Chapter 291: Be Sure to Conceal Your Fate Before Entering

Hiss...

The twelve Sword Spirits instinctively gasped. They had guarded this Sword Tower for countless ages, yet this was the first time they had seen such a monstrous young man.

The Pure Yang Sword Spirit also dropped its mischievous tone and asked, "Young man, what is your name? You are worthy of having your name remembered by us."

Xiao Chen cupped his hands and said, "Honorable seniors, I am Xiao Chen."

The Breaking Sky Sword Spirit said, "Xiao Chen, you are indeed qualified to learn the true meaning of our sword dao. However, according to the rules of this tower, you may only cultivate here for one year. Are you confident that you can comprehend our sword dao truth within that time?"

Xiao Chen smiled and replied, "Twelve months is enough. Besides, I only hope to draw upon the strengths of each of you to improve myself."

The Breaking Sky Sword Spirit said, "Very well. In that case, let us begin imparting to you the true essence of the sword dao."

"Thank you, seniors."

Xiao Chen then began to consult each of the Sword Spirits in turn.

At the same time, outside the Music Palace of the Royal Court—

Qin Qin and Chu Caiyi met just outside the palace wall.

"Senior sister Qin."

Chu Caiyi gave a slight bow toward Qin Qin.

Qin Qin gave a small nod and asked, "Junior sister Caiyi, have you seen any of the other disciples?"

Chu Caiyi shook her head. "No. I just landed in a garden a moment ago, and before I realized it, I had walked here."

Qin Qin said, "Same here. Since we’re already here, we may as well see what’s inside."

"Alright."

The two women spoke and walked into the Music Palace together.

As soon as they stepped in, they heard a pleasant melody played on a jade flute. Instantly, they became immersed in the enchanting tune.

After a while, Qin Qin gradually regained her senses from the melody. She instinctively took out her guqin and began to play.

Beside her, Chu Caiyi listened to the beautiful blend of zither and flute, then began to dance gracefully.

As she danced with elegance and poise, dozens of dancing maidens suddenly appeared within the once-empty Music Palace to accompany her in harmony.

After a long while, the music ceased, and the maidens gracefully withdrew.

"What a wonderful piece. I've resided in this palace for so many years, yet this is the first time I’ve found a true soulmate in music."

A refined and noble voice echoed from within the palace.

Upon hearing the voice, the two women offered a slight bow in its direction. "We pay our respects, senior. Apologies for the disturbance, and we beg your pardon."

The woman within the palace said, "Think nothing of it. I am merely a remnant thought attached to this jade flute. It is rare to encounter kindred spirits—how could this be called a disturbance? Come in."

As her voice fell, the palace doors creaked open.

Though still cautious, the two women exchanged glances, then entered the palace.

They saw a breathtakingly beautiful and magnificently dressed woman’s shadow, holding a jade flute and standing at the center of the grand hall.

Even Chu Caiyi, a beauty capable of bringing down a kingdom, could not help but feel eclipsed by this woman’s stunning presence.

"Sit."

The woman spoke softly, and two chairs appeared behind them.

"Thank you, senior."

The woman said, "There’s no need to call me senior. You two must be here for the treasure hidden beneath the Music Palace, am I right?"

Qin Qin respectfully replied, "To be honest, we were transported here. It seems as though something unseen was guiding us to this place."

Upon hearing this, a thoughtful look appeared on the woman’s face. After a moment, she finally said,

"I see. Since fate has brought you here, that makes us destined to meet. Here’s how it will be: if you can play a tune that satisfies me, I will offer you a guiding clue. If not, then you should return to where you came from."

Qin Qin said, "Please give us a theme, senior."

The woman didn’t respond right away. Instead, she began pacing slowly within the palace hall.

After a long while, she finally spoke, "Use ‘grievance’ as the theme. Can you compose and perform a piece on the spot?"

As her words fell, the woman’s gaze landed on Qin Qin. She added, "I can give you three days to consider."

Hearing the word “grievance,” Qin Qin did not respond immediately. She fell into contemplation.

Before she had taken her master as teacher, she had suffered the bitterness of the mortal world. It would be impossible to say there was no grievance in her heart.

But to make the shadow before her resonate with those emotions—this was not something an ordinary melody could achieve.

Time passed second by second.

The entire grand hall was silent. Chu Caiyi made no move to disturb Qin Qin’s thoughts.

After a long period of reflection, Qin Qin slowly closed her eyes and sat cross-legged, attempting to enter a meditative state and sense the grievance carried by the woman before her.

Unfortunately, the woman was only a remnant thought. Qin Qin couldn’t perceive her presence at all. It seemed she would have to take another approach.

After a full day and night, Qin Qin slowly opened her eyes, her lips curved into a slight smile. "Senior, I am ready to begin playing."

"Oh?"

A trace of curiosity rose in the elegant woman’s eyes. "Please."

Qin Qin adjusted her guqin and began to pluck the strings.

Dong… dong… dong…

As the notes rang out, a haunting and sorrowful melody echoed throughout the grand hall.

Chu Caiyi quickly noticed the scene before her begin to shift. In the dim and secluded palace, she saw a peerless beauty staring sorrowfully at the sky, speaking her heart to the sun.

This sight stirred memories of her own days secluded in the deep palace, when she used to express herself through dance.

Unconsciously, she began to dance.

The guqin melody continued in the grand hall. No one noticed that the palace-dressed woman had silently begun to weep. Instinctively, she raised her jade flute and began to play.

The harmony of zither and flute carried on for seven days and seven nights.

The moment the music ceased, the woman’s figure began to grow faint.

Tears streamed down her face as she gave Qin Qin a gentle smile. "At last… someone has finally understood the grievance in my heart. The treasure lies within the secret chamber beneath my phoenix bed. Remember—when you enter the chamber, you must conceal your fate. Otherwise, danger will find you."

With that, the woman’s remnant thought completely dispersed into the hall.

Chu Caiyi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Senior sister, what was the name of that piece you played just now?"

Qin Qin replied, "‘Grievance of the Xiang Consort.’ I once learned it by chance from our master."

"I see."

Chu Caiyi gave a slight nod. "By the way, senior sister, how are we supposed to conceal our fate?"

Qin Qin shook her head. "I don’t know how either."

"Then… are we just going to give up?" Chu Caiyi murmured with some reluctance.

Qin Qin said, "We’ve come this far—there’s no reason to turn back. Don’t forget the treasures our master left us. We’ll be fine."

Chu Caiyi’s eyes lit up. "Right! How could I forget that? Then let’s go, senior sister!"

Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 2 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 32 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!

Patreon: /Alex_Cruise

{

Dear Readers,

I'm writing to you today with a heavy heart. Due to a recent wave of cancellations, I'm in a difficult financial situation. If you've enjoyed my work, I would be so grateful for your support on Patreon.

Your contributions, no matter how small, would make a huge difference and help me continue writing. To show my appreciation, I'll be posting four new chapters every day for my supporters.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

}