Studying at Moonlight Pavilion

She didn't look her age; she was very well-maintained, with gentle features, but there was a faint weariness in her eyes, the kind of weariness that comes from seeing too many people and things.

"The Crown Prince said you're an interesting person." She glanced at Ning Chengyi few times, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You're more... energetic than I expected."

Ning Chengyi caught the word "rude" in her words, but he wasn't annoyed. He just smiled and said, "I'm from the countryside, so I don't know the rules very well. Please forgive me, Master."

Tang Yuehua didn't reply immediately, but stared at him for a long while.

She had seen too many aristocratic young men from the Moonlight Pavilion, each one putting on airs, afraid of being looked down upon.

But the boy in front of her, despite his incongruously rough appearance, was quite at ease. His frankness, that "this is who I am," made her take a second look at him.

"Have a seat." She gestured to the zither table opposite her. "Can you play the zither?"

"Won't."

What have you studied?

"Kill."

Tang Yuehua paused, then looked up at him.

Ning Chengyi sat opposite the zither table, casually plucking the strings a couple of times, producing a few off-key sounds. "Just kidding. I come from a small town, and my Soul Power awakened late. In the past few years, I was too busy trying to survive to have any chance to learn these things."

When he said "survival," his tone was very indifferent, as if he weren't talking about himself.

Looking at his downcast eyes, Tang Yuehua suddenly remembered something from long ago.

Her brother looked just like that when he took her away from home; he was covered in injuries, but he kept saying he was fine.

"Then let's start with the basics." Tang Yuehua withdrew her gaze, her voice softening slightly. "Play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—choose one to learn first. We'll take the rest later."

"The zither," Ning Chengyi pointed to the zither in front of him, "This looks the most difficult, but once you learn the others, they should be easier to learn."

Tang Yuehua smiled, a rare occurrence. "You certainly know how to pick."

From that day on, Ning Chengyi stayed at the Moonlight Pavilion.

For the first three months, he struggled with the strings every day.

If your fingers are blistered, wrap them with cloth and keep practicing; if you play a wrong note, start over; if once isn't enough, try ten times, if ten times isn't enough, try a hundred times.

Sometimes Tang Yuehua would watch from the sidelines, seeing him playing with sweat pouring down his face without uttering a sound. Her initial curiosity gradually turned into something else.

She has seen too many talented children, but those who are both talented and willing to put in the hard work like crazy are rare.

Six months later, Ning Chengyi was able to play complete pieces on his zither.

Although the fingering was still a bit stiff, the energy in the music was more moving than that of the aristocratic children who had practiced piano since childhood.

Tang Yuehua started having him accompany her to some small gatherings, so he could meet people and learn how to speak and how to listen.

"Don't be too happy when someone praises you," she instructed him as they walked along the corridor. "First, think carefully about whether their praise is sincere or if they have ulterior motives."

"And what about when the Pavilion Master praised me?" Ning Chengyi turned his head to look at her.

Tang Yuehua was taken aback by his question, then quickly realized what he meant. "When did I ever praise you?"

"Just now, she said my piano playing is 'a bit better than last month.'" Ning Chengyi mimicked her tone perfectly. "Isn't that a compliment?"

Tang Yuehua raised her hand as if to hit him, Ning Chengyi smiled and dodged.

The maids around them stared in disbelief. When had their master ever laughed like that with anyone?

As time went on, the two started talking more and more.

Sometimes after practicing the piano, Ning Chengyi would linger in the practice room, chatting casually with Tang Yuehua.

He had learned the proper manners verbally, but his inherent irreverence became a source of amusement. Tang Yuehua complained that he was too talkative, but she never actually chased him away.

During one of their deeper conversations, Ning Chengyi asked her, "Why does the Pavilion Master stay at the Moonlight Pavilion?"

Tang Yuehua remained silent for a long time.

The wind was strong on the lake that night, making the windows creak.

She ultimately only said one sentence, "Because here, I don't have to think about things outside."

Ning Chengyi didn't press further, but simply nodded. "That's good. If one day I could stop thinking about the outside world, I'd like to find a place like this to stay in."

Tang Yuehua looked at him and suddenly said, "You have a lot on your mind."

"Everyone has something on their mind," Ning Chengyi smiled and changed the subject.

But after that, Tang Yuehua clearly paid more attention to him.

When teaching him something, she would explain the reasons why; when attending literary gatherings, she would make a point of bringing him along; sometimes when he practiced the piano late into the night, she would have someone bring him a bowl of hot soup, and she would sit beside him reading a book without urging him.

Ning Chengyi perfectly well what was going on.

Tang Yuehua saw something in him—perhaps her past self, or perhaps an old friend.

He didn't deliberately take advantage of this goodwill, but he didn't push it away either.

He had a lot to learn, and Tang Yuehua was willing to teach him, so he studied diligently.

Moreover, Moonlight Pavilion's cultivation resources are indeed excellent.

The spiritual herbs, Soul Bone fragments, and cultivation insights that circulate among the noble circles of Heaven Dou City can all be accessed here.

With the resources regularly delivered from Xue Qinghe, Ning Chengyi's Soul Power increased rapidly.

Two and a half years is neither a long nor a short time.

Ning Chengyi had grown taller and his physique had matured. The moon-white long robe he wore no longer gave off the comical feeling of "stealing adults' clothes" that he had in the first two years. Instead, it accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him look like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.

The immaturity on her face had mostly faded, her eyebrows and eyes had matured, and a faint smile always lingered at the corners of her mouth. She looked gentle, but upon closer inspection, one could sense that something was hidden within that smile.

The female disciples in the Moonlight Pavilion often gossiped about him behind his back.

Some say he's good-looking, some say he has a great presence, and others say his eyes are so focused when he plays the piano that they make your heart flutter.

Ning Chengyi heard it but pretended not to hear it, continuing to practice the piano and study as usual.

Tang Yuehua would sometimes tease him, "The threshold of the Moonlight Pavilion is almost worn down; everyone's come to see you."

"Then let's split the entrance fee 50/50 among ourselves," Ning Chengyi casually replied.

Tang Yuehua shook her head with a smile; she was already used to his tone.

When it comes to matters of cultivation, Ning Chengyi doesn't joke with anyone.

In two and a half years, he went from level 23 to Soul Elder.

This speed is extremely rare even in the entire Heaven Dou City.

For his Third Soul Ring, he chose a Support- type Soul Beast that was about six thousand years old.

The Phantom Spirit Fox's Soul Skill is called "Spirit Rhinoceros Illuminating Reflection," which greatly increases its own Soul Power circulation speed and perception acuity for a certain period of time, essentially giving itself a continuous buff.

This Soul Skill, combined with his first and Second Soul Skill, has significantly improved both his burst damage and sustained combat capabilities.

The graduation ceremony is scheduled for early summer.

The graduation ceremony of the Moonlight Pavilion is not something anyone can do; only disciples personally approved by the Pavilion Master are qualified.

Tang Yuehua had spoken to Ning Chengyi a month in advance, asking him to prepare a performance for the ceremony.

"What are you demonstrating? Playing the piano?"

"Whatever you like." Tang Yuehua leaned against the window, the early summer breeze ruffling her hair. "You're good at everything—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Let the visitors see what you've learned in the past two and a half years at the Moonlight Pavilion."

Ning Chengyi, then smiled, "Then I'll have to think about it carefully."

On the day of the ceremony, a pavilion was erected by the Moonlight Pavilion Lake, and most of the prominent nobles of Heaven Dou City attended.

Xue Qinghe also arrived, sitting in the front row, holding a cup of tea, looking like he was watching a good show.

Ning Chengyi was the last to appear.

He sat down at the zither table, his fingers touching the strings.

The area around the waterside pavilion fell silent, and everyone stared at him.

The first note fell.

Tang Yuehua sat in the main seat, her hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and she looked up at the young man in the center of the waterside pavilion.

She hadn't heard this piece before. But the power and artistic conception in the music were clearly something he had figured out himself.

She suddenly remembered two and a half years ago, when he first sat down at the piano and played those few out-of-tune notes.

The corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

Outside the waterside pavilion, a breeze had risen on the lake, causing the lotus flowers to sway wildly.

Ning Chengyi lowered his eyes, his fingers moving faster and faster across the strings, the music transforming from a stream into a river, and then from a river into a raging torrent.

The room fell silent.

Just then, a discordant voice came from the entrance of the waterside pavilion.

"This is the person His Crown Prince recommended? He doesn't seem like much..."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Ning Chengyi continued playing the zither, slightly raising his eyelids.

He recognized the person who came.

Or rather, everyone in Heaven Dou City knows him.