A man in the Qin Dynasty changed the world by collecting entries.

"If we don't want to be together, then it'll just be you!"

Ji Mo Huaxue glared at Bai Yuan, but there was no harm in it. On the contrary, her silence seemed to be an admission of Bai Yuan's words.

Bai Yuan laughed and gently pinched her cheek, then stopped teasing her.

At this moment, Hei Bai and the other two heard the conversation of Bai Yuan and the other two outside, and came out together.

"What are you talking about? Why are you so happy?"

"It's nothing. We were just talking about looking for a place to rent a small courtyard to stay in today."

Bai Yuan didn't bring up the previous topic in front of Hei Bai and the other person, but went straight to what they were going to do today.

Ji Mo Huaxue and Ningyan exchanged a glance and tacitly refrained from mentioning what had just happened, both nodding in agreement.

Hearing that Bai Yuan was planning to find a small courtyard, the Black and White Sisters were also somewhat delighted.

"That's great!"

The group went downstairs and ordered a few bowls of plain porridge to tide them over.

Just then, Jing Ke, who had just woken up and come downstairs, saw them and immediately came over to greet them.

Bai Yuan was amazed to see that Jing Ke had gotten up so early, and couldn't help but marvel at the other man's capacity for alcohol.

After drinking so much wine, an ordinary person would probably not wake up until noon, but Jing Ke woke up early in the morning and acted as if nothing had happened, showing no signs of having drunk so much wine the night before.

Jing Ke sat down and ate something, then asked, "What are your plans for today?"

Bai Yuan nodded.

"We'll probably be staying here for a while, so we plan to go today."

"I wonder if Brother Jing Ke has any connections in finding a place where we can stay for a long time?"

Jing Ke chuckled upon hearing this.

"You've come to the right person. I'll take care of this. But I'm wondering what your requirements are for the accommodation?"

"As for the requirements... it would be best if it were a little bigger, and the surrounding environment could be quieter."

Bai Yuan thought for a moment and then made two requests.

Jing Ke nodded slightly, then pondered for a moment.

During his visit to Feixue Pavilion last night, he witnessed Bai Yuan's generosity, proving he was certainly not short of money.

Therefore, he definitely doesn't need to ask about the money; he only needs to consider the conditions proposed by Bai Yuan.

After some thought, Jing Ke immediately came up with a good place.

“I have a good friend in the west of the city who is preparing to leave the State of Zhao and travel the world, so he wants to sell his house. His place should be big enough and absolutely quiet!”

"Oh?" Bai Yuan and Ning Yan exchanged a glance, then nodded slightly. "Let's go take a look first!"

Although he initially planned to rent the house, if the place Jing Ke mentioned was indeed good, then it might be worth buying it.

There's nothing he can do; now that he's rich, he's just that arrogant.

Upon hearing this, Jing Ke immediately led Bai Yuan and the others to the west of the city.

On the way, he introduced his good friend.

"My friend's name is Kuang Xiu. He is a musician who is passionate about music and has a straightforward personality. You'll find out when you meet him."

Upon hearing Kuang Xiu's name, Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Unexpectedly, another person he knew appeared.

In his memory, Kuang Xiu, a famous musician from the State of Zhao, was a master who had reached the highest realm of music; the word "musician" was no longer sufficient to describe him.

Legend has it that when Kuang Xiu played the zither, even the birds in the sky would fall down to listen. Those who listened to his music would be moved by the joys and sorrows in his music, as if they were there themselves, unable to extricate themselves, and would always feel the vicissitudes of life and the difficulty of finding a true friend.

Such a level is difficult for ordinary people to reach.

So Bai Yuan became somewhat curious after hearing Kuang Xiu's name.

They soon arrived at Kuang Xiu's place, a secluded courtyard far from the main streets and alleys.

Before the group even arrived, they heard a melodious and pleasant sound of a zither.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

They were almost instantly captivated by the music, completely immersed in it.

Even Bai Yuan was no exception.

From the music, they felt what it meant to be as majestic as Mount Tai and as vast as the rivers.

After a long while, the music stopped, and Bai Yuan and the others finally recovered.

Jing Ke chuckled twice at Bai Yuan and the others' expressions, then shouted loudly, "Kuang Xiu! Open the door quickly, I've brought guests to see you!"

In the courtyard, Kuang Xiu was startled when he heard Jing Ke's voice, then got up to open the door for him.

"The Jing Ke brothers, who are they?"

Kuang Xiu was puzzled by the large number of people.

Jing Ke laughed loudly, and then introduced Bai Yuan and the others, explaining their identities and purpose.

Before listening, Kuang Xiu nodded.

"Come in and let's talk!"

Before long, everyone sat down in the courtyard, drinking tea and chatting about the house.

Bai Yuan was quite satisfied with this place; it was big enough and quiet enough.

But when he asked how much it would cost, Kuang Xiu shook his head.

"I don't want money, but I have other requirements."

"Oh? What's the request?"

Bai Yuan asked with some curiosity.

Kuang Xiu's refusal of money didn't surprise him much; after all, he was a music master, and worldly things like money were unlikely to sway him.

Kuang Xiu smiled and took out a roll of cloth.

“I have a musical score for the qin, which is a piece called ‘High Mountains and Flowing Water’ passed down from Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi. I would like to ask you to help me find a successor for it.”

Chapter 175 A Song of "High Mountains" Reveals Inadequacy

When Bai Yuan saw Kuang Xiu take out the score of "High Mountains and Flowing Water", he was first surprised, but after hearing what he said, he became very puzzled.

"You want me to find a successor for 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'? I'm not exactly a musical expert, so why would you be willing to entrust it to me?"

"Actually, there's no particular reason. As you probably know, 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' is a rare masterpiece, and as its only inheritor in the world, I always feel a bit lonely."

Kuang Xiu sighed and gently stroked the strings of the zither.

As a musical master, one inevitably faces the dilemma of having highbrow art that is appreciated by few.

This sense of loneliness intensified after he reached this pinnacle of musical achievement.

This doesn't mean he had no friends, but rather that he lacked friends with whom he could discuss and improve his music.

“A famous piece like ‘High Mountains and Flowing Water’ should not be mastered by me alone. I hope that this piece can be spread more widely and that more musicians can benefit from it.”

Unlike most of the philosophers of the Hundred Schools of Thought, music masters like Kuang Xiu did not hoard their own knowledge; on the contrary, they were eager to promote and popularize this piece.

He didn't have any prejudice against social class, because his own status wasn't particularly high.

No matter how outstanding or famous a musician is, he is only slightly higher in status than an ordinary person, but still far inferior to the sons of the Hundred Schools of Thought or even noble families.

It was precisely for this reason that Kuang Xiu, after learning Bai Yuan's identity, decided to entrust him with "High Mountains and Flowing Water" and ask him to find a successor for him.

Of course, what he gave to Bai Yuan was only a copy; the original was still with him.

He did this simply because he didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket.

After listening to Kuang Xiu's explanation, Bai Yuan nodded slightly and agreed to his conditions.

After all, this kind of thing doesn't affect him much.

Moreover, Kuang Xiu doesn't necessarily require him to find a successor; such matters ultimately depend on fate.

After seeing that Bai Yuan had agreed to his conditions, Kuang Xiu smiled and pointed to the musical score.

"In fact, 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' is not just a piece of music, but also a special martial art that allows one to control the zither with qi and defend against enemies with sound."

Hearing this, Bai Yuan and the others were somewhat surprised.

Upon seeing this, Kuang Xiu stroked the strings with both hands, his fingertips lightly touching the strings, and a faint burst of internal energy erupted from his fingertips.

Then the sound waves spread, and Bai Yuan and the others were stunned, as if they had seen something incredible.

A massive mountain appeared before them, as if it were about to crush them.

This is illusion!

However, because Bai Yuan and the others had their souls enhanced, the illusion had no effect on them. Only Jing Ke took a long time to realize what was happening.

Kuang Xiu was actually quite surprised to see that Bai Yuan and the others had regained consciousness so quickly.

Jing Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead: "You almost scared me to death! I never expected you to have such a trick up your sleeve!"

Kuang Xiu smiled and said, "This is also why you are not on guard against me. This illusion is difficult to be effective against people with strong wills. However, its greatest function is not to defend against enemies, but to help people regulate their mind, cultivate their character, and nourish their temperament."

Bai Yuan, however, disagreed.

I see

This martial art is not that simple; the strength of one's internal energy should also affect the effectiveness of this illusion.

Kuang Xiu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded.

"That's true, but I've devoted my life to music and neglected my cultivation, so my internal strength is only at the acquired level."

This is quite normal. Kuang Xiu's zither skills have reached such a superb level that he must have spent a lot of time and energy on them, so it's normal that he neglected his internal energy cultivation.

Moreover, given Kuang Xiu's personality, martial arts were not particularly important to him.

However, Bai Yuan also knew that although Kuang Xiu's internal strength was only at the acquired level, with the help of "High Mountains and Flowing Water", it would be even stronger than some innate masters.