CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 94: THE SURGE OF THE UNDERCURRENT, CHALLENGE FROM THE BLESSED LAND (2300 WORDS)_1

Who would have thought that Lady Feiyin, renowned throughout Vermilion Bird City, was actually the chief disciple of the Sonic Sect?

If this got out, countless prodigies who considered Lady Feiyin their dream girl would either start questioning their own existence or try to fight Qin Guangling to the death and make *him* question his.

I’m walking on thin ice!

But as the saying goes, fortune is sought in peril. Posing as Feiyin paid exceedingly well. A single performance in drag was worth five normal ones. That was like working for one month and then getting to rest for half a year.

Who could resist such a temptation?

Qin Guangling certainly couldn’t. As the chief disciple of the Sonic Sect, he not only had to compete with the other chief disciples from the various branches of the Sanqing Immortal Sect but also contend with the many prodigies of Nanzhou. The pressure was immense. Besides, cultivation relied on wealth, companionship, techniques, and location. Without money and resources, everything else was useless.

Although Qin Guangling had been so ashamed the first time he dressed as a woman that his Dao Heart had nearly collapsed, he gradually grew accustomed to it. With each performance, the shame lessened, until now, strictly speaking... he no longer felt any.

Well, as long as I’m shameless enough, shame can’t touch me.

In fact, these days Qin Guangling would sometimes feel a perverse sense of pleasure. Heh heh heh... those so-called prodigies from other sects act so high and mighty in their daily lives. But in front of yours truly... ahem, in front of the stunning beauty that I impersonate, they all have to be polite and fawning. They wouldn’t even dare to say a single harsh word to me.

Heh heh heh... I’m really looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces when they find out Lady Feiyin is actually me.

Of course, as much as I look forward to it, I can’t just expose myself. Setting aside the social suicide that would follow my identity being revealed, the enraged prodigies of Nanzhou alone would be enough to tear me limb from limb.

Phew...

Lazily lounging on the warm carpet with his legs crossed, Qin Guangling waited for the Phoenix Perch Building to deliver his performance fee. Then, he planned to head out and enjoy himself in the city.

Suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice drifted up from downstairs. "I have long heard of Lady Feiyin’s exceptional musical skills, that the sound of her strings is like music from the heavens. I, Tian Yu, have come especially to pay my respects and ask for Senior Sister’s guidance."

What the...?!

He threw his clothes back on and donned his mask with lightning speed, then leaned out the window to look down.

At the entrance of the Phoenix Perch Building, flower petals drifted through the air as two lines of women in green skirts filed in, each holding an instrument like a silk-stringed zither or a pipa. The woman at the head of the procession wore a vibrant pink gown and a light veil that obscured her face. A vermilion mark was painted on her brow, and her eyes were shaped like a phoenix’s, carrying an enchanting allure in their every glance that captivated all who saw her.

If the Lady Feiyin that Qin Guangling impersonated was like a white orchid in the mountains—quietly blooming, its fragrance pure and far-reaching—then this young woman was like a brilliant peony, blooming ostentatiously in the prime of spring.

A beauty that outshone all others!

「...」

It’s her. Qin Guangling’s expression grew grave the moment he saw the young woman in the pink dress. He recognized her. She was Tian Yu, a True Disciple from the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land, and one of the most outstanding among them.

She was born with a natural spiritual physique, perfectly attuned to the Dao of Music. Whether it was the zither, pipa, guzheng, or flute, she could master any instrument almost instantly upon being taught. After joining the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land, Tian Yu had earned the admiration of the Sect Leader, who took her in as his final Closed-door Disciple and passed on the entirety of his teachings to her.

Now, at just twenty-three years of age, her Cultivation Level had already reached the middle stage of the Golden Core realm. Furthermore, she had successfully mastered many of the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land’s music-based cultivation arts. It was said that if nothing unexpected happened, she had an excellent chance of becoming the next Sect Leader of the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land in the coming centuries, making her one of the most powerful figures in Nanzhou.

She’s here to crash the party! Qin Guangling’s face darkened. We’re all old foxes here; no need to play games. I just finished playing the ’Light Clouds Drifting Melody,’ and now she shows up to challenge me. She’s clearly planning to use my fame as a stepping stone to elevate her own.

After all, there are only a handful of sects in all of Nanzhou that specialize in the Dao of Music. The Sanqing Immortal Sect’s Sonic Sect, though long in decline and a far cry from its glory a thousand years ago, is still considered the pinnacle of musical artistry by many prodigies. And my persona, ’Feiyin,’ is a widely acclaimed master of music here in Vermilion Bird City. In comparison, while Tian Yu may be the rising star of the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land, her fame outside her sect doesn’t even come close to Feiyin’s.

Everyone knows that for cultivators like us from the Sonic Sect and the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land, performance fees are directly proportional to fame. The Phoenix Perch Building is the primary gathering place for Nanzhou’s prodigies to exchange ideas and debate. It’s also where gossip spreads the fastest. And Feiyin... she’s the musical genius countless young prodigies in Nanzhou dream of, a woman who radiates the aura of a goddess. If Tian Yu can challenge me to a ’music battle’ here in the Phoenix Perch Building and actually win, she’ll become famous throughout Vermilion Bird City overnight.

Her performance fees would multiply. The reputation of the Wondrous Sound Blessed Land would rise with hers. Who knows? They might even take this chance to open their own ’Phoenix Roost Pavilion’ or something and rake in a fortune. On top of that, the Ancient Sanctuary is about to open in Nanzhou. The allocation of entry slots is based on the quality of the disciples from each Cave Heaven, Blessed Land, and ordinary Immortal Sect. If a sect is teeming with prodigies, the Ancient Sanctuary might grant it a few more slots. If a sect is in a generational slump with no new talent, its existing slots will likely be reduced.

800 years ago, the last time the Holy Academy opened, the Sanqing Immortal Sect was in decline and logically should have had its slots cut. But our sect stood at the forefront of the war against the demons on Demon Sea Island. It was because of the loyalty of our members, fighting to the last man, that the war against the Demon Race 800 years ago was won so smoothly. We held the moral high ground. In an era when the Demon Race had yet to be completely wiped out, no one dared to move against the Sanqing Immortal Sect and risk demoralizing their allies. On top of that, our new Sect Leader, Zhuo Canglang, attended the Immortal Sect Alliance conference and raised hell. He argued, blustered, threw tantrums, and shamelessly used every dirty trick and appeal to morality in the book. A mighty Sect Leader, he threw all face away, even going so far as to publicly call some big shot ’Godfather’ while clinging to his leg. Ultimately, the number of slots for the Sanqing Cave Heaven was not reduced by much when the Holy Academy last opened.

But even the most glorious achievements fade with time. 800 years later, no one remembers the painful sacrifices the Sanqing Immortal Sect made to fight the Demon Race. Or rather, they remember, but they pretend to forget. All they know now is that the opening of the Holy Academy means endless opportunities and benefits. There are a limited number of slots, and every single one is precious. To get more, you have to take them from someone else. The Sanqing Immortal Sect is clearly on the decline, yet we still hold an enviable number of slots, more than most even at the Cave Heaven level. If we aren’t a target, who is?

Right now, every Cave Heaven and Blessed Land in Nanzhou is probably eyeing the Sanqing Cave Heaven like a pack of wolves. Given the slightest opportunity, they’ll try to bite off a chunk. This is true for the business at the Phoenix Perch Building, and it’s even more true for the slots in the Holy Academy. The Wondrous Sound Blessed Land... for a mere Blessed Land-level power to be this audacious, they must have the backing of a Cave Heaven-level force pulling the strings from behind the scenes. This is probably just a test. But if I handle this poorly, the Sanqing Immortal Sect will face an endless stream of trouble.

Realizing this, Qin Guangling’s already grim expression grew even darker.

It seemed he had no choice but to accept this challenge. After all, the dignity and interests of his entire sect and thousands of his fellow disciples rested on his shoulders.

「...」

And so, Qin Guangling, draped in women’s clothing, stepped resolutely out of the private room. The sight was strangely tragic, like a general clad in armor, marching off to war.