Chapter 1087: Chapter 1087: You’re Not Human
Qin Sisi’s words stirred up some memories for Ah Xia. He gazed at the vast sky and answered in a rich, resonant voice, "Use willow flute, the kind made from willow branches. But you can only make them during spring and summer, because in autumn and winter, the willow trees dry up, and it’s no longer possible to craft them."
Even if one knows they cannot reach the pinnacle in this lifetime, they should never abandon the pursuit of growth and the desire for strength.
Qin Sisi patted his shoulder and comforted him, "Don’t worry, I’ll make one for you."
Ah Xia froze, staring blankly at Qin Sisi for a long time. Hesitantly, he asked, "You... know how to make flutes?"
Qin Sisi nodded. "I’ve practiced before, but my skills aren’t great. I don’t know if I can make it well."
These were not words of modesty—she had always focused primarily on forging weapons because they sold more easily, whereas buyers of musical instruments were comparatively rare.
However, because of her love for it, she had studied a bit. Flutes weren’t particularly difficult to make. As there was still some time before they reached Midair City, she planned to reflect and figure out how to craft one properly.
Ah Xia ignored Qin Sisi’s uncertainty altogether and, overjoyed, grabbed her shoulders, shouting, "You really know how to make instruments? You really want to make one for me? Ms. Xueqin, you... you definitely aren’t human!"
"Huh?" Now it was Qin Sisi’s turn to be stunned. She had meant well, yet she was somehow insulted.
Ah Xia quickly explained, "What I mean is, you are definitely not a mere mortal; you’re a goddess sent by the heavens—a goddess, yes, that’s what you are!"
Only then did Qin Sisi understand that Ah Xia was praising her. However, the term "goddess" made her feel embarrassed. She gestured toward Ah Xia’s hands, signaling for him to let go of her.
Ah Xia came to his senses, realizing his over-exuberance, and quickly released Qin Sisi. His face flushed bright red as he repeatedly apologized to her.
Qin Sisi waved her hand and said, "It’s okay, you didn’t do it on purpose. But in the coming days, I’ll need to focus on learning how to forge the flute. I’ll have to ask you, Bu Lang, and Bu Luo to take good care of the caravan. If it’s not something urgent, please try not to disturb me."
Ah Xia nodded again and again, promising to look after the caravan and not bother Qin Sisi.
Qin Sisi rummaged inside her storage ring and felt a bit disheartened. It seemed she didn’t have suitable materials for making musical instruments—only metals appropriate for weapon forging.
She lifted her head and looked around. When her gaze fell on the scattered Arctic Wolf carcasses lying everywhere, her furrowed brows relaxed.
Flutes are typically made from materials like copper, silver, horn, jade, bones, wood, or bamboo. While her storage ring didn’t contain any of these, the Arctic Wolves’ carcasses were full of usable bones.
Arctic Wolves are Ice Attribute Demonic Beasts that live in cold regions. They grow slowly, and their bones are dense and extremely sturdy. They are among the hardest wolf bones, perfect for crafting musical instruments.
Thus, Qin Sisi walked to the carcasses and dismantled the larger bones from the Arctic Wolves. She cleaned them thoroughly in the ice lake before storing them in her storage ring.
At that moment, she regretted using Fire Magic to kill the alpha wolf. The alpha wolf was a Fourth Order Demonic Beast, and its bones surely would have been the best among the pack. Unfortunately, the Sun’s True Fire was too powerful; the alpha wolf’s flesh, blood, and fur were utterly destroyed, and even its remaining bones were scorched brittle and unusable.
However, regrets served no purpose now. At the time, Qin Sisi needed to kill the alpha wolf quickly and deliver a warning to the pack. Using the strongest Fire Magic had been the best choice. No one could predict subsequent events.
For the next few days, Qin Sisi stayed inside the carriage, meticulously studying how to forge the flute. She practiced with the ordinary Arctic Wolves’ bones, enduring many failures before finally achieving success.
A short flute was crafted, but its quality was average. Qin Sisi persisted in creating one flute after another, each better than the last.
When she felt her skills were satisfactory, she took out a skull from a Second Order Arctic Wolf to officially craft a short flute for Ah Xia.
This process had been practiced countless times. Her movements were fluid and graceful, bordering on perfection.
A three-star short flute emerged from the Jiu Hua Divine Cauldron as if it were a masterpiece brought to light—spotless and pure, with a faint glow and a cold, smooth touch.
Afterward, she used the leg bones of a Second Order Arctic Wolf to forge two short sticks for Ah Xia, which were also three-star quality.
After all, Music Magic does have certain weaknesses in direct combat. Since Ah Xia’s Music Magic was still in its infancy, he was at a disadvantage during battles. It was best to equip him with a formidable weapon to unleash a more powerful and swift form of magic.
In the early stages, Music Magic served mainly as an auxiliary skill. Its awe-inspiring power would only emerge in the later stages, requiring Ah Xia to spend considerable time exploring and mastering it.
When Qin Sisi handed the forged short flute and weapons to Ah Xia, his eyes widened in disbelief. Though he had always stood firm in his preferences, he had never dreamed of possessing such incredible instruments and weapons.
"Ms. Xueqin, no, Goddess, is this really for me?" Ah Xia was ecstatic, scarcely able to believe it.
Qin Sisi smiled and nodded, her tone firm as she said, "Yes, it’s for you. Go ahead and try it out."
"It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect," Ah Xia said eagerly, nodding vigorously.
He placed the short flute to his lips and played a few notes. The heavenly melody flowed like spring water, captivating everyone who heard it. His playing skills were already exceptional, and now with an improved instrument, the sound quality was even more exquisite.
Ah Xia held the short flute in his hand, caressing it as if it were a rare treasure. After a long while, he looked up at Qin Sisi and asked, "Goddess, do the things you craft have names? I’ve seen some Forging Masters name their works with elegant titles."
Qin Sisi thought for a moment before replying, "I haven’t named them yet. Since they’re made from the Arctic Wolves’ bones, how about calling them Ice Bone—the Ice Bone piccolo and Ice Bone double sticks? How does that sound?"
"Ice Bone, Ice Bone," Ah Xia murmured several times, nodding vigorously as he said, "Great name. Elegant and fierce—I love it. Ice Bone it is."
As he spoke, he raised the twin short sticks in his other hand.
Qin Sisi quickly explained, suggesting that he train in another Basic Attribute Magic alongside Music Magic as his primary skill for close combat. Music Magic indeed presented certain limitations during battles. Combining the two types of magic would yield better results.
Ultimately, the goal in combat is to achieve victory. This purpose aligns with the study of Music Magic—it’s essential to ensure survival first and foremost, and only then can one delve deeper into its most mystical powers.
