129: That blind old musician was actually a quasi-emperor?

“Ding—”

The zither's notes curled through the air, sounding like a soft sob, a mournful complaint.

It was like a cold tear falling into a boiling heart-lake, stirring up ripples.

Inside the teahouse, there was a dead silence.

Everyone was immersed in that inexplicable sorrow, unable to pull themselves out.

Li Daoxuan set down his teacup.

His deep eyes pierced through the bustling market and landed on an inconspicuous corner of the street.

He stood up, left a few copper coins, and walked over with slow steps.

At the corner of the street, beneath a withered old scholar tree.

Sat an old man.

He was very old.

His full head of white hair was like snow, his face covered in wrinkles that looked like they were carved by knives and axes, and he wore a faded gray cloth robe that had been washed clean.

In his arms, he held an ancient zither whose original color could no longer be discerned.

Those hands, as withered as chicken claws, were gently plucking at the heavily worn strings.

Playing a desolately sad tune that was enough to make listeners weep.

The most striking thing was his eyes.

They were a pair of... eyes without pupils.

Two hollow sockets, deep and deathly silent, as if they had swallowed all the light in the world.

He was a blind man.

A blind old zitherist... making a living as a street performer.

In front of him sat a chipped coarse porcelain bowl.

Inside the bowl, a few dust-covered copper coins lay scattered about.

Passing pedestrians would occasionally be attracted by the music, stop their steps, sigh, and then throw down a copper coin or two before hurrying away.

In their eyes.

This was just... a pitiful street performer.

However.

When Li Daoxuan walked up to him.

His footsteps suddenly jerked to a halt.

His Heavenly Eye, which could see through illusions and perceive the Origin, actually... buzzed the moment he saw this blind old man!

It was as if he had seen something incredibly inconceivable!

“System, scan.”

Li Daoxuan muttered in his heart.

【Ding!】

【Scanning target... Scan failed!】

【Warning! An extremely powerful Dao Brand exists within the target's body, interfering with the System scan!】

【Forcefully scanning... 10%... 30%... 70%...】

【Scan successful!】

A pale gold light screen slowly unfolded before Li Daoxuan's eyes.

And the content on the light screen caused even Li Daoxuan, who was used to great storms, to... have his pupils shrink violently!

【Name: Gai Jiuyou】

【Age: Nine thousand three hundred and twenty-one years old】

【Realm: Quasi-Emperor (Plagued by Dao injuries, blood and Qi withered, Lifespan nearly exhausted)】

【Identity: The number one Human Race Prodigy of the Central Region nine thousand years ago. Once competed for the Imperial Path against the Yao Race's Azure Emperor, narrowly losing by half a move. Injured by the Dao, rendering him unable to achieve enlightenment for his entire life.】

【Evaluation: A tragic hero of extraordinary talent born at the wrong time. Had he not shared an era with the Azure Emperor, he would have surely achieved Enlightenment and become an Emperor, ruling over the world!】

Gai Jiuyou?!

That legendary guardian of the Human Race who, by his power alone, suppressed the Dark Turmoil for thousands of years, making countless Forbidden Zone Supremes afraid to emerge?!

That invincible Quasi-Emperor who was said to have no rival unless the Azure Emperor appeared?!

He... he was actually still alive?!

And... he had become such a... destitute and wretched figure?!

Stormy waves surged in Li Daoxuan's heart.

He looked at this blind old man whose blood and Qi were withered and whose life force was severed, looking as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

He truly couldn't connect him with the legendary, peerless, and invincible Prodigy who had swallowed the mountains and rivers with his aura.

A hero in his twilight years.

A beauty with white hair.

This was perhaps the most desolate thing in the world.

“Sigh.”

Li Daoxuan couldn't help but feel a sliver of pity in his heart.

This was a Senior truly worthy of respect.

His entire life had been spent fighting for the survival of the Human Race.

If not for him, the current cultivation world would likely have long since become a blood-food pasture for the Dark Forbidden Zones.

Such a person should not die in such a lonely manner.

Li Daoxuan was silent for a moment.

He didn't think about whether he could trick this person into becoming his Disciple to fleece some rewards as he had before.

Instead, a sliver of... respect arose from the bottom of his heart.

From the System space, he took out a... Top-Grade Spirit Stone, something that would be enough to cause a bloodbath in the outside world.

Then.

He stepped forward, bent down, and gently placed that Spirit Stone, which shimmered with brilliant light, into the chipped coarse porcelain bowl.

“Ding.”

A crisp sound.

It formed an extremely sharp contrast with the dust-covered copper coins around it.

“Old Gentleman.”

Li Daoxuan's voice was very soft and gentle, as if he were speaking to an ordinary elder.

“The tune is good.”

“It's just... too bitter.”

“A person lives for a lifetime, just as plants live for an autumn.”

“Some things, once they've passed, just let them go.”

“Carrying them all the time is too exhausting.”

After saying that.

He turned around, preparing to leave.

He did not wish to further disturb the final tranquility of this twilight hero.

However.

The moment he turned.

“Zheng—”

The desolate zither music came to an abrupt halt.

“Fellow Daoist, please stay your steps.”

An old and raspy voice slowly sounded behind him.

Li Daoxuan paused and looked back.

He saw that the blind old man had, at some point, stopped his movements.

His hollow eye sockets were 'looking' in Li Daoxuan's direction.

Though he couldn't see.

Li Daoxuan could feel a Divine Sense that, while weak, was extremely condensed and had locked onto him.

“Fellow Daoist, you can understand my tune?”

Gai Jiuyou's voice was very calm, like an ancient well without a single ripple.

“It seems...”

“Fellow Daoist is also an extraordinary person.”