Whether it was her understanding of this world after reading the 《Almanac of Heavenly Wonders》 or the teachings she had received since joining Xiaoyao, she had a faint suspicion.
Xiaoyao's heritage spanned over a hundred and ten thousand years, and the age of this world was even more unfathomable.
How could such a real and powerful world be summarized by a mere book?
At this thought, Gu Ningyun's heart gradually steadied.
Regardless of the situation with that book, as long as she was strong enough, she would eventually figure it out one day.
If some person or thing truly wanted to turn her into cannon fodder again, they would have to answer to her sword, her qin, and her spells.
Moreover, the Xiaoyao behind her was no pushover.
It was just that she was more accustomed to relying on herself than on her sect.
As the final wisp of her mental barrier shattered, the music of the qin slowed and eventually faded between her fingers.
Gu Ningyun opened her eyes to find the plaza silent. The other disciples of her batch had stopped practicing their instruments at some point and seemed to be in a state of realization.
This scene was remarkably similar to when Perfected Person Kong had finished playing earlier, though these disciples woke from their contemplation a bit faster.
Seeing her peers looking at her with glowing eyes, Gu Ningyun felt her spirit energy completely depleted and looked around in confusion.
Perfected Person Kong rubbed her head and said with a gentle smile, "Ningyun, you have entered the Dao of Music."
Seeing Gu Ningyun's confused expression, Perfected Person Kong added, "The name of this course is Introduction to Music Cultivation, but in reality, disciples who can truly enter the Dao of Music are extremely rare. Having even one in a single batch is considered quite good."
Gu Ningyun was surprised. Was it even rarer than those with a talent for the sword?
"The sect's main intention in making this a mandatory course is to allow you to cultivate your sentiments and nourish your character.
"The formal disciples of Xiaoyao all have excellent spirit root aptitude, so they naturally won't encounter bottlenecks when their cultivation is at a low level.
"However, once your cultivation becomes profound, you can fall into a bottleneck if your state of mind cannot keep up or if you develop inner demons.
"The world only knows that high-level formal disciples of Xiaoyao rarely encounter bottlenecks, but they do not know the reason.
"In fact, one of the reasons lies in this very Introduction to Music Cultivation class."
As the disciples listened intently, Perfected Person Kong continued, "It doesn't matter even if you have no talent for the Dao of Music. Music is inherently beautiful; you only need to enjoy it.
"For those interested in music who wish to become music cultivators, do not be discouraged.
"Being unable to enter the Dao of Music for a time doesn't mean you can't enter it for a lifetime. If you haven't persisted, how can you know you're not capable?
"Follow your heart, and as long as you have no regrets, that is enough."
After class, Perfected Person Kong called Gu Ningyun over.
"Even among disciples with a talent for music, those who can enter the Dao of Music within a month can be counted on one hand.
"Ningyun, your talent in music is top-tier even among music cultivators."
Gu Ningyun looked at the great beauty before her and asked in confusion, "But earlier, all the disciples could play 《Clear Heart》 well, and their melodies also had the effect of clearing the mind. Only I couldn't get it right for the longest time.
"It was only after you guided me in playing that I learned it."
Hearing her words, Perfected Person Kong's eyes softened. "The qins the sect issued to you are yellow-rank high-grade artifacts. As long as you play with heart, they will have some effect.
"But only those who have truly entered the Dao of Music can use spirit energy to play a melody that unleashes its true power.
"Just as the piece 《Breaking the Barrier》 I played in the first class could pull everyone into its artistic conception to break through obstacles in their cultivation.
"Just as your performance of 《Clear Heart》 this class could trigger resonance in everyone, clarifying their minds and breaking their mental blocks.
"I have guided countless disciples in playing, yet you are the only one who truly entered the Dao of Music because of it. As you can imagine, the fundamental reason is simply your talent for music."
Seeing Gu Ningyun's thoughtful expression, Perfected Person Kong asked, "Is your spirit energy exhausted after playing 《Clear Heart》?"
Gu Ningyun thought of her dantian, which was now empty of spirit energy, leaving only her mysterious power and star power, as well as the wondrous state she was in while playing. Was that the feeling of playing with spirit energy after entering the Dao of Music?
She met the great beauty's eyes. "I understand, Perfected Person. Thank you for your guidance."
Seeing Gu Ningyun's wide eyes, Perfected Person Kong pinched her little face. "With such top-tier talent, would you like to become a music cultivator?
"I've always wanted a little junior s—"
Just as she reached that point, the identity jade token at Gu Ningyun's waist suddenly emitted a flash of spirit light.
The words were instantly choked in Perfected Person Kong's throat, leaving her breathless for a moment.
Gu Ningyun had no idea what had happened to her identity jade token. She looked inquisitively at the sudden change in Perfected Person Kong's expression and supported her arm. "Perfected Person?"
The light on the jade token immediately died out. Perfected Person Kong caught her breath. "Cough, cough, cough.
"I was saying, if you wish to study the Dao of Music, you can add me as a friend. If you have anything you don't understand about music in the future, you can ask me. Of course, you can ask me questions unrelated to music as well."
Gu Ningyun already liked music, and now that she knew its power and possessed such talent, she was naturally willing to study the Dao of Music.
Now that the eldest senior sister of Music Peak, a dignified Golden Core stage music cultivator, had proactively offered to guide her, she wasn't foolish enough to refuse.
She immediately took out her identity jade token and added her as a friend right in front of Perfected Person Kong. "Perfected Person, I will study the Dao of Music diligently!"
"Good." Perfected Person Kong also added her to her own friend list. "I am of the same generation as your Martial Aunt Yang. She is your teaching instructor, so following her seniority, you can just call me Martial Aunt Kong."
Gu Ningyun's eyes sparkled. "Understood, Martial Aunt Kong!"
"Mm, go on then."
After Gu Ningyun left, Martial Aunt Kong rubbed her throat and raged impotently in her heart.
A dignified middle-stage Soul Transformation powerhouse and a Peak Master was actually secretly reserving a disciple and even bullying a weak Golden Core cultivator like her! This was simply a violation of sect rules!
No, she had to quickly tell her master about this. The little junior sister that was practically in her hands couldn't be allowed to fly away.
Gu Ningyun had no idea what Martial Aunt Kong was thinking. She touched her face, which was still warm from being pinched, caught the lingering scent of roses on her fingertips, and walked toward the dining hall with light steps.
She needed to eat quickly; she had her final Introduction to Food Cultivation class in the afternoon.
...
Unlike other sects that promoted fasting or used fasting pills, Xiaoyao never deliberately guided its disciples to fast.
On the contrary, in the training of formal disciples, Xiaoyao intentionally guided them to consume spirit food.
After attending the food cultivation class, Gu Ningyun learned that the food in the outer sect dining hall consisted of recipes specially formulated by the sect's food cultivators based on the disciples' current stage and body refining needs.
These spirit foods allowed their cultivation foundations—both in spirit energy and body refining—to be more solid during the initial stages.
When cooking food, a food cultivator could draw upon the spirit energy of heaven and earth and integrate it into the meal.
Depending on the ingredients and the cooking method, the food would have different beneficial effects, similar to pills but gentler.
The more a food cultivator understood the ingredients and the better their culinary skills, the better the beneficial effects of the food they produced.
After more than half a month of food cultivation classes and successfully making food that could recover spirit energy and heal injuries, Gu Ningyun looked at several ingredients she had seen in the 《Almanac of Heavenly Wonders》, and a different idea began to form in her mind.
Rate on N.U.
