The corridor was bustling as a group of people walked towards Fang Ling.
Fang Ling calmly brushed past them, but his heart was not as tranquil.
Meeting acquaintances while away from home is always a joy, but unfortunately, he couldn’t truly meet her.
It had been nearly four years since he last saw Bai Ying, and she had changed significantly.
Now, she was like a celestial fairy—noble, aloof, and otherworldly, giving off an unattainable aura.
She was no longer the shy young girl who would secretly glance at him while playing the zither in the pavilion.
At the other end of the corridor, Bai Ying turned her head, almost as if guided by a ghostly hand, and looked at Fang Ling.
A hint of confusion flashed in her eyes, but she quickly shook her head with a smile.
“Junior Sister, what’s wrong?” her senior sister beside her asked.
“Do you know that strange guy we just passed?”
Bai Ying replied indifferently, “No, I don’t know him.”
“I just suddenly thought of someone.”
“Who could be so charming that you’ve been thinking about them for years?” another person teased.
“Several prodigies have already expressed their admiration for you, but you ignore them all. It’s infuriating.”
“If it were me, I’d probably have kids by now.”
Bai Ying said calmly, “I’m not interested in matters of romance; I only have a passion for music and the zither.”
“Better be that way,” the others laughed.
Although their conversation was quiet, Fang Ling heard it clearly.
He was quite surprised to hear that many prodigies had expressed their admiration for Bai Ying.
Though Bai Ying’s cultivation had improved significantly, reaching the early Megrez Realm, she was still far behind those prodigies who had reached the Alioth Realm at a young age.
“Perhaps she has a unique talent in music,” Fang Ling thought.
He still remembered the song “Heaven and Earth Longevity” she played back then, which left a lasting impression on him.
After returning to his room, Fang Ling immediately went into seclusion to cultivate.
There were too many people around, and he didn’t want to move around too much.
However, just as the tree desires calm, the wind will not cease. In the middle of the night, a graceful figure appeared by his bed.
The unique fragrance of Purple Bamboo filled the air, and Fang Ling immediately knew it was her. He opened his eyes swiftly.
“Master, what brings you here?” he asked.
“You little rascal, deliberately mocking me,” Purple Bamboo huffed and snuggled up to him.
“You promised to help me with my cultivation.”
“Now that my cultivation is not yet successful, you need to put in more effort.”
Fang Ling replied, “I think you’ve long forgotten about cultivating your mind.”
“How could I?!” Purple Bamboo retorted angrily, seemingly hit a sore spot.
Fang Ling chuckled and stopped teasing her, immediately taking action.
After a long while, everything returned to silence.
Purple Bamboo lazily lay beside him, wanting nothing more than to sleep until dawn.
Fang Ling gently caressed her smooth skin and asked, “Master, have you heard of Tianyin Pavilion and a woman named Bai Ying?”
“Bai Ying? Why are you asking about her? Is she another one of your lovers?” Purple Bamboo’s eyelashes fluttered as she muttered.
Fang Ling replied, “No, I just have some connections with her father, so I wanted to ask about her.”
“Really?” Purple Bamboo was skeptical, thinking it couldn’t be that simple.
But she didn’t care much; she never intended to monopolize Fang Ling, treating everything as part of her cultivation.
“Bai Ying is quite the rising star,” she continued.
“She has an extraordinary talent in music. In just three years at Tianyin Pavilion, she mastered the three great ancient melodies.”
“Even the current Pavilion Master has only mastered one of them.”
“She is now the Saintess of Tianyin Pavilion. If she doesn’t meet an untimely end, she will undoubtedly be the next Pavilion Master.”
“But her cultivation isn’t that impressive,” Fang Ling remarked.
Purple Bamboo replied, “Don’t underestimate these musicians. Their methods are terrifying and can’t be judged by their spiritual power.”
“The three great ancient melodies of Tianyin Pavilion are ‘Clear Spirit Tune,’ ‘Longevity Melody,’ and ‘Abyssal Path.’”
“The ‘Clear Spirit Tune’ is unparalleled; listening to it can enhance one’s cultivation significantly.”
“The ‘Longevity Melody’ can bring the dead back to life. As long as you have a breath left, it can save you. Those who know this melody are like reincarnated immortal doctors!”
“The ‘Abyssal Path’ is the most terrifying. One performance can send someone straight to the eighteenth level of hell, never to be reborn!”
“These three melodies are Tianyin Pavilion’s supreme inheritance. Throughout history, only Bai Ying and the Pavilion’s founding ancestor have mastered all three.”
Fang Ling was deeply shocked. If what Purple Bamboo said was true, Bai Ying was indeed an unattainable Saintess now.
No wonder so many prodigies in the region wanted to pursue her. Marrying her would be a great fortune.
…
The next day, there was a knock on the door.
“Brother Ling Fang, are you up?”
“It’s almost time to leave.”
“In half an hour, the Dragon Arena Dao Conference will officially begin.”
The visitor was Shangguan Beifeng, accompanied by his sister Shangguan Haiyue.
The sudden visit startled Fang Ling.
Purple Bamboo felt a warm current flowing through the backyard and was also satisfied.
She hadn’t returned all night, having slept here.
This morning, she couldn’t resist pulling Fang Ling into cultivation again.
But Fang Ling, that rascal, took a different approach, giving her a new experience.
“I should go back…” Purple Bamboo picked up her plain dress with her foot, put it on, and quickly disappeared.
Fang Ling also left immediately, heading to the Dragon Arena with the Shangguan siblings.
The Great Zhou Dragon Arena was located in front of the palace, very close to where they were staying.
The palace was a forbidden area, so it was rarely this crowded.
Every Dragon Arena Dao Conference was the liveliest time in the palace.
Long tables were set up around the Dragon Arena.
These were for the accompanying members of various forces to sit and watch the grand event.
From a distance, Fang Ling could see that the people already present were indeed extraordinary.
Among them were several who, like Purple Bamboo, were at the peak of the Alkaid Realm, and the weakest were in the mid-Alkaid Realm.
These were the elders of various forces, holding high positions and renowned throughout the Southern Dipper Region.
“Brother Ling Fang, follow me to find a seat later, don’t wander off.”
“To be honest, the Dragon Arena Dao Conference is not just about comprehending the Heavenly Dao Divine Stele.”
“It’s also a stage for the prodigies of the region to compete,” Shangguan Beifeng whispered.
“The Dragon Arena is only so big, and soon thousands of people will flood in.”
“Everyone wants to be close to the Divine Stele, which inevitably leads to some conflicts.”
“But everyone gives face to the Great Zhou royal family, so even if there are disputes, they won’t go too far.”
“Usually, it’s just a touch-and-go, but privately, it might not be so easily resolved…”
Shangguan Haiyue glanced at Fang Ling and said proudly, “Just stick close to us.”
“With our skills, we can definitely secure a good spot, so you can benefit too.”
Fang Ling didn’t say anything, just nodded lightly.
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