Chapter 198: A Melody of Sorrow, Forever Apart Without Tears

The afternoon sun was warm enough to make one feel lazy. Liu Yi, who had just come out of the Iceheart Hall, indulged even more in the warm sunlight. Thus, even while talking with Ye Luobaihua, he stayed in the sunlit part of the pavilion.
Ye Luobaihua smiled gently. Though the smile couldn’t be seen, it could be sensed, and she continued, “Sir, you’re too modest. In this competition, no one is witnessing us, and we both know whether we win or lose. So, please be prepared.”
Liu Yi nodded and replied, “Princess, you have great courage and a wonderful mindset. It seems that after just one round, one of us will surely admit defeat. Otherwise… it means there’s no winner?”
Ye Luobaihua nodded and said, “It’s good that you understand. If there are no issues… let’s begin.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Alright.” Then, a maid politely helped him sit down.
Ye Luobaihua continued, “Let me play this piece as a humble offering. This melody was composed by me. I’ve always loved it, but I’ve never played it for anyone before. Today, I’d like to invite you to listen to this piece titled ‘Falling Snow’.”
Liu Yi nodded politely and said, “Princess, you’re too modest. Please go ahead.”
As soon as she spoke, soft piano music began to play, reaching Liu Yi’s ears. From the sound, he realized that Ye Luobaihua was not far away—opposite him. When a gentle breeze blew, he could clearly smell the familiar scent of lilies, which he knew was Ye Luobaihua’s fragrance.
The music was melancholic and soft, with a gentle breeze accompanying it. Gradually, Liu Yi seemed to merge into the music. The melodies carried rhythm, and within that rhythm seemed to lie emotions, slowly entering his ears and his heart, leaving an impression.
The music was neither fast nor slow, neither rushed nor leisurely. It seemed to tell stories of life or describe landscapes. When Liu Yi regained his focus, he found that the world had changed. His world was no longer dark; instead, it was filled with falling snow, everything around him white and boundless. For a moment, Liu Yi’s body trembled. He couldn’t understand why, even though he had braved the cold at the peak of the sky riding a sword, this illusion created by the music had such an effect on him.
In this illusory world, Liu Yi slowly opened his eyes, watching the white snowflakes drift down. The wind around him was cold, and the entire space was white and endless. Suddenly, Liu Yi realized—it wasn’t an illusion. To be more precise, it wasn’t his illusion. It must be Ye Luobaihua’s world, her true world.
The music seemed rhythmic yet chaotic, but each note reached Liu Yi’s ears slowly, just like those pure and sacred snowflakes, falling one by one, gently and slowly.

Suddenly, Liu Yi stared at a snowflake in amazement, watching it drift slowly down, as if asking himself what happiness was—was it the purity of the falling snow or the solidity of it hitting the ground? When a cold wind blew, the snowflake would surely drift aimlessly, even rising above the ground, a state of uncertainty without a sense of safety, never knowing when the wind would stop or where it would land next…

The cold around him pierced Liu Yi’s body. He frowned again—this world was cold, without sunlight, only ice and snow; without the scent of flowers, only the bitter wind. Yet this world was real—it was the world of Ye Luo Baihua, a world of young women. Liu Yi’s question was that everything was the opposite of what he had seen. After feeling it deeply, he suddenly realized that the woman before him had kept his heart frozen in another world, a world of snow and ice alone.

Liu Yi stood frozen in this strange and cold world. Its boundless expanse brought him endless loneliness. He knew these feelings did not belong to him. He was clear that it was the melody expressing its owner’s heart—all the cold, all the loneliness, was something Ye Luo Baihua had imposed on herself.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but when Liu Yi regained his senses from that world, Ye Luo Baihua had stopped playing. He could still clearly feel the cold, but it wasn’t the cold of his body—it was the cold of his heart.

Ye Luo Baihua said softly, “Sir, do you think this piece of mine, ‘Falling Snow,’ has a chance of winning?” Her voice was sweet and extremely pleasant.

Liu Yi slowly stood up, then nodded gently. Guided by his instincts, he walked toward the warm sunlight before saying, “I should say the princess has a chance of winning, but there are too many reasons not to. So, I must defeat her.”

Although Liu Yi spoke slowly, his words were arrogant, rude, and supremely conceited. Yet Ye Luo Baihua wasn’t angry. She asked, “Sir, you’re very confident. Then what’s your opinion of this piece?”

Liu Yi shook his head. “I’m but a drop in the ocean. How could I comment on the princess’s skill? I only have a few thoughts—am I allowed to share them?”

Ye Luo Baihua paused for a moment before saying, “Please go ahead, sir.”

Liu Yi thought for a while before saying, “I think the princess’s piece shouldn’t be called ‘Falling Snow.’”

Ye Luo Baihua seemed surprised and asked, “Oh? Then what name do you suggest?”

Liu Yi paused, as if thinking, before sighing and saying, “The world’s indifference is like cold ice and snow. The princess’s heart is as cold as ice and as lonely as snow. I think it should be called ‘Frozen Heart.’ Presumably, the princess has been locking herself away in a world of snow all these years—where the cold is even worse than the coldest places on earth.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, a glimmer seemed to pass through Ye Luo Baihua’s eyes, though it was unclear what it meant. She then said, “Sir, you truly are extraordinary—able to perceive the melody so deeply. Surely your mastery in this area is also profound. I had hoped to outdo you through skill in music, but it seems there’s no hope now.”

Liu Yi paused for a moment before continuing, “The princess is being too kind. It’s just that the princess is excellent at playing the zither, which is why I can perceive it so clearly. There’s nothing strange about that. Besides, I haven’t played the zither in ten years and have almost forgotten how. If I were to compete with the princess now, I think… I’d have to improvise on the spot.”

Ye Luobaihua glanced at Liu Yi for a while, seemingly deep in thought. She had always thought she had disguised herself well, but a single piece of music allowed the man before her to see her from head to toe, from the outside in—without any concealment. What kind of person was he? How could he perceive the essence of the music and the feelings of the person playing it so clearly?

After Liu Yi finished speaking, they both fell silent for a moment, but Ye Luobaihua quickly broke the silence. She gently stood up and said to Liu Yi, “Well then, since that’s the case, Baihua would like to hear the master’s piece. Please use Baihua’s zither.”

Liu Yi nodded and slowly walked toward the sound. Relying on his initial impressions, he sat down gently and said, “I’ll borrow the princess’s zither for now.”

Although Ye Luobaihua knew Liu Yi couldn’t see, she still nodded comfortably and asked, “What piece would you like to play, master?”

Liu Yi thought for a moment before replying, “As I said earlier, I’ve been out of practice for so many years. All I can do is play whatever comes to mind. I don’t even know what piece I’m playing.”

Ye Luobaihua stared at Liu Yi with her beautiful eyes, as if wanting to say something, but quickly replaced it with another phrase, saying, “If that’s the case, master, Baihua’s chances of winning are even greater.”

Liu Yi didn’t speak, only nodding gently and saying, “Princess, please sit. I’ll start playing.”

Ye Luobaihua replied, “Go ahead, master. Baihua will stay right here.” It seemed she wanted to observe this blind man more closely, to watch every one of his movements and see what kind of music he could produce after claiming to have not played the zither in ten years.

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Then I’ll begin.”

As soon as he spoke, the sound of the zither filled the air. Just as Liu Yi had said, he played wherever his thoughts took him. The strings were plucked randomly by his hands covered in black gloves, and rough notes reached Ye Luobaihua’s ears. She frowned, unsure whether to be happy or not.

She was happy because the music played by this man was nowhere near comparable to hers—even a fool could tell the difference. But she wasn’t sure why she was unhappy; it was just a sense of disappointment in her heart. From what he had said earlier, he seemed to have a deep understanding of the zither, and a feeling of familiarity as if they knew each other had instantly taken root in her heart. Perhaps this was disappointment in hope—mixed with a hint of sadness. Yet she herself didn’t even know what that hope was. A kindred spirit?

As Ye Luobaihua was lost in thought, the rough music suddenly disappeared and changed—becoming melodious and deep, no longer chaotic. Smooth notes reached her ears, bringing a sense of joy, happiness, and an indescribable feeling. Her heart was filled with beauty, an overwhelming sense of everything being wonderful.

That feeling was very intimate and close, as if it existed everywhere in life. Watching birds flying, streams flowing, and flowers blooming—all seemed to represent happiness, joy, and all that was beautiful.
Ye Luobaihua had strict control over the arrangement of this Book Dream Pavilion, as everything here was created according to her own ideas—every blade of grass, every flower, even every ray of sunlight inside the pavilion was part of her plan. Yet, she never felt such emotions; it seemed she overlooked the things around her, as if all beauty was right beside her, not far away.
Suddenly, the sound of the zither changed, and that feeling of joy vanished instantly. The sunlight disappeared, along with birds, flowers, fish, and insects. It was as if they had fallen from the sky back to reality. But it wasn’t real—the notes carried sorrow and pierced Ye Luobaihua’s heart once again.
It was a heart-breaking sorrow, an indelible sorrow, a sorrow that had lasted for thousands of years—a pain beyond words. The whole world became dark; there was nothing else but herself, alone, with a sword. The sky and the earth were the same color, and all around was nothing but endless emptiness. Everything seemed to tell of a helpless fate.
The sound of the zither slowed down, yet it became even sadder. Each note seemed to tell a story. Ye Luobaihua was momentarily confused, yet also strangely clear. She remembered that painting, the black-and-white one. At that moment, the zither music seemed magical, bringing the figure from the painting into Ye Luobaihua’s world.
She suddenly realized that the lonely figure turning around was actually this blind man. The woman in white was walking hand in hand with him, but for some reason, the woman gradually disappeared, her face becoming blurred. He tried to grasp her, but it was useless—her figure eventually vanished into thin air…
What kind of feeling was this? Ye Luobaihua wanted to ask someone, but there was no one around—just her. Her heart felt empty. What was that? Why such sorrow? The pain in her heart seemed beyond description…
Just then, the zither music stopped abruptly. Everything around seemed to quiet down. The birds fell silent, and butterflies slowly landed. All that could be heard was the sound of the stream. Liu Yi gently stood up and sighed, “Return the princess’s zither.”
Ye Luobaihua’s eyes were somewhat blurred. When she came back to her senses, she nodded and said, “Clearly, your zither skills are far superior to mine. You can bring things into the music—I admire that. But… that story was too sad.”
Liu Yi thought for a moment and asked, “So, does the princess admit defeat?”
Ye Luobaihua replied, “I’ll help you seal that primordial energy so you won’t fall into the path of darkness for now. As for… that tear, I think it won’t fall.” Though she said this, her eyes were still moist.
Liu Yi sensed Ye Luobaihua’s aura and stepped forward two steps, guided by the fragrance of the lilies. Now, the distance between them was just a few inches. Ye Luobaihua didn’t understand why the person in front of her suddenly came closer. Was there something else?

Liu Yi continued, “Your name is Bai Hua, and you’re known as the Princess of Bai Hua. Then do you know what the most painful flower in the world is?”
Ye Luo Bai Hua shook her head upon hearing his words. “Can flowers also feel pain?”
Liu Yi gently raised his right hand, and within his black glove, a pink glow gathered, mixed with white specks. In that instant, a dazzling light emanated between the two of them. As the light gradually condensed, a pink flower floated above Liu Yi’s right hand.
Ye Luo Bai Hua’s beautiful eyes stared at this suddenly appearing magical flower. She had never seen such a flower before. It had nine stamens and fourteen petals—seven petals surrounding the stamens and seven hanging downward, emitting a red glow. It was extremely beautiful, floating gently in the person before her, spinning, yet it seemed to lack something.
The flower in Liu Yi’s right hand was the cursed Lotus of the Other Shore. Liu Yi continued, “This flower is quite ordinary. Its name is the Lotus of the Other Shore.”
Ye Luo Bai Hua looked at the pink flower and, hearing Liu Yi’s words, sensed there was a story behind it. She nodded gently and said, “Sir, please go on.”
Liu Yi sighed and continued, “There exists a strange flower in this world. It grows in the farthest corners of the earth. Its name is the Lotus of the Other Shore. When it blooms, there are no leaves to be seen, and when there are leaves, no flower is visible. The flower and its leaves never meet, forever separated… This flower is cursed to belong to the Other Shore, symbolizing lost love and sorrow.”
Ye Luo Bai Hua looked at the pink flower and suddenly understood. She knew what was missing—leaves. Since the flower and its leaves should go together, why were they forever separated? Wasn’t that too cruel? And if it represented sorrowful love, what did that mean? Could such love be cursed? Could lovers not be together, forced to remain apart forever?
Staring at the pink, spinning flower in Liu Yi’s hand, Ye Luo Bai Hua suddenly thought of something—the melody of the zither. Didn’t the two people depicted in that melody resemble the prophecy of the Lotus of the Other Shore? It seemed as though those gradually fading figures reappeared in her mind, along with that lonely person, his sword pointing toward the sky, yet no one could bring him justice.
In an instant, sorrow overwhelmed her, blurring her vision. When she woke from that daze, a gentle breeze blew, cooling her face. Only when the tear fell onto the Lotus of the Other Shore did she realize she had cried, shedding that tear of sorrow.
Liu Yi could clearly hear the sound of the tear falling, but in his anticipation, he was disappointed—because the fall of the tear didn’t stir even a speck of dust, and the Lotus of the Other Shore showed no change. Liu Yi’s heart grew complicated. Had he been wrong? Could the Tears of the Hundred Flowers not refer to Ye Luo Bai Hua? Or did they truly refer to some other flower?
Liu Yi dared not think any further. If that was the case, where exactly could the Hundred Flowers be found? In this vast world, searching for nine types of tears was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Could this curse really not be broken?
At that moment, a pleasant voice interrupted Liu Yi’s thoughts. “Sir…”

Liu Yi quickly turned around, put away the Lotus of the Other Shore, and said, “I’m sorry for disturbing the princess.”
Ye Luo Baihua shook her head and replied, “Sir, you’re being too polite. Since you won this match, I will keep my promise and help seal that True Origin Energy for you.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Thank you, princess.” But after hearing Ye Luo Baihua’s words, Liu Yi seemed to remember something. He had been fully focused on this competition, and now that it was over, he suddenly felt something was missing—where was July? Right, July had been captured by the Lan family. Liu Yi’s heart became restless once again.
What was the relationship between Yu Chenxing and the Lan family, and why had they taken July? These became sources of concern for him. As he thought about it, he grew anxious and said, “Princess, please, I think my friend is in danger.”
Ye Luo Baihua seemed to understand and said, “Sir, please follow me.” With that, she led the way.
Liu Yi followed Ye Luo Baihua’s voice, while she continued, “Although I don’t know Yu Chenxing’s identity, we can definitely conclude from that ‘Four-Winged Dragon Beast’ that she is from the Lan family’s royal lineage, and her status is very high—certainly above that of the rulers of the Six-Star Palace.”
Hearing Ye Luo Baihua’s words, Liu Yi didn’t say much, but he seemed to sense trouble…