Zombie Bodyguard

Chapter 2143: Chapter 2140: Changes in the Guqin

"Opportunity? What kind of opportunity?" Lin Tian was surprised; this wasn’t the first time he’d heard that word.

Ling Zishan smiled and shook her head. "I can’t tell you yet. Once the martial arts competition is over, you’ll find out."

Lin Tian’s heart stirred. He probed, "I think I kind of get it. Aside from auctions, Langya Pavilion rarely makes a splash like this. This Ancient Martial contest is probably related to that opportunity, isn’t it?"

Ling Zishan raised her brows slightly and laughed. "Your guess isn’t exactly wrong."

"I can’t take part in the matches. With Pavilion Master Ling opening a back door for me like this, the other clans don’t mind?" Lin Tian smiled faintly.

"If anyone has an opinion, let them come out and spar, humph." Ling Shuiyao snorted delicately, not caring in the least what the other clans thought.

The old man Ling Xuesong also burst out laughing. "The girl’s right. The Ancient Martial World may care about rules, but in the end it’s strength that speaks. They’re afraid of your strength, that’s why they won’t let you participate."

Lin Tian laughed in relief. Sure enough—different kinds of people don’t end up under the same roof. This elder and this girl said things so similarly, yet it sounded great to his ears.

"Shuiyao, give him what Manxue sent." Ling Zishan didn’t explain further, turning instead to instruct Ling Shuiyao.

Ling Shuiyao picked up the bag and handed it to Lin Tian. "Here, this is from Sister Manxue. Don’t lose it."

Lin Tian took it and opened it. As expected, it was a change of clothes, all new. His heart warmed for no reason. Miss’s behavior was like that of a virtuous wife; it suddenly seemed to him that marrying Miss wouldn’t be bad at all, and he couldn’t help thinking that.

"Thank you, Pavilion Master Ling." Lin Tian put the things away and bowed. A dignified Pavilion Master, with a status on par with Tang Xuan Su, was willing to help with something so mundane; it gave Lin Tian a very good impression of her.

Maybe that was why Lin Tian felt especially close to Ling Zishan every time he saw her, unlike Tang Xuan Su, who always acted so lofty and above it all.

"Right, Pavilion Master Ling, there’s one more thing I’d like your help with." Lin Tian thought of Xiao Manxuan’s ancient zither and couldn’t help speaking up.

"I wonder what could stump you, Lin Tian. And also, don’t call me Pavilion Master Ling, it sounds distant. Call me Aunt Ling, like Xuanxuan does." Ling Zishan smiled, quite curious as well.

"Aunt Ling." Lin Tian weighed his words, then said simply, "You should have heard about Xuanxuan’s situation—she carries a strange energy within her. Half a year ago, she and I obtained an ancient zither from Fanyin Temple. For some reason, the zither carries the same strange energy. I’d like to ask Aunt Ling to help identify the origin of the zither."

Ling Zishan’s gaze sharpened slightly. "There’s actually such a thing? Back at Qingshuang Pavilion, I secretly observed Xuanxuan; the situation in her body is extremely odd. If there’s an ancient zither like you described, it might indeed help unravel the mystery of that strange energy."

Old Man Ling Xuesong and Old Man Zhuge Cai Zhe exchanged a look; clearly they were just as surprised by Lin Tian’s account.

Lin Tian felt inwardly delighted. This was exactly what he wanted. Even though Alchemy could treat Xiao Manxuan, an extra path meant an extra ray of hope.

"I’ll go bring Xuanxuan and Sister Manxue up." Ling Shuiyao raised her hand, volunteering eagerly. She got along well with the Xiao sisters and was already their friend.

Ling Zishan shook her head with a smile. "No need. By the time you run down and then look for them, who knows when you’ll be back. Lin Tian, send Yun Xiaotian a message; she should be with Wanxi. Wanxi will bring them up."

Lin Tian lifted a brow, thinking that Aunt Wang’s treatment was pretty good if she could freely enter the restricted area of Langya Pavilion. Wang Wanxi, like Ling Zishan, was a Female Ancient Martial Artist of similar age and also at the Mid Innate stage. They admired each other and had already become friends back at Qingshuang Pavilion.

He took out his phone and sent Yun Xiaotian a message, briefly explaining the situation.

They chatted as they waited, and before long, several beautiful figures appeared at the courtyard entrance. Wang Wanxi, Miss, Xiao Manxuan, and Yun Xiaotian had all come up; Miss had a long zither case on her back. When Xiao Manxuan and Yun Xiaotian saw Lin Tian, sweet smiles blossomed on their pretty faces.

Wang Wanxi and Miss were different, though. Though both were quite strong, they didn’t dare put on airs. They stepped forward and bowed to Ling Xuesong.

"Greetings, Mr. Ling." they said in unison. As for Zhuge Cai Zhe, they seemed not to know him.

Ling Xuesong waved his hand and chuckled. "No need to stand on ceremony. Just relax."

Miss unstrapped the zither case and handed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian placed it on the stone table, opened it, took out the ancient zither, and set it before everyone.

"What a fine zither!" Zhuge Cai Zhe was the first to exclaim, his eyes blazing as he stared at it.

"It really is a fine instrument." Ling Zishan also said solemnly.

She walked a circle around the zither, reaching out to touch the body, then gently lifted it to inspect the underside. Finally, her fingers skimmed over the strings—clear, bright notes rang out, circling around the courtyard. Though no melody was being played, it already sounded like a complete piece. Zhuge Cai Zhe closed his eyes slightly, listening intently, looking utterly absorbed.

Lin Tian didn’t understand the zither, nor how to play it, but even he could tell that the sound was very pleasant. Besides, he knew the zither’s power.

"Old Man Zhuge, you’ve taken a liking to this zither, haven’t you?" Ling Xuesong shot Zhuge Cai Zhe a sideways glance, seeing right through his thoughts.

"No, no, no..." Zhuge Cai Zhe waved quickly and explained, "A gentleman doesn’t snatch what another cherishes, especially an ancient zither of this caliber."

Even as he said that, Old Man Zhuge’s eyes still didn’t leave the instrument.

"Aunt Ling, see anything?" Lin Tian asked expectantly.

Ling Zishan pondered a moment before replying, "The body is made of paulownia wood, and the strings should be Heavenly Silkworm Silk. Heavenly Silkworm Silk is stronger than Ice Silkworm Silk, but has long since vanished—only recorded in manuscripts. Langya Pavilion has handled countless treasures, yet we’ve never had the fortune to see it."

"All the materials are top-grade, and the crafting is different from modern carving techniques. On this zither, the cuts are bold and free, yet every strike of the blade lands just right. More importantly, no ridge or corner repeats the same cut. In other words, every line on the body was finished in a single stroke."

"I did the count: the entire body was completed in a total of three hundred and sixty cuts, corresponding to the number of the Zhou Tian cycle. The maker’s blade work—or Swordsmanship—is extremely refined. However, there’s one thing I don’t understand. With such superb and practiced technique, why is there a broken pattern inside the belly of the zither?"

Ling Zishan turned the ancient zither over, revealing the underside to everyone.

Lin Tian stepped closer and saw that there really was a pattern there—light red, like fire or flame. But the flames weren’t complete, different from the flame mark between his brows, which was a perfectly formed flame.

However, Lin Tian remembered that the zither hadn’t originally had this pattern. He frowned slightly. "If I’m not mistaken, this zither didn’t have that pattern before."

After speaking, he looked at Xiao Manxuan, and everyone else did too. Xiao Manxuan blinked and said softly, "I don’t think it did. I don’t know when the zither got this pattern. Aside from Lin Tian and me, no one else has had prolonged contact with it."

"That is strange." Ling Zishan murmured, knitting her brows.

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