Chapter 2

Xuanfeng unfolded the book in his hand. As the words imprinted themselves before his eyes, the past events of Dongyang unfolded before him.

Since the ancient fading of the gods, the Post-Deity Clan scattered across the land, eventually settling in the four divine regions: Dongyang, South Province, North Sea, and West Border Heaven.

Among them, Dongyang, after the Sealed Demon War, bore the duty of guarding the demonic boundary domain. However, decades ago, that domain was breached. Dongyang suffered heavy losses in the ensuing battles, leading to a severe decline in its population.

The reason for the rupture remains unknown to this day. Records state that during the incident, many Demon Lords of the demon race also lost their minds to madness, let lesser clusters of demonic essence. Only later, upon investigation, was it discovered the demonic territories near Dongyang had been utterly destroyed, their essence completely dispersed.

What did it all mean? Xuanfeng closed his eyes, and the book snapped shut of its own accord. When he opened them again, the vision had vanished without a trace. Lifting his gaze, he saw snow-white pear blossoms swirling everywhere, dreamlike and surreal. At the very edge of his vision, he caught sight of Ziye's hurriedly departing figure.

Xuanfeng gave a silent, faint smile. Noticing the baleful aura leaking from the lacquered box, he sighed and lowered his head. With a grasp and a pull, he drew out most of the leaking energy.

Ziye seemed to sense something. She glanced back in his direction, pouting slightly as she patted the lacquered box at her side. A murderous zither sound drifted from within, shooting toward Xuanfeng like a sharp blade.

Xuanfeng raised a hand to deflect the zither's sound. With a light laugh, he turned and left.

He had just landed back in his courtyard when he discovered Zhongtong and Qin Yao had once again commandeered his yard to drink. From their conversation, they seemed to be discussing Qin Bing and the Mystic Sound Zither.

"So, tell me what's going on," he said with a leisurely air, sitting down between the two, anticipating the story.

Qin Yao turned his head, saw he had arrived, and hurriedly poured him a cup of wine, handing it over.

"Hah! Last winter, didn't A-Bing go on a long journey?"

"Hmm, I remember. He came back furious. His experiences on that trip must have been quite something!"

Hearing this, Zhongtong couldn't help but raise his cup for a toast. "Well, what I heard is that A-Bing's mouth, lacking any virtue, thoroughly offended the Cliff Lord Qinglu from the Myriad Saints Workshop."

Xuanfeng raised his brows in surprise. "Cliff Lord Qinglu? I recall the old man holds grudges over the smallest slight."

"Exactly! So later, the Cliff Lord tricked him out of most of his treasures through a scheme. A-Bing has held a grudge ever since."

Xuanfeng held his forehead, laughing so hard he nearly choked. Covering his mouth, he coughed lightly twice before hurriedly asking:

"Don't tell me he got the Mystic Sound Zither from the Myriad Saints Workshop?"

"Where else could it have come from? Blame his luck being too good. The first time he made a move, it just happened to be the one A-Ye went through great pains to purchase." Qin Yao sighed helplessly.

"No wonder," Xuanfeng remarked with feeling, downing the wine in his cup in one gulp. He had been wondering the past couple of days why Qin Bing had suddenly become so attached to him. So it was to avoid Ziye.

Had he known earlier, he shouldn't have come today. Otherwise, he could have enjoyed the spectacle. What a pity.

"I originally found it strange. A-Ye has been back for several years now, yet no one knew what she was always busy with. Now it seems she's been searching for the whereabouts of the Mystic Sound Zither all along."

Qin Yao was quite envious of this. The Mystic Sound Zither was a sacred artifact of their Dongyang ancestor, the Ancestral Lady Xuanji. It had been lost outside ever since the calamity of the inner demons.

It wasn't that people in the clan hadn't searched for it. It's just that their Dongyang had always been accustomed to laziness, believing in the Dao's natural course. They felt that when the time was right, it would return naturally. After searching for a while with no news, they gave up.

"In the end, it's A-Ye's persistence. Xiao Lian is truly fortunate."

Hearing Zhongtong's envious tone, Xuanfeng looked at him with a smile. "The Mystic Sound Zither is a yin artifact. Even if it were gifted to you, you couldn't withstand it."

"Me?" That wasn't Zhongtong's meaning at all. Being put like that made it seem as if he coveted the zither, leaving him momentarily speechless.

Meanwhile, after obtaining the lacquered box, Ziye immediately rushed toward the outskirts of Dongyang without pause. In the season of falling leaves, the wind blew with particular vigor, scattering petals everywhere.

Ziye caught a pure white petal and breathed lightly upon it. Suddenly intrigued, she dispersed her form into a wisp of mist and slipped into the petal, clinging to the lacquered box as it drifted all the way to the city gate.

Xiao Lian, who had been sitting quietly at the city gate, sensed the lacquered box and abruptly opened her eyes. Her gaze, lively and alert, quickly discerned the unusual nature of the petal resting on the box.

She stood up and stepped back, turning to see a figure in goose-yellow robes fluttering on the bluestone path outside the city gate.

"Elder Sister, Sister Xue'er is back."

At those words, the petal swirled, and Ling Xiaoxue's figure drifted out from within. Her white dress, damp at the edges, shimmered with a watery light.

The woman beneath the city gate looked up, her eyes crinkling into a smile at the familiar face. She leaped up, swift as a swallow, arriving before the two in an instant. Before Ling Xiaoxue could speak, the woman threw herself into an embrace.

"Elder Sister!"

"Xue'er!" Ling Xiaoxue had meant to wave, but found herself tightly hugged instead, feeling quite helpless.

Xiaoxue clung to Ling Xiaoxue's arm, acting coquettishly. "Elder Sister, I've missed you so terribly much."

Ling Xiaoxue released her and gently tapped her forehead, laughing. "You still remember to miss me? I sent messages urging you to return early, yet you paid them no heed."

Lian'er chimed in, "That's right, Sister Xue'er. Everyone else is back; you're the only one missing. We sent many messages urging your return, but never received a reply."

"Ah, it's all because my master said I mustn't be distracted during my secluded cultivation! See, I rushed back the moment I emerged, without a moment's delay."

"Alright, no one's truly blaming you. By the way, look at this." Ling Xiaoxue moved the lacquered box before Xiao Lian's eyes. Xiao Lian took it and opened it directly, asking curiously, "What is it? So mysterious... Ah! The Mystic Sound Zither! Elder Sister, you... how did you find it?"

Xiao Lian's delighted, exuberant demeanor infected Ling Xiaoxue, who smiled wryly. "For this zither, I spent five years. Only then did I learned it had been lost in the Eastern Forest Realm. Unfortunately, the Myriad Saints Workshop got there first. To buy it, I had to give up all my savings from these years."

"I knew you were the best, Elder Sister! Speaking of which, Lian'er, do you have a gift for me?"

"Wow, Sister Xue'er, I'm young and my cultivation is low. Shouldn't I be waiting for *your* gift?" Xiaoxue tugged at Ling Xiaoxue's sleeve, protesting Xiao Lian's behavior.

"You, stop bullying your little sister. Also, this Mystic Sound Zither was hard-won. You must use it well and not disgrace the renowned name of Ancestral Lady Xuanji."

Xiao Lian gently stroked the zither's simple, dark body and nodded firmly, her gaze resolute. "Don't worry, Elder Sister."

Having said that, she glanced sideways at Xiaoxue. "As for you, here." She pulled out an exquisite jade talisman from her robe. Xiaoxue, unaware of its purpose, still eagerly accepted it.

Ling Xiaoxue smiled and patted both their heads, saying softly, "Let's go home!"