Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
chapter-1197

Long Chen and the others were shocked. Just who had arrived that was able to disturb even the emperor and make him use such a respectful tone?

“The disciples of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace greet His Majesty of the Grand Xia!” Suddenly, a voice like immortal music rang out. Just this voice was able to make others feel an artistic feeling.

Each word contained an implicit charm of the Cry of the Heavenly Daos. Hearing it made people feel at peace.

“So it’s disciples from the immortal palace, no wonder. Please, come into the palace hall and we can catch up.” Xia Yuyang’s voice rang out, causing all the people’s expressions to change. Even the Grand Xia’s emperor would take the initiative to receive mere disciples? What was going on?

The Illusive Music Immortal Palace was a power that had the inheritance of a true immortal. Each of their disciples was incredibly powerful, and most importantly, they all had an immortal charm around them. Even the movements of their hands could contain the flow of the Heavenly Daos.

Most importantly, their Music Dao was similar to the Wine God Palace’s Wine Dao. It was something cultivators longed for in their dreams. That was why hearing that they came from the Illusive Music Immortal Palace shocked and delighted all these people. Why would such people come to the Grand Xia?

“I wouldn’t dare. I only came because I heard the sound of music. If I’ve offended you, please forgive me,” replied a woman’s voice.

“For it to be a chance meeting is fate. It just so happens that the youth of my Grand Xia and the Grand Han are having a cultural exchange right now. I would be delighted if fairy could come up to the Heavenly Cloud Platform and give them some pointers,” said Xia Yuyang.

“I wouldn’t dare to say I could give pointers. But I do want to experience the skills of the youth of the Grand Xia and Grand Han,” said that woman.

“Please, go ahead.”

Their appearance caused the entire Heavenly Cloud Platform to be filled with a sacred light. The ambience completely transformed.

“They’re so beautiful!” Xia Youluo looked at them enviously. These women possessed a special charm that made others feel like they couldn’t touch them due to their own inferiority.

The woman at the front was especially beautiful. A faint halo of light covered her body. She was like an immortal who had descended to the mortal world, making people have an urge to kneel before her.

“Long Chen, why did you put on a hat?” Xia Youluo suddenly saw Long Chen had stealthily taken out a hat that blocked his face.

“Shh, I know that person. She likes me and has been pursuing me for a long time, but I’d rather die than accept. I even fled to the Grand Xia, but she followed me here! Come in front of me a bit so she doesn’t recognize me,” whispered Long Chen.

He knew her. She was the one he had encountered in the Eastern Wasteland, the disciple of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace, Zi Yan. She had been the one to send Long Chen the photographic jade.

But he continued to have a strange feeling about her. Talking with her was difficult. It felt like he was an irredeemably wicked villain, while she was a pure-hearted, kind fairy who was constantly trying to enlighten him.

Although the two of them could count as friends, Long Chen was afraid of having her continue trying to enlighten him. It was better to just quietly watch.

Xia Youluo glared at Long Chen, not believing him. The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s disciples all cultivated the Dao, and they were not permitted to have a male and female relationship. How could she possibly be pursuing him to this point? That was clearly nonsense.

Xia Youluo was just about to take Long Chen’s hat off and tell him not to mess around when Zi Yan spoke.

Bowing slightly toward them, she said, “This junior is Zi Yan, one of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s disciples. The reason I came to the Grand Xia today was originally to pay my respect to the Wine God Palace. But I was drawn over by the music here, so please forgive me for my sudden intrusion.”

“You’re too courteous. For you to flatter my Grand Xia by coming here is a blessing for us. Please, sit.” As the host, Xia Yunfeng hastily arranged things for them.

Everyone quickly opened up a space for them. Whether it was the experts from the Grand Han or the Grand Xia, they all stared at Zi Yan and the others with reverence.

They could sense the energy of the Heavenly Daos around them. It was like they had come from the heavens.

“Everyone’s so polite. I came because I heard some music from here and after finishing some business, I wanted to see if there was perhaps fate between us. Can I know who was the one playing the zither back then?” asked Zi Yan.

“It was this junior. I’ve caused the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s fairies to laugh at my poor skills.” The zither-playing woman walked forward with an unnatural expression.

Although she claimed to be proficient in the Music Dao, she knew that she had no right to be compared with the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s disciples.

Seeing Zi Yan and the others looking like goddesses from the heavens, she was both envious and worshipful. Her gaze was very complicated.

“Sister, you’re too courteous. Amongst a hundred people there will be a hundred different kinds of music. The sound of the zither reflects the heart, and since each person’s experiences and comprehension are different, the same song can be played with different flavors. Each art has its own possibilities, and each person’s Dao is different. There is no high or low, vulgar or refined. In the Eastern Wasteland, I once learned many things from a certain person. Since then, I’ve found great pleasure in all kinds of Music Dao. Each musician’s style represents different lives, and they are all worth learning and experiencing.” Zi Yan smiled at the woman.

Her voice was like heavenly music, and it was both graceful and amicable. She seemed to be a mix of immortal and mortal, making people feel like they were dreaming.

Long Chen stealthily peeked at Zi Yan from the crowd. He couldn’t help being shocked. Zi Yan had actually reached an extremely terrifying realm. Although she hadn’t released her aura, Long Chen sensed some kind of incredibly powerful energy from her.

This energy was boundless. It was like Zi Yan was a terrifying controller of heaven and earth’s fate. It gave Long Chen a feeling like he couldn’t possibly defeat her.

Although that energy within her was silent, making it so he couldn’t estimate her power, just by using the sharp senses of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, he felt that he was not her match.

“Your words honor me. They are truly food for thought, and millions of times better than the filthy speech that comes out of an unbearably coarse fellow.” The woman bowed toward Zi Yan, but her eyes were looking at a certain figure in the crowd.

She was intentionally trying to use Zi Yan’s evaluation to counterattack Long Chen.

The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s disciples stood at the pinnacle of the Music Dao. Even such a figure hadn’t called her music trash, so how could Long Chen be qualified to do so?

Zi Yan was startled. She immediately followed that woman’s gaze, and her beautiful eyes brightened. In a pleasantly surprised tone, she said, “Long Chen, why are you here?”

For Zi Yan to call out Long Chen’s name shocked everyone. They looked at Long Chen with disbelief. Xia Youluo was especially shocked. Did this mean that Long Chen hadn’t been talking nonsense just now?

Damnit, she still recognized me. To be able to recognize me with just a glance, I suppose it simply means that I, Long Chen, am an exceptionally outstanding crane amongst a flock of chickens. Since he was exposed, Long Chen took off his hat and smiled toward Zi Yan. “After parting in the Eastern Wasteland, lady Zi Yan has become even more beautiful. Your beauty and cultivation base advance with each passing day.”

Long Chen looked at Zi Yan with a smile. It went without saying that Zi Yan was already a fairy-like beauty. But now the immortal charm around her had grown even denser, making it very similar to Meng Qi’s air.

But Meng Qi’s immortal charm was innate, while Zi Yan’s immortal charm was through cultivation. Their airs were truly similar. But in Long Chen’s eyes, when it came to beauty, Meng Qi still beat her by a level. Perhaps that was because she was his future wife, and he felt his wife to be prettier.

Zi Yan didn’t express any surprise at Long Chen’s amicable smile. Instead, she acted familiarly with him, saying, “After parting in the Eastern Wasteland, brother Long’s grace is the same as ever. It truly makes a person sigh.”

“But of course. The passing years are like a blade cutting at heavenly geniuses. Time can change my appearance, but it cannot change my heart. Or to put it in a simpler way, when it comes to my character, it’s like a blind person trying to see - it’s hopeless,” said Long Chen helplessly.

Seeing Long Chen and Zi Yan smiling and talking shocked everyone watching. Zi Yan was like an emissary from the heavens, making them all become reserved, afraid that they might offend her.

But Long Chen was still acting the same. That sloppy appearance of his when combined with Zi Yan’s immortal charm caused them to feel like a fairy had been forced to fall into the mundane world.

“Ah, sorry, I’ve been rude. I met Long Chen in the Eastern Wasteland by chance. The person I was talking about from before was him. Big sister, what you said before, there was someone who criticized your playing? You couldn’t be talking about Long Chen, could you? I want to hear what kind of evaluation he had for you as well,” said Zi Yan expectantly.

“Uh…” The woman immediately became dumbfounded. From all appearances, it seemed Zi Yan deeply respected Long Chen, almost like they were companions. Hence, she had no idea how to reply.

The woman’s resentment toward him faded a great deal upon hearing this. Long Chen was giving her face.

The woman had an urge to prostrate herself toward Zi Yan. Even ignoring her great experience, just this magnanimity was something she could only look up to. Thinking of how she had intentionally provoked Long Chen due to someone else’s orders, she felt ashamed.

“Miss Zi Yan, since you’ve come, why don’t you play a song as well? If you did, I would weep tears of joy,” said Long Chen with a smile.

Zi Yan smiled slightly. “Since brother Long has put it this way, I wouldn’t dare to refuse. How about this? I will embarrass myself and play the song that big sister has just played. Everyone, please reflect over it carefully.”

Zi Yan flew onto the stage. With a wave of her hand, an ancient zither appeared before her.