Failure to Recognize Mount Tai

If it weren't for the fact that this guy was trying to pick up girls, and that by praising Yue Qianchou, he was also praising himself, Yue Qianchou would almost have been moved by him. He grabbed the wine jar and took a big gulp.

The girls clenched their fists, their faces filled with longing. The busty Yan Xia murmured to herself, "So this is the kind of person Yue Qianchou is!" Beside her, Yan Hong gritted her teeth excitedly, "I wonder if we'll ever have a chance to meet him." The two seemed to have forgotten that their purpose in coming here was to inquire about Yue Qianchou and then provide information for their sect to capture him.

"Pfft!" Yue Qianchou couldn't help himself and sprayed the wine into the campfire, causing the fire to rise rapidly with the help of the wine. Seeing the others looking at him in surprise, he explained somewhat awkwardly, "The fire is a little small."

The group looked at the campfire and found it was quite large! But they still added more firewood. Qin Jiaxing muttered as he threw in the firewood, "Look at you all, so infatuated. Yue Qianchou can only sing a little tune! You don't even know what he's singing, and you're all so excited."

"Pfft!" Yue Qianchou spat out the wine he had just gulped down. He wiped his mouth expressionlessly and pointed at the campfire, saying, "Make the fire bigger, and roast the meat a little more until it's crispy. It'll taste better if it's a little charred. Uh... it's almost done roasting. Any more and it'll burn. Everyone, share it!" The others obediently complied.

The area under the Kao Mountain Pavilion was quiet, but their place was different. They were spitting alcohol, playing with fire, and chattering away, making it hard to go unnoticed.

The atmosphere that Fang Ming had painstakingly created was now completely ruined. Everyone's attention was no longer focused on him, but on the campfire where Yue Qianchou was. The group was busy happily dividing up roasted rabbit and chicken.

"You bastard, Qin Jiaxing, where's the roasted chicken leg? Did you eat it all by yourself?"

"Damn it! Have you ever seen a pheasant with nine legs? I don't even have one myself."

The two of them were being so vulgar that Yue Qianchou immediately retorted, "Damn it, be more civilized. If you didn't get a leg, go gnaw on a chicken's butt."

Fu Chun and Qin Jiaxing immediately lost their temper. Before long, the nine of them were making loud smacking noises while occasionally gulping down a mouthful of wine, all of them laughing and saying how delicious it was. But suddenly they realized that something was off about the atmosphere, and almost simultaneously they looked up to see that everyone was staring at them.

Yue Qianchou paused for a moment, then waved to everyone and said, "Excuse me, we'll eat first. You can continue talking about Mr. Nongzhu and Yue Qianchou. Uh... right, didn't we just say we were going to sing a little song? Come on! Sing! We need a song to liven up the drinking."

The people around him burst into laughter, seemingly mistaking Fang Ming for an actor. On the hillside, a beautiful smile curved the lips beneath the green veil, clearly she was smiling too, though unfortunately, no one could see it.

If it were anyone else less capable, Fang Ming would probably have given him a hard time. However, it was this guy who had tried to teach him a lesson during the day, so he could only swallow his anger. But his expression wasn't very pleasant. He said in a deep voice, "It's fine if you don't take me seriously, but don't defile Mr. Nongzhu and Yue Qianchou."

This guy is quite the smooth talker; he's clearly trying to intimidate the other party by bringing up two powerful figures. However, when it comes to witty banter, Yue Qianchou no match for anyone, especially those two powerful figures. They might be useful for scaring other Rogue Cultivator, but trying to scare Yue Qianchou is a mistake.

"Are you out of your mind? If you're going to be a coward, don't drag others into it for your own benefit. When did I ever tarnish Nong Zhu and Yue Qianchou's reputation?"

Yue Qianchou thought to himself, "I've never seen my grandson so fiercely defend himself." He took a swig of wine, picked up a half-eaten chicken leg, pointed at Fang Ming, "On another note, even if I defile Nong Zhu and Yue Qianchou, what's it to you? So what if I defiled them? If those two bastards have any objections, tell them to come find me, Niu Youde. You should mind your own business."

That was incredibly arrogant, leaving Fang Ming speechless and speechless, not even mentioning Yue Qianchou. He had thought bringing up Nong Zhu would intimidate the other party, but who knew this person would dare to insult Nong Zhu by name and even introduce himself. He seemed completely unconcerned that his words would reach Nong Zhu's ears.

Yue Qianchou would be a fool to say that. He's cursed Nong Zhu countless times, let alone behind her back.

Fu Chun and Qin Jiaxing exchanged bewildered glances. This boss was truly impressive; no wonder he was surnamed Niu (meaning "ox"). The six women of Yan Lan were filled with admiration. This senior might even have a more prestigious background than Mr. Nongzhu, otherwise, who would dare to insult a mid Spirit Transformation stage expert like that?

The place fell silent, save for the crackling of the campfire. Everyone was trying to recall who "Niu Youde" was, but no one seemed to have heard of him. Meanwhile, Tian Ye, who had initially been intimidated by Fang Ming's mention of Nong Zhu and was considering retreating, now felt even more ashamed. He thought to himself, "Look at how bold that guy is, and then look at my own cowardice."

Fang Ming stared at the guy who had finished cursing and continued drinking and eating meat with an uncertain expression. Suddenly, as if he had figured something out, he threw the flute in his hand into his Storage Bag, pulled out an ancient zither, and slowly sat down cross-legged facing the veiled woman on the hillside.

When everyone saw him place the zither across his knees, they immediately became interested, knowing that he was probably about to play the piece he had mentioned earlier. Yue Qianchou glanced at him and thought to himself, "This guy is really quite talented; he can play the flute and the zither."

"Although cultivators from various countries are hunting down Yue Qianchou, I still believe that he is a peerless genius, one in a thousand years. I am fond of music, but unfortunately I have no chance to learn from him in person. The few pieces I have obtained are only from others singing them, and I have not obtained the complete music. So I have to figure out how to set them to music myself, and I hope it will not disturb everyone's enjoyment."

As soon as Fang Ming finished speaking, his four brothers cheered again. He continued, "This song, 'White Fox,' is said to have been composed by Yue Qianchou when he first joined the Huaxia Cultivation World. He encountered a white fox who had cultivated for a thousand years and was moved by her tragic life. He then displayed his extraordinary talent on the spot, creating this divine piece on the spot, which he then gifted to the fox girl. This song has been sung in the Huaxia Cultivation World for a long time. Please listen attentively!"

The gentle tinkling of the zither began, and after a prelude, Fang Ming sang softly, accompanied by the music. "I am a fox who has cultivated for a thousand years, a thousand years of cultivation, a thousand years of solitude. In the still of the night, can anyone hear me crying? In the dim light, can anyone see me dancing..."

The night was still, and both the music and the song were lonely! It must be said, Fang Ming was indeed quite skilled; he truly had his specialty, and his performance was truly moving. Even Yue Qianchou's eyes became lost, recalling his first encounter with Bai Suzhen ...

As the music began, everyone was captivated by the poignant and heart-wrenching melody, and felt the sorrow of the Thousand-year white fox through the lyrics. The heartbreaking scene of "Can I dance for you one more time?" already appeared in everyone's minds...

Yue Qianchou was startled awake by the girls beside him. They were sobbing softly, their eyes red and glistening with tears. The others also sighed in dismay...

Even after the song ended, everyone was still deeply immersed in it, shaking their heads as they did so, truly moved to tears.

"Senior sister, that white fox is so pitiful..." The fiery-tempered Yan Xia suddenly buried her face in Yan Lan's arms and burst into silent sobs. Fu Chun and Qin Jiaxing were also stunned, having long forgotten to eat the roasted meat in their hands.

Yue Qianchou was speechless, lamenting the world's lack of spiritual nourishment. A single song could move someone to such an extent.

Fang Ming glanced at the woman on the hillside; she seemed unresponsive, or at least her reaction was hidden by the green veil. He then looked around and said loudly, "What do you all think of this piece? Is Yue Qianchou a true prodigy?"

"Come on..." A group of Rogue Cultivator responded in unison, with some exclaiming in surprise, "I never expected that! That butcher of the Cultivation World would actually do something like this..."

"It's not just that they know how to play; even I, a roughneck, find it pleasant to listen to. It's nothing like the 'uh-huh' and 'ah-ah' sounds I used to hear, which made me want to fall asleep."

"Tsk tsk! I really want to meet this Yue Qianchou and see what he looks like."

Damn it! I'm sitting right here! You guys don't recognize my worth! Yue Qianchou looked around and realized for the first time that being Yue Qianchou was pretty good. He really wanted to stand up and shout to everyone, "I am Yue Qianchou!"

"Music comes from the heart. How bad can someone be who can create such a song? They must have been forced into many situations," Fang Ming sighed.

This once again drew sighs from the crowd. Everyone knew that Yue Qianchou had killed those two thousand or so cultivators because various sects were chasing him for his treasures. Now, thinking about it again, everyone felt a bit of sympathy. Yue Qianchou had indeed been forced into a corner and had no other choice but to kill them!

"The Mandarin Duck Butterfly Dream, this piece is said to have been composed by Yue Qianchou and given to the fox spirit. After receiving the piece, the fox spirit was relieved of her sorrow and drifted away, never to be seen again."

Fang Ming shook his head and sighed, "Speaking of which, although the white fox's fate was tragic, two out of the three songs composed by Yue Qianchou, who was a genius, were actually dedicated to her. It's truly enviable. The white fox can be said to have lived a life without regrets. Ah! How enviable! I wonder if there is anyone in this world who can make Yue Qianchou compose a fourth masterpiece!"

Unbeknownst to him, Yue Qianchou had actually composed a piece of music that was made public during his training in the Demon Ghost Domain. However, in order to conceal the secret of their training in the Demon Ghost Domain, the various sects strictly forbade their disciples from mentioning this matter, so the music did not circulate outside.

"Fang Ming, quickly sing 'The Mandarin Duck Butterfly Dream' for us!" This time, even without Fang Ming's four brothers trying to liven things up, everyone was already quite impatient. They all shouted, "Yes! Yes! Quickly sing it for us!"

Yue Qianchou glanced around and saw six women staring at Fang Ming with gleaming eyes, like six bitches in heat. Yue Qianchou inwardly cursed, "Damn it, showing off by singing my songs..." He suddenly remembered that he himself had also stolen the song, and was speechless.

"We obey orders, how could we dare disobey!" Fang Ming smiled and plucked the strings. After the beautiful prelude, he sang with a touch of melancholy. "Yesterday was like the flowing water of the East, gone and cannot be held back. Today my heart is troubled, filled with worries! Drawing a sword to cut water only makes it flow more, raising a cup to drown sorrow only makes it more sorrowful. Tomorrow, the clear breeze will carry me away. Only new lovers laugh, who hears the old lovers weep? The word 'love' is so painful..."

Under the night sky, the campfire flickered, and the group listened with rapt attention, their heartstrings trembling with each word of the lyrics. The helplessness of trying to cut water with a knife, of drowning sorrows in wine, seemed familiar to everyone. The song perfectly captured the essence of the emotions, beyond mere description; none of them had ever heard such a divine melody.

As the music ended, many people looked at the wine jugs in their hands, still muttering to themselves, "Raising a cup to drown sorrows only brings more sorrow..."

"What a beautiful song!" Yan Xia's tears hadn't even dried yet when she crossed her arms and cried out in frustration, "Yue Qianchou, where are you? I'd be happy if I could just see you one last time! You absolutely can't die!"

The other women stood there dumbfounded, even Yan Lan murmured as if in a dream, "There's only ever laughter from the new bride, who ever hears the weeping of the old... This Yue Qianchou is indeed a wise man who has seen through all aspects of life. In just a few words, he has fully expressed the joys and sorrows of love between men and women. Truly, every word is a gem..."

"Mandarin Duck Butterfly Dream! What a beautiful song title!" Yan Fei bent her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and said with a dreamy light in her eyes, "I really want to see what Yue Qianchou looks like right now..."

"Hmm!" Yan Qing replied blankly, "I think he must be a handsome and dashing man."

"A bunch of infatuated girls! I'm sitting right next to you!" Yue Qianchou rolled his dead fish eyes, his resentful gaze sweeping back and forth between the six women. Then, he took a vicious bite of the chicken leg in his hand, his expression one of wanting to tear it to pieces. After several large bites of the meat, he stuffed the bone into his mouth, crunching away...

Fang Ming smiled and looked around. He had finally regained control of the atmosphere; tonight was destined to be his. He announced loudly, "What did everyone think after listening to these two pieces? Now you know I wasn't lying!"

"Indeed, Yue Qianchou is quite a character..."

"A true talent, a true master! Even I, a rough man, am utterly impressed..."

"What a wonderful song! Truly a gift from a genius..."

The praise from everyone was endless. Fang Ming nodded and said, "The song is good, the music is good, and the lyrics are even more exquisite, every word is a gem, describing things vividly. Such lyrics and music could probably only be composed by Yue Qianchou, and combined so perfectly that they are unforgettable! What's most remarkable is that it is said that these were all impromptu works by Yue Qianchou. He is truly a genius!"

Yue Qianchou drank his wine in silence, at a loss for words. It was the first time he'd been praised by so many people. Especially Fang Ming, who had lauded him as unparalleled in the world. He should have been happy, but he Fang Ming Yue Qianchou was playing a trick, artificially inflating his own reputation while simultaneously boosting Yue Qianchou's own.

As the saying goes, a good song needs a good melody to accompany it. Fang Ming said from the beginning that he obtained this song from the Huaxia Cultivation World, and the melody was incomplete; he had composed and set it himself. The more he made everyone believe that this song was rare in the mortal world, the more his talent would be highlighted when everyone realized its true value.

This kid's really something! Even more shameless than me! Yue Qianchou sneered inwardly. What kind of Fang Ming put together? It was clearly just a formulaic arrangement, taking advantage of the fact that no one here had heard it before. He's probably going to resort to some tricks to get his way!

Yue Qianchou glanced at the veiled woman on the hillside, the Fang Ming woman Fang Ming was trying so hard to win over... He absolutely wouldn't allow any bastard to take advantage of him and go pick up girls!

Unbeknownst to him, the bright eyes behind the veil had been watching him almost constantly. His impenetrable cultivation level was particularly striking! Almost everyone who had interacted with him for a while knew that this was innate, not something that had been a mere illusion.

"Fang Ming, stop talking now, sing that 'Laughing in the Mortal World' song again!"

"Yes! Sing a few more songs! Let us enjoy this treat for our ears."

The group was already hooked and couldn't wait to hear the third song, urging each other on...

As Yue Qianchou had predicted, the guy played the mermaid-fishing trick. Fang Ming slowly rose, put away his guqin, and bowed to the crowd, apologizing, "Everyone, I'm truly sorry. That's all for today! We can continue another time if there's an opportunity. This third piece is the ultimate masterpiece; to sing it without proper emotional preparation would be to tarnish this unparalleled work. I really don't want to do such a thing. I hope you won't force me, as it can't be forced anyway."

Upon hearing this, a chorus of sighs of regret erupted from the crowd. Some even shouted, "How about tomorrow? I'll just wait another day and listen to your final, most exquisite performance."

Fang Ming replied politely and reservedly, "We'll talk about it another day, another day." He never gave a definite answer. As he spoke, he walked back the way he came, while his four brothers cheered loudly.

"You little brat, your name is Fang Ming?" A cold snort suddenly rang out.

Fang Ming stopped and looked in the direction of the voice, only to find it was the same guy who had opposed him during the day. He nodded reluctantly and said, "That's right, what can I do for you?"

"Give me your opinion!" Yue Qianchou looked him up and down with extreme disdain and said, "Fang Ming, Fang Ming, judging from this name, one should be upright and honest. Putting this name on a swindler like you is simply an insult to culture."

Everyone was taken aback, wondering what he meant by that. Fang Ming's expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "What have I lied to you about? It seems like this is our first meeting today?"

"Kid, you're asking for trouble if you keep talking back to me." Yue Qianchou sneered, "I'm asking you, did you come up with the melody for the song you just sang?"

Fang Ming felt uneasy, but forced himself to remain calm and said, "That's right."

"Heh heh! It's quite a coincidence, I've personally heard Yue Qianchou play and sing these two pieces. Although his unparalleled, transcendent skills are indeed a thousand times better than yours, and you're like trash compared to him, why do I find that the melodies you two played are almost identical? Did you figure it out? Did Yue Qianchou steal your compositions?" Yue Qianchou said with extreme malice.

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