Shangguan Haiyue did not stay with Fang Ling for long. Soon, she helped the old woman back to their guest room to rest.
In the corridor, she could not help grumbling, "Granny, this man is so hard to get along with. He isn't sincere at all."
"We told him who we were, yet he kept hemming and hawing, refusing to tell us anything."
"I don't believe for a moment that he's a rogue cultivator with no one to rely on. With abilities like his, he must be the heir of some great clan or the successor of a sect."
"So secretive, as though I'd do him harm..."
The old woman said, "Since he is unwilling to be frank with us, we cannot force him."
"After all, without him, we would both have died at that strange creature's hands last night."
"If you truly are curious about his identity, miss, why not return home now and ask your family to investigate?"
"There are only a handful of major sword clans and sword cultivation sects in the Southern Dipper Domain. It would be easy to find out."
"Granny, you're deliberately trying to get me to go home, aren't you?" Shangguan Haiyue pouted.
"It took so much effort to escape. I don't want to go back so soon."
"My father keeps me on such a tight leash that I have no freedom at all. This time, I'm going to enjoy myself to the fullest."
"But the outside world truly is dangerous. Look, even in this little Southern Sun Kingdom, we nearly..." the old woman said gravely.
"Now that I am severely injured, I doubt I will recover in less than half a year."
"You have also used up the sacred decree your eldest brother gave you. If we encounter danger again, we may not have last night's luck."
"Why not let me contact your family and ask the clan head to send experts to protect you?"
Shangguan Haiyue hastily shook her head. "Don't! If you do that, I'll definitely be dragged home."
"Granny, you raised me from childhood. You understand me best, and you love me the most."
"You know how long I've yearned for freedom. Now that I've finally managed to get out..."
"Even if I die out here, I'll have no regrets!"
The old woman sighed helplessly, her heart aching for the girl before her.
She had been confined to her home since childhood, never allowed to set foot outside, and so her longing for freedom had become a deep obsession.
On this journey, the old woman could tell that the girl was happy and relaxed.
This was undoubtedly the happiest time of her life since birth. She had become far more cheerful, nothing like the dispirited girl who used to spend every day shut up at home.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
In a pavilion in the White Estate's rear garden.
Fang Ling lay in a rocking chair, breathing in the fragrance of flowers filling the garden and listening to Miss Bai Ying play the zither. He relaxed completely.
Half a month had already passed, yet Physician Dou had still not emerged from seclusion. This worried him somewhat.
After all, she had originally said seven or eight days would suffice, but it had now taken half again as long.
Most likely, something unexpected had happened, and that furnace full of fine ingredients might go to waste.
Still, he had made the choice himself. Even if the batch truly was ruined, he would only feel a little regret.
What truly troubled him was something else.
Back then, he had told Yun Shuiqing, Hu Yue, and the others to organize their forces and lead the Heavenly Net Church's followers to Dragon City to meet him.
Yet more than half a month had passed, and he had not seen a single one of them. It was too strange.
He did not think organizing their forces should take so long, and he wondered whether they had fled.
Perhaps they had all left the Southern Sun Kingdom because they did not want to remain under his control.
If that really was the case, there was nothing he could do. He certainly did not have the spare time to chase so many people down separately.
Precisely because he had been in a somewhat foul mood lately, he often came to the rear garden to listen to Bai Ying play the zither.
Although Bai Ying's cultivation was not high, only at the late stage of the Heavenly Pivot Realm.
She possessed an exceptional, heaven-bestowed talent for music.
No piece could defeat her.
Even many experts who specialized in music would struggle to master the melody she was playing now.
This calming melody truly had the power to soothe the mind.
After a long while, she finished the piece and rested her slender, jade-like hands lightly upon the strings.
Fang Ling slowly opened his eyes and murmured, "Thank you!"
Bai Ying smiled softly and replied, "It is my good fortune to play for you, Young Master Fang."
"By the way, Ying'er has learned a new piece, but it is somewhat dangerous."
"If anything goes wrong, it might injure your Divine Soul..."
"But if I play it successfully, it can nourish your Divine Soul and increase your soul power."
"Since you dare to suggest it, Miss Bai, I'm certain you're ninety-nine percent confident you won't fail." Fang Ling smiled. "Then I shall wash my ears and listen!"
"Since you are willing to try, Young Master Fang, Ying'er shall offer my humble performance!" She closed her eyes, seemingly preparing herself.
Then the sound of the zither rose, gradually forming a unique domain of sound.
The area covered by this domain was very small, encompassing only the pavilion.
But Fang Ling's eyes suddenly widened. He discovered that his soul power was soaring!
The Divine Soul was a person's most mysterious aspect, and also the most difficult to cultivate.
Anything related to the Divine Soul commanded a price but could scarcely be bought in the outside world. Such things were rarely seen.
After a long while, Bai Ying finished playing. She looked close to collapse.
Fragrant sweat drenched her body, leaving her clothes somewhat soaked.
"What piece is this? How can it possess such magic?" Fang Ling asked in wonder.
After listening to just one piece, his soul power had surged by roughly one percent.
One percent might sound small, but this was simply terrifying.
If he listened a few more times, the results would be incredible!
"This is an ancient piece called Heaven and Earth Same Lifespan."
"A few years ago, while I was out enjoying myself near the Lost Ancient Mine, I picked up a jade slip."
"That jade slip contained the zither score for Heaven and Earth Same Lifespan, along with its cultivation method."
"I devoted myself to studying it these past few years, but only recently..."
"Perhaps because I took a walk past the gates of death, my state of mind changed greatly. A few days ago, I tried playing it, and actually succeeded," Bai Ying replied.
"I'm sure you felt it too, Young Master Fang. The effects of this piece truly defy heaven. It can greatly increase soul power."
"Does your father know how remarkable you are?" Fang Ling suddenly asked.
Bai Ying said, "My father knows that I have a deep understanding of music and am highly skilled in its arts."
"But he does not yet know that I can now play an ancient piece."
"If your father knew how remarkable you were, he would certainly be delighted," Fang Ling said.
"Unfortunately, my father and eldest uncle cannot listen to Heaven and Earth Same Lifespan," Bai Ying murmured.
"Why is that?" Fang Ling asked, puzzled. "There was nothing wrong with your performance just now."
"Once you've played it a few more times and become more practiced, there will be even less chance of anything going wrong."
Bai Ying said, "It isn't that I'm worried about making a mistake. It's because Heaven and Earth Same Lifespan is not a piece just anyone can listen to."
"If someone with a relatively weak Divine Soul listens, not only will it fail to increase their soul power, it will actually injure their Divine Soul."
"The power of this piece is too great. Too much is as bad as too little, much like a frail body unable to withstand a potent tonic."
"That was the danger I mentioned before playing for you."
"But your cultivation is profound, Young Master Fang. I thought there should be no major problem, which was why I dared to try."
"I see. That is a pity, then," Fang Ling said.
Before you continue