The news spread like wildfire, causing a sensation.
Who dared to speak up for Li Xiao at such a time, unafraid of being drowned in a torrent of public condemnation?
But upon discovering the person's identity, everyone immediately fell silent, daring not to utter a word.
The one who spoke was Tang Xueyi of the Lingxu Sword Sect.
After bringing Yue'er back and settling her in the Lingxu Sword Sect, Tang Xueyi couldn't rest easy and returned to Baishou Town.
Upon hearing so many people slandering Ji Mo, she couldn't help but speak out, offering a word of fairness.
The Lingxu Sword Sect was a first-rate power, and Tang Xueyi, as its chief disciple, naturally carried considerable weight.
Tang Xueyi's intervention silenced many voices, but most people remained skeptical, as there was no evidence to support the existence of the celestial music.
"Are you still unwilling to show yourself? That's understandable. Why would a dragon soaring through the nine heavens care about the chattering of ants?"
Tang Xueyi felt indignant for Ji Mo, but she was helpless.
As long as Ji Mo didn't step forward and display his unparalleled zither skills, these rumors and slanders would not disappear.
And she believed that, given Ji Mo's status, he would naturally disdain to stoop to the level of these common folk.
Following this, Tang Xueyi searched throughout the town, hoping to see Ji Mo again.
Baishou Town, Qingfeng Garden.
Within an exquisite pavilion.
Wen Xi was reading a poetry collection, while her personal maid, Xiao Lan, was dotingly playing with a silver-patterned axe.
"I don't know what's so great about this broken axe that you have to hold it while eating and sleeping. I think you might as well marry the axe."
Wen Xi seemed weary. She put down the poetry collection and lazily stretched her slender waist, her posture perfectly graceful.
Unadorned by makeup, her fair and flawless skin emitted a faint luminescence, making her ethereally beautiful.
Seeing her maid, Xiao Lan, so infatuated with an axe, she couldn't resist teasing her.
"Miss, this is no ordinary axe; it's extraordinary..."
Xiao Lan, ignoring her mistress's teasing, earnestly tried to explain how remarkable the axe in her hands was, mentioning the strand of law power contained within and its mysterious origin.
The axe was, of course, the one bought from blacksmith Zhang for ten thousand taels of gold. Xiao Lan had not been apart from it since obtaining it, secretly chuckling in her dreams.
To acquire an axe imbued with the power of law for a mere ten thousand taels of gold was an incredible stroke of luck.
"I know, I know. It's not a broken axe, alright? Look how nervous you are. This place is the former residence of the White Emperor, so it's normal for a few rare treasures to appear. No need to be surprised."
Wen Xi smiled. She had little interest in cultivation since childhood, so she wasn't particularly fond of axes.
Xiao Lan also knew her mistress's nature and stopped dwelling on the axe, changing the subject. "Miss, have you heard the rumors outside? There's an unparalleled zither master in Baishou Town, so skilled that even Master Li Xiao was impressed."
Initially, Xiao Lan, like everyone else, didn't believe it. But after Tang Xueyi spoke, her opinion changed.
Because Tang Xueyi never lied.
Wen Xi said indifferently, "That person's zither skills may be extraordinary, but that's all. True zither players would never seek fame in such a manner, causing such a stir."
She detested those who sought fame and fortune, believing Ji Mo was using the opportunity to promote himself, and thus looked down on him.
Xiao Lan nodded repeatedly, thinking her mistress's words made sense.
A zither player embodies the essence of heaven and truth; how could they be so worldly?
"Perhaps, only the author of this poem is a truly pure and noble individual!"
Wen Xi sighed and carefully took out a yellowed piece of paper from her embrace.
On the paper was written a poem, the calligraphy flowing and dynamic, elegant and vigorous, exuding a noble aura.
"This is a humble abode, yet virtue makes it fragrant. Moss stains the steps green, grass hues tint the screen. In laughter and talk, learned scholars converse; in and out, no unlettered folk traverse..."
Her fair fingertips caressed the characters, feeling the artistic conception within the words. Wen Xi was captivated.
Disdainful of glory, unyielding to the world, indifferent to fame and fortune – this was the ideal partner she had been desperately searching for.
In fact, Wen Xi had come to Baishou Town not just to escape an arranged marriage, but to find someone.
To find the author of this poem, "The Humble Abode Inscription," was her true purpose.
"Miss, what would you do if you found the author of this poem?" Xiao Lan asked curiously.
"Marry him!"
Wen Xi thought for a moment and answered very seriously.
...
"Achoo!"
Ji Mo rubbed his nose, sneezing incessantly.
How strange, he wasn't sick, why was he sneezing so much?
"They say sneezing means someone is thinking of you. Nonsense. I have no money or power, who would think of me? In my opinion, it's probably someone bad-mouthing me behind my back."
Ji Mo muttered, then continued with his work.
He was currently working on a five-foot-long paulownia wood, hammering and shaping it. A rough guqin wooden embryo had already taken shape.
Beside him, Tianpeng, with his bulging belly, watched intently. This time, there was no opportunity for him to intervene; this kind of craftsmanship left no room for his participation.
Ji Mo picked up his carving knife, his eyes filled with intense focus, entering a state of complete immersion.
He seemed to have everything planned, his carving knife moving freely and at will, continuously striking the hard paulownia wood.
Ji Mo's speed was astonishing. The carving knife traced arcane patterns, continuously flinging up clumps of wood shavings. His skilled technique left Tianpeng dumbfounded.
"Master's craftsmanship... is so powerful!"
Tianpeng didn't know how to describe it. With just a carving knife, he sculpted exquisite patterns and lifelike flora and fauna.
This guqin was for Yue'er, so Ji Mo had incorporated many cartoon elements. The surface of the guqin was carved with flowers, grasses, and various small animals.
Even more astonishing was that these flowers, grasses, insects, and fish were not only lifelike and vivid but also imbued with strands of heaven and earth laws as Ji Mo's technique flowed.
Tianpeng counted them clearly from the side; there were as many as thirty-six types of laws. If they were to erupt simultaneously, their destructive power would be truly unimaginable.
"It's just so-so. I hope Yue'er likes this toy."
Ji Mo clapped his hands, somewhat dissatisfied, mainly because the raw material wasn't good; it was ordinary paulownia wood, not old enough.
He'd let Yue'er play with this for now and would make her a proper guqin later with aged wood that was thousands of years old.
"So-so? A toy?"
Tianpeng didn't know how to respond.
From the sound of it, this was merely a toy made for a child, which was incredibly extravagant!
As expected of Master, was he planning to cultivate a little killing god?
Ji Mo added the frets to the guqin, strung the strings, applied a pink base coat, and placed it on the iron cauldron in the courtyard to dry. He would deliver it to Yue'er in a couple of days.
He was unaware that Yue'er had already been sent to the Lingxu Sword Sect by Tang Xueyi.
After Ji Mo left, Tianpeng eagerly rushed over, wanting to get a good look at the guqin.
But before he could get close, he was directly sent flying by a violent force.
"Zheng..."
The guqin flashed with a crimson glow, and the strings began to vibrate on their own, their resonant notes echoing in all directions.
"That's..."
Tianpeng couldn't believe his eyes. What was he seeing?
Within the radiant glow, dragon-like creatures were flying.