At some point—perhaps it had been there all along, or perhaps it had only just begun—a plucked-string instrument could be heard in everyone's ears. At first it played softly, but gradually the tempo quickened.
Elder Jiu Shen was the first to notice. At the same time, experts like the Second Night King and the Sword King heard it too. Lu Yin heard it after Master Yuan.
He heard the plucked-string melody. It was beautiful, but when had it started?
Bang!
The Sword King's greatsword clashed with the wooden staff. They both retreated, their faces filled with uncertainty. Suddenly, they looked west.
In an instant, Elder Jiu Shen, the Second Night King, the man from the Heavenly Demon Imperial Clan, and the others all turned to the west.
The western sky lit up.
The universe was plunged in endless darkness, yet in that instant, it turned pink. Cherry blossoms drifted through the starry sky. From amid that enchanting sea of blossoms emerged a woman. She wore a simple, immaculate white dress that danced in the breeze. Barefoot, she stepped upon the petals, her presence holy and pure. Her dark hair fell down her back, gathered into an elegant flipped-blade bun. A thin veil draped over her shoulders, and she held a three-stringed instrument as she approached at an unhurried pace.
No one could see the woman's face. Her veil was embroidered with catlike patterns, making her both mysterious and tinged with an indescribable wildness. The contrast was striking against her otherwise ethereal bearing.
No one knew how long the woman had been there. Not a soul had noticed her until the exquisite music grew more commanding and its rhythm more lively, drawing everyone in before they even realized it.
As Lu Yin watched the woman transform the starry sky, with cherry