Chapter 13 Magnolia-Pipa Xuanyin
"Wait... am I seeing things right? Sister Lan actually saluted Ye Jie so respectfully..."
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Guicha Mei would never have believed what she saw.
Sister Lan, who holds a high status in the wine country and treats no one politely, and who charges 8,800 Yin De for ordering a song, now actually bows to Ye Jie with such respect. What's more, judging from the intimacy in their words, the relationship between the two seems to be extraordinary. Such distinguished treatment cannot be obtained simply by consuming Yin De.
Seeing Yulan approaching, Ye Jie hurriedly returned the greeting and said, "This... Sister Lan, I am now penniless and cannot afford to listen to your song."
Yulan covered her lips and laughed, her laughter as clear and sweet as a silver bell, revealing the innocent joy of a young girl, and possessing the healing power to warm people's hearts. "Brother Ye Jie, you are joking. How could I accept the kindness of you and Miss He? Brother Ye Jie has honored you with your presence. As one of the head maids of the wine country, I should fulfill my duties as a host. If you don't mind, I will pay for this meal."
"How can I feel embarrassed..." Ye Jie refused again and again, but he still couldn't persuade Yulan, so he had to accept her arrangement in the end.
On the other side, the ghost catcher Mei's expression was completely frozen, and her heart was already in turmoil.
"Ah, it's Sister Lan..." Seeing Yulan coming, Nan Linghe's face also brightened with joy. She was so excited that she held Ye Jie's hand even more tightly.
"Miss He." Yulan smiled at her, her eyes subtly glancing at the ghost messenger Mei beside her. "I heard that Miss He will soon become an official ghost messenger. As the saying goes, strong winds reveal strong grass, and fierce fires reveal true gold. I'm dedicating this song 'The Great Waves Wash Away the Sand' to Miss He. I hope Miss He can spread her wings and soar to create brilliance."
Under Nan Linghe's delighted gaze, Yulan stroked the piano with her slender hands, her fingertips soft and nimble, like a dancing butterfly, bringing out strings of melodious notes. Her movements were soft and elegant, pleasing to the eye.
At first, the pipa's sound was vast and melodious, like an endless, calm sea, with only gusts of damp sea breeze constantly slapping everyone's faces. Just as everyone was intoxicated, the tune suddenly took a turn, like a sword unsheathed, filled with a shocking and heroic power.
The dark clouds of the storm gathered together, and the raging waves came one after another, mercilessly washing over the beach on the shore. The sound of thunder was deafening, like the roar of a deep-sea monster, and the neighing and shouting of thousands of troops. The entire beach was crumbling and was about to be torn apart by the waves. Endless fine sand was sifted and washed again and again, and then swept away by the waves, disappearing without a trace.
The sound of the piano gradually faded, the clouds dispersed, the sea returned to calm again, the sun shone brightly, and under the wash of the waves, everything was completely overturned. Only those grains of sand that could withstand the test of the waves remained, sparkling with bright light. From a distance, they looked like bright pearls.
After the performance, everyone was still immersed in the artistic conception of the lute, and their mood could not calm down for a long time. Yulan put down the pipa. Although the lute sounded silent, the lingering sound still echoed in everyone's ears.
After listening to the song "The Great Waves Wash Away the Sands", Ye Jie felt a burning sensation all over his body, his blood surging, as if he had gained infinite strength. He reached into his arms and pulled out a scrap of paper, only to see fresh ink marks emerging on it.
【The Book of Life and Death records:】
In the winter of the twelfth year of the Zhenguan reign, the ghost messenger Jie was inspired by the pipa music: The Great Waves Wash Away the Sands.
【Practice speed increased by 10%.】
【The power of the technique increases by 30%.】
【Duration: 7 days】
Putting the fragmented page back into his arms, Ye Jie said with emotion, "Now I understand why Sister Lan's song is worth 8,800 Yin De. Those who hear this song not only enjoy the beautiful melody, but also gain a passionate and inspiring effect. Compared to this, the Yin De paid is really not worth mentioning."
Facing Ye Jie's praise, Yulan smiled and said, "I am from the Music House. The music house mainly practices the way of rhythm, which is mainly used to enhance the power of martial arts. Some of the advanced pieces can even help people break through the realm. I wonder if Brother Ye Jie likes this piece?"
"Sister Lan came here specially to present a piece of music, so naturally I love it immensely. However, whether I like it or not this time, my opinion doesn't count." Ye Jie tilted his head slightly, and fixed his gaze on the beaming Nan Linghe. She was the protagonist here. "This piece of music was given to you by Sister Lan. Do you like it?"
Encouraged by Ye Jie, Nan Linghe smiled brightly, revealing a row of pure white teeth. Her entire face became bright and charming: "Yes! I like it the most!"
Meanwhile, Ghost Messenger Mei watched as Nan Linghe, the center of attention, was treated like a star, her heart awestruck. What merits and abilities did this first-rank wandering spirit possess to deserve such treatment? Even Sister Lan, renowned in the wine country, had come to sing a song for her—an honor not even afforded to the Judge!
Finally, Ghost Messenger Mei suppressed the turmoil in her heart and said in a trembling voice, "So, you are the dragon that crossed the river! This time, I, Hua Xiaomei, am blind and didn't recognize the real dragon in front of me. I hope Miss He won't blame me."
Ye Jie reminded him at the right time: "What about the recommendation order..."
Hua Xiaomei nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I'll take on an errand for her later. Once she completes the task, she'll get my recommendation letter."
Everyone smiled at each other. A relaxed atmosphere permeated the private room. The maids presented one exquisite dish after another. There was a beautifully carved radish dish that looked like blooming flowers, a suckling pig that was greasy and roasted to a golden and crispy texture, a fragrant and rich stew of deer antler and mushrooms, and a crystal tofu that was translucent and dreamy.
Hua Xiaomei's eyes widened as she gazed at the delicious and delicious dishes. Such a sumptuous meal would have cost tens of thousands of Yin De at the very least. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. The precious spiritual energy contained within the dishes was enough to significantly boost her cultivation progress.
Thinking that this meal was actually hosted by Sister Lan, Hua Xiaomei looked at Ye Jie and the others with even greater surprise. After the song ended, Sister Lan, who remained in the private room, waited quietly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Ye Jie.
It was not until all the dishes were served and Ye Jie was about to pick up his chopsticks that he realized that his right hand was still firmly grasped by Nan Linghe, with no sign of loosening at all, which made him feel quite helpless.
Nan Linghe picked up some cold dishes and started eating, but seeing Ye Jie standing beside him, he remained unmoved. He couldn't help but tilt his head and asked, "Brother Jie, why aren't you eating?"
Ye Jie held his forehead with his hand: "How can I eat if you hold my hand?"
Nan Linghe exclaimed and let go of her hand. Her face flushed with shame and she quickly lowered her head to eat the food. While eating, she couldn't help but secretly glance at Ye Jie a few times.
After a hearty meal, Hua Xiaomei felt the flow of spiritual energy in her body and clasped her fists towards Ye Jie in gratitude, saying, "Speaking of which, I am still indebted to you this time. Such a rich spiritual delicacy is enough to save me two or three years of cultivation time. Compared to that, a recommendation order is really nothing."
Ye Jie didn't think so, and quickly waved his hands and said, "No, no... I should be the one thanking you, I am the one who benefited from you."
What Hua Xiaomei didn't know was that by giving the task of guiding Xia Lin's soul to Ye Jie, she inadvertently gave Ye Jie a great opportunity. That opportunity was Xia Wei, the reincarnation of an immortal who possessed nine innate magical powers and now worshipped Ye Jie as her master. Thanks to her, Ye Jie was able to gain that cheap disciple.
Hua Xiaomei didn't understand the subtlety of this and simply thought he was being polite. She bowed and said, "Ever since our mission many years ago, I've known that Brother Jie must be a kind-hearted man. However, in this underworld where demons run rampant, people like you are destined to have few opportunities to make a name for themselves."
Hearing this, Nan Linghe raised his head, glanced at Ye Jie beside him, then glanced at Hua Xiaomei, and couldn't help asking, "Brother Jie, how did you and Sister Mei know each other?"
"That happened many years ago..." Ye Jie said.
"It's been about twelve years." Hua Xiaomei took over the conversation. "During the last years of the Wude era, a major event occurred in the Southern Continent. Thousands of ghost officials from Guangwang Palace were dispatched, and within a few days, they brought in a hundred thousand wandering souls from the underworld. Ye Jie and I were assigned to the same area, so we worked together before."
Nan Linghe covered his mouth and exclaimed, "One hundred thousand wandering souls...what happened?"
Hua Xiaomei rested her hand on her chin and said, "That year, the Tang Emperor's second son, Li Shimin, broke through to the fifth level of the Sealed Immortal Realm. Not only that, he also secretly cultivated the Tang Dynasty's undisclosed martial art: the Purple Demonic Pupil. He then launched the world-shaking Battle of Xuanwu Gate, ultimately killing his brother and forcing his father to ascend to the throne."
At the end, Hua Xiaomei sighed with emotion, "It's said that Li Shimin only led ten men into that battle. His Purple Demonic Eyes were blessed by the heavens and earth, capable of firing piercing Purple Lasers. Wherever they passed, countless armies were reduced to ashes. Even the Xuanwu Gate, forged from basalt and weighing a hundred thousand pounds, was neatly cut in two. Looking around the world, only the legendary Monkey King's Fiery Eyes could rival them."
Nan Linghe opened his eyes wide, his face filled with surprise. He couldn't help but exclaimed, "Is there such a thing? The Emperor is so powerful?"
Ye Jie glanced at her and explained, "Born into an imperial family, one enjoys inexhaustible cultivation resources. That's the greatest convenience that comes with status. All the cultivation resources in the entire country are freely available. Even if one's aptitude is poor, one can still improve it through elixirs and natural treasures. However, people like Li Shimin are extremely rare, and there haven't been many throughout the dynasties."
Hua Xiaomei continued, "Back then, I was still trying to figure out how to escort more wandering souls at once, and Brother Jie was helping them fulfill their last wishes. Even when faced with doubts and confusion from other ghost messengers, he never wavered in his resolve. I never expected that after all these years, Brother Jie is still at the early Second Stage, not even using any of his good karma to improve his realm. It's truly... deeply moving."
As they were chatting, they saw Yulan put down the pipa in her hand, walked with graceful and light steps, and came to Ye Jie's side. She smiled at Ye Jie and said, "Brother Ye Jie, I actually came here this time to ask for something."
Ye Jie thought to himself, "Here it comes." As the saying goes, "A man who has received favors will be grateful, and a man who has received favors will be soft-hearted." Yulan treated him with such pomp and ceremony, treating him as a distinguished guest. Of course, he couldn't refuse. "I wonder what Yulan wants me to do? Even if there are mountains of swords and boiling water ahead, I won't back down."
"Brother Ye Jie, you're too serious. That's certainly not something that would harm anyone," Yulan said softly, her red lips parted. "It's Fuling, another head maid in the wine country. She heard about my situation and wants your help. She hopes you can once again help her find and deal with one of her former second-level enemies."
Ye Jie nodded, understanding the general situation. He then listened to Yulan say, "Fuling has already issued a mission in Guangwang Palace. Miss He just needs to complete one more mission to get the recommendation order. Why not treat this mission as a test for her? Miss He has such a special talent. Asking her to run errands would be a bit of a waste of her talent. This is a perfect opportunity to teach her how to fight. Of course, the reward for the mission will definitely not disappoint you."
Seeing that the task came to her door, and the person who issued the task was the wealthy head maid in the wine country, Guicha Mei would certainly not refuse such a good thing. Even the look in her eyes when she looked at Ye Jie was more grateful. Thanks to Ye Jie's invitation, whether it was the rich spiritual delicacies or the generous task rewards, they were enough to save her several years of hard work, which made her very excited.
Ye Jie glanced sideways at Nan Linghe, who was smiling sweetly. He happened to meet her gaze, coughing dryly as he asked, "This is your mission. What do you think?"
Nan Linghe blinked and said softly, "I will listen to Brother Jie. I will do whatever Brother Jie says."
Ye Jie nodded, and thinking of the good things that came to his door, he secretly felt emotional in his heart. This was the power of Nan Linghe's first-class talent: the lucky star entering his life. As long as she was by his side, he could enjoy all kinds of good things that ordinary people could not imagine. Various adventures would come to him one after another. Just by relying on her, he would have unimaginable gains. This kind of good fortune was something that ordinary people could not even envy.
At this time, Nan Linghe poked Ye Jie again, frowning slightly, and said, "But, I remember Brother Jie just said that ghost messengers can't hurt people maliciously. The last leopard who took Brother Jie's recommendation order ended up getting Brother Jie into trouble because of this. How are we going to deal with the living?"
Hearing this, Ye Jie felt warm in his heart. "It's rare that you can remember all that, but don't worry. The ghost officials have their own ways to deal with living people without violating the laws of the underworld. Although we can't actively hurt people, we can defend ourselves against attacks from cultivators. As long as we don't take the initiative, it doesn't count as violating the laws of the underworld. Sometimes, the ghost officials will use this method to punish bad guys."
Nan Linghe's eyes lit up with enlightenment after hearing this. Seeing that everyone had made a decision, Ye Jie slowly said, "Since that's the case, let's go to Guangwang Palace now and take on this mission."