When Qiu Niu Left the Music

Ju Yunxiu had already begun to play the zither. Its melody drifted like heavenly music, truly more than a notch above Qin Yi's level. Just as in the legends, Qiu Niu coiled around the zither's tail, eyes closed and head swaying, utterly intoxicated.

Qin Yi watched him for quite a while, unable to tell whether he was putting on an act.

Even Taotie could be this adorable, so perhaps it was no surprise that Qiu Niu was too? But Qin Yi knew perfectly well that Doggie was, first, afraid of Liusu, and second, unable to turn on them because of Liusu's Wrath Soul Curse. He was a ferocious beast; being this cute was absolutely not in his nature.

By now, they could be considered close, and had even assimilated quite a bit. Yet whenever Liusu was absent, Doggie became utterly unrestrained. Qin Yi did not dare say whether Doggie would still remember their friendship if the Wrath Soul Curse were lifted; the chance of him biting them back was still rather high.

What about Qiu Niu?

No one had suppressed him into this state, nor had anyone placed a curse on him.

Was it merely because he loved music? A Formless state of mind, doing as one pleased—if he liked music, then he liked music, the expression of a pure heart?

That seemed explainable enough.

Qin Yi believed it was indeed his nature, just as Yazi sought vengeance and Pixiu guarded wealth. It was entirely normal. One could hate them because their positions differed, but one could not say their behavior was incomprehensible.

But Qiu Niu's love for music should have had many ways to manifest. As the ruler of the Sea Forbidden Ground, lord of the Ten Thousand Li Sea Region and master of a hundred races, even if