Gazing at Jun Moxie, Miao Xiaomiao felt a flicker of unease, regretting having spoken the latter part of her mind, as even she knew that no matter how hard Mo Junye strove, the Evil Monarch before her, Jun Moxie, had already galloped far ahead. A Saint Venerable powerhouse at the age of nineteen! The master of the Evil Monarch’s Manor, the Evil Monarch himself! These dazzling reputations, coupled with Jun Moxie’s youth, destined him to become a legend unparalleled on the continent! Even if Mo Junye possessed the legendary Ethereal Physique, his start was simply too late. To reach Jun Moxie’s level of cultivation would take at least another century! And by then, the world would undoubtedly be arrayed in an entirely different configuration… But I won’t have my Junye competing with him anyway… Hmph, this Jun Moxie is nothing but a notorious philanderer! He already has so many peerless beauties, yet he still dares to set his sights on me… Miao Xiaomiao thought indignantly, and the more she did, the more superior Mo Junye seemed compared to Jun Moxie… How devoted Junye is… towards that elder sister, and towards me!

“I truly envy you…” Guan Qinghan murmured softly. This statement came from the very depths of her heart. Miao Xiaomiao smiled, “Sister Guan, you are only flattering me. Who doesn’t know that the previous Lord Jun, for your sake, fiercely confronted the Blood Soul Manor with meager strength, and single-handedly stood against the entirety of Tianxiang, willing to wade through rivers of blood, killing until the world pointed fingers at him, yet his countenance never changed! Sister Guan, to have a man do such a thing for you, as a woman, you are the one I should envy…” Guan Qinghan’s expression softened, recalling all that Jun Moxie had done for her back then. The more she thought, the more her heart filled with tender affection, and the look she cast upon Jun Moxie grew increasingly tender and meaningful… It was he who changed her life of suffering! He gave her happiness… As a woman, what more could I possibly ask for… The envious gazes of the other women once again settled upon Guan Qinghan…

“Little Miao, your husband even composed a piece of music for you? Could you… let us appreciate it? Among us sisters, all of us are accomplished in music, and our skills are certainly not low.” Mei Xueyan’s words were clearly intended to sow discord for Jun Moxie. How come they all seemed so versed in music? It seemed only Lingmeng, Guan Qinghan, and Hanyanmeng truly understood melody. As for the others, they held little interest in that path. Dugu Xiaoyi was naturally lively, having grown up in a military family; she was much better suited to brandishing spears and clubs. And then there was the girl, Ke’er. If the young master had time-traveled a few years earlier, perhaps he would have cultivated her into a great talent, but alas, Jun Moxie ‘traveled’ at the wrong time, completely derailing the girl. Furthermore, Ke’er was singularly focused on becoming an aid to Jun Moxie, spending all her free time cultivating martial arts—when would she have time for music theory…

“Xueyan…” Jun Moxie looked pleadingly at Mei Xueyan, clearly seeking rescue. “What are you calling for? Before, we sisters thought you were somewhat decent, but now we know what it means when comparing people—human lives are lost, goods are thrown away when compared! To ensure fairness, you must compose a poem, a lyric, and then a musical piece for each of us sisters later! Look at that man’s husband, how versatile and talented! If you can’t deliver, hmph hmph, you know the consequences!” Mei Xueyan challenged fiercely. With a crash, Jun Moxie sank onto his chair, his whole body limp. This was going to cost him his life… “Yes, yes, Brother Moxie, you absolutely must write them! If you can’t write them, or if they aren’t good enough, hmph hmph…” Dugu Xiaoyi threatened, baring her teeth and claws. “Sisters, this sort of thing cannot be rushed. As the saying goes, every yard has its short space, and every inch has its long one; everyone has different focal points; Lord Jun is not skilled in this area, forcing him is useless. Literature and music, just like profound cultivation, rely on innate talent.” Miao Xiaomiao stepped in with schadenfreude to save the day: “Moreover, it requires long-term immersion, deep cultivation, dabbling in many areas, and yet achieving mastery… Hehe, sisters, please don’t make things difficult for Lord Jun… Lest you put him in a difficult position…”

Jun Moxie covered his eyes with his hands in agony, curling up entirely in the chair. Heavens above, is this what you call mediation? “Little Miao sister, you need not concern yourself with this. If Moxie cannot produce them, we can’t exactly do anything to the great Lord Evil Monarch. At most, we will collectively ignore him!” Mei Xueyan said airily, “Let’s first listen to the piece of music that Little Miao’s husband composed for her. We are not unreasonable people; we can just use that as our standard. Sisters, this standard is acceptable, yes?” “Absolutely acceptable! I’ll go get the zither!” Dugu Xiaoyi sprang up with a whoosh and darted out. To use the music of my Junye as the standard? It seems this Lord Evil Monarch is truly in deep trouble this time… Miao Xiaomiao looked at Jun Moxie with pity, but her heart was secretly filled with delight mixed with smug satisfaction! Boy, no matter how high your martial status and rank are, compared to my Junye… hmph hmph… who do you think you are? Daring to lay a hand on this lady? Just watch me play you to death! Miao Xiaomiao secretly resolved that once the zither arrived, she would perform at her absolute peak! She’d make this Jun Moxie suffer a good while…

Dugu Xiaoyi’s speed was indeed impressive; just as footsteps sounded, she returned carrying an antique-looking guqin. All the women looked at Jun Moxie, their expressions saying everything. Heaven’s sin, there is action to be taken; self-inflicted sin, there is no place to hide! The young master Jun was currently the embodiment of self-inflicted doom! Jun Moxie let out a long sigh, his tone mournful, like a neglected wife in a secluded chamber… Oh heavens, oh earth, why is my life so bitter?

Miao Xiaomiao sat before the zither, and with a casual strum, a sound like clinking jade and gold resonated… “A fine zither!” Miao Xiaomiao was deeply moved. This guqin was even better than the one she possessed in the Illusionary Manor! “The body of this zither is crafted from the heartwood of ten-thousand-year Dragon’s Roar Wood, and the strings are twisted from the tendons of an Undersea Purple Flood Dragon and Celestial Silkworm silk. These are materials Junye collected, and I crafted it myself,” Guan Qinghan said with a gentle smile. “Sister Guan is truly talented!” Miao Xiaomiao cast a respectful glance at Guan Qinghan. To say one can play the zither is not extraordinary; after all, among young ladies of prominent families, few are unable to play. But to speak of crafting a zither is exceedingly rare. To fashion an instrument that is both exquisitely beautiful and possesses a first-rate tone is doubly difficult! “This younger sister will disgrace herself here,” Miao Xiaomiao took two deep breaths, and her delicate jade fingers moved deftly, instantly releasing a melodious zither sound. Lingering and poignant, the audience felt as if they saw fallen blossoms swirling and carpeting the ground… The Dirge of Buried Flowers! The melody resonated, lingering and melancholic… It was just the opening, yet Guan Qinghan and the others were already lost in the beautiful yet sorrowful tune. “Flowers fall and fly, flying to fill the sky…” Miao Xiaomiao softly sang along with the music, but her mind filled with the image of Mo Junye’s handsome face. She felt her heart suffused with sweetness, and this melancholic Dirge of Buried Flowers was unexpectedly sung with a hint of gentle happiness… Naturally, with such a blissful mood, only the tune of the piece was present; the original intended mood was certainly not fully conveyed. But even so, it was more than enough! After a long while, the music gradually subsided and ended. In the room, there was profound silence, for the lingering resonance had not yet faded. After a long, long time, Mei Xueyan let out a long breath and asked, “What is the name of this piece?” “The Dirge of Buried Flowers,” Miao Xiaomiao replied. “This piece… was truly composed by your… husband for you?” Guan Qinghan, who was deeply knowledgeable in music, although greatly admiring the composition, raised a point of doubt: “While this piece is undoubtedly a classic, for a man deeply in love with his wife to write it for his wife… isn’t it somewhat inappropriate/out of place?” Miao Xiaomiao’s face flushed red, and she suddenly stammered, unable to speak. This piece was what Mo Junye had used during a previous competition; it was certainly not written specifically for her! In order to suppress this somewhat lecherous Evil Monarch, she had boasted excessively. She never expected Guan Qinghan’s mastery of music to be so profound that even though she had altered the intended mood, her original intention was still discerned. This question trapped her completely… Just as Guan Qinghan said, such a piece would never be exchanged between lovers… The women exchanged knowing smiles; they understood the underlying reasons and naturally did not press further. However, because of this small interlude, the resentment they held toward the young master Jun lessened somewhat. As long as it wasn't written specifically for someone else, it was manageable!

Following this, after a few more inquiries, they asked Miao Xiaomiao to recite one of the poems Jun Moxie had composed. Miao Xiaomiao’s spirits lifted, and she was naturally delighted to showcase her lover’s talent before her newly met sisters; this brought her immense satisfaction. When the lyric, “When will the spring flowers and autumn moon ever end,” was uttered, all the women were instantly stunned! Pairs of beautiful eyes turned into spotlights focusing on Jun Moxie. Who would have thought that this foremost wastrel of Tianxiang also had such a hidden talent! But, the unforgivable part was… With so many sisters at home, instead of charming them, he went out flaunting his brilliance when chasing other women! Is it truly that the flowers at home are not as fragrant as the wild ones? Or is it because the women at home are already secured, they won’t run away, so he doesn't take them as seriously? Truly intolerable! The young master’s act of “hiding his talent” thoroughly provoked collective outrage! The anger that had just slightly subsided rose again! When that other piece, ‘To defy Heaven may not guarantee survival, to obey Heaven surely merits laughter; who is like me, with sword pointing at the world’s surging waves! Sun and moon enter my chest, watch me alone lead the charge…’ was recited, the resentment in the women’s hearts could no longer be contained!

The young master Jun completely lost his composure; the last of the Thirty-Six Stratagems… “Uh, this, Miss Miao, shall we… talk?” Jun Moxie fiddled his hands together. It was over; he had managed to overturn so many vinegar jars at once… “I’m not interested in talking to you!” Miao Xiaomiao snorted, turning her head away, clearly unwilling to deal with him. “Hmm? What is it you wish to discuss with Sister Miao!? What is so important that it cannot be said in front of us sisters? You may talk, but only after you settle the debts owed to all of us sisters,” Mei Xueyan was iron-willed now, her eyes narrowed, refusing to back down.