The zither music faltered.
Because Ning Que was utterly dumbfounded, a sense of absurdity surged within him.
What the hell is this?!
But he took a deep breath and quickly regained his composure. His fingers curled slightly—his hands, plump like pig’s trotters, somehow carried an inexplicable grace. Under his playing, the turbulent undercurrents abruptly contracted, merging into one.
A violent tremor of sound erupted in all directions, like overlapping mountain peaks and surging spring tides.
Five layers of zither music—those who hear it grieve, those struck by it perish!
Had this been before, Li Mo would have had no choice but to wield his sword like a hammer, relying on brute force to break through. There would have been no room for evasion or finesse.
But now, Li Mo distinctly felt that as the jade-feathered whistle sounded, its notes seemed to intertwine with the zither’s melody.
This was never an ordinary whistle...
The ethereal whistle transformed into a cyan luan, enveloping him. He could now clearly "see" the flow of the music, its resonance echoing in his heart.
Suddenly, Li Mo understood musical theory. The once-tangled zither notes now lay bare before him.
The essence of the Nine Swords of Dugu flowed through his mind.
A sword in hand, a sword in heart.
The blade moved with his thoughts, guided by his spirit. A single strike was like a celestial stroke—its origin unknown, yet its destination clear.
....
"He was fighting just fine—why did Li Mo suddenly start whistling?"
"Didn’t you notice? After he blew the whistle, he started handling the zither music effortlessly!"
"Now that you mention it... this tune from the Little Overlord is kinda... kinda hype. Makes me wanna dance."
"Bro, hold off on dancing. Look over there—your grandma’s already grooving in the middle of the street."
"Holy shit!"
The onlookers were baffled, but those well-versed in the art of music suddenly realized: "A luan’s instrument?!"
"What’s that?" someone asked.
A Penglai disciple explained:
"It’s something the luan tribe crafts over their lifetime, pouring their heart’s essence into it, waiting for their destined one. It carries their unspoken feelings—emotions they can’t express to outsiders."
"When one blows a luan’s instrument, they gain an innate understanding of music to some extent."
"Of course, it also depends on the luan’s own mastery..."
This was something many musicians could only dream of encountering.
It symbolized mastery of music, the unwavering devotion of a noble and elegant luan...
"Wait, where the hell did Li Mo get this?"
Someone’s question hung in the air, and the scene fell silent for a moment.
Countless eyes turned toward the pristine figure standing atop the platform.
More than a few clenched their teeth in envy.
Ying Bing remained oblivious. She was preparing to face her next opponent.
At this stage, no weaklings remained on the stage.
Her group included the Mystic Fairy Tian Miao, the Sword Maniac Xie Xuan—now more commonly known as the Heaven-Sundering Sword—and Guan Kong of the Dragon-Elephant Temple.
"I know I can’t beat you, but you keep looking over there—that’s just disrespectful."
Tian Miao, who had surprisingly joined the Hidden Dragon Tournament, crossed her arms in frustration.
"I wasn’t looking that much."
Ying Bing turned her head.
Her gentle, serene gaze suddenly turned icy, radiating an aura of untouchable sanctity.
Tian Miao: "......"
After a furtive glance at the jade disc at her waist, she broke into a cold sweat, her expression instantly clearing:
"Actually, you can look a little longer."
"?"
"That way, my chances of winning might go from zero to... nine deaths and one life." Tian Miao said earnestly.
Nine deaths and one life! Who cares about respect at that point?!
.......
The long-suffering Heaven-Sundering Sword let out an excited hum, piercing through the intricate web of music with precision.
Ssshh—
The lofty artistic conception shattered, allowing Li Mo to break through one layer and advance.
"Damn it!"
Ning Que was seething with frustration!
This piece, "Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water," was meant to await a kindred spirit. It had even birthed a legendary tale.
Its original owner, the Xining Hermit, once played it atop Penglai Mountain before the Penglai Star Sect even existed.
Back then, musicians across the land considered it an honor to ascend Penglai and meet this sage of music—yet none could pass the barrier of his zither’s melody.
Until one day, the renowned poet Young Master Shaoyun arrived during his travels and joined in with his flute.
The two became fast friends through their shared love of music—but they met only once. One died for his country; the other waited a lifetime.
It was a story steeped in elegance and poetic romance...
And it gave rise to the legend of "Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water" awaiting a kindred spirit.
But now?
The Little Overlord waltzed in humming that ridiculously catchy tune!
Was this the kindred spirit he was waiting for? No! Absolutely not, dammit!
"This isn’t elegant at all—stay the hell away!"
Ning Que was truly desperate now.
As his plump fingers bled, the invisible notes seemed to grow wilder.
Layers of emerald ripples swirled around him like blooming flowers, concealing boundless fury.
"Ninefold Melody of the Winding Stream!"
"Bring it on!"
Li Mo felt an inexplicable surge of excitement.
Music? Who says I can’t do it too?
Prepare yourself—take this, "The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style"!!
Of course.
More crucial was the Heaven-Sundering Sword, thrusting in perfect sync.
Li Mo guided the blade with his heart.
The sword’s light was like autumn water, cutting through intent and emotion, striking flawlessly at the core of the ninefold melody.
With this strike, Li Mo rode the sword’s momentum, ascending to new heights.
The essence of chivalrous swordsmanship fused within him—he was half a step from mastering the Nine Swords of Dugu!
Rrrip—
The fury dispersed. The sword’s gleam halted.
It hovered a hair’s breadth from Ning Que’s brow—close enough to feel, yet not a scratch.
Controlled by will alone, Ning Que’s pupils dilated in shock but remained unharmed.
"It’s over... I lost. Everything’s ruined..."
Realizing his defeat, Ning Que looked dazed, like a disheveled bride after a rough wedding night.
"......"
Li Mo sheathed his sword, lost in thought. The insights from the battle lingered in his mind.
After a moment, he opened his eyes and saw Ning Que, who seemed on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"Brother Ning, didn’t you say this was a gentleman’s duel? Losing once isn’t the end of the world..."
"No, you don’t understand."
Ning Que clutched his head. "I’ve lost my elegance. My 'Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water' was broken by your... vulgar tune. I’m no gentleman anymore."
Li Mo: "......"
Why did he suddenly feel like he’d stubbornly insisted on being the "Little Li Swordsman"?
Damn, even his recent misfortunes had changed—was "The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style" really that potent?
"Ahem, that’s not true. Didn’t you feel happy listening to that tune just now?"
"Happy? Sure, but..."
"Elegant music is for the refined few—that’s fine. But bringing joy to everyone is also noble. Isn’t that the essence of 'Great Music is Faintly Heard'?"
Li Mo gestured with his chin.
Ning Que blinked, following his gaze to the crowd below. A woman in green robes, surrounded by sunflower seed shells, was still swaying to the rhythm.
A carefree dancer, exuding the composure of a seasoned artist.
"Look how happy she is."
"What can one person prove..."
"Uh, let me introduce—she is the Phoenix Clan Leader."
"......"
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in 'Ning Que,' enabling him to gain insight into the Dao of Music.]
[You have a pending investment reward to claim.]
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
