A female cultivator with a powerful aura suddenly appeared at the front of the plaza.
She wore the standard inner sect disciple robes of the sect, her waist-length black hair flowing freely. A pale purple hair ornament held the strands behind her ears, revealing a stunning side profile.
Cultivators were nourished by the spirit energy of heaven and earth, so practically none were unattractive.
Yet even after Gu Ningyun had seen many extraordinary immortals since arriving at Xiaoyao, and even though she had been accustomed to seeing all sorts of celebrities before transmigrating into this book, no one could compare to the female cultivator before her.
It wasn't just her peerless beauty, but more so her temperament.
It seemed to be a unique aura formed by the fusion of musical resonance and her own character—more accurately, it was an artistic conception of music.
While everyone held their breath, the female cultivator slowly stepped onto the platform and sat down cross-legged.
It was only at this moment that Gu Ningyun saw her face clearly. Her features were as picturesque as a painting, making her look like a banished immortal.
This woman was likely the eldest senior sister of Music Peak who would be teaching them, Perfected Person Kong Lingyan.
With this thought, Gu Ningyun regained her focus, sat up straight, and looked at the great beauty with eyes full of anticipation.
She had loved music in her past life and was very interested in instruments. Unfortunately, a cold during her teenage years had damaged her voice, leaving her tone-deaf. Later, she was so busy with her studies and academic competitions that she had no time to learn an instrument.
Now that she had the chance to learn one in this life—and an instrument of the cultivation world at that—she had been looking forward to it for a long time.
After Perfected Person Kong sat down, she looked at the plaza full of fellow disciples who were clearly not new, and then at the little ones in front of her who were squeezed into a clump, barely able to sit and with no room to place their instruments. She gave a gentle smile.
Without saying a word, she directly produced a guqin. Her slender hands plucked the strings, and she began to play a melody.
The moment the music started, Gu Ningyun was drawn into a soft artistic conception.
She felt as if she had turned into a wisp of clear breeze, blowing freely between heaven and earth; then she felt as if she had become a sword, a single strike capable of splitting mountains and seas.
When the music ended, Gu Ningyun came back to her senses.
She felt her mind was clearer than ever before, and her understanding of the 《Taiqing Astral Wind Art》 and her sword techniques had deepened by several degrees.
Looking at the fellow disciples around her, they all seemed to be in a state of sudden realization as well.
Gu Ningyun was excited. Was this the power of music cultivation? It could actually improve one's comprehension of techniques.
At this moment, she also understood something. The cultivation world always respected strength. No matter how beautiful Perfected Person Kong was, it wouldn't be enough for everyone to drop their business and come here just to admire a star.
What truly earned their esteem was likely the music of a music cultivator.
A refined female voice drifted down from the high platform, and Gu Ningyun looked up at the sound.
Perfected Person Kong's expression was elegant, and her voice was clear and gentle. "Junior brothers, sisters, and martial nephews, now that you have heard the music, please do me a small favor and leave the plaza to the new disciples."
Immediately after, Gu Ningyun saw the senior brothers, sisters, and uncles who had blocked her path earlier all bow respectfully to Perfected Person Kong like obedient rabbits before leaving the plaza.
Martial Aunt Yang winked at Gu Ningyun and the others before also vanishing from the plaza.
Soon, only Gu Ningyun's batch of new disciples remained.
Perfected Person Kong's voice seemed to be bolstered by a spell, making it clearly audible throughout the plaza. "My name is Kong Lingyan, and I will be guiding your introduction to music cultivation.
"You were quite squeezed just now, weren't you? Adjust your positions now. Take out the qins you were issued and place them in front of you."
Perhaps influenced by the behavior of the seniors who had just left, these new disciples, despite being children of only six or seven, all remained quiet. They quickly spread out and adjusted their positions.
Once everyone was ready, Perfected Person Kong officially began the lesson.
...
Unlike Music Peak, Xiaoyao did not have a dedicated peak for food.
Their afternoon introduction to food cultivation class was held in the dining halls of their respective floating peaks. The one teaching Gu Ningyun and the others was an inner sect disciple at the Foundation Establishment stage named Chen Su, or Martial Uncle Chen.
After a month of continuous classes, the last two mandatory courses finally came to an end.
There were no assessments for the music and food cultivation classes. According to Perfected Person Kong and Martial Uncle Chen, they were simply meant to practice on their own whenever they were in a good mood in the future.
It was only after taking these two classes that Gu Ningyun understood why Xiaoyao made them mandatory for formal disciples.
As the last two lines of the Xiaoyao Ancient Precepts stated: To focus solely on cultivation is no different from being a puppet. When caught in involution, remember to stop and wait for your heart.
They were cultivators, but fundamentally, they were themselves.
Xiaoyao did not want them to become puppets of strength and forget their own hearts.
During the early music cultivation lessons, Gu Ningyun had quickly learned how to play the qin under Perfected Person Kong's guidance.
The piece Perfected Person Kong taught them was called 《Clear Heart》. Gu Ningyun learned it quickly and could play it flawlessly.
However, her music was just music. In Perfected Person Kong's words, it had no emotion and no soul.
Perfected Person Kong said, "Play with your heart."
She understood what Perfected Person Kong meant, but she couldn't do it.
So she began to listen to Wen Xuan's music, Jun Luo's music, and the music of the disciples around her.
Her playing gradually gained emotion, but she knew it wasn't her true emotion. She hadn't expressed her own understanding of 《Clear Heart》—or rather, her understanding was insufficient.
It wasn't until Perfected Person Kong asked her, "You've wound yourself too tight. What are you worried about?"
Gu Ningyun was stunned.
Since transmigrating as a cannon fodder supporting actress, Gu Ningyun had not relaxed for a single moment.
She worried about the still-active female lead, and she worried that she would ultimately be unable to defy the plot and would eventually be discarded as cannon fodder.
She worried that this world really was just a book, and that everything she currently possessed was nothing more than a final fleeting illusion before she was destroyed. Only strength could bring her some sense of security and reality.
Had these worries actually become a mental barrier without her even knowing it?
But she couldn't say any of this.
However, Perfected Person Kong did not press for an answer.
She simply leaned down and held Gu Ningyun's hands, guiding her fingers to touch the strings.
Perfected Person Kong led her in playing, circulating spirit energy and guiding her to sense the essence of the piece 《Clear Heart》.
Smelling the scent of roses emanating from Perfected Person Kong, Gu Ningyun became immersed in the melody, and a sense of reality gradually took hold.
Perfected Person Kong led her through 《Clear Heart》 again and again, and Gu Ningyun's immersion in the piece grew deeper.
At some point, Perfected Person Kong let go of her hands, yet Gu Ningyun remained lost in her own music.
Under the resonance of 《Clear Heart》, a crack appeared in Gu Ningyun's mental barrier.
The original book revolved around Gu Lianxue and didn't describe Xiaoyao much.
But everything she experienced in Xiaoyao was so real.
These were things that weren't in the book.
For the first time, she seriously considered: Was this world truly just a book? A book where someone like Gu Lianxue, who stole spirit roots and used sinister methods, was the protagonist?
The music of 《Clear Heart》 reached deep into her soul, stripping away distracting thoughts and mental barriers bit by bit. Gu Ningyun's mind had never been as clear and luminous as it was today.
She did not believe it. She did not believe this world was truly the world within the book.
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