Story 10 - The Spy Who Rocked Too Hard (15 ????)

Story 10 - The Spy Who Rocked Too Hard (15 ????)

I crossed my arms and glared down at my mentee. Three Drops Silent Toxin.

He winced. I know! The beat was off.

Its good that you figured that out. While playing rock and having fun is important, there are times when you could be put in a life and death situation where the beat of your drums can save or doom your sect.

He scowled. But demonic music isnt used much in sect wars right? His eyes grew wide. Is this really that serious?

I picked up a drumstick and started playing the beginning drum beats from My Chemical Romances Welcome to the Black Parade. In a sect war, what do you think music cultivators do?

He shrugged. I havent really thought about it much.

I pointed one drumstick at Shadow Panther before returning to my drumming. What do you think?

I heard that they mostly heal those who need it.

That is a responsibility of theirs. I finished with a cymbal crash, then tossed my sticks into my ring. When sects go to war, they form various heavenly battle formations. While a majority of music cultivators stay back to focus on healing the soul, some of them help in the actual war. Theyll often come together to play the same song in a massive formation to strike their enemys souls. Or theyll hit them with sound attacks that rip through armor almost as well as sword Qi. It is a very effective form of attack and can even permanently deafen their enemy in some cases.

For rock, we take battle formations to a higher level, incorporating the music itself into the formation.

This was actually a technique I developed myself. Fortunately, the sect had been peaceful, so we didnt use them in an actual war. Then again, if they had been and the Four Arts Elders had seen how useful it was, maybe the Dao of Rock wouldnt have ended up how it did.

Always keep in mind, your band is your battle formation. If you dont move with your formation, if you dont play in time with your band you, and your fellow disciples, could die.

They looked at each other, then nodded.

We understand, Senior Linlin!

I grinned, lifted my finger in the air, and spun it around. One more time. Tribute to Kashmir. Go!

Are you trying to injure yourself?

With one finger, I stopped Kang Jia, the puppet, from playing the bass and glared at Shadow Panther.

She winced and Kang Jia drooped like her strings had been loosened. But, Senior Linlin, my second instrument wont be effective if I cant run my spiritual energy in the right pattern!

I narrowed my eyes at her. Do you think your puppet is created to run spiritual energy through it how you are attempting to?

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Look, the current pathways are built around the best way to control a puppet. If you try to brute force different pathways to use the bass properly, youre going to injure yourself and Kang Jia.

She paled.

First, focus on getting each step right, instead of being a whole band now.

After clutching her guitar tighter, she nodded.

Besides, you shouldnt worry about your puppets spiritual energy flow until youve mastered the songs with your own body.

But I will be able to insert Qi into my instrument through my puppet correctly later?

Youll have to add the different pathways to her.

She stared off into the distance with a near-obsessive expression on her face. Can... can you teach me?

Ah, what have I gotten myself into? This girl was definitely more of a puppet Otaku than a rock fan. Tell you what, if you decide to keep following the Dao of Rock after this week is up, Ill eventually teach you how to construct your puppets musical Qi pathways.

Thank you, Senior Linlin!



Is there something wrong?

Haaaa. Not exactly. I just remembered a student I had.

Were they a good student?

No. I grinned and looked up at the cumulus clouds. She was the best. At least during my past life.

His footsteps came closer.

Actually, back then, I started the Dao of Rock without thinking much about it. I was having trouble comprehending my Unlimited Dao, and I had some time to kill, so I picked up Four Arts Cultivation so I could play and listen to the songs from my past-past life at their peak. I coerced some kids into playing my favorite music on new instruments in exchange for an instrument of their choice. But there was one particular girl who was overly enthusiastic about the genre, Bright Blinding Melody.

She was the first student who thought to take the songs I taught, enhance them, and turn them into spiritual music. Honestly, it was mostly through her efforts that the Dao of Rock became popular among her peers. She was a huge influence on the others. She went on to compose many badass metal ballads.

You must have been very proud of her, Senior Lin.

I was... But she hasnt been born yet. And with how extreme Ive changed things, theres very little chance any of my students will ever exist in this timeline.

That was the price I paid for changing the world.

Of course, I would do it again if it meant saving the millions of lives I had.

The only thing I have left of those adorable brats is their music. And I fucking regretted not memorizing every single note of every song they created.

I clasped my hands tighter.

If I had to be truthful...In my past life, in my anger, I allowed rock to die to focus on ascending.

There were so many things I could have done. I could have left the sect and started a new one just for rock. Maybe if Id talked to the elders or bribed them, I could have convinced them of its worth before I left for my closed-door cultivation. There were so many things I should have done differently.

Its only now, years later and an alternate timeline away, that I regret not fighting harder. I cleared my throat. The reason their beautiful music was forgotten was because I didnt make sure it was never lost. So, in this life, Ill spread their songs so far that no one can kill rock and roll!

My vision blurred a bit. How annoying. The air is too dusty today.

There was a long pause before the kid said, Absolutely. That can happen when you train outside. Here. He handed me a handkerchief.

We stayed there silently for a while until Little Spring tugged on my sleeve. Sister Lin. I wont let rock die either. I promise.

I held out my fist for a fist bump and received one. I wiped my face with the cloth, cleared my throat, and turned to him. Now, if youre going to help me keep Rock alive, you need to learn about one of the most important hand seals in the Dao of Rock.

He nodded seriously.

Put your hand high above your head, palm forward.

He did so, looking very determined.

Now fold your middle and ring fingers down good! Hold them with your thumb.

Once hed shown me the perfect example of the sign of the horns, he looked confused.

Do I move spiritual energy into it?

No.

Then what is this supposed to do?

I grinned. It makes you look cool and lets others know youre a follower of the Dao of Rock.