A Melody

Ziling was now completely won over by the senior before her.

From Luoming and Hong Xuan's words, they had already realized that this was the existence who had slain the Demon Venerable with a single painting.

His cultivation was now clearly unfathomable. Even a Supreme had to show him respect.

Moreover, Ziling was absolutely certain that when it came to the Way of Painting, no one in the entire Three Absolutes Holy Land could compare with him!

This was an opportunity.

If she could stay by his side, it would be the greatest Immortal Destiny of all.

Nan Feng, meanwhile, was slightly startled and somewhat uneasy. Ziling was being far too bold.

How could she dare make such a request of an Immortal?

Yet deep down, she too harbored a faint hope.

This senior seemed extremely approachable, and apparently did not begrudge guidance to juniors. If Ziling truly had the chance...

Li Fan hesitated slightly when he heard this.

Stay by his side and learn painting?

But he had no plans to take on disciples...

"System mission issued: Imparting the Dao and Teaching. Take two disciples!"

Li Fan was instantly speechless. Damn it, so I have no choice but to accept them now.

"Very well. Since that is the case, I shall take the two of you as my disciples—"

Li Fan had no choice but to grit his teeth and accept them.

Upon hearing this, Ziling froze completely. She looked rather foolish, as though she could not believe it.

"What? Are you unhappy?" Li Fan asked, puzzled.

"N-no... I just... I just can't believe this is real!"

Ziling came to her senses at once. She leaped up in excitement like a child and exclaimed, "Wow, wow, that's wonderful! That's wonderful! Senior accepted me! Senior accepted me!"

Her face flushed with excitement, as red and radiant as an apple.

Nan Feng was shaken as well. This senior had actually agreed to Ziling's request?

This was far too unexpected!

Was this senior really so easygoing?

It seemed this truly was Ziling's Immortal Destiny!

She was sincerely happy for Ziling.

Although the Three Absolutes Holy Land possessed the painting inheritance left behind by the Three Absolutes Immortal, it now seemed that it could not possibly compare with this senior!

After all, those inheritances had been left behind by the Three Absolutes Immortal before he attained immortality. In a certain sense, most people could only cultivate to the Supreme Realm, and most could only observe and study them. How could that compare with receiving instruction at the side of an Immortal?

Besides, although Ziling's aptitude was outstanding within the sect, she had often been neglected. Leaving the sect and finding someone to rely on was an excellent thing for her.

All in all, following this senior was absolutely worthwhile!

She was still rejoicing when she suddenly felt that something was wrong.

What this senior had just said was: "Take the two of you as disciples"?

The two of them?

As the realization struck her, her heart suddenly gave a heavy thump.

What was going on here...

She immediately grew tense and began to tremble slightly. "S-senior... You just said you would take... take the two of us as disciples?"

Li Fan nodded. "That's right."

Nan Feng hesitated for a moment, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "Senior, this junior studies the Qin Dao..."

This senior had entered sainthood through the Way of Painting. There was no way she could learn that by following him. Was he expecting her to switch to the Way of Painting?

Li Fan took one look at her and immediately understood. This little girl was worried that their specialties did not match!

He could not help smiling. "Could you play a piece for me to hear?"

Nan Feng did not dare disobey him. She immediately nodded and took the Jiaowei Qin from her back.

She sat down at once, placing her slender jade fingers upon the strings.

After taking a deep breath, she plucked the strings!

The clear, ringing notes of the qin instantly arose, as though a cool breeze had blown in and a spring had chimed. They immediately filled the listeners with a sense of inner serenity.

It was like an oriole calling faintly from a distant mountain, drifting through a green valley, and yet like a babbling stream flowing past a cliff...

Even Li Fan nodded slightly. This girl's qin music possessed an ethereal quality. She indeed had great insight into the Qin Dao.

However, he had also heard many flaws within it!

After a long while, Nan Feng finally finished playing. She gently exhaled and looked up at Li Fan. "Senior, I'm finished."

Ziling wore an intoxicated expression. "Sister Nan Feng, that sounded wonderful!"

Li Fan smiled. "Your foundation is fairly good."

"But you are too constrained by finger technique. You are sacrificing the spirit for the form. That is a grave mistake."

With that, he walked over and said, "Let me play a piece on your qin."

Nan Feng was immediately surprised. This senior... not only understood painting, but had studied the Qin Dao as well?

Yet she was also puzzled. Back in the Three Absolutes Holy Land, her master had said that her finger technique was not yet sufficiently practiced or precise, and that she needed to keep consolidating it. Why was this senior saying that she was instead being restricted by her finger technique?

But she did not hesitate. She immediately rose and respectfully handed the qin to Li Fan.

Li Fan accepted the qin, sat down, and casually brushed the strings.

At once, an invisible, gentle sound wave spread outward like flowing water, washing over everything!

With a casual brush of the strings, he moved the hearts of all who heard him!

With only a single note, Ziling and Nan Feng's beautiful eyes widened in shock!

The qin's music was clearly like a spring breeze, fresh and soothing, as though even their souls had been awakened!

Li Fan did not stop. His hand continued plucking the strings.

In an instant, it was as if a pure sound had arisen from the highest heavens!

The qin music was like a Sacred Spring flowing from an Immortal Linglong, turning above the white clouds and soaring among frost-covered leaves. It drifted like a spirit, elegant beyond compare!

Dao Rhymes whirled through the air!

Nan Feng felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She stared fixedly at Li Fan, and in her eyes, beneath his unconstrained technique, she clearly saw one flying kite after another take shape from Dao Rhymes, scattering in all directions with the sound waves!

The qin had entered the Dao!

Merely listening to this music made her whole body tremble. Every cell seemed to have awakened, and her slumbering soul had completely revived!

The laws of the Dao within her body gathered. Her comprehension sublimated, and her aura surged!

In an instant, it was as though she had entered the wondrous Enlightenment Realm!

Beside her, Ziling was equally enraptured. She could not sense the true profundity, but in her eyes, Li Fan at that moment was like a painting!

He had become one with the qin—so free and graceful, so natural, so refined and easygoing, yet dignified and poised...

A word suddenly came to her mind: immortal aura!

This senior before her did not need to deliberately display it. The immortal aura arose alongside him of its own accord. That transcendent, otherworldly bearing left her utterly intoxicated.

At this moment, it seemed that all her troubles had vanished. She seemed to be riding upon a sacred flying kite, roaming through the Star River and looking down upon the rivers and mountains, while an immortal waterfall swept past her and an immortal crane called faintly in the distance...

At the instant Li Fan played the qin, it was not only the two of them. Even the native chickens pecking for food in the Small Courtyard suddenly fell silent and lay down on the ground.

In the pond, a school of golden carp swimming about instantly came to a halt. They remained perfectly still, as though turned to stone.

On the Immortal Peach Tree, the lustrous, tempting Immortal Peaches seemed to ripen another degree, growing even more fragrant. The tree's branches drooped without any wind, as if entering slumber...

At last, Li Fan's melody came to an end.

He raised his eyes toward Nan Feng, only to find her eyes tightly closed, as though she were savoring the music and contemplating its mysteries...