The Zither Flute Maiden

Zither Flute Maiden

On the tenth day of seclusion, it was night again, and it was anything but peaceful.

All day long, the entire little town had been shrouded in chaos, chickens flying and dogs leaping, and tonight was no exception.

Sounds of fighting and clamor rose and fell one after another.

Ouyang Ke alone held the inn.

Because too many people came to the inn every day—some busybodies who wanted to catch a glimpse of Jiang Feng's true face, and true experts who wanted to challenge him and spar with him.

The innkeeper could not withstand the torment and had long since run off.

Now, the only one standing guard here was Ouyang Ke. Because Jiang Feng was still here in seclusion, he could not go anywhere.

A sparse handful of people sat downstairs in the inn, men and women both. They were all experts of the Earth Martial Realm; although they had no intention of challenging Jiang Feng, they were single-mindedly bent on seeing Jiang Feng's true appearance.

So long as they did not cause trouble or disturb Jiang Feng's seclusion, Ouyang Ke did not drive them away.

"We've been here so many days, and we haven't even seen that Jiang Feng's face. All we've seen is Ouyang Ke standing guard here without leaving his side for even a step."

"Exactly. Who knows whether this Jiang Feng person really exists."

"Nonsense. If there were no such person as Jiang Feng, would Dragon Tower have listed him on the Earth Ranking?"

"Dragon Tower has always handled matters rigorously. How could it act recklessly?"

"Although we haven't seen Jiang Feng's true face, we have seen Ouyang Ke make quite a few moves these past few days."

"Right. Rumor says Ouyang Ke follows Jiang Feng, and it looks like it's true. Every person who wanted to challenge Jiang Feng was blocked back by him. Ouyang Ke's strength really is no simple thing. Worthy of being eighth on the Earth Ranking... oh, no, now he should be ninth."

"I heard that yesterday, the fellow who got squeezed out of the top ten of the Earth Ranking felt unconvinced and came to challenge him, only to be seriously injured by Ouyang Ke in a single move?"

"That's right, that did happen."

"Looks like Ouyang Ke isn't merely enjoying an undeserved reputation either."

"Quick, look. Someone else is here."

As everyone was discussing, three more people slowly walked in from outside.

"It's a woman, with two male servants behind her."

Walking in front was a woman. Although she wore a white-veiled bamboo hat, the white veil was transparent, and by the lanterns before the door, her face could be seen clearly—bewitching to the extreme!

The moment she appeared, the inn instantly fell silent.

"What a stunningly beautiful woman!! If I could be with her..."

"Shut up. Do you want to die?" someone immediately warned. "You don't even take a careful look at who she is, yet you dare be so frivolous."

The two male servants behind the woman were exceptionally eye-catching. Both were nearly ten feet tall, massive fellows whose shoulders seemed capable of carrying two great mountains. Their skin was as dark as ink, their faces solemn without the slightest trace of expression. In their hands, they respectively held a zither and a flute.

"It's Zither Flute Maiden, Tang Wanjing!!"

Zither Flute Maiden had originally been the fifth-ranked expert on the Earth Ranking. She had risen ten years ago, was versed in musical rhythm, and the sounds of her zither and flute in particular were unforgettable. But her strength was even more unfathomable to gods and ghosts alike.

Rumor had it that she was a direct disciple of Tianshan Granny, Bi Lianqing. She had cultivated the Cliff Stone Body, with astonishing defense, and her set of Lianqing Sword Technique had deeply grasped Tianshan Granny's essence. The true intent of her sword technique was extremely powerful, and her move "Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin" possessed even greater might.

Since the day she became famous, she had never tasted defeat.

Zither Flute Maiden was the elegant title she had bestowed upon herself. Those who knew her nature privately called her the "Zither Flute Lust Maiden."

That was only because her nature was lustful and vicious; the men she had toyed to death in bed were countless.

"That's right, it's her!"

"She—why has she come?"

"What else could it be for? Of course she came to challenge Jiang Feng!"

"Right. Jiang Feng pushed her out of the fifth spot on the Earth Ranking. How could she accept that?"

"Now there's going to be a good show. Zither Flute Maiden's strength is above Ouyang Ke's. She was originally ranked fifth on the Earth Ranking, while Ouyang Ke was eighth. With Ouyang Ke's strength, he definitely can't stop her."

Tang Wanjing lifted her tiny golden-lotus foot and walked into the inn. As she raised her foot, her dress lifted slightly, revealing her snow-white, round thigh. The sight left some people burning with heat inside. She was truly a top-grade beauty!

Her every movement displayed a single word—desire.

Tang Wanjing reached up and removed the white-veiled hat from her head, sweeping her gaze around. The charm in her eyes made everyone shudder from head to toe, and they all turned their heads, withdrawing their gazes, not daring to look directly at her again.

If she took a fancy to them and dragged them to bed for a bout of clouds and rain, even if they did not die, they would lose half their lives.

"I heard that in this place, there is a little brother named Jiang Feng whose strength is remarkable. This little woman has specially come to seek instruction."

The moment Tang Wanjing opened her mouth, the coquettish charm in her voice made everyone's minds tremble.

That one sound made many people's bones go soft!

"Zither Flute, my young master is in seclusion. Come back for instruction in five days." A voice fell from the upper floor.

Ouyang Ke did not show himself.

Tang Wanjing raised her head toward the direction the voice had come from, only seeing a human silhouette without glimpsing his true face.

"So the rumors really are true. Even the lofty Ouyang Ke is willing to follow this little brother Jiang Feng wholeheartedly. It seems I truly came to the right place." Tang Wanjing and Ouyang Ke were naturally old acquaintances, and the two had also crossed hands in private before.

"Ouyang Ke, back then you perched beneath Qi Gongfu's eaves, publicly calling yourself the head guest minister, unwilling to admit you had become Qi Gongfu's running dog. Looking at it now, you, Ouyang Ke, are also a man who cannot rise above the vulgar world. You actually became that little brother Jiang Feng's running dog willingly?"

The moment those words came out, the smell of gunpowder in the inn instantly thickened.

There's going to be a good show! the onlookers muttered inwardly.

"Fight, fight. To see Earth Ranking experts clash with my own eyes—my life will have no regrets."

On the upper floor, a figure slowly stepped out, the lantern light gradually revealing him.

Ouyang Ke's face was livid, his eyes fixed rigidly on Tang Wanjing below.

If he had not feared disturbing Jiang Feng in secluded cultivation, he would have attacked the instant Tang Wanjing said those words.

"Tang Wanjing, I'll say it once more. If you want to challenge my young master, come back in five days. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" Tang Wanjing did not put Ouyang Ke in her eyes at all. "Don't tell me you think you alone can stop me?"

Ouyang Ke's brows furrowed. He knew a great battle tonight was unavoidable.

Those people who had come to bother them earlier, he could dismiss with ease. But this Tang Wanjing was no ordinary person.

It was not that he feared Tang Wanjing. With his current strength, forget Tang Wanjing—even if Bai Wanli came, he would have the guts to fight. It was just that this battle would definitely cause an enormous commotion, and if it disturbed Jiang Feng's secluded cultivation, he feared Jiang Feng would vent his anger on him.

After all, before Jiang Feng entered seclusion, he had specifically instructed him that no one was allowed to disturb him.

"Cough..." Just then, a cough sounded inside the inn.

The sound came from the upper floor, from behind Ouyang Ke. Of the people keeping watch here, this was also the first time any of them had heard this voice.

The clever ones reacted at once. The one who had made that sound should be the legendary fifth-ranked expert on the Earth Ranking, Jiang Feng.

After Ouyang Ke heard the sound, he immediately turned back, walked to the door of that room, and leaned in to listen.

A moment later, Ouyang Ke turned and returned to the front of the upper floor, looking down at Tang Wanjing below with a savage grin.

"Tang Wanjing, my young master has instructed that if you defeat me, you'll have the qualifications to challenge him."

"Come with me!"

With that, Ouyang Ke sprang up, his body passing through the roof and out into the open.

Tang Wanjing gave a cold snort. "Since you're bent on seeking death, then this grandaunt will grant your wish." With that, she swiftly followed.

In truth, the moment Ouyang Ke saw Tang Wanjing, the thought of fighting her had already stirred in him. With his current strength, Tang Wanjing absolutely would not be his match. The chance to wash away his former shame was right before his eyes, and Ouyang Ke naturally was unwilling to let it slip by.

Only, duty bound him, and he could not act recklessly.

Now that he had obtained Jiang Feng's permission, of course he was even more impatient.

Although Jiang Feng was in secluded cultivation, he did not dare fully trust Ouyang Ke, and he also feared that Heaven Martial Realm warriors might come to take his life. Therefore, he constantly kept a wisp of divine sense spread throughout the surroundings.

He knew everything that had happened in the inn these past few days.

He had not acted all this time because Ouyang Ke had been fully capable of handling those matters.

Not until Tang Wanjing, the Zither Flute Maiden, stepped inside just now did he know that only with his nod could Ouyang Ke fight her without any misgivings. So just now, he softly informed Ouyang Ke that he could fight at ease, but he had to leave Zhushan Town.

Back then, his battle with Ouyang Ke had destroyed the Jiang Mansion. Now, if Ouyang Ke and the Zither Flute Maiden fought with all their strength, heaven knew how great the commotion would be; they could not harm the innocent.

Thus, he had Ouyang Ke take Tang Wanjing, the Zither Flute Maiden, outside the town to fight.