The Zither Score

Luo Qingran looked at Li Jun. With her experience, it was easy for her to see Li Jun's background.

Whether he was a Rogue Cultivator or some clan's disciple, what they lacked most was cultivation resources.

Even core disciples from the three great sects had no one who dared say they had enough cultivation resources.

So using pills to make a trade would basically never be refused.

Li Jun sighed with envy for a while, then glanced at Luo Qingran again. "Thank you, Miss Luo, but I have no intention of trading cultivation methods."

Luo Qingran was taken aback. She had not expected him to refuse.

"Li Jun, do you think I'm not qualified to make the decision? Or do you not need pills, but something else?"

"Miss Luo, I did not mean to question you. It's just that I'm only an ordinary minor cultivator, and the cultivation method I practice is as ordinary as can be. It doesn't match Eldest Miss's expectations."

Li Jun cupped his hands and declined again.

"Impossible! My eye can't be wrong. When you cultivate, your aura is smooth and rounded, and your spiritual energy forms its own heavenly circuit. How could the cultivation method you practice be ordinary?"

Luo Qingran did not believe it.

She had been watching the latter cultivate all along. Although his cultivation process had been somewhat miserable, there was no mistaking that aura.

"It truly is an ordinary cultivation method. I merely made some slight improvements to it myself. Eldest Miss may have sensed it wrong," Li Jun explained.

"You improved it yourself?"

Luo Qingran's eyes widened. She did not believe Li Jun's words at all.

"It is truly so. If Eldest Miss Luo does not believe me, I can also help take a look for you," Li Jun said.

Luo Qingran was half-convinced and half-doubtful. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Can you really?"

Li Jun nodded. "Naturally. Though I may not necessarily be able to improve it very well, it will definitely have some effect."

"I can only give you a portion. Is that acceptable?"

"Naturally. Miss Luo may give it a try."

Early the next morning.

Li Jun arrived in the courtyard and began practicing his movement technique.

Last night, he and Luo Qingran had reached a deal. If he truly could improve the cultivation method Luo Qingran needed, he could purchase talismans from Myriad Treasures Pavilion at a low price.

One of his goals in coming to Fire Cloud City this time was to buy talismans.

Therefore, Li Jun naturally did not refuse.

However, he had not made any absolute promises either.

Although Luo Qingran was the Eldest Miss of Myriad Treasures Pavilion and had a noble status, whether the cultivation method she practiced could gain the approval of the [entry] was truly uncertain.

"How did you sleep last night?"

Luo Qingran walked into the courtyard and spotted Li Jun cultivating at a glance.

"I rested very well. Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Luo." Li Jun finished his practice, turned around, and asked, "Miss Luo, what about Drunken Immortal Pavilion last night?"

"They all died. Aside from you and me, not a single person survived."

Luo Qingran sighed.

Li Jun frowned. Although he had already expected it mentally, with so many people all killed overnight, it still made one sigh with sorrow.

"Who did it? Drunken Immortal Pavilion isn't an ordinary force either. They didn't discover even the slightest bit of information beforehand?"

"Judging from the clues we have so far, it was probably Dark Fragrance Hall," Luo Qingran said.

"Dark Fragrance Hall?"

Li Jun understood at once. Hu Dadao, who had previously tried to assassinate him, had also accepted the mission from Dark Fragrance Hall.

"That's right. Dark Fragrance Hall is an assassin organization. They have registered outside assassins, and also assassins they trained themselves."

"The ones who attacked Drunken Immortal Pavilion last night were Dark Fragrance Hall's own assassins. The scale was so large that it has already alarmed the City Lord's Mansion."

Li Jun nodded.

This Fire Cloud City was truly a place where fish and dragons mingled. If one carelessly offended someone, one would not even know how one died.

He thought of how Ningxuan Bookstore had sent someone to follow him yesterday, and wondered whether that fellow had later run into assassins.

Good thing I've already learned the "Mortal Concealment Art." Next time I go, I'll switch my aura.

Li Jun thought to himself.

This Fire Cloud City was really somewhat dangerous. From now on, he had to be even more cautious.

"Li Jun, I previously obtained a qin score. Although it's an incomplete fragment, its power is very strong. If you can help me modify it, the talismans you want—forget a low price, I'll give them to you for free."

Li Jun took the qin score and opened it. To his surprise, this was actually a qin-skill spell, truly very rare.

"For qin-skill spells, the meridian routes are mostly concentrated in both hands. I'm afraid they involve a great many hidden apertures."

Li Jun pondered, and more or less understood why Luo Qingran had disguised herself and gone to the Red Pavilion.

The Red Pavilion had many qin performers; when different people played, the artistic conception was naturally different.

Luo Qingran wanted to find inspiration from them and use it to complete the qin score.

However, in Li Jun's view, that path could never work.

The hidden acupoints had not manifested; even if she opened up any number of meridians, without the support of the key acupoints, there was no way to complete it.

"How do you nurture them? Are you confident?" Luo Qingran asked expectantly.

"I don't dare guarantee it, but there should be some gains."

"Then all right, go ahead and—"

"Ranran! So you really are here. They said you were sick. How are you?"

Luo Qingran frowned and looked up.

At the courtyard entrance, a man dressed in splendid robes was looking over toward them.

Li Jun glanced at him. The newcomer wore brocade and fine robes, and his looks were passable, but his brows and eyes were frivolous.

His eyes were sticky and greasy, staring straight at Luo Qingran.

"Su Jingyan? Didn't I tell you not to bother me? Why are you here again?"

Displeasure showed on Luo Qingran's face.

"Ranran, last time was my fault. Listen to me. This time, I brought you a renowned master. He can absolutely complete your qin score."

Su Jingyan clapped his hands.

Immediately afterward, a pale-faced man with long hair draped over his shoulders walked into the courtyard.

"Mo Jingyu greets Eldest Miss."

"Who is this?"

Luo Qingran looked at the newcomer. He was thin and desolate in figure, his lips tinged blue; standing there, he wordlessly revealed a somewhat sinister chill.

"Ranran, this is Master Mo, a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, and he is most skilled in musical techniques. With him here, he will definitely be able to complete your qin score. How about it? Are you satisfied with the surprise I prepared for you?"

Su Jingyan walked in with a smile. He glanced at Li Jun, who was sitting to the side, and his brows furrowed.

"Ranran, who is this?"

"This is my friend. He's helping me look over the qin score," Luo Qingran said.

"Your friend? Since when did you have a friend like this?" Su Jingyan scrutinized Li Jun, his brows knitting even more tightly. "Qi Refining third layer? Ranran, you're letting someone like this help you look over the qin score?"

Su Jingyan's face was full of doubt. He kept feeling that it was somewhat absurd.

"So what? A man cannot be judged by his looks, nor can the sea be measured with a dipper."

Luo Qingran was indifferent and did not care at all.

"Ranran! Don't be stupid! How can matters of cultivation be treated like child's play? Senior Mo is an expert in music. Trust me, he will definitely solve your problem."

Su Jingyan then pointed at Li Jun. "Besides, he's only a Qi Refining third-layer cultivator. He hasn't even figured out his own cultivation, so how does he dare come here and guide you?"

As he spoke, he walked up to Li Jun and looked down at him from above. "What's your name? You look so unfamiliar. Could you be some swindler from the outer regions?"

"Su Jingyan! This isn't your City Lord's Mansion! Be polite to my friend!"

Luo Qingran stepped in front of Li Jun, anger on her pretty face.

This young master from the City Lord's Mansion really was difficult to deal with. If not for his status, she would have long since wanted to chop this fellow up and feed him to the fish.