Chapter 4: Is the Five-Tone Wheel Broken?

  "Huh?"

  It felt slightly warm, as if it still retained some of the residual warmth left by Xiao Ming. However, what made Xiao Yun feel strange was that even though his hands had been placed on it for half a day, the Five-Tone Wheel didn't show any reaction at all, not even lighting up a single pillar.

  Huang Sihai's face had some expectation, but when he saw this scene, his expression froze instantly, and his eyes fell on Xiao Yun's face. Xiao Yun clearly saw a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

  "All five notes are gone!" Huang Sihai shook his head and said to Xiao Yun, "You can leave now!"

  It was rare to see someone with no musical talent at all, but Huang Sihai had seen many people like that before. However, it was the first time he had encountered someone who didn't have any of the five tones in his voice after so many years of recruiting and selecting disciples, so he couldn't help but take a closer look at Xiao Yun.

  Xiao Yun was stunned for a moment, seeing Huang Si Hai about to close the stall, and suddenly said, "How is this possible? Elder Huang, isn't your Wu Yin Lun Pan broken?"

  Huang Sihai's face turned ugly at once, "What are you talking about? The Five Sounds Wheel is a magical instrument of our sect, how could it be broken?"

  "But I've been to many sects before, and also had my roots measured. Although one of the five elements is missing, there are still four remaining. Although they're all inferior products, it's not like all five elements are gone, right?" said Xiao Yun Dao.

  Huang Sihai was taken aback by the words, and let Xiao Ming try it out. The wheel spun again with great fanfare, clearly showing that the Five-Tone Wheel was in good condition. Huang Sihai then turned to Xiao Yun, "You come try it again!"

  Xiao Yun nervously put his hand on it, but what made him disappointed was that the Five Sounds Wheel still didn't have any reaction.

  "How is this possible? I've clearly tested it before!" Even Xiao Yun himself was puzzled, in his memories of testing on Mount Xiao, he had always gotten four differences and one no sound, how could it have changed to five sounds all absent?

  "Xiao brother, perhaps you're mistaken, the Wu Yin wheel won't make mistakes!" At this time, Xiao Ming, who was standing beside him, interrupted. He was eager to have Huang Si Hai take him up the mountain to pay respects to his master, but didn't want this dirty little brat to linger here any longer.

  Xiao Ming's tone was calm, but Xiao Yun could sense a hint of arrogance and disdain deep in his eyes. Xiao Yun didn't say much either, directly asking Huang Si Hai Dao, who also looked somewhat impatient, "But I've already become the Music Child, what's the explanation for this?"

  "Have you achieved the Joyous Child?" Huang Sihai's expression changed to one of surprise upon hearing this, and he quickly grabbed Xiao Yun's hand, closing his eyes to probe. Indeed, he sensed a faint flow of Haqi circulating within Xiao Yun's body.

  "This is indeed strange!" Letting go of Xiao Yun's hand, Huang Si Hai's heart was filled with doubts. A person without any foundation, how could he become a music prodigy?

  This is simply a fairy tale, could it be that the five-tone wheel has gone bad? Huang Sihai's face was full of puzzlement.

  "Uncle Huang!"

  At this moment, the cloud and mist that shrouded half of the mountain slowly parted like two doors, and a short-haired youth in green clothes, looking eighteen or nineteen years old, walked out from within.

  "What's wrong?" Huang Sihai asked.

  The short-haired boy walked directly to Huang Sihai's side, leaned in close to Huang Sihai's ear and whispered a few sentences, causing Huang Sihai's eyebrows to furrow instantly.

  After listening to the short-haired boy's whisper, Huang Sihai's gaze fell on Xiao Ming's body, and a hint of hesitation and struggle flashed between his eyebrows. He wandered around for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and suddenly turned to Xiao Yun, "You're called Xiao Yun, right?"

  "Exactly!" Xiao Yun replied.

  Huang Si Hai nodded slightly and said, "There is a shortage of a cook on the mountain. If you are willing, I will take you up the mountain. If not, you can leave now."

  "What's the errand?"

  Xiao Yun heard this and couldn't help but smile wryly. What did he look like? He was just a miscellaneous servant, and to make matters worse, a kitchen servant who cooked meals.

  Huang Si Hai saw Xiao Yun hesitate, and said, "Your situation is a bit special, I'm not sure either. If you're willing to stay, when we get to the mountain, if possible, I'll find an elder in the sect to re-examine your roots for you. What do you think?"

  It seems that he hopes to leave something behind, Xiao Yun looked at Huang Si Hai and then at Xiao Ming standing beside him, as if he understood something in his heart.

  After some thought, he had just arrived in this world and indeed needed to find a place to settle down first. If he were to return to his old home in Xiaoshan, he would still have to spend all day rushing about for a living, which would delay his cultivation. Staying on Boya Mountain, although not as an official disciple, he wouldn't have to worry about food and lodging, and the spiritual energy on the mountain was dense. He had already become a music prodigy, and as a gold medal musician, he had countless musical scores stored in his mind. Even if he didn't take on a master, it shouldn't be a problem.

  After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Yun nodded at Huang Si Hai.

  Xiao Yun nodded, and Huang Si Hai clearly let out a sigh of relief. He quickly took out a wooden sign, pointed his finger at it for a few moments, engraved Xiao Yun's name on it, and handed the sign to Xiao Yun. Then he had the green-clothed youth lead Xiao Yun up the mountain, while he himself led Xiao Ming away.

  ——

  The array gate opened wide, and a different scene appeared on the top of Boya Mountain. Following the young man's back, the stone steps went up one by one, as if walking in the clouds. Xiao Yun, who had already achieved the realm of music, could clearly feel the thick heavenly spirit energy around him.

  Compared to the foot of the mountain, it's several times stronger, truly a great place for cultivation. On top of the mountain is a piece of scale-like architecture, looking somewhat ancient and old-fashioned, but more solemn and majestic. At the mountain gate, a large stone with the words "Tianyin Sect" on it makes one feel reverence at just a glance.

  The sound of the guqin was like celestial music, sometimes pouring down like a heavenly river, and sometimes crashing down like a mountain avalanche. The magnificent atmosphere drew people in, and Xiao Yun couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

  The spiritual energy was fluctuating slightly, slowly gathering towards a large hall in the center. The sound of the guqin was coming from that very hall, and it goes without saying that there were people inside cultivating their music and refining themselves, and they were not few in number.

  "What's wrong? Why haven't you left?" He walked a few steps, and the leading youth saw that Xiao Yun hadn't followed up. Turning his head to look back, he saw Xiao Yun standing in place in a daze. He shook his head helplessly and quickly went over to wake him up.

  Xiao Yun woke up and smiled awkwardly, then asked tentatively, "Shixiong, I don't know what this tune is, but it sounds nice."

  This young man was obviously much younger than Xiao Yun, but it couldn't be helped that he had come first and calling him "Shixiong" wasn't excessive.

  The young man looked in the direction of the grand hall and said, "This is our Tianyin Sect's exclusive secret book, called 'High Mountain Flowing Water'. You'd better not stand here listening, there's no score, listening for a long time won't do you any good. Hurry up and follow me, or else we'll be late and get punished."

  "High mountains and flowing water?"

  Isn't this the tune that Bo Ya met Ziqi? Xiao Yun was stunned, and indeed it was worthy of being a musical score left by the music god, grand enough, but those who played the melody seemed to be not quite skilled, with many off-key places, however, this was enough to attract people's attention.

  In the Tianle Continent, music scores were extremely rare. Almost all musicians used the compositions left behind by their predecessors for cultivation. Only when they reached a high level of attainment would some of them coincidentally create new melodies under fortunate circumstances.

  The higher the level of music, the more it is kept secret. Unless one obtains the score or receives hand-to-hand guidance from a senior, even if a person's talent is high, they cannot deduce the score just by listening to the melody. Because the higher the level of the score, the more complex the melody played out, and the more it bewilders people's minds. Even if one captures its sound, they cannot capture its form.

  Those who cultivate their bodies in the grand hall should also have a high level of attainment, otherwise there wouldn't be so many obvious mistakes. The grade of this piece shouldn't be low either, I don't know if I'll have the chance to pass on this refined melody.

  The young man was already urging him on, Xiao Yun came back to his senses and hurriedly followed up, "What's your surname, senior brother?"

  "My name is Meng Xiaobao, I'm only seventeen years old, just call me Little Treasure!" The young man didn't have the airs of a big sect's disciple and directly told Xiao Yun his own name.

  "My name is Xiao Yun, I'm twenty-two years old!"

  Xiao Yun slightly nodded and also reported her own name. She was led by Meng Xiaobao, passing through building after building, and surprisingly they went straight to the back mountain.

  "Xiao Bao, where are you taking me?" They had been walking for half a day and still hadn't arrived at their destination. The scenery in front of them was becoming increasingly desolate, and Xiao Yun couldn't help but feel some doubt.

  "Don't rush, it's just ahead, we'll be there soon!" Meng Xiaobao slowed down his pace and turned back to Xiao Yun, "When we arrive at the place, you have to be careful, this is not a good errand!"