The four arts—music, chess, poetry, and painting—seemed closely intertwined with Liu Wuxie’s fate.

"Who will go first?" murmured the crowd as curious eyes alternated between Liu Wuxie and Zhou Liang, unsure which would go first.

"I’ll go first!" Zhou Liang suddenly broke the silence. He moved to the center and gently placed his zither on the table. As his fingers glided through the strings, a cascade of beautiful notes filled the air, enveloping the boat in a delicate, enchanting melody.

Yin Jingwu, who had been tense, felt relief wash over him. Zhou Liang’s performance was so masterful that it even surpassed Fu Hong.

"You probably don’t know, but Junior Brother Zhou received a rare zither score last month, and his skills have reached the level of a grandmaster," a disciple whispered. His voice conveyed a hint of satisfaction; he had deliberately kept this information hidden to lure Liu Wuxie into accepting the challenge.

Murong Yi, observing from the side, furrowed her brows even deeper. Zhou Liang’s performance was impeccable, matching her own level of skill. A trace of worry flickered across her face as she recognized the precarious situation Liu Wuxie now found himself in.

"That’s the Four Seasons Zither!" the crowd exclaimed. This score was known for its ability to mirror the seasons. It would initially resemble the gentle sound of spring rain, with each note feeling like delicate and light raindrops.

Then, the tone shifted—like muffled thunder in a summer storm, with each strum sending shockwaves in the audience’s heart. It was as if the very storm raged within them in the form of rumbling lightning.

Moments later, the music softened, like the gentle breeze in autumn, wrapping the audience in a comforting caress. This felt like a comforting embrace that painted everyone’s mind with the golden wheat of the harvesting season.

The music transformed again, abruptly this time. It swept up the biting cold wind of winter, swirling in the air like snowflakes.

This was a masterful performance by Zhou Liang. The song embodied the four seasons, pulling everyone through their journey and painting a vivid image in their minds. The snow was a manifestation of law, controlled by the music.

Everyone was mesmerized by the song, and their mood changed along with the four seasons: the warmth of spring, the intensity of summer, the comfort of autumn, and the cold of winter. For ten minutes, everyone traversed through the four seasons, entranced by the world created by the music and unwilling to wake up.

"What a beautiful piece of music!" sighed one of the Azure Crimson Gate’s disciples, still lost in the melody’s lingering echoes.

"When did Zhou Liang become so skilled?" murmured a few Sky Rift Valley disciples, awestruck by Zhou Liang’s performance.

Zhou Liang’s hands left the zither with a satisfied smile, enveloped in the murmurs of admiration from the crowd. Even the people standing by the lakeside scrambled to find the musician’s identity who had captivated them.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I have no words for your performance. It looks like I need to become your student to learn from you," a group of Azure Crimson Gate disciples stepped forward, hoping to learn from the master himself.

"There’s no need for that," Zhou Liang replied with a humble smile. "Feel free to ask me any questions about music."

Yin Jingwu, who had been watching, felt a surge of confidence rising in his heart. He believed victory was already in his grasp.

"Liu Wuxie, it’s your turn!" Yin Jingwu called out in a provocative tone. He couldn’t wait for Liu Wuxie to lose—he wanted to shatter Liu Wuxie’s dantian personally.

However, everyone was puzzled when they saw that Liu Wuxie sat still and showed no signs of moving. They wondered if the rumors about Liu Wuxie being ignorant of music were true.

"Liu Wuxie, what are you waiting for? You can cripple your cultivation if you decide to give up!" Jia Fengmao sneered. He finally found an opportunity to mock Liu Wuxie.

"Young Master Liu, do you not have a zither?" Murong Yi broke the silence and looked at Liu Wuxie. Her words struck a cord because it was true—Liu Wuxie didn’t own a zither, and he was wondering who he could borrow from. He could only borrow one from Fu Hong if he had no choice, and Murong Yi had taken note of his predicament.

"That’s right," Liu Wuxie admitted with a resigned smile. Ever since his rebirth, he had focused on cultivation, neglecting the other pursuits.

"If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to use mine," Murong Yi offered, much to many’s envy. The idea of Liu Wuxie using their goddess’s zither stirred hostility among the crowd. This was no different from their goddess’s zither being defiled.

"I’m grateful for your offer, Lady Murong," Liu Wuxie said and accepted her offer.

At Murong Yi’s signal, Lady Yan descended from the second floor, carrying a small, delicate zither. She gently placed it before Liu Wuxie. This instrument was about a meter in length and had four strings, and it carried a pleasant fragrance from being frequently played by Murong Yi.

"Liu Wuxie, don’t ruin Lady Murong’s zither if you don’t know how to play it!" came cries of jealous onlookers from how Liu Wuxie could win Murong Yi’s favor multiple times.

"Liu Wuxie, you might as well give up. Music isn’t something that can be complemented with talent, and it’s too late for you to start learning now!" mocked the Azure Crimson Gate disciples. They thought that Liu Wuxie wasn’t proficient in music because he didn’t even own an instrument.

Liu Wuxie, however, recalled a time more than a year ago when he had played Ambush from Ten Sides, stunning all the audiences. Now, he decided to play it again.

"The situation today reminds me of a piece I played," Liu Wuxie began. "It’s called Ambush from Ten Sides, and I’d like to share it with everyone."

Today’s situation was similar to what he had faced in the Imperial Academy, with enemies in the surroundings.

The surroundings became quiet when Liu Wuxie’s hands fell onto the strings. The first note reverberated like the thunderous gallop of war horses, shaking the hearts of everyone present.

"What a powerful note!" gasped the crowd. They all felt like their hearts were about to leap out of their chests.

Shortly after, one note followed another, the intensity rising. The tempo quickened, and it felt like a storm was brewing within the listeners; their hearts stirred with each note.

"Sorrowful winds in the night with the rising moon and shining stars..." Liu Wuxie suddenly sang, his voice cutting through the night sky like a blade. As it was autumn now, the stars shining in the sky further stirred the audience’s emotions.

"I suddenly feel like crying!" Someone couldn’t withstand the melody and wanted to burst into tears.

The melody told a tale of hardship, and who hadn’t undergone hardship before? Liu Wuxie’s melody echoed life’s struggles, drawing out everyone’s sorrows and frustration. The music brought them into a world they had never experienced, impacting their hearts and souls.

"The drums of war beat louder as we march to our fate." Just this sentence alone had ignited a figure in everyone’s hearts, and they felt like they were about to be ignited if they couldn’t vent it out.

The melody became hurried and surged like a storm, sweeping across Mooncave Lake.

"Ten-sided ambush on me, only to run into an elite army." Liu Wuxie’s voice echoed with bitter defiance. His frustration and rage poured into the music, and the audience could feel it—could feel his torment.

The Azure Crimson Gate’s provocation and mockery surfaced in everyone’s mind and sparked flames in everyone’s hearts. They were all in Liu Wuxie’s shoes, drawn into his inner world by the music.

The servants by the railing began to weep, moved by the unfolding story through the music. The music further stirred their resentment toward the Azure Crimson Gate, and their hatred flared.

Murong Yi covered her mouth as she looked at Liu Wuxie with disbelief. She couldn’t believe there was such an exquisite piece of song in the world.

"Born a hero and died a hero, oh, the ambush of ten sides!" Liu Wuxie’s song continued, carrying a deep sorrow for the world’s injustice and helplessness. The mournful melody stirred deep emotions, and tears streamed down the faces of the audience as the music pulled at their hearts.

Liu Wuxie’s melody had woven a spell that controlled the audience’s emotions, mesmerizing them. Even the snow seemed to fall in response to his inner rage. They were real snowflakes, not the manifestation of law. The snowflakes swirled and danced in the air, adding to the enchantment.

"Mourn for the hero in troubled times, mourn for the scarcity of true friends in the world, and mourn for the peerless talent caught in an ambush."

A deep loneliness spread and everyone could hear the sad notes in the music. No one could understand Liu Wuxie’s heart, but they felt his sorrow, and it brought tears to everyone’s eyes like a warm current sweeping across them.

“Heroes often went unappreciated during chaotic times, and faithful companions were scarce.”

Even Murong Yi, usually composed, could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks, moved by the raw emotion in the music.

"What a sorrowful yet powerful melody!" many people whispered to themselves, struck by two conflicting emotions. This song was a release of inner rage, and it was overwhelming.

"Scorching sun blazed on the vast desert. Running into the Jade Encounter Pavilion and recalling the peace back in the years."

As Liu Wuxie played, his thoughts drifted to the Jade Encounter Pavilion, where he had commanded the stars and strode across the heavens in the past life. But how far had he fallen—now treated as a stray dog, no longer the respected figure he once was.

Each word and note was filled with a fierce determination to carve out a new path that would tear the world apart.

"Dreams end as fire crackles," Liu Wuxie sang, his voice heavy with the weight of defeat. "Sighing at the plight. On the boundless sand, the defeated army’s remnants have nowhere to go."

The surroundings were enveloped in a heavy silence as the crowd held their breaths, listening to the music that echoed in the air across the silent lake.

"A violet gale sweeps the desert, carrying the sounds of war horses galloping. All hope has vanished, and the river water has dried up, leaving bones of regret."

The music spoke the tale of a once-mighty Immortal Emperor who fell in battle. The river had dried up, and the remains were buried without honor or ceremony.

"The ambitions of a man remained unclouded through eighteen years of reincarnation. When the war song ends and war horses neigh, generals follow their lord to the end, casting aside their mortal bodies and leaving behind bones of pride."

With that final note, Liu Wuxie’s hands stilled on the zither as he breathed out the emotions pent up in his chest that he had been building through the melody. The boat fell into a deep, almost tangible silence as though the song’s weight had suspended the very world.

For a long, frozen moment, no one moved. The entire crowd remained suspended in the world that Liu Wuxie had conjured with the strings of his zither.

And then, as if awakened from a shared dream, the applause began. Thunderous, overwhelming applause erupted from the lakeside, and tears streamed down many people’s faces as they clapped with all their might. As if they were trying to express their gratitude through the applause, their claps echoed across the surface of Mooncave Lake.

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