Chapter 461: Chapter 160: Blade Flows Like Honing the Sea Calm, The Invisible Ninety-Nine Breaks Body Qi

Li Yuan’s answer in his heart became increasingly clear.

This is Concealing Power.

It is the power of concealing earth-shattering force in calmness.

Precisely because of such Concealing Power, he was able to inadvertently form Sword Qi yesterday.

"Sword Qi" is something he read about in many novels before crossing over.

In those novels, "Sword Qi" was worthless, as if any expert could wield a blade and produce Sword Qi spanning over ten zhang.

But in reality, forming Sword Qi capable of leaping over ten zhang and shattering huge rocks is no easier than conjuring a ball-shaped lightning by hand.

Sword Qi is violent within, yet restrained externally.

The root of violence originates from "movement".

Only intense "movement" can possess terrifying energy.

As for restraint, it requires forming an inward force from these "movements", creating a temporary balance.

Li Yuan focused his gaze, contemplating, while the tip of the White Snake Blade in his hand had already touched the Guqin.

Sss...

Where the blade tip reached, the wood of the Guqin instantly turned to dust, but the range was extremely small, only the area where the blade touched turned to dust, while other places were completely unharmed.

Li Yuan hadn’t learned much about carving, but after reaching Sixth Grade, his muscle control and memory of objects were already strong enough, not to mention... he is now in a Fourth Grade state.

Layer upon layer of exquisite and delicate flowers emerged under his hands.

Si Qin initially thought of flirting with this young man, but upon witnessing these divine techniques, she couldn’t help but stop, silently kneeling on the seat beside him, watching the young man carve.

She occasionally glanced sideways at the young man, seeing indeed extreme focus and tranquility in his demeanor, yet within the tranquility lay a suppressed sense of destruction, violence, and power.

Much like the golden statues enshrined in large temple sanctuaries by followers.

Harboring boundless essence within, yet overlooking the Human World.

Suddenly, a strong sense of inferiority rose within Si Qin’s heart; earlier she might still think of seducing this young man with her body, but now... she retreated.

Because, at this moment in her heart, lust was gone, replaced only by awe.

For a long while...

And longer still...

Li Yuan withdrew his blade into his sleeve, then moved aside the Ancestral Talisman, blew away the fine dust lightly covering the Guqin, revealing a Peony Painting that seemed almost real.

The peony blooms nine times, growing on wood, each petal graceful, as if possessing Life.

"It’s done."

Li Yuan let out a sigh.

At this moment, he felt truly mystical.

The sensation of condensing violence within a small space fascinated him.

Yet he also worried, Can others learn this Sword Skill?

Si Qin respectfully took the Guqin with both hands, stared in shock at the Peony Painting on her Guqin, incredulously reached out to gently stroke it, then blankly looked at Li Yuan.

Now, Si Qin’s mind was left with only one sentence: Can such flowers be carved by a human?

"How is it?"

Li Yuan’s voice brought her back to reality.

Si Qin hurriedly replied, "It’s fantastic, truly fantastic... I can’t bear to use this Guqin to play music."

Li Yuan smiled, "Then play a tune that matches the Guqin, wouldn’t that be perfect."

"A tune matching the Guqin..."

Si Qin felt momentarily lost, suddenly recalling the nights and days spent practicing the Guqin, imagining a young man outside the walls being captivated by her music...

She once was a young lady, but her family fell.

Now, her dreams have long been shattered. She is merely a Cultured Courtesan in a Brothel, and what was once a cherished Guqin has become just a skill to increase her worth, a tool...

"I’m unworthy of this Guqin."

Si Qin suddenly felt ashamed.

Li Yuan glanced around the walls, then found a flute.

He said, "I’ll play the flute, you play the Guqin, shall we perform a duet?"

Si Qin exclaimed in surprise, "You know how to play the flute?"

Li Yuan replied, "A bit. How about performing ’Alone on the Western Tower’?"

Si Qin nodded.

Immediately, she sat quietly before the Guqin, raised her hands, and began to play.

Li Yuan then grasped the flute, his mind recalling past events in the Divine Wood Hall.

’As if it happened just yesterday...’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

He softly sighed, then the melodious tune spread from the flute.

The young man, dressed in white, sat quietly opposite the Cultured Courtesan.

Si Qin’s fingers started to move.

She felt the extraordinary enchantment of the flute, as well as the encouragement from the flutist. Her fingers finally gained vitality, dancing across the strings driven by the flute’s sound...

After finishing the tune, she was still immersed.

Yet the young man had already placed back the flute, grabbing the blade and returning to the dining hall to chop vegetables.

The Madam quietly entered, asking Si Qin, "Girl, how did it go? Has he fallen for you?"

Si Qin snapped out of it, murmuring, "Madam, you didn’t see wrong, he’s a great man, one we shouldn’t have seen at all..."

She pointed to the Guqin.

The Guqin bore nine peony blooms, each seemingly real.

"I’ve wasted eighteen years, but I have never met someone like him. Madam, let’s not provoke him... just respect him..."

The Madam paused for a while, then said, "Alright..."

...

Afterwards, Li Yuan’s journey as a cook became very simple.

He just took charge of chopping vegetables.

And amidst chopping, he often carved.

He especially enjoyed carving tofu.

Carving the tofu into various intricate flowers.

For a time, Meixiang Building’s reputation soared.

Appetites and desires, both combined, how could it not soar?

...

...

In the blink of an eye, another two months passed.

July arrived.

This is also the hottest time on Cloud Mountain Path.

Li Yuan continued working as a cook in Meixiang Building, while overseeing exploration towards the west, though gains were minimal...

Only because the western lands are topographically complex, and after some distance, the weather turns cold, light dims, and the distant Eternal Night is like the gaping maw of a cosmic beast, even the Seventh Grade Martial Artists scarcely possess the courage to venture in.