Chapter 10, The Enchantress of the Valley

Long Tianyu is currently in a state of free fall, descending vertically under the influence of gravitational acceleration. At this moment, he calmly analyzes his own weight, the height of the cliff, the acceleration of free fall, and the amount of resistance and time required to reduce his falling speed to zero.

In the Han Dynasty, Cai Yong wrote in his work "Qin Cao": "In ancient times, Fuxi created the qin to ward off evil and prevent indulgence, in order to cultivate oneself and regulate one's nature, returning to one's innate purity." Since ancient times, the qin has been regarded as an instrument symbolizing moral virtue, used to cultivate one's character, transform customs, and further "communicate the virtues of the divine and harmonize with the universe."

Long Tianyu was not a person lacking in eloquence, but at this moment, captivated by her unparalleled beauty and grace, he was rendered speechless.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he raised his left arm vertically. At the same time, his left hand grasped his right wrist, and he twisted the button on the right side of his "Rolex" gold watch. With a whoosh, an extremely thin steel wire shot out from the watch, wrapping around a small tree that protruded from the cliff. Its acceleration gradually decreased, and after falling several zhang, it transitioned to a decelerating slide, finally coming to a gentle stop at a height of about three zhang above the ground.

The beautiful woman blushed again and said softly, "This is the first time I have ever come into contact with the body of a stranger!"

The moment the woman heard the first two lines, she trembled all over, her eyes sparkling with a strange light. Upon hearing "Wushan Night Rain," her face involuntarily flushed, and her delicate neck slightly bowed. Only after the entire poem was recited did she come to her senses after savoring it for a long while. Her bright eyes shone as she carefully scrutinized Long Tianyu again and shyly asked, "Who is Zhuo? Is she your esteemed wife?"

Just as over a hundred Qin soldiers were stunned and shocked, a sudden flash of fire appeared before them, followed immediately by a deafening thunderous sound. Each person's body, along with their *books*, was torn apart by excruciating pain, and in an instant, flesh and blood flew everywhere, turning to ashes in the smoke.

The woman shivered slightly, silencing the strings, and turned her head to look over, her gaze meeting Long Tianyu's. There was no hint of emotional distraction in her eyes as she spoke in a calm tone: "Oh, you are awake. Do you feel any better?"

"What? Huangshi Gong?" Long Tianyu was taken aback and astonished upon hearing this.

With a sudden emptiness in his body, Long Tianyu thought to himself: "It's over"

At this moment, pride surged within, and I instantly regained my former carefree demeanor, smiling faintly and saying

Long Tianyu was captivated by the sound of the guqin, filled with curiosity. He propped himself up from the bedside table and stood up, limping as he walked out of the bamboo house. Following the sound, he saw in the moonlight ahead a woman dressed in a plain white long gown, her figure graceful and elegant as she sat under the bamboo pavilion. Her smooth, snow-white hands danced over the strings of the guqin like a pair of beautiful white butterflies.

The entire tiger's body fell uncontrollably to the ground with a heavy thud, causing a buzzing sensation in the ears and darkness to envelop the vision, leading to a fainting spell

The woman replied, "My godfather is an extraordinary person, currently studying esoteric arts at the Stargazing Pavilion located three miles into the valley. He said he would come to visit you in three days!"

Long Tianyu detected the faint fragrance of orchids wafting through the room. He then pushed aside the light red silk quilt, sat up, and noticed that his head and the side of his calf were wrapped in bandages, causing a dull pain.

Long Tianyu felt a keen interest upon hearing her mention of Xuan Shu, fully aware that metaphysics was a major philosophical trend during the Wei and Jin dynasties. It originated in the Spring and Autumn period and emerged as a cultural thought that fused Daoism and Confucianism.

The full box of icy springs swallows and sings, the jade sound leisurely enters the mind's clarity

Long Tianyu took a few gentle steps forward, gazing at the book from the side. The beauty possessed a knife-like, aesthetically pleasing contour and skin as smooth as jade, exquisite and unparalleled. Her bright eyes sparkled beneath elegantly arched eyebrows resembling willow leaves, full of life and charm. When her delicate lips parted, a natural dimple appeared on her cheek, and her long, graceful neck added to her alluring lines.

The original meaning of the character "玄" refers to a deep red color close to black. Therefore, in Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi," it is interpreted as: "玄, a term for deep resentment." The character "玄" originates from Laozi's "Tao Te Ching," where it states: "The mysterious is yet more mysterious, the gateway to all mysteries." This indicates that the Dao is profound and subtle. The term "Xuanxue" (Mysticism) is derived from the fact that during the Wei and Jin dynasties, scholars referred to the three texts: "Zhouyi," "Laozi," and "Zhuangzi" as the "Three Mysteries," hence the name.

The night rain rises in the strings of Wushan, the clear waves of the Xiang River point to the life below

Ah? Long Tianyu was momentarily taken aback by her sudden question. He recalled that the Zhuo mentioned in the poem should refer to the talented woman Zhuo Wenjun from the Han Dynasty. The "Records of the Han" noted that the famous literati Sima Xiangru won Zhuo Wenjun with his qin, a tale that has been admired through the ages. However, that was an event that occurred after the Qin Dynasty, and she was clearly unaware of it

Long Tianyu used to frequently play the piano, violin, and jazz drums, yet he had never dabbled in ancient music ensembles; he had only read some records about this in archaeological texts.

The melody is graceful and smooth, reminiscent of the flowing waters of high mountains between waterfalls, the wild geese descending upon the vast desert sands, and the refreshing spring snow. It evokes the subtle fragrance of plum blossoms in the bitter cold, played in three variations. The sound of the zither is entirely unbound by any known compositions or clichés, but rather seems to channel the ethereal essence of heaven and earth into the strings, producing celestial tones and exquisite harmonies

Suddenly recalling the idiom "A child can be taught, picking up shoes under the steps," I thought: "Isn't Huang Shigong the mentor of Zhang Liang, the author of the 'Taigong's Art of War,' a renowned metaphysical military strategy?"

In terms of aesthetics, the musical pieces can be summarized into thirteen symbols: majestic, sudden, urgent, bright, resplendent, extraordinary, broad, incisive, clear, subtle, harmonious, serene, and slow. In the realm of musical thought, they can be categorized into seven types: joyful, affectionate, lofty, free-spirited, artistic, sage-like, and ethereal.

Long Tianyu's mind was blank with a "buzz," unable to believe that such an extraordinary beauty existed in the world. She was serene and elegant, ethereal as if she were a celestial being, reminiscent of a fairy from the heavens. He couldn't help but recall a line of poetry, which he blurted out: "In a secluded valley dwells a beauty unparalleled."

Long Tianyu silently exclaimed how dangerous it was. If the steel wire had been shot too early or too late, it would have only added to the trouble. At this moment, although he was suspended in mid-air, landing safely was not difficult. Just as he felt a lingering fear, his body suddenly trembled, and the low shrub at the top was uprooted by the entangled steel wire, falling directly towards him.

Her long and graceful neck hung down like that of a swan, with a cherry-like mouth, delicate and fragrant lips, plump and moist, making one want to step forward and embrace her, deeply kissing her red lips in a passionate moment

The woman's smile faded, and she returned to her unassailable, pure demeanor, speaking softly: "How can one wander about when the injury has not yet healed? Even if one were to come out, it should not disturb the tranquility of others. People have spent days in deep contemplation, and tonight, with the bright moon, inspiration suddenly struck, allowing them to play this piece, only to be interrupted by you. Oh... what was it you just said?"

Long Tianyu gazed at the lotus-like smile blooming on the other person's face, graceful and pure, unable to suppress the fluttering of his heart, secretly exclaiming that she was truly remarkable. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, both in the past and the future, surpassing even the beauty of Yu Ji and Yu Ying by a half measure, especially with her demeanor, which was elegant and clear, ethereal like an immortal, evoking a sense of self-deprecation. He stammered, "I... this..."

Long Tianyu suppressed his distracting thoughts and expressed his gratitude, saying: "Thank you, miss, for saving me. May I ask where the old gentleman is now? I must thank him in person later"

"Zhuo refers broadly to talented women and beauties. Oh, where is this? Did I not fall off a cliff? Did the young lady save me?"

Long Tianyu leaped off the ten-thousand-zhang cliff, leaving all the Qin soldiers dumbfounded. Even the boldest individuals cannot remain unperturbed when faced with life and death, yet this person could laugh in the face of mortality and calmly jump off the cliff, evoking a sense of respect and awe in the moment.

At that moment, the woman seemed to take a keen interest in him, her demeanor becoming less frosty. With a radiant smile, she said: "This is indeed the place! Hehe, this is the secluded Huangshi Valley. You fell from the cliff of the valley city mountain on the right. My godfather rescued you yesterday evening while gathering herbs and brought you here. He holds you in great admiration and respect, saying that you fell from a sheer cliff yet only sustained minor injuries, which is a sign of a sage. He specifically instructed me to take good care of you!"

Gently lifting the injured right leg and examining it closely, it turned out to be merely a minor fracture. I couldn't help but secretly praise my good fortune and let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, I faintly heard the melodious and ethereal sound of a piano, delicate and serene, blending with the moonlight and echoing in the quiet valley.

The woman let out a soft "tch" and said with a playful laugh, "It seems your head injury hasn't healed yet"

Long Tianyu felt a pang of shame, thinking to himself: "If I were to fall directly from the mountaintop, it would be a miracle if I didn't end up shattered to pieces. At this moment, preserving my life is nothing but sheer luck"

The woman in white saw the look of anticipation on his face and thought, "Could it be that he is also well-versed in metaphysics? Truly a remarkable man; no wonder my godfather said he has the signs of a sage!" She then said, "My godfather is from the State of Qi, named Huang Gongshi, but people commonly refer to him as Huang Shigong"

The gentle breeze lifted her white garment, and her long hair danced lightly in the wind, resembling an ethereal fairy, exquisite and transcendent.

The cluster of wildflowers sings with subtle charm, as the cicadas shift among the tall willows, bursting forth with their fading sounds

A loud explosion erupted from the summit of the cliff, destroying several feet of rock and soil at the peak. Over a hundred soldiers, unaware of what had transpired, were left in a state of panic, embarking on the path to the underworld, completely oblivious to the fact that they had perished beneath a miniature grenade bomb from over two thousand years later

During his time at university, Long Tianyu had studied some books on this subject, but there were many gaps in the reference materials, making it impossible for him to delve deeper, so he set it aside. At this moment, upon learning that he had been saved by a master of metaphysics, he excitedly asked, "May I ask how to address the young lady's godfather?"

Long Tianyu was rendered weak and itchy by her smile and frown, thinking to himself that he had always been the one to dazzle women, yet today he found himself utterly captivated and at a loss, an experience unlike any he had encountered before. He could not help but ponder: the more one is in the presence of a beautiful woman, the more one must maintain an air of aloofness; if one were to lose oneself in admiration, it would only lead to being looked down upon by the other party.

I, I ... ...

It is unclear how much time has passed, but Long Tianyu gradually regained consciousness, only to feel an unbearable pain throughout his body. He slowly opened his eyes, and the candlelight cast a greenish hue. The room was elegantly furnished, filled with an array of bamboo slips containing poetry and classic literature. On the table, there were many bamboo and jade artifacts, all ancient musical instruments. A large ink painting of mountains and rivers hung on the wall, and in the southern corner by the window stood a bronze mirror, along with a jade comb, rouge, and flower powder, giving the impression of a young lady's boudoir.

There is no need to play the haunting melody of the orchid again, for the moon shines brightly before the door of the Zhuo family