Chapter 1457: Blowing, Drawing, Playing, and Singing

Wind Rises in Kyushu

“What am I supposed to do after I go in?” Lu Ye asked. Since Bai Lu said the mystic realm wasn't dangerous, there was certainly no need for fighting.

Bai Lu was mysterious. “You’ll know once you’re inside.” With that, she gave Lu Ye a push, then reminded him, “Oh, and put away your blade.”

Lu Ye sighed, put away his Panshan Blade, pushed open the great door, and stepped into Tianluo Hall. As he crossed the threshold, Lu Ye found himself engulfed in profound darkness, unable to see his hand in front of his face. It was such pure darkness that even a Star Host like him couldn't perceive anything. He tried to activate his divine sense, but it could only probe a few feet around him.

There seemed to be a peculiar force inside Tianluo Hall that greatly suppressed his various abilities.

He wasn't panicked, as Lu Ye truly felt no sense of danger. As he was looking around, a point of light suddenly appeared in his vision, followed by two, then three… soon, a vast expanse of them!

In an instant, Lu Ye felt as if he were suspended in the starry sky, with the multitude of light points appearing as countless stars.

These glowing points varied in color: white, green, blue, purple, and gold. White was the most common, while gold was the rarest.

The multicolored lights danced and spun around him like a swarm of fireflies.

Lu Ye watched, curious, for he couldn't discern the true nature of these light points. He raised his hand to grasp one, but it deftly dodged, like a playful maiden.

The large cluster of lights danced for a while before a portion of them detached, drifting towards Lu Ye. These lights then merged and converged, quickly forming a flute-like object that floated before him.

Lu Ye was slightly puzzled, unsure what was happening.

Bai Lu had said that passing the trial here would bring benefits, but Lu Ye hadn't encountered any trial yet, only a flute formed from light points. Could this be the benefit?

He wondered what mystery this flute held.

Thinking this, he reached out and took the flute. It felt smooth and warm in his hand, as if he were holding a jade flute. At the same time, the flute vibrated slightly, and a piece of information immediately appeared in Lu Ye's mind.

He realized then: this was the test.

But he knew nothing about playing a flute! Ever since he arrived in Kyushu, he had been struggling for survival and advancing his cultivation; he had never touched anything meant for cultivating artistic taste.

None of his friends were proficient in this art either.

However, since this was a test from Tianluo Hall, he had no choice but to push through it.

Although not skilled, Lu Ye knew how to hold and play the instrument. He held the flute level, placed it to his lips, and lightly pressed a few fingers on the tone holes.

He exhaled slightly, and a harsh, grating sound erupted. His fingers on the tone holes moved randomly, without coordination.

The moment the flute sound began, the light points swirling around him seemed to be struck by lightning, freezing for a brief moment.

Lu Ye knew he probably had no chance of passing this test, so he simply ignored caution and blew haphazardly.

The light points, as if possessing intelligence, could no longer endure the jarring noise. Another batch of lights separated, and the flute in Lu Ye's hand dispersed. The two waves of light merged, continuously transforming. Then, Lu Ye saw a blurry figure appear before him. It seemed to be a human shape, though he couldn't make it out clearly.

This figure held a flute to its lips and played softly. A melodious sound immediately entered Lu Ye's ears. Strangely, as this music played, the spiritual energy flowing through Lu Ye's body suddenly accelerated significantly.

His heart jolted. This flute music… it could actually enhance combat power!

If a cultivator's spiritual energy flow accelerated, their strength would undoubtedly increase, whether casting secret techniques or engaging in close combat.

He immediately understood that his playing had been so awful that the light points couldn't bear it and specifically demonstrated for him, essentially giving him a temporary lesson.

He carefully observed the blurry figure's posture while holding the flute, as well as the rhythm and regularity of its fingers, committing them silently to memory.

After one piece finished, the figure dispersed, and the flute reappeared before Lu Ye. He grasped it again and began to play, following what he had just seen.

Compared to his earlier chaotic attempt, this time was noticeably more pleasant, but still halting and disjointed. As Lu Ye played, light points continuously drifted away. By the time he finished the piece, more than half of the lights had vanished.

Lu Ye thought he had played quite well, and he couldn't understand why the light points seemed so disdainful.

Bai Lu had said this place was very interesting. Indeed, for someone proficient in music, it would be fascinating, but for him, it held no appeal. If the test here involved music, he had no hope of passing.

The flute suddenly dispersed, transforming back into the light points, but they didn't disappear. Instead, they began to wriggle and transform again.

Lu Ye watched quietly, guessing that the test probably wasn't over yet.

He felt somewhat tormented. Although this test wasn't dangerous, relatively speaking, Lu Ye would rather fight a Skeleton General.

After a moment, an erhu appeared before Lu Ye. As if having learned from the previous experience, a blurry figure appeared this time without waiting for Lu Ye to try, playing an inspiring melody as a demonstration for Lu Ye.

Just like the flute music earlier, the melody of this erhu also had the effect of boosting combat power.

Lu Ye, filled with resignation, picked up the erhu and played a section, imitating the figure. As expected, the remaining light points around him became even fewer.

The erhu transformed into light points, then wriggled and transformed a third time. Moments later, a pipa appeared before Lu Ye.

Just as before, another blurry figure appeared, plucking the strings lightly, making simple instruments create captivating melodies.

After Lu Ye finished playing the pipa himself, very few light points remained around him.

Seeing the pipa disperse into light points and begin to wriggle and transform once more, Lu Ye's eye twitched.

The three previous tests had involved blowing, bowing, and plucking… was this fourth test going to be singing?

What kind of ridiculous tests were these? He now seriously suspected Bai Lu was getting revenge. Merfolk were all multi-talented; entering Tianluo Hall and passing its tests was probably no problem for them. But for him, a soldier who was used to fighting, entering this place was sheer agony.

If he had known this, he wouldn't have come.

Crucially, he also didn't know how to get out, as there was no apparent exit.

Under his tormented gaze, the light points formed a human figure, but this time the figure was more solid than the previous three. Although its face was still unclear, its basic outline was distinct.

It was evident that the figure was a well-proportioned woman, and a mermaid woman at that, as her lower body was in the shape of a fish tail. She opened her mouth gently, and a graceful song softly emerged.

Lu Ye felt a terrible headache.

What kind of ridiculous Tianluo Hall was this? It should be renamed the "Blow, Bow, Pluck, and Sing Hall."

But Lu Ye quickly realized something was wrong, for the woman was not only singing but also dancing gracefully, her movements exquisitely enchanting.

As she sang and danced, Lu Ye's face turned as dark as a pot bottom.

Letting him blow, bow, and pluck was one thing; even just singing would be acceptable. But to make him sing and dance simultaneously? That was absolutely impossible!

He, Lu Yiye of Kyushu, was a dignified figure. Didn't he have his pride?

After the figure finished her song, her dance also ceased, and she transformed back into light points. Lu Ye knew it was his turn; it had been this way every time before—the figure demonstrated, and then he was to learn.

But this time, there was absolutely no way he would learn!

He simply stood there, unmoving, thinking that even if he failed the test, he could surely leave.

But he waited a full day. He didn't move, and the light points swirling around him had no other reaction; they seemed to be waiting patiently.

Lu Ye sighed helplessly and began to move around, trying to find an exit.

He searched for a long time but found nothing. Wherever he went, the light points followed, as if they would never let him leave unless he participated in the test.

Lu Ye knew that regardless of whether he could pass, he probably had to participate.

He glared resentfully at the few remaining light points, cleared his throat, and very self-consciously glanced around, afraid of anyone secretly watching. Only then did he begin to sing loudly. He didn't even know what he was singing, because the figure's song earlier had been chanted in the Mermaid language, which was extremely difficult to pronounce. He hadn't received systematic training, so he couldn't sing it properly. Such forced imitation naturally sounded awful.

After a series of grunts and groans, the light points swirling around him vanished without a trace.

The world became silent…

Lu Ye found himself in endless darkness, with not a speck of light to be seen. "Let me out!" Lu Ye shouted.

The test had undoubtedly been a failure. Since he failed, he should be allowed to leave, yet he still saw no hope of escape.

He felt as though he had been abandoned here.

He shouted a few more times, but still received no response. Lu Ye's eye twitched. Could it be that he *had* to sing and dance at least once?

He had only sung earlier; he hadn't danced yet.

If this was the reason he couldn't leave, it would be difficult. Even though he was alone, Lu Ye truly didn't want to do that, lest it become a permanent dark spot in his heart, a true inner demon.

But upon closer thought, Lu Ye felt something was amiss. This was a mystic realm of the Merfolk. Many merfolk must have visited it throughout history. As a human, he naturally couldn't compare to the multi-talented merfolk in artistic skills. Compared to them, he had undoubtedly failed every test.

However, the merfolk's talents must also vary. It couldn't be that everyone had to meet the highest standard; if so, not many merfolk would be able to leave here.

So Lu Ye thought, perhaps only one of the tests needed to be passed?