Heaven Dou City

Heaven Dou City

Zhu Zhuqing landed lightly on the other side of the carriage shaft, her long black hair streaming wildly in the gale. "Thank you." Her voice was cool yet touched with a hint of softness, like snowmelt in early spring.

Feng Yao focused on guiding the carriage, a faint smile playing on his lips. "It was nothing."

A brief silence fell. The young woman warily studied Feng Yao's profile, a glint of cold light flashing through her eyes. Suddenly, her claws shot out like lightning and pressed against his throat. "You could have left on your own. Why risk helping me?"

Feng Yao's expression did not change, nor did he slow the carriage. "Couldn't stand by and watch? A spur-of-the-moment impulse?" He chuckled. "Or perhaps I simply wanted to hear you thank me?"

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for a moment before finally relaxing slightly and slowly retracting her claws. "Zhu Zhuqing." She gave her name curtly, which counted as accepting his explanation.

"Feng Yao, a Zither Master." Feng Yao nodded faintly. His gaze swept over her bleeding arm as he took a bottle of medicine from his Soul Tool. "How did someone from the Star Luo Zhu Family end up fighting all the way in Heaven Dou territory?"

"How did you know—" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened sharply, killing intent erupting at once.

"The Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Soul is exclusive to the Star Luo Zhu Family." Feng Yao handed her the medicine bottle, amusement glinting in his eyes. "Your vigilance certainly suits a cat's nature."

Zhu Zhuqing stared at him for a long while before finally taking the bottle. "Thank you." Her voice was so soft it was nearly drowned out by the sound of hoofbeats.

For the rest of the journey, Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, though she occasionally studied the mysterious Zither Master from the corner of her eye. She always felt that Feng Yao knew far more about her than he let on, as though an invisible hand were controlling everything from the shadows.

The carriage sped along the Official Road. After an unknown amount of time, the outline of a city emerged on the horizon.

"Do you know where this is?" Feng Yao asked softly.

Zhu Zhuqing looked surprised. "Aren't you from Heaven Dou?"

"To be honest," Feng Yao said with a bitter smile, "this is my first time leaving my hometown. I was heading to Heaven Dou City to study, but the driver fled when he heard the fighting. Now I do not even know where I am."

A rare trace of apology appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's cool face. "This is the Barack Kingdom. That ahead should be Suotuo City."

Surprise flickered in Feng Yao's eyes. Suotuo City—of course he knew what that meant. But he had long since made up his mind: he would never go looking for trouble at that so-called "Monster Academy." To him, a Mimicry Cultivation Environment was the foremost consideration. There was no need to waste his golden years of cultivation going through needless hardship.

If he had possessed his current circumstances six years ago, he would not have stayed at Nuoding Academy for even one extra day.

As dusk deepened, Suotuo City's towering walls came into view. Zhu Zhuqing gracefully stepped down from the carriage before the city gate. Before leaving, she gave Feng Yao a deep look. "I will repay this debt."

Feng Yao watched her graceful figure disappear through the city gate, the smile on his lips gradually fading. He shook his head lightly, then turned and led the carriage into the city in search of a carriage house. Suotuo City's prosperity truly exceeded his expectations. Shops lined both sides of the streets, and cries of vendors rose one after another. It was indeed far livelier than Nuoding City.

After leaving the carriage at a fairly large carriage house, Feng Yao simply wandered around the city. The setting sun cast the entire city in gold, while street performers drew passersby to stop and watch. He paused with interest before a stall selling trinkets, idly turning several exquisite little items over in his hands.

As Night Sky fell, Feng Yao's stomach began to protest. He strolled into a finely decorated restaurant and ordered several local specialties. After eating and drinking his fill, he called over a waiter to ask about lodging, only to receive unexpected news.

"My apologies, sir. It is currently enrollment season for the Spirit Master academies, so every inn in the city is full."

Feng Yao frowned and set down his teacup. He asked at several more places in succession, but received the same answer every time. Standing on the dimly lit street, he sighed helplessly and had no choice but to return to the carriage house.

"Leaving overnight?" The carriage house owner looked at this generous customer in surprise. "But it is already dark—"

"The price is negotiable." Feng Yao tossed out a Gold Soul Coin, which drew a dazzling arc beneath the lamplight.

Before long, a brand-new carriage rolled out of Suotuo City. Feng Yao leaned back inside, gazing through the window at the city walls fading into the distance. Moonlight flowed like water, stretching the shadows of the roadside trees long across the ground. He gently stroked "Fuxi" against his chest and closed his eyes in thought.

Ten days later, when the first ray of morning light fell, Feng Yao finally stood beneath Heaven Dou City's towering walls. Above the lofty gate tower, the three gilded characters "Heaven Dou City" gleamed brilliantly in the sunrise, while the armor of the gate guards reflected a chilly metallic light.

After paying the entry fee, Feng Yao followed the bustling crowd into the city. The broad main street was wide enough for eight carriages to travel abreast, while the buildings on both sides boasted upturned eaves and ornate roofs, displaying all the grandeur of an imperial capital. Shop banners swayed gently in the morning breeze, and the aroma drifting from breakfast stalls mingled with the bells ringing in the distance.

Feng Yao was in no hurry to go to Moon Xuan. He understood the importance of first impressions and decided to rest and prepare himself properly first.

He found an elegant restaurant in the city and ordered several specialties of Heaven Dou City. The crystal shrimp dumplings were translucent and delicate, the steamed perch fresh and tender, and a pot of fine Biluochun Tea washed away all the fatigue of the journey.

After eating and drinking his fill, he found a high-end inn in the most prosperous district. He booked a superior room and instructed the waiter to prepare hot water. Soaking in a tub scattered with flower petals, he let the warm water ease the soreness from his many days on the road.

After bathing and changing clothes, Feng Yao stood before a bronze mirror and carefully arranged his appearance. He changed into a moon-white robe and fastened the jade belt he had purchased on the road around his waist. The young man in the mirror had clear features and an otherworldly bearing. He was no longer the mountain village boy he had once been.

Before leaving the inn, Feng Yao asked the waiter where Moon Xuan was located. After passing through several bustling streets, an elegant three-story building appeared before him. Moon-white exterior walls, carved rosewood doors and windows, and a harp emblem hanging above the entrance that glowed softly under the sunlight—this was Moon Xuan, renowned throughout the Heaven Dou Empire.

After straightening his robes, Feng Yao took out the letter of recommendation sealed with violet Seal Wax and gently knocked on Moon Xuan's doors.

"Moon Xuan has not yet begun its lectures. May I ask what brings you here?" The one who opened the door was a maid in a light purple dress, her voice gentle and courteous.

Feng Yao handed over the letter. "I was recommended by Shopkeeper Ning of Nuoding City and have come specifically to see Madam Yuehua."

The maid accepted the letter. When she saw the harp insignia on the seal, surprise flashed across her eyes. "Please follow me."

Passing through a quiet corridor, Feng Yao was led into an elegant little hall. Its furnishings were simple but luxurious. A large harp rested quietly upon a stand in the corner, several landscape paintings hung on the walls, and a faint fragrance of incense lingered in the air.

Not long afterward, light footsteps approached. Feng Yao looked up and saw a woman in her early thirties walking in with measured grace. She wore a moon-white gown, her hair simply pinned up. Her face was dignified and beautiful, but most striking of all were her eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through one's heart.

"You are Feng Yao, the one recommended by Shopkeeper Ning?" Tang Yuehua's voice was as pleasing as a mountain spring, yet it carried a touch of authority. "I heard your zither skills are quite unusual."

Feng Yao gave a respectful bow, his movements elegant and proper. "Greetings, Madam. Before I departed, Shopkeeper Ning specifically asked me to convey his regards. This junior only has a slight understanding of music and hardly deserves to be called 'unusual.'"

Tang Yuehua's lips curved slightly as she gestured for him to sit in the guest seat. "There is no need for such modesty. I know Shopkeeper Ning well. He never exaggerates." Her slender fingers lightly traced the rim of her teacup as she studied the young man before her thoughtfully.

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Madam." Feng Yao inclined his head slightly, humble without being servile.

A trace of approval flashed through Tang Yuehua's eyes. "Would you be willing to let me witness your zither skills for myself?"

"This..." Feng Yao appeared somewhat hesitant. "To make a fool of myself before Madam would truly be—"

"Please." Tang Yuehua raised her hand elegantly and pointed toward an exquisite rosewood zither stand in the hall. Her tone was gentle, yet brooked no refusal.

Feng Yao no longer declined. He walked slowly toward the stand. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, waiting until his mind had completely settled before gently brushing the strings. The "Fuxi" guqin appeared before him, and two bright yellow hundred-year Spirit Rings slowly rose around him, radiating a soft glow.

With a light flick of his fingers, "High Mountains and Flowing Water" flowed forth like a clear spring. At first, the Zither Sound resembled a babbling brook; then it became a cascading waterfall; finally, it settled into the stillness of a deep pool. One could not help but become immersed in it.

Feng Yao was wholly absorbed in the music, forgetting himself entirely. Tang Yuehua, meanwhile, had a flash of shock pass through her beautiful eyes. In her perception, the entire hall seemed to transform into a real landscape—she could hear streams tinkling, feel mountain winds brush against her face, and even smell the fresh grass after rain. What astonishing zither skill, to make one feel truly present within the scene!

The final note slowly dissipated into the air, yet its lingering resonance seemed to continue drifting through the hall. Tang Yuehua let out a soft breath, the astonishment in her eyes lingering for a long while. "It seems Heaven Dou City will soon have another popular instrument." Her lips lifted slightly, carrying the certainty of foresight.

She rose gracefully, her moon-white skirt flowing like ripples upon water. "From today onward, you are a student of Moon Xuan." She walked slowly toward Feng Yao, a faint fragrance drifting from her with the breeze. "When it comes to musical attainment, I fear there is little I can teach you. Even if you switched to the harp, with your talent, you would surely master it quickly."

Her words paused, and Tang Yuehua's gaze deepened. "But in Heaven Dou City, music alone is far from enough." She gently raised her hand, her fingertips brushing the edge of the zither stand. "What matters most here are the rules of the game among nobles—the subtle rules written in one's gaze, hidden in one's conduct, and woven into one's speech. I hope you will gain something from Moon Xuan."

"Thank you for your guidance, Madam." Feng Yao gave an elegant bow, understanding flashing through his eyes. He knew exactly what Tang Yuehua meant—Moon Xuan's other great feature, famous throughout the continent, was its Noble Etiquette System inherited from the imperial court.

Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow between them. A composed smile rested on Feng Yao's lips. "Though I come from humble origins, I understand that in Heaven Dou City, proper conduct is often more important than the number of Spirit Rings one possesses."

Tang Yuehua raised her brows slightly at his words, approval flashing in her eyes. She walked slowly toward the window, her moon-white skirt flowing within the halo of light. "Tomorrow at dawn. Do not be late." When she turned around, the jeweled hairpin in her hair swayed gently. "I hope you will grasp these ways of survival as quickly as you mastered the zither."

"This junior will take his leave." Feng Yao bowed slightly, his voice clear and smooth as jade. Even his every movement now carried a touch of elegance.

"This way, honored guest." The maid beside them stepped forward at the right moment, folded her hands before her abdomen, and performed a standard court salute. Her voice was soft and her bearing impeccable. Even the sway of her skirt as she led the way was perfectly measured.

Feng Yao followed the maid through Moon Xuan's winding corridors, noticing every detail along the way—the patterns of zithers and lutes carved into the pillars, the flower arrangements at each turn, even the rhythm of the maid's hairpin as it swayed while she walked. Everything carried Moon Xuan's distinctive rhythmic beauty.

Stepping out through Moon Xuan's gates, Feng Yao strolled along Heaven Dou City's bustling streets. Sunlight edged the magnificent buildings in gold, while the cries of street vendors mingled with the bells of noble carriages.

Six years of arduous cultivation passed vividly before his eyes—from that youth in Nuoding City carrying a guqin to the twenty-sixth-rank Spirit Master he was today. Though he could not compare with Tang San's cultivation speed, this achievement had already made the major advanced Spirit Master academies of Heaven Dou compete to offer him invitations. Feng Yao stroked "Fuxi" against his chest and recalled Yu Xiaogang's reluctant expression when he had Tang San invite him. He could not help but smile.

"Blue Tyrant Academy..." he murmured, his steps unconsciously slowing. He had originally resolved not to become too entangled with Tang San, yet Shopkeeper Ning's letter of recommendation had led him to Heaven Dou City. At present, aside from Blue Tyrant Academy, there was unexpectedly no other suitable choice.

Feng Yao strolled through Heaven Dou City's bustling streets, the conflict in his heart surging endlessly like the tide.

"Blue Tyrant Academy..." he whispered, his long fingers unconsciously caressing the "Fuxi" zither case against his chest. The delicate grain of the wood soothed him slightly, yet it could not calm the turmoil within.

"But if I do not go to Blue Tyrant Academy, where else can I find a suitable Mimicry Cultivation Environment?" The thought clung to his mind like a disease rooted in the bone, impossible to shake. He recalled Zhu Zhuqing's cool figure when they parted. Since we were destined to meet in the end, why did I not go to Shrek with Zhu Zhuqing from the start?

But another voice rang coldly in his heart. And what would going have changed? Would I not still have been excluded from the Shrek Seven Devils in the end? A bitter smile appeared on Feng Yao's lips. He understood better than anyone what kind of person Yu Xiaogang was.

The choice he had made six years ago surfaced before him once more—he had refused to develop into a pure Support System Soul Master precisely because he had seen through this. Even if he cultivated his support abilities to the utmost limit, how could they stand alongside the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda? How could he surpass a Food System genius with Innate Full Soul Power? More importantly, he despised Yu Xiaogang's lofty attitude, that manner of controlling others under the guise of doing what was best for them.

"Even Tang San was nothing more than a tool in his hands to prove his theories." Feng Yao sighed softly and continued onward. The lights from the street-side shops cast shifting shadows across his profile.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy had naturally also been among his considerations, but its harsh enrollment requirements had discouraged him. One either had to be a hereditary noble or, like Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, have a Title Douluo-level patron standing behind them. As for Feng Yao, he was merely a commoner Spirit Master who had come from Nuoding City.

"Perhaps..." His gaze suddenly turned back toward Moon Xuan, which he had left not long ago. "It is time to change my approach."