Tian Peng’s mouth hung open, wide enough to fit several eggs.
What was he seeing, the birth of a divine artifact?
However, not long after, the light dispersed, the anomaly vanished, and everything returned to calm.
Tian Peng couldn't help but rush forward, hugging the large cauldron tightly, but he felt nothing extraordinary about the object in his embrace.
Did I see wrong?
Tian Peng leaped up and down, checking incessantly, but no matter how much spiritual energy he injected, the iron cauldron showed no reaction.
“It must be that divine object is concealing itself, gathering its aura. Perhaps when my strength grows, I will be able to discern the difference.”
Tian Peng finally reached this conclusion. How could such an astonishing anomaly be produced by an ordinary object?
“It looks alright, but I don’t know if it’s useful.”
Ji Mo gazed at the plain iron cauldron before him, not daring to confirm if it was the legendary seismograph. As for its usefulness, that would have to be verified.
He moved the iron cauldron outside, tossed it into the vegetable patch, and then paid it no more mind.
Tian Peng was utterly dumbfounded. Who would throw a divine artifact into the yard? Was his master too careless, not afraid of thieves?
He immediately fetched a chicken coop and settled down next to the iron cauldron, determined to guard it at all times.
Meanwhile, outside, chaos had already erupted.
Countless people had witnessed the resplendent, sun-like light shooting straight into the heavens, causing the very sky and earth to change color.
“Something extraordinary has appeared, but its aura is concealed, making it impossible to pinpoint its exact location.”
Numerous powerful beings had their desires stirred, but they could only sigh in resignation.
However, there were also many who were blinded by greed, following the general direction of the light, hoping that a blind cat might stumble upon a dead mouse, perhaps their luck would be good, and the treasure would willingly choose them as its master.
Atop a high mountain in the Tongtian Mountain Range, an old Daoist slowly opened his eyes. Lightning crackled within his pupils, and divine light blazed. A Tai Chi Yin-Yang Bagua diagram slowly rose behind him.
He counted his fingers, calculating incessantly, finally grasping a wisp of ethereal energy.
“The resting place of the White Emperor!”
The old Daoist’s expression became incredibly complex. He sighed, and then slowly closed his eyes again.
Within the ancient tomb in the primeval forest, the sinister voice of Ancestor Jiuyou echoed, “This is the aura of a supreme treasure. It is a pity that this ancestor’s true body cannot get out! That fool Tian Xiong is truly useless, not sending blood food. It seems I must teach him a lesson, lest he forgets he is but a dog.”
“Ah…”
Within the Heavenly Wolf Gang, Tian Xiong let out a scream. His entire body felt as if it were being sliced by a thousand knives, the intense pain striking directly at his soul, making him wish for death.
He begged for mercy, “Old Ancestor, spare me! I will send the blood food immediately.”
Only then did Ancestor Jiuyou retract his divine ability, his voice resonating in Tian Xiong’s mind, “A supreme treasure has appeared within ten thousand miles. Find it.”
Tian Xiong agreed and quickly arranged for his subordinates to mobilize their entire force.
A few days later, an earthquake struck once more.
Ji Mo immediately rushed out of the house, wanting to see if the “seismograph” had reacted.
To his disappointment, it hadn't.
“What a piece of junk.”
Ji Mo kicked the iron cauldron over and grumbled as he returned indoors.
This time, it was a complete loss. He had spent so much effort forging a useless item, wasting so much iron.
Tian Peng, standing nearby, dared not even breathe, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Indeed, if one wanted to get by around his master, usefulness was paramount, otherwise even divine artifacts would be scorned.
Then, to his surprise, he discovered.
The iron cauldron that had been kicked over stood up on its own, returning to its original position, motionless.
“Could it have already developed a spirit?”
Tian Peng felt a sense of apprehension and busily moved the chicken coop further away, no longer daring to stay too close to the iron cauldron.
Before long, the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy drifted over, slowly flowing into the cauldron and disappearing.
Inside the cauldron, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches patterns became increasingly clear.
Thus, Tian Peng retreated even further, and then his face became troubled. From then on, his home had effectively gained a bottomless pit, and this spiritual energy was not enough to go around.
But he could only accept it; how could he dare to compete with the iron cauldron?
Ji Mo was completely unaware of the great storm he had stirred up simply by his whim to create a “seismograph.”
Fortunately, the Tai Chi Formless Array concealed the heavenly secrets; otherwise, countless experts would likely have already stormed his doorstep to seize the treasure.
As the new month arrived, Baishou Town became even livelier.
The day Wen Xi would meet friends through her zither was approaching, and young talents eager to curry favor with the powerful swarmed into Baishou Town like flies.
Of course, there were also some zither enthusiasts whose sole purpose was to meet friends, but they were few in number.
Li Xiao had been engrossed in his studies day and night. His already sparse hair had fallen out even more, and he appeared even more haggard.
During this period, he had barely rested, his mind filled with the piece “Flowing Water” that Ji Mo had played.
Unfortunately, the distance had been too great that day, and he hadn't heard it clearly. No matter how hard he pondered, he could only recall half of the incomplete score.
Even so, he still played and sang it daily, lost in its enchantment.
“If only I could obtain the complete musical score, I would have no regrets even if I died.”
Li Xiao had already mobilized all his resources, but he still couldn't find any news of the expert.
The price he offered had even attracted cultivators at the Spirit Emperor realm, but it was all in vain. The expert had appeared as a fleeting glimpse and never reappeared.
His disciples couldn't bear to watch and advised, “Teacher, where in the world is there such an expert? I think this piece of music was composed by you in a burst of inspiration.”
Li Xiao was a titan of music, the most supreme existence in the realm of melody. If he tacitly agreed, this music would belong to him.
“Silence! How can ordinary mortals like us compose music of heavenly quality?”
Li Xiao rebuked. With his noble character, he would never commit such a base act of plagiarism.
Despite this, many still doubted the existence of the piece “Flowing Water.” Some even maliciously concluded that Li Xiao had accepted benefits and was merely acting as a stepping stone for someone else.
Such things had happened before; often, noble young masters with strong backgrounds would present mediocre works, and through the mouths of some masters, their works would be praised.
Li Xiao’s current demeanor was exactly like that of those masters, all in an effort to build momentum for someone else.
Furthermore, it coincided with Wen Xi’s time to meet friends through her zither, making such speculation quite convincing.
“I knew it, there’s no such thing as heavenly music, it’s all fake, just empty hype.”
“I never thought that even a master like Li Xiao would bend his knees for a few coins, doing such a disgraceful thing.”
“Heh, tell me, who in this world would refuse money?”
The voices of doubt grew louder, and many were misled into believing that Li Xiao was being paid to do this.
Li Xiao, who was originally revered by the world, gradually had his reputation tarnished.
His disciples, unable to bear seeing their teacher insulted, knelt and pleaded with Li Xiao to give up.
“The world is muddled, yet I alone remain clear. Just like that piece of music, one should be like high mountains and flowing water, clear and at ease, unperturbed by honor or disgrace!” Li Xiao persisted in his ways.
Everyone was disappointed by Li Xiao’s behavior. For money, had he no longer cared about his reputation?
At the same time, they were curious about who it was, and what price had been offered, to make Li Xiao act this way.
“Master Li Xiao is correct, there truly is such a piece of music.”
As everyone was casting doubts, someone uttered these words.