Chapter 842: Fly, Crane

"It's fine to give you some Phoenix Wutong Marrow, and I might not even charge you for it!"

Realizing this, Jiang Qingqin no longer hesitated, and confidence returned to her face.

"Oh?" Knowing there had to be more behind her sudden change of mind, Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Currently, when I play the Guqin, I can only make six cranes dance. If you can help me reach the seven-crane level within an hour, I'll give you the Phoenix Wutong Marrow without any charge!" Jiang Qingqin stated her purpose.

"Six cranes? Seven cranes? What are those?" Zhang Xuan was completely confused. He had never even encountered the Demonic Tune occupation before, and what she said was too specialized for him to understand.

"You... don't know?" She had thought that since he claimed he wanted to assess a Demonic Tune Master, he must have abilities no weaker than hers. Hearing such a shallow question, Jiang Qingqin's vision went dark, and she almost coughed up blood. Even an apprentice would understand this... yet you don't know? It seems you know nothing about the Demonic Tune occupation! You know nothing, yet you dare to arrogantly claim you want to assess a Demonic Tune Master?

"Indeed!"

"Alright, among demonic tunes, the Guqin has the strongest attack power and greatest might. Many Demonic Tune Masters cultivate it, and it's also a standard for judging proficiency. The deeper your understanding of the guqin's music, the more it can resonate with heaven and earth, making more cranes dance. Typically, a 1-star Demonic Tune Master can make one crane dance, a 2-star can make two, and so on. Over time, this became the standard for assessing Demonic Tune Masters." Suppressing her frustration, Jiang Qingqin explained knowledge that even apprentices knew: "I am currently at the peak of the 6-star Demonic Tune Master realm, and I can still only make six cranes dance. Making seven dance is impossible for me! If you can make my guqin music cause seven cranes to fly simultaneously... I will give you the Phoenix Wutong Marrow."

"Seven cranes dancing simultaneously?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Precisely!" Jiang Qingqin nodded: "I'm just a sliver away from a breakthrough. If you can help me achieve it, then everything else is negotiable. But if you can't... I hope you'll leave the Demonic Tune Institute immediately and not return!"

"This..." Lowering his head in thought, Zhang Xuan looked up a moment later: "So, you mean that when playing the Guqin, as long as I can make seven cranes dance, that's enough... right?"

"Correct!" Jiang Qingqin nodded.

"That's simple! An hour... it won't even take five minutes!" With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan's face showed a powerful confidence that surpassed his age. He had thought it was a big deal, but it turned out to be just this. He could handle it in minutes!

"It won't even take five minutes?" Both deans were stunned simultaneously. Is that for real? Jiang Qingqin had painstakingly cultivated for five hundred years yet couldn't break through from six cranes to seven, and you claim you can guide her to a breakthrough in five minutes? Didn't you just say you didn't even understand what six cranes and seven cranes meant? How could you possibly guide me to a breakthrough so quickly? If he could truly do it, forget the Phoenix Wutong Marrow; they wouldn't even mind if he dug up the entire Phoenix Wutong tree.

"Of course!"

"Alright then, tell me what exactly my problem is that I haven't been able to break through all these years?" Although she hesitated inwardly, recalling the young man's undefeated record, Jiang Qingqin chose to believe him and looked at him with bright eyes. Even Vice Dean Ning, standing nearby, was full of curiosity. To boast so confidently, he must possess some extraordinary ability that even surprised him. Could this be... the ability of a Master Teacher who has comprehended the Eye of Insight?

"Play the Guqin!"

"Alright!" Knowing that many insights required a demonstration of skill to be perceived, Jiang Qingqin didn't hesitate. With a sweep of her fingers, the Guqin before her instantly resonated. A soft sound, as if from the horizon, echoed throughout the courtyard. The moment the Guqin's music reached one's ears, it was intoxicating, giving a feeling of ascending to immortality and laughing proudly at the heavens.

Demonic tunes are an occupation that attacks the soul. When cultivated to a profound level, they can resemble an army of thousands, or a raging storm, making even Saint realm experts struggle to resist. Legend has it that Demonic Tune Masters were originally called Immortal Tune Masters. Twenty thousand years ago, a 9-star practitioner, under siege, wielded a Guqin. Using its music, they summoned demonic spirits, slaughtering an attacking army of a million. In that battle, the Demonic Tune occupation became renowned throughout the world. Only then did people realize how terrifying this seemingly minor auxiliary cultivation was, and it gained the name "demonic."

"Impressive..." With a rotation of his Path of Heaven True Qi, the pressure within him vanished, and Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be astonished. If he hadn't been prepared, he might have been entranced by the music and unable to move. It seemed that even lower-ranked occupations, as long as they formed their own system, possessed irreplaceable abilities. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been passed down for tens of thousands of years, enduring without decline.

"Hmm?" Jiang Qingqin raised an eyebrow. She had intended to give the young man a demonstration of her power, so she had imbued her music with some offensive capabilities. She had thought that, given his cultivation, he would surely be entranced and unable to extricate himself. To her surprise, in the blink of an eye, his gaze was clear, and she couldn't help but secretly admire him. No wonder he could make the entire Master Teacher Academy feel like they were facing a formidable enemy, driving Dean Lu Feng to distraction. This young man, despite his age, truly possessed talent and abilities that ordinary people couldn't contend with.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* Admiring him inwardly, she stopped her attack, and the Guqin's music instantly softened. The cranes, previously strolling around, heard the music and began to dance gracefully, calling out as they moved. One, two, three... More and more joined in. Before long, six cranes flew into the air, dancing continuously along with the music.

Seeing that the Guqin's music could indeed make cranes dance, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but marvel. He was proficient as a Spirit Oracle, and although his speech sometimes carried a hypnotic effect that could dizzy souls, he still couldn't make so many cranes dance precisely to a melody.

"Teacher Zhang, this is the six-crane dance. Now, I want to reach the seven-crane level, but I just can't. How do you think I should play to achieve a breakthrough?" Seeing the six cranes ascend, Jiang Qingqin smiled, her voice clear and resonant. Although she was advanced in age, her voice sounded like singing, giving a comfortable sensation. Combined with the Guqin's music, it was indescribably beautiful.

"Alright!" Hearing her words, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, no longer listening. He turned and walked towards the numerous cranes not far away. There were more than a dozen cranes in the courtyard. Excluding the six that were flying, there were still ten remaining. Jiang Qingqin had raised them since they were young, and they were very obedient. At this moment, they stood quietly in place, seemingly enjoying the music, ready to take flight at any moment.

"Begin!" Still over ten meters away from the cranes, Zhang Xuan stretched his limbs, yawned, and took a deep breath. "Path of Heaven Movement Art, Path of Heaven Fist Art!" With a silent shout, he stomped his foot on the ground. His figure flickered, instantly transforming into a blur.

*Thud, thud, thud, thud!* With ten consecutive sounds of fists hitting flesh, the ten cranes that had been standing quietly were instantly sent flying backward. They each slammed against the wall, creating indentations of varying sizes.

"..." Jiang Qingqin's vision went black. She had expected Teacher Zhang to offer some advice or guidance, but seeing him send her cranes flying, feathers scattering, and their heads lodged in the wall with a single move, she was so furious she nearly fainted on the spot. In her urgency, a Guqin string snapped. She couldn't help but look over, her gaze murderous: "Teacher Zhang, what are you doing?!"

It was no wonder she was angry. She had raised these cranes since they were young, and she had grown attached to them. Although he had shown restraint and not killed them, to smash them around without a word left her seething with rage, almost to the point of exploding.

"Don't worry, Dean Jiang, just keep playing... I'll have seven cranes dancing in no time!" Ignoring her anger, Zhang Xuan turned and said.

"In no time?" Jiang Qingqin was filled with doubt. I asked you for guidance, and you didn't even look at me, but went to beat up the cranes... How is this supposed to help me break through?

"Trust me, right away!"

"Hmph, if you can't achieve it, you'll definitely have to answer for harming my cranes..." Her face was ashen with anger, but Jiang Qingqin still reconnected the broken string and gently strummed again. The Guqin's music resumed. This young man had created too many miracles, and she had been stuck at the six-crane realm for too long and desperately wanted to break through. Seeing his confident declaration, she couldn't help but feel tempted to give it a try.

*Ding-dong! Ding-dong!* Like flowing water from a high mountain, the enchanting music continued to stream forth. The six cranes that hadn't been beaten earlier heard the sound and continued to fly up, dancing gracefully.

Seeing Dean Jiang able to control her emotions so quickly, playing the Guqin flawlessly and joyfully, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but nod secretly. With a slight smile, he waved his hand and called out, "Fly, cranes!" Following his call, the cranes he had previously beaten struggled to their feet. One suddenly let out a clear cry and flew straight up, joining the six in the sky.

"It worked?" Vice Dean Ning's eyes widened instantly. Didn't he say he would offer guidance? He didn't say a word, just shouted "Fly, cranes!"... and she reached the seven-crane level? Moreover... listening closely, Dean Jiang's Guqin music hadn't improved or changed at all.

Before his astonishment could subside, he saw another crane sway twice, seemingly recovering from its dazed state. It flapped its wings, let out a long cry, and joined the dancing formation.

"Eight cranes..." Vice Dean Ning's lips trembled. He had just mentioned the seven-crane realm, but in a blink, it was eight cranes? Eight cranes represented an 8-star Demonic Tune Master... Dean Jiang's Guqin music hadn't changed, and Teacher Zhang hadn't offered any guidance, so how did her cultivation level increase?

While he was still wondering, he saw all the cranes that had been slammed into the wall shake, then shake their heads. One by one, they flapped their wings and soared into the sky.

"Nine cranes, ten cranes, eleven cranes..." His eyes glazed over. Vice Dean Ning gasped for air. For Demonic Tune Masters, the highest level was the nine-crane realm, yet in the blink of an eye, eleven cranes were flying in the air. Not only that, but the remaining few cranes continued to soar upwards... What was going on? Could it be that Teacher Zhang was truly so miraculous? That he didn't need to offer guidance, but merely a glance could help someone break through?

Shocked, and just as he was about to sense if his old friend's Guqin music had become more profound, he saw a Guqin string snap again. His old friend seemed to have understood something; her face stiffened like steel, and her hands paused on the Guqin.

"Zhang Xuan... I'll kill you, you bastard..." The usually refined Jiang Qingqin could no longer hold back. A roar like a wolf's howl instantly erupted from her.