Chapter 167 – Mountain Stream! (1/2)
Chapter 167: Mountain Stream!
Red, yellow and white wildflowers densely scattered, dotting along in cl.u.s.ters on the lush green gra.s.s. An undergrowth of bramble bushes and thorn shrubs almost bloted out the sky like a hundred-year old tree.
Deep in the forest, the burbling noise of clear spring water could be heard, and fish that looked as white as fresh snow were swimming happily down the mountain stream.
There were birds singing, wolves howling, and a group of deer drinking water.
The ground was wreathed in clouds and mist, like treading on clouds and roaming around immortals' mansion. A weak-blazing light pierced through the thicket, s.h.i.+ning onto the young students touring around, bringing a warm glow to their smiles.
“One does not know the true face of Broken Mountain until they come here.” Li Muyang said with a sigh and a smile. “I had only heard about the height of Broken Mountain, but never once had such a clear, distinct feeling before. Only until you come and experience the feeling of being one with it, then you would come to know of its vastness.”
“Broken Mountain, also known as Nameless Mountain, is the most broad and mysterious mountain in Flower Language Plains. Tens of thousands of years ago, a dragon slayer immortal traveled here and slashed off the mountainside with his sword. Then, gathering the forces of the nine countries, he built this Starry Sky Academy—When we stand at the foot of the mountain and look up, Broken Mountain is simply a towering peak wrapped in high clouds; we can only see its height but not its broadness. Now that we've personally measured it through walking and see how it fans out for miles, we can fully appreciate its majestic beauty.” Handsome like a celestial being, Lin Canghai said with a smile.
“In the wild, the deer cry to each other, looking for food to reduce their hunger. I have a guest, I will entertain them with a flute, a drum and a zither.” Qiandu's black clothes made her look valiant, beautiful and alluring. She stretched out her soft, white hand, pointing to the enchanting scenery and exclaiming: “I take the earth as a seat, the mountain spring water as wine and wild animals as food to treat my two distinguished guests. How can such an idyllic scene lack music?”
As she spoke, Qiandu pulled out a piccolo.
The piccolo is a green-jade colour with its outer surface s.h.i.+ning and reflecting light, lively like water ripples. It was obvious that it was not an ordinary piccolo and it was unknown what materials it was made out of.
“In the wilderness, I came unprepared, I can't play the zither or flute, I can only express my feelings with this song.”
Qiandu put the piccolo to her lips and began to gently breathe into it. Beautiful notes flowed out of the holes, slow and soft, echoing through the forests and hills that they just treaded across.
“'Phoenix looking for Phoenix'.” Lin Canghai gazed at Qiandu with an intoxicated smile as he exclaimed: “This is the tune 'Phoenix looking for Phoenix'.”
'Phoenix looking for Phoenix' enjoys great fame in the world. Along with 'The Guangling verse' and 'Lovesickness', they are known as the three greatest cla.s.sics of the divine continent.
But because the original 'Phoenix looking for Phoenix' has been lost for hundred of years, only some scattered memories and fragmented syllables are left behind, and very few people can play the complete version of 'Phoenix looking for Phoenix.'
Lin Canghai has a strong appreciation for music; the instant he heard this tune, he felt refreshed, joyous and a sense of exhilaration.
The 'Phoenix looking for Phoenix' musical notation has been lost for hundreds of years. The fact that Lin Canghai could distinguish this tune was enough for people to be flabbergasted.
What was even more strange was that Li Muyang felt he had heard this tune before.
Not just heard it before, but very familiar with it. As though he had heard it thousands of times before.
He nodded, saying: “Phoenix looking for Phoenix' is the best song in the divine continent.”
Lin Canghai's smile transformed into a ruminative smile, as he looked at Li Muyang and asked: “Brother Muyang has heard this tune before?”
“I think so–” Li Muyang said. He felt like he has heard it somewhere before, but was uncertain. This sort of feeling was a feeling he's too familiar with. When he was sitting the imperial exam, there were many questions he hasn't seen before—almost every question, but he answered them with G.o.dly powers and handed in a perfect answer paper.
“Hehe.” Lin Canghai gave a gently chuckle, then no longer continued his conversation with Li Muyang. Instead, he concentrated on appreciating the piece of music that Qiandu was performing.
In his heart, Li Muyang's behavior is the same to an idiot pretending to understand and seeking to impress by pretending to know more than he does.
This tune 'Phoenix looking for Phoenix' has disappeared hundreds of years ago, ordinary people would not know its notes or tune.
I've heard it before through special ways. How would Li Muyang have such a source?
However, because of his mild nature, he would never expose a person's lie in front of them or injure a person's self-confidence.
After all, Li Muyang was a very good friend to him.
Li Muyang was unaware of what Lin Canghai was thinking, he was completely mesmerised by Qiandu's performance.
When the beautiful sound from the piccolo resonated, he felt like he was circling out of the sky and forgotten where he is or what year it is.
He likes this kind of music because it made him happy, it's joyful. It evoked beautiful fantasies and thoughts.
Like listening to a childhood song, it brings back memories of a childhood friend or a wonderful time in life—
Vaguely, he remembered someone.
A white shadow. The shadow came towards him against the light. In the darkness, it was hard to see anything clearly but he could see the person's graceful figure and an undisguisable smile across his own face——
As though it's the love of his life.
Qiandu walked on while playing, the notes were like the rays of the sun sprinkling down on them.
Falling onto Li Muyang's eyes, lips, hair, ears, and finally his heart——
Li Muyang's heart began to tremble. The trembling was extremely faint, like a breeze blowing through the wheat field, like bees vibrating their wings.
Li Muyang also hummed along, he felt his body must also follow and dance.
Lin Canghai shot a puzzled glance over his shoulder and then turned around again, fixing his line of sight on Qiandu.
Li Muyang was extremely happy; his joy was immense.
“This guy, he's going too far—-” Lin Canghai grumbled. We're friends, even if you told us that you haven't heard this song before, we wouldn't laugh at you. After all, most people in the world have never heard of it as well.
But why are you pretending to be someone you're not? You don't believe in our character?