Book 3: Chapter 22: Sonata Pathétique

“Oh?”

The manor lord’s expression changed as he put down his hand, which was about to play the guqin. Then, he listened out of curiosity.

Another piano piece? Not the Canon?

There is only one piano in Silver Moon City, and only one person knows how to play it. Gu Hai?

Is Gu Hai making a counterattack with the piano?

The manor lord listened with interest.

——

Indeed, it was Gu Hai playing the piano. He had even activated the sound amplification ritual array.

Gu Hai did not want to play a piece with no artistic conception. However, now that Long Wanqing’s five senses were deteriorating quickly, he could not just do nothing. Furthermore, his subordinates were all incredibly horrified as their five senses vanished. Were they all to be crippled?

Whether it would be effective or not, Gu Hai decided to give it a try.

After thinking for a while, Gu Hai slowly placed his fingers on the piano and started playing.

Dang! Dang dang! Dang dang! Dang dang dang dang!

When Gu Hai’s music rang out, the horrified cultivators in the surroundings suddenly quieted.

“Is Mister Gu playing the piano? Mister Gu is making a move!”

“Master Gu! Hurry! Break ‘Miserable World, break the ‘Miserable World

“Master Gu, save me! I don’t want to be deaf! I still want to play zithers. I don’t want to be deaf!”

Countless cultivators immediately cried out anxiously.

——

“Oh?” Fairy Waner, on the other side, suddenly raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Hai.

However, when the piano piece rang out, there was no artistic conception at all.

“No matter how excellent your piece is, how are you going to fight me without an artistic conception? Haha! You are not qualified to be my opponent. Manor Lord, are you still not going to make a move?” Fairy Waner narrowed her eyes as she continued playing “Miserable World.”

“Why? Why is it useless?! Master Gu’s piece has no artistic conception. I am completely blind now! What should I do? What should I do?!” countless cultivators shouted in despair.

——

In a nearby courtyard:

Sima Changkong gently plucked his guqin, blocking the intrusion of the artistic conception of “Miserable World.”

He raised his eyebrows and said, “The manor lord is still not going to make a move? Ah!”

Suddenly, the sound of a piano rang out.

“Oh? Gu Hai? Another new piece? It’s not the Canon? It’s so passionate? However, passion is pointless. Your piece has no artistic conception. A zither piece can have boundless power only when a master zitherist infuses an artistic conception. So what if it is passionate?” Sima Changkong frowned.

Sima Changkong shook his head, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes. However, he suddenly felt stunned in the next moment.

“This…Gu Hai’s piano piece? It can’t be. Is he composing on the spot? Composing a piece corresponding to this ‘Miserable World That can’t be!” Sima Changkong immediately revealed shock. 

——

The piano rang out continuously. However, there was no artistic conception. This left countless cultivators with boundless despair. Their vision eventually disappeared completely. Their ears were almost completely deaf.

I am a master zitherist!

Why does Master Gu not have an artistic conception when he plays? Why isn’t there one?!

What a passionate piece! However, what is the point if it does not have an artistic conception? Dark clouds suppressing the city, a miserable world! What should we do about this? countless cultivators thought in their hearts.

——

Silver Moon Mountain Manor:

Yun Mo led the Silver Moon Mountain Manor disciples in playing zithers. Everyone felt anxious.

“We are on our last legs. Manor Lord! Manor Lord, please make a move. My ears! My hearing is starting to deteriorate. Manor Lord, if I turn deaf, how am I to cultivate my music Dao?” Yun Mo said anxiously.

“Manor Lord, save me!”

“Manor Lord, the artistic conception of ‘Miserable World’ continues to intensify. What am I to do?!”

The Silver Moon Mountain Manor disciples felt extremely anxious.

“Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Excellent piece! A warrior that never bows to fate. Even though he went deaf, he would fight to the end!” The manor lord suddenly started laughing.

“Ah?” The Silver Moon Mountain Manor disciples showed confused expressions.

“The first rendition is over? Gu Hai? Oh, Gu Hai. You actually composed a piece on the spot to counter ‘Miserable World Haha! How incredible! How incredible! You all listen as well!” the manor lord said with a smile.

As the manor lord spoke, he extended his hand and strummed gently.

Buzz!

Space trembled slightly.

Gu Hai’s piano piece was instantly amplified further, spreading to the entire city.

Gu Hai did not notice. However, his piano’s sound suddenly rang out in the entire city.

“Huh?” Fairy Waner’s expression changed, looking at Gu Hai in shock.

Although Gu Hai did not notice it, it did not mean that Fairy Waner did not. Given her strength as a master zitherist, her sensitivity to music reached a horrifying level. When she heard the piano amplified ten times, she knew that it was not due to a sound amplification ritual array but the result of the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s manor lord.

“The manor lord? Humph! Do you think that Gu Hai’s piano piece can break my ‘Miserable World What a joke!” Fairy Waner revealed some disdain.

Without an artistic conception, it would be pointless, no matter how excellent a piece was.

——

In the Silver Moon Mountain Manor, the disciples looked at the manor lord in confusion.

“What? Why is the manor lord not making a move?”

“I’m about to go deaf!”

“This is Gu Hai’s piano piece? It is useless. There is no artistic conception; what is the point?”

Everyone felt very anxious. However, Yun Mo’s expression changed slightly. He suddenly stopped playing his guqin, remaining silent for a while.

Gu Hai’s piece was not long. After just listening once, Yun Mo had memorized it. Soon, he started following Gu Hai’s lead, playing Gu Hai’s piano piece as well.

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding…

Yun Mo did not do as the manor lord had done previously, mimicking the sound of a piano. Instead, he played this piece using the guqin. The moment he started playing, his expression changed.

“What a strong fighting spirit!” Yun Mo exclaimed.

After the first rendition, Yun Mo started playing a second rendition.

During the second rendition, Yun Mo slowly closed his eyes, imagining the artistic conception behind this piece.

——

Yun Mo saw a spirited pianist within the piece, a master pianist. This master pianist continuously worked on composing pieces. However, the master pianist started to go deaf, losing his hearing over time. Horror filled the master pianist.

The master pianist described his current emotions amid his pain. “Pain is already knocking at the door. After it arrived, it never left. Deafness has already become my torture. I have led a miserable life. I have been avoiding social interactions, as I can no longer speak to them; I’m deaf. If I were in another occupation, this might still be fine. However, I am a pianist. This is the most terrifying calamity. What will my enemies say? I have a considerable number of them. When others speak gently to me, it sounds blurry. When others shout at me, I can only endure in pain. I frequently curse my life. My teacher taught me to lie low. Lying low is a very pitiful refuge. I will fight this fate. I am not reconciled! I refuse to submit! I am not satisfied with this!”

A stubbornness that resisted fate. As this piece rang out, it presented the heroism of the master pianist, displaying a fighting spirit undaunted by fate.

Despite boundless torture and the pain in the master pianist’s heart, the music contained a forbearance towards misfortune, a challenge to and defiance of fate, a transcendence of reality, a determination to struggle towards one’s ideals!

——

Yun Mo seemed to see a strong warrior that transcended reality, struggling free of mundane pain. He was a victor in spirit, a victor who did not fear fate and resisted it.

Yun Mo played this piece over and over again, as though he was venting the fear in his heart, drumming up the courage and fighting spirit to resist this “Miserable World,” defying this torturous fate.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a strong aura of fighting spirit formed around Yun Mo, surging into the sky and charging at the dark clouds of fate conjured by “Miserable World.”

After repeatedly playing this piece, Yun Mo suddenly felt much better. He slowly started to resist the artistic conception of “Miserable World.” His fighting spirit strengthened, and a stronger aura surged into the sky.

The Silver Moon Mountain Manor disciples in the surroundings imitated Yun Mo, starting to play this piece. It does not have an artistic conception? Then, I shall add in the artistic conception that I comprehended from this piece.

There was a vibrant lifeforce in the artistic conception, filled with boundless desire for the ideal. It surpassed the various pains, fear, forbearance, and reverence of life and the physical body. It was a sublimation of life.

Buzz!

Various auras of fighting spirit soared into the air.

As the various master zitherists played Gu Hai’s piece, they seemed to resist “Miserable World” better.

“I blocked it! It really is effective! It really is effective!” Mu Chenfeng cried out in pleasant surprise as he played this piece near Gu Hai.

Long Wanqing also tried playing it at the side, using a guqin to do so.

Gu Hai felt mildly startled. It really is effective? It’s good that it is effective.

“This piano piece is called ‘Sonata Pathétique. Play it with me and infuse your artistic conception into it. Let’s break ‘Miserable World’ together!” Gu Hai called out loudly, spreading his voice to the entire city.

“Sonata Pathétique” was one of the consummate pieces of Beethoven, an Earth musician. More accurately, Gu Hai played just a part of “Sonata Pathétique,” the third movement. The entire “Sonata Pathétique” described Beethoven’s miserable life. Deafness was the greatest torture for him in his miserable life. However, he continued fighting against fate amid such miserable circumstances. Intense heroism and fighting spirit spewed out of this piece.

The third movement of Beethoven’s “Sonata Pathétique” used music to bring people out of the shell of life and into the boundless spiritual domain, driving people to the heroism and ideals in their souls as well as filling them with a surging fighting spirit to defy fate.

Fighting against fate, this was the ‘Sonata Pathétique’s’ strongest theme.

[TL Note: Beethoven’s “Sonata Pathétique,” 3rd movement, on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1-kZWjZP-g.] 

Gu Hai played this piece repeatedly.

As Gu Hai played, countless zitherists around This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion started playing along while in pain, as these master zitherists had made out the fighting spirit in “Sonata Pathétique.”

That fighting spirit supported the zitherists while they learned the piece.

After playing this piece, the zitherists suddenly discovered that it seemed to counter “Miserable World” specifically. They found themselves slowly being able to resist the artistic conception of “Miserable World.” This discovery excited the zitherists. They now ignored their previous pieces and continuously played “Sonata Pathétique.”

As everyone repeatedly played this piece, fighting spirit soared into the sky with the music, charging at the roiling dark clouds that suppressed the city.

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding… 

After one zitherist played “Sonata Pathétique,” ten zitherists discovered how wondrous it was and started playing it as well. Then, one hundred zitherists started playing it.

“Sonata Pathétique” spread throughout the city. Countless zitherists played together.

The fighting spirit aura formed a long river, continuously striking at the dark clouds of fate above the city.

Dang! Dang dang! Dang dang! Dang dang dang… 

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding… 

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding… 

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding… 

At first, just the zitherists around Gu Hai played “Sonata Pathétique.” Soon, the entire street played “Sonata Pathétique.” Then, ten streets, one hundred streets… 

“Sonata Pathétique” was like a virus quickly spreading throughout Silver Moon City.

Saving oneself was better than pleading with another for rescue. After discovering the fighting spirit in “Sonata Pathétique,” the various zitherists started playing the piece.

This piece was even more intense than the previous Canon. Some people liked that, but some did not. Not everyone might play it. However, everyone now played “Sonata Pathétique” to save themselves.

“Sonata Pathétique” filled the entire Silver Moon City.

——

Fairy Waner initially looked at Gu Hai coldly with disdain in her eyes. After all, a piece without an artistic conception was no threat.

However, as she played “Miserable World” and listened to “Sonata Pathétique,” she started frowning. This piece seemed too specific to this situation as if Gu Hai was composing on the spot to counter her.

Yes, he must be composing it on the spot. To think that he is this talented! However, why does his piece not have an artistic conception?

So what if he counters the situation? It is useless without an artistic conception, completely useless.

Fairy Waner revealed a faint cold smile.

However, the people by Gu Hai started playing along.

As these people played “Sonata Pathétique,” they infused their artistic conception into it. An aura of fighting spirit immediately soared into the sky.

Fighting spirit? Humph! Everyone has a different comprehension of “Sonata Pathétique.” Not everyone can make their fighting spirit soar. There are differences in the intensity of fighting spirit. Moreover, so what, even if it is strong?

The dark clouds of miserable fate manifested by my “Miserable World” is your fate. It is like a sea while your puny fighting spirits are just brooklets.

Can a brooklet shatter the sea? What a joke! A complete joke! Fairy Waner thought while sneering.

Although disdain filled her eyes, the “Miserable World” she played became sharper.

Rumble…!

The dark clouds in the sky thickened. This was the pressure of fate. If fate wanted one to submit, one had to submit.

——

Silver Moon Mountain Manor:

When the manor lord saw the disciples playing “Sonata Pathétique,” he started smiling.

The music spread out of the Silver Moon Mountain Manor.

At first, the countless master zitherists outside the Silver Moon Mountain Manor to take the test were crying, unable to accept this miserable fate.

However, when the piano piece rang out, they seemed to comprehend something and started playing. Furthermore, “Sonata Pathétique” also came from the Silver Moon Mountain Manor.

Hence, many other master zitherists started playing it as well.

The fighting spirit was like a brooklet. However, there were many people playing.

After the first rendition, many people’s comprehension of “Sonata Pathétique” deepened, resulting in an even stronger fighting spirit soaring into the sky.

Rumble…!

There were one hundred million people in Silver Moon City, with at least a few million zitherists. There were tens of millions of people in the city who could play the zither.

Everyone seemed like they received some sort of signal, making the entire city play “Sonata Pathétique.”

Now, with the artistic conception of countless zitherists, they started coordinated attacks on the dark clouds in the sky. The many brooklets of fighting spirit formed mighty rivers, then vast ocean currents.

These vast ocean currents comprised the entire city’s fighting spirit, all of them attacking the fate that loomed over them.

Boom!

An ocean current smashed into the dark clouds of fate, shaking them.

Boom! Boom!

Several other ocean currents crashed into the dark clouds of fate.

Fate is vast, but I have a boundless fighting spirit. I have the “Sonata Pathétique”!

Everyone in the city played “Sonata Pathétique,” the entire city following Gu Hai. Gu Hai was the leader, taking the lead in the piece with an army of tens of millions behind. All the zither music slowly turned from uncoordinated to very orderly.

The vast fighting spirit from “Sonata Pathétique” converged into a large ocean smashing towards the sea of fate.

“Use my ‘Sonata Pathétique’ to defeat fate’s ‘Miserable World. Break!” Gu Hai shouted.

The merged fighting spirit of the entire city crashed into the dark clouds of fate.

Boom!

The dark clouds suddenly churned violently as though they would explode.

“What?” Fairy Waner’s expression changed.

The guqin in her hand trembled. The impact nearly made her lose her grip on it.

“One more time! Let’s play ‘Sonata Pathétique’ together. Smash the torture of fate together with me. Charge with me!” Gu Hai shouted.

Dang! Dang dang! Dang dang! Dang dang dang dang…!

Ding! Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding ding ding…

All the zitherists in the city played with Gu Hai. The intense “Sonata Pathétique” rang out again, initiating another attack on the dark clouds of fate in the sky.

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