Chapter 629

Chapter 629: Playing the Zither Can Be Deadly

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Ye Xu furrowed his brows. Within his invincible domain, two uninvited guests had trespassed. Both were Dao Ancestors, formidable beings not to be underestimated.

"Old Yi, leave reformation matters to Di Wuyou," Ye Xu commanded. "Now, two Dao Ancestors have intruded into Zixiao Immortal Domain. I shall go investigate."

"Xixi, let’s go."

Xixi was overjoyed.

She could finally leave Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Taking a single step, Ye Xu vanished from everyone’s sight.

Zixiao Immortal Domain.

Taotie Heavenly Lord was leading cultivators from Taotie Heavenly Palace to attack this domain. This immortal domain belonged to Luoshen Dynasty and now had another Heavenly Lord guarding it.

The two armies had clashed for over half a month.

Boom! Boom!

On this day, what seemed like two meteors descended from beyond the sky, tearing apart the firmament. Heaven and earth seemed to transform into a monochrome chessboard, where runes shimmered like stars throughout the Heavens.

A figure darted across the board, slashing runes into pieces.

"You old fogey! I, your lord, graciously offered a contest of musical skills, yet you refused to show me even the slightest respect?" A handsome youth, his face darkening, held a zither in one arm. He moved through the board as casually as taking a stroll.

It was Zhuge Qinmo.

Having received information from Celestial Lord of Creation, he rushed to Qi Ancestor’s Dao sanctuary.

However, the moment he demonstrated his zither skills, Qi Ancestor flew into a rage on the spot and tried to expel him.

Reason failing, Zhuge Qinmo resorted to force.

Qi Ancestor had hair as white as silver, his aura slightly ragged. Hearing Zhuge Qinmo, he gritted his teeth, barely managing to hold back his temper before the crowd.

Could that even be called playing the zither?

Even a wild ox plucking the zither strings with its hooves would produce sounds more pleasant than Zhuge Qinmo.

Competing in musical skills with him was purely an insult to oneself.

"Daoist friend, I have encountered countless fellow Daoists in my long life, many devotees of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting," Qi Ancestor coldly stated. "But none compares to you."

"You possess no talent for musical skills. Abandon this pursuit."

Swish!

At this verdict, Zhuge Qinmo froze where he stood.

"Heh…" He laughed chillingly. "My talents outshine all under the Heavens; my strength is unrivaled throughout existence. By what right do you presume to judge me?"

Boom!

Rage surged within Zhuge Qinmo. He clawed out and released. Countless runes shattered instantly as he flipped Qi Ancestor’s entire chessboard aside, bursting forth from the river of Time and Space, his eyes blazing with intersecting sword light.

Clang! A sword shriek tore the air.

Two slivers of sword light slashed straight at Qi Ancestor.

In a daze, it seemed as though all creation hid within, the stars shifted, and years passed.

Qi Ancestor’s expression shifted abruptly. With a flip of his palm, an ancient tome appeared.

He channeled his power, causing the old book to rapidly flip through its pages. Seal script characters surged upwards one after another, each containing a divine ability and imbued with the force of the Great Dao.

Boom!

Thousands of ancient characters danced like a cage woven by the Great Dao, trapping Zhuge Qinmo within.

"Who are they?"

Taotie, startled by the commotion of the two Dao Ancestors clashing, hurriedly rushed out of his palace, his expression grave. He had never seen either Dao Ancestor before.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Celestial Lord Wu of the Luoshen Dynasty also watched intently.

"Dao Ancestor-level existences generally avoid conflict lightly. Why would these two seniors clash so fiercely?" Celestial Lord Wu wondered aloud.

"Old wretch, you refuse to challenge me in musical skills? Very well, I insist on competing with you," Zhuge Qinmo said, his face expressionless.

"Time’s Radiance Sword Technique!"

He surged his power, merging two beams of sword light into a single ray that coalesced at his fingertip.

With a gentle flick of his hand, Zhuge Qinmo unleashed the permeating sword light.

Time flowed like water, gentle as spring rain nurturing life, slicing into Qi Ancestor’s divine ability.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

In the next moment, the ancient characters, one by one, shattered. Sword energy, born from the River of Time, instantly transformed into colossal sword pillars that reached to the heavens and pierced the earth, striking Qi Ancestor head-on.

Boom!

Qi Ancestor was sent flying by the sword blow, his sleeve torn asunder.

"This brute’s musical skills may be wretched, but his strength is formidable, on par with Ancestor Ling," Qi Ancestor thought inwardly, shocked. Zhuge Qinmo’s prowess was undeniable.

From the very start of the battle, he had been suppressed by Zhuge Qinmo.

Otherwise, Qi Ancestor would never have traversed untold distances, fighting his way from his own Dao-field to the Zixiao Immortal Domain.

"If this fight continues, my primordial essence will inevitably suffer severe damage," Qi Ancestor thought with lightning speed, frantically seeking a strategy to break the deadlock.

"Old wretch! Have another taste of my blade!" Zhuge Qinmo declared, cradling the qin with one arm while two fingers traced patterns through the void. Sword energy clashed sonorously between heaven and earth.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

For hundreds of millions of miles in every direction, countless swords seemed awakened by his sword intent.

Step by step, Zhuge Qinmo advanced towards Qi Ancestor.

"Today, I shall borrow the swords of all living beings to strike you down," Zhuge Qinmo announced impassively.

Qi Ancestor’s scalp tingled with terror.

The vast domain had entirely fallen under the control of Zhuge Qinmo.

"Daoist friend, please hold your attack."

Qi Ancestor backed down. Although the Dao Ancestor Realm was free from calamities or tribulations, rendering one nearly immortal, injuries were still possible. A single blow could damage one’s vital energy, and he had no desire to hand Zhuge Qinmo such an advantage to harm him.

"Have you reconsidered?" Zhuge Qinmo surveyed the world with disdain. Boundless sword light crisscrossed beneath the sky; one thought from him would send it slashing at Qi Ancestor.

Qi Ancestor nodded.

"Both of us are devoted to music, driven by shared passions," Qi Ancestor said with a smile. "Besides, musical skills only improve through relentless practice."

"You speak wisely, Daoist friend."

Zhuge Qinmo’s expression shifted, growing somber. He sighed, "My talent in music peaked at debut; no one has ever bested me."

"May our contest elevate me to new heights."

"…"

Qi Ancestor’s face twitched. "Daoist friend… have you always played like this?”

Zhuge Qinmo nodded. "The peak grows lonely…"

"…"

Qi Ancestor withdrew into silent dismay.

As a supreme Dao Ancestor, Zhuge Qinmo’s talent was undeniable—so why were his musical skills utterly abysmal? Not that Qi Ancestor dared voice that thought aloud.

"Let us begin, Daoist friend."

Zhuge Qinmo thrilled with anticipation. He sat cross-legged, placed his black zither across his knees, and rested his hands upon the strings, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

Overwhelming confidence.

The scene baffled Taotie and Celestial Lord Wu.

Trembling, Qi Ancestor produced an old zither, already bracing for the torment to come.

Zheng!

Zhuge Qinmo plucked the first string.

Its opening note crashed like wild waves striking the shore, jolting them all.

Then, his fingers danced across the strings.

Discordant tones erupted—the music like mountains collapsing, earth splitting, or ten thousand stampeding horses—all horribly off-key yet surging with unbridled force, shaking heaven and earth.

The zither music flooded the entire Zixiao Immortal Domain.

"The venerable’s musical artistry is… unique," someone murmured.

"Gag…"

The cultivators of Tao Tie Heavenly Palace leaned against the wall, their stomachs churning one after another, almost vomiting.

"That’s so unpleasant to listen to…"

Taotie had a dark expression on his face.

He immediately activated his mana to seal his six senses.

However, Zhuge Qinmo’s cultivation was astonishingly powerful; even Dao Ancestor could not pretend to be deaf in front of him, let alone a group of cultivators at the level of Heavenly Venerables and Dao Sovereigns.

Qi Ancestor’s muddied eyes shed a single tear.

He pondered endlessly but could not understand why Zhuge Qinmo’s musical skills were so terrible that they broke through the heavens.

"Daoist friend, let us perform a duet…"

Zhuge Qinmo laughed heartily.

Qi Ancestor nodded with a lifeless expression, mechanically placing his ten fingers on the guqin and began to play.

His zither music, initially melodious like lofty mountains and flowing water, refreshing to the heart and mind, akin to heavenly strains, somewhat alleviated the crowd’s suffering.

Zhuge Qinmo frowned.

His fingers flew across the strings, and the zither music became suddenly sharp and shrill.

Qi Ancestor’s zither music was completely suppressed.

"What a waste of a good zither…"

Qi Ancestor lamented.

He also resigned himself to it.

At worst, his ears would suffer for a while.

Time passed bit by bit.

Zhuge Qinmo became more and more energetic as he played.

His robes fluttered as he laughed wantonly, "How exhilarating!"

"Daoist friend, I haven’t been this happy in a long time; we must spar more often in the future."

Twang!

Upon hearing this, Qi Ancestor’s mind went into turmoil, his rhythm collapsed, and his zither music became like scattered beads. A mouthful of old blood surged to his throat.

"What great sin must this old man have committed to suffer such an unwarranted disaster…"

Qi Ancestor could endure no longer and spat out a mouthful of blood.

His Dao heart was greatly disturbed.

"Ha ha ha…"

Zhuge Qinmo laughed wantonly, "Daoist friend, competing in musical skills is supposed to be beneficial for body and mind. Even if you lose to me, it’s normal, so why spit blood?"

"Because your playing is as bad as dog shit…"

At that moment,

a voice resounded through heaven and earth.