Xu Ming opened his eyes.
He spent the whole night rehearsing in the cave.
He polished the performance, refined the vocals, and even practiced the gestures and expressions he would use during the performance.
For a few seconds, he stared at the uneven ceiling of the cave. He was going to give his all in today's performance. He needed to become indispensable to the sect; only then could he enjoy greater resources, and of course, he also wanted fame. What artist wouldn't want that?
"Today is the day..."
He sat up in bed, his heart beating a little faster, with that slight pre-show anxiety.
Unlike the day before, he didn't feel confused or disoriented. On the contrary, his mind was crystal clear.
Xu Ming took a few deep breaths. He had performed in front of audiences before. He had performed on makeshift stages, in cramped bars, and at small festivals, and he had even played for an audience of 10,000 people when he worked as a hired musician... but this was different.
It wasn't just music.
It was politics, the future of the sect.
In a way, this made him feel somewhat excited as well.
He got out of bed and began to get ready.
He washed his face with the cold water he had stored, feeling the icy shock help him wake up completely. Then he put on the clothes that had been set aside for him the day before.
They were simple, but clean and well-fitting. A white robe that enhanced his appearance without looking too extravagant. The Heavenly Martial Path sect was not known for luxury, so exaggeration would be frowned upon.
As he adjusted his belt, Xu Ming looked at himself in a small bronze mirror.
"...Not bad."
He didn't smile too much, just nodded to himself. The handsome face, the straight posture, the calm gaze. Inside, he was a little nervous, but on the outside, he seemed surprisingly stable.
"Okay, focus!"
He approached the guzheng, running his fingers gently over the strings, without actually touching them. Just feeling the texture, the weight, the familiarity.
The music was ready, the melody was memorized, and he was prepared.
Or, at least, as ready as he could be.
That was when he sensed a presence.
Xu Ming froze for a moment.
There was no sound of footsteps, no announcement. Just that gentle pressure, almost imperceptible, but impossible to ignore for a cultivator, even at a level as low as his.
He turned around.
At the entrance of the cave, standing with impeccable posture, was his master.
Hua Qingshi.
Xu Ming had seen her several times since joining the sect, but as always, the impact was the same.
She was extremely beautiful.
Not a flashy or warm beauty, it was a distant, almost ethereal beauty. Her features were fine and well-defined, her black hair tied back simply, without unnecessary adornments. Her eyes were cold and clear, like a tranquil lake.
Her expression... impassive and stoic.
It was the kind of beauty that made people hesitate before even approaching her.
Xu Ming immediately straightened his posture and bowed respectfully.
"Master."
Hua Qingshi nodded slightly in response.
"Are you ready?" Her voice was calm, without apparent emotion, as always... she was not one to waste words.
"Yes." Xu Ming replied. "I was just mentally reviewing."
She took a few steps into the cave, her gaze briefly passing over the guzheng, the neatly arranged leaves, and the clean environment. She made no comments, but Xu Ming noticed the small detail.
She was satisfied, even if she didn't show it.
As she approached, Xu Ming couldn't help but think, completely involuntarily: She really is very beautiful...
But the thought stopped there.
There was no inappropriate desire, no strange fantasies. It was respectful admiration; he didn't dare to be like those perverted protagonists who had a crush on their own master. Not that he didn't want to, but he didn't dare!
It's a shame, he thought, that she was so closed off.
If she smiled more... He immediately pushed the thought away.
It wasn't the time for that.
Hua Qingshi stopped a few steps away from him.
"Did you prepare the music?" she asked, looking directly at him.
Xu Ming didn't hesitate.
"I prepared something incredible," he replied with conviction.
She raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Suitable for the occasion?" she continued.
"Perfect for the occasion," Xu Ming affirmed with a slight, confident smile.
Hua Qingshi stared at him silently for a few seconds.
Xu Ming maintained his firm posture, not looking away.
Finally, she nodded.
"I trust you."
There was no request to test it, no request to hear a snippet, nothing.
She simply trusted him.
Xu Ming blinked, surprised inside.
In Hua Qingshi's mind, however, her thoughts were simple.
Music is not my field.
She knew that.
Even if Xu Ming played something technically complex or too simple, she would have no real ability to evaluate it. Besides, that disciple had been accepted precisely because of that talent.
She doesn't know how to evaluate it, but she confirmed with the people of the city his talent for music, in addition to his supernatural beauty, which is second to none of the talents of the other sects.
If she didn't trust him now, it would make no sense to have brought him into the sect.
"Let's go," she said. "We're already late."
Xu Ming nodded quickly.
"Yes, Master."
He picked up the guzheng carefully, holding it properly, and followed Hua Qingshi out of the cave.
The journey to the sect's main hall was made in silence.
Hua Qingshi drove the flying cape quickly, Xu Ming sat quietly in the back, admiring the scenery and wondering when he would be able to drive one of these.
A short time later, they arrived at the reception hall.
Xu Ming felt the growing pressure in the air.
The sect's reception hall was one of the few places that tried to look presentable.
It wasn't luxurious, but it was spacious, with thick pillars, hanging banners, and a central space reserved for performances. Around it were seats for elders, important guests, and disciples.
And when they arrived...
The sound came first.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heavy, irregular, almost aggressive percussion.
Xu Ming blinked.
"...What is that?"
In the center of the hall, a group of disciples from the Heavenly Martial Way sect itself was performing.
Or, at least, trying to.
They beat on makeshift drums, hollow stones, wooden structures... with too much force and too little rhythm. There was no harmony. There was no clear cadence. It sounded more like noisy physical training than music.
And worst of all... They were completely serious, convinced. As if it were something impressive.
Much worse than doing something bad is doing something bad seriously, thinking you're doing something incredible.
Xu Ming felt a chill run down his spine.
This is... terrible.
He looked around discreetly.
In the seats reserved for guests, the visiting sect's entourage was already present.
An elderly woman with an elegant posture sat in the center.
She was clearly the leader of the group.
Her gray hair was neatly tied back, her clothes were refined, and she had a calm and powerful aura. Her eyes watched the presentation with a neutral expression... but there was a slight trace of barely contained impatience there.
This was Hua Qingshi's elderly friend.
Her name was Lin Yuexin.
Surrounding her were three lower-ranking elderly women, likely internal elders of the Cloud Harmony Sect. All were well-composed and polite, but clearly unimpressed.
Behind them, in seats further away, were the ten visiting young disciples.
Six female cultivators and four male cultivators. All were incredibly beautiful.
One of them was an extremely beautiful young woman, more beautiful than any idol Xu Ming had seen in his past life.
She had long black hair, a cold expression, and an incredible beauty; she was mesmerizing. She had an enchanting charm that captured anyone's gaze, as well as an enormous bust.
Ahem...
Xu Ming could immediately sense the differences.
Some of the boys had bored expressions, others had barely concealed mockery. One of them even exchanged glances with another and tried his best to hold back his laughter.
The girls, on the other hand, were more restrained. No explicit mockery, but also no spark of interest, just polite and distant looks.
The percussion performance finally ended, closing with one last exaggerated BAM!
There was some polite applause... and some very exaggerated applause from the disciples of the Martial Way of the Heavens themselves.
The awkward silence that followed was heavy.
It was then that Lin Yuexin noticed Hua Qingshi's arrival and broke the ice.
She smiled.
"Qingshi," she said, rising slightly. "I was just starting to think you were lost again."
Some of the lesser elders smiled discreetly.
Hua Qingshi paused. "...I apologize," she replied, her face slightly turned to the side.
Xu Ming blinked.
He noticed very clearly a slight pink hue on the master's cheeks.
Very subtle, but it was there. Was she embarrassed?
Xu Ming felt a strange urge to smile.
That was... unexpectedly cute.
Lin Yuexin laughed softly.
"I expected it," she said casually. "You've always been terrible with schedules."
Hua Qingshi didn't respond immediately. She just looked away for a second.
Xu Ming found this even more curious, so she also has this cute side...
The visiting disciples began to whisper.
Some of the boys cast curious and appraising glances at Xu Ming.
"Hm? Who is that?"
"Cute, huh."
"Must be their musician."
One of them smiled sidelong, clearly mocking.
"After this performance, we can already see the musical level of this sect. I don't expect much."
The girls just watched silently.
After some formal exchanges of greetings between the elders, Lin Yuexin turned to Hua Qingshi.
"Is this the disciple you mentioned?" she asked, looking at Xu Ming.
"Yes," Hua Qingshi replied lightly. "Xu Ming."
Xu Ming stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"It's an honor to meet you, Elder Lin."
Lin Yuexin watched him closely for a few seconds, assessing not only his appearance, but also his posture and aura.
"Interesting," she said, smiling slightly. "So you are responsible for today's musical performance?"
"Yes," Xu Ming replied.
"Then please," Lin Yuexin gestured with her hand. "We are curious."
Some of the young visitors exchanged glances.
Curious wasn't quite the word they would use... "bored" would be more accurate; they just wanted to hear something other than that drumming.
Xu Ming walked to the center of the hall.
He felt dozens of eyes on him.
He sat down calmly, placing the guzheng in front of him.
Silence.
The kind of heavy silence, full of expectations.
Xu Ming closed his eyes for a brief moment.
He took a deep breath.
And then...
His fingers moved.
Just as the music was about to truly begin.
What came out first was not the sound of the guzheng strings, but the melody of a whistle.