Book 3: Chapter 20: Miserable World

“Huh?”

Countless cultivators looked up.

They saw dark clouds suddenly covering the sky above the World’s Best Zither Pavilion. Then, the dark clouds slowly took the shape of a seven-string guqin.

“This is?” Lu An exclaimed while raising his eyebrows.

“This is manifesting ‘a heavenly zither. Has Fairy Waner’s music Dao already reached such a level?” Jiang Tianyi revealed an expression of shock.

“A heavenly zither? The moment the heavenly zither appears, it will infinitely magnify Fairy Waner’s artistic conception to cover the entire city?” Lu An’s eyes lit up.

“Those who can manifest a heavenly zither are not to be trifled with. This Fairy Waner has gone beyond my expectations,” Jiang Tianyi said with a complicated expression.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding… Fairy Waner ferociously strummed her guqin.

A sharp zither sound immediately rang out. Then, the heavenly-zither-shaped dark clouds in the sky started vibrating in concert with Fairy Waner’s guqin. The intense sounds spread out, reaching farther than Gu Hai’s sound amplification ritual array, covering the entire Silver Moon City.

“Huh?” Countless cultivators appeared confused as they looked at the sky.

“Today, the World’s Best Zither Pavilion has invited me to offer one of my compositions to all the master zitherists of Silver Moon City, ‘Miserable World Fairy Waner said.

The heavenly zither imitated Fairy Waner’s voice, spreading her message to the entire Silver Moon City.

“Who did the World’s Best Zither Pavilion hire this time? Is this a manifestation of zither music?”

“The heavenly zither?! This is the heavenly zither? Who did the World’s Best Zither Pavilion hire this time?”

“The heavenly zither appears, filling the world with sound. ‘Miserable World What piece is that?”

Countless cultivators curiously raised their heads and looked at the sky.

——

In the Silver Moon Mountain Manor:

The expressions of Yun Mo and the other disciples changed as they looked at the sky. Not just anyone could manifest a heavenly zither. That required a certain level of strength in the music Dao. Who was this person?

Everyone looked at the sky. Then, they looked at the nearby manor lord.

The manor lord continued wiping his guqin as though he heard nothing.

——

In a small courtyard not far from the World’s Best Zither Pavilion:

Sima Changkong, the first man to preorder a piano not long ago, also gently wiped his guqin while a group of his subordinates stood behind him.

“Milord, this is how This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion operates. There are no changes for now,” one of the subordinates reported extremely respectfully.

As Sima Changkong wiped his guqin, he narrowed his eyes and said, “This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion? Haha! Piano? Piano? So, that was all just to create momentum. This Gu Hai is impressive. I sent you to investigate Gu Hai. Have you found anything yet?”

“I managed to get some information but not much. This person is Elite Hall’s Water Division Master. I only heard that Li Haoran and Ding Rui died because of him. However, there isn’t much else. He seems to be from the Thousand Islands Sea,” that subordinate reported respectfully.

“Li Haoran? Ha? No wonder his Holy Eminence allowed Li Shenji to resume command of the Divine Strategy Battalion. It turns out that it is because of Gu Hai,” Sima Changkong said with a frown.

“Yes!”

“Immediately send people to the Thousand Islands Sea to investigate Gu Hai!” Sima Changkong said solemnly.

“Yes!”

After giving instructions to his subordinates, Sima Changkong put down his guqin and picked up a stack of paper on the table. The preorder contract for the piano was among the papers. There was also a portion detailing This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion’s mode of operation.

“What a genius!” Sima Changkong’s eyes lit up as he looked at this information.

Ding! Ding! Ding… 

Suddenly, the sound of Fairy Waner’s heavenly zither rang out along with her words.

“Oh? The World’s Best Zither Pavilion? Did they invite this demon woman to play the zither? ‘Miserable World Sima Changkong appeared somewhat shocked.

Soon, Sima Changkong revealed a complicated smile and said, “The World’s Best Zither Pavilion is really asking for death. They could seek out other people to try and suppress Gu Hai’s piano. However, they turned to this demonic woman of all people. They are truly seeking their end. Once this demonic woman’s ‘Miserable World’ is complete, your World’s Best Zither Pavilion will collapse as well. If one does not seek trouble, one won’t die.”

——

Naturally, Fairy Waner’s voice reached This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion.

Countless customers in the large zither pavilion appeared surprised. This is Fairy Waner’s voice? Many people walked out, feeling curious.

At Gu Hai’s location in the zither pavilion:

Mu Chenfeng rushed in somewhat anxiously.

“Hall Master, Division Master Gu, the World’s Best Zither Pavilion hired someone to fight back again. This time, it is Fairy Waner!” Mu Chenfeng said worriedly.

“We know already.” Gu Hai nodded.

Long Wanqing also showed a complicated expression as she said, “No one knows where this Fairy Waner came from, but she seems to be from the Divine Continent’s south. She has sought out countless people to compete in the music Dao everywhere she went. I heard that she even competed against Duke Lu Yang. However, I do not know the results. Anyhow, as she traveled and defeated countless music Dao masters, her fame grew.”

While Long Wanqing described what she knew, the zither music from the other side already started ringing out.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding… 

The guqin strings vibrated as the heavenly zither spread the zither music all over the city.

Buzz!

The world instantly turned dark.

“What?” Mu Chenfeng’s expression changed.

It was not just Mu Chenfeng. The expressions of nearly all the cultivators in Silver Moon City changed since it was still noon, yet the sky had darkened as the zither music rang out.

This is not right. There are no dark clouds in the sky. The sun is still shining; why is the sky dark?

“Let’s go to the deck and see!” Long Wanqing said anxiously.

Mu Chenfeng rushed out first, followed by Gu Hai.

Right now, the entire Silver Moon City was abuzz.

The sky turned dark and is becoming darker?

Gu Hai’s group stood on the deck and looked at the other side. Indeed, Fairy Waner was quickly playing the zither. The zither music spread out, and the heavenly zither in the sky broadcast the artistic conception in all directions.

Clouds and fog surrounded Fairy Waner, making her appear indistinct.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding… 

As the zither music rang out, the sky blackened.

“What’s going on? The sun is still in the sky, right?” Long Wanqing exclaimed in bewilderment.

Mu Chenfeng extended his hand, and a fireball appeared in his palm. However, this fireball appeared extremely dim.

“That’s not right. The sky did not turn dark. Instead…instead, we have been drawn into Fairy Waner’s zither music’s artistic conception,” Mu Chenfeng said with wide eyes. 

“Artistic conception? However, we are still awake!” Gu Hai protested in confusion.

“This is a merger of artistic conception and reality. Fairy Waner’s music Dao is too terrifying. She managed to bring her artistic conception into reality,” Mu Chenfeng said with an unsightly expression.

“So what?” Gu Hai prompted, still confused.

Mu Chenfeng smiled bitterly. “So what? The artistic conception you are sensing is no longer just an illusion but reality. Take us, for example; it is not that the sky is turning dark. Instead…”

“Instead what?” Long Wanqing asked.

“Instead, our vision is deteriorating,” Mu Chenfeng said as cold sweat dotted his forehead.

“Our vision is deteriorating?” Long Wanqing’s expression changed.

“This is the destruction of one’s senses! ‘Miserable World A miserable world? Destroying the senses?” Mu Chenfeng looked at the other side in horror.

“Stop! Stop playing! Stop playing!” Some cultivators immediately rushed over to the World’s Best Zither Pavilion.

Buzz!

Fairy Waner seemed to fade into the fog, disappearing from sight.

The cultivators who rushed into World’s Best Zither Pavilion could not find her.

“Where is she? Where is she?” the cultivators roared anxiously.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding… 

The heavenly zither continued playing in the sky.

Countless cultivators showed horrified expressions.

“Escape out of the city. Quickly flee! Hurry!”

“You can’t flee. Once you hear the heavenly zither, you cannot break off the connection. It will follow you. It will keep following you unless you break the artistic conception. Otherwise, it will follow you forever!”

“What should we do? What should we do?! My vision is growing darker. Am I going to be blind? I’m going to be blind?”

Countless cultivators shouted in horror.

“The World’s Best Zither Pavilion! That’s right. This is the master zitherist that World’s Best Zither Pavilion hired. Find the World’s Best Zither Pavilion’s people!”

“Manager Jiang! Manager Jiang! Quickly stop the music! Quickly stop it!”

“World’s Best Zither Pavilion! Are you trying to kill us?!”

“My eyes! My vision is growing increasingly blurrier. I will be blind soon! What should I do? What should I do?!”

Countless shouts rang out outside the World’s Best Zither Pavilion.

——

At Jiang Tianyi and Lu An’s location:

The expressions of Jiang Tianyi and Lu An changed.

“Oh no! Oh no! Young Master An, we cannot let this continue. Hurry! Quickly stop Fairy Waner. If everyone gets angry, it will be over for our World’s Best Zither Pavilion!” Jiang Tianyi said anxiously.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to give everyone in the city a deep, lasting impression? Waner will undo the artistic conception in the end.” Lu An shook his head.

“However, what if it can’t be undone? If it can’t, this artistic conception will follow one forever. One would be blind forever. What could be more miserable than that?” Jiang Tianyi protested anxiously.

“Her piece is called ‘Miserable World. This should just be the beginning,” Lu An said with a frown.

Countless cultivators in the city felt their vision deteriorating. As they listened to the zither music, they revealed horror, shock, and rage.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Countless master zitherists started playing, trying to use their music Dao artistic conception to resist that of “Miserable World.” However, it was useless. The artistic conception of “Miserable World” was too ferocious; there was no way to block it.

As Mu Chenfeng and Long Wanqing’s vision deteriorated, the sky grew darker to them.

“Gu Hai, hurry up and play! Play the piano and resist the artistic conception of ‘Miserable World. Otherwise, we will all be blind!” Long Wanqing urged anxiously.

Gu Hai revealed a bitter smile as he said, “My playing has no artistic conception.”

“How can there be no artistic conception? Didn’t you compose the Canon? Division Master Gu, quickly make your move. I now believe that you are a master zitherist. Quickly resist this ‘Miserable World. Otherwise, we will all be in a miserable state!” Mu Chenfeng looked at Gu Hai anxiously.

“However, I really am not a master zitherist. I only know how to play but do not have any artistic conception. How am I to resist this?” Gu Hai said bitterly.

“Ah? That’s…that’s impossible! How can it be like this? Are we all going to go blind?” Mu Chenfeng said anxiously. 

“My nose! I feel my sense of smell deteriorating? It is slowly deteriorating?!”

“My eyes! My vision is blurry! I’ll be blind soon!”

“My voice! Ah! Ah! What’s wrong? What’s happening?! Ah! Ah! My voice is becoming softer. Am I turning mute?”

“My ears hurt! My hearing! The sounds are starting to become indistinct?”

“The five senses? The ‘miserable world’ refers to the destruction of the five senses? No! No!”

Miserable cries rang out in Silver Moon City.

As Fairy Waner played “Miserable World,” Silver Moon City turned into a miserable world.

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