On Zhiyun Mountain, within Fairy Qiongyin's cultivation grounds, notes from a zither rang through the clouds.
Since Fairy Qiongyin played a piece every so often, both the immortals and the spirit beasts on Zhiyun Mountain had grown accustomed to the intermittent music.
Today's music, however, was clearly different from usual.
The notes were forceful and resounding, threaded with sounds of slaughter that left the maids on Zhiyun Mountain uneasy.
"What's wrong with the young lady today?
If I hadn't seen her playing the zither this morning, I'd have thought Daoist Tianlu was hacking at its strings with that killing sword of his!"
"Shh, watch what you say today. If the young lady's in a bad mood, she might take it out on you!"
The female immortal who had spoken earlier paused slightly. "Why? What happened?"
"I heard that someone from the Immortal Music Pavilion delivered an invitation this morning!"
"The Immortal Music Pavilion? They've got some nerve! How dare they come here to provoke her?
No wonder the young lady's angry."
"The young lady isn't actually angry because of the Immortal Music Pavilion."
"Then why?"
"Because the Immortal Music Pavilion has a new pavilion master."
"What's wrong with having a new pavilion master?"
"There's nothing wrong with that in itself. The point is that this pavilion master is called Xu Changxing!"
"What!?"
Just as the maids were whispering among themselves, the zither music on Zhiyun Mountain suddenly vanished without a trace.
The maids, who had been thoroughly engrossed in their conversation, shuddered at the sudden silence and stopped talking.
They first exchanged startled glances, then cautiously looked toward the depths of the valley.
To their slight relief, Fairy Qiongyin did not seem about to fly into a rage.
Fairy Qiongyin paid no attention to the apprehensive maids.
At that moment,