I made the entire cultivation world cry

Chapter 655 Performing Arts in Qinzhou (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

As Jiang Yi bid farewell to everyone, she felt even more open-minded than when she arrived.

She took Hua Gu with her and left the sandstorm-swept city of Kunzhou, heading northeast.

During the Northern Xuan era, the Xuan Ying Sword Sect resided in the snowy mountains of the Northeast. In the Nine Provinces, the Northeast was still a snowy mountain region, but it became the place of seclusion for the Qin Emperor.

Unlike the other emperors, the Qin Emperor did not establish any sects. She lived a solitary life, and her secluded palace only housed a few skilled musicians who were proficient in music. She had no personal disciples.

It is said that these qin players were all taken in by the Qin Emperor while he was hiding his identity and wandering among the common people.

While his clone at Xuandu Temple was still in seclusion, Jiang Yi wanted to first investigate the true strength of the Qin Emperor, who was the most difficult to meet in terms of difficulty.

The journey was long, and several months were spent on the vast blue sea.

Jiang Yi sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, no longer deliberately aloof as when he first entered Kyushu, and began to calmly experience the unique mysteries of this world.

Where the sea meets the sky, occasionally a giant whale breathes out, creating a rainbow-like column of water that amazes Hua Gu.

"Yi, is it really okay for Hongli to stay alone on Xuandu Mountain? She's so mischievous!"

Hua Gu sat beside Jiang Yi, watching the starry night sky with her. Both of them were dressed simply as independent cultivators. Hua Gu had dyed her hair black, and Qing Xiao had transformed into a wooden hairpin, which was placed on Hua Gu's head.

Jiang Yi laughed, "She's being naughty to annoy me on purpose. Actually, she's very clever. Even if we stay in Qinzhou and don't go back, she can still help me handle things at Xuandu Temple. Her bloodline talent is almost fully activated. With her charm and shapeshifting abilities, impersonating Yi Xianyu is a piece of cake."

Hua Gu imagined the scene and chuckled, "Then she'll definitely scold you again."

The two smiled at each other. Before leaving, Jiang Yi had told Hong Li that he would leave Zhaoming with her and only take Yaoling Sword with him.

As the ship docked and entered Qinzhou, the air seemed to be filled with the lingering melodies of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments.

At the dock, porters unloading cargo hummed melodious work songs. On both sides of the streets and alleys, shops lined up one after another, most of them displaying signs such as Qin Xuan, Xiao Guan, and Pipa Fang, with a dazzling array of musical instruments on display.

Pedestrians come and go, most of them carrying various musical instruments. In the open spaces at street corners, groups of three or five cultivators gather at will, playing the zither, the flute, or the harp. Their skills may not be particularly amazing, but the focus and immersion in their expressions show that music has long been integrated into the daily practice and life of the cultivators here, creating a unique charm.

"This place is truly a place where joy is everywhere, and everyone is in a daze."

Hua Gu followed beside Jiang Yi, her gaze lingering on the exquisite musical instruments. When she saw a stall filled with various clay musical instruments, Hua Gu quickly ran over.

The stall owner was an elderly man with white hair and beard, whose rough yet nimble fingers were playing an unglazed ceramic flute, producing a simple and desolate tone.

"sounds so good!"

Jiang Yi followed her gaze and smiled gently.

Having already decided to integrate into this place and experience its customs and people, there is no need to be stingy like a drifter.

Jiang Yi stepped forward and asked, "Old man, how much is this ocarina?"

The old man stopped playing, grinned, and said, "Young lady, you have a good eye. This 'Yunshui Xun' is the easiest to learn, and its tone is also excellent. Here are three Xuan stones."

Jiang Yi took out three black stones, and the old man happily handed the small ocarina to Hua Gu.

Hua Gu took it, and imitating the old man's gesture, placed it to her lips and carefully blew on it.

A short, slightly awkward "woo" sound rang out, and Hua Gu's eyes immediately filled with pure joy, like a child who had received a new and exciting toy.

Jiang Yi looked at Hua Gu's rare genuine joy, then touched his own empty storage bag and smiled bitterly to himself.

Along the way, in order to be a 'great philanthropist,' she helped the poor and sick whenever she saw them, and also bought a lot of local chronicles and miscellaneous books. She did not engage in any Robin Hood-like activities, and now she is penniless.

I'm afraid I won't be able to pay for the inn's rooms.

Jiang Yi strolled along the dock streets with Hua Gu, their eyes scanning the street and seeing many cultivators sitting on the ground, some playing the zither, some playing the flute, and some striking strange stone chimes, with pottery bowls in front of them. Occasionally, passersby would stop to listen, and if they thought it was good, they would throw down a few pieces of black stones or spiritual materials.

"I see……"

Jiang Yi had an idea and immediately found a riverside open space with a decent flow of people and shady green willows.

She took out the Floating Life Zither, which she had crafted herself, sat cross-legged, and placed the zither on her lap. Seeing this, Hua Gu understood that Jiang Yi was going to perform on the street, so she quickly found a ceramic bowl, placed it down, and sat down beside Jiang Yi with a smile, keeping her company.

Jiang Yi casually strummed the strings, improvising a tune about his travels.

There is the magnificence of the sunrise at sea, the ups and downs of the waves, the surprise of arriving in Qinzhou for the first time, and the faint helplessness of being penniless. All these emotions are not embellished or exaggerated, but are simply told through the sound of the zither.

At first, passersby were in a hurry and didn't pay much attention to the music coming from this corner.

But gradually, the sincerity and composure contained in the music attracted a few pedestrians who slowed their pace.

Most people in Qinzhou are knowledgeable in music theory and are very picky about music, so most of them just stop and listen without throwing in any Xuan stones as a reward.

Hua Gu sat to the side, but after a long while she still hadn't seen any income, she became a little anxious. She thought for a moment, then looked up at a female cultivator who had been listening for a long time by the roadside and gave her a sincere and sweet smile.

At first, the female cultivator was able to ignore her shamelessly, but Hua Gu kept looking at her and laughing. Eventually, the female cultivator couldn't resist and took out a piece of mystic stone and threw it into the ceramic bowl.

Upon seeing this, Hua Gu immediately cupped her hands and said, "Thank you, elder sister."

Jiang Yi focused on playing the zither, while Hua Gu focused on laughing. The two worked together, and by dusk, the pottery bowl was full of black stones. They had finally saved enough for the night's lodging.

"Yi, can you teach me to play a tune? Once I learn, I'll perform for you and earn you Xuan Stones."

In the simple guest room, Hua Gu tugged at Jiang Yi's sleeve and pleaded.

Jiang Yi said indulgently, "Alright, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. We should learn from that."

That evening, Jiang Yi taught Hua Gu to play a tune. After teaching her once, Jiang Yi went to sleep, while Hua Gu set up a soundproof barrier and practiced alone until dawn.

The next morning, the two continued their journey, hiking towards the snow mountain. Along the way, they continued to do good deeds and earn Xuan Stones by performing, hoping to catch some luck, since the Qin Emperor was hard to find and they also had to go fishing.

I wandered around all day, and just as it was getting dark, it suddenly started raining heavily.

Jiang Yi quickly scanned the rain ahead with his divine sense and caught a few faint lights in the mountain valley not far away.

"There's a village ahead, let's go there to take shelter from the rain."

The two of them flashed with light and instantly traversed the slippery and muddy mountain path, landing under a gnarled old locust tree at the entrance of the village.

The village is small, with only a few dozen households. The houses, built of earth and stone, appear particularly low and silent in the rainy night.

Jiang Yi stepped forward and knocked on the gate of the first house at the entrance of the village, which looked a bit larger.

"Who?!" A hoarse and wary voice rang out through the door, carrying a heavy local accent.

“Passing cultivator, the rain is so heavy that it is difficult to travel. I would like to ask for lodging for the night before leaving tomorrow. Please grant me this favor, and I will certainly offer you a small gift.”

The door creaked open a crack, and the old man's cloudy eyes swept over Jiang Yi and Hua Gu before he shook his head violently.

"No, no! We don't take in strangers on rainy nights. Who knows if you're water demons in disguise? Get out of here!"

Saying that, he was about to close the door.

"Water spirit?"

Jiang Yi keenly caught the word, and gently pressed her hand against the door panel. The force was not great, but it prevented the dilapidated wooden door from closing.

Her gaze passed over the old man's shoulder and fell upon several villagers, their faces also filled with fear, anxiously peering in their direction from the dimly lit courtyard.

There are no mortals in the Nine Provinces. Even an ordinary old man like this has a rudimentary Qi Refining cultivation level, and he can deal with ordinary little demons on his own.

The one that could instill such fear in them must be a powerful demon.

The opportunity to do good deeds and accumulate merit has arrived, hasn't it?

(End of this chapter)