Chapter 37 – Zither Healing Behemoths (II)
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Ye Yin Zhu’s hands lightly brushed the zither strings. Immediately, a rich, penetrating, ancient, and profound zither melody rang out. “The nine virtues of the zither, ‘strange,’ ‘profound,’ ‘penetrating,’ ‘smooth,’ ‘tranquil,’ ‘circular,’ ‘even,’ ‘clear,’ and ‘fragrant.’ The Da Sheng Yi Yin Zither is a guqin of the rarest quality, one that can give rise to these nine beautiful tones. This zither’s defining characteristic is embodied in one word: ‘balance.’”
His left hand played the main melody, fingers scooping the strings upwards in the Turtledove Summons the Rain gesture. His right hand played the accompaniment, the middle finger touching the string with the Deep Valley, Momentum Transfer gesture. These notes melded together and rose, becoming an exquisite, mysterious zither melody that weaved through the air. His fingers, calm and collected, controlled the tune with a light, leisurely playing, a play that was styled with heavy, quick movements to contrast. The gentle and deep melody resonated vividly and thoroughly with the nine virtues of the zither.
The Behemoths lying on the ground stopped groaning when the soft zither song echoed through the air. Two pairs of large, vacant eyes gradually opened. They were finally able to see a white-robed, black-haired youth. That gentle, rich melody roused the most primal life force within their bodies. This tremendous vitality only belonged to the Behemoths. It seemed as if even the elemental magic within the air was moving rhythmically along to the gradually maturing and evolving melody.
Zi stood behind Ye Yin Zhu. At this moment, his manner was exactly the same as when Ye Yin Zhu played the zither as a child: motionless, listening with rapt attention, and enjoying the zither music that Ye Yin Zhu was gifting him in its entirety.
Dis and Perkins had returned at an unknown time to the forest. The two Gold Behemoths were sitting on the ground, dumbfounded, their gazes resting on Ye Yin Zhu. Only now did the ominous glint within their eyes gradually weaken. Their large heads were, somewhat ridiculously, swaying softly to the rhythm of >.
Whenever Ye Yin Zhu played the zither, his heart would be cleansed again and again. This was his Pure Zither Heart that had been cultivated for sixteen years and was now blending into the >—a comparatively long zither song. When all three renditions of the > ended, half an hour had already passed.
As the last note lingered in the air with a memorable stylishness before dying out, he rested both hands against the strings. Ye Yin Zhu felt that his soul and spirit had been refreshed. His originally chaotic spiritual force was now completely restored and at equilibrium. Because he had used up too much of it last time, it had befuddled his mind, but now that dazed feeling was completely cleared. Although his spiritual ocean became larger, it was now completely refilled and clear of all impurities. When others listened to his zither song, it would become incessantly more influential. When he played for himself, the same enhancement would also occur.
Opening his eyes, Ye Yin Zhu couldn’t help but be intimidated by the scene before him. The eighty something originally unsteady and leaning from side to side Behemoths had sat up some time ago. Even if their gigantic bodies were seated on the ground, they were still significantly taller than Ye Yin Zhu. Each and every one had a dim-witted appearance while staring at Ye Yin Zhu. Their former killing intent seemed to have already faded away completely. These purportedly unrivaled on land warfare Behemoths were now, unexpectedly, giving others a charmingly naive feeling.
Dis had seemingly already forgotten that the youth before him had once sent him into a terrifying rage. His head slowly leaned closer as he complimented him. “Extremely beautiful. It sounds so soothing; it’s as if the side effects from my berserk transformation has completely disappeared. Can you please play it one more time?”
Seeing Dis and the other Behemoths’ large eyes brim with longing, Ye Yin Zhu chuckled softly and didn’t reply. His eight fingers once more began to weave a song. The Da Sheng Yi Yin Zither once again echoed with another >. As he began playing this zither song once more, a fantastic scene suddenly manifested in this evergreen forest.
Behemoths of at least fifteen meters tall began to unexpectedly sway along to the zither melody, appearing somewhat ridiculous. At this moment, their ferocity and toughness were nowhere to be seen. Ye Yin Zhu was like their conductor; using the zither music, he directed them into performing these silly actions.
A faint halo of violet light appeared around Zi’s body. He naturally didn’t stop Ye Yin Zhu from playing a fourth rendition. This enjoyable activity was the true reason why he had stayed in the Desolate Jade Sea for ten years! Even the patriarch of the Zither Sect, Qin Shang, absolutely couldn’t have imagined that the Pure Zither Heart would have such an extremely unusual effect on beastmen.
A golden radiance shrouded Dis and Perkin’s bodies while a silver radiance shrouded the Silver Behemoths’ bodies, and an iron-gray radiance even shrouded the Berserk Behemoths’ bodies. All kinds of magical elements in the air began to enter their bodies because of the >, giving rise to this mysterious effect.
The fourth rendition ended. The amount of spiritual force Ye Yin Zhu expended as he cast zither magic through four renditions of > wasn’t a small amount. After all, this wasn’t like his performances at Floating Orchid Pavilion; this time, he was wholeheartedly pouring his spiritual force into the melody. Although his spirit was greatly refined after he finished playing, his complexion had already become slightly pale.
The Behemoths’ eyes still brimmed with a hopeful light. Like a herd of insatiable children, they cast miserable looks at Ye Yin Zhu.
“Enough.” Zi didn’t wait for the Gold Behemoth to speak and walked up from behind Ye Yin Zhu.
Zi coldly stated, “From now on, you must remember that Ye Yin Zhu is my brother. How you treat me is how you will treat him. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Amethyst Emperor.” The eighty-six Behemoths simultaneously roared with deafening voices, nearly toppling over Ye Yin Zhu from his seated position on the ground. Upon hearing these Behemoths reply to Zi, he couldn’t help but be even more amazed.
At this moment, the Behemoths turned towards him. “Paying respect to Zither Emperor.”
Ye Yin Zhu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he stared at these giants. “Zi, why are they adding on the title ‘Emperor?’”
Zi smiled and said, “This is their acknowledgement of you. Your zither music has already conquered them. I believe that any beastmen will like your beautiful zither music. Of course, that’s so long as you aren’t inciting berserk dragons into attacking them.”
Ye Yin Zhu somewhat awkwardly said, “They told you?”
Zi nodded and said, “If an opportunity comes up, I also want to hear the song you used to annihilate them earlier. It’s hard to imagine you playing such a tyrannical song with your character.”
After hearing Zi say this, Ye Yin Zhu couldn’t help but recall what happened at Konya City. He thought about how he seemed to be unable to control his own mind at that time.
Ye Yin Zhu definitely wasn’t the most powerful Divine Music mage on the Longinus Continent. He couldn’t even be considered within the top ten. He was, however, a unique and unmatched Divine Music mage because of his Pure Zither heart. Even his teacher, Qin Shang, couldn’t compare with this. He was slowly discovering the peculiarities of the Pure Zither Heart on his own. After all, he was the first successful cultivator of it.
Once again clasping Ye Yin Zhu’s shoulder, Zi said, “You should go back. Yin Zhu, remember what I said. Regardless of what danger you run into later on, summon me. Let us brothers face the danger together. Furthermore, don’t tell anyone about what happened just now.”
Ye Yin Zhu nodded, somewhat unwilling to leave, and glanced at Zi. Quietly, the spiritual force of the contract connection began to fluctuate within his soul. Accompanied by milky-white rays of light, his body silently fused together with Zi’s.
Within Ye Yin Zhu’s heart, he had always looked upon Zi as his elder brother. His Pure Zither Heart’s response to the outside world was exceedingly acute. Although his character was pure, he only needed the simplest of interactions with the other to accurately judge if the other would be good or bad toward him. This was why he hadn’t blamed Sura when he learned that he was the thief from back then. Sura was sincere toward him; otherwise, even if he was being generous again, how could he gift away a treasure that was nearly a divine device?
It was the same with Zi. Even though his father had once warned him that Zi was very mysterious, he clearly sensed that Zi didn’t have any harmful intentions toward him. At the same time, Ye Yin Zhu could also faintly sense that the relationship between him and Zi was related to the ten years of zither playing they shared together.
✶
In a brilliant flash of light, Ye Yin Zhu returned to his room in Sacred Heart City. His sudden reappearance scared Sura into jumping back.
“Ah! You returned. Yin Zhu, you just…” Sura bewilderingly and troublingly looked at him.
Ye Yin Zhu didn’t lie to Sura. “Do you remember me summoning Zi to help me fight Nesta during the competition? Zi is my best friend, and the Equal Life Contract between us allows us to summon each other for help. Just a moment ago, Zi summoned me to help him.”
“Zi?” Hearing this name, Sura couldn’t help recalling the tall figure from that time—the proud, aloof, and vigorous violet-haired man. Remembering his appearance, Sura couldn’t help but think of those last moments atop the city walls of Konya City. At that time, Ye Yin Zhu was undoubtedly defenseless atop the city wall, yet he was miraculously still alive. All the Behemoths had also immediately retreated. Could all of this be merely a coincidence? He remembered that a burst of violet light had been shining atop the city wall at that time.
“Yin Zhu, this friend you call Zi, is he very strong?” Sura asked.
Ye Yin Zhu said, “Zi is very powerful, but when all’s said and done, I don’t know how powerful he is. I can only sense that his strength is tremendous. Sura, I’m little tired and will turn in early after a moment.”
Seeing Ye Yin Zhu enter a meditative state, Sura didn’t continue asking questions. In the depths of his mind, however, many questions lingered.
✶
Generalissimo Maldini’s efficiency was really remarkable. By dawn the next day, a thousand Dragon Cavalry Knights and three thousand Light Cavalry—altogether four thousand troops—escorted the hundred Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts students and left Sacred Heart City. He didn’t want the Princess and Prince to continue staying here.
On the return trip, due to their identities, Xiang Luan, Fisichella, and Hai Yang rode together in a carriage. Ye Yin Zhu, Sura, and the other students rode in the other carriages.
A dozen or more days passed during this truly dry-as-dust journey. Every day, Ye Yin Zhu would face endless questions from the mages. Perhaps it was because he’d made the dragons explode that day, but the warriors showed respect from a distance. The mages, however, didn’t do the same.
What a mage longed for most was magical power. They wanted to be just like Ye Yin Zhu. Ye Yin Zhu eliminated a few beastmen legions all at once with powerful zither magic—why wouldn’t they be interested? Therefore, Ye Yin Zhu would hear the same questions every day.