How fresh... it’s finally his turn to play the riddler in front of Xi Mengquan.

Truly what goes around comes around, heaven spares no one!

Chen Kuang silently chuckled, nodding his head, "I indeed came to find you... and my purpose is quite simple."

Xi Mengquan asked nervously, "What?"

Chen Kuang beamed with a dazzling smile, "To give you a beating."

Xi Mengquan: "???"

...

"Hiss..."

Xi Mengquan covered his cheek, sporting two panda eyes in shades of purple and blue, and sat back on the small stool he made. With a rather resentful gaze, he looked at Chen Kuang beside him, who was playing with the recently crafted zither.

Chen Kuang looked at the zither in his hands, noticing its bright red color was freshly applied paint, and essentially, the zither body was just a piece of wood.

It’s certain, the so-called "Dragon’s Gums" legend isn’t true... not a single word from this old geezer’s mouth is reliable.

The "Dragon’s Gums" zither was carved by him at twelve or thirteen years old, using wood!

However, it might have been carried by the Saint over the years, and later the "Dragon’s Gums" became a seamless whole, its material evolving beyond mere wood or metal, no longer an ordinary item.

Yet at this moment, this zither is just an ordinary one.

Xi Mengquan looked at him gloomily, "Do you have a grudge against me?"

Chen Kuang shook his head, "Not quite a grudge."

Xi Mengquan asked again, "Then why did you hit me?"

Chen Kuang replied, "I hit because I hit, do I need to pick a date for it?"

Xi Mengquan: "..."

Did he run into a madman?!

Xi Mengquan took a deep breath, repeatedly telling himself that he couldn’t beat him. After calming down, he said:

"If you’re here for money, my family is poor, even having enough to eat is difficult."

"The only valuable thing is the zither in your hands, you can take it if you want."

Chen Kuang raised an eyebrow and said, "Even basic living is hard? Then how did you manage to cultivate up to the Nine Apertures?"

Although Chen Kuang hadn’t spent any effort opening his Apertures back then, in fact, for a mortal to open them, the initial absorption of Spiritual Qi wouldn’t be enough without an external large energy supply.

Meaning, for a mortal Martial Artist to cultivate, a significant amount of meat is required.

If even basic sustenance can’t be guaranteed, it’s clearly impossible to reach such a cultivation level.

Especially when looking at Xi Mengquan, who seemed only twelve or thirteen, already having opened nine apertures, suggesting either a lot of meat or some other fortuitous encounter.

Xi Mengquan’s expression changed, realizing he slipped up.

Though he would become the all-calculating Music Saint countless years later, now he was just a little kid.

His expression changed, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, ultimately deciding to hand over the magical small bowl he acquired by chance...

Chen Kuang plucked the zither strings and suddenly chuckled:

"Your fortuitous encounter is your own matter, I didn’t come for this."

Seeing such a cautious Xi Mengquan, he was probably the only one who could.

Thinking of this, Chen Kuang’s expression subtly shifted.

Could it be... Xi Mengquan still remembered this event, and that’s why he plotted against him later on?

Xi Mengquan fell silent for a while, thoroughly confused:

"Then why exactly are you here?"

Chen Kuang, unfazed, said, "You’ll naturally know in the future."

Xi Mengquan: "..."

The young man clenched his fists and ground his molars.

If only he weren’t too weak to beat him...

Even Chen Kuang didn’t know why he came here; he was only thinking about how to return.

"Surely I won’t have to just stay here until two thousand years later and then merge back into the timeline?"

Chen Kuang muttered to himself, feeling a bit of a headache.

Suddenly, he recalled everything experienced in the Void Illusion Realm, a moment of realization struck.

Of course, the Pinggu Battlefield existed even two thousand three hundred years ago!

As long as he stepped into the "river of time" once more, he could naturally return to the future!

But now, which sects control the Pinggu Battlefield?

He certainly couldn’t use his identity to bluff, who knows what the butterfly effect might turn the future into...

Chen Kuang looked at Xi Mengquan in front of him.

This guy’s life history seemed always shrouded in mystery!

Then why not attempt to nurture him into joining the Daqi Sect and then take his spot the same way...

However, the issue is how to make Xi Mengquan willingly cooperate.

Chen Kuang suddenly smiled and asked, "You have a good talent, have you considered joining any sect?"

This was completely boasting.

But here before him wasn’t the Music Saint, just a kid not even at the Innate stage, no pressure in fooling him at all.

Xi Mengquan’s expression was hard to describe.

This guy who appeared out of nowhere, his leaps in thinking, his bizarre behavior, had already surpassed normal people.

Yet, his profound cultivation that nearly suffocated him, and his skillful and mystical zither playing, all hinted at the possibility of him being a high-level Sound Cultivator.

Was he asking because he wanted to take a disciple?

With faint trepidation, Xi Mengquan said:

"These large sects are quite conceited and guarded, someone like me..."

Chen Kuang said nonchalantly, "I think the Celestial Sound Pavilion is good, what do you think?"

Xi Mengquan: "..."

He said with difficulty, "It is quite good, but..."

But don’t you have any intention of taking in a disciple? This makes me seem presumptuous...

Chen Kuang clapped his hands, "As long as you think it’s good."

He stood up, tucked the "Dragon’s Gums" back into Xi Mengquan’s arms, and pulled him, transforming into a stream of light as they flew towards the location of the Celestial Sound Pavilion.

This time, Xi Mengquan couldn’t maintain his composure. Experiencing high-altitude flight for the first time, his face turned pale with shock, clinging tightly to Chen Kuang’s arm.

Seeing his embarrassed state, Chen Kuang couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Hearing his loud laughter, the young man’s sense of shame instantly prevailed, forcibly calming his face, trembling as he let go, allowing Chen Kuang to hold him by the collar without uttering a word.

When Chen Kuang landed on a mountain top, Xi Mengquan stumbled and almost fell to his knees, his stomach churning.

Chen Kuang reached out and plucked a few notes on the "Dragon’s Gums" strings.

"Zheng——"

A mysterious, invisible sound wave instantly spread, silencing the chirping of birds and insects, stilling the wind and clouds, everything seemed to enter a state of suspension.

Xi Mengquan’s once pounding heart, his blank mind, all calmed and settled with those few notes.

He was momentarily stunned, quickly asking, "What is this?"

Being entirely self-taught, the only one who taught him music was his mortal father, who died two years ago. After beginning his cultivation, he only recently started trying to integrate music into his practice, always groping in the dark.

However, those few notes Chen Kuang played seemed to ring like great bells, cutting through the darkness in his mind like a bolt of lightning.

Xi Mengquan could almost see the path ahead, just needing to hear a few more notes!

Chen Kuang didn’t play further, but said, "Whatever you hear, that’s what it is."

The technique he now used was from Xi Mengquan’s "Steady Wind Wave," but the notes were played freely, unrelated to any score.

...What on earth is this guy talking about?!

Xi Mengquan scratched his head, his face flushed, a mix of anger and anxiety, fearing the inspiration in his mind might vanish in an instant.

Immediately, he sat down cross-legged, placed the "Dragon’s Gums" on his lap, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to recreate.

Chen Kuang watched with great interest.

Watching, he felt a subtle wave of mysterious energy emanating from Xi Mengquan, making him sigh immediately.

The Music Saint truly lives up to his title, just a few notes and enlightenment comes... 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Xi Mengquan’s enlightenment lasted a full seven days, tirelessly playing on the mountain without rest, food, or drink.

Over and over... until eventually indistinguishable from the "Steady Wind Wave" Chen Kuang had learned!

Finishing this piece, Xi Mengquan immediately collapsed and fainted.

Chen Kuang effortlessly used "The Pearl Transforms to a Flood Dragon" to revive him.

As soon as Xi Mengquan’s eyes opened, not yet having time to feel grateful, he heard Chen Kuang nod and say:

"Hmm... not bad, use this piece to apply to the Celestial Sound Pavilion, even the Pavilion Master would have to praise you as a genius."

Chen Kuang patted Xi Mengquan’s shoulder, grinning, and said:

"Come on, let’s go perform."