Whew...
Lu Qixian's expression flickered through several changes, looking as though he were finding it extremely difficult to make a decision.
Yet, in the end, he reined himself in. Glancing at the soaring, darting Spirit Sword suspended in mid-air, Lu Qixian—despite having just broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm—sensed a terrifying might contained within the blade and ultimately dared not challenge its razor-sharp edge head-on.
"Lu Qixian of Qingyin Pavilion pays his respects to the Nine Gods Sect Master!" Lu Qixian bowed toward Han Feng, his voice deep as he said, "My words just now were discourteous and offended the Sect Master. I am deeply apologetic."
As he bowed, Lu Qixian's refined face twisted slightly, a trace of malicious venom flashing across his eyes, though it vanished and returned to normal the moment he straightened up.
"Daoist Lu is too polite," Han Feng said with a smile. "No offense taken by those who do not know. I forgive you."
What?!
Lu Qixian's expression grew even more peculiar. He felt that this Nine Gods Sect Master, who carried quite a reputation abroad, was truly inscrutable.
However, with urgent business at hand, he could not afford any delays. After a brief hesitation, Lu Qixian spoke directly to Han Feng: "Sect Master Han, my purpose in coming here today is to escort Qin Lingyun to Qingyin Pavilion so that she may study the Great Dao of rhythm in depth. I have heard that you, Sect Master, are open-minded and care deeply for your disciples. Surely you would not deliberately obstruct her and ruin a disciple's future?"
"Of course not," Han Feng said with a straight face.
Yet before Lu Qixian could even heave a sigh of relief, he heard this Nine Gods Sect Master continue: "Our Nine Gods Sect takes its name from the Nine Gods, corresponding to nine distinct cultivation methods. One of those very methods is the Dao of rhythm, which can be cultivated right here within our sect. Why search far afield when what you seek is close at hand?"
Ha!
Lu Qixian could not help but chuckle, shaking his head as he said, "Sect Master Han is joking. What Nine Gods are even left? I have come to you with absolute sincerity; why must the Sect Master resort to empty deception? The Nine Gods Sect has long since fallen into decline. Aside from Fellow Daoist Luan here, all the other methods have long existed in name only. To stubbornly keep her here—wouldn't that simply ruin Miss Qin's cultivation?"
"This lady isn't going anywhere!" Qin Lingyun had already released Han Feng by this point. Puffing out her chest, she spoke bluntly to Lu Qixian, "It was my fault before! But I've changed my mind now. Don't tell me Qingyin Pavilion intends to forcefully snatch people away?"
Alas!
Could it be that in this short span of half a year, the Nine Gods Sect had fed her some kind of soul-capturing potion?
Lu Qixian sighed inwardly. Frowning, he said, "Naturally, we would not do such a thing. But Miss Qin, you may not realize just how rare your talent in the Dao of rhythm truly is! If you enter Qingyin Pavilion and become a disciple of Elder Jiuzhi, you will advance by leaps and bounds in no time, shining brightly in the Dao of rhythm..."
"Elder Jiuzhi has already promised that at this upcoming Tianyin Grand Ceremony, Miss Qin may attend as a disciple—that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity..."
"Sorry, this lady isn't interested!" Qin Lingyun wore an expression of utter impatience.
"Young Master Lu, please help yourself?" Luan Jian stepped forward once more. The Spirit Swords revolving around him grew slightly more lively, the clear, ringing cries of dragons echoing endlessly as an unmasked, bone-chilling aura of slaughter filled the air.
Although it was indeed Qin Lingyun who had changed her mind and caused Lu Qixian to make a wasted trip, that Qingyin Pavilion had taken advantage of their sect's decline to poach their members so aggressively was truly despicable. Naturally, there was no need to be overly courteous to them, let alone feel any guilt.
Whoosh!
Lu Qixian felt as though he could already sense the faint terror emanating from the natal magical treasure resting against his chest, filling him with shock.
He was a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! Even if his realm was unstable, shouldn't he be completely crushing a mere Golden Core cultivator?
How could... the opponent's Spirit Sword emerge and instead cause his own life-bound zither boat to emit fearful, mournful wails, warning him never to make an enemy of them?
This Luan Jian was truly a prodigy blessed by the heavens!
It was such a pity that he remained stuck in the Nine Gods Sect.
Pulling his straying thoughts back, Lu Qixian had no intention of giving up just yet. Looking past the hostile Luan Jian, his gaze once again landed on the carefree Qin Lingyun as he raised his voice and said, "Miss Qin! With your talent, should you enter our Qingyin Pavilion, you will enjoy all the provisions due to a core disciple! The Pavilion's Artifact Refining Hall will personally forge a natal magical artifact tailored specifically for you..."
"Tell me, why are you so long-winded? You sound like an old housewife!" Qin Lingyun found this fellow increasingly repulsive and cursed outright, "I already told you I'm not leaving, yet you're still here yapping on and on endlessly. What, did you cultivate some kind of demonic mind-corrupting sound art?"
Ha!
Han Feng could not help but smile.
This Qin Lingyun was rather interesting!
Lu Qixian's brow furrowed. Showing weakness in front of Luan Jian was already unseemly, but now a mere Spirit-Activation Realm brat was also speaking to him with such unbridled insolence—it was utterly lacking in basic manners!
However, the talent Qin Lingyun had displayed when she first contacted Qingyin Pavilion was extraordinary. With important business on his mind, he wanted to avoid conflict as much as possible. Seeing that the situation was gradually turning sour, he had no choice but to lay all his trump cards on the table, saying solemnly: "When I set out, Elder Jiuzhi gave me his personal assurance: if Miss Qin is willing to come, he guarantees that in ten years' time at the Tianyin Grand Ceremony, you will enter the top ten of the Linglai Rankings and make your name known across the world!"
Oh!
At these words, Luan Jian, who had been listening quietly all along, could not help his heart skipping a beat.
The world was vast, measuring countless myriads of miles across.
The Tianyin Grand Ceremony gathered all cultivators who practiced the Great Dao of rhythm, and standing out from among them was an exceedingly difficult feat.
To say nothing of the top ten, even squeezing into the top hundred would bring both fame and fortune, opening up a path of boundless brilliance.
He had not expected Qingyin Pavilion to place such high hopes on his Seventh Junior Sister; no wonder they had sent Lu Qixian, one of the Four Young Masters, to fetch her.
If such a broad and prosperous future awaited her, then perhaps keeping Seventh Junior Sister in the Nine Gods Sect really would hold her back...
"Top ten? Is that it?" Han Feng shook his head and suddenly said, "If it's just that, there's even less need for her to go. Lingyun can cultivate right here in our Nine Gods Sect. It won't even take ten years—at this upcoming so-called ceremony, won't she at the very least take first place?"
Pfft!
Lu Qixian, who was currently working hard to flex his prestige, nearly suffered internal injuries and could not help mocking derisively, "Sect Master Han certainly knows how to tell a joke."
Luan Jian's facial muscles twitched as well.
Sect Master, aren't you joking a bit too big here?
This year's Tianyin Grand Ceremony seemed to be happening as early as next month.
Their Nine Gods Sect didn't even possess the qualifications to receive an invitation in the first place, let alone talk about first or second place...
"Hahahaha! Sect Master speaks brilliantly!"
Qin Lingyun, on the other hand, lit up. She felt that this wretched, sleazy Sect Master was truly satisfying today, making her feel wonderful all over.
She gave Han Feng a heavy slap on the shoulder and laughed heartily, "It's just that they wouldn't let us go! Otherwise, how could this lady possibly fail to bring back first place?"
Ugh...
Han Feng was rattled right down to his bones by the blow, thinking to himself: If she uses this kind of brute force to pluck a zither strings, she'd probably smash through a drumhead!
And as for this Miss Qin—clearly young enough that she hadn't even grown her hair out properly everywhere—yet she ran around calling herself "this lady"...
You people... enough is enough!
Seeing them indulging in completely brainless, mutual self-aggrandizement, Lu Qixian found it utterly unbearable.
Naturally, Qingyin Pavilion was not the only sect specializing in the Dao of rhythm; all such sects treated the Tianyin Grand Ceremony as their supreme pursuit, and securing a ranking for their disciples was the ultimate glory for the sect.
Yet now these two clueless wretches were singing the same tune, clearly blaspheming the Dao of rhythm!
"Sect Master Han!" Lu Qixian's face darkened as he said coldly, "No need for first place! Not even the top ten! If this Daoist friend Qin manages to break into the top hundred of the Spirit-Activation Realm at this Tianyin Grand Ceremony, consider it Qingyin Pavilion overestimating our own abilities! Not only will we never again invite Fellow Daoist Qin to join us, but I, Lu Lu, am willing to join your Nine Gods Sect instead!"
Huh?
Han Feng asked in surprise, "My friend, how is it that you still manage to take things while eating them?"