Chapter 18: Music of the Zither, Stirring War

Seeing the stunned look on Li Guanyi's face, Murong Qiushui couldn't help but giggle. Her jade-like finger gently tapped the boy's forehead, teasing, "A little kitten daring to challenge your aunt? But…"

"Mmm, foolish but cute."

She withdrew her hand, flicked her finger lightly with a crisp laugh, then handed the vegetables she bought to Li Guanyi. Murong Qiushui stepped lightly into the house. Whenever she went out, she deliberately disguised herself—making her eyes appear smaller, her complexion sallow, her whole appearance sickly and impoverished.

Yet in front of Li Guanyi, when her eyes shone with laughter, those disguises became meaningless. Anyone would instinctively sense that this was a beauty of rare brilliance, like a pearl covered in dust, still radiant beneath it all.

Li Guanyi lowered his head and looked at the vegetables.

Cabbage, radish, mustard greens.

These were vegetables brought by villagers and townsfolk from around Guanyi City early in the morning. By afternoon, they would already look a little worn. After a whole day of people picking and sorting, some leaves were torn or discarded by shrewd old women. And farmers, eager to return home, would sell them cheaper by this time.

Though they didn't look great, chopped and cooked in porridge or stir-fried, there was little difference in taste.

Aunt always bought vegetables at this hour.

Li Guanyi carried the vegetables inside and saw Auntie moving gracefully. When her amber-like eyes swept over the upside-down bowl covering the roast goose, a clear glimmer of delight flashed across them. She turned, glanced at the boy holding the vegetables, and said, "So… what happened today?"

Li Guanyi gave a brief account of the day's events.

Murong Qiushui smiled. "Dismissed by them? That boss from Huichun Hall must be blind. But that young miss of the Xue family has sharp eyes. Of course, my little cat here is the best among all the boys in Guanyi City."

"But what I didn't expect… was that my little cat remembered I once said I wanted roast goose. And you brought one home on the first day."

She said this playfully, teasing him with the sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

Li Guanyi's brow twitched. He knew his aunt was once again in that playful mood of 'teasing children,' so he averted his gaze and stubbornly said, "No, I didn't buy it for you."

"It's just… I happened to pass by the braised meat stall, and the only thing they had left was a roast goose, so I reluctantly bought it back."

"Oh? Is that so?" Murong Qiushui placed both hands behind her back, stepping closer, smiling, "Are you shy?"

"Oh, do you want to eat it or not?"

"Hahaha, of course, I do."

The roast goose was still warm, and the braised pork had been stewing long enough. As for the vegetables, they were blanched and mixed with oil, salt, and vinegar, making a crisp and refreshing side dish. Sitting across from Murong Qiushui at the small stone table, Li Guanyi watched her as they ate.

The goose tasted delicious.

But to him, what made him happiest wasn't the food itself—it was the smile on his aunt's face when she tasted it.

Murong Qiushui's eyes softened, and she said softly, "Today's meal does taste a bit better than usual."

Li Guanyi muttered, "You're teasing me again."

Looking at the handsome youth across from her, Murong Qiushui's gaze was warm, and her lips curved into a playful smile. "You caught me, little cat."

After dinner, while Li Guanyi was tidying up the dishes, Murong Qiushui brought down her old zither and gently plucked its strings. Li Guanyi practiced every day—qin, chess, calligraphy, painting—all things his aunt had taught him. But playing the zither was required daily, never to be skipped.

Though she was always indulgent with Li Guanyi, this was the one thing she never compromised on.

But today, after tuning the strings, Murong Qiushui began playing herself.

Li Guanyi, still tidying up after cooking, expected to hear the usual soft and elegant melodies—gentle like spring rain or autumn moonlight. Instead, suddenly—

A sharp, metallic chord shattered the air.

For a brief instant, Li Guanyi's entire body tensed. His spine straightened by reflex, his muscles tightening, feeling as if thousands of cavalry were about to charge from the sound alone.

It wasn't until several breaths later that he realized—this was zither music.

The youth approached, step by step, and saw his aunt seated calmly, the scorched-tail zither across her knees, her pale fingers moving gracefully across the strings. Yet the music was fierce and intense, filled with the grand momentum of armies marching to war. For a moment, Li Guanyi even hallucinated that he saw countless soldiers gathering behind her.

Strangely, the internal energy of the Breaking Formation Song (破阵曲) within his body stirred, more active than ever before.

By the time the piece ended, his internal energy had already completed a full circulation.

Unlike the forced circulation he usually practiced, this flow was natural and harmonious.

Li Guanyi steadied his breathing, calming the internal energy.

His aunt, dressed in plain blue robes, smiled at him, her fingers resting lightly on the zither strings like drifting clouds.

"Well? Little cat, how was it? Isn't your aunt amazing?"

Looking at the flawless beauty before him, who now wore an expectant expression like a child asking for praise, Li Guanyi sighed. Sometimes Aunt was composed and worldly; other times, she could be childish like this. Helpless, he replied, "Amazing, amazing. Aunt is the best in the world."

"Can playing the zither help with cultivation?"

Murong Qiushui plucked a note. "The zither reflects the heart's voice. The mind guides the breath—it's naturally helpful."

"I don't know martial arts myself, but I do know that playing the zither aids breathing and cultivation. Just like how some practitioners choose to cultivate in quiet mountains or wilderness to maintain a clear state of mind for breakthroughs. Zither music can do the same—it influences the heart and helps shape that state."

Li Guanyi recalled the feeling from earlier—it truly did seem to match his internal cultivation method perfectly. Suddenly, he remembered what Yue Qianfeng once said about the origin of this internal art. He glanced at the woman before him, smiling proudly, and asked, "What's this piece called? I don't think I've ever heard it before."

Murong Qiushui propped her chin on her hand. "This? I made it up when I was little. Some old man passed by, and stood listening for a long time. I asked him why, and he said he liked the tune and wanted me to teach him. He even gave it a name: Breaking Formation Song."

Li Guanyi fell silent.

Now he could almost confirm that Aunt was the girl mentioned in the origins of this martial art—the eight-year-old girl described as already possessing the bearing of a great master. Curling his lips, he muttered, "It happens to share the same name as the internal art I'm practicing."

He explained the martial art's origin.

Murong Qiushui gave him a sideways glance, speaking lazily, "There are plenty of compositions describing armies breaking formations. A hundred of them, at least eighty are called Breaking Formation. Even if it's related to your internal art, it's only because that elder's foundation was deep enough. What does it have to do with my zither? Even if he'd watched a stream trickling by, he could've had the same inspiration."

"Come."

She shifted to the side, making room for him to sit next to her.

And like usual, she began guiding him through playing the zither, patient and gentle.

As the zither resonated, Li Guanyi's mind cleared.

Faintly, he could sense his internal energy flowing more smoothly than ever. The Breaking Formation Song focused on cultivating qi first, using that qi to strengthen the body from within outward, nourishing essence first among the trinity of essence, qi, and spirit. But now, guided by the zither, it felt like essence, qi, and spirit moved together in harmony.

Subtle and wonderful.

As he practiced, curiosity got the better of him. "So, was that eight-year-old girl from twenty-two years ago you, Aunt?"

"Of course not."

Li Guanyi froze.

Murong Qiushui smiled, resting her chin on her hand, a sly gleam in her eye. "Because that year—I was five."

"Didn't the story say she was eight—"

Murong Qiushui gave him a pitying look as if wondering how her kitten could be so dumb. She said reasonably, "Of course, I lied to him. When a bearded old man asks your age, why would I tell the truth?"

She 'worried' aloud, "Little cat, don't let pretty girls fool you in the future."

Li Guanyi twitched at the corner of his mouth and quickly changed the subject. "Then… what's this piece called?"

Murong Qiushui thought for a long time, furrowing her brows. "Mmm… probably… Compositions from the Jiachen Year, Eighth Month, Ninth Day – Piece Three?"

Li Guanyi: "…"

Murong Qiushui chuckled softly, her palm gently ruffling his hair. "But of course—whatever you want to call it is fine. If my little cat wants it to be called Breaking Formation Song, so be it. You can name it whatever you like."

"In this world, who could stop you?"

Li Guanyi lowered his gaze and softly answered, "Alright."

Then he decided to use his secret weapon.

"I also prepared a gift for you, Aunt."

Murong Qiushui's eyes lit up as she stretched out her hand. "Hmm? What is it?"

Li Guanyi placed her delicate hand palm-up, gently setting the white jade pendant upon it, then slowly withdrew his own.

When she saw that jade, the playful smile on her face froze. Her eyes widened slightly, and a hint of sorrow surfaced in their depths.

Li Guanyi whispered, "I bought it back."

Murong Qiushui said nothing for a long time. Emotion swelled in her eyes like gathering storm clouds. Li Guanyi didn't fully understand it, but after a while, Murong Qiushui smiled faintly and carefully put the pendant away.

Li Guanyi, eyeing the extraordinary piece of jade, softly asked, "Aunt… can I ask you something?"

"My parents—my father, mother, and uncle—who were they? What happened to them?"

"And why are we being hunted?"

Murong Qiushui replied softly, "Didn't I tell you already? When we leave Chen Country, I'll tell you everything."

But as she looked at the youth who had now learned superior martial arts and seemed healthier, thinking of his contact with the Xue family, her voice paused—and she, for the first time, revealed something new:

"But remember one thing."

She reached out, straightening his collar gently, her voice quiet but firm:

"Stay away from the Chen imperial family."