Chapter 409: Who to Give It To?

If Yan Wengge’s music depicted a corner of the martial world, unpredictable and stormy,

then Jiang Ran’s spoke of living within the martial world, but with a heart above it—navigating its depths like a fish in water, yet never trapped by them.

Liu Zongming slowly closed his eyes. Yan Wushuang, however, stared at Jiang Ran in astonishment, her eyes filled with an indescribably complex emotion.

Yan Wengge fell silent for a moment, then sighed.

Shang Yue’Er lowered her head, silent. For some unknown reason, tears traced lines from the corners of her eyes.

Gu Shengyan’s mouth hung slightly agape. Not far away, Ruan Yuqing quietly watched the man playing the zither.

She was used to seeing him kill with a saber; this was the first time she had ever heard him play the zither.

‘It’s… so beautiful.’

The hearts of everyone present were in turmoil. They felt the world within the music was an ideal one could aspire to but never reach, yet it still filled them with a deep sense of envy.

Immersed in its spell, they were reluctant to awaken.

High on the cliff face, hidden within the trees, Tang Huayi sat on a branch, her legs dangling and swinging gently.

Watching Jiang Ran from a distance, she frowned slightly.

‘He can actually play the zither… How does that fit in with all his womanizing, gambling, and con artistry?’

An unknown amount of time passed. It was as if, in the span of that single melody, everyone had lived a life of heroic freedom, laughing in the face of the martial world.

And yet, it also felt as fleeting as an instant.

The zither’s song faded, leaving no trace, and only then did the crowd awaken as if from a dream.

But the melody still echoed in their ears. They wanted to offer a word or two of commentary, but felt they hadn’t heard nearly enough.

No one knew which fool it was who suddenly yelled out:

“PLAY IT AGAIN!!”

The man had no seat and was standing among the crowd of onlookers. Upon hearing his shout, everyone around him quickly shuffled away, making it clear they didn’t know him.

Who was Jiang Ran?

The Hall Master of Thunderbolt Hall, the Alliance Leader of the Flower and Rain Alliance. Both were positions held by supreme masters of the martial world, each with their own unique and formidable skills.

And yet, even two such masters combined would be no match for this man.

Were they really going to treat him like some common entertainer from a high-class brothel?

Words like that could get a person killed.

Jiang Ran glanced up at the man, who immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly ducked his head, trying not to draw any more attention to himself.

Just then, Liu Zongming suddenly stepped forward.

“Young Hero Jiang.”

“What can I do for you, Senior Liu?” Jiang Ran smiled.

“This melody… could you, could you possibly allow me to transcribe a copy?”

Liu Zongming looked at Jiang Ran. “I was truly overjoyed to witness such skill. I accept my defeat today wholeheartedly. My only hope is to obtain this melody; it would be the comfort of a lifetime.”

Jiang Ran nodded.

“Of course. However, you’ll have to wait until this gathering has concluded.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Liu Zongming nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, Young Hero Jiang.”

But Yan Wushuang quickly interjected,

“Hold on!”

Liu Zongming shot her a quizzical look.

Yan Wushuang said,

“You can’t just give it to him! I’ll buy it from you!”

“Hm?”

Before Jiang Ran could even speak, Liu Zongming exploded in fury.

“Yan Wushuang, you are gravely mistaken! How can such a masterpiece be sullied by the stench of money?”

“This is… this is simply preposterous!”

“Dean Liu, you are the one who is mistaken. It is precisely because this is a masterpiece that it should be spread far and wide.”

“If Young Hero Jiang sells this melody to me, I will ensure it is distributed across the land. People will be able to hear it in every teahouse and tavern run by my Hundred Treasures Association.”

“Isn’t that better than an old man like you keeping it all to yourself?”

“A desecration of art! A desecration!!”

Liu Zongming furiously flicked his sleeve. “No matter how you spin your pretty words, you just want to profit from it! This melody is a work of heaven! How can you defile it in such a way?”

Jiang Ran was left speechless. ‘A work of heaven? Hardly.’

As he watched the two argue incessantly, Jiang Ran was about to intervene when he noticed that Yan Wengge had already slung the zither onto his back and was walking away.

He then caught the eye of the musician, Shang Yue’Er. She clasped her hands in a fist-and-palm salute, gave him a deep bow, and then turned to depart as well.

‘I guess that means they’ve conceded.’

Jiang Ran let out a soft sigh. He turned his attention back to the two who were now at daggers drawn, sighed again, and said,

“Please, both of you, calm yourselves… After this, I will transcribe the music and gift you both a copy. How does that sound?”

Liu Zongming was taken aback.

“You’re going to give her one too?”

Yan Wushuang’s eyes, however, lit up.

“A gift?”

“So I sell one and gift one, is that it?”

Jiang Ran said, “Don’t we have more pressing matters to attend to right now? Everyone, among those of us who just played, who was the best?”

“There’s no need to ask them.”

Liu Zongming snorted. “What would they know about it? I lost today, and Yan Wushuang lost as well.”

“I saw that Yan Wengge and Shang Yue’Er have already left… Today’s victor is, without a doubt, Young Hero Jiang.”

With that, he turned to face the members of the martial world gathered there.

“Everyone, Young Hero Jiang’s martial skill is peerless, and he is a true master artist of his generation.”

“It is only right and proper that the Jiaowei zither should fall into his hands. What does everyone else think?”

What else could they say?

They couldn’t beat him in a fight.

In a contest of music, even Yan Wengge and Shang Yue’Er had admitted their inferiority. What grounds did anyone else have to object?

All they could do was nod in agreement.

“In that case, the new master of the Jiaowei is Young Hero Jiang Ran!”

Just as the crowd was about to voice their assent to Liu Zongming’s declaration,

a loud voice boomed out.

“I object!”

Everyone froze. Yan Wengge had left in dejection, Shang Yue’Er had gracefully conceded, and Liu Zongming and Yan Wushuang were bickering over the prize. The victor had already been decided.

Who was still stirring up trouble?

They were just about to see which troublemaker was being so unreasonable when a tremendous whistling sound filled the air.

Everyone looked up to see a massive, three-legged golden cauldron plummeting from the sky.

A voice boomed from within the cauldron:

“The Jiaowei zither rightfully belongs to my Heterodox Manor!”

Jiang Ran’s brow twitched. He let out a quiet, internal sigh. ‘They’re finally here.’

The next moment, he tapped a foot on the ground and shot into the air.

He grabbed one of the cauldron’s three legs and, with a twist of his wrist, flipped the massive golden vessel upside down.

Jiang Ran landed atop the three legs and executed a Thousand-Jin Drop.

The cauldron instantly plummeted. With a thunderous BOOM, its mouth plunged more than a foot deep into the ground of Sunset Plateau. Jiang Ran stamped his foot on the cauldron’s base.

“Now, who did you say the Jiaowei belongs to?”