They All Deeply Regretted It After I Became Indifferent

After the junior sisters left, the second round of the Scholar’s Grand Assembly had already begun.

As initially stated, the content of this competition was musical instruments.

Now, only a dozen or so young masters remained in the Jiang Yue Tower.

But they were all troubled by one question: how could they compete without instruments?

Yan Ruyu had noticed this problem too and instructed the maids to bring out the musical instruments from the attic.

Pipa, erhu, bianzhong, xiao, flute, se, qin, xun, sheng, and drums, a complete assortment.

“The young masters may choose any of these instruments to perform according to their learning,” said the maid as she handed out the numbers.

Lin Mo looked at his number.

Goodness, he was the last one.

But something else was even more troubling to him.

That was his ‘musical instrument’ ability, which indeed had a ‘level 7’ proficiency. His eyes fell on the various instruments, and he felt a very familiar sensation, as if he could play a tune proficiently just by touching them.

However, the problem lay in the ‘tune’ itself.

He didn’t understand musical instruments in his past life; his mind was devoid of any scores.

Having the technique without the scores was useless!

With that, he could only ask the system.

“System, do you have any scores for sale?”

【Our system’s lottery prizes are endless, as long as you have the luck to draw them!】

“Draw? Can’t we just sell directly?”

[No, dear host, this system doesn’t have a store function, so you can lock the lottery prize as ‘sheet music’, but what song you draw is up to your fate.]

(╬ಠ益ಠ), sometimes this system’s features are really just a chicken rib.

Lin Mo was truly speechless, yet there was nothing he could do.

The competition was already underway, and the other young masters were more or less skilled in playing instruments.

But the levels varied greatly, with only Nangong Xu, whose flute-playing skills were truly exceptional.

After the performance, the surrounding young masters all praised him.

“Incredible, it seems that the top talent this time will definitely be Young Master Nangong.”

“Ah, it’s a pity, but among those present, only Young Master Nangong’s talent and natural ability are worthy of the host of this event.”

……

A bunch of sycophants, Lin Mo rolled his eyes.

After learning the true identity of Nangong Xu, the cultivators here began to cozy up to him, intentionally or not.

Only he stood alone to the side.

Watching as the young masters in front had successively finished playing their instruments.

Lin Mo proceeded with the system lottery.

He locked the prize as ‘sheet music’.

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Counting Ducks’ sheet music universal edition.]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Leek-spinning Song’ drum version.]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Rebel Meets Hair Wash, Cut and Blow’ erhu version.]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Extreme Bliss Forbidden Land’ erhu version.]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Love Like Fire’ guqin version,]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining the ‘Good Fortune Comes’ flute version.]

……

What is all this???

Lin Mo was about to go crazy, why were they all modern song accompaniments?

Even children’s songs were included?

And this ‘Love Like Fire’, the system is quite bold, even letting me draw such a thing.

Isn’t there a single ancient-style song more fitting for the occasion?

As his ten consecutive draws were about to end, Lin Mo finally saw a very nice piece of ‘sheet music’.

Just as he was about to showcase his ‘Level Seven’ musical talent bestowed by the system.

A maid shouted from the third floor, “Alright, young masters, the competition has ended.”

Lin Mo was puzzled; he hadn’t even taken the stage, and it was over?

His feelings echoed Uncle Da’s words: “I haven’t even boarded the bus yet.”

The other young masters had certainly noticed Lin Mo’s absence from the performance, but they didn’t care, all eager to know the results of the contest.

Nangong Xu was very confident, considering himself first-rate at playing the flute. The piece he had chosen was of a beautifully cheerful and challenging nature, and his performance was nothing short of perfect.

He had already convinced himself that he was destined to be the champion of this talent contest.

As everyone awaited the results, the maid announced, “All the young masters who have performed may leave now; the host has deemed you all unqualified.”

Everyone was stunned.

Lin Mo was stunned too.

Did her words mean that he, who hadn’t performed, didn’t have to leave?

What good fortune was this?

At that moment, someone pointed at Lin Mo and asked, “What about him? He hasn’t performed. Should he stay or go?”

This time, it wasn’t the maid who spoke, but Yan Ruyu: “That, young masters, is not for you to worry about.”

“What do you mean, not to worry? We’ve traveled thousands of miles to compete in Daliang City, and now you give us such an unclear verdict, can we accept it?”

“Exactly, exactly. I admit my musical skills are lacking, but by acting this way, aren’t you just mocking us?”

“I think, in terms of the competition’s results, Young Master Nangong was the best. We don’t mind, but you owe him an answer.”

As soon as the last person spoke, the others began to echo in agreement.

They all knew well that Nangong Xu’s performance was indeed better than theirs. Since they had no hope for the title, they might as well use this opportunity to curry favor with Nangong Xu, a win-win for everyone.

Seeing this, a hint of pride appeared on Nangong Xu’s face.

Yan Ruyu smiled and said, “The answer, my words are the answer.”

With those words, a terrifying pressure swept over the crowd.

The group that had spoken was instantly immobilized.

Including Nangong Xu, the only Golden Core cultivator present, and a seventh-grade one at that, who practiced even a low-level ‘superior’ cultivation method.

Faced with Yan Ruyu’s aura, he felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

The crowd looked at Yan Ruyu with a newfound fear in their eyes.

Only Lin Mo, who had known from the start that Yan Ruyu was no ordinary person, was not too surprised.

However, what surprised him was that Yan Ruyu’s oppressive aura seemed not to target him.

What was this situation?

Nevertheless, since the competition was over, Lin Mo had no desire to stay any longer.

Just as everyone marveled at the terrifying strength of the master of Jiangyue Tower.

An untimely voice emerged.

“The match is over, I shall take my leave!” Lin Mo was very polite, cupping his fist in a salute before preparing to slip away.

‘How is he unharmed?’ Everyone thought to themselves as they watched Lin Mo.

Nangong Xu frowned, he could tell that Lin Mo was merely at the Foundation Building stage, and the fact that he could move freely now meant that the master of Jiangyue Tower had not targeted him.

“Young Master, please wait!” Yan Ruyu called out softly.

Hearing this, Lin Mo quickened his pace.

When things go awry, there must be demons at play; if not now, then when?

Watching Lin Mo’s hastening figure, Yan Ruyu fell silent for a moment before hooking her finger slightly.

An invisible force pulled Lin Mo back.

“Did the young master not hear what this one said?” Yan Ruyu frowned.

“Ah, what did the lady say? I have a hearing problem, have been hard of hearing since childhood.” Patting his ear, Lin Mo sighed, full of acting prowess.

“So it is, I just happen to have a gu worm that, once it enters the ear, can cure such deafness.”

“There’s no need!” Lin Mo perked up upon hearing this; “My deafness comes quickly, and leaves just as fast!”

“That’s good then, as my gu worm is currently hibernating.” Yan Ruyu smiled, she could see right through Lin Mo’s desire to flee, the gu worm was but a fabrication of hers.

Lin Mo obviously realized this too, and couldn’t help but laugh and cry inside, not quite understanding why she would want to keep him.

Could it be that she fancied his dashing and debonair appearance?

“Does the young master not wish to spend a beautiful night with me?”

Such a direct question?

She really did fancy him!

Without hesitation, Lin Mo said: “I do!”

He was no fool; if he answered ‘no’, it might upset her, and who knows what might happen then.

But to answer too directly wouldn’t be good either.

So he continued: “But I know I am not worthy, the lady is like a white lotus in a pond, unsullied by mud, washing clean without being enchanting, content to admire from afar!”

They say it’s the gathering of talented young masters, and the others are indeed talented.

They couldn’t help but admire Lin Mo’s artistic talent.

Yan Ruyu didn’t expect to be compared to a white lotus.

Now she was really curious about what Lin Mo had written in his first duel.

With a light flick of her finger, the paper from the first contest flew into her hands.

Seeing the verses on it, her eyes sparkled, and she couldn’t help but read aloud: “Dreaming of garments as exquisite as clouds, yearning for a beauty as stunning as flowers, the spring breeze caresses the threshold, the dew glistens thick and strong.”

Seeing the expression on Yan Ruyu’s face as she looked at his work, a thought arose in his heart. Could it be that during the first contest, the host had let him pass without even looking at his work?

Lin Mo had not been worried about passing the first contest; after all, it was the immortal poet Li Bai’s exquisite verse describing the beauty Yang Guifei!

But he truly hadn’t expected that the other party would let him pass without a glance.

Could he really be treated so favorably?

Was it truly his appearance that had caught her eye?

Could such an unearned favor really be happening to him…

“Sir, did I see a desire to perform in you at the end?” Yan Ruyu’s fondness for Lin Mo rose once again.

“I did intend to, but the lady said the contest was over…” Lin Mo was speechless. He had spent two thousand points of regret to draw a score, all to secure the title of this contest, and now this was the outcome.

Two thousand points of regret!

It was a huge loss.

“Then, sir, you can perform now!”

What…

What does this mean?

If you fancy me, I would go with you; why all this trouble?

Lin Mo was speechless, and so were the others.

They too had noticed that the hostess of Jiang Yue Tower clearly had a liking for Lin Mo.

Why go through all this trouble when she was already showing favoritism?

Nangong Xu looked at Lin Mo with a hint of malice.

This man’s cultivation and looks were inferior to his; he truly didn’t understand what the hostess of Jiang Yue Tower saw in him.

Lin Mo took the stage decisively, found a flute, and began to play.

The score he played was ‘Chaotic Red’.

The entire piece conveyed a sense of sorrow and melancholy, a heart full of twists and turns, a sentiment of wanting to speak but stopping short, tears falling before words could be spoken.

Lin Mo from a previous life also loved this piece; as he played, even he was lost in it.

The flute’s sound was desolate and lonely, like a thousand years of longing, the performer’s state completely immersed, as if waiting for someone who would never come…

The flute’s sound ceased, the performance ended, and the ladies inside Jiang Yue Tower couldn’t help but shed tears.

The group of gentlemen who had initially supported Nangong Xu were now silent.

The difference between the xiao and the flute was not significant; the disparity in their abilities was immediately apparent, and besides poetry, Lin Mo had also triumphed in music.

Unbeknownst to all, Yan Ruyu’s figure had already disappeared.

The maid approached Lin Mo, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at him.

“Master Lin, you’ve won the top prize in this talent competition. The host awaits you in the elegant room on the third floor.”

Uh…

At this moment, Lin Mo faced two choices: to go or not to go.

…….

Author’s note: The artistic conception of the song “Chaotic Red,” I must admit, my writing is too poor to convey it. For those who haven’t heard it, you might want to give it a listen.