Chapter 88: 望月楼、送神曲

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated after the autumnal equinox, made Gucheng exceptionally lively.

Lu Qian and Liu Muqing arrived by boat, intending to attend tonight's banquet at Wangyue Tower.

"You must be bored. You keep inviting me to Gucheng to play, and now that I've finally come, why do you still seem a bit unhappy?" Liu Muqing looked at Lu Qian.

Lu Qian naturally refused to reveal the real reason, merely brushing it off with, "Jiang Jiuxian followed me here too."

Liu Muqing said, "Jiang Jiuxian is outstanding in the Music Hall, with a good family background and excellent taste in everything. Many women admire him, so why do you specifically dislike him?"

Lu Qian retorted, "Zong Shichang's family background isn't bad either, but I don't see you liking him, Qing'er."

Liu Muqing was speechless.

Lu Qian murmured to herself, "Liking someone is liking them, disliking someone is disliking them. There aren't so many reasons why. Besides, I don't like the way Jiang Jiuxian looks at me; he's no different from other men."

Liu Muqing shook her head. "I won't argue with you. Since we're here, let's forget about those trivial things today and just relax."

Wangyue Tower was the Zong family's property. The first five floors were packed with people today, while the three floors above them had been entirely booked by Young Master Zong.

As the host, Zong Shichang had arrived early, and Zhao Xing, carrying his civet, naturally accompanied him.

"Brother Zhao, how do I look now?" Zong Shichang asked.

Zhao Xing glanced at Zong Shichang, who was fussing in front of the mirror. "If you put on any more powder, you could go compete in opera with the girls downstairs."

"What do you mean?"

"You're too gaudy."

Zong Shichang irritably ruffled his hair, took off his clothes, and paced back and forth in front of a pile of luxurious wardrobes.

Zhao Xing couldn't stand it anymore. "What's the rush? Just be yourself today, like any other day. How can you win Miss Liu over by trying too hard?"

"Be natural, don't try too hard to succeed. Treat her like you treat other women. Just being spontaneous and normal will already put you ahead of ninety percent of your competitors."

Zong Shichang turned his head and asked, "Will that work?"

Zhao Xing said, "Well, think about it: hasn't your old approach failed before? If so, why do the same thing again? Change things up a bit, and maybe it will suit Miss Liu's taste."

Zong Shichang hesitated for a moment but ultimately took Zhao Xing's advice and changed into a plainer outfit.

He had one virtue: he was readily adaptable to good advice.

As long as he recognized and trusted someone, he was very open to their suggestions.

Soon after, a servant announced that guests were starting to arrive.

Zong Shichang stopped fretting and began to welcome his guests.

Zong Shichang's small private banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival still had nearly a hundred guests.

However, there was a distinction based on closeness and status; those of lower standing or family background were on the floor below.

Zong Shichang, holding a wine cup, made a round downstairs, toasting every table. By the time he returned upstairs, his face was flushed, and veins were protruding.

After closing the hidden door between the upper and lower floors and drawing the curtains, the small private room on the top floor became quiet, isolated from the lively singing and dancing below. Only the bright moon hanging high in the sky was available for appreciation.

Seeing the lingering reluctance in everyone's eyes, Zong Shichang immediately raised his wine cup and smiled, "The vulgar charms and decadent music outside are not suitable for refined tastes. Today, I've invited friends from the county's Music Hall to entertain us. Please listen!"

Zhao Xing sat in the third seat from the left, and below them was a small stage.

The stage was concealed by a silk curtain. When it was drawn open, the first thing seen was the bright moon in the night sky.

Then, two men and one woman, wearing veiled hats, played string instruments on either side. The two men used horizontal zithers, while the woman played a liuqin.

As smoke swirled, the three musicians receded, leaving only their singing and the sound of their instruments.

"The Emperor descends upon the four seas, auspicious clouds appear daily. His virtues are like clouds, blessing all people..."

As the music began, Lu Qian, already prepared, entered with three dancers amidst a swirling mist, dancing under the moonlight.

"'Cloud Gate,' one of the 'Six Songs.' I didn't expect these dancers and musicians hired by Zong Shichang to perform a proper sacrificial dance," Zhao Xing stared at the stage.

The sacrificial dance, also a type of battle dance, was performed jointly by musicians and dancers to praise ancient sages and offer sacrifices to their spirits.

"Cloud Gate" honored Emperor Xia, the founder of the ancient Dynasty of Fortune, praising him for creating all things, uniting the people, and for his virtues as boundless as clouds.

The pinnacle version of "Cloud Gate" required twelve first-rank music officials, thirty-two first-rank dancers, and over five hundred second- to fourth-rank dancers and musicians combined!

The effect was the ability to summon Emperor Xia's 'True Spirit Manifestation.'

However, Zhao Xing had never seen it. It was said that this battle dance could summon Emperor Xia's manifestation a long time ago, but even with the full number of performers, it no longer worked.

Nevertheless, simplified and lower-tier versions of "Cloud Gate" had various effects, such as clearing the mind, boosting morale, or increasing a warrior's stamina.

Slightly higher-tier versions could summon the true spirits of some sages from the Xia Dynasty to slay demons and banish evil.

In short, this inspirational dance had evolved to have a wide array of effects.

For instance, when Zhao Xing listened to it now, he merely felt his soul become a bit more solid, which wasn't of much use.

The dance music concluded.

Lu Qian, along with the three dancers, and Liu Muqing with the other two musicians, performed a ritual bow of gratitude.

The spectators present all took out their prepared gifts in return.

When dancers and musicians received gifts, it would enhance the power of this battle dance.

Even without gifts, a simple gesture of gratitude would suffice.

Lu Qian approached Zhao Xing's table and bowed gracefully.

Unexpectedly, he merely clasped his hands in greeting.

"Hmph, how stingy," Lu Qian muttered to herself as she walked away.

The others also turned their gaze.

Indeed, everyone else had offered jade ornaments or pendants as gifts, while Zhao Xing's 'spiritual gratitude' made him stand out.

When it was Zong Shichang's turn to give his return gifts.

He gave Jiang Jiuxian, Lu Qian, and others jade pendants and other ornaments.

But to Liu Muqing, he gave a piece of paper.

A piece of paper?

Everyone's gaze shifted from Zhao Xing to Zong Shichang.

"Young Master Zong, Miss Liu and Miss Lu have come a long way today specifically to perform at your banquet. You shouldn't favor one over the other."

"Exactly, why only give Miss Liu a piece of paper?"

"What's written on the paper?"

Zong Shichang clasped his hands and said, "This is a piece of poetry I happened to acquire. I thought it suitable for musicians to set to music, and it might even help Miss Liu improve. As for the dancers, I couldn't find anything suitable."

"Oh? That's a bit biased. There are three musicians, Brother Zong, why didn't you give anything to Brother Jiang and Brother Fan?"

"Yeah, hahaha, why is Miss Liu so special?"

Laughter erupted around them. Clearly, they all knew of Zong Shichang's admiration for Liu Muqing and were deliberately teasing him.

Zong Shichang smiled. "This poem isn't suitable for men."

"Oh?" Jiang Jiuxian, now seated, also teased, "What kind of magical poem is it that it's gender-specific? Brother Zong, why don't you recite it?"

Zong Shichang merely smiled, remaining silent, and looked at Liu Muqing.

At this moment, Liu Muqing was stunned, seemingly having achieved the desired effect.

The poem bought from Zhao Xing was worth it!

Lu Qian found it very strange. Liu Muqing wasn't unsophisticated, so why was she speechless for so long?

Impatient, she simply walked over, took the paper from Liu Muqing's hand, and said, "I'll read it."

"There is a beauty, whom I cannot forget upon seeing. A single day without her, and I pine like mad.Like a phoenix, I soar and wander the four seas, seeking my mate. Alas, my beloved is not near.With my zither, I speak my heart's true feelings. When will you grant me your favor, to soothe my anxious soul?I wish to match your virtue, to walk hand in hand. If I cannot soar with you, I shall perish."

As soon as it was recited, laughter continuously erupted.

Everyone present had some appreciation for literature; it was clearly a love poem.

But as they listened, something felt off.

How had they never heard it before?

And it seemed to be of high quality?

As for the other two musicians and three dancers, they were also stunned for a moment.

Because when Lu Qian recited it, they clearly felt a certain resonance.

They felt an urge to compose music for the poem. Such an impulse only arose when encountering excellent or new poetry that would significantly increase their cultivation.

"You..." Lu Qian couldn't help but look at Zong Shichang. "Is this a new poem? Where did you get it?"

She didn't believe Zong Shichang could have composed it. With Zong Eighteen's level?

"I acquired it by chance. I wonder if it's worthy enough for Miss Liu?" Zong Shichang said with a smile, appearing very modest, a stark contrast to his usual arrogant and proud demeanor.

When he acted even slightly normal, Lu Qian actually found him 'abnormal'.

Is this still the Zong Shichang I know?

Liu Muqing was also greatly moved, not just by the cultivation resonance, but also because it was a love poem with deeply touching descriptions of affection.

Even with the sometimes open customs, Liu Muqing found herself overwhelmed. After she regained her composure, her face immediately flushed.

"Thank you for the poem, Young Master Zong." Liu Muqing's voice trembled slightly, losing her usual calm and composed demeanor.

"Wait, what's the name of this poem?" Lu Qian asked.

"Phoenix Seeks Mate," Zong Shichang replied.

"'Phoenix Seeks Mate...'" Liu Muqing murmured, her fingers plucking the zither strings, instinctively wanting to compose music for the poem.

The zither music was melodious, and soon she began to sing along.

The first time was hesitant, but by the second, it already possessed a preliminary charm.

During the third rendition, several people closed their eyes, sinking into an illusory realm, experiencing the bitter longing of unrequited love.

One young man even broke down on the spot, shouting a certain woman's name and weeping uncontrollably.

Zong Shichang, however, managed to restrain himself, as Zhao Xing had repeatedly warned him to resist and avoid embarrassing himself.

"That's enough, Miss Liu!" Zhao Xing interjected at this point.

Liu Muqing immediately realized her impropriety and quickly stopped.

"Brother Zong, given the situation now, I suggest everyone go to the balcony to admire the moon," Zhao Xing said. "I see Miss Liu is deeply moved by this poem; perhaps you could take her to a private room to discuss it."

"Miss Liu, please."

"Mm." Liu Muqing was fully engrossed in composing music at this moment and also wanted a quiet place, so she allowed Zong Shichang to lead the way.

Seeing the usually aloof and proud Miss Liu actually agree to be alone with him, Zong Shichang couldn't help but turn and give Zhao Xing a grateful look. "You're truly worthy, good brother! No, Godfather!"

Lu Qian, however, eyed Zong Shichang suspiciously, then looked at Zhao Xing, her eyes darting.

Seeing Zhao Xing leave his seat to admire the moon outside, she followed him.

"That poem, you gave it to Zong Shichang, didn't you?" Lu Qian stood next to Zhao Xing and suddenly asked.

"Why would you think that?"

"A hunch. His feelings for Miss Liu align with the poem's meaning, but to say he wrote it himself is absolutely impossible," Lu Qian said. "It's good that he was clever enough not to claim he wrote it, otherwise, if Qing'er asked him later, wouldn't it backfire?"

Zhao Xing didn't turn his head or reply, simply gazing silently at the moon.

Lu Qian took another step closer to him. "Was the dance just now good?"

Zhao Xing nodded. "It was alright."

"Just 'alright'?" Lu Qian pouted.

"'Alright' is a relatively high compliment from me."

"So you know quite a bit about dancers."

"A little."

"Please enlighten me."

Zhao Xing calmly said, "You performed 'Cloud Gate' from the 'Six Songs.' Cloud Gate is profoundly mysterious; it's not just a battle dance but also has the effect of inviting deities. You performed the forceful parts very well, but the gentle parts were still a bit lacking."

"Your sleeves flutter towards the celestial gates, soaring to the highest heavens. Your sleeve-tossing technique likely comes from 'Cloud Gate: Celestial Gate' and 'Cloud Gate: Ninth Heaven,' but as I just said, your gentle aspects are still insufficient."

"You must be more skilled at performing 'Great Shao,' and this is a common issue with 'Great Shao' that's hard to change, isn't it?"

Lu Qian raised an eyebrow. "You really know? Yes, I am indeed more skilled at 'Great Shao,' and what you said is exactly what my teacher says. But I don't know how to correct it."

Zhao Xing turned his head. "If you don't mind, you can perform it again for me."

"Alright!" Lu Qian didn't hesitate and immediately began to dance.

Although there was no accompanying zither music from Liu Muqing, dancers didn't necessarily need a melody to perform, and the tune was already ingrained in her heart.

So, performing it again resulted in only a slight reduction in power, but the overall execution was not much different from before.

Zhao Xing observed Lu Qian's movements using the Five Elements Observation.

After having her dance twice, he stopped her.

"That's enough."

"What did you observe?" Lu Qian asked expectantly.

Zhao Xing explained, "Your Qi Sea primordial energy always surges too fiercely at the crucial moment when you perform the 'Ninth Heaven' section. As I just said, this is a habit formed from performing 'Great Shao.' It's simple to correct: as long as you can suppress the upward surge of primordial energy from your Qi Sea point, you'll be able to transition smoothly to the next step."

Lu Qian instinctively lowered her head and touched her stomach, looking a bit sheepish. "It's true, my teacher has told me many times, but I still can't change it."

"There's no quick fix for this; you can only adjust it gradually."

Lu Qian looked up. "Now I'm even more certain that 'Phoenix Seeks Mate' was given to Zong Shichang by you. Do you know why I wanted to meet you?"

"I know." Zhao Xing nodded. Since she brought it up, he couldn't evade or brush it off. It was about solving the problem. In any case, he had found a way to earn money now; if worse came to worst, he could even be magnanimous and return the Peacock Feather Robe.

"I don't have any other intentions," Lu Qian said. "I didn't come to ask for the Peacock Feather Robe back. What happens on the mountain stays on the mountain; the Forget-Worry Stele is meant to help people forget their mountain worries. I... I was just curious about what kind of person you are, and I hope this invitation hasn't bothered you."

Unexpectedly, Lu Qian said this, sounding very sincere and straightforward.

Seeing Zhao Xing remain silent, Lu Qian found a topic to ease the awkwardness. "Do you have any other poems? Giving that one to Zong Eighteen was a waste; he doesn't appreciate quality... You could sell them to people in our Music Hall."

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing was momentarily surprised. He really did have something suitable for Lu Qian. Who cares who he sold it to? He currently needed money to buy the 'Preaching Paintings'.

"Yes, how high a price can you offer?"

Now it was Lu Qian's turn to be surprised.

She had only asked casually.

She hadn't expected Zhao Xing to actually have some.

"That depends on the level. If it's like the one just now, able to evoke a resonance, exchanging it for a fourth-tier treasure would be no problem."

"It's derived from the 'Six Songs,' with both lyrics and music," Zhao Xing said. "It's definitely stronger than that one, capable of being cultivated to the fifth rank. How much do you think it's worth?"

"If that's the case, it could be exchanged for at least a fifth-tier treasure, or even more."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, then nodded. "I can let you experience the battle lyrics and battle music first."

"Good, follow me." Lu Qian also seemed a bit excited.

Zhao Xing planned to sell 'Ceremony of Souls' to Lu Qian. Unlike the cheap piece he gave Zong Shichang, 'Ceremony of Souls' was one of the 'Nine Songs' created by later generations, extended from the 'Six Songs.'

It was a proper, mature spell, and also the 'Song of Farewell to Deities' among the Nine Songs.

As the saying goes, "Inviting deities is easy, sending them off is hard."

The power of 'Ceremony of Souls' lay in its ability to dispel lingering spirits and send away deities summoned by other professions, making it quite practical.

Zhao Xing only remembered the battle lyrics and battle music of 'Ceremony of Souls,' which he could recall from his time as a player in his previous life. As for the battle dance, which involved the circulation of primordial energy, that wasn't possible; memorizing the movements alone was useless.

When he gave the cheap item to Zong Shichang, he had already tested other 'results', which had been 'certified' by his system panel.

However, it was still several grades below the complete version, as it lacked the crucial battle dance component. But it was still sufficient for selling and earning some money.

As for what kind of battle dance Lu Qian could find someone to choreograph, that was no longer his concern.

Seeing things resolve so smoothly, Zhao Xing was a little surprised.

Had his 'unlucky streak' finally passed?

"Hold on!" Just then, a voice interrupted Zhao Xing and Lu Qian's conversation.