Chapter 761: Shinto music god

“This place is more free; it’s just a distribution square, and there’s also a small Star-Mansion Array for people to come and go, so it’s very chaotic. If you came by yourself, I’m afraid you’d truly have to wait for decades,” Zhu Fengdan said casually.

But even with him saying that, many people gathered here, because Shaman God Mountain places no restrictions on listening to the Dao…

Everyone in the Nine Lands Under Heaven can come.

This is a completely open class, said to be prepared for the students, but in reality, there is no specific target.

There’s no planning whatsoever, and there are even cases where Masters take long leaves of absence.

It just depends on whether you’re willing.

However, looking at how many people are gathered, most are willing to wait, because transportation here is very convenient, and the small Star-Mansion Array allows everyone to travel back and forth easily.

“Then… thank you, Master,” Shen Shuibi immediately said, “It’s just… the cost shouldn’t be too high, right? Mount Luofu is operating outside the domain now, so it has some assets, compared to before—”

“You are my Disciple-in-law. If I still made you pay for something like this, Li Qi would probably disown me as his Master when he came back. Besides, it’s just a matter of saying hello. The Grand Director of Music sounds high and mighty, but doesn’t he still have to give me Face?” Zhu Fengdan waved his hand, his tone quite casual.

However, Shen Shuibi remained reserved about this.

The Grand Director of Music is a second-rank official, and no matter what, Zhu Fengdan is only a third-rank official. How could he command such Face? It’s possible that the relationship with the Shaman God would have to be brought up.

Sigh, I’ll pay it back later.

Now that Shen Shuibi is with Li Qi, she naturally calculates Karma and favors, understanding how great the cost is for a third-rank official to ask a second-rank official for help.

Zhu Fengdan, however, looked relaxed. He controlled the ghost carriage, accelerating directly, and soon plunged into a Grotto-Heaven, not stopping outside at all.

Upon entering the Grotto-Heaven, Shen Shuibi found herself in a bronze palace.

The bronze palace was gleaming golden, new and clean, without the usual signs of corroded bronze rust.

A dull golden light shimmered, not as dazzling as gold, but possessing the unique grandeur and stability of bronze.

On the walls of the bronze palace, many musical instruments were engraved.

Bo bells, special chimes, bianzhong, bianqing, jian drums, chi, panpipes, xun, xiao, flutes, qin, se, sheng, bo fu, zhu, yu, hui, qin, xiao, flutes, sheng, chi.

Besides that, the murals on the other side depicted many musical ceremonies, with various lifelike and vivid small figures playing music in the paintings.

There were Zhonghe Shaole, Danbi Dale, Zhonghe Qingle, Danbi Qingle, Daoyingle, Raogele, Heci Sanggele, Qingshen Huanle, Yanle, Ciyanle, Xiangle, with movements so vivid that one could almost see every subtle expression and action.

They were truly lifelike, as if they could jump out and punch you at any moment.

Shen Shuibi believed that these things could definitely jump down and hit people.

The ghost carriage, under Zhu Fengdan’s control, did not stop at all, continuing to fly through the bronze palace.

In the middle of this palace, there were many bronze pillars.

On these pillars, people were engraved, but these figures looked quite crude, very primitive.

The people on each pillar were identical, but upon closer inspection, one could see subtle differences. As the ghost carriage quickly passed by, Shen Shuibi noticed that these subtle differences, combined with the perspective moving at extreme speed, formed an ‘animation’.

Each pillar was a frame, and when combined, it was as if a person was ‘conducting’. The person’s Face was unclear due to the overly crude art style, but the conducting movements were quite skillful.

All this flashed by in an instant. Soon, in the central area of the palace, the ghost carriage stopped, and Zhu Fengdan got out.

Shen Shuibi also quickly got out, holding the chow chow.

But after a moment’s thought, she still left the chow chow in the carriage.

After all, a sleepy Xiao Gou is still a bit impolite, so it’s better to leave her for now.

The rabbit got out of the carriage and followed Zhu Fengdan into the main hall.

Zhu Fengdan walked to the center of the main hall, then cleared his throat and shouted loudly: “Hey, hey! An old friend has come, aren’t you going to come out and meet me!?”

However, no one responded, and Zhu Fengdan’s voice echoed in the empty palace.

Shen Shuibi thus noticed that the design of this palace seemed to have been specially arranged to allow sound to reverberate repeatedly.

The hard, concave surfaces of the bronze walls caused a kind of sound focusing phenomenon, allowing various sounds to reflect subtly and spread evenly around, and then through the echoes, creating multiple layers of echoes to reduce the interference of a single strong echo.

Combined with the centralized space of the main hall, it formed a cavity similar to a “resonance box”. In other words, this entire bronze palace was itself a large musical instrument.

The music played here would receive a great boost in its impact, but it wasn’t entirely beneficial. If it were an instrument with a delicate sound, it might lose its original characteristics after being amplified.

No one replied to Zhu Fengdan, but he continued, “Hey, hey, hey, is anyone here? If not, I’m taking this unwanted thing away~.”

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, and Magic Power rose from thin air. A large hand descended from the sky, grabbing the bronze palace, seemingly about to forcefully pull it out of this Void Realm.

But just as the hand fell, a small hammer fell from the sky.

It was a mallet used to strike bianzhong, and it gently tapped the hand Zhu Fengdan had lowered.

Zhu Fengdan did not sit idly by. The hand immediately clenched into a fist and fiercely collided with the hammer.

With a muffled thud, Shen Shuibi felt as if the punch had landed on her stomach. An indescribable vibration spread around, making her nauseous.

She immediately realized that this was probably a third-rank Spiritual Artifact, likely a subordinate of the Grand Director of Music, sent to stop Zhu Fengdan.

Zhu Fengdan didn’t humor the opponent. The arm of that hand began to appear, then the shoulder, then the head, the torso, and then, a Dharma Idol descended here!

Within the Dharma Idol, magnificent power erupted!

The small hammer seemed to want to leave, but Zhu Fengdan grabbed its handle.

“Trying to leave? If you attack in this form and then hide, you’ll just be that mole getting hit!” Zhu Fengdan said unceremoniously!

To fight him and dare to deliberately dodge and retreat is simply courting death.

One secret is that when facing Zhu Fengdan, if one starts to dodge at all costs, one completely loses their sharpness and becomes a live target for the opponent. Even if your cultivation is stronger than his, you may not gain an advantage. Once you start dodging, you become the mole in the whack-a-mole game.

Those who are familiar with him know that when facing Zhu Fengdan, there is no other way than to confront him head-on.

But apparently, this hammer was not that familiar with Zhu Fengdan.

Therefore, the small hammer also paid the price.

The barrage of spells, a chaotic output, almost instantly caused several cracks to appear in the small hammer!

However, this small hammer was clearly not a simple Spiritual Artifact. It seemed to be a Formation hub of the palace. As it shattered, the surrounding power quickly surged in, rapidly repairing it!

Seeing this, Shen Shuibi quickly retreated with the ghost carriage.

The opponent had infinite self-healing ability, which seemed to be due to ‘geographical advantage’. This advantage was too great, and Zhu Fengdan would not be able to deal with it easily afterwards, so she had to avoid the aftermath.

However, to the rabbit’s surprise, Zhu Fengdan grinned, suddenly revealing an excited expression.

Self-healing? Powerful regeneration?

This ability, coupled with a fondness for hiding, isn’t that just a pure target?

To deal with such an enemy, the answer is to keep beating them!

Zhu Fengdan’s Dharma Idol suddenly erupted, and an aura that should not belong to a third-rank official pressed down.

The next moment, Shen Shuibi witnessed an extremely brutal battle.

Zhu Fengdan… rather than a Shaman, he was more like a Martial Artist.

This fighting style was completely identical to that of a Martial Artist!

Shen Shuibi and Li Qi had fought side by side on the Human-Shaman battlefield for many years, and she knew Li Qi’s fighting style.

It was an elegant and precise fighting style. From the very beginning, Li Qi had set up many traps and anticipated the opponent’s possible responses, constantly analyzing the enemy’s state, using his own advantages to pressure the enemy’s weaknesses, and slowly tilting the scales of victory with tactics.

But… as Li Qi’s Master, Zhu Fengdan was in a completely different state.

This was the first time Shen Shuibi had seen Zhu Fengdan fight, and it might leave some psychological trauma in her heart.

Because it was too brutal, completely unlike what a Master should exhibit.

Beat them! Beat them! Beat them!

Use a watertight attack to shatter the opponent and then watch them reassemble.

After they reassemble, continue to beat them!

Beat them until they scurry away with their heads in their hands, begging for mercy on their knees.

Beat them until their mentality collapses, crying for their parents.

Beat them until they no longer have the courage to stand up again.

Beat it until it no longer dares to regenerate, hating from the bottom of its heart that it even has regenerative abilities, filled with remorse, only wishing to abandon its regenerative abilities and quickly seek death!

The small hammer was constantly smashed and regenerated, completely defenseless, and even the Dao Resonance within it was shattered.

However, as the fight continued, Shen Shuibi suddenly noticed something.

Wait, the Grotto-Heaven where this bronze palace was located was destroyed by the battle. With the Grotto-Heaven damaged, Shen Shuibi was able to see the scene outside.

Outside was a sky, seemingly flying in the sky, the Great Source of Heaven and Earth was ordinary, even somewhat weak, but a certain majesty could be felt.

Outside… isn’t Shaman God Mountain?!

Wait, where is this?!

The square I just came from had an Star-Mansion Array on it.

Zhu Fengdan hadn’t brought her to the Shaman Dao Grand Director of Music’s Grotto-Heaven at all. He had taken her to some unknown place. This… how could this person be so reckless?

That wasn’t the Shaman Dao Grand Director of Music. Who exactly was the person he was fighting?

Who suffered this undeserved calamity?

How many Grand Directors of Music are there in the Nine Lands Under Heaven?

There is one in Shaman Dao.

There is also a Grand Director of Music in Humanity, because in ancient times, humans and witches shared the same origin, so they are essentially the same, but Zhu Fengdan probably wouldn’t be so crazy as to run to Chang’an to find the Grand Director of Music.

Then where else is there a ‘Grand Director of Music’?

The sky outside was a clear sky, appearing very close to the clouds, but there was no trace of strong winds.

In the sky, yet without strong winds, and at the same time, there is the position of ‘Grand Director of Music’.

Then… is it the Heavenly Court that copied the Human Dao system?!

Is this a Grotto-Heaven within the Ziwei Heavenly Court?

As Shen Shuibi had this thought, she saw that the small hammer there could no longer withstand Zhu Fengdan’s beating. It suddenly unleashed its trump card, forcing Zhu Fengdan to retreat, and then frantically fled into the bronze palace.

Zhu Fengdan immediately pursued it.

However, at this moment, a burst of zither music suddenly came from the sky.

The zither music was melodious, instantly blocking Zhu Fengdan from entering.

Shen Shuibi immediately focused her attention. She knew that the Spiritual Artifact had failed to drive Zhu Fengdan away, so now the Grand Director of Music had personally taken action. She immediately went to Zhu Fengdan’s side.

At least at this moment, she had to show her attitude and not cower behind.

After all, cowering behind was useless, and she couldn’t run away either.

She came to Zhu Fengdan’s side and whispered, “Master… isn’t this the Grand Director of Music of Shaman Dao? Where exactly did you bring me?”

Hearing this question, Zhu Fengdan was carefree, and the Dharma Idol behind him made the same movement, speaking in unison: “Ah? Who said I was going to fight the Grand Director of Music of Shaman God Mountain? The one from Shaman God Mountain is one of our own, why would I fight myself? Look closely, this is the Heavenly Court, I’m fighting the Heavenly God of Music, don’t you agree, Shi Yan?”

Shen Shuibi’s expression was startled when she heard the name Shi Yan.

She hadn’t expected it to be the Heavenly God of Music!

Shi Yan, the divine official in charge of music, since the time of Emperor Fu, he had a profound understanding of Yin and Yang and was knowledgeable about celestial phenomena, yet his divinity could never be fully grasped. His existence spanned vast ages, appearing and disappearing. He first served as an official of music during the time of Xuanyuan, and in ancient times, he compiled the music of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. When he plucked a single string of his zither, all Earthly Gods would ascend; when he blew a jade pipe, all Heavenly Gods would descend.

“Zhu Fengdan, you’ve gone a bit too far. I’ve already had someone drive you away. If you were sensible, you should retreat quickly now.” At this moment, a person walked out of the bronze palace.

With long, flowing hair and elegant robes, he appeared extremely young and incredibly handsome. How should I put it…

He was like a Young Master who had stepped out of an otome game. As the God of Music, his demeanor was elegant and mysterious, but now he seemed a bit annoyed.

Nonsense, who wouldn’t be annoyed? Zhu Fengdan had kicked down the door and even beaten up the doorman.

“What a joke. Among the high-ranking officials of the Nine Lands Under Heaven, who doesn’t know that I don’t follow etiquette? I’ve brought you a registered student, just a student, not a Disciple, to listen to two of your classes. How about it?” Zhu Fengdan asked.

Shi Yan’s brows furrowed deeply upon hearing this, and he said with displeasure, “Am I someone you can summon and dismiss at will? You stole my main gate in the past and haven’t returned it yet, and now you come to me with such words?”

“I returned it. How else would I have gotten in this time? Your door is locked so tightly. If I hadn’t taken the door, I wouldn’t have seen you now. But… never mind. How about this, I’ll return the door to you, and you lecture her for a period of time, how about it?” Zhu Fengdan said in a negotiating tone, pointing at Shen Shuibi.