168: Chapter 168: Matching Majors

"An honored guest? Is that just accompanying them to drink and chat?"

Song He chuckled.

"Drinking and chatting is just on the surface; the deeper level... that depends on the mood of the courtesan."

"However, the three courtesans have extremely high standards, and ordinary Cultivators simply cannot catch their eye."

"At last year's Ten Thousand Flowers Gathering, only one Inner Sect Disciple from the Sword Sect caught Master Su's eye, and no one could satisfy the requirements of the other two courtesans."

Xiao Ran nodded and said nothing more.

Downstairs, the woman in red retreated.

The lights on the stage dimmed.

An ancient zither suddenly appeared on the spot.

The zither was a Jiaowei zither, entirely black, with a faint luster flowing across its body.

Behind the zither, a woman in white sat quietly.

Her face was cold and aloof, her temperament otherworldly, her white dress as snow, her long hair like a waterfall.

Her long, fair fingers rested lightly on the strings.

The entire venue was silent.

She plucked the strings.

A note rang out like the tinkling of a spring, crisp and pleasant to the ear.

Immediately after, the zither melody surged like a tide, at times soaring like the peak of a high mountain, at times soft and low like the babbling of flowing water.

When the piece ended, the lingering melody seemed to echo through the rafters.

The audience remained silent for a moment, then thunderous applause erupted.

"Master Su! Master Su! Master Su!"

Master Su nodded slightly.

She stood up, her voice as cold and clear as a spring.

"Today's first challenge: using 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' as the theme, I ask everyone to compose a melody."

"Whoever composes the best melody may come to my room for a brief visit."

As soon as she finished speaking, the audience below immediately became restless.

"Compose a melody? That's not something an ordinary person can do!"

"I can't even hold a tune, how can I compose?"

"What are you afraid of? It's the participation that counts!"

Some people immediately took out paper and pens, writing furiously.

Some closed their eyes in contemplation, their fingers plucking at the empty air.

Others simply used their Qi to sketch musical notes in the air, drawing gasps of amazement.

Xiao Ran leaned back in his chair, watching this scene, and suddenly laughed out loud.

"High Mountains and Flowing Water?"

"Isn't this a coincidence?"

Before his Transmigration, although he wasn't a professional music enthusiast, he still had quite a bit of research into classical music.

He had listened to the zither piece 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' no less than a hundred times.

Simulating it with Qi was not difficult.

But Xiao Ran was in no hurry to act.

Because good things always need to be presented as the finale.

Moreover, Xiao Ran also wanted to see what level 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' was at in this Immortal Realm.

If it turned out to be mediocre, wouldn't it be embarrassing to bring it out early?

So Xiao Ran turned his gaze downstairs.

Great Master Su was sitting quietly behind the zither, her expression indifferent, as if she didn't care about anything happening below.

Occasionally, attendants would bring up the melodies composed by the Cultivators, but she would only glance at them before shaking her head lightly.

One stick of incense passed.

Two sticks of incense passed.

Still, no one could satisfy her.

The Cultivators below began to get anxious.

"Aren't Master Su's requirements too high? This is the thirty-seventh one, and not a single one is satisfactory?"

"Nonsense, if it were that easy, could she still be called a top courtesan?"

"I think this year is going to be a bust again..."

Zhao Lingyun stood up and waved his hand.

"Someone, bring this Young Master's music score up!"

An attendant hurriedly took the Jade Slip from his hand and delivered it to Master Su.

Master Su took it, glanced at it, and frowned slightly.

Then, she shook her head.

Zhao Lingyun's expression stiffened.

"Impossible! This Young Master's score was composed by a famous master for a heavy price! How could it not work?"

Master Su said indifferently.

"Young Master Zhao's score is technically proficient but lacks a Soul."

"'High Mountains and Flowing Water' is not just about the melody; it is even more about the Concept."

"Young Master Zhao's piece has only high mountains but no flowing water; it has grandeur but no tenderness."

Zhao Lingyun's face turned livid, but he couldn't lash out.

Below, everyone scratched their heads in unison.

On the stage, Xiao Ran's mouth curled wider and wider.

He had listened to those dozens of so-called scores, and to summarize in one word: they were trash.

So it turned out that not everything in the Immortal Realm was amazing!

'High Mountains and Flowing Water' released would absolutely dominate!

So, Xiao Ran did not hesitate any longer.

He raised his hand, and a strand of Qi condensed in his palm.

The Qi transformed into an origami crane, lifelike, shimmering with seven-colored light under the candlelight.

Inside the origami crane, a melody flowed slowly.

That was 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'.

Xiao Ran used his Qi to condense the entire piece into a mark of Divine Sense.

As long as one probed with their Divine Sense, they could feel the majesty of the high mountains and the babbling of the flowing water.

This was a small trick he had learned from Daoist Duobao's Legacy.

Xiao Ran flicked it gently, and the origami crane flew out of the window, drifting toward the stage.

The origami crane traced a graceful arc in the night sky, drawing the attention of countless people.

"What is that?"

"An origami crane? Who folded it?"

"It seems to have Qi fluctuations inside..."

Under everyone's gaze, the origami crane landed steadily in front of Master Su, spinning gently.

Master Su was stunned, reached out, and took it.

The moment her Divine Sense probed inside, she trembled all over.

At this moment, she seemed to see towering mountains piercing the clouds.

She heard the waves of pine trees in the mountains, like the roar of a Dragon and the howl of a tiger.

She saw waterfalls and springs, like white silk hanging in the air.

It was a Concept she had never experienced before.

Grandeur and tenderness coexisted; strength and gentleness intertwined.

Master Su's eyes grew brighter; this was simply the most beautiful piece she had ever heard.

'High Mountains and Flowing Water' meets a kindred spirit.

It was simply too wonderful.

After a long while.

She raised her head and looked in the direction from which the origami crane had flown.

On the second floor, the window of a private room was half-open.

At the window, a young man was sipping tea leisurely, holding a teacup.

Master Su's heart trembled upon seeing this.

She stood up and bowed slightly in that direction.

"This Young Master, please appear and let me see you."

The audience was in an uproar.

"What? Someone was selected?"

"Who is it? Where?"

"The second floor! It's the distinguished guest in the second-floor private room!"

Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward the second floor.

Xiao Ran put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the window.

Moonlight spilled onto him, outlining his profile with sharp, defined edges.

He stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking the floor below, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Master Su, are you satisfied with the score?"

Master Su looked at him, a glint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Dare I ask, Young Master, what is the name of this piece?"

"'High Mountains and Flowing Water'."

Master Su whispered the name once, a flash of understanding crossing her eyes.

"'High Mountains and Flowing Water'... A good name."

"May I ask for your honorable name, Young Master?"

Xiao Ran said indifferently: "Li Bai!"

Since he was going to show off, he naturally had to use a prestigious name.

Master Su looked up slightly upon seeing this.

"I have long heard of you!"

Below.

Zhao Lingyun's face was livid, staring at Xiao Ran with eyes full of apprehension.

Master Su, however, paid no attention to this; she could no longer wait.

"Young Master Xiao, please."

She stepped aside, making a gesture of invitation.

But Xiao Ran did not move.

"No rush, Master Su."

"There are still two other courtesans who haven't set their challenges yet; we can talk after the gathering ends."

Master Su was stunned, but could only agree.

"Very well, this humble one will wait for you, Young Master."

She turned and sat down, her fingers plucking the strings lightly.

This time, what she played was precisely 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'.

The zither melody was like the peak of high mountains, like the banks of flowing water, like a gentle breeze brushing against the face, like fine rain nourishing all things.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Everyone was listening quietly.