Competing on the Same Stage

Li Jun's brows creased slightly. In his heart, he only wanted to curse.

He had more or less figured it out. This Su Jingyan clearly had feelings for Luo Qingran.

It was just that the falling flower yearned, while the flowing water had no love.

If it were under other circumstances, the moment he ran into someone like this, he would have hidden far away, unwilling to get too entangled with a man whose lust had gone straight to his head.

But this time, he had a reason he had no choice but to insist.

The Black Rock Mine was about to be opened for excavation, and he needed the Myriad Treasures Pavilion's talismans to ensure his own safety.

He had no reason to refuse the promise Luo Qingran had given.

Besides, he also wanted to build a good relationship with Luo Qingran.

After all, as the eldest young lady of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, her status was exalted.

In the future, once he mastered alchemy and needed to exchange pills for other cultivation resources, a good relationship with Luo Qingran would become the best possible aid.

Therefore, no matter how he looked at it, he had to complete this zither score, and he had to do it well.

Behind them, Mo Jingyu saw the situation and also walked forward with a smile, cupping his hands. "Eldest Young Lady, Young Master Su has been widely inviting zither experts these past few days. He truly has spared no effort for your matter."

"In my opinion, could you allow this little brother and me to complete the zither score for Eldest Young Lady together? That way, Young Master Su's kind intentions would not be wasted."

Su Jingyan's brows lifted frivolously, and he was somewhat displeased. "Senior Mo, what kind of status do you have? How could you lower yourself to discuss skill on the same stage as some nameless brat like this?"

Mo Jingyu waved his hand. "Young Master, the most important reason we came here was to help Eldest Young Lady ease her worries, was it not?"

Su Jingyan wanted to say something, but when he saw Luo Qingran's expression growing worse and worse at the side, he hurriedly shut his mouth.

"All right, Ranran, don't be angry. I'm only trying to help you. You must already know what happened yesterday. Drunken Immortal Pavilion was uprooted entirely by someone. I'm worried you might be bewitched by forces from outside the region."

Luo Qingran frowned. Did she look like someone who was that easy to bewitch?

"Forget it. No matter what, since you thought of my matter, I must thank you. Then I will have to trouble Senior Mo to look over the zither score for me. If it can be completed, Qingran will certainly offer a generous thanks."

Luo Qingran dipped slightly in greeting.

Although she did not like Su Jingyan, at the end of the day, he was still from the City Lord's Mansion.

Though the Myriad Treasures Pavilion did not fear the City Lord's Mansion, they still had to give the Fire Kingdom's imperial clan some face.

"It's a small matter, a small matter. Ranran, don't worry. I will definitely help you resolve the issue with the zither score. Moreover, I've already sent people to search for other music-arts spells. Even if it can't be completed this time, I can still find you a substitute in the future."

Seeing Luo Qingran agree, Su Jingyan was in a good mood.

He glanced at Li Jun and said sternly, "I don't care who you are. You must complete the zither score seriously. Otherwise, I absolutely will not let you off lightly."

Li Jun cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing. "This Li will naturally do everything in his power."

Su Jingyan snorted, then walked to the side.

The servants in the courtyard hurriedly brought over a chair. He sat down directly, crossing one leg over the other.

"You don't need to be nervous. Just do your best. This zither score was already mutilated beyond recognition. Even if it can't be completed in the end, that only means it was never fated to be mine."

Luo Qingran looked at Li Jun, signaling that he should not put too much pressure on himself.

"Thank you, Eldest Young Lady. I will definitely do my best." Li Jun nodded politely.

"Have Elder Hai come over. He is learned and experienced; perhaps he can offer us some suggestions."

Luo Qingran had a servant go invite Hai Qingdong.

Before long, an old man dressed in a green robe walked into the courtyard with a smile.

"It's truly lively today. This Hai greets the young mansion lord and Master Mo."

Hai Qingdong greeted them one by one, appearing very amiable.

"Elder Hai, you are too courteous. My father recently obtained a batch of fine tea and specifically instructed me that, when there is time, I must invite Elder Hai to visit our mansion as a guest."

Su Jingyan rose and returned the greeting.

Although he was the young mansion lord, the Hai Qingdong before him had cultivation at the great perfection of Foundation Establishment, and in Fire Cloud City, he was also a person of status and reputation.

"Many thanks to the mansion lord. Another day, this Hai will certainly come to your door in person to offer thanks," Hai Qingdong said with a smile.

At the other side, Mo Jingyu also cupped his fist. "I have long heard of Senior's great name. To meet you today is this Mo's honor."

Hai Qingdong waved his hand. After a round of pleasantries, he came to Luo Qingran's side.

"Teacher, I'll have to trouble you today."

"Sigh, is it still for that incomplete zither score?"

Luo Qingran nodded.

Hai Qingdong sighed. This disciple of his truly was terribly stubborn.

"Very well. The two of you, just do your best. If there is any need, you may instruct this old man at any time."

After Hai Qingdong arrived, Li Jun and Mo Jingyu each picked up that single page of zither score and began trying to complete it.

Mo Jingyu looked at the zither score, and a gleam flashed in both his eyes.

A fine score!

At first, when Su Jingyan told him he wanted him to complete an extraordinary qin score, he had not quite believed it.

Now that he looked at it, though the score was only a fragment, anyone who understood music could sense how remarkable it was.

This was an extraordinary musical spell art!

He rested his hand on the strings and plucked them lightly, trying to perfect the piece based on what he had learned.

Listening to Mo Jingyu's qin music, everyone present nodded silently.

As expected of an expert versed in music—his qin skill was truly extraordinary.

Afterward, everyone looked toward Li Jun, and their expressions immediately grew somewhat strange.

They saw that Li Jun was currently reading the qin score while plucking at the strings.

Playing the qin was, naturally, something he did not know how to do.

As a result, the sound coming from Li Jun was like a crow's cawing, making everyone uncomfortable from head to toe.

"Cough, cough!"

Su Jingyan, who was sipping tea, could not help choking. The sound coming from Li Jun nearly drove him mad.

If Hai Qingdong had not been here, he would have made him stop no matter what.

How did this look anything like someone who understood music and could complete a qin score?

Hai Qingdong also frowned. He glanced at Luo Qingran and found that she, however, looked perfectly calm.

"Girl, who is that boy?"

"Master, he... forget it. Just take him as a friend of mine."

Luo Qingran thought it over and realized it was very hard to explain Li Jun's origins.

She could hardly say he was a friend she had met in the red-light district, could she?

"A friend? I see he is only at the third level of Qi Refining, and from the look of him, he doesn't seem to understand music either. He couldn't be some wandering swindler, could he?"

Hai Qingdong said worriedly.

"Teacher, sense him more carefully. Is he really at the third level of Qi Refining?" Luo Qingran did not answer directly, and instead asked about his cultivation.

"That's right, he is indeed at the third level of Qi Refining. Is there a problem?"

Luo Qingran nodded. "Teacher, let's keep watching for now. What if he succeeds?"

She looked at Li Jun, somewhat shocked in her heart.

Li Jun's cultivation—she had clearly sensed it that night as the Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

And yet, after he had cultivated that technique for hiding his aura, even her teacher, who had reached great perfection in Foundation Establishment, actually could not see through it.

She also thought of his reaction that night, and the strange movement technique he had displayed.

No matter how one looked at it, none of this resembled an ordinary cultivator, yet his realm just happened to be very low.

He truly was a strange person.

In the middle of the hall, Li Jun's expression was focused.

Under his ceaseless groping attempts, the [Entry] indeed appeared.

[Hidden apertures blocked, meridians in disorder]

This was the reminder the entry gave him.

And he was following the [Entry]'s prompt, trying to find the key hidden apertures.

"Good thing I mastered the Star-Shattering Finger and am fairly familiar with the hidden apertures in both hands. Otherwise, trying to find them in a short time probably wouldn't be simple."

Li Jun took a deep breath, constantly trying to guide spiritual power into those hidden apertures while continuously altering the paths of his meridians, attempting to break through the impasse.

They rested when the sun set.

Su Jingyan yawned, somewhat unable to sit still any longer.

Completing a qin score had actually taken an entire day. It truly left him irritable.

"Eldest Miss, I have not failed my mission. I have completed the continuation."

Mo Jingyu let out a long breath and stood upright.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Continuing the qin score had practically drained all his mental strength.

"This score was truly difficult. It actually took me a whole day. As for that boy, I'm afraid he must have given up by now, no?"

The corners of Mo Jingyu's mouth lifted. He turned his head to look, only to discover that the other man had also stood up.

"Eldest Miss Luo, I have also finished continuing the qin score."

Li Jun rose, holding the qin score in both hands, and bowed slightly.