The White Moonlight Subdues Everyone with a Suona - Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Na Na Na Na Na
Heaven’s Will was in pain, Heaven’s Will was miserable, and Heaven’s Will was weeping tears of grief.
According to the original novel, this Pei Leye was supposed to be an arrogant minor character who harbored feelings for the white moonlight, Ji Bingyu. His early role was to bully Ji Bingyu, allowing Xuanyuan Fentian to save the day. Later, after Ji Bingyu died, he was supposed to suddenly realize she was his true love and seek revenge, only to end up as cannon fodder at the hands of Yan Liusu, earning a few tears from readers along the way.
Good grief, how did an arrogant youth’s secret crush turn into a straightforward father-son dynamic in less than a single day?
So, what on earth did it fix the crack in the Heavenly Pillar for? Just to let Ji Bingyu destroy it again?
At this moment, Heaven’s Will finally understood Ji Bingyu’s feelings when she suddenly learned the trial wasn’t over yet.
This was equivalent to working overtime until three in the morning, getting ready to go home, only for your computer to suddenly freeze without saving your document—all that work gone to waste!
Heaven’s Will was consumed with panic. Yet, amid such panic, there was actually a trace of ‘as expected’ relief.
Was this the legendary masochism?
Heaven’s Will fell silent. Taking advantage of the remaining time, it began browsing what had happened while it was away.
—
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the new disciples had mostly arrived.
While the welcoming disciple began reading the hints for the final trial, Ji Bingyu, standing near the front, glanced back and noticed quite a few familiar faces. Protected by strong luck, Xuanyuan Fentian and Yan Liusu, the original male and female protagonists, were naturally both present.
Feng Feishuang was also there. Surprisingly, she wasn’t standing next to Xuanyuan Fentian, but rather closer to Yan Liusu.
Meeting Ji Bingyu’s gaze, she turned her face away in annoyance.
Apart from them, Xie Yu’an and Jiang Ju, whom Ji Bingyu had helped during the first trial, were also present. The two were clearly overjoyed to see Ji Bingyu, especially the latter.
The young girl’s eyes lit up the moment she saw Ji Bingyu, and she ran happily to Ji Bingyu’s side.
As for that Mu Rong, Ji Bingyu glanced around and found no sign of her.
She had probably been eliminated.
—
“The hint for this trial is quite profound.”
None of those who made it to the final trial were fools. Everyone looked at one another, and no one moved first.
A disciple wearing blue clothes frowned and said, “Not only that, the fellow disciple who came to welcome us also mentioned, ‘My life has a limit, but the Dao is infinite. If I can reach the peak and see all the other mountains diminished in size, I shall have no regrets.’ That seems to contain a metaphor as well, doesn’t it?”
Once someone spoke up, everyone couldn’t help but join the discussion.
A young girl with a round, bun-like face frowned, “That’s right, the welcoming senior brother specifically repeated that sentence twice!”
“‘See all the other mountains diminished in size’—sounds like clearing the trial is related to the mountaintop?”
Everyone talked all at once, chatting back and forth. Seeing that they were about to deduce the answer, Daoist Xuan Feng in front of the water mirror was extremely satisfied. Indeed, placing a disciple inside to guide the direction was the right decision!
He Zhongxian turned and asked, “Xuanfeng, this trial seems to carry deep meaning?”
Daoist Xuanfeng stroked his beard, feeling a bit proud as he said, “It can’t be called deep meaning, just a few small insights. The key to this question lies in ‘seeing all the other mountains diminished in size.’ I reckon those few disciples will be able to deduce it very soon.”
Rong Qingyuan glanced at Xuanfeng, raised the corners of his mouth, and asked, “This trial is named ‘Cangqiong Gathering.’ Is there any deep meaning behind it?”
This was precisely what Daoist Xuanfeng was proud of. Seeing someone point it out, he didn’t care who asked and immediately responded, “Cangqiong means the firmament, and the height of the sky is vast and distant. Thus, one can only ascend the firmament alone. The hardship and bitterness can only be known by oneself; it must be cold at the high places.”
“This trial is to let them learn the difficulty of climbing, experience the solitude of cultivation, and remain grounded, for only then can they achieve the Great Dao.”
After he finished sharing his profound wisdom, someone immediately agreed.
“Listening to your words is worth more than ten years of cultivation!”
“As expected of Daoist Xuanfeng! The design of this trial is truly marvelous! It allows these young ones to comprehend the suffering and depth of the Great Dao!”
—
Not only them, but Xuanyuan Fentian in the water mirror had also deduced this answer.
“…So I believe the meaning of this sentence is to have us climb to the top of the mountain and stand at the highest point. Presumably, we will find the exit there.”
He spoke with immense certainty and confidence, and many people had already chosen to believe him.
Everyone except Ji Bingyu.
As a twenty-first-century youth, she was a person with highly critical thinking.
“Reach the peak and see all the other mountains diminished in size… reach the peak and see all the other mountains diminished in size…”
Ji Bingyu muttered to herself, her eyes growing brighter and brighter.
At the same time, Daoist Xuanfeng grew increasingly alarmed, an extremely foreboding feeling spreading through his heart.
No! Nothing bad will happen!
Daoist Xuan Feng comforted himself.
His chief disciple, Ding Rugui, was still inside. He knew his intentions and would definitely steer the direction back!
Ji Bingyu suddenly raised her head and said, “I’ve got it!”
Her voice was exceptionally loud, instantly drowning out Xuanyuan Fentian, who had deliberately lowered his tone.
“The key lies in ‘seeing all the other mountains diminished in size’!”
Ji Bingyu said quickly, “Where do you think one has to be to ‘see all the other mountains diminished in size’?”
Even though her line of reasoning was on the right track, the foreboding feeling in Daoist Xuanfeng’s heart only intensified! However, at this moment, he had no time to stop it.
He could only watch as an ordinary-looking male disciple responded, “Seeing all the other mountains diminished in size should refer to going to the highest mountaintop, right?”
“Wrong.”
Ji Bingyu shook her head, coaxing them step by step, “‘Reach the peak and see all the other mountains diminished in size.’ Interpreting from the original intent of the prompt, we need to find the highest place.”
“Yet, as the saying goes, there is always a higher mountain. The elder who wrote the line ‘see all the other mountains diminished in size’ certainly wouldn’t be ignorant enough to forget this truth.”
In an instant, everyone outside the water mirror turned their heads in unison to look at Daoist Xuanfeng.
Daoist Xuanfeng suddenly felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, a thorn in his back, a fishbone stuck in his throat.
I am not! I did not! Don’t talk nonsense!
—
However, the people inside the water mirror could not feel his embarrassment at all.
Ji Bingyu, the master of reading comprehension, spoke with confidence, “As the saying goes, there are always better people and higher mountains. If we want to find a place where we can look down on all other mountains as small at any given time, it is definitely not the top of a certain mountain.”
Without anyone realizing it, all the disciples inside the water mirror had quieted down, listening attentively to Ji Bingyu’s speech.
“—It should be something that permanently covers the mountaintops.”
“Something that permanently covers the mountaintops…” Xie Yu’an muttered to himself. He felt his mind suddenly broaden, as if something had flickered into existence for a split second, yet it happened too fast for him to catch.
“Something on the mountaintop…” Jiang Ju, who had been quiet all along, suddenly spoke in a small voice, “It’s the sky.”
Listening closely, her voice was light, yet filled with a determination she had never possessed before.
“Correct!” Ji Bingyu gave Jiang Ju an approving look. She had not yet realized that, starting from some unknown moment, a crowd of acquaintances led by Pei Leye had gathered at her side.
This scene was far too familiar.
Daoist Xuanfeng outside the water mirror immediately had a terribly bad feeling. The ominous feeling in his heart grew stronger, but though he wished to stop it, it was far too late.
At the center of the water mirror, surrounded like stars surrounding the moon, Ji Bingyu raised a hand and pointed upward.
Under everyone’s admiring and trusting gazes, she declared with absolute conviction—
“Therefore! The elder who set the question for this trial originally intended for us to go up into the sky!”
