Little Feather: Li Shishi, Bad Woman

Upon hearing this, the wandering swordsman, after careful consideration, found it difficult to refute.

The Master Su's zither skills were so superb that everyone present would involuntarily put down their wine glasses, stop talking, and even unconsciously empty their minds, conjuring up beautiful scenes they could never even dream of in their daily lives, making them feel as if they were there, completely immersed in the experience.

Only after the echoes of the music had faded could the audience break free and return to the lively atmosphere they had before.

This is the real reason why no one could stop Master Su from leaving after playing her piece. Even the lingering sound of her music could leave people mesmerized for a long time. Who could possibly act unreasonably and rudely towards such a beautiful woman after she had left?

This is Zhen'an Ward, and those who come here are mostly scholars, princes and nobles, or wandering knights who are famous in the martial arts world. Everyone here has some status in their respective circles. If they do something stupid and it gets out, they are not as indifferent as those who have nothing to lose.

Moreover, it's a common psychological trait among men to avoid showing their flaws in front of outstanding women.

If the Master Su were still alive, gently persuading them to stay or offering a thousand gold pieces to extend their time limit would both be viable options.

But if they leave, that's another story.

Looking at the guy's still conflicted expression, Li Mu sighed with a sense of melancholy, as if admiring a rose with thorns, and continued his fabrication in that tone:

"Think about it, Master Su's zither playing can make people so engrossed that they can't extricate themselves, unable to control themselves."

"In this situation, let alone the superior martial arts passed down by the Immortal Chi Yuan, even the incomplete Qi technique that has fallen to the mortal realm would be enough to cut off a person's head cleanly."

"If one were to acquire even a slightly advanced technique, one could use music to pluck the strings of the heart, causing someone to lose control of the evil ape within, and die from reversed blood flow—that's no joke."

As the man spoke, the wandering swordsman unconsciously conjured up that image in his mind and couldn't help but shudder.

If these words were placed in another context, they would obviously sound completely unreliable.

However, after personally experiencing the music rendered by the Manas consciousness, the sense of immersion becomes extremely strong.

He believed it to eight or nine-tenths of the truth, and sighed:

"A beauty with thorns, perhaps destined to be apart."

Li Mu's eyes darted around, knowing the man had taken the bait. He immediately released the bait, leaned close to the man, and whispered:

"Hey, young man, that's not necessarily true."

"You know, this Master Su only entered this mortal world when she came of age, and the first people she came into contact with were all girls in brothels. Her mind was very pure."

"Think about it carefully again. Although Master Su is highly skilled, the fact that Great Master Li, a woman who can't even kill a chicken, was able to abduct her speaks volumes."

The wandering swordsman nodded secretly, listening carefully to the man's continued story and logic, finding it extremely reasonable. He paused again, realizing the implication, and asked:

"Oh, you've been kidnapped? What makes you say that?"

Li Mu filled his cup again with the wine pot, took a sip, and whispered:

"I heard that the Great Master Li didn't know her at first either, but with just a few words, they managed to lure her back to a brothel like Zhen'an Ward. Tell me, if a girl from a normal family hadn't fallen on hard times and was forced into such a situation, why would she come here?"

"It's good that Master Su met Great Master Li right after she was born, and now she's fallen into their trap. There are plenty of ways to cultivate one's mind in the mortal world, why come to this place of pleasure? But she still came, which shows how inexperienced she is, and that she probably has no sense of self-preservation at all."

Upon hearing this, the wandering knight was initially moved by the layers of logic presented in the analysis, but then became displeased.

This guy speaks so rudely, as if I could see someone's innocence and ignorance and be easily deceived, and then use that to lure and trick them in a despicable way.

So, he squinted at the other man's fingers rubbing together slightly under the table. With a flick of his fingers, a tael of silver fell into the man's hand. He coughed lightly, glanced around, and then whispered:

Why do you say that, brother?

Li Mu rubbed the silver in his palm, exerting a slight force to verify its authenticity.

He sighed inwardly at how easy it was to make money, and then moved on to the closing stages of the conversation, adopting a more cautious demeanor, and whispered in his ear:

"If this gets to your ears, remember not to tell anyone else."

The wandering knight said solemnly:

"Of course, I, Liu Yuntian, am the most honest and trustworthy person. I am known in the martial arts world as 'Flowing Cloud Swift Blade,' and I have a good reputation. I would never do something as despicable as letting this matter spread to others."

Upon hearing this, Li Mu's eyes revealed a hint of vain surprise, and his expression perfectly conveyed a suppressed reverence. He couldn't help but cup his hands and sigh, saying:

"So it was you, Liu Yuntian, the Flowing Cloud Swift Blade."

"Such a righteous young hero will certainly keep his promise, so I am relieved."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two put their arms around each other's shoulders and began exchanging information.

"It is said that when the Master Su came to the sect for worldly experience, they encountered Demonic Beast. After a series of hardships, they lost the travel expenses given to them by the sect, as well as the books containing common knowledge and many other things about the outside world."

"You know what happened next; it wasn't long before Great Master Li abducted her back to Zhen'an Ward."

"But the key point lies in the middle. Do you know why Master Su was willing to stay in Zhen'an Ward?"

Even if you didn't know where this place was at first, after staying here for a few days, you should have heard of it by now.

"The key to it seems simple, but if it isn't revealed, I'm afraid no one in this vast Capital City would ever know it."

Liu Yuntian nodded to himself and said:

"Oh? May I ask you to elaborate?"

Li Mu waved his hand slightly, his eyes darting around the empty space on the table a few times. He took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and sighed seemingly unintentionally:

"Why does this wine taste bland?"

Liu Yuntian, understanding the implied meaning in the music, immediately ordered a plate of boiled beef. He inwardly cursed the dishonestness, but outwardly smiled heartily and said nonchalantly:

"Hahaha, we martial artists should be drinking and eating meat, brother, you've reminded me of that."

"Come on, I'll punish myself with three drinks."

Li Mu put a piece of beef into her mouth, then slowly hooked her arm around his shoulder and whispered:

"Oh, young hero, you're too kind."

"Please let me explain in detail. Did you know that even the Master Su did not know how to cultivate her mind amidst the mortal world?"

Before Liu Yuntian could voice his doubts, the man offered an explanation, which made Liu Yuntian nod in agreement.

"You'd think her sect elders would include this part of the 'worldly trials' as a test, so she'd naturally have to figure out how to cultivate Clear Mirror, Still Water mind amidst the chaos of the world."

"In order to use her musical skills to attract more customers to Zhen'an Ward and make a fortune, the Li Huakui came up with a crooked idea for Master Su."

"It is said that one must cultivate one's mind in this mortal world; to transcend the world, one must first enter it; to see through illusions, one must first fall into delusion. But all of this takes too much time. It is truly too difficult to use the years to polish one's mind to a Clear Mirror, Still Water."

"Why not learn that old-fashioned method from folk novels, where the love between a man and a woman aligns with the natural order, first entangle them in a passionate bond, then sever it? It's quick and easy, and who knows, it might just work!"

"Master Su had nowhere to go for the time being, and being young and lacking in her own opinions, she agreed to it."

"Young Master Liu, I see you are tall and strong, with a handsome face, excellent swordsmanship, and accomplished in Qi cultivation. You also have a great reputation in the martial arts world. You are a rare young talent and a perfect match for Master Su. Who wouldn't praise you? Who else could it be but you?"

Just as the chivalrous young man was feeling quite pleased with himself, Li Mu whispered:

"If you add another ten taels, I, Chen Zinian, swear on my life that I will not only tell you about Master Su's preferences, but I will also not pass them on to the two of you. How about it?"

Liu Yuntian glanced at the beef on the table, which was now mostly empty, and the one tael of silver in the man's arms. He realized what it meant to have too much sunk cost and be unable to extricate himself. He secretly wavered, thinking that this was really not a bad deal.

At that moment, the man seized the opportunity and began his skillful persuasion:

"Young hero, have you thought this through? This is the best opportunity yet."

"I, Chen Zinian, personally overheard this news from the girls in Zhen'an Ward, but it was just a slip of the tongue. They refused to say anything more afterward. If it weren't for my little trick, I'm afraid I would be just like you, completely ignorant of Master Su."

"Right now, very few people know about this. If you don't seize the opportunity, once those powerful figures make their move, regardless of whether they succeed or not, you'll have no chance left."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuntian no longer hesitated. He silently untied his money pouch and cleverly flicked the silver into the man's sleeve.

Li Mu subtly tugged at the force with his sleeve, thus mitigating the other's probing and slight displeasure. With a smile, he whispered something in the other's ear. A moment later, the young hero walked out of Zhen'an Ward with a beaming smile, but no one knew where he was going.

Li Mu held the eleven taels of silver he had just swindled in his sleeve, slowly chewing on the beef. He sighed inwardly, thinking how beautiful women could be so deceiving. This low-level method had worked every time in the past few days, easily earning back the money he spent on listening to music, and even making a profit after calculating the difference.

Fortunately, he believed that he was too far removed from that great master, so much so that he felt unapproachable and had no desire for him. Instead, he was able to take advantage of the rumors that had somehow reached the ears of the middlemen to improve his life. Every time he came to listen to music, it was a disguised form of freebies, which made him very comfortable.

Li Mu smugly ate beef and drank wine while looking around to see if there were any other gullible travelers in the area who could be fooled into paying for next week's drinks.

This place is also called Zhen'an Ward, but it has nothing to do with that restaurant; it is a more private courtyard.

Now, in a pavilion in this courtyard, there is a desk by the window with several ancient books on the shelf. Outside the window, you can see a few clumps of bamboo, rustling softly in the breeze.

The person silently walked to the bedside, took off the dress, changed into a pure white Hanfu, pulled off the hair ornaments, letting the black hair fall down to the back, swaying and swirling in the breeze.

Su Qing'an stepped into the back hall. Gazing at the girl's slender back, he followed the last remaining desire within his empty shell and stated:

"Give me my payment when you're done playing."

Li Shishi glanced at the scroll in her hand, sprinkled the ingredients listed inside into the steaming pot, and said earnestly:

"Susu, be good, the soup base will be ready soon."

The boy remained silent upon hearing this, sitting on the outer table, waiting for the person's daily feeding.

Those dark eyes lowered, slowly becoming empty and unfocused.

For Su Qing'an at this moment, even thinking seems meaningless and difficult.

Aside from following the body's mechanisms to satisfy hunger, what is its only desire?

[Unknown Gene Awakening Degree: 0%]

Atropos's panel came into view, seemingly telling him what he should do now.

To try and advance this data even slightly, simply staying cooped up in this Zhen'an Ward would be a waste of time.

Even knowing this fact, I am unable to muster the desire to act on it.

What will happen, what will you gain, and what changes will occur once your Awakening level is maxed out?

Regarding these questions, he seemed to have vague answers in his mind, yet they remained elusive, like trying to see flowers through a fog.

It doesn't matter.

Just as today's teenagers understand that what they are doing cannot be easily accepted by conventional men.

But having stripped away all his emotions and become utterly empty, he, having lost all sense of shame and honor, naturally wouldn't care whether he should dress as a woman in a brothel and perform for money.

For Su Qing'an now, playing the zither is nothing more than Equivalent Exchange with Li Shishi.

This seems to be a remnant of his personality, or rather, the unchanging qualities left behind by the [Ashes] of his past self, which, along with his tendency to be soft-hearted and gentle, seem to have become part of the puzzle.

I used to prefer a position of Equivalent Exchange, which made me feel at ease.

"Go... to... the Honkai Beast... to find... Hua... Li... Shi... Shi... the... bad woman."

A faint glimmer flashed across the boy's unfocused eyes. If he could observe his own Sea of consciousness at this moment, he would see a Little Feather swimming within it, hopping listlessly for a while, as if trying to touch something, but ultimately ending pitifully without success.

Su Qing'an's Manas consciousness was sealed within his own body. Currently, if he wished, he could perform self-exploration and even enter the Soul Hall.

But ultimately, there's still an extra layer of separation compared to before.

Furthermore, having lost the habit of actively engaging with such sounds, he had no idea where the sounds he heard were coming from.

On the other hand, for Su Muxi had just Awakened...

The current situation is nothing short of a disaster.

Through the records, she could understand that Xiao Su had experienced another restart. By analyzing the information she had recently observed and understood, and comparing it with the records she had kept from Fu Hua, she could clearly discover one thing.

In the current dynasty, the Immortal Chi Yuan is still in his perfect prime.

He neither lost his immortality due to being betrayed by his disciple hundreds of years later, nor did he become as stubborn and inflexible as he did afterwards; he still retained some semblance of his own humanity.

Based on past experience with restarting, Su Qing'an should be able to meet that immortal naturally as long as he persists in the path of slaying demons and monsters. At that time, whether or not they can rekindle their past relationship, there will be a sliver of hope.

This is even more true if you then overwrite the existing records during transmission.

But now, the boy who sacrificed everything to Soul Scale is left with only an empty shell and wreckage.

If the Fu Hua of the Previous Civilization was unable to resist being influenced by the record when she first met Su Qing'an, causing her to experience emotions and feelings that should not have belonged to her, then...

Even if Su Qing'an were to see the person she loves in person now, she would not feel any ripples or emotions.

Because...

This emotion, within the scales of the Soul Scale, is even more valuable than the essence of a higher-dimensional life.

What it means is self-evident.

That unknown, majestic deity did indeed use power from another dimension to forcibly revert the boy's traces and concepts. According to the characteristics of [thought] and Soul Lifeform, theoretically he would eventually return to his original state.

However, Su Muxi knew that there was an extremely terrifying difference between the Soul Lifeform and that of a human, to the point that they were not even on the same level, and could not be judged on the same platform.

This theory is entirely based on the concept of immortal beings and the idea that "sooner or later" is the ultimate goal.

If it were truly a matter of time, even if Su Qing'an lived for hundreds of years, reaching the era after the birth of the St. Freya Academy, she would have reason to doubt that he could ever return to the person he was at the beginning.

In such a terrible situation, how could Xiao Su have been kidnapped by that wicked woman and be left sitting still in this strange place?

How could this happen?!

This delicate situation is too strange!

Su Qing'an not only had his biological age reversed, but he also completely lost his memory and emotions. In this state, he was incredibly easy to fool.

If Seele was picked up by the boy, was like a highly vigilant stray cat, the kind that would bristle and bite at any moment.

Now, Xiao Su is just like a kitten that anyone can pet; she'll follow whoever gives her Canned Food.

This immediately put the Little Feather, who was in the Sea of consciousness, on high alert.

Why did it take so long for him to put on women's clothing?

Why would a deal be struck where you get a day's meals included for every piano performance?

The level of embellishment at the Manas consciousness level is truly comparable to celestial music for mortals. Trading it for pig's trotters, mutton stew, pickled chicken feet, Dongpo pork, osmanthus cake, dragon and phoenix pastries, ice cream jelly, or salt and pepper beef is clearly a huge loss, isn't it?

If Su Muxi could communicate normally with the current teenager, he would probably be bombarded with similar questions every day.

This instantly reversed the original positions of father and daughter.

However... because Su Qing'an currently has no emotions at all, and her soul is eternally residing in the Manas consciousness, the Little Feather, who hasn't had enough to eat, can only convey fragmented words every day despite its efforts to jump around.

The fact that the feather only gave a complete evaluation of Li Shishi reveals a deep-seated hostility towards her.

Li Shishi, a bad woman.