Dugu Yan

Chapter 11: Dugu Yan

Morning sunlight slanted through the carved window lattice, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across Moon Xuan's courtyard. Feng Yao followed the maidservant leading the way through winding corridors. The hem of his moon-white robe swayed gently with his steps, while the tassels on his jade belt rocked in rhythm, making him look like a living ink-wash painting.

"Honored guest, this way, please." The maid stopped before a carved rosewood door and gave a slight bow, her voice as soft as a wisp of silk. "Today's etiquette lesson will be taught personally by Madam Yuehua. The new students are all waiting inside."

Feng Yao nodded in acknowledgment, then gently pushed open the door with his long fingers. More than a dozen finely dressed young men and women were already seated on either side of the spacious hall. His gaze was involuntarily drawn to a figure by the window—a green-haired girl leaned lazily against the carved lattice. Sunlight cast an amber glow over her emerald eyes, and she resembled a thorned rose.

Emerald eyes... could she be...? Feng Yao's heart stirred. Without revealing anything, he chose a seat by the window in the back row, where the hanging shadows of wisteria outside could conveniently conceal his gaze.

Snakes had always possessed sharp senses. Almost the instant Feng Yao's gaze landed on her, Dugu Yan seemed to sense it and looked up. She casually assessed the new student. A handsome little fellow. At least his eyes are well-behaved. Unlike those pretentious young nobles, this young man held none of those nauseatingly lecherous thoughts in his eyes.

"Ling Ling." Dugu Yan lightly nudged the silver-haired girl beside her with her elbow. Her red lips moved without making a sound as she whispered in a breath only the two of them could hear, "Ling Ling, look at that handsome new boy."

Ye Lingling shook her head helplessly, her long silver hair rippling with a faint sheen. "Sister Yan, Madam Yuehua hates people whispering during class."

"So boring." Dugu Yan played with a lock of green hair draped over her shoulder, impatience flashing through her emerald eyes. "Grandpa insists that I learn all these tiresome formalities. I'd rather go tease some snakes."

As the two whispered, the hall doors opened once more. Tang Yuehua entered at an unhurried pace in a moonlight-cloud dress, a gilded hairpin in her hair swaying softly with her steps without making the slightest sound. The entire hall instantly fell silent, and even the birds outside seemed to tactfully cease their chirping.

"Today, we will study the etiquette of a court audience." Her voice was like a clear mountain spring, crisp yet gentle. "Please follow my demonstration."

Feng Yao watched every detail of Tang Yuehua's movements with complete focus—the straight curve of her back as she bowed, the folds of her sleeves as she raised her arms, even the precise shift of her gaze from lowered eyes to level sight. His imitation was nearly mirror-perfect; even his breathing rhythm subtly matched her demonstration.

Tang Yuehua's peripheral vision swept across the hall, taking in everyone's performance. Ye Lingling's innate elegance, Dugu Yan's absent-mindedness, and Feng Yao's meticulous attention to detail. She nodded inwardly. Years of teaching had given her discerning eyes—she could tell at once who was earnest and who was merely going through the motions.

"This new student." Tang Yuehua suddenly stopped and raised a jade-like hand toward Feng Yao, her fingertips gleaming like pearls in the morning light. "Please come forward and demonstrate for everyone."

Feng Yao rose calmly, his moon-white robe falling like water. He walked to the center of the hall and slowly bowed beneath everyone's watchful eyes. In that moment, time seemed to freeze—his tall frame traced an elegant arc, his right hand resting lightly over his left chest while his left hand hung naturally at his side. Every bend of every joint was just right. When he straightened, his robes fluttered like a white crane spreading its wings.

"Very good." A glimmer of surprise flashed through Tang Yuehua's eyes, and the corners of her lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. She stepped closer, the faint orchid fragrance around her drifting on the breeze. "However..." She suddenly reached out and lightly touched Feng Yao's slightly tense shoulder. "Etiquette is a conversation between hearts, not a rigid mold."

Feng Yao felt warmth spread from his shoulder. Her touch was lighter than a feather, yet heavier than a mountain. He raised his eyes to meet Tang Yuehua's gentle, watery gaze and heard her continue, "Look at how a stream winds around the rocks. Have you ever seen two bends that are exactly alike?"

"This student understands." Feng Yao drew a deep breath and bowed again. This time, his motions held less deliberateness and more ease, as though he were truly conversing with an elder. When he rose, there was already a lively glint in his eyes.

Tang Yuehua nodded in satisfaction. "The essence of etiquette lies in sincerity of heart, not resemblance in form. Remember, the noblest etiquette is that which makes everyone feel comfortable and at ease." Her gaze swept over all the students present. "Now, please practice again with this understanding in mind."

Soon, once the etiquette lesson ended, everyone filed out and made their way down the sunlit corridor toward the Zither Room.

When they entered the Zither Room, Tang Yuehua was standing by the window tuning a crystal harp. Sunlight passed through her slender fingers, dancing in scattered flecks across the strings. When she saw Feng Yao arrive with the others, a nearly imperceptible satisfaction flashed through her eyes, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

"Please take out your instruments." Tang Yuehua's voice, like a mountain spring, echoed softly through the spacious Zither Room. "Today, we will perform together."

Feng Yao sat before a harp stand in the corner, his long fingers lightly brushing the unfamiliar body of the harp. That awkward movement immediately drew a burst of suppressed snickering. Several young nobles exchanged mocking looks, and one blond youth even dramatically covered his mouth, his shoulders trembling.

"Poor handsome little fellow." Dugu Yan leaned against the window, amusement in her emerald eyes as she whispered to Ye Lingling beside her. Her own posture while holding the harp was hardly proper either, but given her status, no one dared utter a word of criticism.

Tang Yuehua seemed not to hear any of it and simply continued adjusting the strings. She knew Feng Yao's skill with the zither all too well—his attainments in music were no less than hers. She believed he would soon leave every mocker speechless.

Feng Yao paid no heed to the whispers around him. He tested several notes with focus, then nodded slightly at the clear resonance of the strings. This harp's tone was as pure as autumn water, its lingering notes as long as mountain mist. It truly was a rare treasure.

"Are you ready?" Tang Yuehua's gaze swept across the room before finally settling on Feng Yao.

Feng Yao lifted his eyes and met hers for a moment, then nodded lightly. Sunlight filtered through the lattice window, casting a dense patch of shadow beneath his lowered lashes and concealing the flash of sharpness in his eyes.

When the first note rippled through the Zither Room, Feng Yao's brows unconsciously furrowed. His long lashes trembled lightly, and the tips of his ears twitched with the melody like a clever cat trying to determine a direction. Amid the disordered music, his keen hearing caught a melody like a clear spring—it was Tang Yuehua's Zither Sound, like bright moonlight piercing through clouds and opening a clear path through the chaos.

The tension in Feng Yao's brow gradually eased, and a faint smile appeared at his lips. His long fingers began to move awkwardly across the strings. The hesitant plucking soon found its rhythm. Though his movements were not yet practiced, each note landed precisely on the beat, like a fledgling eagle learning to fly—clumsy, yet resolutely following the trail of its guide.

His music gradually separated itself from that of the other students. It was no longer mere imitation, but began to create a wondrous resonance with Tang Yuehua's melody. The two streams of sound sometimes ran side by side, sometimes intertwined, weaving an intoxicating rhythm through the air. The young nobles who had mocked him earlier unconsciously stopped playing, staring in surprise at the young man they had assumed knew nothing about the harp.

Within the Zither Room, Tang Yuehua's music flowed like a clear spring, every note as precise as finely carved jade. Feng Yao's music was initially somewhat raw, yet it possessed a unique vitality, like wild vines in the mountains searching for support as they grew.

Then, a marvelous change occurred—Feng Yao's music seemed to suddenly find its home, perfectly intertwining with Tang Yuehua's melody. The two streams of sound met in the air and produced an incredible resonance. Tang Yuehua's fingertips paused slightly, surprise flashing in her eyes. She had not expected Feng Yao's comprehension of music to be so high.

Feng Yao closed his eyes and focused, wholly immersed in the world of melody. His music no longer followed hers; it began to converse with it. In their call and response, they unexpectedly brought forth a profound artistic realm absent from the original piece. The air in the Zither Room seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath.

A strange light appeared in Tang Yuehua's beautiful eyes. Without outwardly revealing anything, she altered the tune and played a complex variation. Feng Yao understood her intent almost instantly. His music turned, not only perfectly taking up the variation but adding a measure of nimbleness to it. The resonance between the two harps grew stronger and stronger, and the sound waves formed faint ripples visible to the naked eye.

Dugu Yan had long since stopped playing, her emerald eyes filled with astonishment. Ye Lingling's mouth had opened slightly as well. Her own attainments in music were not low, but she had never seen anyone capable of matching Madam Yuehua in musical skill.

Ye Lingling tilted her head slightly, silver strands slipping from her shoulder. Surprise flashed through her pale violet eyes, and her gaze unconsciously followed Feng Yao's long fingers as they plucked the strings. How marvelous... His music is clearly so different from Madam Yuehua's. One is as pure as a clear spring, the other as deep as a secluded valley, yet they can blend perfectly in the finest details...

"What is it?" Dugu Yan suddenly leaned closer, her warm breath brushing Ye Lingling's ear, her voice full of teasing. "Has our Ling Ling taken a liking to this handsome little fellow?" Her gemstone-green eyes gleamed with mischief as her fingertip lightly poked Ye Lingling's reddening cheek.

"Sister Yan!" Ye Lingling hurriedly lowered her head, her silver hair falling to hide the instant flush of her ears. She unconsciously twisted her skirt tighter, yet could not resist peeking through the gaps in her hair at the figure in the center of the Zither Room.

As the music reached greater heights, Feng Yao became completely immersed in its world. His long fingers danced faster and faster over the strings. His Soul Power unconsciously flowed along with the melody, and two yellow Spirit Rings quietly appeared around him. A peculiar rhythm gradually entered his music, as though it could strike directly at the depths of one's soul.

Tang Yuehua was the first to notice something amiss. She keenly detected a subtle change in the air within the Zither Room—the sound waves, enhanced by Soul Power, had begun producing tangible vibrations. Just as she was about to warn them, an abrupt change occurred.

"Pff—"

A dazzling arrow of emerald blood sprayed from Dugu Yan's mouth, gleaming with an eerie luster under the sunlight. Her entire body jolted as though struck by lightning. Her previously lazy posture abruptly pitched forward, and her jade-green hair fell in disarray, concealing her suddenly pale face.

"Sister Yan!" Ye Lingling's cry tore through the Zither Room's silence. Her silver hair flew as she seemed to teleport to Dugu Yan's side. The Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul bloomed in her palm, pouring down pink healing light like flowing water. Her usually cool face was now full of anxiety, panic glittering in her pale violet eyes.

The Zither Room immediately erupted into chaos. The noble students staggered backward in panic. Someone knocked over a harp stand, producing a piercing crash.

Feng Yao awoke as if from a dream, and his music stopped abruptly. He stared at the scene before him in shock, his fingers still hovering above the strings. Tang Yuehua immediately stopped as well, her moon-white sleeve tracing an elegant arc through the air. She hurried toward Dugu Yan, her brows filled with gravity.

"Don't panic!" Tang Yuehua gave a sharp cry, her voice carrying unquestionable authority as it instantly calmed the restless Zither Room. Her moon-white skirts swayed gently with her swift steps, and she arrived beside Dugu Yan like a passing breeze.

"Sister Yan, how do you feel?" Ye Lingling knelt halfway to the ground, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall. The Nine Heart Begonia blooming in her palm gave off a soft pink glow, but she unexpectedly discovered that Dugu Yan's Soul Power was unusually stable—indeed, even smoother than usual.

Dugu Yan raised her face with light pants, surprise flashing through her emerald eyes. She wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, only to suddenly discover that the oppression in her chest, which had followed her like a shadow for years, had inexplicably vanished. Her gaze fell upon the pool of emerald Poison Blood on the floor, and her pupils abruptly shrank—this was the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison she had known since childhood.

What exactly is going on? A storm raged in Dugu Yan's heart, but none of it showed on her face. I need to tell Grandpa as soon as possible...

Tang Yuehua had already glided over and bent gracefully to examine her. "Student Dugu, are you seriously hurt?"

Feng Yao also hurried forward, the hem of his robe lifting slightly with his rapid movements. He gave a deep bow, sincere apology in his voice. "I was discourteous. I became absorbed in the moment and used Soul Power."

Dugu Yan waved a hand, and a meaningful curve formed on her lips. "It has nothing to do with you." She slowly rose, her jade-green hair gently swaying with the movement. "If anything, I should thank you."

Ye Lingling glanced at her friend in confusion, only to see that Dugu Yan had already resumed her usual lazy demeanor. Yet an unfathomable light flickered in those emerald eyes.

Feng Yao stood silently where he was. His surface was calm as water, but turbulent waves surged within his heart. His long fingers rubbed together unconsciously, and a sharp gleam flashed through his deep eyes.

Infusing Soul Power into music can actually force the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison fused into one's bloodline out of the body... This unexpected discovery made his heart race. He secretly observed Dugu Yan's expression and noticed the shock and contemplation she could not fully hide in her eyes.

Feng Yao's thoughts raced. Today's accident might be the opportunity fate had given him.

The corners of Feng Yao's lips rose almost imperceptibly before he quickly resumed his apologetic expression. He cupped his hands respectfully toward Dugu Yan. "If Miss Dugu is unharmed, then I am relieved."

Tang Yuehua lightly brushed her sleeve, her moon-white gown flowing with a faint glow beneath the sunlight. She looked around at everyone, her gaze lingering briefly on Feng Yao. A complicated emotion flashed through her eyes—there was reproach, but also a hint of indescribable approval.

"Today's lesson will end here." Her voice was clear and crisp, like pearls falling upon a jade plate. "After returning, you may carefully reflect on the way of music just now." When she said the words "carefully reflect," she gave Feng Yao a meaningful glance.

The noble students looked at one another, but no one dared object. They respectfully bowed and took their leave, though each of them could not help glancing at Feng Yao a few more times before departing.

Feng Yao bowed slightly, his long fingers rubbing together unconsciously as a trace of embarrassment appeared on his face. "I acted rashly today and disturbed Madam's refined pleasure. This junior shall take his leave."

Seeing his expression, Tang Yuehua's eyes showed a helpless smile. She raised her hand gracefully, her fingertips drawing a beautiful arc through the air. "Go."

Feng Yao bowed deeply once more. As he turned, his robes fluttered. His steps appeared calm, but they were somewhat faster than usual, as though he were escaping this place that had left him both embarrassed and richly rewarded.