Xie Lingyu saying her skill was average was actually the truth. She was roughly at the level of being able to play through a piece by following the instructions. As for the deeper aspects — imbuing the music with emotion and all that — that was truly nowhere to be found.
Chu Xingchen's understanding of music was hardly any more profound. As far as he was concerned, as long as the thing made sound and didn't squeak like a mill being ground, it counted as good music.
Besides, it was Xie Lingyu playing. Never mind that she was actually playing quite well — even if she were truly scraping away like sawing wood, Chu Xingchen would still praise her without hesitation. He'd say her sawing sounded better than anyone else's playing.
Everyone in the courtyard right now was one of their own, and Cui Hao was, famously, the greatest hype man around. Xie Lingyu did not play the entire piece — she only completed one phrase before ending.
"Truly worthy of being our sect master's wife! That was genuinely heavenly music!" Cui Hao was the first to clap, his face a picture of wonder.
Xie Lingyu raised her eyes slightly toward him: "Your master once told me — praise taken too far is just an insult."
"Uh…" Cui Hao cast an awkward glance toward his own master, communicating with the secret sect technique of eye contact — Master, why do you teach Sect Mistress everything?
Chu Xingchen raised an eyebrow — Your sect mistress is self-taught. Cui Hao raised an eyebrow right back — The master's in for a rough time in the future. Chu Xingchen's lips curved into a smile — Your sect mistress would never do that to me.
Xie Lingyu could probably tell what the two of them were communicating, but words left unspoken counted as no evidence.
Lin Luoyu's expression relaxed somewhat, and a smile tugged unconsciously at her lips. Their own sect — everything about it was good. Everyone was good.
Eastern Divine Continent.
Because Chen Baiqing had misreported the situation to Daoist Yuyang, anyone who needed to direct operations going forward was essentially benched from that role. After all, there were genuinely critical tasks at hand now, and time was precious beyond measure — there was no room for any doubts or second-guessing.
Li Xingtian, meanwhile, was being examined to see if his divine soul had suffered any damage, and if so, whether it could be repaired. Naturally, the official story being spread around was that Li Xingtian was researching whether blood qi could be cleansed. Outsiders found this claim rather baffling, but anyone from within the sect would nod with an air of understanding and approval. At the very least, Li Yingling found it believable.
Lin Luoyu needed to go find Daoist Yuyang and explain the real arrangements. Cui Hao needed to stay with Xie Lingyu and handle any matters where she might need assistance. The arrangements Chu Xingchen had made were, indeed, thoroughly thorough.
Yun Li was a pure cultivation maniac, as if some urgent matter were always hot on his heels. And so Li Yingling could only bring Zhang Miaoyu — the sect's sole Outer Sect Elder — along to work.
Although Zhang Miaoyu had been at Tianyan Sect for quite a while now, most of her time had been spent cultivating at the Peak of One Big Happy Family and teaching the outer sect disciple Zhou Ping how to cultivate. It was essentially no different from being at the sect on Wanhua Ridge. The people she interacted with were all familiar faces, and when she occasionally went out for a stroll, it was always alongside Li Yingling.
It was only when standing at Li Yingling's side, facing the proud prodigies of the Eighteen Immortal Sects — people who in the past would never have spared her so much as a glance — that Zhang Miaoyu felt less nervous and less self-conscious. In the past, the moment these elite disciples of the Eighteen Immortal Sects revealed their status, casual cultivators like her group had no choice but to step aside and make way. The gap in status may have been leveled by now, but the deep-seated insecurity accumulated over years would still surface unbidden.
After all, it was only after truly coming into contact with them once or twice that one understood… just how absurdly powerful these disciples of the Eighteen Immortal Sects really were. Zhang Miaoyu was quite certain she couldn't even beat the Golden Core cultivator who guarded the gates of Tianyan Sect.
This mission that Li Yingling had brought her on was no ragtag operation scraping by like before — it was a grand operation planned by countless prodigies and sharp-minded cultivators from a top-tier sect. It was Zhang Miaoyu's first time participating in something at this level. Unlike Li Yingling's easy composure, Zhang Miaoyu was genuinely nervous.
Ever since the matter in the Western Niu Continent, although the demons' traces had been hidden extremely well, some of their roots had been uncovered, and they were fleeing east toward the Eastern Divine Continent.
Li Yingling was responsible for oversight, search operations, and providing support when necessary, along with the somewhat tedious work of collecting and organizing intelligence.
The key point of this support role was that it had to be entrusted to someone from among the most trusted of the trusted — only then could people rest easy.
Xuanqing Heavenly Sect and Tianyan Sect had both confirmed they had no issues, so the personnel here were drawn from those two sects.
Zhang Miaoyu had even heard that a legendary great Tribulation Transcendence cultivator was participating in this operation.
Because Li Yingling's group kept their movements almost entirely secret.
Their lodging naturally had the feel of some remote mountain wilderness.
But compared to Zhang Miaoyu's nervousness and unease, Li Yingling remained as composed as ever… even somewhat leisurely, in fact.
In a slightly dilapidated room, Li Yingling held a message token in one hand, her gaze sweeping over the continuously arriving reports.
Fortunately, most of Zhang Miaoyu's work was assisting, and when it came to assisting Li Yingling, she was extremely skilled at that.
The only thing she was not skilled at was how to relay Li Yingling's orders to these Immortal Sect disciples.
Zhang Miaoyu had never delivered orders to people whose cultivation was so far above her own.
But fortunately, this task was not difficult… or rather, it was extremely simple.
Those disciples of the Eighteen Immortal Sects were simply too perfect. There was none of the chaos from ragtag groups, where a single order had to be explained over and over while being questioned as to why it was given in the first place.
Nor did they look down on Zhang Miaoyu, whose cultivation was far lower than theirs.
These were real — Immortal Sect disciples. After receiving their orders, they rarely asked any questions at all. The rest simply took their commands and went to carry them out.
They did not ask the reason. They did not ask why. They did not ask the purpose. They simply completed the orders that reached their hands.
And they were extremely efficient — so efficient that Zhang Miaoyu more than once wondered: had they actually done the work, or were they just saying they had?
And the reports they sent back were equally concise and efficient.
The kind you could understand at a single glance.
This feeling… was so smooth it was almost infuriating.
It even gave Zhang Miaoyu a certain feeling — as if being useless herself was perfectly fine. All she needed to do was talk, and when relaying Li Yingling's orders, make sure she didn't drop any words.
Li Yingling held the jade token containing important information in one hand while popping a small sweet into her mouth with the other. Her voice was slightly muffled as she said:
"Miaoyu."
Zhang Miaoyu was organizing reports when she heard the call. She immediately looked up and responded:
"Team leader, I'm here."
"Any news back from the Western Niu Continent?" Li Yingling asked in a relaxed tone.
Zhang Miaoyu immediately searched through her divine sense, then quickly reported:
"Team leader, nothing yet. Should I send someone to investigate and ask?"
"That's not necessary." Li Yingling put away the message token in her hand, then stretched lazily. "After all, Master is in the Eastern Divine Continent…"
Only after finishing her stretch did Li Yingling slowly continue:
"If Master is around, there probably won't be any real problems."
Zhang Miaoyu nodded.
Li Yingling looked at Zhang Miaoyu, whose expression was still taut with tension, and said with a light smile:
"It's always more relaxing working with you as my partner. You've been doing great."
Zhang Miaoyu froze at those words, then asked in a small, uncertain voice:
"Team leader… do you really mean that?"
Li Yingling smiled and raised an eyebrow:
"My words of praise are always sincere."
For some reason, Zhang Miaoyu felt an overwhelming surge of emotion in her heart.
[
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