My Amazing WeChat is Connected to the Three Realms - Chapter 79

Lin Hai felt like crying, but no tears came.

This damn trial is a complete scam!

Who knew what kind of absurd test the so-called Four Hermits of Cold Mountain would throw at him? If he failed, wouldn’t he just drop dead on the spot?

Dammit, what am I supposed to do?!

But if he didn’t take the trial, he’d be stuck in this painting forever.

This is so freaking unfair!

Slumped on the ground, Lin Hai wallowed in despair.

“Master, you’ve been in the sanctuary for ten hours now. According to the rules, you must pass the trial within twelve hours—otherwise, it will be counted as a failure, and your soul will scatter.”

Holy shit! Are you serious?!

Lin Hai shot to his feet.

Why didn’t you say so earlier?! This damn sanctuary is a death trap!

First Master, I curse your ancestors!

Lin Hai cursed inwardly.

“Then what are we waiting for? Take me there now!” he snapped at Xian’er.

Damn it, I might only have two hours left to live!

No way—I’m still a virgin!

“Hey, Xian’er, who exactly are these Four Hermits? Give me the rundown so I know what I’m up against.” As they walked, Lin Hai tried to gather intel.

“The Four Hermits are the Demon of Strings, the Sage of Chess, the Immortal of Calligraphy, and the King of Painting—each a master of their respective arts: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”

“Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Shit, I’m a complete amateur in all of them! Even the ones I know a little about, I’m barely passable!”

“So… uh… how’s their mood today?” Lin Hai asked cautiously.

“Their mood?” Xian’er shook her head. “No way to tell. They’re all eccentric.”

Before long, Xian’er led Lin Hai to a dense bamboo grove.

In front of it lay a wide clearing.

There, a young man in a green robe, his black hair cascading over his shoulders, sat with his eyes half-closed, gently plucking the strings of an ancient zither. His sharp, sinister features gave off an unsettling aura.

“Pluck… pluck… pluck…”

Every note sent Lin Hai’s heart pounding violently. After just a few chords, his chest tightened with agitation.

“Lord Demon of Strings, a new master has arrived for the trial,” Xian’er announced.

“Pluck… pluck… pluck…”

The Demon of Strings continued playing as if he hadn’t heard her.

Xian’er, seemingly used to this, simply smiled and waited patiently.

But Lin Hai couldn’t wait.

With each note, his heart hammered harder, as if trying to leap out of his throat. A suffocating pressure crushed his chest, making it hard to breathe.

“Hey, can you stop playing?!” Lin Hai finally blurted out, unable to take it anymore.

“Hm?” The Demon of Strings paused, his eyes snapping open to glare at Lin Hai.

The intensity of that gaze felt like lightning stabbing into Lin Hai’s pupils—so painful that his Celestial Eye activated on its own just to withstand it.

“Hmph.” The Demon of Strings smirked, raising a six-fingered hand to point at Lin Hai.

“Since you’re here for the trial… listen to my song.”

Holy crap—Six-Fingered Demon of Strings!

Lin Hai suddenly recalled an old movie he’d seen years ago.

This guy literally has six fingers!

“Strum—!”

Before Lin Hai could react, the Demon of Strings plucked a chord.

His head spun violently.

Damn it, here we go again!

“Pluck… pluck… strum… buzz… buzz…”

The Demon of Strings’ fingers flew faster and faster across the strings.

Lin Hai’s vision blurred, his skull throbbing. The pressure in his chest grew unbearable, as if his heart might explode.

“Aaaah!” Lin Hai roared, trying to release the pent-up agony.

“Strum—!”

The Demon of Strings countered with a sharp note, instantly suppressing Lin Hai’s shout.

“Guh—!”

Lin Hai spat a mouthful of blood, nearly collapsing.

“Tch.” The Demon of Strings sneered, speeding up even more.

“Screw you, old man!” Lin Hai cursed inwardly.

Can’t act recklessly. Last time I yelled, he countered me and made me cough up blood.

But if he didn’t vent the pressure, his heart would burst—game over!

What do I do?!

Then it hit him.

I need to time it right—shout in the split-second gap between his notes!

“Aah!”

Lin Hai seized an opening and roared again.

But his timing was slightly off—the Demon’s next note crashed into his voice, forcing another bloody cough.

Goddammit!

Gritting his teeth, Lin Hai focused harder, searching for the perfect moment.

“Aah!”

Another roar—another mouthful of blood.

But this time, Lin Hai grinned through the pain.

Almost… just a little more…

Ignoring his pounding heart, he zeroed in on the rhythm.

“Hah!”

A short, sharp shout—perfectly timed between two notes.

The instant the Demon of Strings finished one pluck, Lin Hai cut off his voice before the next could counter.

“Hm?”

The Demon of Strings paused, eyeing Lin Hai in surprise.

“Hahaha! Success!”

Lin Hai’s heart soared with triumph.

Finally, some relief!

“Aah!”

Another perfectly timed shout—another evasion.

Yes! Dodged again!

Lin Hai was ecstatic.

“Hmph. Too early to celebrate.”

The Demon of Strings suddenly accelerated.

“You bastard!”

Lin Hai’s next few shouts collided with the notes, sending him coughing up more blood.

Desperate, he sharpened his focus, hunting for the tiniest gaps in the melody.

“Aah! Aah! Aah!”

With unwavering concentration, he matched the rhythm.

Gradually, his shouts and the Demon’s notes intertwined—so seamless it was unclear who was following whom.

Once he synced with the tempo, Lin Hai exhaled in relief.

Noticing the Demon didn’t speed up further, he grinned.

Finally, I’ve weathered the storm!

A hopeful thought struck him—Could this mean I’ve passed?

Flushed with excitement, Lin Hai got cocky.

Screaming ‘Aah!’ over and over sounds so damn stupid.

Might as well sing a proper song!

Suddenly, he remembered The Doxology—that infamous song from years ago with its nonsensical “Ah-oh!” lyrics.

Perfect for this nonsense!

“Ah-oh! Ah-oh-ee! Ah-s-dee ah-s-dee! Ah-s-dee-lo-dee-lo-do! Ah-s-dee ah-s-dee-lo-do! Ah-oh—!”

Hell yeah, this tempo fits like a glove!

Lin Hai belted out the song, channeling his frustration into the performance.

Unconsciously, he infused it with the Moon Palace Celestial Melody technique.

“Hm?!”

The Demon of Strings stiffened, his eyes widening.

Lin Hai’s singing carried an unexpected force—subtly overpowering the zither’s notes.

“Impossible!”

Grimacing, the Demon’s fingers blurred across the strings, speeding up furiously.

Lin Hai, in turn, sang faster.

The music and voice clashed, their combined energy compressing the air between them.

SNAP!

After an indeterminable time, a string on the zither suddenly broke.

“Pfft—!”

The Demon of Strings spat blood, his face a mask of shock as he stared at Lin Hai.