Chapter 3: Sound Blade (Part 4)_1

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Yin Zhu had completely ignored everything happening outside, "Yangguan Three Stacks" required playing three times, with each stack surpassing the previous. It was only when the three stacks peaked together that the zither piece reached its summit. At this moment, the first stack had just ended, and Yin Zhu's hands swept over the strings like a phantom, abruptly quickening the rhythm of the music; the stifling sensation in the air grew increasingly intense. Apart from Blue rank Mage Ruffit, who could still remain lucid, the two Beginner Green rank Mages and the three Yellow-rank Mages had completely lost their perception of the outside world, entranced by the zither music. Even the three Mages standing beside Diara were affected to varying degrees. The only one completely unaffected was Zi, standing behind Yin Zhu.

In reality, Yin Zhu, who had reached the Ninth Rank Pure Qinxin, was already equivalent to a Yellow-rank Advanced rank. It was only because the Pure Qinxin remained red in color before a breakthrough that the opponents had been deceived. How could his strength be simple, after a sixteen-year odyssey through a sea of zither practice? Let alone Mages of the same level, once his zither music unfolded, all within three ranks would be influenced. Moreover, the opponents had no guard up against it, so even the Green rank Mages, a higher level than him, had fallen into his trap.

The dark red glow grew ever stronger, and the magic elements in the air seemed to pulse continuously with the zither music. The deep and sorrowful notes now carried a hidden lethality. As a Zither Mage, his Zither Magic constituted an attack on everyone present, and to challenge six opponents of no lesser level single-handedly was something perhaps only Yin Zhu would dare to do.

Ruffit felt the zither music's influence growing stronger, and internally cursed that this was bad. However, as a Blue rank Mage, he was three ranks higher than Yin Zhu, at around the Seventh or Eighth Rank. Therefore, he could still steady his spiritual power. Biting his tongue and using the pain to force some clarity, he waved his right hand, and a magic staff appeared out of thin air. With a flip of his wrist, a fireball the size of a bowl was already flying towards Yin Zhu.

Any Mage could instantly cast magic three levels below their own rank – for instance, a Green rank Mage could naturally cast Red-rank Magic. If they could not chant, then they'd use instant magic to finish you off. At this moment, Ruffit's eyes were full of murderous intent, and he still had not given the Divine Music Master in front of him the attention he deserved.

The bowl-sized fireball was orange. In his panic, Ruffit was able to naturally release an Orange rank Magic spell – this indeed showed his strength. The orange fireball had already reached in front of Yin Zhu.

Diara wanted to intervene, and being of Green rank, he was also clear-headed at this moment, but with his strength, it was already too late to cast any instant magic. He couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

Zi's fist tightened quietly. And just then, Yin Zhu suddenly raised his head, his bright eyes revealing a strange glow. His hands kept playing the zither, but a faint yellow light had somehow filled the space around them, magnifying the notes in an instant. With a hum, a yellow and red light wave soared out, meeting the orange fireball head-on.

With a light bang, the orange fireball vanished into specks of light.

Yin Zhu's left hand suddenly shifted, gripping the seven strings and pulling back an inch, while his right hand continued to play, creating a peculiar buzz in the "Yangguan Three Stacks." Releasing his left hand, seven streams of yellow and red light drifted out, with no sound of ripping air. All that could be heard was the deep and sonorous music from the Spring Thunder Zither, which made a pleasing sound like soft thunder.

As fast as the speed of sound, that's how swift the yellow and red lights were. They flashed past, and at that moment, "Yangguan Three Stacks" abruptly stopped.

The six Mages from Bo Pang Kingdom stood there stupefied, including Ruffit. None of them moved a muscle.

Diara and his two Mages regained their senses the instant the zither music faded, but Zi, standing behind Yin Zhu, also appeared dazed like the Bo Pang Kingdom Mages. However, his stunned gaze was fixed on Yin Zhu; only he had seen where those seven yellow and red light waves had gone.

With a flicker of silver light, the Spring Thunder Zither was retracted back into the Space Ring. Yin Zhu dusted off his clothes as he stood up, muttering to himself in annoyance, "I still can't continue the zither piece while releasing seven Sound Blades simultaneously. No wonder Grandpa Qin said I still lack the final touch."

"What's happened to them, to them?" Diara asked anxiously.

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"Dead and gone," Yin Zhu said flatly, articulating a shocking truth, "Grandpa Qin said that anyone who sees my Sound Blade must die. That man in blue was very formidable, I couldn't best him, so I could only release the Sound Blade."

Diara looked towards Ruffit and the other five in horror, only to see a line of blood that had formed across each of their necks. Ruffit's magic staff, too, had broken in two and fallen to the ground at that moment, and his eyes were wide with disbelief even in death.

"This isn't right; you must blend your Douqi with the sound waves in the instant that the zither music plays to create the Sound Blade. You were too fast just now, look, this is already the one hundred and sixtieth zither string you've snapped."

"That was too slow this time. The Douqi didn't fuse with the sound waves; there was no power at all."

"Grandpa Qin, when will I be considered successful?"

"When? Only when you can produce and control the Sound Blade constantly and at will while playing the zither, that will be success. You're still far from it. Keep training, remember to strike from the air..."

"Who here is Grandpa Diara?" Killing six people hadn't seemed to affect Yin Zhu's composure at all; he didn't even spare another glance at Ruffit and the mages who still stood there.

Actually, Ruffit was very powerful; it's just that when he saw Yin Zhu was only at the Innocent Child rank, he was far too careless. He didn't even have a chance to unleash his Magic Pet and Magic Scroll before he was instantly killed by Yin Zhu under the influence of the zither music.

Diara's voice trembled slightly. Now, looking into Yin Zhu's clear black eyes once again, he couldn't help but feel a touch of fear, "I, I am. This is something Grandpa Qin asked me to give to you." While speaking, he took out a badge signifying a Red-rank Mage from his chest and handed it to Yin Zhu.

Yin Zhu excitedly took the badge, only to see it was a red hexagram-shaped badge carved with an Ancient Zither, with faint magical fluctuations circulating on it.

"So this is what Grandpa Qin asked you to give me! Well, I'm off then, thank you, Grandpa Diara," Yin Zhu said, pulling Zi along as he walked out.

"Ah! Praise Falan, wait a moment," Diara hurriedly called out to Yin Zhu.

Yin Zhu turned his head and asked with curiosity, "Is there something else?"

Diara muttered, "Grandpa Qin said yesterday that he wanted me to give you a Mage's Badge, then send someone to take you to Milan, and teach you some common knowledge of the Continent."