Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Having deposited Yanghwi and Zhuge Seolha at the mouth of the Five Halls of Proper Sound situated beneath the precipice, the Sound Empress retraced her steps to the Hugok Inn.
Barely a quarter of a da-gak had slipped by in total.
Given that an ordinary traveler would require half a day of arduous trekking to cross that same expanse, her mastery of the lightfoot technique bordered on the miraculous.
“Sound Empress-nim, how fare Yanghwi and Seolha…?”
Zhuge Seon, lingering with visible unease, voiced his fretful inquiry, yet the Sound Empress offered only an unruffled response.
“They have ventured into the Five Halls of Proper Sound. Provided they make it through unharmed, a month is the bare minimum required, so take your leave and return to your estate for now.”
“That I cannot do. I shall wait right here within this Hugok Inn until the young ones reemerge. Even so…”
A bleak shadow crossed Zhuge Seon’s face as he shook his head, his sentence trailing into silence.
“When you speak of them emerging unharmed… is the peril truly so severe?”
Word had already reached him that the safeguards remained unfinished, and that mortal danger hung over their heads; as a father, his heart could not remain still.
“Indeed. Their odds of perishing before ever clearing the inaugural hall sit near an even half. That chamber demands the most rigorous precautions of all, yet not a single defense has been put into place.”
Color drained entirely from Zhuge Seon’s features. Then, swiftly eclipsing that pallor, a tempest of indignation flushed through his countenance.
A fierce impulse to roar at her, demanding why she had cast Seolha into such a lethal snare, rose to the brink of his lips, yet he forced himself to hold his tongue.
Taking in Zhuge Seon’s inner turmoil, the Sound Empress merely let a subtle smile grace her lips.
“Such is the price of seeking tutelage under the Wave-Piercing Sound Empress. Treacherous though the crossing may be, I deem the destination well worth the hazard. Would you dispute that?”
“…You speak the truth.”
Across the breadth of all under heaven, countless souls would discard their lives without a second thought for the mere opportunity to become a disciple of one belonging to the Ten Paragons Under Heaven, their numbers rivaling the endless silt upon a riverbank.
Even under the shadow of death, the fortune bestowed upon Zhuge Seolha and Yanghwi was undeniably a blessing encountered once in a lifetime.
Nevertheless, beneath the mantle of a martial artist, a parent’s soul could find no solace.
“Cast aside your dread and apprehension. Does your confidence in those two run so thin?”
“…”
Following a lingering pause, Zhuge Seon raised his gaze.
“No. Those young ones will endure and triumph.”
The true pillar of Zhuge Seon’s conviction was Yanghwi.
The adopted boy of his sworn brother had exhibited an uncanny brilliance from the moment their paths first crossed.
Having personally borne witness to the exceptional martial prowess and keen ingenuity Yanghwi displayed during the contest, Zhuge Seon had been left utterly astounded.
Yanghwi. I entrust this to you. Guard our Seolha with your life. Break through the Five Halls of Proper Sound and return safe. I hold no doubt that if anyone under heaven can achieve it, it is you.
Seeing the tension on Zhuge Seon’s countenance give way to relief, the Sound Empress found her intrigue deepening.
At present, he was simply a parent fretting over his flesh and blood, yet Zhuge Seon stood as the young patriarch of the Zhuge family, an enormous pillar commanding immense authority within the martial realm.
For a mere youth to evoke such unshakable reliance from a figure of that stature was extraordinary.
As expected, this young hero possesses a rare mold.
It was precisely this evaluation that had driven her to lay claim to him as a lay disciple beforehand, securing him as one might mark a coveted prize before anyone else could touch it.
Furthermore… she had caught the distinct essence that fundamentally separated him from ordinary youths.
The true qi of harmony. The resonance slumbering within it was… beyond dispute.
The Sacred Sound Jade Spirit Gate was a lineage that reached toward the immortal realm.
By virtue of that heritage, the Sound Empress was uniquely equipped to discern the exceptional foundation veiled inside Yanghwi.
How was she to describe such a marvel? It felt as though he had entered this world bearing the innate vessel of an immortal: unblemished, peerlessly pure, and standing far above the mundane.
Linger long enough in this mortal coil, and one inevitably encounters the most delightful wonders.
Over two decades had passed since her ascension into the ranks of the Ten Paragons Under Heaven.
Throughout that entire span, the Sound Empress had never once tasted such intense curiosity or keen fascination.
That alone testified to the brilliance of Yanghwi’s innate gift, and the astonishing weight carried by his singular existence.
Be that as it may…
The uncompleted Five Halls of Proper Sound remained a crucible of extreme lethality. Every single one of the five chambers would demand that they put their lives on the line.
The initial threshold is the Hall of Overcoming (克館). Even should they succeed in conquering it, seven days and seven nights will be the quickest possible outcome. I shall return to observe their progress around that hour.
Hundred and Eight Heaven-Splitting Swords (蓋天百八劍), Fifth Form.
Hawk Feathers Scattering (鷹羽飛散), Fifth Variation.
Zhuge Seolha stood rooted in pure bewilderment as Yanghwi suddenly initiated an intricate sword dance.
His execution, evocative of a hawk’s plumes drifting into the wind, was mesmerizingly exquisite.
It was a performance that conjured the vision of downy feathers caught in an updraft before settling in a graceful, silent descent toward the soil.
That movement carries sword principles (劍理) so profound they rival someone steeped in the blade for several decades. He and I share the very same age, so how on earth…?
In that very breath, Zhuge Seolha woke from her reverie, realizing her fixation on the blade had blinded her to the transformation occurring throughout their surroundings.
The torrential snow that had blanketed the earth in thick drifts from the sky above was vanishing.
The winding, snow-choked trail threading toward the horizon was receding as well.
The entire illusion was evaporating away like dawn frost before the sun.
This ripple of clarity expanded across a circle of about ten zhang before its progression halted.
“Tch. Is this truly the furthest my current limits will allow?”
Seeing Yanghwi arrest his blade and click his tongue in dissatisfaction, Zhuge Seolha could not help but ask,
“Senior Brother… by what method did you accomplish that?”
A moment ago, Yanghwi had employed his sword to physically dismantle a section of the active formation.
Even for someone of Zhuge Seolha’s lineage—a direct blood descendant of the Zhuge family, renowned across all the land for their peerless mastery over mechanical formations—such a feat defied comprehension.
Yet, despite the staggering nature of the act, Yanghwi’s explanation was nonchalant to the point of absurdity.
“I simply severed the artificial flow of qi, opening an ephemeral life gate.”
The orthodox method for navigating past a grand formation was finding the life gate and slipping across its threshold.
However, were such a feat easily attained, the craft of array-weaving would have vanished into antiquity long ago.
Locating that singular opening required an innate perception of qi far surpassing that of ordinary experts, coupled with the profound intellect needed to decipher the fundamental balances of nature warped by ancient artifacts.
He had not merely deduced a path through an existing life gate—he had carved a temporary life gate out of thin air through his own will.
Within the limits of the modern martial arts landscape, such an achievement was nothing short of an absolute impossibility.
In response, Zhuge Seolha had no choice but to press further,
“…Can such a thing truly be done?”
“Naturally.”
“How?”
Zhuge Seolha urged, her expression still rooted in utter disbelief.
Catching sight of her wide eyes, Yanghwi offered an airy laugh.
“Through peerless genius, of course. How else?”
“…If you have no desire to explain, simply say so.”
Zhuge Seolha puffed out her cheeks, pivoting away in an indignant huff. Yet from his perspective, there was truly nothing more to add.
“That is genuinely the whole truth, Junior Sister. I have no other secret to share.”
Yanghwi had arrived in this world endowed with a sensitivity toward qi that could effortlessly claim the title of the greatest under heaven—or rather, the greatest across all generations.
His affinity for perceiving and dissecting the ambient qi of heaven and earth was so refined that he could directly pinpoint the primal qi sequestered deep within the flesh of another.
Discerning an unnatural current and cleaving it apart was scarcely harder than turning his hand.
Because his present inner cultivation and martial realm were still modest, carving out an ephemeral life gate was the boundary of his current power; however, within his former existence, Yanghwi’s very presence had rendered him the natural nemesis of mechanism masters and grand formation creators alike.
“Regardless, let us proceed.”
Covering the ten zhang that marked the perimeter of their transient refuge, Yanghwi resumed his rhythmic sword dance, aiming precise thrusts and sweeps into the void.
The frozen illusion of the snow-crested mountain dissolved once more like melting ice. He advanced another ten zhang and repeated the ritual.
After maintaining this rhythm for nearly an entire turn of the sun,
Zhuge Seolha could do nothing but let her jaw drop in pure astonishment.
“I assumed this would drag on for days at best. In truth, I feared we would lose our lives without ever setting foot beyond the first hall…”
It was undeniably an ordeal of terrifying proportions, yet it had been utterly conquered within a single day.
Could this truly be reality?
“Well now? Has a sliver of genuine reverence for your Senior Brother taken root in your heart, Junior Sister?”
“…”
In all honesty, profound awe was swelling within her breast… yet Zhuge Seolha merely puffed her cheeks and glared directly at Yanghwi.
The cadence of his voice was so laden with impish delight that it practically broadcast his intent to mock her without mercy.
Faced with that smirking tone, irritation flared right where her reverence ought to have blossomed.
He was plainly the savior who had preserved her life, so why did her gratitude feel as though it were evaporating by the second?
Sound Empress… no, Master. Please grant that there is a trial ahead where your disciple may display her own brilliance.
Yanghwi and Zhuge Seolha eventually reached the threshold of the third chamber within the Five Halls of Proper Sound: the Hall of Sound (音館).
Their arrival at the third trial without a struggle in the second was due to the fact that the Hall of Virtue (善館) was so drastically unfinished that it possessed almost no working mechanisms, allowing them to stroll directly across its floor unhindered.
“Being hurled down here today proved to be an unexpected stroke of luck. Had we delayed, this ordeal would have been far more troublesome.”
“Do not overlook the fact that it was this junior sister who insisted on entering without delay.”
“And had this junior sister not been so eager to rush forward, this senior brother would never have been dragged into such a tedious chore in the first place, would he?”
“…”
Inflating her cheeks yet again, Zhuge Seolha swiftly diverted the topic.
“It appears the Five Halls of Proper Sound are organized according to the virtues Master values above all else.”
The opening ordeal challenged one’s fortitude, and though the second merely permitted them to gaze upon the plaque bearing the name ‘Hall of Virtue’ above the archway, it was evident enough that it was intended to weigh the purity of an aspirant’s moral fiber.
“For a lineage renowned throughout the world for its sonic arts like the Sacred Sound Jade Spirit Gate, assigning acoustic talent to third position is rather striking.”
“I find our sect to be a truly magnificent place.”
Hearing her effortlessly invoke the words ‘our sect’ before receiving formal induction as a true disciple was undeniably charming.
“Be that as it may, acoustic talent… this poses a problem.”
Yanghwi held no foundation in the ways of melody.
To speak plainly, throughout his life he had turned a blind eye to the four scholarly pursuits—poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music—with the sole exception of calligraphy.
Even his refinement in brushwork had not sprung from genuine passion, but rather because the lady of the estate, tracing her lineage to an intellectual family, had upheld a strict ancestral custom that demanded devotion to scholarly cultivation.
“Hehe. Since I enjoyed a peaceful journey through the first hall thanks to Senior Brother, I believe the moment has come for me to take the lead.”
Stepping forward with an air of absolute assurance, Zhuge Seolha cast a glance toward Yanghwi that held an unmistakable glint of triumph.
Could this truly be the identical maiden who, merely a day prior, had refused to utter a single syllable and clung desperately to her father’s chest?
It is a blessing that she is not turning toward malice, yet why is this transformation unfolding so rapidly?
Did it stem from her peach blossom qi being contained within her upper dantian by the Harmonious Heaven qi infused with immortal essence?
Or was it simply the nature of youth, a time when children evolved from one sunrise to the next, with every passing day unveiling an altered demeanor?
Whatever the cause, observing her newfound spirit was pleasant enough, so he let the matter rest.
“Very well. Show me what my junior sister can accomplish within this Hall of Sound.”
“Entrust it to me.”
The Hall of Sound was constructed as an expansive, circular cavern, its floor studded with dozens of tall iron rods planted firmly in the stone.
Gliding toward the nearest iron pillar, Zhuge Seolha gave it a measured strike with the tip of her finger.
Tung, doong, doong, doong, d-d-doong—
As though answering the summons, the vibrations pulsing from that initial iron rod traveled across the open air to strike the adjacent pillars, weaving a cascade of reverberations.
It was, however, merely a discordant clash of competing pitches, falling far short of a cohesive melody.
So that is the design.
With the sharp intellect inherent to a true scion of the Zhuge family, Zhuge Seolha swiftly grasped the underlying mechanism governing the Hall of Sound.
“Senior Brother, I intend to circulate the Harmonious Heaven Primordial Art. Would that be acceptable? I must draw power from my upper dantian.”
At present, Zhuge Seolha’s upper dantian remained sealed under the vigil of the Harmonious Heaven qi.
The instant she initiated the circulation of her inner reserves, that suppression would inevitably shatter.
“Act as you see fit. While the peach blossom qi will slip free, I am more than capable of keeping myself steady.”
“Understood.”
Without a second thought, Zhuge Seolha initiated the circulation of the Harmonious Heaven Primordial Art.
The peach blossom qi emerging from her upper dantian rode upon the cadence of her breath, unfurling outward alongside the tones of her verse.
Yeonja po nokgi (戀者抱綠綺). The one this maiden cherishes cradled a green zither against his chest
Seoha Amibong (西下峨眉峰). and descended toward her past the western crest of Mount Emei.
Wia il hwisu (爲我一揮手). When he brushed the strings in a single, fluid stroke for her sake,
Yeocheong manhak song (如聽萬壑松). it echoed like ancient pines sighing across ten thousand ravines,
Yeosim se ryusu (女心洗流水). and that resonance cleansed this maiden’s heart like rushing water.
Yanghwi stood transfixed, caught in genuine enchantment.
To think that ‘Listening to the Shu Monk Jun Play the Zither’ could be transformed into a piece of such transcendent beauty.
Listening to the Shu Monk Jun Play the Zither. An immortal poem penned by Li Bai, the premier bard of the Tang dynasty, upon witnessing the monk Jun of Shu caress his strings.
Zhuge Seolha had adapted those classic lines, shaping them into an exquisite cadence of her own.
This explains why Uncle went to such lengths to implore the Sound Empress to accept Seolha as her successor.
Zhuge Seolha’s vocal brilliance was undeniably without equal.
Taking into account her tender age, one could not help but feel a profound excitement regarding the heights she would attain once she fully absorbed the grand traditions of sound.
Should an individual blessed with this measure of genius step forth as the true successor of the Sacred Sound Jade Spirit Gate…
Before many years passed, rather than the feared Soul-Stealing Demon Empress, a Little Sound Empress (小音后) might grace the martial world.
Doong, d-doong, doong, d-d-doong.
La, lalala, lalala, lala, lalalala.
Zhuge Seolha’s pure notes commanded the iron rods, setting them into harmonic motion.
As the waves propagated through the air, the surrounding pillars picked up the frequency, singing in unified accord.
Every iron pillar throughout the chamber thrummed until the entire cavern swelled with a magnificent tide of sound; in that very moment, a concealed counterweight engaged, and an iron barrier tucked into the far wall shifted aside.
Clack!
Concluding her song, Zhuge Seolha retraced her steps toward Yanghwi.
Her posture radiated an unmistakable, triumphant satisfaction.
“Hehe. Surely this suffices to repay at least a tenth of the assistance Senior Brother granted me in the initial hall, does it not?”
“Considering I was permitted to witness a song that touches the peak of artistic mastery, consider your ledger cleared entirely.”
“Fufu, I thank Senior Brother for the generous praise. Shall we hasten into the following chamber? The iron door has already begun to shut.”
“…Wait a moment.”
Despite the iron barrier sliding inexorably back into place, Yanghwi remained motionless.
Before long, the aperture sealed shut completely. Though reproducing the song would easily grant them passage once more, Zhuge Seolha turned toward him with an expression of pure bewilderment, unable to fathom why he refused to cross.
“What troubles you, Senior Brother?”
“I wish to conquer this mechanism by my own hand.”
Zhuge Seolha’s song. The synchronized resonance of the iron pillars.
A barrier driven by the symbiotic interplay of sound and qi.
Witnessing that spectacle had ignited a spark of comprehension within his mind, hovering right on the edge of clarity.
It had not yet coalesced into a full realization, yet an instinctual warning cautioned him that abandoning this place now would mean forfeiting an invaluable revelation.
Yanghwi placed his faith in that intuition.
“Music and dance have forever walked hand in hand as twin arts. Having been favored with such an exceptional performance, it is only proper that this senior brother answers your melody with a dance of his own.”
A dance (舞) that was, at its heart, the martial path (武).
Unsheathing his wooden sword, he guided the weapon through the sweeping, deliberate lines of a sword dance.
An instant later, the initial iron pillar he struck released a clear, piercing chime.
Claaang!
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