I will never forget this in my lifetime.
Wan Qiqing, the master of Lanling Hall, is a master of martial arts, a refined and elegant man, and a man of many talents. He is a famous scholar of his time.
In terms of martial arts skills, he has not yet firmly established himself as the number one expert in the world, because he has not yet competed with Gu Yi.
Gu Yi was recognized as the number one martial arts master in the Southern Dynasty.
Looking back now, it's clear that Master's desire to meet with Gu Yi was not a sudden decision, but rather something he had been planning for a long time.
The Southern Dynasty that Gu Yi created was something his master was determined to possess and take into his possession.
Master has a practical and rational side, but Gongyi Xiu has also seen Master act willfully and recklessly on many occasions, treating human life as worthless.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have become the master of Lanling Hall.
If he cannot force Gu Yi to fight him, his master will not mind turning the first grand song and dance feast since the founding of the Great Yan Dynasty into a bloodbath to end the event.
That was also a heavy blow to Gu Yi and the reputation of the entire court.
The first to react was A-Qiu.
She was slightly taken aback when she heard the flute music suddenly change, switching to a melody she had never heard before. Then, she saw the panicked expressions of Lady Sun and Xue Hongbi in the shadows to her side.
After a few more words, the dancers behind her began to stir and panic. However, they were all well-trained and did not turn around to look at the musicians to see what was going on.
Fortunately, the audience had not yet noticed the abnormality on stage, as they were still immersed in the magnificent and magical sound of the flute.
Gu Yi sat with his hands on the zither, without making any reaction.
Ah Qiu knew at a glance that he was waiting.
Waiting for the right opportunity.
But A-Qiu couldn't wait any longer. Her thoughts were with the dancers and musicians behind her.
In recent days, everyone has been practicing and rehearsing with one heart and one mind, working tirelessly day and night.
Everyone in the music academy was filled with anticipation and excitement for the performance.
She had to get the entire performance back on track.
She closed her eyes again, letting herself sink into the vast and boundless world of dance and music.
In the brief interval between the end of one note and the beginning of the next, she suddenly took a step forward, the white silk in her hand billowing up and then falling to the ground.
The white silk, like a graceful wave of mist and water, swept across the front of the palace.
The sound of the flute paused almost imperceptibly because A Qiu's step was completely out of rhythm.
She captivated everyone's attention and mind, and thus everyone's focus automatically shifted to her rhythm.
No longer entirely under the control of the flute's sound.
When the dancers and musicians have completely different rhythms, there is only one outcome.
One side will inevitably be forced to follow the other. This is the law of resonance in all things in the world.
Seeing that A-Qiu was trying to turn the tide, Sun Neiren gestured to the courtesans behind her. Zhang E-Xu and Cui Lüzhu understood and immediately led the group into two teams, retreating to the sides with light, quick steps.
The entire stage is left to A-Qiu alone.
The sound of the flute paused only briefly before erupting into a torrential downpour, completely different from the previous simple and deep tones. A series of rapid strumming and finger movements pushed the rhythm to an unprecedented level of tension.
Its sound is rough and sharp, signifying fierce and vigorous progress.
A Qiu seemed to have anticipated this counterattack. She spun around and danced swiftly, each step landing in the gaps between the flute's notes. Her white silk robe moved like a dragon and snake in a wild dance, spinning, leaping, and then somersaulting. She actually used the movements and strength of Shangguan Yuqi's sword dance from earlier.
All the almost acrobatic skills were performed smoothly and seamlessly, and the audience applauded and cheered thunderously.
At this point, no one would care whether this section was actually in the white cloth.
Gongyi Xiu had unconsciously stood up from his seat, his hand clenched into a fist in his sleeve, his eyes fixed on A Qiu.
To contend with one's master using internal energy in this way is extremely dangerous. If one loses one's breath, one will immediately suffer internal injuries and vomit blood.
At this moment, he could only hope that his master would show mercy and not hold his most beloved disciple accountable.
The sound of the flute indeed slowed down, and A Qiu also slowed down his movements accordingly.
That rapid dance had nearly exhausted her. Not only were all the movements impromptu, but she also had to precisely time her movements to exploit the gaps and weaknesses in her master's flute playing, making it no less dangerous than a duel between martial arts masters. A single moment's miscalculation would have resulted in her internal energy being overwhelmed, causing her to vomit blood and sustain injuries.
In this instance, she could be considered to have won, because she successfully drew everyone's attention to herself, making none of the audience realize that "White Silk" had been disrupted midway through.
But as long as the master continues playing the flute, this gap in the middle will continue to lengthen.
Unless she completely makes her master unable to play anymore.
But this is easier said than done. Compared to dancing, playing the flute requires more mental and physical effort. Even if the two people have equal internal strength, the latter can last longer.
On the stage, A-Qiu stood alone, gazing at the moon through a window, her temples already glistening with sweat.
Gongyi Xiu's heart was in his throat. He could tell that A Qiu was using this moment to catch his breath. And if his master's flute music started again, A Qiu would immediately be shaken and fall over.
If A-Chiu falls in public, her career as a geisha will be over.
The court is never short of young and beautiful up-and-coming dancers and musicians. Who would have the patience to use a dancer who once fell in public?
But would Master care about that?
The disciples of Lanling can transform into a thousand different people with a thousand different faces. The dancer is just a temporary avatar of A Qiu, the master of the Divine Weapon Hall, when she is carrying out a mission.
It's perfectly understandable that the master doesn't care.
What about him, the Right Chancellor of the Imperial Court?
Gongyi Xiu suddenly felt a chill.
He has never had any complaints or doubts about his master, neither in the past nor now.
But the moment he heard the sound of the flute rising again, he began to worry whether his master harbored a dark desire to destroy everything, a desire he himself was unaware of.
A Qiu was shocked by the sound and tried to force himself to get up.
With a sharp "clang," the sudden sound of the zither abruptly cut off the flute's melody before it could even begin.
Gu Yi finally made his move.
The flute music was interrupted, but he remained calm and composed, raising it again with ease.
"Dong dong!" Two more sounds. Gu Yi pressed left and plucked right. After the two plucks, he gave the xiao no chance to make a sound. The sound of the zither rose up continuously like flowing water, without any gaps.
Upon hearing Gu Yiqin's music, A Qiu's spirits lifted. After taking another breath, she stood up and raised her white silk robe.
The piece Gu Yi played was the final section of the second act.
As his music began, the dancers and musicians found their place in the dance and joined in once more.
Xiao tried several times to interject, but was immediately shut down by the flawless sound of the zither and the dance steps that A-Qiu took.
Although Gu Yi and A Qiu were playing the zither and dancing respectively, they each focused only half their energy on the music and dance at that moment. The other half, they were each paying attention to the transitions and developments in the ensemble music, in case the sound of the xiao (vertical flute) could start again at any time.
The former Xiao King Shi Changqing was completely controlled by Gu Yi and A Qiu, to the point that he didn't even have a chance to speak.
But Gongyi Xiu would not find it any easier because of this.
The longer his master was suppressed by Gu Yi and A Qiu, the more anxious he became, and cold sweat kept seeping from his forehead.
My master has suffered setbacks again and again today, which is an unprecedented disgrace in his life.
Master has never been an easy person to deal with. Junior Sister A Qiu is now only focused on winning, and has actually joined forces with Gu Yi, an outsider. Has she ever considered the wrath and backlash Master will unleash after such a setback? Can she bear it?
Judging from the performance, he didn't understand why A-Qiu insisted on breaking his master's flute playing.
In his opinion, she was just a geisha, and if the musicians who were providing the music suddenly changed the tune, causing the white silk dance performance to fail, it was none of her business.
He knew nothing about what happened after A Qiu entered the Music Bureau, and therefore did not understand the significance of "White Silk" to the dance troupe.
This performance opportunity was obtained by A Qiu after risking her life to fight against the Grand Commander Sikong Zhao, with the personal intervention of the Grand Preceptor Gu Yi.
This is the first ray of light the dance club has finally seen after nearly twenty years of darkness.
It is also a continuation of the dance troupe, spanning three generations, carrying on the lost legacy of the previous generation's "White Silk".
The song "White Silk" encapsulates the wisdom and intelligence of the previous Empress Wen, the transfer of Zhao Zhaorong from the Weaving Room Director to the Orchid Pavilion Director, Gongye Fusu's "Thousand Gold Incense", Gu Yi's "Young Master Qin", Xue Hongbi's life ups and downs from dancer to concubine and back to dancer, Sun Neiren's remembrance of Empress Wen's kindness, and Zhongli's decades of unwavering support.
"White Silk" is more than just about beautiful women and longing. It is a collective memory and spiritual resonance of a dynasty.
The sound of the flute rose again, but this time it was unexpected by Gu Yi, A Qiu, and Gongyi Xiu.
It moved almost silently, quietly slipping into the musicians' ensemble.
By the time Gu Yi and A Qiu realized what was happening, it was already too late.
When a single note from the flute suddenly separated from the ensemble, A-Qiu realized that her master's strategy of "taking things slowly" had worked. Before she could react, it was too late.
At that very moment, a hoarse yet magnetic elderly woman's voice suddenly rang out.
"How can one escape the sorrows and regrets of life? My soul is consumed by boundless emotions!"
"I dream of returning to my homeland, but when I wake up, tears are streaming down my face."
"Who will climb the high tower with me? I will always remember gazing at the clear autumn sky."
"The past is gone, like a dream."
The voice seemed to have witnessed the vicissitudes of life, coming from a distant past. It was a powerful female voice, weathered by time, growing stronger with age, full of sighs and lamentations, still brimming with passion for life despite the hardships it had endured.
Suddenly, A Qiu understood; this was probably the true nature of Zhongli Wuyan's voice. The Purple-Clad Immortal could change her voice; this skill had been passed down in the martial arts world since ancient times. One moment a young girl, the next an old woman, her performances were incredibly lifelike—truly a divine skill.
And the flute music that the master had just started to play gradually faded away after the desolate and powerful chanting.
Perhaps someone had already expressed the emotions he wanted to convey, and as a musician, he felt that this was enough, and there was no need to linger or dwell on it any longer.
It's also possible that with A Qiu and Gu Yi working together, plus Zhong Li Wu Yan's oppressive singing from the sidelines, he knew that there would be no room for him to perform in today's match.
The dancers began to change formations, and amidst the fragrance of their clothes and the swaying of their hair, Lady Sun and Xue Hongbi prepared to enter the stage.
Sun's wife was on tenterhooks. Although she didn't know martial arts, she intuitively felt that the destructive sound of the flute had been suppressed by Gu Yi's zither, Zhong Li's whistling, and A Qiu's strangely rhythmic dance steps.
Her gaze lingered anxiously on the musicians, unsure if the man was still there.
Suddenly, a faint light flashed by the side of the hall, as someone lifted the curtain and slipped away.
Suddenly, Sun's wife froze. A thousand intense emotions surged into her heart in an instant, boundless and overwhelming.
In that split second, she only caught a glimpse of a black bird mask that was already etched in her heart and would never be forgotten in her life, and a tall, slender figure that would still often appear in her dreams many years later.
The music for Act III begins.
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