My Master Knows It All

381: Chapter 160 You Finish Your Performance and Then He Takes the Stage_4 381: Chapter 160 You Finish Your Performance and Then He Takes the Stage_4 “I doubt where his confidence comes from, to actually…”

Elder Huan Kong’s face turned unspeakably ugly as he listened to the disciples’ remarks.

Abruptly turning his head back to the crowd, he rebuked, “Shut your mouths!

Before you stands a Peak Master, a Peak Master of the Hundred Peaks Sect.

By right, he is your senior.

How can you act so disrespectfully!

Is this how we at the Thousand Caves Door teach you manners?”

So what if Cao Zhen doesn’t understand musical rhythm?

That’s actually good!

But what’s the point of you all saying it out loud?

If word spreads that the Thousand Caves Door debated with someone who doesn’t understand musical rhythms, won’t that be embarrassing!

However, if we phrase it differently, not mentioning that Cao Zhen doesn’t understand musical rhythms, then if we win, it will be a victory over a Peak Master of the Hundred Peaks Sect.

Then, the people of the Hundred Peaks Sect couldn’t criticize much, since it was Cao Zhen himself who claimed to be proficient in musical rhythms.

Don’t these disciples understand that?

The disciples of the Thousand Caves Door, reprimanded by the elder, hurriedly shut their mouths and said no more.

In the rear of the Hundred Peaks Sect, the crowd began to panic after hearing the words of the disciples from the Thousand Caves Door.

Lan Pili even secretly messaged Cao Zhen, “Peak Master Cao, you don’t understand musical rhythm, you could have just said so directly.

Why did you agree to debate with them?”

“Not understand?

Who said I don’t understand musical rhythms?

I just haven’t heard that particular piece of music,” Cao Zhen replied to Lan Pili and turned to look at the people from the Thousand Caves Door, asking again, “Everyone, don’t you even have a musical score?”

“Of course, there is one.

Our Immortal Melody Hall collects most of the musical scores from the Guardian Immortal Imperial Dynasty, among which is the ‘Breaking Formation Robe Swamp Melody’.”

A Cave Master said to a disciple behind him, “Go and get the ‘Breaking Formation Robe Swamp Melody’ for Peak Master Cao.”

One of his disciples quickly left, running to the bookshelf at the side of the hall and handed Cao Zhen a musical score.

Cao Zhen flipped through it.

Fortunately, it was a music score written in text; it would have been embarrassing if it had been purely notation.

Gao Jianli’s era did not have such simplified scores.

He read through word by word and quickly memorized the score.

Then he pointed to the various musical instruments around and asked, “Everyone, I did not bring my own instrument.

May I borrow one?”

The Cave Masters across from him were stunned.

He didn’t even have his own instrument?

This man truly seemed to know nothing.

Behind them, the members of the Hundred Peaks Sect were in despair.

It seemed Peak Master Cao truly didn’t understand musical rhythm.

How could someone familiar with it not know the ‘Breaking Formation Robe Swamp Melody’ or not have their own instrument?

“Peak Master Cao, you may take any instrument you wish,” a Cave Master replied with a wry smile, never having imagined that one day he would be debating with someone who knew nothing about musical rhythm.

If it had been anyone else, under different circumstances, he wouldn’t have bothered to challenge them.

After all, he had his pride, and he didn’t deign to bully those ignorant in the way of music.

But for the honor of the Thousand Caves Door, he had no choice but to engage in a debate with the opponent.

“By the way, since Peak Master Cao won’t be using his own instrument, let’s not use ours either.

Let’s all just pick something at random,” he added.

Of course, one is most proficient with the instrument one commonly plays.

But right now, Cao Zhen was clearly a novice who didn’t know anything, using an instrument from the Thousand Caves Door.

If they used their own, it would be too much of a bullying act, and it wouldn’t sound good if word got out.

“Alright, let’s choose our instruments again,” they agreed.

The Cave Masters from the Rhythmic Cave took turns choosing instruments they were skilled in, some casting unfriendly glances at Cao Zhen as they did so.

Cao Zhen obviously didn’t understand musical rhythms, yet he claimed to excel in them and insisted on debating them.

What did this imply?

It was a clear disdain for their path of musical rhythm!

It’s not just a disrespect to the Rhythmic Cave of the Thousand Caves Door but to everyone who pursued the path of musical rhythm.

What did he think?

Did he assume that musical rhythms were so simple that a glance was enough to understand them, or did he believe that the path of musical rhythm didn’t require respect and was just something for entertainment?

Surely, they must go all out shortly to show Cao Zhen what the path of musical rhythm was all about and to demonstrate that musical rhythm was not just for play!

Cao Zhen approached an array of instruments, looking them over one by one: zithers, flutes, pipes…

Here, there were instruments he could name and those he could not, indeed a complete assortment.

He quickly set his eyes on a suona.

He really wanted to choose this suona.

How did that saying go?

“A thousand years for the lute, ten thousand for the zither.

A lifetime with the erhu, but one blast of the suona and it’s game over.

At the first hearing, the suona’s sound is unrecognizable; at the second, you’re in the coffin.”

If everyone played together, the suona would be the first choice; its sound could end it all.

Unfortunately, Gao Jianli didn’t know how to play the suona.

It didn’t exist in his era.

Though, with Gao Jianli’s musical rhythm level of ninety-nine, a bit of practice would certainly make him proficient in the suona.

But he couldn’t just practice on the spot now, so he had to choose another instrument that Gao Jianli was familiar with.

His gaze swept around and finally settled on a set of chime bells.

‘Breaking Formation Robe Swamp Melody’ was an impassioned piece, so choosing the chime bells was appropriate.

Cao Zhen waved his hand, arranging the chime bells in an open space, then took a mallet in hand and looked toward the group of Cave Masters opposite him.

The Cave Master who had the disciple fetch the musical score glanced at the instrument Cao Zhen had picked, and chose not to comment further, only reminding, “Peak Master Cao, when I say begin, we will all start playing.

If anyone makes a mistake, they must stop playing.

Naturally, it also means they have lost.”