Chapter 52

The sunlight was somewhat blinding.

Under this sunlight, Bai Shi focused on playing the zither. His fingers plucked the strings, and the music lingered. Sitting upright on the zither platform, he had maintained this posture for several days.

The mist over the stream still swirled, and the black hat on the willow tree had not been taken away by the departing zither player. Everything seemed as it was when Bai Shi first arrived here. Only the spiritual energy between heaven and earth now swirled around Bai Shi, as if trying to penetrate his skin and enter his body.

In Bai Shi's mind, there were no longer any chaotic shadows. Only a vast consciousness remained, in which the melody he played, filled with sorrow, echoed.

The zither player arrived at the passage but did not leave it. Instead, he stood there, looking at Bai Shi through the blinding sunlight, his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed. He sighed lightly, as if lamenting the longing and melancholy in Bai Shi's music. Then, he turned and quietly returned the way he came.

Bai Shi stared at the zither strings, but his gaze did not shift with the movement of his fingers. His eyes had not closed for a long time, as if captivated by something, yet they appeared somewhat dim, reflecting the stillness and desolation of his inner world.

In the city of Xingcheng, on a certain street, a tavern named "Mingxuan Inn" was crowded with guests rushing to enter. The business of this tavern had been booming every day recently. This was not because the tavern was luxurious or cheaper than others, but because of the enticing aroma of the wine, which had captivated the wine lovers. The winemaker was Su Xuan.

Still in the city of Xingcheng, a more luxurious shop was also bustling with people, but not because of strong liquor. Instead, it was due to the medicine sold there, called "Hehe Powder."

In contrast, the shop across the street was much quieter. Despite its luxury, it was almost empty except for three workers and an old man holding a black staff. The old man looked at the crowded shop across the street, his face trembling, and he subconsciously gripped his staff tighter. Black elements, like small snakes, began to swirl around the staff, and a murderous intent appeared in his furrowed brows.

"Master, the business of the 'Yao Dao Sect' shop is thriving, while our 'Beigun Manor' has seen almost no customers recently. If this continues, our 'Beigun Manor' pharmacy will have to close soon!"

A middle-aged man in the shop said to the old man holding the black staff.

The old man narrowed his eyes, listening to the man's words, and slowly relaxed his hand. The black elements stopped as he did, but the murderous intent in his narrowed eyes grew even more intense!

"Have you found the formula for Hehe Powder?" The old man's gaze did not leave the shop across the street, and his lips barely moved, as if the words came directly from his throat.

The middle-aged man trembled, showing signs of fear, and said softly, "Our alchemist has been analyzing it for three days. The composition of the medicine is extremely bizarre, and he cannot break it down."

Hearing this, the old man suddenly turned and returned to a wooden table nearby. After taking a sip of hot tea, he said, "From my understanding of the 'Yao Dao Sect's' alchemist, he could not have created such a pill. The formula must have been given to him by someone else, or they have invited a more advanced alchemist. Investigate who they have invited. We will offer double the price they do... If they refuse..."

The old man's eyes filled with even more murderous intent, and after a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "Eliminate them!"

The middle-aged man acknowledged the order and hurriedly left the shop.

At the same time, in the courtyard of the zither player, after the passage, Bai Shi's fingers suddenly plucked the strings, and the sound echoed, startling the birds in the trees. A sharp light flashed in his dim eyes, and the spiritual energy around him surged as he leaped up. He suddenly raised his hand, and the iron sword on the zither platform appeared in his palm. His gaze was sharp as he looked at the stone wall.

"Old friend, emotion!" He roared, a sound that seemed to shake the clouds in the sky. The deep resonance did not seem to belong to his age. As the sound echoed, his body flew towards the stone wall, and he raised the iron sword, which now carried Bai Shi's aura, infused with his consciousness. This aura transformed into a powerful force, shining brightly under the sunlight, incredibly sharp!

Focusing on the stone wall, Bai Shi swung the iron sword, as if carving something around the character '静' (quiet).

Rocks shattered and flew, some landing in the stream, causing ripples. Dust rose, some entering Bai Shi's eyes, but he did not blink. As he moved, his iron sword struck the stone wall, producing a 'clanging' sound. In the air, invisible energy waves and 'whooshing' sounds resonated, stirring the heart.

At one moment, Bai Shi's body suddenly flipped in mid-air, and his iron sword struck the stone wall, producing a sharp, crisp sound. As the sound echoed, he landed, looking up at the stone wall through the lingering dust, and saw the characters he had carved, muttering to himself:

A melancholic tune brings sorrow to ten thousand,

The pavilion remains the same.

No trace of old friends, when will the tears flow?

Autumn leaves scatter, filling the ground with sorrow,

Only the parting ones feel the chill.

An occasional encounter, a wisp of green smoke in spring,

Since ancient times, deep emotions.

Pain and regret, lingering sorrow.

The forest echoes with mournful sounds,

The sun sets in the west.

Ask the sky, dare to mock the earth!

In the West Lake, no place to rest,

The shadow grows thin, who knows?

The red leaves dance in the sunlight,

The moon reflects on the tall tower.

Worries on the brow, but in the heart.

Where does the stream flow, wolves howl under the full moon, crying.

Winding through the forest, the dream lingers.

When will the old friend return...

...

As Bai Shi spoke the last line, a bitter smile appeared on his lips. He turned to look at the zither on the platform, and in a reflective tone, as if mocking himself, he said, "It seems... some people can never be forgotten, and this longing is merely寄托于某物而已."

With a bitter laugh, Bai Shi put the iron sword back into his storage bag. He looked up to the sky, wanting to roar and release his emotions, but he could not. Instead, he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sunlight, standing with his hands behind his back.

Bathed in the sunlight, he seemed to understand something. At one moment, a smile appeared on his lips, and his tightly closed eyes suddenly opened. He then extended his hand, focusing his gaze on his palm.

Under his consciousness, a mysterious law of nature seemed to activate, and a white, pill-like object appeared in Bai Shi's palm. The appearance of this object made Bai Shi realize that the white mist around him was much denser than the first time he saw it.

"It seems I absorbed a lot of spiritual energy while playing the zither," Bai Shi smiled faintly, and as he clenched his hand, the white object disappeared. He returned to the zither platform, looked at the zither, and felt that it now carried his aura, a powerful force like the one on the iron sword.

Bai Shi gently touched the zither strings, and the aura on them made him feel a sense of familiarity, which reminded him of something.

"Since my longing has found a寄托... the next step is to enhance my strength."

As he pondered, Bai Shi looked at his wrist, where a faint golden halo seemed to appear and disappear. He bit his finger, and a drop of red blood seeped out, soaking into his wrist. Suddenly, a 'boom' echoed, and a blinding golden light appeared, revealing the shapes of various herbs and characters.

"Ziyou Grass, Lingluo Flower... For the Dongxuan Realm, the medicine is more effective with human blood... But the Cauldron must be of high quality, or it cannot withstand the powerful medicinal force."

Muttering the characters in the illusion, Bai Shi's eyes narrowed. After repeating them several times, he used his consciousness to retract the illusion, his brows furrowed, and his gaze turned towards the passage.

"It seems... I need to visit the 'Yao Dao Sect' once."