A Reputation Without Substance

Upon hearing Ye Xuan's words, the ministers all withdrew.

However, the way people looked at Bo Yikao was not very friendly.

This damned guy brought such a ferocious beast, almost causing a disaster. It's very likely that this guy was behind it.

Ye Xuan had no intention of punishing him; instead, he took the White-Faced Ape in his hand and walked to the side.

This White-Faced Ape was originally a powerful being at the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, but now it is seriously injured, most likely due to damage to its soul.

Ye Xuan's unparalleled divine sense power surged directly into the White-Faced Ape's divine sense.

The sea of consciousness was empty, with only the consciousness of the White-Faced Ape standing there.

However, his body was bound by many incredibly complex golden chains, which tightly bound him inside. His expression was listless, clearly indicating that he had reached a dead end.

Before they had even exchanged a word, Ye Xuan's incredibly powerful divine sense had already detected many secrets.

This White-Faced Ape is actually intricately related to the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey.

These two divine monkeys were lovers in ancient times, but later they encountered enemies.

Later, the two were ambushed and the White-Faced Divine Monkey was captured. The Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey couldn't find his lover, so he flew into a rage near the Huai River.

This caused rivers to overflow, resulting in the tragic deaths of countless lives.

This eventually attracted the attention of Yu the Great, the leader of the Human Clan. Yu the Great, together with many powerful figures, sealed the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey in the Huai River and then threw it into the Northern Darkness.

Seeing the White-Faced Ape whose divinity was mostly suppressed, Ye Xuan was naturally quite pleased.

Not only did he add a member to his Twelve Zodiac Animals, but he also found a wife, Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey —a delightful surprise.

Guided by Ye Xuan, everyone returned to the main hall and found their respective places.

"Since Bo Yikao come to present gifts, let's not discuss state affairs today. Let's all drink and make merry here."

Wushuang immediately waved his hand.

Ten Dragon Clan women, accompanied by numerous maids, prepared countless meals and fine wines.

Each minister had an enormous table beside him, which was piled high with all sorts of delicious food.

The ministers, of course, made no attempt to be polite and took their seats.

After all, this wasn't my first time eating, drinking, and having fun here; in fact, I'd say I was quite familiar with it.

Although His Human Emperor deeply abhors corruption, bribery, and other illegal activities.

However, he is extremely generous and often gathers with others, and such behavior is clearly not uncommon.

The ministers have naturally figured out His Human Emperor's temperament. It can be said that as long as they follow His Human Emperor and do their jobs well, they will naturally reap countless benefits.

The atmosphere gradually became more lively, with mountains of food and flowing wine. As everyone toasted and drank, the atmosphere became increasingly festive.

"I've heard that the eldest son of the Marquis of the West has always been renowned for his virtue, excelling in both literature and martial arts, and is also well-versed in music. Why don't you play a tune for the people of Chaoge to hear the heavenly music? What do you say?"

Bo Yikao was already somewhat drunk, and hearing Ye Xuan's compliment, he was naturally a little pleased.

But knowing where he was, he quickly declined.

"Your Human Emperor, you are too kind. I am merely a man with a slight talent for music; how could I dare to make a fool of myself in the sacred land of Chaoge? I am utterly ashamed!"

"Young Master of Xiqi, please don't stand on ceremony. It would be a waste not to play a tune on such a fine day."

"Besides, Daji is here too. It would be perfect to let Daji hear your skill in playing the zither. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Your Human Emperor, my elderly father is still imprisoned in Youli City. In his distress, the music he plays would likely be chaotic noise. Wouldn't that be disrespectful? Therefore, I dare not play it casually."

That statement does make some sense.

Seeing this guy's boastful talk, Ye Xuan couldn't help but sneer. "I asked you to play the zither, and you're still trying to negotiate? You're practically Primordial World version of Yue Buqun."

"The Marquis of the West living well in Youli City, eating, drinking, and dressing well, so the eldest son need not worry too much."

"If you can truly play a masterpiece here, then I will send you to Youli City to meet your father, to fulfill your filial duty. What do you say?"

"If your playing is mediocre and you're merely a fame-seeker, then I'll have to arrest you and charge you with deceiving the emperor. What do you say?"

Upon hearing Ye Xuan's words, a chilling glint appeared in Bo Yikao's eyes.

Today he finally understood: this tyrannical ruler was looking for an opportunity to deal with him.

Since that's the case, why not play a tune?

He was clearly extremely confident in his musical talent; apart from Su Daji, he was confident that no one in the entire Primordial World could surpass him.

Although Chaoge is a sacred place for the Human Clan, it doesn't actually have any great masters of the zither.

Thinking of this, Bo Yikao took a deep breath.

"Since that's the case, then I'll play a tune. However, my playing is poor, and I fear it might offend Your Majesty's ears. I beg Your Majesty to spare my life—"

After rambling on for a while, Bo Yikao took a deep breath, pushed aside the table beside him, and a maidservant brought in a guqin.

He took a deep breath, and sure enough, there was melodious music. Beautiful and pleasant music poured out from his fingertips, and everyone who listened to it felt a sense of exhilaration and intoxication.

The melody, when listened to, gives people a comfortable, peaceful, and gentle feeling; some even feel a lazy, languid vibe when they play it.

Even many ministers in Chaoge had to admit that Bo Yikao's qin skills were truly admirable.

Bo Yikao sat there quietly playing the zither, but his gaze wandered around. When he saw the ministers offering their advice, a hint of smugness appeared in his heart. He liked the way the people of Chaoge were so naive and unsophisticated.

Although these people were ministers of Chaoge, they were not as knowledgeable as he was from a remote place, and he couldn't help but feel a little contempt for Chaoge.

The melodious music continued, its lingering notes echoing for days before finally coming to an end.

Upon hearing this piece, all the ministers stared at him in astonishment. Indeed, he possessed considerable skill; with just this one melody, he could be unparalleled in the world.

After finishing his performance, Bo Yikao turned around and looked at the Human Emperor, who in turn looked at Su Daji beside the Human Emperor.

He stared at her intently for a moment, then spoke.

"Your Human Emperor, how was my performance of this zither piece?"

Upon hearing this guy's question, Ye Xuan revealed a smile.

"This piece of music is rather ordinary..."

"To say it's pleasing to the ear is barely acceptable, but to say it's truly mastered is a world of difference."

"The eldest son of Xiqi is not as good as he sounds; he has only an empty reputation."