Why was Ji Mo bewildered?
It was because the item was incredibly familiar, so much so that it was deeply ingrained in his memory. It was a paulownia wood zither, approximately three feet six inches and five inches in length.
The base coat of pink was highly distinctive. Carved onto the surface of the zither were flowers, plants, and various small animals, exuding a childlike and playful charm.
Two ancient characters on the zither’s soundboard glowed with a faint light: Qing Lai!
This zither was none other than the Qing Lai Qin that Ji Mo had gifted to Yue’er.
Yue’er was a young girl with remarkable musical talent whom Ji Mo had met in Baishou Town. Ji Mo had even personally taught her how to play the zither.
Later, Yue’er was taken to the Lingxu Sword Sect for cultivation by Tang Xueyi. Ji Mo had specifically crafted this Qing Lai Qin for her.
However, for some unknown reason, the Qing Lai Qin had now appeared at an auction house.
“What a joke, a broken zither for children being put up for auction.”
“Exactly. Guqin should be dignified and elegant. This zither is too gaudy, clearly a toy made by some country carpenter for children. You could probably buy several for a tael of silver.”
“It’s outrageous that your auction house is trying to fool us with such junk.”
The crowd looked at the unremarkable Qing Lai Qin on the auction stage, feeling insulted.
They couldn’t understand why such trash was being auctioned. Did they truly believe they were foolish and had too much money to buy anything?
“Stinky treasure, see? This zither isn’t a treasure at all. You sensed it wrong.”
Ji Mo’s old face flushed. It was disheartening to have his creation belittled to worthlessness.
He gently stroked the smooth, jade-like body of the Duobao Snake, its texture pleasing, and felt slightly better.
“Hiss… hiss…”
The Duobao Snake almost spoke human words, indicating that the zither was indeed extraordinary and its origins unimaginable, urging Ji Mo to acquire it at all costs.
Ji Mo whispered, “Stop hissing. I made this zither, and it’s really not that special.”
The Duobao Snake immediately fell silent. No wonder its senses were so strong; it turned out to be Mr. Ji’s work.
Perhaps in this world, only you are qualified to say your own creations are not that special.
However, the term “stinky treasure” just now felt inexplicably intimate, like being doted upon. It was rather likable.
“They say seeing is believing and hearing is deceiving, but I think it should be the other way around: seeing is deceiving and hearing is believing. Without further ado, I ask all esteemed guests to patiently listen to a melody.”
The auctioneer deliberately built suspense, inviting a renowned elderly Qin master to perform for the audience.
The white-haired old Qin master was quite theatrical. Before playing, he tidied his robes and even meticulously washed his hands three times with clean water, showing extreme reverence.
“A trick, this is an old trick. Don’t think this will make us believe the zither is extraordinary.”
The crowd wore expressions of having seen through it all.
They had encountered such tactics before: presenting strange objects, then creating an air of mystery, fabricating stories, and misleading people into buying at high prices.
They had seen this routine too many times and were certainly not going to fall for it.
“Zheng…”
The old Qin master began to pluck the strings.
The Qing Lai Qin shimmered with a crimson glow. The melodious notes echoed in all directions, and the pervasive, lofty artistic conception immediately drew people in.
“This, how is this possible…”
The pupils of the crowd dilated, their hearts struck with awe.
They saw dragons and phoenixes dancing within the shimmering light of the Qing Lai Qin, runes erupting, and simultaneously, a wave of Dao charm permeated the air.
The old Qin master’s skill was profound, but what shocked the audience was not his technique, but the unfathomable Qin charm emanating from the Qing Lai Qin itself, which subtly resonated with the Great Dao.
This zither was truly remarkable, an undoubtedly extraordinary treasure!
As the melody concluded, the entire hall fell silent. The audience remained immersed in the Qin charm, their hearts stirred and unable to calm down for a long time.
“This zither is named Qing Lai, its author unknown, possibly crafted by a reclusive master. The zither’s body even bears runes that appear to be imprinted by the Heavenly Dao. I believe everyone has already experienced its qualities and understands its value.”
The auctioneer, quite pleased with the audience’s reaction, said with a slight smile.
Just moments ago, they were accused of trying to fool people with junk, and now they knew what a true treasure was.
“How much for this zither? I’ll take it.”
Someone spoke impatiently.
This was the very person who had spoken the most harshly earlier, dismissing the Qing Lai as worthless, and now, they were the first to express their desire to buy it.
Indeed, no one could escape the law of “true fragrance.”
The more one scolds, the more they desire it in the end.
“A shill, clearly a shill.”
Ji Mo observed coldly, finding the person suspicious.
Just moments ago, he had called him a country carpenter, saying such a broken zither could be bought for a tael of silver. Now, he was as eager as an old bachelor seeing a beautiful maiden, his cries so fervent. The acting was truly exaggerated.
Because he had been maliciously overbid by Tang Heng before, Ji Mo did not trust this auction house, believing they were deliberately hyping up the Qing Lai Qin.
The claims that this zither came from a reclusive master and bore runes imprinted by the Heavenly Dao were excessive exaggerations, clearly intended to fleece customers.
The auctioneer spoke loudly, “Esteemed guests, please remain calm. The owner does not intend to sell it for money but wishes to exchange it for items that can extend lifespan, such as elixirs, spiritual materials, heavenly treasures, and the like.”
Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent.
Lifespan was an eternal pursuit for humanity. Was not the greatest motivation for cultivation to achieve longevity?
“Holy Son, you’re truly willing to sell this zither.”
Zeng Qiyan asked regretfully, his gaze burning with desire.
He was also a lover of the zither and greatly wished to possess it, but he did not have any treasures that could extend lifespan.
This Qing Lai Qin was precisely what Tan Yun’ao had brought to the auction house.
“Our Floating Sky Mountain has no masters skilled in Qin arts, and an old ancestor of our sect is nearing the end of his lifespan and requires treasures to prolong his life.”
Tan Yun’ao explained, already planning to win over Zeng Qiyan, thus not concealing even some of his sect’s secrets.
Zeng Qiyan seemed somewhat puzzled. Extending the lifespan of an ancestor was indeed something a junior should do.
However, the higher the cultivation, the more difficult it was to extend lifespan. With the cultivation of the Floating Sky Mountain ancestor, unless it was an immortal medicine, earthly treasures from the Xuanling Realm would likely have little effect, perhaps extending life by a few years at most.
Trading such a fine treasure for an ancestor on the brink of death to eke out a few more years of survival seemed clearly disadvantageous.
Tan Yun’ao saw through Zeng Qiyan’s thoughts at a glance and said, “I won’t hide it from you. Someone is attempting to reopen the gates to the Demon Realm and the Ghost Realm, and the passage connecting to the Demon Realm is already being secretly repaired. It is likely that in a short time, the Xuanling Realm will undergo a great change. As long as the ancestor lives, Floating Sky Mountain will have the confidence to face any changes.”
Zeng Qiyan’s expression drastically changed. If the Demon Realm’s gate were to be reopened, the entire Xuanling Realm would likely face an unimaginable catastrophe.
However, this was not something he could control.
Zeng Qiyan sighed, “What a pity for such a fine zither.”
“There’s nothing to regret. I snatched this zither from a little girl at the Lingxu Sword Sect. It was practically a freebie.”
Tan Yun’ao said with a triumphant laugh.
He had injured the girl and taken the zither. The Lingxu Sword Sect had intended to retaliate, but when he revealed his background, they immediately backed down, daring not to speak out despite their anger.
Every time he recalled the scene, Tan Yun’ao couldn’t help but laugh heartily, filled with pride.