The tune Lin Wuming played on the guqin was serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to Mo Xiaoyue’s intense and agitated zither melody.
Logically, the guqin’s gentle tones should have been completely drowned out by the zither’s forceful sound—but instead, something mysterious and profound flowed from Lin Wuming’s fingers.
Though calm on the surface, each note he played struck with soul-shaking force, impossible to ignore.
His music seemed to resonate with a higher state of being, transcending mere melody, touching the spirit and leaving the zither’s aggressive sound feeling messy and irritating in comparison.
As Lin Wuming played with closed eyes, immersed in his music, Mo Xiaoyue began to falter.
Her once-proud melody unraveled, her fingers frantic, expression panicked.
Watching nearby, Chu Biyue’s face darkened.
This scene reminded her all too much of a duel a thousand years ago atop Tianjue Mountain—her zither versus a demon fox’s guqin.
Just like then, her aggressive sound couldn’t shake her opponent.
That bitter memory had haunted her ever since, becoming a heart demon that halted her cultivation.
Now, her own disciple faced the same fate.
Furious, Chu Biyue gritted her teeth.
She accused Bai Bingyun of plotting this—sending her disciple to ruin Mo Xiaoyue’s foundation.
But she couldn’t deny the truth: her disciple was losing.
Desperate, Chu Biyue secretly used her cultivation to awaken Mo Xiaoyue, calling her name.
Energized, Mo Xiaoyue surged with spiritual energy, infusing her music with raw power.
Her zither tones suddenly gained force and majesty, overwhelming Lin Wuming.
The pressure on Lin Wuming intensified.
The spiritual sound waves shook his very soul.
If he hadn’t already tempered his body and reached Foundation Establishment, he might’ve died from the force alone.
Zhong Xiao, angered by the interference, shouted at Chu Biyue, accusing her of shamelessly meddling in a juniors’ duel.
Even she knew this was dishonorable—but she couldn’t let her disciple walk the same tragic path she had.
Now armed with spiritual energy, Mo Xiaoyue held the upper hand.
No matter how refined Lin Wuming’s music was, he couldn’t match someone using brute force and mystical arts.
Guqin versus zither was already an uphill battle—now it was nearly impossible.
High above, Liu Yingfeng watched with concern.
Lin Wuming didn’t even know how to infuse spiritual energy into sound.
This was no longer a fair competition between instruments—it was a clash of cultivators and mortals.
That he’d held on this long was already a miracle.
Beside her, her maid Ling’er looked anxious and heartbroken.
Seeing this, Liu Yingfeng made a decision.
She pulled out a gleaming blue gem—the Sea Crystal Gem—a treasure she’d meant to gift her future husband.
Formed deep in the ocean over millennia, saturated with spiritual energy, the gem was priceless.
It also symbolized deep, unwavering love.
Its true power lay in calming the mind and shielding the bearer from negative influences—including hostile spiritual sound attacks.
Without hesitation, Liu Yingfeng tossed it toward Lin Wuming.
Ling’er was shocked.
That gem was no ordinary trinket.
But Liu Yingfeng only replied coldly:
“It’s no longer a gift. I just can’t stand watching cultivators bully a mortal.”