“Dan’er, did you hear me clearly?”
“If you didn’t, should I turn up the volume a bit more?”
Zuo Qiuli, laughing so hard she nearly lost her breath, finally managed to steady herself, then called out to Luo Dan’er a few more times in her mind.
But on the other side of the mind link, there was no response.
No way, is that it?
That so-called high attack, low defense little brat—I thought I could squeeze a bit more fun out of her.
Thinking Luo Dan’er had lost and fled, too embarrassed to say another word, Zuo Qiuli pouted wordlessly and grumbled inwardly.
Having lost her only source of entertainment, she sat there, bored out of her mind, waiting for Limuqun and Luo Zhilian’s “Punching Match” to end.
From deep within the Ruibai Light, a certain peculiar sound woven by interlaced breaths kept echoing, burrowing into the depths of her ears.
That sound was equal parts boast and ridicule.
We’re having a party—guess who wasn’t invited?
Ahhh! So annoying!
Zuo Qiuli clapped her hands over her ears.
Before, she could distract herself by teasing Luo Dan’er, and the sound wasn’t so obvious.
Now that Luo Dan’er had gone silent, the sound felt as if it seeped into every crack.
She didn’t actually care about not being invited; she just found the noise unbearable.
Yes, it really was just because it was too noisy, not because she was feeling some inexplicable agitation, or some vague frustration, or even a touch of melancholy!
I don’t care at all!
I absolutely do not care!
That’s what Zuo Qiuli kept telling herself, but her canines were already grinding together with a zzzing sound.
A thought she absolutely could not voice quietly surfaced in her heart.
Damn Limuqun, does he really like that cold-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Wood Pearl Fairy, Luo Zhilian?
He has such bad taste.
Back then, I threw myself into your arms—why didn’t you dare…
At that, her face reddened, an unexplainable fire rising in her belly, making her whip around and shout furiously at the depths of the Ruibai Light:
“Limuqun, can’t you keep it down? Have some consideration, will you!”
To her surprise, with her shout, the sound from within the Ruibai Light actually paused, falling into a strange silence.
Huh? It really stopped?
The sudden quiet left Zuo Qiuli a little dazed.
Can something like this really be turned off just like that?
Don’t tell me Limuqun fainted again?
With a frown, she got up, preparing to walk toward the light’s depths.
The very next second, that sound woven from breaths began again.
Not only was it undiminished, it actually grew even louder—like an orchestra reaching its most fevered movement, every instrument blaring, harmonies swelling, nearly filling every inch of this Sea of Consciousness.
The sound of this orchestra was so loud, so penetrating, that even with Zuo Qiuli covering her ears and sealing her hearing with her breath, she could still make out its undulations, every peak and valley.
Especially the harmonies that belonged to Luo Zhilian, rising above all others—if she listened closely, it was like a puffed-up cat, hissing endlessly at her recent outburst, declaring its sovereignty.
Constantly provoking me!
Zuo Qiuli’s eyes widened as she felt her pride inexplicably challenged.
If the circumstances weren’t so peculiar, she would have already rushed over to that pair of lousy lovebirds and given each of them a hefty slap.
But reality was, she couldn’t beat Luo Zhilian, and hitting Limuqun was pointless.
So annoying, so annoying, so annoying!
Zuo Qiuli, oh Zuo Qiuli, you’re a dignified Qingqiu Fox.
Hold your Dao Heart! Don’t let this seductive music sway your mind.
She squatted down, burying her head between her knees, desperately resisting the sound’s encroachment.
But she couldn’t withstand the endless orchestra that rang on and on beside her ear—even a Sage would eventually be eroded by it.
Let alone Zuo Qiuli—she wasn’t a Sage. She was just a fox, and not a particularly steadfast one at that.
Gradually, she felt her legs growing weaker, her body growing heavier.
What resistance? What resolve?
All of it was evaporating, burned away by ever-mounting heat.
Damn, truly damn it—
A haze of confusion crept into those fox eyes; Zuo Qiuli felt her vision growing dim, her mind burning, her hands starting to move on their own, lips parting as if to join the orchestra’s harmony.
But the melody rose and fell in waves, one crest overtaking the last.
When the tune dipped low, Zuo Qiuli could blend in perfectly, but the moment the soprano duet began, she just couldn’t hit the high notes.
Wh-what’s going on?
The female soprano is the key to this duet! If I can’t reach it, all the low notes before are meaningless!
Seeing herself falling behind, Zuo Qiuli grew more frantic; in order to sing a proper soprano, her hands moved even more vigorously, her voice grew louder.
But she still couldn’t produce a passable high note.
Why…why is this…
She sat there, dazed.
Could it be that the soprano is just that hard? Could it be that I really can’t sing the high part alone?
At that thought, a mist of tears clouded her charming fox eyes.
That was the sorrow of a singer unable to reach the high notes.
That was the grievance and loneliness of being unable to join the duet.
She no longer wished to hide her true feelings—she was so sad she couldn’t join in.
The harmony in her ears continued, but she could only hug her knees and shiver alone in the cold.
Suddenly, the duet stopped. It seemed someone had nudged her from behind.
“Get lost, Limuqun! Keep your filthy hands off me.”
Zuo Qiuli dropped her pitiful look, forcing herself to put on her usual brash façade, sneering over her shoulder: “What, you couldn’t bear to stop? Oh, I get it—you’re out of steam and want me to help push your butt, is that it?”
But as she turned her head, what she saw was an incredibly voluptuous silhouette.
“L-Luo Zhilian?”
Luo Zhilian stood behind her, most of the colorful marks wiped from her pretty face, breathing in deep gasps.
“I…I can’t take it anymore. You go on for a while.”
She left those hoarse words, closed her eyes, and fainted on the spot.
A strange sensation prickled her; Zuo Qiuli looked up in alarm.
She saw Limuqun crawling out from behind Luo Zhilian, eyes burning red.
“Y-you…what do you want?”
Zuo Qiuli tried to shrink away in panic, but her weak legs refused to budge.
“Limuqun, let me go.”
“Don’t force me—I’ll kill you!”
“Mmph mmph…”
Her mouth was covered. Zuo Qiuli struggled halfheartedly, then finally, slowly relaxed her grip.
Fine.
Limuqun, let me see what you’re really made of.
Before long, a new singer joined the orchestra, and the ringing harmony once again echoed deep within this Sea of Consciousness.