“I’ll go take a look at the Supreme Beauty Pavilion if I have time in the future.” Feiyun said.
Yu Chan was ecstatic to hear this. If the demon’s son were to visit the pavilion, it would shock the entire capital. After all, he was the number one genius of the dynasty. Meanwhile, Lan’er didn’t care too much. She didn’t realize that this was one of the grand historical geniuses that she was such a big fan of.
Feiyun asked: “Right, Miss Yu Chan, what kind of Buddhist scripture are you look for here?”
She was originally here to light an incense but after hearing about old records relating to the divine statue, she decided to take a look as well. That’s why the two of them met in this place.
Feiyun gave her the scroll after hearing this before continuing to find more records about the Jin River.
A while later, Yu Chan finished reading the scroll. She came behind him and asked softly: “Young Noble Feng, what scrolls are you looking for, need my help?”
“I’m thinking about finding old records about the legends near the river.” He wanted to find clues about the statue from the legends.
Yu Chan and Lan’er began to help him. It didn’t take long before Yu Chan carried a turtle shell the size of a head over. There were old writings carved on it. She said: “Young Noble Feng, this one has legends relating to the goddess of the river.”
The words here were extremely ancient, much different from modern writings. Feiyun took the shell and carefully read it.
Rumor has it that a long time ago, before the formation of the dynasty, there was a small village named Duo because there were only two people living there, a woman and her older brother. She was beautiful so she was known as Yueliang and her brother was Dongfang. He was a capable and diligent person, so that’s why people gave him this nickname, just like the rising sun. [ref] Yueliang = moon. Dongfang = the east [ref]
However, one day, the village no longer had just two people since several children were added. People felt that the two siblings related by blood committed incest. Yueliang was no longer pure so someone killed her and threw her down the river.
Dongfang found out after coming home and cried in anguish. So it turned out that the children’s mother was a girl in the next village. The girl was afraid of being yelled at by her father so she hid the children in Duo, not expecting for this to happen to Yueliang.
On that night, a terrible noise came from the river like the howls of the devils. Everyone felt that Yueliang’s spirit was coming back so they ran to the highest peak.
The water rose on the river and broke the dam. It turned into a flood that seemed capable of drowning the whole world.
All the villagers were scared and pray for the god’s protection. Their sincerity reached the moon goddess, the kindest of the deities. She turned into a moon boat and took Yueliang’s vengeful spirit away.
Three days later, the flood receded and the villagers came back. They found that their villages were completely intact. They felt grateful and ashamed at the same time so they built a shrine and created a statue for Yueliang, while calling her the Jin River Goddess.
Feiyun frowned even more after reading this legend. It was clearly nonsense, written by mortals. For these mortals, even Heaven’s Mandate cultivators looked like gods and immortals to them.
Plus, the legends were different from the actual events. They weren’t credible at all.
“This shell is nine thousand years old.” Since he had cultivated the Eight Arts Volume, he could gauge these relics quite well.
Despite not believing in the legends, he still found some useful clues. For example, the moon boat. Feiyun thought about the azure vessel that took him here from the Yellow River. One similarity was that it was capable of carrying someone’s soul away.
This was a strange coincidence with the legend.
“Maybe I can keep going. The next focus will be on the shrine of the river goddess.” Feiyun had this thought.
Suddenly, a loud commotion came from outside.
Feiyun put away the turtle shell and left the library. One of the guards came forward and bowed: “Young Lord, Ye Xiaoxiang is at the base of the mountain right now.”
Yu Chan and Lan’er also came out of the library. They looked down the bright sceneries and could faintly see many cultivators on their carriages and ships waiting down below.
These people were looking at the musical maestro, the sixth beauty of the Jin Dynasty, Ye Xiaoxiang.
Feiyun was slightly surprised. Just a girl from the brothel caused so much commotion. Was she a goddess or something?
He felt that the most beautiful piece came from Nangong Hongyan’s zither while the most peaceful came from the pipa of that damned woman, Dongfang Jingyue. He would never believe that someone was above these two.
“Miss Yu Chan, do you want to go down and meet this Ye Xiaoxiang?” Feiyun asked.
Yu Chan nodded: “Xiaoxiang is a top-level maestro at the capital. Even my master had said that her musical ability is worthy of her title. Plus… I still have a way to go before catching up to her. Only Sister Hongyan is her match.”
Yu Chan’s master was the Great National Maestro, Jing Wuyin. Feiyun became even more curious after hearing the high evaluation.
Ye Xiaoxiang was going to the Ask Buddha Platform for her ceremony. This was to the north of the convent. On one side was a stiff precipice. While standing on top, one could see the head of the divine statue up in front.
When Feiyun made it to the platform, it was already packed. Not only were there young nobles with expensive clothing and prodigies, there was a small group of young ladies from powerful clans as well. These girls were even crazier than the boys. They kept on shouting “Ye Xiaoxiang” as if they were completely infatuated with her.
Yu Chan quietly explained to Feiyun: “This atmosphere isn’t rare in the capital. The brothel ladies actually enjoy a high status. Many excellent disciples from cultivation sect take pride in learning from Ye Xiaoxiang. Don’t think that the capital’s playgrounds are all so vulgar. The truth is that Heaven’s Smile and Triflowers are very elegant places. Not only men, even princesses, and noble ladies would come sometimes. People even find marrying these ladies to be a very prestigious thing.”
Feiyun nodded.
She continued: “The Supreme Beauty Pavilion had engaged in certain poor-taste business, that’s why it is hated in the capital and can’t join the top level. Of course, such vulgar transactions are no longer taking place.”
Feiyun sighed in response.
Lan’er stared at him with disdain after seeing that his disappointed look. This was definitely a bad guy, she thought.
Li Fengxin and Zhu Ming came out of the mass. They looked astonished while staring at Feiyun: “Wow, amazing. Another great beauty in less than four hours.”
They were truly admiring Feiyun. After all, Xiangcen and Yu Chan were still rare beauties in the capital. However, this man ahead changed so quickly. They felt inferior in the process, despite being from a marquis’ faction.
Feiyun smiled in response: “This is a maestro from Supreme Beauty, a student of the national maestro. Her songs are wondrous and I’m only a crude person, not worthy of an incredible girl like Maestro Yu at all.”
Yu Chan felt embarrassed after hearing this. How could she be worthy of the title? Ye Xiaoxiang would laugh at her if she were to hear this.
Of course, these two have heard of the Supreme Beauty Pavilion that has recently relocated to the capital. However, they didn’t know that there was such a beauty there. After hearing such praises, they also greeted her in order to give Feiyun some face.”
“Hmph, Supreme Beauty only has the nastiest prostitutes, all of them are sluts yet this girl dares to call herself maestro? Don’t make me laugh.” A person wearing a purple robe with a seven-colored feather crest sneered.
He had a yellow tiger behind him along with four other well-dressed youths. All of them had powerful auras, certainly experts of the young generation.
These young ones from the capital weren’t useless prodigal sons. Due to the deep nature of their clans, they experienced strict upbringing and the best cultivation training and merit laws. Ordinary sects and clans couldn’t compare in this aspect.
Looking down on them would be a complete mistake.
“Tang Huanzhen, these are my friends, watch your mouth.” Fengxin’s said sternly.
The youth in purple was from the Furious Marquis’ faction so they were already competing beforehand.
Huanzhen laughed and said: “It’s the truth. In my opinion, only Fairy Ye is worthy of the title, maestro, at the capital. I wouldn’t go to a place like Supreme Beauty. Fengxin, you are still a famous prodigy at the capital, why would you purposely lower yourself and go to that kind of place? Are you not afraid of staining your faction’s reputation? Haha!”
His laughter attracted many eyes from the other prodigies nearby. They all pointed and laughed.
Fengxin was livid with his hands clenching into fists. He could almost see stars in his eyes.
Yu Chan and Lan’er lowered their head. Such words have hurt their self-esteem.
Feiyun’s expression turned ugly. He took two steps forward and said: “You’re not the authority on what kind of place Supreme Beauty is but that’s forgivable. However, you absolutely cannot insult my friends.”