The morning lecture about the four classics was followed by practical demonstrations in the afternoon. Prioresses that were the best in each classic demonstrated their skills for the newcors in the grand hall. The seats were changed from banquet seating to concert seating and everyone was close enough to observe closely and take notes.
An unnad Spirit Lord went first with a moving performance on an erhu. It was a wooden instrunt with two strings. The sound was created by drawing a bow across the strings with one hand the other held onto the long neck and modulated the pitch with their fingers.
The piece was simple yet it contained profound technique born of many decades of experience. Each note was infused with spiritual energy that emanated in waves of erald green light. It presented the image of green adows, rolling hills, waving trees under a spring breeze, and a sunny day with fluffy white clouds. It was a scene of calm, a mont of peace for the nervous hearts of the newcors.
The immortal finished after a while. As if a spell had been broken, many of the students leaped to their feet and applauded. Long Yifei remained seated but clapped her hands politely.
Amazing, amazing! I want to learn the erhu! The person sitting next to her shouted.
Her na was Zhao Lini. They had sat at the sa table during the banquet. She ca from the Western Wumu Subcontinent and she already had an acolyte who was her fianc. They ca from similar backgrounds and got along well.
Sister Zhao, youve never played the erhu before? Have you played any other instrunts? Wei Shuangshuang asked from Long Yifeis other side.
Ah! Zhao Lini blushed, I havent. I dont know how to play any instrunts.
Wei Shuangshuang continued, Silly girl, prioresses like her start their training at an early age. For the classic of music, they usually start music lessons as soon as they can read and they start practicing instrunts around five or six years old. If you start now, it will take twenty or thirty years to reach her level!
Oh
Take it from , it is best to stick to what you already know. Singing, literature, or art; you can still pick the one you have the most experience in.
Long Yifei pondered Wei Shuangshuangs words and felt that it was only half right. Experience was useful to get a head start but it wasnt the most important. No, the most important was still compatibility. Otherwise, she might as well remain at Glacier Palace and cultivate Winters Snow Dance.
Everyone was different and their paths to the immortal realms were unique. Compatibility may result in a slow start or many false starts but eventually, it would pay off with faster cultivation and fewer bottlenecks.
Sister Weis words are prudent but Sister Zhao should still keep an open mind. There are four classics and countless specializations within each classic. There are so many options. Perhaps erhu might really be your calling or perhaps it might actually be a different instrunt. For the matter of selecting a classic, you shouldnt rush it.
There were several murmurs of agreent. The next performance soon followed, cutting off any retort Wei Shuangshuang could have been thinking off. After a few more musical performances, it was ti for singers and dancers. The songs were elegant. The dances were beautiful.
Long Yifei particularly enjoyed the song by Immortal Winter Hymn Xuan Xina. Her voice was piercing like an ice blizzard yet gentle like fluffy snowflakes. The way she was able to imbue icy yin energy in her voice was so impressive, it was almost beyond belief.
When Xuan Xina finished, it was Long Yifeis turn to stand up and applaud. She felt incredibly inspired. Chen Wentian had always praised her voice and she wondered if singing could be her chosen classic.
Wei Shuangshuang spoke up as the clapping died down, Prioress Xuans voice is special. The stories say that she ca from a humble background, a singing street perforr in a no-na city. A mber of the order was simply passing through when she was captivated by Prioress Xuans snowy songs. Once she joined the order, she not only managed to reach the immortal realms in a short ti, she also did it without an acolyte.
Really? How is that possible? Soone asked.
It is extrely difficult but not impossible for those with trendous innate talent. Wei Shuangshuang answered, her voice dropping low, I heard that she received the grade of holy daughter and is being supported by the order itself. She can definitely reach the abbotess level and might even beco a cardinal!
Wow
Incredible
The students who heard this couldnt help but praise the talented prioress. Wei Shuangshuangs mood also improved as they appreciated her knowledge. She continued with another story from Xuan Xinas almost-legendary past.
The performances went one after another through the afternoon. Literature and art were less exciting as they involved people reciting their past works or creating sothing from scratch on stage. Most of them were boring and many students had a hard ti staying awake. By the ti they finished, it was ti for dinner.
Long Yifei remained pensive and didnt participate a whole lot in the conversation around the dinner table. She was thinking about the four classics and what she should choose. Glacier Palace had no such emphasis on womanly virtues. They cultivate cold yin energy day and night like ice statues. She had never touched an instrunt before. She only knew a few folk songs that the disciples of Glacier Palace sang while during chores. She rarely read anything and she was even less useful as an artist.
She still had ti. First-year students could try out all four classics and didnt need to make a decision until the end of the school year. However, it was expected that they would at least have narrowed the choices down to two at the halfway point which was four months away. It was a major event where each new student was expected to perform in front of the whole school.
She didnt want to make a fool of herself. Her talent was supposed to be best, a divine daughter. So, what classic should she choose?
Long Yifei thoughts returned to Immortal Winter Hymn Xuan Xina and her singing. Maybe she could have been like Xuan Xina if she had never joined Ten Thousand Flower Valley. As an unaffiliated sacred daughter, she could have received the full support of the order. Things would have been much less complicated compared to now where mbers of the order and even the students constantly looked down on her acolyte.
But she also had to consider everything that Chen Wentian had done for her. He saved her from the clutches of Divine Blazing Mountain and the crazed Murong Aiyin. If he hadnt fought against Abbotess Liang of the evil Sororal Order, she would have not been able to join the Virtuous Order.
A persons life was determined by coincidences and fortunate encounters. Chen Wentian was her coincidence and fortunate encounter. She would forever be grateful.
Thinking about him, she suddenly felt a strong desire to seek his advice. They wouldnt be able to see each other for another two weeks. She wondered what he was doing. She hoped he wasnt getting into any trouble.
---
Thank you to all my patrons!
Support and read ahead by 30 or even 60 chapters!
p /kigreenwriting
Join my discord for updates, delays, and my ramblings :)
d iscord.gg/dY5UApw
User Comments
0 comments from readers