The White Moonlight Subdues Everyone with a Suona - Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Na Na Na Na
At the very last moment, Ji Bingyu saw many of her companions either falling off the edge or being struck by the unnaturally moving boulders.
Shen Hege, Pei Leye, that frank and beautiful older sister who was the first to step up and support her, and even Feng Feishuang…
Too many people.
Ji Bingyu didn’t even have time to get angry over the deliberate line-crossing difficulty of that final wave; her entire body was completely consumed by rage.
“You motherfucking turtle grandson! If you have the guts to play dirty behind your grandfather’s back, have the balls to step out of your goddamn shell!”
Ji Bingyu’s roar was so earth-shattering that several people present couldn’t even react in time.
Daoist Xuanfeng didn’t even realize at first that the person being cursed was himself. He was stunned for quite a while, and it wasn’t until several disciples who had long been unable to hold back rushed forward to surround Ji Bingyu that Daoist Xuanfeng suddenly snapped to his senses!
Dammit! The one being cursed was me!
“How utterly disgraceful!” Daoist Xuan Feng shouted in anger.
“Foul and vulgar language, simply unbearable to the ear! Ji Bingyu, do not think that just because you performed well in this trial, you can reach the sky in a single bound and run wild!”
Surrounded by everyone, Ji Bingyu still hadn’t fully snapped out of it.
Her emotions were still steeped in the grief and anger of her companions’ previous departure.
Looking toward the source of the voice, she saw a white-bearded old Daoist who was dead serious and looked as rigid as a high school dean, glaring at her with furious rage.
Ji Bingyu hesitated for two seconds and subconsciously asked, “Turtle grandson?”
“Outrageous! In broad daylight, how can you speak such crude words!”
Daoist Xuanfeng was born into a prominent family and had lived a life of luxury even when traveling outside.
He almost never visited the common marketplace, and even his insults were refined, beating around the bush for half a day before anyone could understand them.
Ji Bingyu was different.
Tempered by the modern internet, even though she almost never cursed in her daily life, she had inevitably picked up a few phrases of “refined and easygoing” internet slang through passive exposure.
For a former corporate slave, at their most irritable moments, venting with a few curse words was nothing more than completely normal.
However, after this back-and-forth, Ji Bingyu had already grasped her current situation.
She was already out of the trial and realized that those previous teammates hadn’t actually died.
Facing this elder who looked rather rigid and stern, Ji Bingyu subconsciously pulled out a entry-level line from internet flame wars.
“I was calling my turtle grandson. What are you getting anxious about?”
Daoist Xuanfeng: “…”
Rong Qingyuan unrolled his folding fan, masking the smile at the corner of his lips.
With a gentle flick of his fingers, Li Fuqing was sent directly between the two of them in the next second, blocking the volcano of rage about to erupt from Daoist Xuanfeng.
Li Fuqing: ?
It was the right call, but why is it me again?
Why is it ALWAYS me???
Rather exhaustedly, he held off Daoist Xuan Feng, and was then dragged by First Senior Brother Xun Yanchi to maintain order, making all the disciples who participated in the trial stand before the White Jade Platform.
Ji Bingyu blended into the crowd as well.
The kind of blending in where she felt completely in her element.
As the elders announced the trial rankings they had unanimously agreed upon, more and more disciples discovered that almost everyone who followed Ji Bingyu in that final wave received extremely high evaluations.
Unexpectedly, even Xuanyuan Fentian had no major complaints about this.
Ji Bingyu felt the current situation was honestly a bit absurd. She felt like an artist participating in a talent competition before her transmigration, lonely and waiting for her score.
Boring.
Ji Bingyu decided to find something fun to do.
“So Xuanyuan Fentian’s side completely collapsed?”
After calling out to Heaven’s Will in her mind to no avail, Ji Bingyu secretly tugged on Feng Feishuang’s sleeve and began to “gossip” in a low voice.
“I seem to see several disciples who followed him looking pretty pale. Were they used by him to settle personal grudges?”
Feng Feishuang glared at Ji Bingyu with a darkened face.
Even though Feng Feishuang had gathered the courage to walk away back then, now that they were out of the trial, facing Yan Liusu’s tearful gaze and Xuanyuan Fentian’s accusatory eyes that looked as if he had been betrayed, it was inevitable that a few traces of regret sprouted in Feng Feishuang’s heart.
From childhood to adulthood, they had always been together, a friendship that could be called childhood sweethearts.
Feng Feishuang: “Shut up.”
Ji Bingyu: “I won’t.”
Feng Feishuang: “I don’t want to hear you talk.”
Ji Bingyu: “But right now I just really want to talk to you.”
Feng Feishuang: “…”
Setting everything else aside, after being stirred up by Ji Bingyu like this, the original gloom in Feng Feishuang’s heart instantly vanished, without even a trace of sadness left.
She gave Ji Bingyu an annoyed look.
“Then I really must thank you.”
Thinking of the tragic ending this charming young girl had in the original novel, and recalling her previous disheveled and destitute appearance, a sense of mutual sympathy arose spontaneously in Ji Bingyu’s heart.
“Why be so polite with me? We’re practically sisters!”
Ji Bingyu put her arm around Feng Feishuang’s shoulders and whispered a sentence into her ear.
Ji Bingyu spoke in a carefree manner, her face wearing an utterly indifferent expression, her body language extremely relaxed and casual.
Meanwhile, Feng Feishuang, whom she treated as one of her own, turned red in the face from holding back, but in the end, she still quietly recounted the previous events to Ji Bingyu in a low voice.
Pretty much as Ji Bingyu had guessed, the bones of Xuanyuan Fentian’s brain made it impossible for him to change his mindset of survival of the fittest and looking down on women.
It was nothing more than that same old clichéd series of “abandoning, designating, and throwing out disciples as pathfinders.”
Had it been in the past, Feng Feishuang might not have cared too much either.
However, she couldn’t forget how she herself had almost been used as a discarded pawn in the first trial.
Human nature was just like that: when one hadn’t suffered the pain of others, one would always remain indifferent; only after having a similar experience would one begin to truly empathize.
The list was far too long. Just as Ji Bingyu began to passively slacking off again, her name suddenly sounded in her ear.
“Determined by all elders, the number one winner of this trial is—”
Daoist Xuanfeng paused, raised his eyes, and said in a harsh tone, “The descendant of the Ji clan, Ji Bingyu.”
In an instant, cheers erupted across the hall.
Acquaintances celebrated one after another, especially Pei Leye, who laughed like the silly son of a nouveau riche, looking for all the world as if he were the one who took first place.
Even some disciples who hadn’t participated in the trial at all and had merely observed in front of the water mirror still cheered for this outcome.
Ji Bingyu thought in a daze, Does this mean I’ve made my debut in the center position?
First Senior Sister Yu Yun liked this disciple very much.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, she dragged Shen Hege—who had appeared out of nowhere—over to Ji Bingyu, asking with a smile, “Fellow Disciple Ji, is there anything you’d like to say?”
“Ah, this…” Ji Bingyu scratched her head and said modestly, “Aiya, actually at first I just wanted to come to the trial to slide through. I didn’t even plan on passing the second trial at all. After all, with such a strong opponent like Fellow Disciple Xuanyuan around, hahaha. Winning first place today really exceeded my expectations.”
Yu Yun: “…”
Everyone: “…”
For some reason, even though everything she said was the absolute truth, it just made people feel so annoyed hearing it!
Especially Xuanyuan Fentian.
He glanced at Ji Bingyu, then turned his head abruptly and declared loudly, “This disciple refuses to accept this!”
The entire hall fell silent in an instant.
Daoist Xuanfeng frowned slightly, but before he could speak, a clear, cool voice drifted over.
“You refuse to accept?”
Ji Bingyu followed the sound, her eyes lighting up the moment she locked onto the figure.
If it were true that the prettier someone was, the better they were at deceiving people, then the person standing before her must be a master trickster—the kind who would start at the top of criminal law and be reverently called a “King of Charms.”
This “King of Charms” wore a dark green outer robe with striking dark red cuffs. His hair was bound in a jade crown. Such layered, heavy, and intense colors did not overshadow him in the slightest, purely because his features were so flawlessly exquisite that not a single flaw could be found.
Most captivating of all were his eyes. The outer corners tilted upward, as if he were perpetually smiling, yet the warmth never reached the depths, which held a patch of dense, ink-like darkness. Curiously, his aura mirrored a lotus untainted by earthly dust, as described in Buddhist scriptures. When he smiled softly, the darkness in his eyes rippled outward, as though embracing the entire world.
Contradictory yet harmonious, transcendent yet dazzlingly beautiful.
Like a red lotus blooming in hell.
Even Ji Bingyu, who had seen all kinds of beauties on screen in her previous life, couldn’t help but lose her train of thought over his stunning grace.
Brilliant and peerless, unmatched under the sun.
Noticing Ji Bingyu staring at him without blinking, Rong Qingyuan’s lips curled upward slightly, making his smile even more breathtaking.
Even Xuanyuan Fentian was dazed for a brief moment.
Having sailed smoothly through life from childhood, he had always been extremely arrogant.
Yet Rong Qingyuan’s appearance inexplicably birthed a wave of inferiority in the depths of Xuanyuan Fentian’s heart.
How could a firefly dare to compete with the bright moon for brilliance?
Xuanyuan Fentian forced himself to stay composed and said in a deep voice, “Yes! This disciple refuses to accept!”
Meanwhile, Ji Bingyu stared at Rong Qingyuan’s face and began thinking about what she should do if she were asked to take an extra test later.
In essence, Ji Bingyu was unwilling to work overtime, but right now, she felt that agreeing for the sake of this beauty’s face wasn’t out of the question—after all, this beauty fit her aesthetic tastes so perfectly.
Just then, Rong Qingyuan lifted his gaze with a half-smile, finally deigning to bestow his sight on Xuanyuan Fentian for a few brief seconds, speaking with a gentle smile.
“If you don’t accept it, scram.”
Ji Bingyu decided to take back her previous thoughts!
Regardless of whether the “King of Charms” liked to deceive people or not, at this moment, he was a genuine, high-quality good person!
Just as she was staring with deep reverence at this “King of Charms” in green robes and red sleeves, a kindly, amiable little old man stood in front of her with a beaming smile.
“Little fellow disciple, would you like to come to our Liuming Valley?”
“Heh, what’s so good about Liuming Valley? Just a bunch of nerds.”
A gentle yet firm female voice cut in forcefully.
Yun Qingruo looked at Ji Bingyu with a slight smile, matchlessly pure and elegant.
“I am the Master of Lingxiao Pavilion. Most members in our Lingxiao Pavilion are female. If you come here, Fellow Disciple, you will surely feel like a fish in water, smooth sailing on your immortal path, straight to the heavenly skies.”
Daoist Xuanfeng held it in for a long time. He originally wanted to be the last to speak, but the sense of crisis in his heart forced him to speak up, even though he didn’t want to lose face in front of others.
“Ahem, actually, you are very suitable for practicing the sword…”
“Ah! Fellow Disciple Ji, our Luohua Sect isn’t bad either!”
“And our Xingxiang Pavilion! Although we can’t compare to Lingxiao Pavilion, our Sect Master just sent me a voice transmission saying that if Fellow Disciple Ji is willing to come, she will personally accept you as a disciple!”
“We disciples of Xuantian Sect are willing to leave the best sword-practicing spots for Junior Sister Ji! We will accompany Junior Sister Ji to practice the sword every day and help Junior Sister Ji achieve the Great Dao at an early date!”
After finishing, the disciple gave Daoist Xuanfeng a proud look and received a satisfied nod in return.
Ji Bingyu: ?
Are you trying to force me into 24/7 grueling labor?
“Our Liuming Valley can provide talisman paper every single day, letting Ji Bingyu savor the taste of talisman paper to her heart’s content!”
He Zhongxian smiled slightly, feeling this was exceedingly reasonable.
Ji Bingyu: ?
Why are there always villainous subjects trying to harm this emperor?
“All the sisters in our Lingxiao Pavilion are extraordinarily talented and beautiful. If Fellow Disciple Ji comes, we sisters can practice the sword together and sing and dance during our leisure time. Wouldn’t that be delightful!”
Yun Qingruo curved her eyebrows and looked at that disciple with approval.
Ji Bingyu: !
Why is there singing and dancing involved?! Is there going to be an internal Idol 101 competition too?!
Forget it, as someone who was tone-deaf and had stiff limbs, she probably didn’t even deserve to step through their doors.
Ji Bingyu swept her eyes downward.
“There’s also our Xinwei Faction!”
“Our Hanshuang Pavilion is also willing!”
Ji Bingyu blinked slowly, suddenly realizing she had turned into a highly sought-after prize.
Converting this into modern terms, wasn’t it equivalent to having her pick of Tsinghua and Peking University, or strolling freely into Fudan and Shanghai Jiao Tong?
(T/N: This four universities make up the core of China’s official “Ivy League,” known as the C9 League)
No, wait, it seemed like one of the four major sects was still missing…
After slowly scanning the crowd, her gaze settled on the man from the very beginning.
At this moment, Chang Qingzi could no longer hold back and spoke up.
“My Changqing sect is located in the east, with a suitable environment and unique scenery. It has falling blossoms in summer and accumulated snow in winter. The disciples of our sect are known for their refined appearance, and our weapons are mostly musical instruments, using music to sense the spirits of all things in heaven and earth—exquisite yet natural. It matches Little Fellow Disciple Ji’s temperament exceptionally well. Little Fellow Disciple Ji might as well consider it.”
The moment Chang Qingzi finished his sentence, Rong Qingyuan let out a soft sigh.
In the next second, he smiled gently, exuding an elevated, noble aura like an immortal descended upon the mortal realm, his sleeves fluttering like dry wood catching fire.
“I am Rong Qingyuan, Peak Master of Xueyu Peak at Changqing Sect.”
“Under my peak, there are three inner disciples, all of whom dared to stand against the boulders. Their temperaments align with yours, so there will never be any petty squabbles.”
Seeing Ji Bingyu listening intently, Rong Qingyuan’s smile deepened.
“Xueyu Peak accumulates snow in winter, as if frozen for ten thousand miles, yet shines brightly in spring, like an unextinguishable morning sun. If you come, Little Friend, you may cultivate whenever you wish, and if you are free with nothing to do, you may play and make merry to your heart’s content, which is also a joyful thing.”
“I consider my cultivation level acceptable, my appearance acceptable, my aptitudes acceptable, my temperament acceptable, and the items inside the treasury on the back mountain acceptable as well.”
Rong Qingyuan lightly brushed past these traits—things that, if an ordinary person possessed even one, they could boast about in eight hundred words—and smiled softly, “All in all, keeping you safe and happy is absolutely no trouble at all.”
“Meeting today feels like reuniting with an old friend. I wonder, Little Friend, if you would be willing to enter my Xueyu Peak?”
