"What kind of demonic art is this?"
"Why did so many venomous snakes suddenly appear?"
Gazing at the surging mass of snakes, the spectators below the platform were stunned by this sudden turn of events.
Fear spread through the crowd. People hurriedly retreated, afraid of being swept into the terrifying tide of snakes.
Spirit Refinement Cultivators were already rare, and those who could play the qin were rarer still. It was the first time many had watched a musical duel. How could they ever have seen such a bizarre spectacle?
Tang Lingyu's beautiful eyes widened, her pretty face full of worry. She hurriedly asked Venerable Ling Que, who hovered above her:
"Aunt Lingque, what on earth is going on?"
Venerable Ling Que's expression grew solemn as she slowly explained:
"This is the Ximen Family's secret ancestral technique I mentioned earlier—'Illusory Demonic Sound.'
"This secret technique uses the sound of the qin to create illusions, much like the demonic illusion caused by consuming a monster core."
"Once trapped in the illusion, the slightest carelessness can make you lose yourself. At best, your spiritual sense will be damaged; at worst, you'll go mad on the spot and become a mindless Martial Maniac!"
"Go mad? A Martial Maniac..."
Tang Lingyu's delicate body trembled. Even though she had absolute faith in Gu Cheng, she couldn't help holding her breath for him now.
On the dueling platform.
Surrounded by a hissing swarm of venomous snakes, Gu Cheng showed not the slightest trace of panic.
Instead, he watched the snakes with keen interest, even letting a playful smile curl at the corner of his mouth.
"An illusion woven from qin music? Heh, it really does feel like being high on mushrooms. Kind of interesting."
"But this sort of parlor trick is hardly fit for the stage!"
After a few snide remarks, Gu Cheng's gaze gradually sharpened. He gently set both hands on the strings and plucked them with his fingertips.
In an instant, music like clashing weapons and charging warhorses rang across the entire platform. It was as if thousands upon thousands of troops were galloping forth, their momentum overwhelming!
At times the music soared, impassioned and stirring, like ten thousand horses thundering forward, unstoppable. At others it sank into an oppressive hush, like the stillness before a storm, danger lurking beneath the calm.
The spectators below the platform had been immersed in fear of the venomous snakes. But when they heard this rousing music, a surge of fervor welled up in their hearts, sweeping away their terror.
Gu Cheng's music conjured no visible scene, yet it sketched a sweeping tableau of war in everyone's mind, as if they were standing on a battlefield amid clashing weapons and charging warhorses.
The invisible notes became flashes of razor-sharp blades and swords, sweeping across the battlefield and cutting down the illusory snakes one by one.
In the blink of an eye, the snakes turned into wisps of pale smoke and vanished without a trace.
The platform, which had been occupied by the swarm, was empty once more.
"How can this kid's mastery of the qin be so incredible?!"
Ximen Yu lifted his gaze and stared at the young man in dark robes playing the qin. A flicker of surprise crossed his strange purple eyes.
A true expert revealed himself with a single move.
Gu Cheng's fingers lightly plucked and pressed the strings. Though his performance seemed simple, it contained a mastery no less than that of a grandmaster. Even Ximen Yu, a direct descendant of the Ximen Family, couldn't help feeling ashamed by comparison.
At such a young age, he already had such skill. Could this Demon Suppression Bureau kid be a once-in-a-century qin prodigy?
Ximen Yu was secretly astonished, but soon a cold smile crept onto his lips.
"Too bad a musical duel isn't just about mastery of the qin. It's also a test of spiritual sense and related spellcasting!"
"Even if you're an extraordinary musician, you won't beat me today!"
Ximen Yu murmured, then plucked the strings again.
This time, the music was no longer rousing. Instead, it sank into a seductive murmur, like lovers whispering to one another, weaving an atmosphere of intimacy and flirtation, note by note, to its utmost intensity.
The resolute music of clashing weapons and charging warhorses was gradually smothered by these languorous notes. The air around the platform seemed to catch fire, growing hot and stifling.
On the platform, the illusion appeared once more.
This time, however, it wasn't filled with venomous snakes and ferocious beasts. Instead, more than a dozen breathtaking dancers appeared, their figures graceful and their clothing scanty.
They danced to Ximen Yu's music. Every glance and every movement seemed to carry an irresistible allure, meant to ensnare the soul and completely break down a person's will.
The dancers approached Gu Cheng step by step, striking coquettish poses and making all sorts of brazenly flirtatious gestures, putting their seductive power on full display.
"Th-this is allowed in a musical duel?"
"This is one hell of a sight!"
"Is it too late to start learning the qin?"
The spectators below had never seen anything like this. Their faces flushed, their mouths went dry, and their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as they strained not to miss a single detail.
They gazed at the young man in dark robes surrounded by beauties, their eyes full of envy, jealousy, and resentment. They wished they could take his place and experience what it was like to be surrounded by beautiful women.
Some were already bewitched by the languorous music, their eyes glazed as they muttered incoherently and struggled to rush onto the platform to steal a kiss.
Fortunately, the Demon Suppression Bureau officers maintaining order reacted quickly and stopped the spectators whose minds had been bewitched, averting a riot.
And yet this was only the lingering effect of the bewitching music!
As its primary target, Gu Cheng was subjected to a seductive force more than ten times stronger than what the spectators below felt!
Yet, faced with all the stunning beauties around him, their clothing half-undone,
Gu Cheng continued playing with his eyes closed, his face utterly unruffled, as though those breathtaking beauties were nothing but lifeless wooden puppets to him.
Back in the illusion created by the fox demon's monster core, he had spent over a hundred years at one long orgy after another, experiencing scenes far more erotic and thrilling than this. In the end, he had even snapped out of it on his own.
This level of feminine allure was child's play to him.
"Hmph, such a crude trick, and you dare show it off before an expert?"
Gu Cheng sneered inwardly as his fingers flew across the strings. The martial music of clashing weapons and charging warhorses abruptly changed, becoming chillingly fierce.
The piercing notes swept across the entire platform like a winter wind.
The passersby below, who had been utterly entranced by the beauties, were jolted awake by the sudden chill. Remembering how they had just behaved, they turned deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat.
The scantily clad dancers on the platform were even more dismayed by the sudden cold.
Shivering in the biting wind, they turned into crystal-clear ice statues in the blink of an eye, then shattered into a shower of ice crystals and vanished into thin air.
Young Master Nongyu had gone to great lengths to create the bewitching illusion, but Gu Cheng had broken it with ease once again!
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