Saving Entertainment

To Ian's surprise, Serena Murong visited again, and this time their conversation lasted a full hour before she finally took her leave. But the real highlight came when Ian, with casual mastery, sat before his self-made guqin and played for her a song that would soon echo through the Inner Sect.

"Is this the legendary beauty trap?" Ian mused to himself after Serena left, shaking his head with a wry smile. Still, he could sense the subtle tension and charm in her repeated visits, as if the air itself was charged with both intrigue and amusement.

Noon, Inner Sect cafeteria.

Compared to the Outer Sect cafeteria, the Inner Sect's food was much richer and more nutritious.

"Are you Leon Huang?"

A new figure appeared at the table. Ian looked up, meeting the gaze of a young man—thin, dark-skinned, and brimming with hostility. The tension was palpable, as if the cafeteria air had thickened with rivalry and the promise of trouble.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

The guy was clearly here to pick a fight, so Ian saw no reason to be polite.

The young man's face went cold. He threatened, "Here's some advice—stay away from Junior Sister Murong. She's not someone a toad like you should even think about approaching!"

"Idiot." Ian’s reply was sharp and unyielding, slicing through the young man’s bravado with the kind of disdain reserved for self-important fools. The insult hung in the air, drawing a few startled glances from nearby disciples.

"Does this have anything to do with you?" Ian shot back, speechless.

"You... you're just a coward! You don't even have the guts to accept a challenge!"

"None of your damn business!" Ian shot back, his voice dripping with contempt. He turned his attention back to his plate, pointedly ignoring the provocateur as if dismissing a buzzing fly.

Ian snapped irritably, striding away, too lazy to bother with another fool from the Inner Sect.

But by evening, Ian’s name had spread among the Inner Sect disciples—not as a symbol of power, but as a byword for cowardice.

Thanks to some deliberate rumor-mongering, his refusal to fight had already become synonymous with being timid as a mouse.

When Ian went to the cafeteria for dinner, he found plenty of disciples pointing and whispering about him.

Ian caught all the gossip but wasn’t angry at all. Instead, he found it funny—these Inner Sect disciples must be bored out of their minds to care so much about such trivial rumors.

Calvin Gao gritted his teeth so hard he nearly cracked them, barely restraining himself from striking Ian on the spot. "Fine, Huang Liang—just you wait!" The threat was hollow, but his pride demanded a parting shot.

Honestly, this world’s entertainment was pitifully lacking—no chess, no go, no playing cards, no songs, no dancing.

The only real entertainment was training martial arts.

Once he had the idea, he had to act. So after a quick dinner, Ian hurried back to his courtyard and ordered Wes and Tyson to prepare some materials.

Two hours later, Ian had made a deck of playing cards, a chess set, a go board, a guitar, and a guqin.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Wes opened the door and ushered Serena Murong inside.

"Junior Brother Huang, I heard about you and Calvin Gao. Sorry—it's my fault you got dragged into this!" Serena apologized, but there was a hint of smugness in her eyes.

Ian waved it off, unconcerned. "No worries, I haven't given it a second thought!"

"But...!"

Ian raised a hand to cut her off, then sat down in front of the guqin, smiling. "Senior Sister Murong, your timing is perfect. I just finished making this guqin—let me play a piece for you."

"Guqin? What's that?" Serena asked, puzzled.

"It's a kind of musical instrument!"

"Is there really such an instrument in this world?" Serena was even more confused. The only instruments she knew were war drums and bronze chimes.

"There wasn't before, but there is now!" Ian grinned. He’d read plenty of books in the Library Pavilion, so he knew this world lacked instruments. Smiling, he plucked the strings.

Ian hadn’t drawn any guqin skills from the Galaxy God Ring, but he’d learned in the Great Qin World.

As Ian’s fingers danced across the strings, a stream of beautiful notes poured out, weaving through the courtyard like a living spirit. The music was unlike anything Serena had ever heard—gentle yet bold, ancient yet new. She was instantly stunned, rooted to the spot, her heart swept away by the guqin’s ethereal sound.

Just then, Ian began to sing:

A laugh from the vast sea—

Tides rolling on both shores—

The moment Ian began to sing, Serena felt as if a heroic tide surged from the music, crashing through her chest and sending a shiver down her spine. Her heart trembled, her skin tingled as if lightning had struck her soul. She thought, 'How could this world contain such a stirring voice, such fearless spirit?'

Floating and sinking in the waves, only remembering the present—

Heaven laughs—

Worldly conflicts surge—

Who wins, who loses—only the sky knows.

......

Finally, Ian ended with a relaxed 'la-la-la,' then looked up to see Serena still lost in the song, unable to snap out of it.

After a long moment, Serena rushed over, grabbed Ian’s hand, and said excitedly, "Junior Brother Huang, can you play and sing it again? I want to hear it one more time!"

"How could I refuse a beauty’s request?"

Ian grinned flirtatiously, then set his hands on the strings again.

To Ian’s surprise, Serena begged him to play the song six times before she was finally satisfied.

Serena’s autumn-water eyes sparkled. "Junior Brother Huang, you’re a genius—to create such a moving song, and this guqin’s sound is beautiful too!"

Ian was quite pleased. "Is that so? Then let me play another piece for Senior Sister Murong: 'Ambush on Ten Sides.'"

Serena’s eyes lit up. "Great, play it!"

Unlike the bold, free-spirited 'A Laugh From the Vast Sea,' 'Ambush on Ten Sides' was steeped in battle and slaughter. Originally a pipa composition, Ian adapted it to the guqin, giving it a different flavor—more expansive and urgent, as though the whole world was drenched in killing intent.

Hearing the fierce music, Serena's breath caught, but soon she closed her eyes and listened, her face full of intoxication.

Just then, an Inner Sect disciple happened to pass by outside Ian’s courtyard. Hearing the astonishing guqin sounds, he stopped in his tracks...