Chapter 106: One Versus Five
Qin Manyun looked at the five Elders. “I know what I’m doing! Are you doubting my teacher as well?”
After a moment of thought, the Big Elder sighed. “Manyun, I’m afraid your teacher’s having an Interrogation of Insights.”
“What?” Qin Manyun cried out in shock.
Luo Shiyu and the Holy Emperor’s expressions darkened.
Any cultivator would know what an Interrogation of Insights was because the interrogation was too scary! The slightest damage one could sustain was the damaging of Insights while severe damage meant the destruction of one’s Insights! For cultivators of the Combination realm, an Interrogation of Insights was as dangerous as a death sentence!
The realm after Combination was Cross Tribulation. As the term implied, one would have to survive a calamity to reach the Cross Tribulation realm.
The first calamity was the Interrogation of Insights. If the foundation of Insights were not well-established, one’s Insights would be destroyed, and in some cases, it could even result in the death of the cultivator!
After passing the Interrogation of Insights, the next calamity would be natural tribulation!
It was too dangerous!
Therefore, most cultivators would stay in the full-Combination realm and try to repress the urge to break through if it was not out of necessity.
However, Li Nianfan’s music was so powerful that Yao Mengji could no longer stay in the Combination realm. Thus, he had to break into the Cross Tribulation realm!
“The Sect Master is breaking through from Combination into Cross Tribulation. It’s extremely dangerous as only one out of ten would survive the transition. This is the danger we’re facing now, so we cannot take any more risk,” the Big Elder said solemnly. “I think we should set this aside for now and wait for the Sect Master’s successful breakthrough!”
“You’re wrong!”
Unexpectedly, Qin Manyun shook her head and proceeded to enunciate, “At this point, we should complete the task given by the expert!”
The five Elders looked at Qin Manyun. They did not follow.
Qin Manyun explained without changing her expression, “Five Elders, my teacher is about to cross a natural tribulation. Other than the expert, I can’t think of anyone else that could ensure his safety!”
The Second Elder doubted, “You really trust the expert?”
“If you don’t believe my words…” Qin Manyun narrowed her eyes and bowed slightly. “…then, please, allow me to prove it to the five Elders!”
The expressions of the five Elders darkened as they exchanged looks with one another. They looked at Qin Manyun in shock.
Did she challenge them?
The Biggest Elder frowned. “Are you sure you want to challenge us?”
Qin Manyun nodded. “Since the five Elders don’t believe me, I’ll have to convince you with my ability. I just received a music sheet from the expert and I’d like to play it for the five Elders.”
“Haha, a new music sheet?” The Third Elder smiled. “Oh Manyun, you’re too young and inexperienced. You just received a new music sheet and now you’re challenging us with that? You’re too immature.”
The Forth Elder frowned. “You’re too confident about this expert friend of yours. Do you really think you can be so arrogant after receiving a music sheet from him?”
“It’s not that easy getting to meet an expert. Although the Sect Master told us about him, the Linxian Palace is currently in danger so we can’t be careless. Anyway, prove to us how great this so-called expert is!” the Fifth Elder said and looked at Qin Manyun. “Which one of us would you like to challenge?”
Qin Manyun took a deep breath and her eyes gradually sharpened. She declared with a determined tone, “I’d like to challenge the five of you all at once!”
The title of the song—Ambush!
The song was named ‘Ambush’, so of course, she could not let the meaning of the song down!
Also…
She recalled how Li Nianfan performed the song the other day, and how her teacher was enlightened from the music, so much so that he would risk his Insights to understand the Insights from this song!
The truth was worth risking one’s life for!
She had learned a lot from her teacher so she should also reflect her teacher’s courage and spirit in going through the Interrogation of Insights!
“You want to challenge the five of us?” The Big Elder’s face darkened. “The five of us play in different tones. Do you know what that means?”
Five tones represented five different styles. In other words, five different Dao’s!
What kind of tone could defend itself from a joint attack of five different tones?
The Second Elder scolded, “Manyun, though you’ve met an expert and seen more of the world, you shouldn’t be so arrogant!”
Qin Manyun remained unperturbed. “I’m not being arrogant. You’ll understand later.”
“So be it. If you’re right, we’ll do as you ask,” the Big Elder accepted the challenge. “I really hope you can surprise us.”
The Holy Emperor and Luo Shiyu exchanged a look but remained silent.
This was a matter of the Linxian Palace. They should not get involved. At the same time, they were also curious about how powerful the music sheet was for Qin Manyun to be so confident!
As for who would win…they believed in Qin Manyun. After all, this was a music sheet given by the expert!
The six of them transformed into orbs of light and flew into the air above the Linxian Palace. The five Elders surrounded Qin Manyun, sitting in the air as if there were invisible chairs.
Qin Manyun had the same posture, too.
A breeze blew, making her white dress sway in the air like an Immortal.
This beautiful sight attracted many of the disciples of the Linxian Palace. However, when they looked up, they were caught off guard with surprise and shock.
The Saintess…was challenging the five Elders?
How could it be!
This was so wild! So unbelievable!
Feeling the gaze of the disciples, the Big Elder frowned. “Waste no more time, let’s start.”
He raised his hands. Instantly, a Guqin appeared in front of him.
Qin Manyun and the other four Elders took out their own instruments swiftly after.
The six of them did not start playing all at once. Instead, they remained calm as a wave of Qi started circulating between them. It was as if the wind had stopped blowing.
After a long while, the Big Elder’s right hand brushed through the strings of his instrument.
Dong!
The sound of the strings was like water cascading down a fountain. Above him, clouds started to change into different shapes according to his music. Finally, they turned into the shape of a towering mountain. It looked as if it was a tall water fountain falling downward!
Just like a three thousand feet tall water fountain!
A strong wind started blowing, causing the Big Elder’s clothes to flap wildly in the air. However, his hair and beard seemed unaffected, only moving slightly.
The music was neither intense nor arrogant. It gave one a feeling of awe, like how an ordinary man steadily climbed a mountain with no peak, getting more tired and less confident with every step.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The Second Elder started playing. Both of his hands brushed the strings rapidly. His unruly hair was blowing in the air like a mad old man.
His music was rapid and urgent. A gust of wind howled like a flock of demons ready to ingest their prey.