Singing a Song to Pass the Time

Nothing changed that night, but early the next morning, Chen Chuanshan led several soldiers up the mountain.

"Young Master Gu, for the next few days, please do not leave this courtyard."

Before the courtyard gate, Chen Chuanshan's expression was solemn.

"General, has something happened?" Gu Yuanqing asked.

"This is an Imperial Decree. Nothing else may be disclosed."

Chen Chuanshan replied flatly, then turned to the two Imperial Guards who had accompanied him and said in a deep voice, "You two will guard this courtyard gate. Anyone who speaks with those inside without authorization—behead them! Anyone who leaves the courtyard without authorization—behead them!"

"Yes!"

With that, Chen Chuanshan turned and left.

Gu Yuanqing knew those words had been meant for him, but he merely smiled faintly. If he truly wished to leave, let alone these two soldiers before him, even Chen Chuanshan himself could not stop him.

By the afternoon, Gu Yuanqing finally understood why he had been confined to the courtyard. A large group of craftsmen and servants had arrived on North Spring Mountain.

After coming up the mountain, some began repairing the buildings, while others swept the roads and cleared the moss and weeds from the stone paths.

Strong laborers had also been hired at the foot of the mountain, continuously carrying up all manner of timber, polished mountain stone, bricks, and tiles. In the blink of an eye, all of North Spring Mountain had become a construction site.

The following days were much the same.

Although Gu Yuanqing never left the courtyard, he was keenly aware of the changes on the mountain.

His three daily meals were still delivered into the courtyard by servants. The soldiers outside the gate rotated in two shifts day and night, never leaving their posts.

Gu Yuanqing could not go out, but he did not find it boring. He could observe the mountains, and listening to the craftsmen's idle chatter was amusement enough.

Most of those craftsmen came from nearby counties and clearly did not know what had happened here. They only knew that the government had informed them early that morning to put aside their work and come to North Spring Mountain.

They had heard that this place was a Forbidden Ground. When they first arrived, they feared they might never return, but seeing so many people here, and realizing they were only repairing buildings, finally put them at ease.

Other than countryside gossip, what they discussed most was the Grand Princess's wedding. Clearly, the news had already spread throughout Great Gan.

Of course, what Gu Yuanqing did most these days was still the Spiritual Mountain Trial. He appeared to be lying in the courtyard beneath the sun, snoring away, but his mind had long since sunk into the trial grounds.

By now, his opponents had risen from the initial True Martial Sixth and Seventh Layers to the True Martial Eighth and Ninth Layers.

Most of these people were stewards, elders, or sect masters of the North Spring Sword Sect.

Their swordsmanship was far more seasoned. Every move and stance was wielded with consummate mastery, even reaching the realm of the miraculous, and they often drew their swords at the most unimaginable moments.

Nearly every one of them had their own unique insights into the sword. Ordinary sword moves became immeasurably more powerful in their hands, and with their varied Profound Martial Phenomena, their battles had long since departed from the original paths of swordsmanship.

Gu Yuanqing madly absorbed the insights he gained in battle. Even a sect's True Disciples could never receive such treatment.

Outside this trial, where else could he find so many True Martial experts of different high realms to fight?

His progress in the sword was advancing by leaps and bounds, while his understanding of the sword changed with every passing day. Gu Yuanqing's horizons were constantly broadening, and feeling his own improvement, he could not get enough of it!

The only thing that currently made him somewhat unhappy was that he could not truly cut loose when practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

If anyone learned of such cultivation progress, it would likely stir up trouble. For him at present, time was what mattered most. Given a little more time, even if a Grandmaster came, he would not fear them.

On the fourth day, Gu Yuanqing was invited out of the courtyard again so the craftsmen could repair the collapsed buildings within.

Soldiers separated everyone along the way, seemingly to prevent Gu Yuanqing from saying anything.

Seeing this, the craftsmen all began guessing at Gu Yuanqing's identity and whispering among themselves. A soldier coldly shouted, "North Spring Mountain is a Forbidden Ground! If you do not want to lose your heads, do not look around and do not speculate!"

The aura of a True Martial cultivator burst forth, imposing and oppressive!

The surrounding craftsmen all shuddered in fright, quickly falling silent. Some hurried away, while others lowered their heads and busied themselves with their work.

Gu Yuanqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. Was that really necessary?

Most of these craftsmen had some cultivation. Though they were at most in the Body Tempering Realm or the early Origin Scholar Realm, they worked swiftly and possessed great strength.

Timber that in his previous life would have required all kinds of tools, or several people to lift, they could carry up to the roof alone.

In just one day, the collapsed buildings and courtyard walls had been rebuilt, and Gu Yuanqing moved back in.

Nine days later, apart from those few great halls that had yet to be restored, all the residential courtyards had been completely renewed. North Spring Mountain seemed to have regained its former splendor, no longer resembling the ruins it had been before.

"This is the power of the Imperial Court. It seems the dynasties of this world have the makings of construction maniacs too."

Gu Yuanqing lay in the courtyard, somewhat amazed. Yet until now, he still did not know why they had suddenly done all this.

On the morning of the tenth day, all the craftsmen descended the mountain, and North Spring Mountain became empty once more.

After so many days of bustle, the sudden quiet left Gu Yuanqing rather unaccustomed to it.

"Honored soldiers, it seems the people on the mountain have already left. Could you let me go out for a walk?"

The two men at the courtyard gate did not even turn their heads. Their eyes watched their noses, their noses watched their hearts, and they stood there without moving.

"If you do not answer, I'll take that as agreement."

With that, Gu Yuanqing stepped toward the courtyard gate.

Clang!

The two men drew the long blades at their waists and turned around at the same time, their gazes icy, as though saying that if he took even half another step forward, they would act.

Gu Yuanqing raised an eyebrow, but after thinking it over, he withdrew his foot. He returned to the courtyard, carrying a tea table in one hand and a chair in the other, then set them down before the gate.

He then brought over a pot of tea and some teacups, took out the dried fruits he had saved from before, placed them on the table, and sat boldly at the courtyard gate. "Since I can't go out, it's fine if I sit here at the gate and enjoy the scenery, right? I've been stuck in this courtyard for more than ten days. I'm sick of looking at everything in it."

The two men outside remained silent. So long as he did not violate military orders, they naturally would not interfere. They simply stood quietly, circulating their cultivation arts to refine their Vital Energy.

But they had clearly underestimated Gu Yuanqing's enthusiasm.

"Hey, honored soldiers, North Spring Mountain has been left barren like this for decades. Why the sudden large-scale construction?"

Clearly, no one would answer him.

Gu Yuanqing took a sip of tea. "Did something major happen?"

Still no answer.

He popped a dried fruit into his mouth. "Or is someone important coming?"

The courtyard was quiet, save for the sound of him eating.

"Can't talk about that? Then let's talk about something else. Have you two been to the Yihong Courtesan House in the Capital City? I heard their top courtesan is called White Peony. Is she still there?"

"I really want to drink the Jade Nectar Brew from Drunken Immortal Tower, and those eight signature dishes too. I haven't had them in over a year, especially that Honey Glazed Roast Duck. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."

"There's a little tune in Western Jin Circuit called Peach Blossom Smile. It's really lovely. How about I sing it for you two? Hmm, the moon blooms in my hand, my heart smiles, the clouds are... Forget it, I can't sing it with that flavor. How about I sing you another song instead?"

"Ahem, ahem!" Gu Yuanqing cleared his throat. "A cup of parting sorrow, standing lonely by the window. Behind the door, I pretend that you have not yet gone. The old place..."

He sang with great feeling, but he clearly had no sense of his own singing ability. A song that should have sounded beautiful came out like ghosts wailing and wolves howling.

To people in this other world, who had never heard anything like such songs, it felt as though blades were carving through their bodies, pain sinking into their bones; like a swarm of ants crawling over the tips of their hearts, making their entire bodies unbearably uncomfortable.

The two soldiers clenched their fists, their faces turning livid!