He did not press for more and continued wiping the lute.
Lu Yuan was in no hurry either.
After a while, he spoke.
"I've done some research into Ancient Music Theory."
The middle-aged man's hand slowed for a moment as he wiped the lute.
He glanced at Lu Yuan.
He was not surprised. It was more of an appraisal, judging how much the person before him truly knew.
Then he picked up the glass on the table and took a sip.
When he set it down, his tone became far more casual.
"Where did you hear about it?"
"Someone taught me a little."
"Then you got lucky." The middle-aged man plucked a string, and the open string hummed. "Fewer and fewer people know those three words these days. Hardly anyone in the younger generation studies it."
He leaned the Stringed Lute against a chair leg and reclined slightly.
"Ancient Music Theory actually has its own branch of Transcendence. I don't know whether your teacher mentioned that."
"He mentioned a little."
"Then you should know why fewer and fewer people walk this path."
The middle-aged man stroked the lute as he spoke.
"It doesn't make money. Instrument maintenance, collecting scores, traveling everywhere—it all costs money. Second, it's useless. You can't kill people or block blades. On the battlefield, you can't even kill an Eerie creature. The Night Watchers won't use you, the army won't recruit you, and mercenary groups want you even less."
He said it very calmly.
"There are fewer and fewer people walking this path."
He pointed at himself and his companions behind him.
"Only people like us still find it somewhat interesting."
"Is it really that useless?"
Lu Yuan asked.
The middle-aged man picked up his glass and swirled it.
"I wouldn't say it's completely useless."
He thought