Chapter Eighty-Seven: Choosing Songs!

  Four days have passed in a flash, and half of the time has already gone by. There are only seven days left, and it's getting more and more urgent!

  Xiao Yun sat at the foot of the cliff, looking up at the Zu Yin fruit tree with a furrowed brow. On the first day, he used "Little Apple" to nourish the Zu Yin fruit tree and ripened it in three years. On the second day, he used the eighth-level refining technique "Hao Qi Jue" and only ripened it for one year. On the third day, he used the seventh-level refining technique "Youth Tour" and only ripened it for half a year. On the fourth day, Xiao Yun used "Rainbow Chasing Moon", but also only achieved half a year's worth of results.

  It took four days of effort to shorten the growth period of the Zuoyin fruit tree by only five years, and it would still take at least 45 years for the Zuoyin fruit tree to mature.

  This is just the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The two fruits of wind and thunder have been unable to absorb nutrients from the five-element melody for a hundred years, so they haven't grown much at all. Compared to the other five elements, they are obviously much smaller. If you want to wait for the wind and thunder fruits to mature, it's likely that it will take at least another three or four hundred years.

  As long as the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth can change Xiao Yun's bone structure, it would already be a blessing from heaven. As for the wind and thunder fruits, although Xiao Yun yearned for them greatly, he didn't dare to have excessive expectations.

  Looking up at the Zu Yin fruit tree, Xiao Yun's heart was filled with mixed emotions. The three melodies of Tian Lai had already been used up, and it had only grown for five years. With only seven days left, even if he were to compose a new nine-level Tian Lai melody every day, it would be absolutely impossible to ripen the fruit.

  "Is there still a song?"

  Xī Yúnwén stood beside Xiāo Yún, who had been playing a heavenly melody every day for the past few days. The Realm of Music was able to play tunes above the seventh level, which already surprised him greatly. Moreover, Xiāo Yún's body carried so many high-level scores that Xī Yúnwén couldn't help but suspect Xiāo Yún's origins. Could a small sect like the Heavenly Sound Sect really cultivate such a disciple?

  "There is another piece, the master's transmission of 'High Mountain and Flowing Water' refined score, which may reach the level of a 7th rank refining melody. However, even if it's an elementary heavenly music, it would still take half a year to mature! Xiao Yun shook his head, the ancestral sound tree can only digest one piece per day, time is running out, he doesn't want to waste his limited time on a 7th rank piece."

  "It's already been half a year, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and play!"

  Xī Yuánwén heard the words, but instead became more urgent, you know, in their realm, a heavenly music is so rare, Xiāo Yún actually still had a face of disdain, almost making Xī Yuánwén furious.

  Xiao Yun shook his head, thinking about what song to play in his mind. These past few days, due to fear of attracting demonic beasts, he had little time to practice music. He tried out a few songs, but the results were not great. The strongest one only reached the level of 6th rank musical composition, and using it to nurture the ancestral sound fruit would be too wasteful.

  "Xiao Xiaozi, what are you still hesitating about?" Ji Yunwen patted Xiao Yun's shoulder.

  "Oh no, don't bother him, isn't it annoying?" Hong Kexin said with a face of disgust to Ji Yunwen.

  Yan Wen heard this and puffed out her chest, glaring at Hong Kexin with a look of reprimand. She wanted to scold her a few times, but seeing that Hong Kexin was just a weak woman who didn't dare to confront her, she snorted in disdain, turned up her nose, and looked away.

  Xiao Yun was immersed in his vast memories, with classic tunes flashing through his mind, and the quarrel between the two people behind him did not disturb him.

  There are many classic tunes, but experience has taught him that classics don't necessarily mean they're valuable. Xiao Yun didn't dare to play them casually, as Zu Yin Guo Shu only "eats" one tune a day. If he accidentally plays a common or unrefined tune, it would be too wasteful.

  The Immortal Melody can't be played, at least it should be a Ninth-Heavenly Lyre. What kind of melody can reach the level of Ninth-Heavenly Lyre? "Palpitation" is something he dare not play, that melody is unbearable even for humans, let alone trees, in case he damages the Ancestral Sound Tree, Ji Yunwen might end up damaging himself.

  Xiao Yun secretly estimated in her heart, comparing each piece of music with the "Hao Qi Jue". The "Hao Qi Jue" had reached the level of an 8th rank refined melody. The pieces she chose must at least surpass the "Hao Qi Jue"!

  If there is a heroic spirit that can surpass "Heroic Spirit Incantation", Xiao Yun can also find a few, such as "Men Should Self-Strengthen", "Hasten", "Good Man Song", "General's Order", and the ones he wrote on Earth like "Ode to Mountains and Rivers" and "Watching the Cang Hai".

  There were many great songs, to the point where Xiao Yun's mind was all muddled, and he didn't dare make a choice rashly. He always felt that this song was better than that one, but then that one was better than this one. As for which one was actually better, even he himself couldn't say.

  "If it's about grandeur, I don't think there's a song that can surpass this one!" A melody flashed through Xiao Yun's mind, and Xiao Yun accurately locked onto the target from her memory.

  This song is called "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", and it was created by two music masters on earth. In Xiao Yun's memory, no other song can compare to this one in terms of its grandeur and magnificence.

  Her facial expression relaxed a bit, Xiao Yun thought to try it out, but as soon as her hands touched the strings, she stopped again, furrowing her brow.

  Not for anything else, but because this piece of music is too difficult, it can be said that the difficulty is too great to be unreasonable. On earth, this is absolutely a rare five-tone score, and it's also a five-tone reverse score. The Gong Shang Jiao Zhi Yu is reversed and performed in the opposite way, which is an absolute reversal of heaven's music. It's impossible for non-music masters to perform the true meaning of the song. With Xiao Yun's attainments in music theory, although he is not considered a master on earth, he can barely enter the ranks of the masters. Xiao Yun doesn't know what level this piece of music can reach in this world, but it should be more than just heavenly music. Can he play it with his current state?

  "The Laughing Proudly in the River" is a tune that counters the Five Notes, and Xiao Yun doesn't know if it will harm the Zuo Yin fruit tree, so he dares not take the risk.

  "Are you going to play or not?"

  Xiao Yunna was twisting and turning, Ji Yung-wen's temper seemed a bit impatient. Obviously, he saw that he wanted to start playing, but then stopped again. That feeling was like being punched in the gut by someone, very unpleasant.

  "If you make another sound, I'll use my authority to shout at you!" Hong Kexin glared at Ji Yunwen with an unfriendly face. She was also anxious, but she knew that Xiao Yun needed quiet now. This old man's constant noise was very annoying to her.

  Yan Wen's beard trembled with rage, "Good little fatty, I was scolding him, not you, what are you making a fuss about!"

  "Hey!" Hong Kexin heard this and got angry too, her chubby face trembling with rage.

  "Alright, stop arguing!" Just as the two were quarreling ceaselessly, Xiao Yun interrupted their conversation.

  The two of them glared at each other and then looked towards Xiao Yun.

  "I've thought of a tune that should be at least on the level of heavenly music, and perhaps even higher. If I'm not up to it, you'll have to lend me a helping hand!"

  Xiao Yun furrowed his brow, put down "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", and thought of another song. This song was vastly different from "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" in terms of melody and singing style, and it had once been extremely popular on Earth. Xiao Yun could confirm that the grade of this song was absolutely not low, and when it first came out, he had been deeply infatuated with it.

  As soon as this song comes out, Zu Yin will definitely like it. Xiao Yun dares to be 100% sure. The only worry is that his own ability may not be enough. This song may surpass Tianlai, and at that time, he will still have to rely on Hong Kexin and Ji Yunwen for help. Otherwise, he fears that he will suffer a setback.

  "Let's get started!"

  Yan Wen nodded, already eager to the point of impatience. With just one heavenly melody, he could save himself three years of effort. His lifespan was less than thirty years, so it could be said that he needed the ancestral sound fruit even more urgently than Xiao Yun. Otherwise, he would only grow old and die in endless waiting.

  Hong Kexin had only been in contact with Xiao Yun for a few days, but the feeling he gave her was like an enigma. Not only could he make the seven-stringed zither, an instrument that had long been lost to the world, but he had also cultivated it into a magical instrument, creating heavenly music that could move the soul. Everything he did was so unbelievable.

  After listening to Xiao Yun's words, Hong Ke Xin was also very curious about what song Xiao Yun was talking about. Transcending the heavenly music, is it really possible?

  With a hint of hope, Hong Kexin and Ji Yunwen sat cross-legged on either side of Xiao Yun's back.

  Xiao Yun closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, replaying the score in his mind. His hands slowly moved to the strings of the zither.