Chapter 67: Qin Qin – 'Master, I Understand Now”

Chapter 67: Qin Qin – “Master, I Understand Now” “What little goal?” Qin Qin looked at Chu Feng and reflexively asked back. Chu Feng smiled and said, “For example, by the time your senior brother returns, you could break through to the True Fate Realm and give them a big surprise.” “Can I really do that?” These past few days, Qin Qin had watched her senior brother and second senior brother spar. To say she didn’t admire them would be a lie. But with her level of talent and comprehension, catching up to them felt quite difficult. “Of course you can. You just need to put in a bit more effort.” Chu Feng paused. “Right now, your techniques and combat methods are far too limited. Aside from your pair of heterochromatic eyes, you don’t really have much else for battle.” When Qin Qin heard this, her eyes lit up. “Master, are you going to teach me a new technique?” Chu Feng shook his head and began to talk his way around it. “I only want to help open up your perspective on cultivation. To become a true powerhouse, one method alone isn’t enough. Throughout history, every supreme expert had countless methods at their disposal. More importantly, their methods and cultivation techniques complemented each other, creating a combined effect that was greater than the sum of its parts. The reason your progress has been slow—even though you’ve been with me for months—is because you’ve only broken through a single small realm. First, the cultivation technique you practiced before wasn’t strong enough. Second, you haven’t fully realized your own talent.” “Then what should I do, Master?” Qin Qin looked full of anticipation. Lately, she’d also noticed her cultivation speed lagging behind that of her two senior brothers. Chu Feng asked, “What is it you enjoy the most in your daily life?” Without hesitation, Qin Qin replied, “Playing the zither.” Chu Feng said, “From now on, aside from your regular training, cultivate through the zither. Infuse your spiritual sense into the sound of the strings, use your music to merge with the world, and comprehend the Dao through the resonance of your melodies.” “Th-this can work?” Qin Qin was no amateur when it came to the zither. Her Dream Song technique had already put many into pleasant illusions. “Wait a moment.” Chu Feng spoke and headed into a side hall, returning with an ancient zither. This zither had been left behind by a senior of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute and was considered a treasured relic. Back then, Chu Feng’s own unreliable master had boasted about how incredible this zither was. Chu Feng had just assumed the old man was bluffing, so he never paid much attention to its origin. But when Qin Qin saw the zither, she froze on the spot. If she wasn’t mistaken, that zither... that was a sacred artifact said to have once belonged to the Saint of Strings. How could it possibly be in her master’s hands? “Master, where did you get this zither?” Chu Feng smiled. “It belonged to one of our Miscellaneous Dao Institute’s old seniors. It’s been gathering dust in the treasury. I used to take it out now and then to play a tune.” “...” Qin Qin was left in complete shock. She was too tired to even feel jealous anymore. “Come, your master will take you to a good place to play.” Seeing her expression, Chu Feng quickly brought her back to reality. “Okay.” Qin Qin was curious—and a bit confused as to why her master needed a special place just to play the zither. Soon, the two of them arrived at the waterfall behind the mountain. From their elevated viewpoint, the scene below was overwhelmingly grand. Anyone with acrophobia would’ve had weak knees already. Chu Feng sat by the edge of the cliff, facing the waterfall, and began to pluck the strings. As someone who had maxed out his skills in zither, calligraphy, painting, and chess, he slowly closed his eyes. And in the instant his fingers touched the strings— He became completely immersed, body and soul. ting—ting—ling... High mountains and flowing water, the zither’s melody lingered like mist; the stream murmured gently. As the tune unfolded, all of nature fell silent—as if the entire world had vanished, leaving only that graceful sound echoing between heaven and earth. Qin Qin was stunned. She had always known her master could play the zither. But she had never imagined his skill could be so terrifyingly profound. The scene before her was something only a true grandmaster of the zither could create. After the brief shock wore off, Qin Qin quietly sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and began to focus with all her heart, trying to comprehend the intent hidden within the music. In the very next moment, Qin Qin realized something strange—though her eyes were shut, she could clearly see her master playing the zither. It wasn’t like seeing with her physical eyes. She could see the music itself. Her master’s melody had already fused into the natural world—stream, wind, and waterfall all danced along with the rhythm of the strings. It felt as if, the moment her master stopped playing, the waterfall would halt and the wind would vanish. Was this her master’s true strength? What was he trying to show her? She listened attentively, heart and soul attuned to the music, attempting to grasp the cultivation path her master was passing on through this single performance. As the piece concluded— The lingering notes swirled like threads of silk. Birds gathered from all directions, and fish leapt repeatedly from the stream, as though begging Chu Feng for an encore. Chu Feng removed his hands from the zither and stretched lazily. 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'—truly worthy of its name from a past life. Just one song and my whole body feels lighter. He looked over at Qin Qin and saw the girl still seated in meditation. He chose not to disturb her and quietly waited for her to awaken. A long while passed. Suddenly, Qin Qin opened her eyes wide, joy lighting up her face. “Master! I understand now!” Hm? That fast? Chu Feng paused for a moment. 'Looks like my bluff worked better than expected... I wonder what exactly this little girl managed to comprehend.' Putting on a serious expression, he nodded. “Not bad. It wasn’t in vain that I took the time to guide you.” Qin Qin’s lips curved into a gentle smile, two dimples forming at the corners. “Thank you, Master, for pointing me toward the path I should take.” “Then I won’t disturb your training further.” With that, Chu Feng carried the zither back to his courtyard. Qin Qin also returned to her own room and found her own zither. Lately, she’d hardly played at all, focusing too much on cultivation. When she was with Master and her senior brothers, everything felt fine. But when alone, an unshakable sense of loneliness always crept into her heart. It was this very loneliness that had blocked her path, preventing her from entering the realm of Clear Heart Sight. She first played a melody, letting her emotions flow freely, then began her day’s cultivation. From that day forward— Melodies often drifted through the Miscellaneous Dao Institute. At times, the notes carried the sorrow of an immortal pouring out their heart. Other times, they surged with hatred, or danced in bursts of joy. Listening to those melodies, Chu Feng muttered under his breath, “I never thought I’d become a tree hollow for secrets. This little girl Qin’er... she’s suffered far too much in the past.” That night, the music continued as always. Qin Qin played as she cultivated, trying to emulate her master—infusing her spiritual sense into the sound, tempering it through the resonance, and even experimenting with transforming melody into weapon. tsing! With a sharp note, a stone the size of a bowl on the ground was sliced clean through, leaving a perfectly smooth cut. Qin Qin plucked the strings again. Time passed. She felt the pressure in her heart melt away completely. She slowly removed her blindfold and looked up at the moon in the sky. Then she smiled faintly. Clear Heart Sight—achieved. ==================================================================================== Get access to 20 chapters in advance and enjoy 2 daily updates by supporting the series. Available on Patreon: /Alex_Cruise or Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/anish_44