Chapter 483: Drumming
Everyone was staring at the other floating palace while sneering inside. Feiyun didn’t get an invitation but he still got in.
Of course, they felt that he was shamelessly boasting despite not knowing anything about music. He’ll surely expose himself and become embarrassed.
Li Xiaonan put away his jade ocarina and said coolly: “Young Divine King, you are a musical maestro also? I see, please give me some pointers then.”
The spectators were certainly laughing quietly. Xiaonan was being very polite but he was clearly slapping Feiyun in the face. Everyone knows that the demon’s son has no musical talents.
That’s the number one scholar for you, no need for vulgarity to insult someone.
Feiyun seemed to not hear the sarcasm and laughed loudly: “Since you’re being so humble, I’ll teach you. You played four songs earlier, “King’s Whisper”, “Wind Rest”, “Ode of the Gray-haired Beauty”, and “Snow Valley’s Cicadas”. They’re all fine pieces of writing, but in the eyes of true masters, the way you played was exceedingly vulgar. The King’s Whisper should have a majestic aura with powerful notes but you played it too femininely, like a woman.”
“We’ll move on to Wind Rest, a song about freedom with a soft and flying cadence. ‘Come to Wind Rest and watch the clouds’, but you played it with too many restraints, not as brilliant like Ye Wenji back then.”
Xiaonan’s relaxed expression became serious. Feiyun wasn’t spouting nonsense and clearly listed his weaknesses. He aimed to embarrass the guy but didn’t expect this reversal.
Dongfang Jingyue also blurted out a surprise “oh”. She found it quite strange, how did the guy who couldn’t even read a musical score have such an excellent analysis?
The other prodigies were stunned too. Could the demon’s son actually be a musical maestro?
“Next is Ode of the Gray-haired Beauty. This is a grieving song written by the famous Maestro, Third Lady Gongsun. She was so beautiful yet the Dao Sect Master still left her so her hair turned gray overnight, resulting in this masterpiece. The moment the tunes come out, the insects will cry and the clouds lose their colors. What a pity, she also jumped into the Jin River after writing this song, the end of a beauty - gone with the wind. From then on, the song became a classic but no one could replicate one-tenth of the longing sadness.”
“Your version has enough longing indeed, but it lacks the despair and pain after being abandoned by one’s lover. The difference is too great.” Feiyun continued to speak like a sage on the topic of music. The prodigies were nodding their head in agreement.
“As for the last song, Snow Valley’s Cicadas, this is written for the flute but using an ocarina is fine too. However, why the lack of cicadas’ chirping? How can it be called Snow Valley’s Cicadas if there are no cries from them?” Feiyun sighed with disappointment and shook his head: “This is all the number one scholar can do? A false reputation, indeed.”
Nangong Hongyan made her entrance this time. She stood by the balcony and looked at the palace before pleasing everyone with her melodious voice: “When it is all said and done, you are still only talking about theories. Anyone can memorize and repeat but can you actually play a song for everyone?”
Xiaonan posed with both hands behind his back and smiled freely: “Miss Hongyan is right. If Brother Feng is so amazing, why not play and broaden everyone’s horizon?”
There was no answer from the palace for a long time.
People began to snort and felt that he was no match for Xiaonan in actual practice.
“Creak.” The entrance to that palace opened as Feiyun came out while holding a large jar of wine. The smell of alcohol covered his body as he looked at the prodigies in the distant and laughed: “You want to broaden your horizon? So be it, I’ll show you what real music is today.”
He began dancing on the palace’s steps with white light flashing in his palm. 108 wine bowls fell to the ground and formed nine circles, appropriate for an astronomical formation art.
He continued drinking while pouring wine into the bowls with great agility. After the bowls rotated nine times, all the bowls were amazing filled to the same spot. This was indeed impressive.
“Bowl drumming art? But that usually only consists of seven bowls. Even the top experts can only handle eighteen. Too many would result in too many variations and impossible to control. Plus, no one can be that fast.” Xiyue Lanshan said.
“I think it is, but maybe not. 108 is simply too much, can Feng Feiyun actually be that talented?” The ones versed in music glanced at each other in disbelief.
Nangong Hongyan grimaced and felt that something was strange without being able to pinpoint it.
Feiyun stomped on the ground and all 108 bowls floated in the air. He took out a pair of silver chopstick and looked at the crowd: “I’ll show you all the real Wind Rest.”
Feng Feiyun swung his chopsticks and tapped the bowls with increasingly faster speed.
Meanwhile, Li Xiaonan gestured and the sixteen musical emissaries flew to the sky at the same time with their different instruments. While standing in different positions, they also played Wind Rest in order to stop Feng Feiyun.
He started drumming faster and faster with a clear and pleasant melody like the wind in spring. All listeners became quite comfortable.
“Boom!” The emissaries exerted their force in unison. An invisible tempest swept over with unstoppable momentum. It blew away all the clouds in the sky. This was only the power of music, no spirit energy.
Feiyun was still increasing his pace and became fast enough to look like a faint shadow. The drumming was full of emotions as it stirred the crowd, causing their blood to boil as if they were facing a rampaging army.
“Rumble!” A monstrous coil took shape around Feng Feiyun and spread to the bowls. It eventually turned into a raging dragon that retaliated.
It was possible to wield world-destruction power after producing music in accordance with the heavenly dao.
This was the reason why the maestros of their respective field could become saints after reaching a certain level. Their power wasn’t weaker than cultivators at all. Though it was a different path than cultivation, it was still finding harmonization with the dao so they could still become saints and immortals.
“Boom! Boom! Boom…” The instruments from the emissaries cracked while the strings severed. The women spat out a mouthful of blood and were blown flying due to the musical energy.
There were times when a musical duel was more dangerous than a divine intent battle.
“The hell, he’s that strong?” Ningshuai’s eunuch outfit was bloating. Who knows how many items he had stolen already. Glimmers of treasures occasionally flashed between the gaps.
He wasn’t the only one shocked in this place. All were staring at Feng Feiyun as if he was a monster since they haven’t heard about his musical prowess at all.
Feiyun put away the chopsticks and picked up a bowl for a drink before smiling at the crowd: “Excuse me for the unsightly performance.”
“Such fast reaction time and melody control, hitting 108 beats in each breath with the same force. What kind of musical mastery is required to do this task?” Hongyan said while slightly touching the strings on her zither.
Xue Wu asked: “Sis, can you reach that level?”
Hongyan nodded then shook her head: “If I focus completely and play at the highest level, yes, but I can’t do it every time. I only know of one person who is at this level.”
“Who?”
“Sister Ye. Her musical mastery is one step higher than me. No one in the capital can match her when it comes to music.” Suddenly, Hongyan’s expression changed: “Xue Wu, go to the White Cloud Pavilion to see if Sister Ye is still there.”
“You mean…” Xue Wu turned her gaze towards Feiyun and the palace behind him.
Hongyan did the same while biting down on her lips. Her mind was running amok: ‘Could it be… no way…’
Dongfang Jingshui rubbed his eyes in astonishment: “I can’t believe this Feng Feiyun is so gifted at music, even better than Li Xiaonan.”
Dongfang Jingyue was lost in contemplation. Who knows what she was thinking right now?
All in all, Feiyun’s abilities have shocked everyone. All were waiting for him to take on Li Xiaonan. A tense atmosphere came amidst.