The Great Dao Was Lonely, Yet Her Dao Was Not

Luo Lingxi's fingertips stiffened slightly.

--In pursuit of that elusive soulmate, she has traversed countless mountains and rivers, and witnessed the most outstanding Prodigy in the world.

Every time I was filled with anticipation, it ultimately turned into ashes of disappointment.

At this moment, her beauty and charm, which she was so proud of, were utterly insignificant in his eyes.

Luo Lingxi lowered her eyes slightly, putting away those unnecessary thoughts.

"Young Master, you may simply call me Lingxi."

Her voice was soft, yet tinged with shame.

She gently raised her hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her fair and jade-like earlobe.

"What Lingxi seeks is merely a matter of unspoken agreement."

She raised her eyes, her glassy eyes staring directly at Qin Wangchuan, her previous allure gone, leaving only pure devotion.

"For this, I am willing to give everything."

With a light tap of her fingertips, Luo Lingxi released one rare treasure after another from her Storage Ring, gleaming in the moonlight.

"This is a fragment of the <Nine Heavens Prelude>..." She held out a Jade Slip. "Though incomplete, it contains the rhythm of the Great Dao."

With a gentle wave of her hand, a Seven-stringed Zither, its entire body shimmering with crystal, floated in the air. "The Cold Jade Heavenly Heart Zither, carved from ten-thousand-year-old black ice from the far north, its strings made from the sinews of a dragon."

She then took out a sandalwood box. "Nine Revolutions Mystic Sound Pill, taking it will help Young Master break through the bottleneck in musical theory..."

The treasures kept piling up, soon forming a small mountain inside the hall.

Each item was a rare treasure coveted by cultivators from the outside world, yet she took them all out without any hesitation.

Finally, she presented an ancient Copper Bell: "This is..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Wangchuan suddenly raised his hand to interrupt, "Enough."

He scanned the treasures scattered on the ground and now he could see that this man was truly a music fanatic.

If we don't interrupt, he might just siphon off all his savings.

"The Great Dao is solitary..." Qin Wangchuan sighed softly, his gaze piercing through the palace walls to the endless night sky, "I would exchange all my life's gains for a single melody, to find that kindred spirit beyond the strings..."

He withdrew his gaze and, for the first time, seriously examined the determined woman before him:

Even if found, it's only a temporary resonance, and ultimately, it's difficult to stay together forever.

Is it worth it?

Luo Lingxi raised her eyes, pursed her lips, and said in a soft but firm voice, "The Great Dao is solitary, but my Dao is not solitary."

"If I could find a kindred spirit, I would gladly become the clear sound that harmonizes with it, and even more so, the strings of a zither; I would accompany you in your enduring music, and let you manipulate my every move."

"Without a kindred spirit, even if one attains immortality... it is nothing more than an eternal solo."

"I do not seek immortality, nor do I seek supreme power; I only seek one person—someone who can resonate with my music and share the joys and sorrows of this fleeting life."

"This is my way."

Her voice was very soft, yet it caused the Zither Music in the hall to pause.

To put it simply, Luo Lingxi's thoughts were very pure.

To find someone to play the supreme melody with, she willingly takes a secondary role, is content to be a supporting character, and would rather be a harmonizer than the main melody—for the sake of a kindred spirit, even if she is treated as an inanimate object to be manipulated and used at will, she would still be happy to accept it.

This person has gone mad from seeking the Tao.

Su Yingxue had woken up and was looking at her at some point.

Ye Jianwei also stopped what she was doing and looked at Luo Lingxi, agreeing with this explanation.

If it weren't for the Young Master, she wouldn't be where she is today. Therefore, Ye Jianwei doesn't seek immortality, ultimate strength, or the Great Dao.

I only pray that the Young Master is safe and sound and that his wishes are fulfilled.

She was willing to give everything for this.

A night breeze suddenly rose, scattering the stray hairs on Luo Lingxi's forehead and revealing her stubborn, almost obsessive, eyes.

Qin Wangchuan stared at her for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand—

The incomplete score of "Nine Heavens Prelude" fell into his palm.

"It's all due to the cause and effect of what happened back then..."

If I hadn't obtained the fragment of the "Nine Heavens Zither Emperor Sutra," I wouldn't be where I am today.

But it's not without its advantages.

Perhaps by borrowing this previous incarnation, one can comprehend the complete <Nine Heavens Zither Emperor Sutra>, thus eliminating the need to search for it in the Emperor's Tomb.

Luo Lingxi's eyes instantly lit up with a dazzling light. She subconsciously took a step forward, her delicate hand trembling slightly as she raised it, but then stopped in mid-air as if afraid of disturbing something.

"Young Master..." Her voice was filled with barely suppressed joy, her eyes slightly reddening, "I..."

"Don't misunderstand, I'm not the kind of person you're describing who would sacrifice himself for the zither."

Qin Wangchuan's calm voice was like a bucket of ice water being poured over him.

With a light tap of his fingertip, the incomplete musical score floated in the air and slowly unfolded, its mottled patterns shimmering with light.

Ye Jianwei understood and moved her own zither over.

"Music, to me..." He looked up, his eyes filled with undisguised indifference, "Is a very boring thing."

"Too easy."

This is indeed the truth, and Qin Wangchuan is fully aware of all of this.

My extraordinary musical talent is not due to any innate ability, but rather to the system's Origin Source.

Luo Lingxi swayed, as if she had been stabbed in the chest.

He then began to play, disregarding everything else.

"Disappointed?" Qin Wangchuan casually plucked a harmonic. "The musical skill you've pursued your entire life, in my hands..."

"It's just a pastime during leisure time."

"Moreover, I practice the zither only to comprehend the Great Dao True Intention within the music."

He looked up at Luo Lingxi, his gaze calm to the point of cruelty. "You seek a confidant beyond the strings, I seek the Qiankun within the strings."

"We have different paths."

Luo Lingxi watched Qin Wangchuan casually pluck the strings of the zither. His fluid and graceful fingering sent a shiver down her spine, and the piece—was not the "Nine Heavens Phoenix-Leading Melody"!

It was actually the piece "Blue Sea Tide Rising" that I had performed at the Mystic Sound Pavilion!

As the Zither Music flowed, the group seemed to see an endless blue sea surging before their eyes.

"This is impossible..." Luo Lingxi murmured to herself, she was quite certain that Qin Wangchuan was indeed playing this piece, "Blue Sea Tide Rising," for the first time.

But that's impossible!

How can anyone learn something after just one listen?

This is the signature piece of the East Sea Zither Immortal! Even she practiced it a thousand times before she could barely achieve a semblance of its form.

And the person in front of me...

Moreover, what was presented before our eyes was not a strange phenomenon, but the Dao Rhyme!

The Dao Rhyme of the composer of the guqin music!

The Zither Music suddenly turned urgent, and the scene before Luo Lingxi's eyes changed abruptly.

She felt as if she were standing on the cliff where the East Sea Zither Immortal attained enlightenment ten thousand years ago, witnessing how that predecessor transformed the power of heaven and earth into the strings of his zither when facing towering waves.

The portrayal of Qin Wangchuan perfectly recreates...

"Tides are merely a phenomenon; phenomena can be imitated, but the Great Dao endures forever."

The musical notes flowing from Qin Wangchuan's fingertips clearly displayed the rhythm of the Heavenly Dao under the guidance of the moon.

Each overtone precisely corresponds to the movement of the stars, revealing the Great Dao behind the tides in a thorough and detailed way.

Luo Lingxi's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

She suddenly realized that what she was hearing was no longer a simple melody, but the power of Tao!

As the music ended, a bead of cold sweat dripped from her chin.

This timeless masterpiece, revered by countless musicians, is like a child's building blocks in Qin Wangchuan's hands, easily disassembled and reassembled, revealing profound Dao Rhyme even the original composer had never touched.

"Do you understand now?" Qin Wangchuan released his hand, letting the lingering sound echo. "I have never felt any emotion towards music."

"And certainly not your soulmate."

Ye Jianwei stared blankly at her Young Master, her eyes filled with both shock and a complex understanding—she knew better than anyone just how terrifying her Young Master's talent was.

Su Yingxue had sat up straight without anyone noticing, her small hands tightly gripping Qin Wangchuan's clothes, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Although she was not musically inclined, she could feel the vast Dao Rhyme contained in the Zither Music, which made her blood boil slightly.

'My brother is really amazing!'

"A new song..."

A languid female voice rang out from the rooftop.

Qin Zhaoer swung her snow-white legs, a candied hawthorn dangling from her mouth, while her other hand secretly held an Image Recording Stone. In the moonlight, the surface of the Image Recording Stone could be seen to gleam with a faint spiritual light, silently recording the Zither Music playing in the hall.

Record it and listen to it before bed, savoring it slowly~

Luo Lingxi slowly straightened up, the previous obsession gone from her eyes, replaced by an almost devout reverence. She clasped her hands in front of her and solemnly performed an ancient ritual:

"Lingxi, may I ask your name, Young Master?"

The moonlight, like water, reflected on her slightly trembling eyelashes.

At this moment, she was no longer the lofty Holy Maiden of the Mystic Sound Pavilion, nor the goddess adored by all, but simply a seeker of the Dao.

He replied calmly, "Qin Wangchuan."

Those three simple words struck Luo Lingxi like a thunderbolt.

She looked up abruptly, her pupils contracting sharply—

"Qin... the Ninth Young Master of the Qin Clan?!"

I should have thought of this sooner.

To be able to move freely within the deep palace and command the Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guard' obedience, only the Imperial Clan could possess such power.

Who else could be a young man of such talent from the Imperial Clan?

Luo Lingxi suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly.

She recalled her ridiculous thoughts and boastful actions... In front of such a person, her prized assets probably didn't even deserve a glance.

"I see..."

Luo Lingxi murmured softly, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes.

The moonlight shone on her slightly upturned lips, outlining a relieved smile.

"Today, I Lingxi, am deeply honored to receive this music from Young Master, young master."

Farewell.

There were no flowery words, nor any deliberate gestures.

She simply bowed slightly, then turned and left, her white sleeves swaying gently in the night breeze, giving her an ethereal, fairy-like appearance.

The hem of her skirt swept across the stone steps without a sound, only the faint glimmer of the silver ornaments in her hair gradually blending into the distant night.

Qin Wangchuan thought that since the Holy Maiden had said that, she definitely wouldn't come again.

She came again the next day.

He wasn't angry after being kicked out; he simply left.

On the third day... on the fourth day... and after that, they stopped acting altogether and came here every day under some pretext.

Eventually, they even moved in next door.

This stay lasted for a month.

At first, Qin Wangchuan would coldly chase people away, but later he simply ignored them.

Ye Jianwei and Su Yingxue gradually became familiar with her, and occasionally they would enjoy tea and discuss music together.

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.

As dawn broke, the palace bells rang throughout the sky.

"Clang--"

The deep, resonant tolling of the bells roused the sleeping Imperial City.

Qin Wangchuan opened the window and saw a sky ablaze with rosy light, with a White Jade Heavenly Ladder descending from the clouds and leading directly to the main hall of the imperial palace.

"The Heavenly Road Dao Discussion has begun."