Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

After having breakfast, Feng Yao straightened his clothes and left the East Palace amidst Qian Renxue's reluctant gaze.

As dawn broke, the streets of Tiandou City gradually filled with pedestrians. Feng Yao strolled along the cobblestone street, his golden robes gleaming in the morning sun. Passing by breakfast stalls, the rising steam carrying the aroma of pastries wafted towards him.

Now, Feng Yao's appearance has changed drastically. He has lost his former aloofness and gained a more gentle and refined temperament. His handsome profile is particularly eye-catching in the morning light, attracting frequent glances from passersby.

"So handsome!" Whispers of discussion drifted from the teahouses and breakfast stalls along the street.

Feng Yao smiled slightly, the cuffs of his gilded academy uniform swaying gently with his quickened pace. He subtly quickened his pace.

"Big brother, do you want to buy flowers?"

Feng Yao paused, his gaze softening as he looked at the Blue Silver Grass at the girl's feet, which resembled Tang San's. He knelt down and, to the girl's delight, bought the entire basket of wildflowers. When he stood up, he noticed an even larger crowd had gathered around.

Shaking his head helplessly, Feng Yao flicked his fingertips, and a gentle breeze swept by. His figure had already passed through the crowd like a phantom, leaving behind only fragrant wildflowers and the increasingly heated discussions of passersby.

As expected, when Feng Yao arrived at the magnificent gates of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy, he encountered trouble.

"Halt!" The doorman frowned, blocking his path, his cloudy eyes filled with wariness. "This young master looks unfamiliar."

Feng Yao calmly took out his teacher's badge from his pocket; the gilded surface gleamed in the sunlight. The waiter squinted, examining it repeatedly, then looked the young man, both strange and familiar, up and down.

"This... this teacher?" The waiter stammered, unable to speak. The ID was indeed genuine, but the person holding it was completely different from the one he remembered.

Feng Yao smiled gently: "I often play music by the lake."

The waiter was startled by the words, his cloudy eyes suddenly widening: "It's...Teacher Feng?!" He hurriedly stepped aside, but couldn't help staring at Feng Yao's face. "Your change is too..."

Feng Yao smiled and shook his head, then quickly walked through the archway. The familiar scenery of the campus rushed towards him, but the students he encountered along the way all looked at him with unfamiliar eyes, and whispers occasionally broke out.

"It seems that without summoning Fuxi, no one will recognize me." Feng Yao shook his head and sighed softly, a helpless smile appearing on his lips.

He lightly touched the air with his fingertips, and the ancient Fuxi appeared out of thin air, settling steadily into his arms. The soul power patterns flowing on the zither gleamed with a warm luster in the sunlight, and the seven strings trembled slightly with his steps, emitting a clear and melodious resonance.

I strolled slowly along the familiar path. The weeping willows by the lake remained the same, and a gentle breeze carried a few willow leaves to fall onto the surface of the zither.

Having not played the zither for many days, the moment my fingertips touched the strings, I felt a thrill of a long-awaited reunion. The music flowed out, and unlike its usual cold and aloof tone, today's melody was warmer and more transparent, even the ripples on the lake seemed exceptionally gentle.

Hearing the whispers of the students behind him, Feng Yao couldn't help but smile:
"Tsk tsk, people these days really know how to follow trends. Even Qin is imitating Master Feng."

He shook his head and chuckled, his fingertips casually plucking the strings, and a clear, melodious harmonic resonated in the air. The students who had been discussing suddenly fell silent, exchanging bewildered glances—this music was clearly identical to what Instructor Feng had played in the past.

Just as Feng Yao was about to sit down on his usual spot on the bluestone, a sharp shout suddenly came from behind him: "Halt! That's Instructor Feng's reserved performance area; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to occupy it!"

Feng Yao ignored the shouts behind him and walked straight to the familiar bluestone. Just as he was about to sit down, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly came from behind him—"Insolence!"

A powerful gust of wind, condensed from soul energy, swept towards them. Feng Yao didn't even turn his head, his fingertips lightly brushing the strings of his zither. The Fuxi Zither emitted a clear sound, and invisible sound waves rippled outwards, causing the incoming soul energy to dissipate like melting snow.

He gracefully sat down, placing the Fuxi Qin on his lap. As the first note flowed forth, even the willows by the lake seemed to fall silent. The music gradually rose, like a clear spring gurgling over stones, or a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain. The students, who had initially glared angrily, slowly opened their eyes wide—the fingering, the rhythm, it was clearly Fuxi Qin.
"It's the Wind Master!" a girl suddenly exclaimed. "Although his appearance has changed, the music is amazing!"

A familiar melody echoed across the lake, drawing more and more students to stop and listen. Some noticed that Feng Yao's music today was warmer and clearer than usual, yet its unique charm was something no one else could imitate. Amidst the fluttering willow catkins, the figure playing the zither gradually overlapped with the image of their beloved mentor, Feng Yao, in their memories.

"That music really is Wind Master! He's back?" A girl covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling with surprise.

"Is he really the Wind Instructor?" The boy next to him rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "But he looks completely different."

Among the crowd, a bespectacled student adjusted his glasses, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "I heard Instructor Feng is going to acquire his sixth spirit ring. Given his age, it's not surprising that his appearance would change due to a spirit advancement." He gazed at the figure by the lake, "Everything can be faked, except for this unparalleled musical skill—"

The lake rippled with shimmering light, reflecting Feng Yao's focused figure as he played the zither. Amidst the gentle sway of the willow branches, the once-familiar mentor seemed never to have left, only now possessing a more gentle and refined countenance. The students fell silent, as if afraid to disturb this beautiful moment of reunion.

Feng Yao gradually closed his eyes, completely immersed in the artistic conception of the zither music. With each pluck of his fingertips on the strings, he could clearly feel that his perception had been elevated to a whole new level after advancing to the Soul Saint realm.

Those performances he once considered perfect now revealed subtle flaws to his ears. It wasn't that these flaws hadn't existed before, but rather that he hadn't been able to perceive such exquisite nuances in his past. The music flowed like water, and he seemed to "see" the ripples each note created in the air, and "touch" the soul-power fluctuations caused by the vibrations of each string.

The Fuxi Qin was slightly warm in his arms, its seven strings shimmering with different hues. Feng Yao suddenly realized that this was true unity between man and instrument—not simply mastering the instrument, but resonating with his martial spirit. Those subtle details he had previously overlooked had now become areas for improvement.

The students by the lake noticed that Feng Yao's music had suddenly become more ethereal and clear. It was the same person playing the same piece, yet it seemed to have been infused with a completely new soul. The willow branches stopped swaying, and even the ripples on the lake's surface displayed wondrous patterns in sync with the music. Everyone held their breath, afraid to disturb the spectacular performance.

As the music reached its climax, Feng Yao's fingertips moved with increasing agility across the strings. He corrected every subtle flaw that had previously gone unnoticed, perfecting each note. Gradually, he experienced an unprecedented state of being—the music was no longer an anomaly against the environment, but rather a sound that could freely blend into the universe.

The students by the lake all wore expressions of astonishment. Feng Yao's figure was clearly nearby, and the music was audible, yet it evoked a mystical feeling—the clear, melodious notes seemed to transform into the shimmering waves of the lake, into the gentle breeze caressing their faces, even into the rhythm of their breath. The music was right beside them, yet it seemed to come from the distant heavens, vast and profound, perfectly integrated with nature. One girl instinctively reached out and touched the air in front of her, as if trying to grasp the elusive notes. Even the fish in the lake stopped scattering, instead swimming leisurely beneath the surface to the rhythm of the music, creating a wondrous soundscape.

Feng Yao closed his eyes and concentrated, savoring this profound state. Each time his fingertips brushed the strings, it felt as if he were touching the very fabric of the universe. He clearly perceived:

The trajectory of each ripple on the lake's surface;

The dewdrops on the willow branches trembled, about to fall but not yet.

Even the frequency of the students' clothes fluttering in the distance.
Every subtle movement is reflected in my heart as clearly as the lines on my palm. The sound of the zither is no longer just a sound, but has transformed into a bond connecting all things.

"It blends with the light, mingles with the dust, and remains serene."

A knowing smile appeared on Feng Yao's lips. The patterns on the Fuxi Qin shone brightly, and the seven strings vibrated on their own, producing a heavenly harmony. At this moment, he truly experienced the realm of "the greatest sound is silent"—the sound of the qin seemed to be fading, but in reality, it had resonated with heaven and earth.

The students by the lake unconsciously sat cross-legged. Although they couldn't clearly hear the specific melody, they felt as if the entire world was playing the most moving music. Some even found that their heartbeats resonated perfectly with the faint piano sounds.

As Feng Yao's zither music reached its zenith, more and more students sensed the unusual sound and came to investigate. On the lakeside lawn, small groups of people quietly gathered. Some sat with their knees drawn up to their chests, while others leaned against trees, all maintaining a tacit silence.

The morning dew gradually dissipated, and the willow shade shifted its angle as the sun moved. When the midday sun shone directly on the lake, Feng Yao's fingertips finally plucked a last, long harmonic on the strings. The lingering melody rippled across the lake, lingering for a long time.

He slowly opened his eyes and realized that hundreds of students were already sitting around him. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on their focused faces. Feng Yao smiled slightly, about to speak, when his stomach growled in protest—it was already noon without him realizing it.

Soon, Feng Yao arrived at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy's cafeteria as usual, carrying his tray and choosing a quiet corner. Just as he was focused on enjoying his lunch, a clear, familiar voice came from behind him:
Are you Xiaofeng?

Feng Yao looked up and saw Ye Lingling in a light blue dress. A warm smile unconsciously appeared on his lips: "You don't recognize me, do you, Sister Lingling?"

Ye Lingling's clear, autumn-water-like eyes widened slightly, and she almost dropped the plate in her hand. She quickly approached, carefully examining Feng Yao's changed face: "It really is you!" Her voice was filled with undisguised surprise, "How come even your appearance changed this time while hunting for soul rings?"

Feng Yao smiled and moved aside to make room for the senior student. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm dappled patterns on the dining table between them.

"What is this?" Ye Lingling frowned slightly, her light blue eyes scrutinizing Feng Yao. Although his appearance had changed drastically, his smiling eyes and the slight upturn of his lips when he spoke were still those of the boy she knew.

“Just like they said,” Feng Yao chuckled and shrugged, sunlight gilding his newly formed features, “he was young, and the spirit ring he absorbed was too domineering, so he ended up like this.”

Ye Lingling nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly smiled, "The change is indeed significant." She gestured with her hand, "Your shoulders are broader, and your features are more defined." She lightly touched the corner of his eye with her fingertip, "Most importantly, you look much gentler. I really wonder what Yan Yan's expression will be when she sees you."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao looked around and asked, "Speaking of Sister Yan, where is she?" His tone was somewhat doubtful.

Ye Lingling gently shook her head, her long silver hair swaying slightly with the movement: "I don't know the specifics either, I only know that she was taken away by Senior Dugu."

A knowing glint flashed in Feng Yao's eyes, and he nodded, saying, "Since it was Senior Dugu who summoned me, it must be for something important." He picked up a piece of tender fish, "But Senior will probably tell Sister Yan about my changes."

Ye Lingling pursed her lips, seemingly wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent. She lowered her head, fiddling with the food on her plate, lost in thought.

"Eat up," Feng Yao said with a smile, lightly tapping the edge of her plate with his chopsticks, making a crisp sound. "If you keep spacing out, the food will get cold."

Ye Lingling's slender fingers unconsciously traced the edge of her plate, her voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the cafeteria's noise: "Xiao Feng, have you already chosen His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Feng Yao paused slightly, his chopsticks still in his hand, and looked up to meet her worried gaze. After a moment of silence, he nodded frankly, "Yes, what's wrong, Sister Lingling?"

Ye Lingling suddenly leaned forward, her long silver hair slipping down her shoulders. She lowered her voice and said, "Choosing the Crown Prince at this time is probably not appropriate." Her eyes swept warily around the room. "Do you know what happened in Tiandou City a few days ago?"

Feng Yao shook his head, feigning ignorance, but his grip on the chopsticks tightened subtly. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on his lowered eyelashes, concealing the fleeting glint of light in his eyes. Ye Lingling didn't notice that behind her, the glass window reflected Feng Yao's thoughtful expression.

Ye Lingling's fingertips unconsciously tightened around the napkin, her voice even lower: "Tang Hao died at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Do you understand what that means?"

Feng Yao raised an eyebrow, deliberately feigning surprise: "The Spirit Hall? Even if it really was them, they wouldn't act rashly within Heaven Dou City, would they?"

“I don’t know what the Spirit Hall is planning either,” Ye Lingling shook her head worriedly, her long silver hair swaying slightly with the movement, “but they dare to ambush Tang Hao within the Heaven Dou territory.” She suddenly grabbed Feng Yao’s wrist, “I’m afraid you’ll get dragged into this mess.”

Feng Yao felt the slightly cool touch on his wrist and smiled gently, "Don't worry, Sister Lingling." He patted her hand lightly. "Thank you for reminding me, I'll be careful. Besides," he pointed to the mentor badge on his chest, "I just broke through recently and won't be leaving Tiandou City anytime soon."

Ye Lingling finally released her grip, nodding with a sigh of relief, "That's good." Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a faint ray of light between her furrowed brows. Feng Yao lowered his head and took a sip of soup, concealing the complex expression that flashed in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)