As Li Guanyi stood there in a daze, Murong Qiushui couldn't help but chuckle, her white jade-like fingers lightly tapping the center of the young man's brow as she teased, "Little kitten, you dare to challenge your aunt? How amusing..."
"Well, adorably foolish."
Withdrawing her finger, she flicked it lightly, letting out a soft laugh.
Handing the vegetables she had bought to Li Guanyi, Murong Qiushui stepped lightly into the house. When she went out, she would deliberately disguise herself, making her eyes appear smaller and her complexion dull and yellow, resembling a sickly person who had suffered hardships.
However, when she was in front of Li Guanyi, her eyes sparkled, and her lips curled into a smile, rendering her disguise ineffective. Anyone would instinctively sense that the person before them was an unparalleled beauty, like a pearl covered in dust, still shining brightly.
Li Guanyi lowered his head to look at the vegetables.
Cabbage, radishes, and some mustard greens.
These vegetables had been brought early by the common folk from the nearby villages and towns around Guan Yi City.
By the afternoon, the quality of the vegetables would deteriorate. After being picked over all day, they would inevitably suffer some damage, and some shrewd old ladies would pluck off the less appealing leaves to discard. The farmers, eager to return home, would sell the vegetables at a lower price at this time.
Though they looked unappealing, when chopped and boiled into porridge or stir-fried, they were no different.
Aunt always went out at this time.
Li Guanyi brought the vegetables inside and noticed his aunt's light steps. When her amber-like eyes swept over the overturned bowl, they noticeably brightened. She turned to look at the young man returning with the vegetables and asked, "So, what happened today?"
Li Guanyi briefly recounted the events of the day.
Murong Qiushui laughed, "They dismissed you? That owner of the Huichun Hall has no vision, but the young lady from the Xue family has sharp eyes. My little Li Nuer is undoubtedly the best among all the youths in Guan Yi City."
"However, what Aunt didn't expect was that my Li Nuer actually remembered that I wanted to eat roast goose and bought it on the first day."
Her tone was playful and teasing.
Murong Qiushui's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Li Guanyi's forehead twitched, knowing his aunt was once again interested in 'playing with the child.' He averted his gaze and stubbornly said, "No, I didn't buy it specifically for you."
"I just happened to pass by the braised meat stall, and there was only roast goose left, so I reluctantly bought it."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Murong Qiushui approached with her hands behind her back, smiling sweetly, "Feeling shy?"
"Ah, do you want to eat or not?"
"Haha, of course I want to eat."
The roast goose still retained considerable warmth, and the red-braised meat had been stewed long enough. As for the vegetables, they were blanched and tossed with oil, salt, and vinegar, making for a refreshing dish. Sitting across from Murong Qiushui at the small table made of stacked stones, Li Guanyi enjoyed the meal.
The taste of the roast goose was excellent.
Yet, he felt that the smile on his aunt's face after tasting the roast goose brought him more joy than the goose itself.
Murong Qiushui's eyes narrowed slightly as she softly said, "Today's dishes are indeed tastier than before."
Li Guanyi sulked, "You're teasing me again."
Murong Qiushui looked at the young man before her, her gaze gentle, and smiled, "You've been discovered by Li Nuer."
After finishing dinner, Li Guanyi cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, but his aunt had already taken out the guqin. With her delicate hands, she lightly plucked the strings. Li Guanyi had to practice the guqin every day; his aunt had taught him the four arts of the scholar, but only the guqin was mandatory.
His aunt, who had always treated him exceptionally well, never relented on this point.
However, today, his aunt adjusted the strings and began to play herself.
Li Guanyi was still tidying up the remnants of the meal, expecting the usual gentle melodies reminiscent of spring breezes and autumn moons, but suddenly he heard a sound like metal and stone shattering. In that instant, Li Guanyi felt his spine instinctively tense, as if his muscles were exploding, almost giving him the sensation of iron cavalry charging with swords and spears.
It took several breaths for him to realize that the sound was from the guqin.
The young man walked over slowly, seeing his aunt sitting there, the guqin laid across the table, her fingers as white as jade. The sound of her playing was fierce, as if a thousand weapons were clashing, and in a daze, Li Guanyi seemed to see thousands of troops gathering behind his aunt.
For some reason, the melody of the Breaking Formation Song within him seemed to be more active than usual.
As the piece concluded, Li Guanyi found that his internal qi had circulated a full cycle.
And it was different from his usual method of actively circulating his internal qi.
It felt more harmonious.
More natural.
Li Guanyi calmed his internal qi.
His aunt, dressed in simple blue clothing, looked at him with a smile, her delicate hand gliding over the guqin like rolling clouds.
"Li Nuer, how was it? Is Aunt impressive?"
Li Guanyi looked at the incredibly beautiful face before him, filled with anticipation and a 'praise me' expression, sighed, sometimes his aunt was very mature, and other times she was a bit childish, and he helplessly said, "Impressive, impressive, Aunt is the most impressive in the world."
"Can the guqin also assist in cultivation?"
The woman plucked a string and said, "The guqin is the voice of the heart, the mind guides the qi, of course it is useful."
"Although I don't understand martial arts, I know that playing the guqin helps with breathing techniques. Just like when someone chooses to retreat to the mountains and wilderness during cultivation, it is to maintain their inner state for better breakthroughs; the sound of the guqin can also influence a person's state of mind, shaping a similar resonance."
Li Guanyi recalled earlier and felt as if the guqin piece matched his internal cultivation. Suddenly, he remembered what Yue Qianfeng had said about the origins of this internal cultivation technique. He looked at the proud Murong Qiushui and asked, "What is the name of this guqin piece? I didn't know before."
Murong Qiushui rested her chin on one hand and said, "This? This is a tune I composed when I was a child. An old man passed by and stayed for a long time. When I asked him why he was dawdling, he said he liked this score and asked if I could teach him. He even named it 'Breaking Formation Song.'"
Li Guanyi fell silent for a moment.
He could almost confirm that his aunt was indeed the little girl who had created this internal cultivation technique, the one described as 'playing the guqin at eight, exuding the aura of a master.' He grinned and said, "It turns out to be the same name as my current internal cultivation technique."
He recounted the origins of the Breaking Formation Song internal cultivation technique to his aunt.
Murong Qiushui glanced at him and casually said, "After all, there are too many tunes describing military formations."
"Breaking Formation Song, entering the formation music, there are at least eighty if not a hundred."
"Moreover, even if what you said is related to your internal cultivation, it is only because that old predecessor had enough accumulation. What does it have to do with my guqin? Even if he saw the flowing water that day, he could still comprehend this martial art."
"Come."
Murong Qiushui shifted to the side, inviting Li Guanyi to sit down.
Then, as usual, she slowly taught Li Guanyi how to play the guqin.
While playing, his mind became clear.
He could faintly feel the internal qi circulating within him naturally. The Breaking Formation Song internal cultivation technique prioritized qi, nurturing a mouthful of internal qi before refining it from the inside out, involving the essence, qi, and spirit. While playing the guqin, his mind moved with the sound, engaging his spirit.
At this moment, as he played the guqin, his internal qi flowed, and the essence, qi, and spirit changed in harmony.
It was indescribable.
As Li Guanyi learned to play, he curiously asked, "So, that eight-year-old girl from twenty-two years ago, was it really you, Aunt?"
"Of course not."
Li Guanyi was taken aback.
Murong Qiushui laughed, resting her chin on her hand, her black hair slightly falling, her smile mischievous: "Because that year, I was five."
Li Guanyi was stunned: "Wasn't it said to be eight..."
Murong Qiushui looked at Li Guanyi in confusion, her expression seeming to question why her little kitten was so foolish, and then she naturally said, "Of course I lied to him. When the old man with the white beard asked how old I was, how could I tell him?"
She 'worriedly' said, "Li Nuer, you must not be deceived by pretty girls in the future."
Li Guanyi twitched his mouth, having no choice but to change the subject: "So what is the name of this guqin piece?"
Murong Qiushui furrowed her brow and thought for a long time before answering: "Hmm, probably, maybe..."
"Um, the third piece composed on the ninth day of the eighth month in the year of Jiachen?"
Li Guanyi: "…………"
Murong Qiushui smiled, placing her palm on Li Guanyi's head and ruffling his hair, gently laughing, "Of course, my Li Nuer can call it whatever he wants. You can call it Breaking Formation Song or whatever else, it's all fine."
"My Li Nuer can call it however he likes!"
"It can be whatever he wants it to be."
"In this world, no one can dictate it!"
Li Guanyi lowered his gaze, softly murmuring in agreement, then decided to reveal his ace in the hole. He said, "Aunt, I also prepared a gift for you."
Murong Qiushui smiled brightly and extended her hand: "Hmm? What is it?"
Li Guanyi cradled his aunt's palm with one hand while using the other to place the white jade pendant in her palm, slowly withdrawing his hand. When Murong Qiushui saw the white jade pendant, the calm smile on her face gradually froze. Her eyes widened, and a hint of sadness flowed from her gaze.
Li Guanyi softly said, "I redeemed it."
Murong Qiushui remained silent for a long time, her eyes filled with deep emotions like clouds and rain accumulating. Li Guanyi couldn't understand, and after a while, Murong Qiushui smiled faintly and nodded, accepting the jade pendant. Looking at the pendant that was not something an ordinary person could possess, Li Guanyi asked, "Can I ask you a question, Aunt?"
"My parents, and my uncle, who are they? What happened to them?"
"Why are we being hunted?"
Murong Qiushui replied: "Haven't I told you? Once we leave the Chen Kingdom, I will naturally tell you everything."
She looked at Li Guanyi, who had learned superior martial arts and seemed to be recovering, and thought of his previous contact with the Xue family. Her voice paused, and for the first time, she revealed something new: "But remember one thing."
She extended her hand to tidy up Li Guanyi's clothes and softly said, "Stay away from the royal family of the Chen Kingdom."
(End of this chapter)