A sudden chill, like the wind sweeping across the autumn river, pierced deep into people's hearts, making even the guarded spirit of Little Jin tremble!

The zither music was profoundly strange; it resonated clearly in their ears, yet its source was utterly untraceable. It seemed the mysterious melody filled every corner of the entire "Wind and Snow Pavilion."

The reason it was deemed mysterious was that a single note was enough to shake one's very soul, possessing a seemingly magical quality that made every listener forget all extraneous thoughts.

After a brief silence, the music rose again, pulling at the listeners' minds into infinite reverie.

However, the melody did not last long. It sounded only a few times, yet everyone remained steeped in the atmosphere it created.

"This... was this Sister playing?"

A huge question mark bloomed in Feng Haotian's mind. He had often heard his older sister play, but never before had her music so deeply stirred his soul. It was as if the melody had transformed into a demonic sound, possessing the power to captivate souls, leaving listeners with an irresistible urge to hear more!

"No, Sister isn't playing; her zither is still right there!"

Feng Haotian gave a violent start, suddenly remembering that the only zither his sister ever used rested upon the stone table. Furthermore, the style of the music did not resemble his sister's. So, who could it be? In this world, besides his sister, who else could achieve such a realm of artistry?

In that moment, he was truly bewildered!

Let alone him, everyone within the "Wind and Snow Pavilion" wore expressions of utter confusion.

The air seemed to congeal at that moment; time appeared to halt!

After an unknowable period, Yan Xiaotian, inside the room, finally let out an exclamation: "Is this even music?"

Just a few notes were enough to send their spirits reeling. If the performance had continued, would it have caused people to lose themselves entirely?

At that instant, everyone realized that music could be this terrifying!

Subsequently, although the crowd craned their necks in anticipation, that seemingly divine skill in music never sounded again. Nearly half an hour passed before Wu Feiyan accompanied Zhong Shenxiu and Robin as they descended from upstairs.

At that moment, not a single person dared to make a sound. Everyone watched the trio descend with gazes bordering on fervent worship, maintaining absolute silence.

What better description could there be for "Silence, in this case, speaks louder than sound"? This was the perfect depiction!

Turning to Wu Feiyan, the look she cast toward Zhong Shenxiu was identical to how the spectators looked at her—unconcealed joy and palpable excitement! Zhong Shenxiu did not linger any further. Wu Feiyan escorted him all the way to the door, still watching him reluctantly depart.

The noblemen gathered on the street stood like statues, clearly still under the influence of the music, so much so that they hadn't even noticed Wu Feiyan herself—the person they most wished to see—emerging!

It was only after Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had vanished down the street, and Wu Feiyan had retreated back inside, that a long time later, these nobles finally began to stir back to awareness.

"It was too perfect, truly, too perfect!" one of them exclaimed repeatedly, his face etched with longing.

"This was nothing short of celestial music; I am moved beyond words!"

"As expected of Wu Feiyan, titled the 'Fairy of Melody.' Based on that music alone, she is certainly a fairy!"

"That music lifted my soul away, I... I have decided! Tomorrow, no matter the cost, I must enter and listen to Wu Feiyan's performance live!"

"Me too. I will never again dare to listen from outside; it’s nothing less than blasphemy against a deity."

They poured out their shared awe; this moment would forever remain the most beautiful memory of their lives!

The night deepened, yet this night was fated to bring insomnia to some.

In a secluded, quiet courtyard, the lamps cast a soft glow. Inside, two peerless women were conversing.

Wu Feiyan sat on a round stool, gazing with rapt devotion at the sheets of music in her hands. Beside her sat a woman of equal age and unparalleled beauty—none other than her younger sister, Yue Nongying!

Yue Nongying was resting her chin in her hands, staring blankly at her sister. After a long, silent stretch, she finally broke the quietude: "Sister, you are acting strangely today!"

Wu Feiyan finally lifted her gaze from the score, glancing at her sister and asking, "What's strange about me?"

"Sister, when you return every day, you always chat with me for a while first. But this time, the moment you came back, you started looking at these papers, and so intensely! Isn't that strange?" Yue Nongying queried.

"Little Sister, I truly apologize; I was so engrossed. I neglected you!" Wu Feiyan smiled apologetically.

"Sister, you know that’s not what I meant." Yue Nongying rolled her eyes at Wu Feiyan, secretly frustrated that her sister was being so formal with her.

Wu Feiyan chuckled softly. "Little Sister, this score is simply too exquisite. The more I examine it, the more I realize, and I momentarily forgot about you."

Yue Nongying glanced a few times at the paper. Although she possessed some knowledge of music, she was vastly inferior to her sister. She couldn't discern the marvel of the score at all; in fact, many parts seemed baffling to her.

"Sister, is this another of your new compositions? The style feels quite different from before!" Yue Nongying asked hesitantly.

"This score was not composed by me!" Wu Feiyan replied simply, which instantly stunned the listening Yue Nongying.

"Then who composed it?" Yue Nongying inquired with curiosity.

She knew her sister intimately. Wu Feiyan had few hobbies other than her near-fanatical obsession with music. Because of this, her standards for music were extremely rigorous; very few pieces could ever meet her approval, which was why the music she played was almost always her own creation. The fact that she was praising another person's work so highly was highly unusual!

"It was composed by someone I met only today!" Wu Feiyan's eyes shone with an unusual light—a fervent yearning for a higher realm of music!

She could tolerate a short life, but she could not tolerate a life lacking brilliance!

The shock Zhong Shenxiu had delivered was beyond what words could adequately describe!

"Someone you just met?" Yue Nongying was even more astonished. "Someone you just met has made you like this?"

"Male or female?" Yue Nongying asked tentatively, very concerned by the expression on her sister's face.

"Male!" Wu Feiyan answered almost without thinking. When she looked back at Yue Nongying, her sister's mouth was already formed into a perfect "O" shape!

Although she knew her sister had misunderstood, Wu Feiyan offered no explanation. This was simply part of her nature; she always disregarded things that did not interest her.

After a brief silence, Wu Feiyan suddenly asked, "Little Sister, what do you think of my zither skills?"

Yue Nongying found it strange why her sister would ask this, but she answered nonetheless: "I think your skill has reached the state of supernatural perfection, Sister. Especially that final passage today—even I, who am constantly immersed in your music, was left completely captivated!"

She spoke the truth, without a shred of flattery, knowing well that her sister despised insincere praise.

"That final passage was not played by me," Wu Feiyan sighed softly.

"What?" Yue Nongying's eyes widened as she stared at her sister, nearly jumping out of her chair. It wasn't her sister playing? How could that be? How could anyone in the world surpass her sister's skill?

There must be some misunderstanding! Thinking this, Yue Nongying forced herself to calm down and asked again, "Sister, why are you joking with me today?"

As she spoke, she stared intently at the changing expression on Wu Feiyan's face!

But she was disappointed. Wu Feiyan’s expression remained as still as water, only her eyes faintly radiating that zealous light!

"I am not joking with you. It truly was not me playing," Wu Feiyan was always uncompromising when it came to music; if she didn't play it, she wouldn't claim it, and there was no need to conceal anything!

Yue Nongying stopped asking questions. Instead, she reached out a hand and touched Wu Feiyan's forehead, murmuring as she did so, "She doesn't seem to have a fever, but why is she talking nonsense?"

Though her voice was low, Wu Feiyan heard it.

Wu Feiyan gave her sister a sidelong glance but was not angry. She possessed an inherently gentle temperament and had never been seen to lose her temper—perhaps this was related to her deep cultivation of music!

"Little Sister, I am not as formidable as you all think. Today, I deeply realized that I am nothing more than an ordinary mortal. Only that person's technique can truly be called divine skill!" Saying this, she sighed again, as if filled with some profound emotion.

"Who is that person?" Yue Nongying grew even more curious about the individual Wu Feiyan mentioned, even harboring a sudden desire to meet them. She needed to see what kind of person this was, and what kind of potent elixir they had given her sister!

Wu Feiyan did not answer but continued: "You heard that final melody, didn't you? Wasn't it shocking?"

Yue Nongying nodded. She always addressed matters directly; that final passage had indeed enthralled her!

"And do you know how he played it?" Wu Feiyan gazed intently at her sister, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

"Didn't he just play it on the zither? What else could it be?" Yue Nongying looked at her sister, perplexed.

But Wu Feiyan gently shook her head, her gaze drifting dreamily toward the window, speaking softly: "If it were that simple, it couldn't be called divine skill!"

Yue Nongying's curiosity was thoroughly piqued, but after thinking for a long time, she couldn't conjure a definite answer, so she asked directly: "Then how did he play it?"

Wu Feiyan did not answer directly but made a gesture with her hand.

At that very instant, Yue Nongying sprang to her feet with a gasp, crying out in absolute horror:

"This... how is this possible??"