355: Chapter 355 Reconstruction

After a long while, Luo Li finally stopped her tears. She gently laid the Pavilion Master down, stood up, and wiped the tear stains from her face. Her eyes were red and swollen, but her gaze was firmer than ever before.

“The Pavilion Master entrusted Tianyin Pavilion to me; I cannot fail her,” she whispered. Though her voice was hoarse, it carried an unquestionable strength.

She turned around and looked at the survivors of Tianyin Pavilion. A Sect that originally had thousands was now left with fewer than three hundred people. Among them were white-haired Elders, middle-aged deacons, and even more young Disciples. They all bore wounds and tears on their faces, but a flicker of hope remained in their eyes—because they had seen Luo Li, the person who had used music to slay the Charm Clan Commander.

“Everyone,” Luo Li began, her voice echoing in the empty hall. “Before the Pavilion Master passed away, she entrusted Tianyin Pavilion to me. I know my seniority is shallow and I am hardly fit for such a heavy responsibility, but in this moment of crisis, I will never refuse. From today onward, I will stay here and rebuild Tianyin Pavilion with all of you.”

The Cultivators looked at each other. Doubt flashed in some eyes, worry in others, but in most, the light of hope was ignited.

A white-haired Elder walked forward tremblingly and bowed deeply to Luo Li. “Senior Sister Luo Li, this old man is an Elder of the Pavilion and personally witnessed your battle with the Charm Clan Commander just now. Your musical attainments have already far surpassed mine. With Tianyin Pavilion in your hands, I can rest easy.”

Seeing this, the other Cultivators also knelt one after another, shouting in unison, “Greetings, Pavilion Master!”

Luo Li hurried to help the Elder up and then signaled for everyone to rise. “There is no need for such formalities. Rebuilding Tianyin Pavilion is not a task for one person; it requires everyone to work together. From now on, we will divide the labor and each fulfill our duties.”

She looked at Gao Feng and the others, her eyes full of gratitude. “Senior Brother Gao Feng, could you stay for a few more days to help me out?”

Gao Feng nodded and said, “Of course. Just say the word for whatever you need us to do.”

Luo Li smiled gratefully and began assigning tasks.

She divided the surviving three hundred Cultivators into several small teams. One was responsible for clearing the battlefield, collecting the remains of the deceased, and repairing damaged buildings; one was responsible for patrolling and guarding to prevent any remnants of the Charm Clan from returning; one was responsible for auditing the inventory and counting the remaining Cultivation resources and Secret Manuals; and another was responsible for looking after the wounded and healing them.

She herself took several Elders and began organizing the Legacy of Tianyin Pavilion. The Cultivation Techniques, musical Secret Manuals, and Cultivation insights that survived the war all needed to be re-cataloged. Some precious records had been destroyed and needed to be transcribed from memory.

Gao Feng and the others were not idle either. Lin Yue led a team of Cultivators to set up a new defense Formation at the mountain gate. He had accumulated rich experience in Meteor Valley recently, so setting up Formations was second nature to him. Defensive Formations, warning Formations, and enemy-trapping Formations were layered around the mountain gate, guarding the entire Tianyin Mountain until it was as solid as a fortress.

Su Ning arranged Space Folding transport Formations at various locations on the mountain. These Formations could connect the inside and outside of the mountain gate, facilitating movement and serving as retreat routes in times of crisis. She also specially set up a directional transport Formation in the main hall that connected directly to Meteor Valley, so they could call for aid immediately if danger struck again.

Tian Xin led several Disciples skilled in drawing Talismans to produce various Talismans day and night. Defense Talismans, attack Talismans, warning Talismans, healing Talismans... Talisman after Talisman was born from their hands and distributed to every Cultivator. She also specially drew a batch of 'Heart-Clearing Talismans' to counter charms, sticking them in everyone's Cultivation rooms to prevent erosion by charm power.

Yao Guang was busy among the wounded. Her Qingmu Healing Techniques had amazing effects; even the most severe injuries could heal quickly in her hands. Those wounded who were at death's door were soon able to walk after her treatment. In just three days, the injuries of all the wounded were brought under control, and not a single person died.

Chu Lan was pulled away by Luo Li to study the Spiritual Plant environment of Tianyin Mountain together.

“The Spiritual Qi of Tianyin Mountain was originally very dense and suitable for the growth of Spiritual Plants,” Chu Lan concluded after walking around the mountain. “But the previous battle damaged many Spiritual Veins, which need to be reorganized. Moreover, if we can plant a large number of Spiritual Plants on the mountain and use their power to nourish the Spiritual Qi, the Cultivation environment here will be even better than before.”

Luo Li's eyes lit up. “Then I'll leave it to you.”

Chu Lan nodded and immediately took action. She led several Tianyin Pavilion Disciples to survey the terrain across the mountain, selecting suitable spots for planting. Then, she took various Spiritual Plant seeds from her Storage Pouch—some from Meteor Valley, some from the Green Wood Realm, and some rare varieties brought back from the Time Secret Realm.

One by one, Spiritual Plants were planted, quickly taking root and sprouting under Chu Lan's stimulation. Qi-Gathering Grass, Heart-Clearing Lotus, Spirit-Nourishing Flowers, Mind-Calming Vines... various Spiritual Plants grew all over the mountain, releasing a dense aura of life. That aura merged with the Spiritual Qi in the mountains, improving the Cultivation environment of Tianyin Mountain at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Luo Li shut herself in a quiet room and began creating a new Cultivation Technique.

Using the 'Star Battle Song' she had just comprehended as a foundation and combining it with the Dao of musical rhythm passed down through generations of Tianyin Pavilion, she created a set of Cultivation Techniques suitable for ordinary Disciples. This technique was divided into four layers: Introductory, Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced, with detailed Cultivation methods and precautions for each. She also composed corresponding pieces for each layer so Disciples could practice alongside the music.

Seven days later, she emerged from the quiet room and gathered all the Disciples.

“This is the new Cultivation Technique I have created, called the 'Tianyin Star Scripture',” she said, distributing the transcribed manuals to everyone. “From today on, everyone will Cultivate according to this technique. It fuses the traditions of Tianyin Pavilion with my own insights and will be of great benefit to Cultivating musical rhythm.”

The Disciples took the manuals and couldn't wait to flip through them. After reading just a few pages, someone cried out in surprise, “This... this is so much more exquisite than our previous techniques!”

“Yes, many things I couldn't understand before are explained clearly here!”

“And these songs are so beautiful! Just looking at the scores makes my mind feel peaceful!”

Seeing their excitement, a gratified smile appeared on Luo Li's face.

In the following days, Tianyin Pavilion gradually regained its vitality.

Every morning, the Disciples would gather in the square to practice the new technique with Luo Li. Her teaching was patient and meticulous; she never gave up on someone for poor Aptitude, nor did she scold anyone for slow progress. She always encouraged and motivated them, making them believe that as long as they worked hard, they would surely become stronger.

During the day, each team performed its duties. Those in charge of defense patrolled the mountain gate, those in charge of resources organized the inventory, those in charge of repairs mended buildings, and those in charge of planting tended to the Spiritual Plants. Everyone had something to do, and everyone contributed their strength to the rebuilding of the Sect.

At night, the Disciples would gather to share their gains from the day and exchange musical skills. Sometimes Luo Li would join them and perform a rendition of the 'Star Battle Song'. The golden soundwaves echoed in the night sky, making everyone feel peaceful and full of strength.

Gao Feng and the others watched silently from the side. They saw Luo Li transform from a taciturn zither player into a leader capable of standing on her own, and their hearts were filled with relief.

“She is doing very well,” Yao Guang whispered.

Gao Feng nodded and said, “She always had this ability; she just never had the chance to show it before.”

A month later, Tianyin Pavilion had preliminary recovered its Origin Qi.

The mountain gate was re-erected, and the new stone tablet was carved with the three large characters 'Tianyin Pavilion', written by Luo Li herself. The main hall was fully repaired, radiating an ancient and elegant aura once more. The various buildings were basically restored, and the Disciples had new places to Cultivate and live.

The Spiritual Plants on the mountain were already lush and green, and the life aura they released shrouded the entire Tianyin Mountain in a faint layer of green light. These plants not only improved the Cultivation environment but also provided a large amount of Cultivation resources. The rare Spiritual Plants Chu Lan had cultivated were already starting to bear fruit, which could be used to refine Medicinal Pills.

The Disciples' cultivation levels had also significantly improved. Among the three hundred people, over fifty had broken through their Bottlenecks and reached new Realms. More than ten others, under Luo Li's careful guidance, had grasped the true essence of musical rhythm and could independently compose simple pieces.

On this day, Luo Li gathered everyone in the main hall.

She stood on the steps, her gaze sweeping over the familiar faces. A month's time had allowed her to build deep bonds with these people. She remembered every person's name, every person's progress, and every person's smile.

But she knew it was time for her to leave.

“Everyone,” she began, her voice echoing in the hall. “Over this past month, seeing everyone's hard work and progress, I am deeply gratified. That Tianyin Pavilion is what it is today is the result of everyone's collective effort.”

Everyone listened quietly, a faint sense of foreboding in their hearts.

Luo Li continued, “When the Pavilion Master entrusted Tianyin Pavilion to me, it was because the situation was critical and someone needed to step up. Now, Tianyin Pavilion has preliminary recovered its vitality, and everyone has the ability to protect themselves. I think it is time to hand the position of Pavilion Master to someone more suitable.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall was instantly in an uproar.

“Senior Sister Luo Li, you're leaving?” someone cried out.

“You are our Pavilion Master; what will we do if you leave?”

“Please stay! Tianyin Pavilion cannot be without you!”

Luo Li raised her hand, signaling for silence. She looked at a young woman in the crowd and said, “Yun Xi, come here.”

The woman named Yun Xi froze for a moment before walking forward. She was in her early twenties, with delicate features and eyes that sparkled with intelligence. Over the past month, her progress had been the fastest; not only had her cultivation reached the Foundation Establishment Third Layer, but she had also independently composed several songs, showing extraordinary musical talent.

Luo Li looked at her and said, “Yun Xi, from today on, you are the new Pavilion Master of Tianyin Pavilion.”

Yun Xi's eyes widened, and she waved her hands repeatedly. “Senior Sister Luo Li, this won't do! My seniority is shallow and my ability is insufficient; how can I take on such a heavy responsibility!”