The sunlight was just right, immortal breezes drifted by, the melody curled softly through the air, and the fragrance of flowers washed over them.
By the little lake, before the tea pavilion, Xu Yanwen played the flute while Chi Wanning played the zither. Their mournful notes harmonized, instantly elevating the tea gathering to another realm.
Ning Ye sat beside them, watching them play, and felt as though he had returned to Heavenly Secret Mountain—to the days when he played chess with Senior Brother Qing Lin and watched Xin Xiaoye dance with her sword.
It had been over a year. Fourth Senior Brother, Little Junior Sister, were you both well now?
His heart was still steeped in melancholy when the piece came to an end.
Chi Wanning pushed aside the Scorched Tail Zither and smiled at Ning Ye. "Junior Brother Ning, would you care to play a piece?"
Ning Ye gently shook his head. "This junior brother knows nothing of music. I fear I will disappoint you, Fairy."
Chi Wanning's lovely eyes flickered as she cast him a richly suggestive, autumn-water glance. "Junior Brother buries himself in cultivation all day, so that is understandable. But the path of cultivation is not simply a matter of bitter training. If grueling cultivation alone could lead to achievement, would there be so few hardworking people in this world? Then why do so many still linger outside the gates? At times, choosing some miscellaneous art to cultivate one's sentiments and nourish one's body and mind is also the foundation for attaining the Great Dao."
There was nothing wrong with that. Xin Ranzi had said much the same to him back then. Only, what Xin Ranzi had meant was that one miscellaneous art was enough. Learning too many was no longer seeking the Heavenly Dao through