FRGNM -Chapter 241 Sowing Discord

Vrrrr!

Purple Dou Qi erupted. Before the weasel could get close, a sharp killing aura swept out. The creature that had just touched the Purple Bamboo instantly turned to dust, vanishing from the world.

Sword Heart’s face changed drastically, his hands clenching tightly. “Bastard! I told you not to touch it directly! You’re looking to die, you filthy beast, you—you…”

“Amazing!” Ling Ruoxi gasped. If that weasel hadn’t gone forward, she would never have realized how strong the Purple Bamboo’s defenses were. Her eyes rolled, and she spread her right hand—the Demon-Slaying Qin appeared in her palm.

Now… it was time to play. Yes.

Sword Heart’s eyes widened, staring at Ling Ruoxi. Could it be that they would now witness the Purple Bamboo responding to the music, rising from the ground? At that moment, they could seize it!

Luo Mingyu’s mouth twitched as he quickly stepped back. He pressed his fingers to his acupoints, temporarily sealing his hearing. Watching her hands press on the strings, he silently hoped the music wouldn’t be so catastrophic as to shake heaven and earth.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Ten fingers hit the strings. Ling Ruoxi suddenly pressed down, sending waves forward. Killing intent blazed in her eyes, and the music shot out in an ear-piercing pitch.

Pfft! Sword Heart nearly spat blood, clutching his ears. His eyes turned red. This… this was unbearable!

The tune sounded like someone slaughtering pigs—utterly devoid of beauty. It was suffocating, impossible to endure. A person capable of playing the Demon-Slaying Qin… yet producing such horrid noise? Heaven, what kind of joke was this? Now he understood why Li Lei had looked so horrified describing the sound of the Qin.

It was… unbearably awful.

“Stop!” Sword Heart clutched his chest, his blood boiling. “I beg you, stop! You call that playing the Qin? It’s complete destruction!”

The Purple Bamboo in front of them shivered. Its surface dimmed, the slender stalk recoiling as if repulsed by Ling Ruoxi’s dreadful playing. It bent stiffly toward the neighboring green bamboo.

Rustle…

All the green bamboo shook, leaves falling. The wind blew them toward Ling Ruoxi, completely covering her as she clutched the ancient Demon-Slaying Qin.

Luo Mingyu couldn’t help but laugh and cry simultaneously. He pushed the bamboo leaves aside, pulling her into his arms. His intelligent gaze swept the Purple Bamboo. “The Qin isn’t played like that. Since you can make it resonate, you should know how to use it.”

He lightly guided her fingers on the strings. A low, rich tone resonated, like winter snow with a touch of comforting sunlight. As his hands moved, Ling Ruoxi froze. The melody was fluid, completely different from her own terrible playing, far more elegant than any other guqin, mesmerizing.

Even the Purple Bamboo trembled, swaying with the sound, its purple light shining more brilliantly.

So that’s it!

Sword Heart’s eyes gleamed with cold understanding. A woman who could make the Demon-Slaying Qin resonate still needed this man to awaken the Purple Bamboo. Both were indispensable.

A small smile curved on their lips. They had long ignored the bamboo—the music itself shone in their eyes. It was the most beautiful melody they had ever heard.

Whoosh!

The Purple Bamboo shot up from the ground, soaring forward with the music.

But faster still, a black figure pounced like a tiger, biting down on the thirty-centimeter stalk. Glug! In one gulp, it swallowed the Purple Bamboo whole.

The music abruptly stopped. Luo Mingyu’s face darkened. “You’re courting death!”

The Purple Bamboo they had worked so hard to acquire had been stolen by the stinky fox! On this continent, there were only five Purple Bamboo stalks; if even one was swallowed, the mission would fail.

Sword Heart landed quickly, licking his lips. “Yes, I’m looking for death! And what can you do? You want to hit me? Fine! I swallowed the Purple Bamboo—see what you can do now. I’m…”

Before he could finish, his face changed dramatically. He clutched his stomach, eyes wide, shaking his head. “No… impossible… I…”

Pop!

The figure ahead exploded, purple light flashing in front of Luo Mingyu. The thirty-centimeter bamboo had been reduced to just ten centimeters—the moment it was swallowed, it was digested.

It was a matter of the fox’s low cultivation. It relied on luck, not training. The strong aura it released, combined with the Purple Bamboo’s internal force, caused an explosion at the moment of swallowing.

“Recovered… but the Purple Bamboo’s power is almost spent. Next time, we must be careful.” Luo Mingyu grabbed the bamboo, quickly storing it in his ring.

Ling Ruoxi retracted the Demon-Slaying Qin, frowning at the vanishing figure. “Let’s go—and carry back the one who fainted over there before the monsters eat him.”

“Heh, good intentions, but he’s long gone,” Luo Mingyu whispered, holding Ling Ruoxi’s waist as they flew in another direction.

Meanwhile, Li Lei’s forehead was soaked with sweat. What had he just witnessed? The weasel exploded, the music nearly made him vomit blood, and the fox swallowed the Purple Bamboo and—exploded. Terrifying…

“Lei’er, why the long face?” Li Yi asked, rising from his seat.

Li Lei almost fell to the ground, grabbing his father’s robe. “Father! The people living in our house… they’re monsters, not humans! They went to the Bamboo Sea… they were with foxes… they fought monsters… and they found the Purple Bamboo! Father, we have to drive them out!”

“What nonsense! Those were guests assigned by the city lord! Monsters? Impossible! They can take human form, so they must be divine beasts. Don’t speak recklessly!” Li Yi panicked, glancing outside.

Li Lei almost knelt, clutching his father’s leg. “Father, you must believe me! They—they wanted to kill me!”

Creak…

The front door opened. Two figures walked in, smiling faintly. The servants bowed and led them inside.

Li Lei quickly hid behind his father. Li Yi trembled, hands shaking. “You… you’re back? Please, sit.”

“No need, Lord Li. We’ve come to say goodbye,” Luo Mingyu said, glancing at the trembling Li Lei. For ordinary humans, Dou Qi masters were truly terrifying.

Li Yi’s face paled. “Goodbye? Leaving…?” His heart raced. Li Lei’s words made him certain—these masked individuals were probably monsters. With one silver-haired figure among them, not human, surely divine beasts disguised as humans.

Ling Ruoxi chuckled, nodding. “Yes, we’ve troubled you all these days. After touring Qingzhou City, there’s nothing more to see, so we’re moving on.”

“Uh… alright, we won’t detain you,” Li Yi nodded quickly, watching them leave.

Luo Mingyu smiled faintly, holding Ling Ruoxi’s waist as they departed.

Once gone, Li Lei trembled, whispering, “Father, don’t trust them! I saw everything in the Bamboo Sea—they’re definitely connected to monsters. And the masks… they hide their faces. Monster transformation is hardest on the face. I suspect they’re not fully human. That white-haired one even tore a monster apart…”

Swish! Before he could finish, the two newcomers entered the doorway.