Chapter 148: Chapter 146: They Are Already Dead

Jiang Chen strolled casually through Taoyuan Town.

He discovered that everyone in town was incredibly warm and kind. They didn’t treat him any differently for being a stranger.

When Jiang Chen tried to ask about the origins of Taoyuan Town, the people patiently told him.

It was just an ordinary little town.

A place without conflict, where people lived in peace and contentment.

Nothing more.

However, when Jiang Chen asked why Taoyuan Town was inside Yunxian Valley, the townsfolk would become visibly uncomfortable. They would either fall silent or change the subject, making Jiang Chen grow even more curious.

Before he knew it, evening had arrived.

The fiery sun had already set behind the western mountains, casting a crimson-gold afterglow over the small town. Jiang Chen realized he didn’t need to look for the Peach Garden Pavilion. As soon as the sun went down, all the residents of Taoyuan Town, no matter what they were doing, would immediately set aside their tasks and head toward the Peach Garden Pavilion as if on a pilgrimage.

"Hurry, Miss Qingyi is about to start playing!"

"Sigh, I’m always so busy my whole body aches, but as long as I hear Miss Qingyi’s music and get a good night’s sleep, I’m full of energy again the next day!" said a hunched-over old man.

An old farmer leading an ox by Jiang Chen’s side grinned, revealing a mouth full of yellowed teeth, and said with a simple-hearted smile, "My Old Niu here loves listening to Miss Qingyi’s music too. He plows the fields with more spirit the next day!"

"We in Taoyuan Town are so lucky to have Miss Qingyi!"

"She’s like a celestial fairy who’s descended to the mortal world!"

The several thousand residents of Taoyuan Town formed an orderly stream of people, all heading towards the Peach Garden Pavilion.

Jiang Chen mingled with the crowd, listening to their conversations. He grew more and more curious about Miss Qingyi’s identity. ’What kind of person could inspire such deep admiration from all several thousand people in this town?’

’For one person to be so perfect!’

’To make everyone think she’s good... either she’s truly flawless, or she’s hypocrisy incarnate.’

Jiang Chen’s curiosity about this Miss Qingyi was truly growing by the second.

The Peach Garden Pavilion was located in the center of Taoyuan Town. It was a large courtyard, big enough to hold three to four thousand people. The entire pavilion was planted with numerous peach trees. Even though it was already autumn, the peach blossoms were still in full bloom, releasing their fragrance. The whole Peach Garden Pavilion was immersed in a sea of pink flowers.

The thousands of people needed no one to organize them. They stood in their own spots in an orderly fashion, waiting quietly.

Jiang Chen glanced to the side and saw that everyone’s face was glowing with anticipation, contentment, and happiness.

DING—

A melodious and clear note rang out, a sound as if from the heavens.

Although it was just a single, simple note, it sent a jolt through Jiang Chen’s body and soul. He fell into a state of spiritual clarity, as if a great door in his mind had been thrown wide open.

’What’s happening?’

Alarmed, Jiang Chen shook his head sharply and noticed that everyone else had their eyes closed.

DING DING DING—

The notes gradually flowed into a continuous melody.

The world grew exceptionally quiet. The wind stopped, the birds and insects fell silent, and it felt as if the entire world had been frozen.

Waves of drowsiness washed over him, and Jiang Chen’s eyelids felt incredibly heavy. He fought the urge to sleep by biting the tip of his tongue, using the sharp pain to stay awake. Forcing his eyes open, Jiang Chen looked toward the front of the Peach Garden Pavilion. At that one glance, it seemed as if the entire world stood still, heaven and earth were bound, and time itself had frozen.

At the very front of the Peach Garden Pavilion...

...on a high platform, a woman dressed in cyan robes sat quietly.

Elegant and serene, like a newly blossomed Clear Lotus.

It was a face of ultimate beauty. Her fine nose was delicately shaped, her eyes were like misty water, and her willow-like brows were slightly furrowed, carrying a trace of weariness that tugged at one’s heart.

From beneath her cyan robes, two fair, slender arms extended. Her long fingers gently swept across an antique guqin, from which the crisp, pleasant melody originated.

’There’s... such a perfect woman in this world?’ Jiang Chen only glanced at her once and found he couldn’t look away.

His eyelids grew heavier and heavier. His body sank into a cross-legged position of its own accord as he entered a state of spiritual transcendence.

The fresh, melodious tune slowly came to an end.

At this moment, if Jiang Chen had opened his eyes, he would have been shocked to see that all several thousand villagers of Taoyuan Town, with their eyes still closed and faces full of tranquility and satisfaction, were returning to their homes like string puppets being manipulated by someone.

In the entire Peach Garden Pavilion, only Jiang Chen remained, still sitting cross-legged.

"Hm?"

After finishing the song, a trace of paleness appeared on the young woman in cyan’s flawless face. She coughed lightly, then looked up at Jiang Chen. Blinking her watery eyes, she thought with a hint of confusion, ’How is there an outsider here? He listened to my "Song of Reincarnation" and actually entered a state of transcendent epiphany? Hmm... as long as he doesn’t harm the villagers, I’ll just let him be.’

The young woman in cyan slowly rose to her feet and gazed at the thick fog outside Taoyuan Town, a flicker of worry in her eyes. She sighed. ’More and more people are coming to Yunxian Valley. I wonder how Aunt Yun is doing. I hope nothing has happened to her...’

Her faint sigh echoed in the night as the young woman in cyan drifted away.

「The night passed in silence.」

「The next morning...」

BOOM!

Jiang Chen’s entire body jolted. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi suddenly turned violent, surging madly towards him and into his body.

Within Jiang Chen’s Dantian, a fifth True Essence Spirit Sea slowly began to form.

His cultivation had also officially broken through to the True Martial Realm Fifth Stage!

"I... I actually broke through?"

Opening his eyes, Jiang Chen felt the increasingly powerful True Essence within his body. His face was a mask of shock and disbelief as he hastily looked around. "I remember listening to Miss Qingyi play in the Peach Garden Pavilion yesterday, and then I fell asleep. When I woke up, I had broken through to the True Martial Realm Fifth Stage? This... this is unbelievable!"

Once a Martial Artist entered the True Martial Realm, every subsequent breakthrough became extremely difficult.

And yet, he had broken through just by listening to a single piece of music. It was simply incredible!

’This Taoyuan Town is unfathomable. It must be hiding a great secret. I feel like the only way to investigate this secret is to start with that Miss Qingyi!’

The fleeting image of her figure from last night appeared in his mind and lingered. It was as if countless voices in his heart were calling out, making him eagerly anticipate sunset, when he could see Miss Qingyi again.

But it was still early, so Jiang Chen decided to wander through the town again. However, after walking down two streets, his expression changed completely.

It was the same street, the same people. Even the events that transpired, the words exchanged between them—everything that happened was exactly the same as yesterday.

’How is this possible?’

Jiang Chen felt his skin crawl, as if he had been plunged into a freezing ice cellar.

He pushed through the crowd and ran toward the spot where he had met the little girl, Yaya, yesterday...

"Mama, can I go buy a candied hawthorn stick?" The little girl, as cute as a pixie, tilted her head up, her bright eyes wide as she haggled with her mother.

Jiang Chen stood as if struck by lightning, his face pale. He was rooted to the spot, his breathing involuntarily growing heavy.

"Big brother, you keep looking at Yaya. Are you hungry? Do you want some of Yaya’s candied hawthorn?" the little girl asked in a clear voice, looking at Jiang Chen while holding a half-eaten candied hawthorn stick.

Jiang Chen answered numbly.

In the end, Yaya once again placed the candied hawthorn stick in his hand. Watching the little girl wave goodbye to him, he looked down at the half-eaten treat, and the entire world began to feel unreal. Though the street was bustling with people, all he could hear was the heavy thumping of his own heart. ’What... what in the world is going on? Why are the people in this town like this? It’s like they’re endlessly repeating what happened yesterday!’

Suddenly, an image of an exquisitely beautiful figure surfaced in his mind.

As he thought of the woman who could make the sun and moon lose their luster and cause all other women in the world to pale in comparison, Jiang Chen’s expression shifted several times. ’Could it be her? Yaya and the others said they have to listen to her music every day. Could all of this really be because of her?’

Once the thought took root, he couldn’t shake it.

Jiang Chen tried to find an exit, but after circling the entire town, he couldn’t find one. He could only wait.

He waited until evening, when the sun began to set. Just like the day before, everyone in town began to converge on the Peach Garden Pavilion. Jiang Chen decided that tonight, he would definitely find that woman named Qingyi and demand some answers!

DING—

DING DING DING—

The music was as intoxicating as ever, but Jiang Chen was prepared this time. He sealed all his senses and watched as everyone closed their eyes and left the Peach Garden Pavilion with satisfied smiles before he finally stepped out from his corner.

The young woman in cyan on the high platform seemed to have already known of Jiang Chen’s presence. With a flick of her long sleeve, she put away the guqin, and an exquisite Zisha tea set appeared on the low table.

A serene smile graced the young woman in cyan’s face as her cool, misty eyes looked at him. Her crisp voice was even more pleasant than her music. "Young Master, our meeting is fate. Since you are here, why not join this humble girl for a cup of tea?"

Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment before walking straight over and sitting down opposite the young woman in cyan. "You knew I would come?" he asked.

"Yes."

The young woman in cyan nodded. She skillfully rinsed the leaves, boiled the water, and steeped the tea, pushing a small, fragrant cup towards Jiang Chen. "Actually, I always knew this moment would come sooner or later... I just didn’t expect it to be so soon."

"Can you tell me why?" Jiang Chen asked after a slight hesitation.

The young woman in cyan’s slender hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly. She let out a soft sigh, gazed at Jiang Chen, and slowly revealed a truth that left him utterly stunned: "The truth is... they are all already dead!"