Fei Xiong, in his youthful prime, was prone to boasting.
Hearing others brag, he began to emulate them.
He chimed in,
"Hah, if you ask me, the Myriad Ghost King fears my broadaxe."
As he spoke, he placed his large broadaxe on the table.
Everyone looked at him curiously.
Seeing their attention, Fei Xiong grew even more proud.
He then spoke without reservation,
"This broadaxe of mine was originally a divine artifact.
One swing to cleave demons, another to vanquish fiends; essentially, no one is my match."
The crowd erupted in laughter, taunting him,
"If your axe is so powerful, why haven't you gone to the front lines to fight the Ghost Race?"
Fei Xiong laughed heartily,
"After I finish this wine and rest for a few days, I will go.
At that time, I will surely take the Myriad Ghost King's head.
I'll tie it to my horse's tail and bring it back for you all to see."
"Hahaha, good, good, good, if that truly happens, it would be wonderful."
Young Dao Lang quietly savored his wine.
His heart full of righteousness, he could not tolerate such boastful talk and spoke with mockery,
"If you truly have the ability, go now.
If you don't, why speak such grand words just to be heard."
Fei Xiong, hearing the slightly mocking tone of his words, felt a pang of indignation.
He picked up his broadaxe and slowly walked to Dao Lang's side, placing the axe heavily on his table.
He said slowly,
"Brother, you usually don't say much. Why are you speaking up today?"
Young Dao Lang snorted coldly, mocking him,
"If I hadn't heard such grand boasts, I wouldn't have bothered to speak.
If you truly had the ability, you wouldn't need to resort to empty words."
"What did you say?"
Fei Xiong was slightly angered.
Dao Lang slowly stood up, facing him directly,
"What did I say? Can't you understand? If you lack ability, why speak such big words."
Fei Xiong, seeing his arrogant demeanor, was instantly enraged and shouted,
"Are you trying to taste my broadaxe?"
"Oh? I'd very much like to see how it fares."
Fei Xiong had never encountered anyone so audacious. He raised his broadaxe and with a forceful swing, shattered the wooden table.
Dao Lang let out a cold snort and with a swift kick, sent Fei Xiong sprawling to the ground.
He then drew his short saber and lunged at him.
Fei Xiong dodged to the side, then spun around, raising his broadaxe to engage him.
At this moment, the innkeeper downstairs, hearing the commotion from upstairs, rushed up.
Seeing everyone standing and watching from the sidelines,
He hurried to look, only to see Dao Lang and Fei Xiong locked in a fierce battle.
His good tables and fine wine were more than half destroyed.
For a moment, he was at a loss for words, tears welling up, and he cried out to them in despair,
"Two esteemed guests, two esteemed guests.
This is a small business, it cannot withstand such destruction.
Please, for my sake, let this be enough."
However, Dao Lang and Fei Xiong paid him no heed, continuing their heated fight.
The innkeeper, heartbroken, cried out to them,
"Oh dear, sirs, sirs.
Please stop fighting, please stop?
If it continues like this, how can my little inn do business?
Please, sirs, cease your fighting, cease."
At this moment, Can Yue, who had been leisurely sipping tea nearby, began to show a hint of a smile.
He quickly drew the treasured sword from his waist.
With a "swish," he flung it, separating Dao Lang and Fei Xiong.
The treasured sword then stuck firmly into a pillar.
Dao Lang and Fei Xiong looked at him in confusion.
Fei Xiong, seeing his elder brother, declared proudly,
"Hahaha, it's my elder brother! My elder brother is going to make a move.
Kid, you thought you were having fun, didn't you? You'll regret this soon."
Dao Lang remained undaunted, proclaiming,
"Both of you come at me together. Don't say I'm bullying you."
Can Yue stepped onto the table and leaped forward, flipping through the air to retrieve his treasured sword from the pillar.
He slowly walked before them. Fei Xiong looked smugly at Dao Lang, thinking that Dao Lang was about to face his reckoning.
To his surprise, Can Yue suddenly clasped his hands in apology towards Dao Lang.
"Young brother, I am truly sorry.
My second brother is straightforward and crude in his actions, please forgive his many offenses."
Fei Xiong looked at him in disbelief and questioned,
"Big brother, what are you doing? Why are you apologizing to this brat?"
Can Yue ignored him, his gaze fixed on Dao Lang.
Dao Lang, being magnanimous, saw that an apology had been offered and did not wish to prolong the matter.
He clasped his hands and said,
"You are too kind. The events of today are also my fault for being too abrupt.
The innkeeper has been busy today, so I shall take my leave."
With that, he began to walk downstairs. Can Yue grabbed Fei Xiong and followed him.
As they passed the innkeeper, Fei Xiong untied his money pouch and tossed it to him as compensation.
Watching the three men leave the tea house, with Dao Lang and Fei Xiong now chasing after them,
The scene abruptly shifted from outside the tea house to a humble dwelling in the countryside.
This was the residence of young Dao Lang.
The three sat inside the house, conversing amicably.
During their conversation, they all felt a strong sense of kinship. Can Yue proposed,
"Since we are so compatible, why don't the three of us become sworn brothers?"
Dao Lang found the idea agreeable and readily replied,
"Good."
Thus, the three laughed and joined hands, stepping out of the thatched cottage.
They proceeded to the open space in the courtyard.
Then, the three knelt side by side, addressing the heavens,
"Today, I, Can Yue."
"Dao Lang."
"Fei Xiong."
"Do swear to become sworn brothers, with heaven as our witness, to share life and death, to advance and retreat together."
After speaking, the three bowed three times towards the sky.
Upon rising, they sealed their brotherhood with wine, appointing Can Yue as the eldest brother, Dao Lang as the second, and Fei Xiong as the third.
The three raised their cups, clinked them together, and drank the wine in one gulp. Afterward, Dao Lang exclaimed excitedly,
"Big brother, third brother."
Can Yue replied,
"Second brother, third brother."
Fei Xiong said,
"Big brother, second brother."
After their calls, the three embraced tightly, their hearts filled with immense emotion.
Dao Lang and Fei Xiong, looking back at the scene of their brotherhood, were also moved to tears.
They slowly ran forward, wanting to embrace the past selves, but unexpectedly, their hands passed through empty air.
Dao Lang, with tears in his eyes, confessed to his elder brother,
"Big brother, do you see? I have not failed your trust.
I have taken very good care of our third brother."
In a daze, Dao Lang and Fei Xiong simultaneously recalled the latter half of the story.
Later, at Can Yue's persuasion, Dao Lang abandoned his prideful life.
Together, they dedicated themselves to another path of saving the world.
However, no one could have predicted that after a few years had passed,
One day, while the three were out, they encountered remnants of the Myriad Ghost King's forces causing trouble.
On their way back to the city, they met a peculiar group of people begging for a ride.
To their surprise, less than a day later, righteous individuals pursued them.
It was then that they realized this group was also part of the Myriad Ghost King's remnants.
Without a word of explanation, the righteous individuals drew their swords and charged, mistaking the three brothers for troublemakers.
Ignoring any explanations, they chased and attacked the three.
To prove their innocence, Can Yue drew his sword and committed suicide before the crowd.
Only then did the crowd believe them and release Dao Lang and Fei Xiong.
For years thereafter, the two lived in a state of perpetual daze, causing trouble everywhere.
Finally, they encountered a wise master who enlightened them, and only then did they emerge from their gloom.
Carrying Can Yue's hopes, they learned to live properly.
As for Zhang Tianshi, he too harbored a deep, agonizing secret.
After becoming separated from the others, he wandered lost in a thick fog, searching for them.
Suddenly, he saw a young man walk past him.
He felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. As he turned his head, the surroundings suddenly changed.
He seemed to find himself in a mansion, with the sound of melodious and moving zither music reaching his ears.
The young man stood before him. He quickly stepped forward to get a closer look.
Suddenly, he clearly saw that this was none other than his younger self.
He was filled with confusion, thinking,
"What is happening? Why do I see my younger self."
The younger Zhang Tianshi, unlike his current dispirited state,
Was full of youthful vigor, exuding an aura of scholarly refinement.
Dressed in fine robes, with a folding fan in hand, his talent was already evident.
Suddenly, a familiar call sounded from behind him,
"Brother!"
Zhang Tianshi turned his head in disbelief.
He saw a beautiful and radiant young girl, dressed in a pink brocade gown, running out from the inner room.
She ran straight through him and into the young man's arms.
Zhang Tianshi, unable to believe his eyes, slowly called out,
"Qin'er, Qin'er, sister, is it really you?"
He walked forward in a daze, reaching out his hand as if to touch her.
However, his hand passed directly through her body, as if he were touching the air.
Then, the two walked back into the house together.
Zhang Tianshi stood in the courtyard, looking around.
Every blade of grass, every tree, every tile, and every brick had not changed.
Yet, he felt like an outsider here, out of place.
Zhang Tianshi sighed and also walked into the living room.
He came from the back door of the living room into the backyard, following the stone path to quickly catch up to the two.
At this moment, Qin'er was linking arms with the young Tianshi, telling him her wishes.
"Brother, I've learned all the zither scores you gave me.
It's so boring, not difficult at all."
Young Tianshi smiled dotingly,
"That's because my sister is exceptionally talented. No zither score can keep up with your progress."
Qin'er sighed slightly, her expression tinged with melancholy,
"Brother, can you find me a more difficult zither score next time?
These are all too simple. Look at me, my zither skills haven't improved recently."
Young Tianshi gently patted her head and dotingly agreed,
"Alright, I'll find you a more difficult zither score."
Hearing this, Zhang Tianshi's pupils suddenly widened, his face contorted with rage.
He clenched his fists tightly and lunged forward, unleashing a barrage of blows upon his younger self.
However, with every strike, it was as if he were hitting the wind, having no effect whatsoever.
Whether it was psychological or guilt, he shouted,
"No! Don't give her the zither scores, don't give her anything.
Don't give her the zither scores, do you hear me? Don't give her the zither scores!"
However, his words seemed to be spoken only to himself, as the figures ahead could not hear him at all.
He guessed what the latter half of the story would be, but he refused to face it, nor did he dare to watch.
He covered his head with his hands and, like a coward, ran out, collapsing in the courtyard and weeping uncontrollably.
He berated himself,
"Why me? Why would such a mistake be caused by me?
Why? Ah!!!"
He couldn't understand why fate was so unfair to him.
Why would it take away even the one he loved most?
He had clearly done nothing wicked.
Zhang Tianshi was overcome with pain, desperately clutching his head.
He tried to forcibly erase the memories that were gradually surfacing.
"Ah!!!"
He knelt on the ground, hands gripping his head, wailing in agony.
At this moment, a pair of small feet caught his eye, and a soft voice drifted towards him,
"Brother."
He slowly stopped his movements and slowly raised his head.
He saw Qin'er standing before him, her smile radiant.
In an instant, tears streamed down his face.
Then, memories surged forth like a spring, appearing before his eyes, bit by bit.
Tianshi's sister was named "Qin'er."
And this name was derived from the "Record of Weeping Blood" in the Tai Shen Palace.
This "Record of Weeping Blood" was originally an artifact of the Zhang family.
Qin'er was studious from a young age, proficient in all arts – zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting; she was truly gifted.
The two lived on Mount Zimu in Xizi Kingdom from childhood, and their lives were peaceful.
Until one year, a passing traveler, having run out of travel funds, happened upon Zhang Tianshi.
Zhang Tianshi generously invited the traveler to stay at his home for a few days.
Before departing, as a token of gratitude, the traveler presented Zhang Tianshi with a precious zither score.
However, not understanding music or melodies, he casually tossed it to Qin'er.
Qin'er received the zither score as if it were a treasure and studied it day and night.
Yet, she could not produce the ethereal sounds described in the score.
Later, Zhang Tianshi heard from somewhere.
It was said that to play this peerless zither score, one needed to use their own bones as the body of the instrument.
And their hair to make the strings. Zhang Tianshi dismissed this as a joke and told it to Qin'er.
It was also meant to shatter her cherished dream of beautiful music.
Unexpectedly, what was said carelessly struck a chord with her.
After hearing this, Qin'er became as if possessed.
That night, she cut off her long hair and drew a knife to sever her own arm.
She forced Tianshi to fashion a pipa from it.
Tianshi was both shocked and enraged, never expecting that a casual remark would be taken so seriously by his sister.
He felt both regret and heartache, adamantly refusing to make it into a pipa.
Seeing his refusal, Qin'er committed suicide within the room, leaving a dying wish.
She implored Zhang Tianshi to make a pipa from her remains, lest she die with regrets.
In his grief, Zhang Tianshi had no choice but to comply with his sister's dying wish.
He fashioned her remains into a pipa and kept it by his side forever.
However, after the pipa was completed,
The strings suddenly began to play that difficult zither score in the silent, deserted night.
The music was mournful and sorrowful. Zhang Tianshi thought his sister had returned.
He picked up the pipa and began to play unconsciously. Upon completing the piece, the player was also cursed.
For the rest of his life, he would be without companionship and die alone.
Later, he wandered the land with the pipa.
Those who saw him were intimidated by the resentment emanating from him and dared not approach.
Until a bold individual stole the pipa.
While searching for the pipa, he encountered a high monk. The monk, seeing his disheveled appearance, sallow complexion, and dark aura,
Deduced that he was under a curse.
Thus, he followed Tianshi for some time.
Tianshi then felt that he was not entirely unfortunate.
Following the monk's advice, he sought to break the curse.
To save him, the monk actually cut off a piece of his own flesh and gave it to Tianshi to consume.
Zhang Tianshi held the bloodied flesh, his expression filled with confusion and sorrow. The monk said,
"The Buddha's words state that saving one life is better than building seven pagodas."
Zhang Tianshi, filled with gratitude, consumed the flesh and blood, and the curse was lifted.
Later, after years of searching,
He learned that the pipa had fallen into the hands of Zi Yu, the Palace Master of Tai Shen Palace in Beishendu.
It was only after meeting Liu Muye that he managed to steal it.
The secret manual was called "Virtualization." When ignited with fire, the fire would extinguish, and the pipa would appear.
The pipa score, also known as "Demon Sound":
Demon Sound is a piece composed by the ancient Demon King Moyeduo for his beloved wife, Yan Ji.
Later, during a war between realms, Moyeduo tragically sacrificed himself.
Yan Ji, heartbroken, continued to compose on this score of ultimate love.
She poured her grief, anger, and sorrow into the zither score.
Then, in her despair, she died upon the pipa strings.
After her death, her resentment transformed into a curse, imbued within the zither's melody.
Anyone who hears the melody will inevitably lose their sanity and be trapped by their inner guilt.
Anyone who plays the zither score will be cursed.
To live a solitary life for all eternity, and if they cherish another, they will meet a terrible end.
It is truly a manifestation of unrequited love and a soul-piercing malevolence.
Terror Index: ★★★, ranking seventh on the list of Ten Great Demonic Artifacts.