Myriad-Wonder Musical Heart!
It was the kind of top-tier talent every cultivator in the zither path dreamed of. With it, learning the zither was as easy as breathing.
"Teacher, what's going on here?" Yang Cheng asked, pretending to be confused.
"This is Lu Yun from the Jade Zither Pavilion. She's a direct disciple and technically your senior," Cheng Junyi explained. "She's here testing your sixth brother's musical talent. And your sixth brother managed to replicate the piece 'Bamboo Moon Chant' after hearing it just once. That shows his gift with music is truly incredible."
"This 'Bamboo Moon Chant' must be super easy then. Otherwise how could Sixth Brother play it after hearing it one time?" Yang Cheng said.
Lu Yun let out a cold laugh. "Typical frog in a well. You've no idea how high the sky is, do you?"
Yang Xiu frowned. "Crown Prince Brother, don't say things if you don't understand them."
Cheng Junyi quickly stepped in. "Chengcheng, 'Bamboo Moon Chant' is a difficult piece. A regular musician would need several months of practice to learn it. So it's not that the tune is easy—your sixth brother really does have talent in this field. But you don't need to feel bad. Everyone has their strengths, and your talent in martial arts is just as amazing."
"Really?" Yang Cheng turned to Tangtang. "Tangtang, was that tune really that hard?"
Tang Xingyu nodded. "Chengcheng, I didn't get it at all."
Yang Xiu's eyes flickered, then he smiled. "If you don't believe it, Crown Prince Brother, I can play it again. Maybe you're gifted in the zither too."
Before Yang Cheng could respond, Yang Xiu began to play.
Yang Cheng didn't need to pay close attention. In his previous life, Cheng Junyi had already left, and Lu Yun had gone straight to the palace. She'd tested both Yang Xiu and him with this exact piece.
Without someone like Lin Xinglan secretly guiding him, he hadn't been able to master it after hearing it once. He was humiliated thoroughly by Yang Xiu for it.
That humiliation had led Yang Cheng to secretly train in "Bamboo Moon Chant" until he'd completely mastered it. Now, it was second nature to him—something he could perform with his eyes closed.
Half a cup of tea's time later, Yang Xiu finished his performance and asked playfully, "Crown Prince Brother, I've finished. Did you manage to learn it?"
"That's enough. No need to waste time here," Lu Yun said impatiently. "Noble Consort Zhuang, why don't we head to Radiant Sunlight Hall? I'll properly teach His Highness the Sixth Prince."
"Well—" Zhuang Wanrong smiled.
Before she could finish, Yang Cheng said, "That tune really is pretty simple."
Everyone turned to look at him.
Lu Yun's eyes turned cold. "What I hate most is people who talk big without real skill."
Cheng Junyi frowned. "Lu Yun, no need to argue with a one-year-old child."
Then she turned to Yang Cheng and said gently, "Chengcheng, it doesn't matter if you know music or not. You don't need to get hung up over it."
"But I really do think it's simple," Yang Cheng said innocently.
Yang Xiu smiled. "Is that so? Then Crown Prince Brother, I'll give you the seat. Let's see you play."
Lu Yun added, "My zither isn't something just anyone can touch."
"I'll let Chengcheng use mine!" Tang Xingyu dashed inside and came back holding a qin.
The others all knew how difficult "Bamboo Moon Chant" was. None of them believed Yang Cheng could actually do it.
Only Tang Xingyu, being just two and a half years old, had no real concept of that. She simply believed in Yang Cheng unconditionally.
"Alright," Yang Cheng smiled.
He sat down in front of the zither.
Tang Xingyu's instrument was very basic, just a simple practice zither. Noble daughters were expected to learn basic arts, and music helped refine one's temperament—it even helped with cultivation. So Cheng Junyi had taught her a bit. But nothing deep, and certainly she hadn't spent serious money on it.
Yet in Yang Cheng's hands, even this ordinary instrument suddenly felt like a priceless treasure.
Yang Cheng might not be a full-time cultivator of the zither path, but his skill was definitely exceptional among common practitioners. At the very least, he was already better than Yang Xiu.
And "Bamboo Moon Chant" was the one piece he was most confident in.
When it came to this piece, his mastery was easily on par with the ten-year-old Lu Yun.
"So pretty!" Tang Xingyu clapped. "Teacher, I think Chengcheng's version sounds even better than Senior Sister Lu's!"
Cheng Junyi was stunned.
She actually had some understanding of music, and honestly thought Yang Cheng's performance wasn't worse than Lu Yun's.
And this was just a regular zither.
'Could my disciple really be a monster-level genius?'
Yang Xiu's expression stiffened.
Why?
He was clearly excellent in everything. So why did it feel like Yang Cheng could still suppress him in every aspect?
If Heaven already created him, why did it have to create Yang Cheng too?!
The one with the ugliest expression, though, was Lu Yun.
She felt her face burning hot.
The more she'd looked down on Yang Cheng before, the harder she was being slapped now.
Ding!
[Host has just performed 'Bamboo Moon Chant'. Despite average skill, for some unknown reason it has shocked the zither prodigy Lu Yun.]
[Perhaps there is an incredibly profound intent hidden within Host's performance.]
[Task complete. Reward: Myriad-Wonder Musical Heart. Would you like to receive it now?]
"Receive it!"
This time, Yang Cheng didn't hesitate.
In an instant, his mind cleared, and his perception of zither arts deepened immensely.
Countless questions he'd never understood in his past life were instantly resolved.
As he merged with the Myriad-Wonder Musical Heart, Lu Yun's zither suddenly began to tremble violently.
Outside Autumn Water Courtyard, a few refined men stepped down from their carriage and approached the entrance.
They were tutors from the Great Zhou Dao Academy's Zither Institute.
Leading them was Chen Heqing, the dean of the Zither Institute.
They had heard that a direct disciple of the Jade Zither Pavilion was visiting Autumn Water Courtyard and had come to pay respects and invite her to give a guest lecture at the Institute.
Each of them had brought their own zither along.
But just as they reached the courtyard gate, their instruments began to hum.
"What's going on?"
The tutors of the Zither Institute were all startled.
Chen Heqing, however, seemed to realize something. His expression changed, and he suddenly sped up, practically sprinting into the courtyard.
And then they saw it—a toddler, barely one and a half years old, sitting calmly before a plain zither, eyes closed, as if lost in deep reflection.
That toddler was none other than Yang Cheng.
At that moment, Yang Cheng recalled a zither piece he had once comprehended in his past life.
Back then, he'd lacked the talent to truly create it.
But now, inspiration surged like a river bursting its banks.
He raised his hands and began to play.
In a daze, everyone present seemed to see a tiny boat sailing against the current across an endless sea.
It felt like—
Endless waves stretching to the distant sky, a lone boat battling the tides with silent resolve.
Fierce wind whipped the shoreline like drifting snow, sturdy oars cut through a thousand miles of fog and spray.
The imagery was overwhelming. It drew everyone in completely.
When the tune ended, the crowd still lingered in its mood. The tutors from the Zither Institute couldn't help but applaud loudly.
"What is the name of that piece?" Chen Heqing asked, excited.
"'Voyage Across the Vast Sea'," Yang Cheng replied.
"Why have I never heard of this piece before?" Chen Heqing asked.
Yang Cheng was quiet for a moment, then said, "I composed it myself."
"Impossible!" Yang Xiu blurted out instinctively.
"Arrogant nonsense," Lu Yun sneered.
Even she had nearly been overwhelmed by 'Voyage Across the Vast Sea'. There was no way a child like Yang Cheng had the skill to create it.
[Lu Yun's past humiliation of the host has left a shadow in your heart. To clear it and restore your Dao heart's clarity, it must be completely crushed.]
[Please continue humiliating Lu Yun until she is utterly disgraced in your presence.]
[Task reward: Intent of the Zither.]
Before Yang Cheng could even reply, Tang Xingyu piped up, "Senior Sister Lu, hasn't Chengcheng slapped your face enough already?"
Lu Yun's face darkened. "Fine, I underestimated his zither talent. But 'Voyage Across the Vast Sea' is beyond even me. There's no way he composed it."
"Miss Lu, you're mistaken," said Chen Heqing. "Have you ever heard of the term 'zither heart'?"
Lu Yun's heart skipped a beat.
"Judging from your expression, it seems you have," Chen Heqing said. "If my guess is right, His Highness the Crown Prince possesses the Zither Heart talent."
"That would explain why our zithers trembled earlier. That's exactly the effect of a Zither Heart."