Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World

Chapter 147: Reaching the Piano Heart Stage

Early the next morning, Qin Yi came to the main house to bid farewell to the woman.

This time the main room was not closed. Qin Yi saw the woman leaning against the window, reading a book.

The morning sun cast on her body, giving her skin a soft halo. Her eyes were serene and her temperament was lazy. A cup of hot tea was in her hand, lightly emitting water vapor. It added a hint of vagueness.

The way she read a book was already picturesque.

At a glance, Qing Cha's head was covered with water, sitting next to her sniffling and drawing.

Qin Yi looked at her drowned look and found it amusing. He asked, "What's going on?"

Qing Cha sniffed and said, "Master used me to make tea again..."

While speaking, the woman picked up the tea cup, took a long sip, and put it back again. Her eyes never left the book for a moment.

Qin Yi, "..."

"Uhm..." He finally broke the peaceful atmosphere and said, "Thank you for letting me stay and goodbye."

The woman turned to look at him, smiled slightly, and put down the book.

"Is this what you asked them to copy to me?" She said with a half-smile, "Is this a response for testing you with women?"

"Ahahaha..." Qin Yi laughed, then he said solemnly, "This book is not that simple."

"Hmm... the writing style is cold and solemn, and the sentiments are fully displayed. It's like entering a painting. I can see the appearance of the entire kingdom. It's a really good work." The woman muttered, "But the customs seem to be different from the kingdoms that I know. It has nothing to do with your South Li Kingdom too.”

"I don't know this. I didn't write it. I just read it by chance. It's signed Lan Ling Xiaoxiaosheng."

"Once this kind of work comes out, it will definitely become popular. It is impossible for me not to know about it." The woman said calmly, "So don't tell me that it's written by someone else. It's your work obviously."

"..." No one believes the truth these days?

The woman's eyes showed a hint of smile, "From the story, you seem to be very familiar with... Wouldn't the way of eating, drinking, whoring and gambling be more suitable for you? What are you doing here at my mountain?"

"Those are not my way." Qin Yi said seriously, "On the contrary, the piano sound and the painting here are more suitable for me. If senior didn't use the painting souls to seduce me, I would stay a few more days.”

"Wait a minute," The woman said displeased, "What senior? Am I very old?"

Qin Yi didn't answer.

I can't tell someone's true age at my current level. After reaching a certain level of cultivation, the so-called "bone age" is unreadable, because the cultivator has long been reborn.

But the logic is that those, who have reached the Radiant Yang Stage, must be at least 1000 years old.

The woman stared at him for a while and then said slowly, "My name is Ju Yunxiu."

Yunxiu(Living among the clouds)... The name suits her very well. There is really no human atmosphere in her, only bookishness, poetry, and a... strange sense of humor?

Qin Yi cupped his hands and said, "Okay, Senior Ju."

Ju Yunxiu was furious, "Am I telling you my name so that you can add my last name to senior?"

Qin Yi was very helpless, " Can I call you Yunxiu, right?"

Ju Yunxiu said calmly, "Is there anything wrong? Isn't that name is for?"

Qin Yi was stunned.

Ju Yunxiu pondered for a moment and then asked, "When I watched you watching Qing Cha paint and touching the painting of ladies last night, you observed the brushwork and tools. This is the observation angle of someone who has studied painting, not a layman."

"Yes." Qin Yi was a little embarrassed, "I have learned a little before..."

Basically, if you put aside new painting methods such as sketching and just talk about the level of painting, I, a university student, am not at the same level as the immortal cultivator who specializes in this art. I can't even compare with Qing Cha. I'm so embarrassed to say that I studied painting. Moreover, my love for painting is relatively low, so it is too forceful to say that I'm in this way.

Ju Yunxiu added, "You can write stories... Don't say you didn't write them. Books about music, chess, calligraphy and painting are not just about calligraphy. They contain poems, songs, and historical stories."

Qin Yi could only say, "Sen… oh, what does Sister Yunxiu want to say?"

Ju Yunxiu turned to look at the rising sun outside the window for a long time, seeming to be thinking about something. After a while, she whispered, "The people in this mountain are gone."

"Huh?"

"Master's Junior, who is a chess fanatic, is the only one left. As for the piano, calligraphy, and painting... I’m the only one left."

Qing Cha raised her little hand. "Master, you still got me."

"You tea leaf should soak in the water yourself. You have no business to interrupt."

Qing Cha burst into tears.

Ju Yunxiu turned to look at Qin Yi, "I know you are here to seek enlightenment or apprenticeship. I’m the master of this mountain and also the master of the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting branch in the Myriad Tao Immortal Palace. Qin Yi, are you willing to join our sect?"

"Apprenticeship?" Qin Yi shook his head, "No."

Ju Yunxiu said, "I know that you are not following the path of calligraphy and painting, but the traditional path of immortality. I hope you can join because you are related to this path and have a certain interest. If so, my inheritance can be passed on. Just in case I'm no longer here. I'm not forcing you to study in this way. You can be understood as a protector or a guest, not bound by the rules of the sect, but enjoying honor and privilege to the secret lands. It isn't easy to break through the Piano Heart Stage. What do you think?"

Qin Yi hesitated for a moment, but insisted, "I don't want to become a disciple."

"Oh?" Ju Yunxiu asked curiously, "Immortal crane told me that you are a casual cultivator. Could it be that you already have a master? You were lying before?"

Qin Yi said seriously, "I received the inheritance by chance. I don't even know what my master looks like, but in my heart, it is my master. No matter how many advantages your sect has and how many benefits you offer, I will not admit another master. Maybe it doesn't mind, but I do.”

When he said this, his soul suddenly moved.

These days, he had been gaining insights and looking for opportunities everywhere, but he was about to break through just because of this sentence.

Liu Su watched silently and sighed softly.

It's not because of one sentence.

Piano Heart Stage is about clarifying one’s mind and verifying one’s own way. Qin Yi has a way, he just needs to practice it instead of searching in confusion. Qin Yi was already on the verge of breaking through on the way to Myriad Tao Immortal Palace.

Whether it was the chivalry act in the Buddhist temple before, the killing of adulterous monks, and the burning of Buddhist temples; or yesterday's refusal of the way of eating, drinking, whoring and gambling; or the polite refusal of the painting souls' temptation last night... This is a process of practice that accumulates one by one.

Including the current insistence on not becoming a disciple, it is also one of Qin Yi's practices. It is part of his chivalrous heart and the basic values of this man.

Although he looks stupid, but… I'm feeling quite happy.

It sighed softly, "Just join them, Qin Yi. The accumulation a large sect can give you is far more beneficial than traveling around with me."

Qin Yi didn't speak. He was silently feeling the process of the mist in his body turning into water droplets.

Ju Yunxiu leaned softly, holding her cheeks in her delicate hands and watching Qin Yi breaking through with great interest.

As a casual cultivator, at such a young age, his cultivation is so solid... That's not all. He can actually break through to the Piano Heart Stage by just visiting tao. This is an extremely rare thing among top sects, let alone casual cultivators.

So yesterday, immortal crane said that this young boy is probably a genius and hoped to take him in as much as possible.

I was not interested at first, because Qin Yi looks delicate on the surface and the records in the book are elegant. But in reality, he is a "vulgar martial artist", which does not suit my taste. But after the test, I'm very satisfied with his performance.

That love for beautiful scenery is the soul of painting.

The resistance to the temptation of painting soul is only one of the verification of character. In fact, the biggest key point is that in the way of a painter, you cannot have the idea of painting something to enjoy. If you really have such an idea, it is impossible to achieve this way.

Qin Yi passed this test perfectly.

And then, he actually gave me a gift...

Putting aside the eroticism in it, the worldly sentiments are so profound that he has the way of writing.

A "vulgar martial artist" unexpectedly fits the needs of my system very well.

He is even a genius who can advance to the Piano Heart Stage on his own… it's a pity that he has interests in my way.

As Qin Yi's Piano Heart Stage gradually solidified, Ju Yunxiu suddenly said, "What if I don't want you to become my disciple but my junior apprentice? My master has died long ago, so you don't need to kowtow to anyone."

Qin Yi was stunned for a moment. This seems... hard to refuse...

TL: Why would Jing Ze leave before? Isn't this woman perfect to be his master? Or he only met the chess fanatic?