Chapter 1088: Chapter 1088: Bosom Friend in the Desert
Qin Sisi had been a bit worried whether Ah Xia, who loved Music Magic deeply, would take her advice to heart. Yet unexpectedly, Ah Xia listened attentively and nodded repeatedly, sincerely and gratefully saying, "Fairy Lady, you’re absolutely right. In the past, when others spoke to me about this, they always tried to persuade me to give up Music Magic and practice Basic Attribute Magic instead, but I refused. Today, after hearing your words, I understand. Practicing other magic skills isn’t abandoning Music Magic—it’s for better pursuing it."
Seeing that Ah Xia understood her words, Qin Sisi felt relieved, smiled, nodded, and said, "It’s good you understand."
Ah Xia held the Ice Bone double sticks in his hands tightly. The cool sensation was comfortable against his skin. He continued, "Fairy Lady, among the Basic Attribute Magic, my Golden Magic is probably the strongest, so I’ve decided to practice Golden Magic alongside Music Magic."
The fact that Ah Xia specialized in Golden Magic made Qin Sisi feel they were deeply connected because Golden Magic and Music Magic were her two focused areas of magic study as well.
If fate has brought you together, treasure that fate!
After a brief pause, Qin Sisi said to Ah Xia, "Ah Xia, I also have a keen interest in Golden Magic and Music Magic. Why don’t I guide you a bit? What do you think?"
There’s a saying that the heavens won’t drop bread into your lap, yet Ah Xia felt today truly was a day the heavens had dropped bread—and not just one loaf, but loaf after loaf from the Fairy Lady, nearly knocking him dizzy.
A person like him, who activated their Magic Source relatively late, had no eligibility to enter the Heavenly Magic God’s Castle for systematic study. Moreover, coming from a humble background without the financial and material resources of large families, he lacked the rich resources and favorable conditions to support his magic training, nor could he afford a mentor to guide him. Therefore, most in his situation stopped at the level of a Magic Master, making further advancements in Magic power incredibly difficult.
For Qin Sisi, a Magic Spirit, to willingly offer to guide him was nothing short of a miraculous blessing for Ah Xia.
Qin Sisi began by teaching Ah Xia two Golden Magic skills—Kingo Iron Rain and Solid as Golden Soup—one offensive and one defensive, complementing each other perfectly.
She then taught him the melody for a lullaby and instructed him to memorize it completely and hold it in his heart, forbidding him from writing it down. Only by doing so could he achieve spiritual resonance with the music.
At the same time, Qin Sisi cautioned Ah Xia that, due to his lower mana, the powers of the magic skills couldn’t yet be fully realized. Only through persistent practice and continuous enhancement of his magic power could he unleash the skills’ true potential.
Ah Xia readily agreed. He deeply internalized everything Qin Sisi taught him, and his gratitude and reverence for her grew more profound. He decided to call her "Master Fairy."
Qin Sisi was both amused and exasperated, telling him that they were of similar age and that he could simply call her by her name. However, Ah Xia refused, insisting on calling her "Master Fairy." Qin Sisi, feeling helpless, let him have his way.
When Ah Xia learned that before crafting the refined Ice Bone piccolo, Qin Sisi had created many failed and subpar versions, he cautiously asked if he could have those failures and rejects, even just a few if they were too valuable.
Qin Sisi curiously asked for his reason.
Ah Xia’s answer deeply moved Qin Sisi. He explained that, as a guard for the merchant caravan, he had traveled to many places and encountered many people. He was especially impressed by some children he had met. Every time he played the piccolo, children would gather around him, gazing at him with envy and admiration.
In these children’s hearts, they probably liked music too, but their families couldn’t afford to provide them with instruments. They could only, as he had done before, use leaves and makeshift willow flutes for brief encounters with music.
If he encountered such children again in the future, he would give them one of the Ice Bone piccolos. This way, they could come into close contact with music. Whether or not they could cultivate Music Magic in the future, the seed would already have been planted in their hearts. Someday it might take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree.
Qin Sisi was deeply touched. Although she had followed Ye You to the Demon Sacred Realm several years ago, she had been wholly engrossed in her own world practicing magic and hadn’t truly taken in the extraordinary land or its inhabitants. Despite his humble origins, Ah Xia had seen and experienced so much and carried an unparalleled love for his homeland—a love that she did not possess.
To be as insignificant as dust yet still hold the world in your heart—that was the kind of person Ah Xia was.
Qin Sisi brought out all her Ice Bone piccolos to give to Ah Xia. While the early ones were indeed very rough, the later ones, though not comparable to the one Ah Xia now held, were actually quite exquisite and included several two-star quality pieces. These could hardly be called failures or rejects.
Ah Xia became uneasy, saying, "Master Fairy, how could I accept this? These piccolos are excellent. If sold, they could fetch many Spirit Stones."
Qin Sisi gently replied, "Take them. I have Spirit Stones with me. Let’s consider it our shared gift to those music-loving children."
Ah Xia’s eyes brightened. Without saying much else, he carefully packed up the large collection of Ice Bone piccolos. In his heart, a wonderful plan had already formed—a plan to spread the seeds of music and repay his Master Fairy.
By now, the caravan had crossed the pass of the Yuding Snow Mountain and traversed most of the desert area outside Midair City, nearing the Inner City. More buildings and travelers appeared along the road.
The sky darkened, and Yu Miao instructed the caravan to set up camp for the night. He informed Qin Sisi that after tonight, they would enter Midair City’s Inner City the next day and soon reach their destination to safely deliver the goods.
Everyone felt relieved, as they were effectively in Midair City now and theoretically unlikely to encounter any further dangers. This had been a relatively smooth return journey for the caravan.
As night fell, Ah Xia’s piccolo music sounded again. The melody was delicate and layered—like the gentleness of spring streams, the flowing beauty of autumn rivers, the drifting clouds, and the shifting winds. At times soft and tender, at other times bold and grand, it filled listeners’ hearts with serenity and contentment, bringing an immense sense of joy.
Qin Sisi listened, captivated, and descended from her carriage to find Ah Xia, asking if he could teach her the piece.
When Qin Sisi expressed her desire to learn the music, Ah Xia was particularly pleased and began to introduce its background to her.
It turned out this melody had been composed by Ah Xia himself during his journeys with the caravan. Facing constant danger and enduring loneliness on the road, music had been his sole solace.
As he encountered various landscapes, he merged the beauty he saw and the emotions he felt into his music.
White sand like snow, a crescent moon like a hook, and lush green oases resembling islands of life in a sea of sand—rich vegetation and sparkling emerald waters like flawless jade.
Much of the inspiration for this melody had come from the desert landscapes surrounding the outskirts of Midair City, which led Ah Xia to name it "Desert Ballad."
