Herding Sheep in the Divine Realm

Pope's Palace.

Lin Hai entered uninvited. The sight before him made him pause in surprise, then the corners of his lips curled into an uncontrollable smile—

Hu Liena stood beside the Pope's Throne, her slender jade fingers gently kneading Bibi Dong's fragrant shoulders.

With that obedient, docile look and eyes practically dripping honey, she looked exactly like a little lapdog trying hard to please its master.

Yet the moment Lin Hai's gaze fell upon the figure seated on the throne, the ease in his heart vanished instantly.

Bibi Dong reclined on her side, long fingers pressing hard against her temple. Her delicate brows were tightly furrowed, and her breathtaking face was shrouded in fatigue and pain that would not fade.

This scene... in a play, it might resemble Chancellor Cao suffering from a splitting headache, something the audience might find somewhat amusing.

But now that it was happening to Bibi Dong, all Lin Hai felt was a sharp ache in his heart.

Bibi Dong was his teacher.

Two years had flowed by like water, and every little moment had long since seeped into his heart.

Though Bibi Dong was not constantly at his side, her concern for him was undeniably genuine.

The rare herbs and spiritual medicines he needed for cultivation, the various books and manuals—before he even asked, they would quietly be delivered to him;

As for his wild research proposals, whether they would bear fruit or not, she would always approve them all with a sweep of her pen.

The only time she had ever questioned him was when he had become engrossed in toxicology.

Even then, she had not denied him. She had merely softly reminded him to be careful.

Then, after turning away, she found Yang Wushuang's notes, which he had treasured for many years, and placed them on Lin Hai's desk.

In the deep, dew-heavy nights, Lin Hai had more than once discovered that the brocade quilt he had kicked aside had been tucked back around him by a cool hand.

Even... the gradual changes in his height and the sizing of his close-fitting clothes had not escaped her notice.

These tiny, dust-like acts of care were silent and unseen, yet heavier than a thousand jin.

Lin Hai's heart felt slightly sour.

Perhaps... she had poured all the deep affection she could not give Qian Renxue, affection with nowhere else to go, onto him and Nana, her two disciples.

Whatever her original intentions had been, that weighty concern was real.

And it made Lin Hai make up his mind: for his Third Spirit Ring, he would use the Flowing Light Qin.

Once the thought arose, Lin Hai acted immediately. He sat down cross-legged—the very picture of swift decisiveness!

"Teacher, Nana," he said casually, as though mentioning something trivial, "I've reached level thirty. I'll absorb a ring first."

Little Fox had long known the secret that Lin Hai's martial soul came with its own spirit rings, so there was naturally no need for him to hide it.

The delighted smile that had just appeared on Hu Liena's face upon seeing Lin Hai enter instantly froze, and her heart took a heavy blow:

This guy! Fine, he broke through to level thirty—but he actually came all the way to the Pope's Palace just to absorb a spirit ring?

Could he be... specifically here to provoke me?! I only just struggled my way to level twenty-two!

Bibi Dong's brows, already faintly furrowed from her headache, twitched as well:

This little bastard spends all day either tinkering with herbs and poisons or studying music and swordsmanship. He has never put all his attention into proper cultivation!

And yet, even so, he broke through ten levels in just two short years. I truly am... an excellent teacher!

Under the gaze of his teacher, whose eyes held concealed pride, and his senior sister, whose eyes brimmed with resentment, Lin Hai focused his thoughts and drew upon the divine artifact he had long prepared.

A gentle yet profound pale-blue radiance rose from within him, slowly condensing into his third spirit ring.

The information on the spirit skills became clear in his mind—

Dust Cleansing Nirvana:

Like a clear spring washing away filth, it purified evil thoughts, dispelled delusions, soothed obsessions, and kept one's state of mind ever clear and empty, as though reborn.

Harmonious Resonance:

When the qin sounded, heaven and earth harmonized. Playing a peaceful melody could quell disputes and halt conflict; playing an impassioned tune could inspire hearts and spur people onward.

Myriad Sounds Reflecting Heart:

Using qin music of differing styles and artistic conceptions as a guide, it could selectively strengthen the purification of negative emotions on specific levels.

As Lin Hai sensed the profound mystery of these spirit skills, his heart suddenly brightened. The core of the Flowing Light Qin's spirit skills lay in using music to communicate with the heart, dissolve hostility, and inspire the spirit.

The key to Myriad Sounds Reflecting Heart, meanwhile, was letting the meaning of the music enter the soul—the artistic conception of the qin piece itself had to resonate with the player's intent before that purifying power could be guided precisely.

Sure enough, his two years of immersion in the way of the qin had not been wasted.

His fingertips brushed lightly, as though they had already touched invisible strings. Memories from his previous life surged forth like a tide, countless melodies churning through his mind.

A rendition of "Breaking the Cocoon"?

The thought flashed through his mind, only for him to snuff it out immediately—No, that won't do! What if the music stirred Teacher's emotions so fiercely that she announced on the spot:

"The Spirit Hall Empire is founded today!"

That would be one hell of a spectacle...

"Zheng—"

Bibi Dong stood quietly to the side. After her young disciple Lin Hai finished absorbing his spirit ring, she was about to ask about its effects—after all, the shock brought by his first two spirit rings was still fresh in her mind.

The Three Talents Meditation Method had benefited her immensely as well, making her one of its greatest beneficiaries.

Yet before she could speak, clear and melodious qin music had already begun flowing through the hall.

The melody was unfamiliar, yet it struck straight at the heart, carrying an indescribable magic.

At first, it was simply pleasant to hear. But as she listened, the still lake of Bibi Dong's heart, as deep and silent as an abyss, was quietly stirred.

She did not even notice until two cool "little pearls" rolled silently down her cheeks. Her fingertips touched the dampness, and she froze slightly before falling into a daze.

Tears?

When was the last time I cried...?

A corner of the dust-covered memories was brushed aside, and the scene froze upon the instant that tiny infant cried in the delivery room...

From the day Xue'er was born until now, the long years had been frozen like solid ice. This was, unexpectedly, the first drop of melted water.

The faint qin music pierced through layer upon layer of palace halls.

Deep within the Worship Hall.

Qian Daoliu listened with his eyes closed. As his Divine Will stirred, a nearly inaudible sigh escaped his lips, as though crossing the barrier of time and space:

"Bo Saixi... are you... still well?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo's sunlit flower conservatory.

Yue Guan's fingers, which were holding a flower, suddenly paused. A trace of absentmindedness crossed his striking face as he unconsciously murmured, "Old Ghost..."

At this moment, Lin Hai had no idea that his casual rendition of "Tomb of Deep Affection" had silently stirred a voiceless hormone storm among the Titled Douluo above Spirit Hall.

It had earned more than its share of tears and deeply buried heart-stirring emotions.

At the moment, he was wholly focused. His fingertips danced across invisible strings, offering the lingering, sorrowful melody from his previous life entirely to the teacher seated before him.

"Every tenderness in my eyes is you; fallen flowers drift upon the water in love. Every hand I hold in dreams is you; in fate's entanglement, there is nowhere to awaken..."

The qin music seemed to speak, its emotions endlessly tender. Yet as he played, Lin Hai himself lost his composure first!

It was not because his qin skills were rusty, but because an utterly unfamiliar thought exploded without warning in his sea of souls:

Teacher, when we sweep away Tang San, Tang Hao, and all those stumbling blocks in the future... this disciple will surely take you to ascend to the Divine Realm, away from all strife, where we can herd horses and sheep together...