Chapter 578: Melody Secret Realm

[Task Issued: One of the opportunities left by the Music Immortal for the Nine Provinces, the Melody Secret Realm is about to open. The Melody Secret Realm contains the Music Immortal’s musical score. Playing according to the score can calm the mind, focus the spirit, comprehend nature, and quickly enter a state of unity between heaven and humanity. Please obtain the Music Immortal’s musical score in the Music Immortal Secret Realm.]

[This task cannot be abandoned]

[Task reward: One Heavenly Star Zither, one turtle shell divination board, one copy of “Combat Techniques of the Melody Dao”]

“Melody Secret Realm?” Jiang Li was somewhat unfamiliar with this secret realm, only having heard that it was left by an immortal who was proficient in music. As for what treasures were inside and what they could be used for, Jiang Li had no idea.

Jiang Li’s talent in music could be described as utterly terrible – his lullabies sounded like pigs being slaughtered.

As his cultivation level improved, the situation got somewhat better – Jiang Li realized that cultivation level had nothing to do with musical talent, so he completely gave up on music.

After asking Commander Liu, Jiang Li found the Music Immortal Secret Realm. The Music Immortal Secret Realm opened once every five hundred years, and now was exactly when it was about to open.

Actually, even if the timing didn’t match up, the secret realm’s location was fixed. As long as Jiang Li politely knocked on the door and then politely pushed the door open, he would naturally enter the secret realm. It was very simple.

The Music Immortal wasn’t famous for combat power. The Melody Secret Realm attracted cultivators who loved music, and these cultivators all had excellent temperaments.

“This big sister, you’re so beautiful.”

“Not bad.”

“Is the gourd at your waist your weapon?”

“It’s a chatterbox.”

“What’s your cultivation level…”

“Ah, brother, stop with the awkward small talk. If you can’t keep the conversation going, just let it be.” Luo Zhu pushed her brother, telling him to shut up.

“I just felt like I should say something.” Luo Ying scratched his head embarrassedly. This beautiful female cultivator was standing next to him, not saying a word, with an indifferent expression that made him feel completely uncomfortable.

Leaving would seem like he was avoiding her, but staying meant the atmosphere was just too cold.

Luo Ying wanted to say something to liven up the atmosphere, but judging from the results, he had failed.

“You three actually gathered together.” Jiang Li appeared with a laugh.

“Jiang Li?” The indifferent female cultivator recognized Jiang Li at a glance, seeing through his clumsy disguise beneath the appearance.

“Yu Yin, why are you here?”

“Since ancient times, music and painting have been inseparable. I have some confusion in my painting dao and wanted to gain inspiration by studying the melody dao, so I came to try.”

“What do you mean three? Do I not exist?” The Wishful Gourd protested Jiang Li’s ignoring behavior, saying ominously with a threatening tone, “Human Sovereign Jiang, you wouldn’t want the Desolate Heaven Halberd to be bullied by us immortal artifacts, would you?”

Yu Yin knocked the Wishful Gourd on the head: “Read fewer unhealthy books.”

“Oh.”

“Mr. Jiang? Empress Yu Yin?” Luo Ying and Luo Zhu exclaimed in surprise, never expecting that the person standing next to them all along was actually Yu Yin.

Even with her appearance changed, Yu Yin was still an extremely beautiful woman.

“It’s me.” Yu Yin said lightly to the two youngsters, then turned back to Jiang Li.

“Why are you here with your music level?” Yu Yin knew exactly how terrible Jiang Li’s music skills were.

When they were all Human Sovereign candidates, Jiang Li would often tie Bai Hongtu to a tree to listen to him play the zither in order to improve his music skills.

Bai Hongtu struggled desperately like a pig tied to a pole waiting to be slaughtered, but the rope binding him was of excellent quality, and Bai Hongtu couldn’t break free.

Yu Yin watched from the side, relieved that it was her who worked with Jiang Li to tie up Bai Hongtu.

Bai Hongtu privately told Yu Yin that even after four or five hundred years, he still occasionally experienced auditory hallucinations, feeling like he could hear Jiang Li’s zither playing in his ears.

Luo Ying and Luo Zhu nodded. Indeed, even they, who came from another world, knew that Mr. Jiang’s musical talent was absolutely unparalleled.

After coming to the Nine Provinces, they had heard many stories about Mr. Jiang, including parts about music.

For example, Mr. Jiang had displayed his musical talent as early as the Nascent Soul stage, making Bai Hongtu—who wasn’t yet the Dao Sect Master at the time—listen as if intoxicated, dancing upon hearing the songs.

Another example was Mr. Jiang singing loudly, with the stars cheering and leaping for joy—this was heaven and earth’s recognition of Mr. Jiang’s singing.

Even more impressive was the legend that the music played by Mr. Jiang could cause vibrations in the River of Time, allowing the beautiful melodies to transcend the limitations of time and space, so that people from both past and future could hear Mr. Jiang’s songs.

This was already close to the Dao itself, something even immortals couldn’t achieve.

Why would such an omnipotent person like Mr. Jiang come to the Melody Secret Realm?

Jiang Li said seriously: “I feel my musical talent can still be improved further.”

Luo Ying and Luo Zhu admired Jiang Li. Mr. Jiang’s music had already reached the pinnacle, yet he was still humble enough to study and wanted to advance further. This spirit was worth learning for them as siblings.

“What gave you this misconception? Have you spent too much time with Bai Hongtu that your brain has been assimilated?” Yu Yin asked. She felt that Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu automatically emitted an indescribable special aura that affected people unconsciously, and they couldn’t detect it afterward. Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu would also influence each other.

Only she, with her firm willpower, remained unmoved and unaffected.

“Don’t look down on me. Maybe my musical talent has been completely transformed, and the Painting Immortal’s divine sense will cry while accepting me as a disciple, teaching me the mysteries of music.”

The controller of the Melody Secret Realm was the Painting Immortal’s divine sense.

Yu Yin didn’t say anything, just revealed a trace of a mocking smile at the corner of her mouth.

“And I can play one instrument really well.”

“What?”

“Clapper boards.”

“…”

Luo Ying and Luo Zhu weren’t very familiar with the melody dao. They happened to pass by and heard the secret realm was about to open, so they came to try.

This trip was truly worthwhile—they could actually meet both Mr. Jiang and Empress Yu Yin at the same time.

The bronze immortal bell swayed, accompanied by a burst of immortal music. Countless musical symbols materialized, gathering together as the gate of the Melody Secret Realm slowly opened.

Everyone filed in.

The melody dao didn’t emphasize cultivation level but focused on talent. Therefore, those coming to participate in the Melody Secret Realm ranged from the Foundation Establishment stage to the Mahayana Stage.

“Five hundred years without seeing the outstanding talents of the Nine Provinces. Seeing you now is just like five hundred years ago—all cultivators with elegant temperaments.”

The Music Immortal’s divine sense took the form of a young girl wearing a white veil, with curved eyes and two strings of bells tied around her ankles that jingled pleasantly when she walked.

Not having seen people for five hundred years, she appeared very excited upon seeing Jiang Li and the others.

“Music is divided into seven notes: Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu, Bian Zhi, and Bian Gong. Last time I arranged seven tests for the Nine Provinces cultivators according to this system, but found that most people’s energy couldn’t last that long, so the test results weren’t very good.” The Music Immortal’s divine sense shook her head regretfully.

“Therefore, this time I’ve only set up three tests. Those who pass all three tests will be rewarded according to your performance.”