grew increasingly serious, while the golden lion's eyes sharpened as it looked up at Lu Chenyuan with excitement—its master was ruthless, and this was the kind of music it loved most!
suddenly!

The melody suddenly changes!

Lu Chenyuan flicked his right wrist, his strumming of the strings like a blade being drawn from its sheath, his rapid finger movements mimicking the rhythm of horses trampling mountains and rivers on the battlefield, his killing intent rising to another level!
The two armies began a bloody battle from the standoff, every sound like an arrow piercing the air, a scene of clashing swords and galloping horses, their momentum unstoppable!
Everyone was refreshed.

Lu Chenyuan was also captivated by the music. Thanks to the famous zither named [Dongling], this was his best performance yet! As he listened to the music, his left hand moved swiftly across the strings, as if several hands were appearing and disappearing on the strings; his right hand swung wildly, like raindrops, exploding with layers of killing intent!
He sat there upright, like a jade mountain, his crimson robes billowing in rhythm, like clouds surrounding the jade mountain.

"Great music! Great person!"

A sharp light flashed in Zen Master Yunhe's eyes.

At this moment, he shed his pretense as a high monk, and all he saw was the appreciation of a senior for a talented junior.

Yuan Qingshuang showed surprise, and Li Lingyue was the most surprised. She never expected that this nobody would have such a side to him, like that young man in black, with beautiful hair and spirited demeanor.

His killing intent reached its peak!
Lu Chenyuan closed his eyes slightly, his finger techniques suddenly flared up, his left hand pressed hard on the string bridge, and his right hand swept across the seven strings with the "splitting and shaking" technique. In an instant, the sound of the zither exploded like thunder - the high range burst out with the excitement of the suona, and the low range sounded like the beating of war drums, making heaven and earth tremble!

Everyone seemed to see Xiang Yu's rage like a trapped beast at Gaixia, and Huo Qubing's mighty advance across the northern desert!

however.

Just as the pitch reached its zenith.

Lu Chenyuan suddenly switched to the "yinnao" technique unique to the zither, his left hand making varying degrees of tremolo on the thirteenth fret, each long note containing a trembling sound that was both intoxicating and poignant.

After the soaring and passionate melody, a mournful and sorrowful tune began to play.

After the ambush from all sides, the heroes met their end, and the King bid farewell to his concubine...

The music gradually stopped.

The song is over.

Lu Chenyuan rose with a flick of his sleeve, the lingering notes on the zither still carrying a hint of bloodshed. While the others were still immersed in the afterglow of the music, he walked up to Jin Ni and broke the silence with a smile: "How is it? Still listenable, right?"

"Ow!"

The golden lion realized what was happening, its eyes widening with excitement. This was exactly what it wanted to hear! Overjoyed, it leaped and ran wildly to vent its excitement, then pounced on Lu Chenyuan, licking his face and pressing its paws tightly against his shoulders, as if afraid he would run away.

"Hey! Wait! Don't—"

Lu Chenyuan sensed something was wrong and hurriedly tried to break free, but found that he couldn't escape at all. The big cat was pressing down on his chest like a mountain.

Helpless, Lu Chenyuan could only give up resisting and let this guy "take liberties" with him.

I never imagined that I, with my illustrious reputation, would be knocked down by a cat, twice at that.

Is this considered retribution?

The other three couldn't help but smile at the sight, even though Li Lingyue was no longer jealous, or rather, she hadn't had time to be jealous yet.

This piece of music is truly magnificent and breathtaking!

Everyone has their own expertise, and she was cultivating a path that set her apart from the crowd, but she dared not underestimate anyone because of it. However, she never expected that such a magnificent and emotionally nuanced piece of music would be played by this very person...

Regardless of who composed the music, the fact that he can play it to such a moving degree is already extraordinary.

First chess, then the zither...

Where did this guy surnamed Lu learn all this from?

Her curiosity grew stronger.

(End of this chapter)