Divine Arts
In truth, the spirit-gathering array that Qi Shang set up in a short time, if we exclude the illusions and demonic sounds that affect people's minds, only produces the feeling of sudden coldness in the space that Zhang Exu mentioned. This is actually caused by the spirit-drawing technique of the Zhuyou Sect, which absorbs the yin energy from the nearby ground. Tangli Garden was originally desolate and remote, and although the Siyue Temple has become much more popular in recent months, it was extremely deserted and rarely visited in earlier years. Therefore, activating the spirit-gathering array here will have twice the effect with half the effort.
A Qiu was still unaffected, but Qi Shang paused slightly upon hearing their conversation, perhaps not expecting that even two mere young women could remain unaffected by the magic array.
Then, something even more unexpected happened.
Zhang Exu and Cui Luzhu said they were leaving, but Sun Neiren, who was leading them, was unaffected and stepped forward, steadily placing the candlesticks back on the altar, and then worshipping the Kuilong statue.
Each time she bowed, A Qiu immediately felt the pressure in the space lessen considerably. The yin energy that had been swirling in from all directions through the doors and windows seemed to encounter some resistance, and it all retreated and fled.
This was a strange sight that A Qiu had never heard of or seen before in his life.
She closed her eyes and focused her mind, sensing that when her mistress Sun bowed, she seemed to establish some kind of connection with the Kui dragon statue on the table, becoming one with it. And the positive energy that the statue continuously emitted naturally had the effect of dispelling and restraining the yin energy summoned by the magic array.
By the time she finished her third prayer, all traces of the spirit-gathering array had vanished. Moonlight shone into the hall, and Qi Shang's tall figure stood there in astonishment, while A Qiu also felt as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon, and everything was renewed.
Sun's wife turned her back, her stern gaze falling on Qi Shang's face. She remained unmoved and said, "Although I don't know who you are, this is the shrine of the God of Music, who has been revered by dancers and musicians for hundreds of years. It is a place where the sincerity of our ancestors' musicians has gathered. How can you be allowed to play tricks here?"
Qi Shang stared at the middle-aged instructor with disbelief, asking incredulously, "Who are you? How do you possess such supernatural abilities!"
Sun's wife did not understand what he was saying, and only replied: "I am just an instructor in the Music Bureau. However, in the past, I have often worshipped here for many years, and I have often sat in front of the statue of the god, meditating for a long time on the spirit of dance and music."
Qi Shang's eyes lit up with understanding, and he said deeply, "So that's how it is." Looking at Sun Neiren's expression, he revealed a hint of respect and said, "No wonder when my brother and I were observing this place, we vaguely sensed the presence of a righteous spirit, though it wasn't very strong, almost imperceptible. When we entered, we only saw the statues standing empty, with no one cleaning or serving them. We thought we had misjudged, so we occupied this place to stay. It turns out that the spirit here is being served, and for quite some time."
A Qiu sensed something amiss in their words and immediately asked, "There are many abandoned places in the palace that are uninhabited. Why did you two great shamans choose to live in this Temple of Music God? And according to the great shaman, it seems that you prefer places where people serve the gods, but you don't like being disturbed. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Qi Shang coldly replied, "We are shamans, so naturally we prefer to be near places of worship with spiritual energy, where people sincerely serve the gods, and the spiritual effects are stronger. But right now we are practically criminals, and our occupation of this place is not aboveboard. Of course, we don't want to show our faces and be watched by others. Moreover,"
He glanced at A Qiu again, seemingly unsure how much she should know, and finally said, "Consort Zhao does not allow us to openly flaunt our existence in the palace."
When Lady Sun, Zhang E'xu, and Cui Luzhu could all ignore his illusionary formation, Qi Shangshi lowered his guard considerably, and the atmosphere in their conversation eased considerably. Although musicians and dancers differed from shamans, their devotion and effort were remarkably similar. Only those musicians and dancers who had long been truly focused and immersed in their art, without the slightest distraction, could resonate so strongly with the local deity of music and thus remain completely undisturbed by the illusionary formation.
Ultimately, since everyone is an artist who has worked hard to hone their skills, they can be considered half like-minded people, which greatly reduced Qi Shang's hostility.
Seeing that he seemed more agreeable, A Qiu said, "Last time, when the two of you were taken away by Zhao Zhaorong, I was unable to lend a helping hand, and I am truly sorry. Now that I see that the Great Shaman is unharmed, I can finally rest assured."
Her words were not empty boasts, but rather a genuine expression of her feelings. Having traveled a thousand miles with Bai Shi, A Qiu had never forgotten Bai Shi's entrustment. However, since entering the palace, she had truly been preoccupied with her own affairs. Moreover, from their first meeting until now, Qi Shang had always been extremely wary and suspicious of outsiders, even resorting to violence upon meeting them. Even if she wanted to help, she found it difficult to lend a hand.
Qi Shang snorted coldly, looked at her again, and said coldly, "What do we have to do with you? And what help do you want?"
A Qiu understood the implication in his words—a seemingly distant but actually interrogative tone—that he wanted her to personally acknowledge the relationship between Guigu and Zhuyoumen. Knowing that this great shaman had been captured and brought to the palace, surrounded by enemies, she was extremely cautious. Since only Consort Sun and the others were present, she felt no need to hide anything from them and truthfully confessed, "In the southwest, I heard my master speak of the connection between Guigu and Zhuyoumen, and there I met Bai Shi, a highly accomplished disciple of Zhuyoumen. I promised to help her find the two seniors, so whether out of sect loyalty or friendship, I felt obligated to do so."
Upon hearing the name "Bai Shi," Qi Shang was immediately moved. He had been cautious before because the situation within the palace was complex, and shamans were generally disliked by the political arena. Even though A Qiu was nominally Gu Yi's successor, he couldn't easily trust her. However, Bai Shi was the sole successor of the Zhu You sect and had always been cautious, never using her real name lightly when traveling the martial world. Now, she had revealed her name to the girl before her, so A Qiu must be someone Bai Shi trusted.
His gaze softened slightly as he looked at A-Qiu again, and he asked, "Where is Shi'er now?"
A Qiu truthfully replied, "Miss Bai heard that the two of you had been brought to the capital, and immediately came to Jianzhang Palace with me to search for you. She should be at a friend's place in the capital right now. Senior, would you like Miss Bai to come to the palace? Or... perhaps you could meet her after you have finished your business in the palace?"
Qi Shang's expression was solemn. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, "My brother and I are detained here because we promised Zhao Zhaorong that we would cooperate with her on a matter. If this matter succeeds, the Zhuyou Sect will occupy a place in the palace for a long time. Well then, if you can do it, bring Shi'er into the palace. I will make arrangements for her."
Seeing Qi Shang's current state, which seemed both free and constrained, A Qiu knew perfectly well that he must have reached some kind of deal with Zhao Lingying. Since that was the case, Bai Shi's entry into the palace shouldn't be stopped by Zhao Lingying, so she readily agreed.
Seeing that she readily agreed without asking further questions, Qi Shang's attitude softened considerably. He then asked, "Why are you women here at the Temple of Music in the dead of night? Stop trying to fob me off with nonsense about worshipping gods. If it's truly a matter concerning the divine, we might be able to help."
A Qiu thought that the arrival of the Northern Qiang envoys was a major matter for the court and should not be easily revealed to outsiders. However, the rehearsal of the music and dance was not a secret. In ancient times, shamanism and dance originated from the same source. Perhaps consulting this great shaman would yield unique insights and suggestions. So he sincerely said, "Since the great shaman says so, this junior will not stand on ceremony. We have come to the temple because the court has ordered us to rehearse 'Shao' and 'Wu' from the Six Dynasties of ancient times. However, since no one in our dynasty has ever seen this dance, we do not know where to begin. We can only pray here and see if the gods will give us any guidance."
Her words were half true and half false, concealing the existence of Zhongli Wuyan, but clearly explaining the reason for her arrival.
Qi Shang heard her words and sneered, saying, "You are quite ambitious. Both 'Shao' and 'Wu' are dances to serve the gods and ancestors of heaven and earth. 'Shao' was originally used to worship the gods of the four directions, and 'Wu' was originally used to worship the ancestors of the Zhou Dynasty. Both are sacrificial dances that can communicate with the gods above and cleanse the world below. Even when the royal mandate and fortune were still in the two capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang, they could not be easily arranged. Now, they are even more beyond what your Music Bureau can produce."
Upon hearing this, Lady Sun retorted, "Although the sacrificial dance has a different origin from the Yan and Zhao women's music that we use for banquets and entertainment, it is still a dance movement paired with music. Why do you assume that our Music Bureau cannot do this?"
Qi Shang smiled and said, "If my wife thinks that dance is just imitating movements, then pretend I didn't say anything." He paused slightly and said, "But even if it is imitating movements, I'm afraid you will find it difficult to find the original blueprint of the movements. After all, many years have passed since the era of the dynasty's glory and the flourishing of rites and music."
A Qiu immediately interrupted, saying, "The predecessor of the Zhuyou Sect was the Divine Witch Clan, who served in the palace in ancient times and must have participated in the formulation of rituals for sacrificial dances. Does the Great Witch Qi Shang really have no clue about this?"
Qi Shang gave her a half-smile and looked at her intently, saying, "Girl from Guigu, if I told you I had a way to help you accomplish this, how would you repay me?"
A Qiu felt a chill run down her spine. She had only asked Qi Shang casually, hoping for a lucky break, but unexpectedly, he seemed to have a real solution. After a moment's thought, she looked back at Qi Shang without hesitation and smiled, "Great Shaman Qi Shang seems to be more actively involved in worldly affairs than your sister. If what you seek is the future influence of the Zhuyou Sect in the court, A Qiu may be able to help you achieve that."
From the moment she began interacting with Qi Shang, she sensed that he was not as simple as the other great shaman, Qi Luo. People in this world seek nothing more than fame, fortune, and power; if they were truly without desire, they wouldn't be asking her for anything in return. If Qi Shang truly desired power, it wouldn't be difficult for her—the Taichang Temple oversees the Taibu Bureau, which performs divination and astrological observations for the court, assessing the nation's fortune. For disciples of the Zhuyou School who wish to enter officialdom, this is the most suitable position, and the Taibu Bureau is nominally under Gu Yi's jurisdiction.
Just as Qi Shang was about to speak, a clear, crisp voice interrupted him: "No need."
Everyone was startled and looked toward the source of the sound behind the statue. There they saw a woman with a colorful braid, fair skin, and a deep blue glint in her eyes slowly walking out. She was none other than the Great Shaman Qiluo whom Aqiu had seen in the Yeting Palace last time.
That is, Qi Shang's younger sister, and Bai Shi's master.
However, whether it was just his imagination or not, A Qiu felt that the witch Qi Luo he saw now seemed weaker and paler than the one he had seen last time. As a result, her unique, melancholic and ethereal aura became even more pronounced.
She walked out slowly, like an elf emerging from the shadows.
Qi Shang hurriedly said, "Sister!" Qi Luo remained unmoved, raised her hand to stop him from speaking, and said calmly, "I am the current head of the Zhuyou Sect, and my word is law in this matter."
She looked up at A-Qiu again, her voice gentle yet resolute, and said, "If you wish to restore the dance of the Six Generations, I can show you a way. If this way does not work, come back to me, and I will definitely find a way to restore the original dance for you."
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