Chapter 274: Battle of Music
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Presently, Ye Futian remained seated quietly. He was handsome with an extraordinary aura. His long fingers danced over the chords of the guqin. The frightful scene in the sky had no effect on his performance. Right now, he was serious and focused. Even if a mountain collapsed in front of his very eyes, he wouldn’t blink an eye. Unaffected, he would continue to play.
At this moment, the people seemed to have been brought into a mystical artistic conception. Secretly, they began to sympathize Ye Futian, as if they were worried he would be swallowed by the torrent, seizing to exist.
Above Ye Futian’s head, the strange sight grew increasingly terrifying. The matrix that continuously swallowed Spiritual Qi was like a ruthless beast, killing everything in sight.
Finally, Qian Shanmu’s fingers plucked the chords of the zither. A force of frightening spiritual energy wrapped around the storm over Ye Futian’s head. Dark clouds covered the sky causing the world to fall into darkness. It was like the birth of a demon. Thunder and lightning decorated the skies as the strong winds howled. Everything then came down on Ye Futian.
Many people got nervous and stared closely at the scene ahead. It was too terrifying. Was that really something a cultivator in the Dharma Plane could withstand? Not even prodigies in the lower Arcana Plane could likely withstand such an attack.
As the destructive storm approached, the Royal Xuan Temple’s Luo Junlin watched with cold eyes. His hands were clenched into tight fists. He wished Ye Futian would be destroyed and killed by this storm. Only that would take care of the danger in the Nandou Nation. Otherwise, Ye Futian would come knocking to settle the score sooner or later.
Over by those from the College, Tang Ye, Su Muge, and others watched without feeling any sympathy. If Ye Futian really died like this, it would be because he was stupid.
Just when the storm reached the skies above Ye Futian, the sound waves radiating around him suddenly sounded sharply. A formless storm of spiritual energy brewed. As soon as any spells came for him, it would be destroyed. Then, it would be turned in Spiritual Qi and pulled in to revolved around Ye Futian.
Just like that, the people witnessed a shocking sight. Spells with destructive powers strong enough to end life of earth would be destroyed by the spiritual storm everytime they got too close. As Ye Futian played, he had unknowingly created a defensive shield of spiritual energy around himself. It was able to destroy any attack spells.
Sorcery was motivated by spiritual energy. Even spells from a matrix were the results of the release of spiritual energy. Powerful cultivators specializing in attacks with spiritual energy could also use it to destroy spells.
The sound of the guqin became rapid. The matrix above Ye Futian released attacks at him wildly but his fingers began to fly across the chords even faster. His moves were fluid and fast like a running river, creating a beautiful piece of music. No matter how fast the storm was blowing or how strong the tides, nothing was not going to move. No force was powerful enough to shake him.
At this moment, above that handsome figure, there was even a hint of the power of a Noble.
Such strong defense techniques. Everyone looked ahead. Although he was borrowing power from the Noble ritual implement, it was obvious that Ye Futian must have been very educated in music. When he said he didn’t understand music, it was simply to mock Qian Shanmu.
Qian Shanmu was also slightly shaken up now. Ye Futian played the guqin. There was nothing special about it, yet he was still able to set up a defense. As a musical sorcerer, Ye Futian knew all about the techniques of musical attacks. Direct spiritual attacks were the most lethal. Su Muge had fallen to this kind of attack. But Ye Futian’s defense was with spiritual energy. It was as if he had a dragon protecting his mind from spiritual attacks. There was no way to invade.
The second type of attack was using music to initiate attack spells. Similarly, Ye Futian had set up a defense. He gathered spiritual energy and formed a storm that destroyed any spells that got close. Nothing could get close to him.
Not only did Ye Futian know music, he was well-versed in the way of music. This was something that Qian Shanmu could not deny at this point.
Of course, it was one thing to know. Ye Futian was able to block his musical attacks. This was part of Ye Futian’s abilities. Even with the help of ritual implements, it was difficult for his musical attainments.
Not even spells from a matrix could breakthrough Ye Futian’s defense. This made Qian Shanmu understand, it was practically impossible to defeat Ye Futian using music to initiate spells.
Then there was only one way to do it. It was also the way to test truly how knowledgeable a person was about music. That was to use music to create an artistic conception. Then, came the interference of will, taking control of it or going for the kill.
Back at the Qin palace, this was what Ye Futian did to Gu Ming. It made Gu Ming surrender and fall under the control of this music. Gu Ming was not able to withstand the artistic conception and actually kneeled down on the ground.
There were no doubts about Qian Shanmu’s knowledge of music. The movement of his fingers changed as he played the chords of the zither. Unknowingly, the sound changed slowly. As Qian Shanmu played, there was something holy about him. He glowed brightly and even showed up in a mystical image in many people’s minds. Many rays of light shined from him. Then, many illusory images appeared in the scene in their minds, all of Qian Shanmu.
“Holy Sound.” Not many people present knew about this musical piece. However, it was obvious that Hua Qingqing was one of those who knew. This was an attack piece that had an extremely strong artistic conception. Qian Shanmu had actually played this piece in a battle of music with Ye Futian.
The same image appeared in Hua Qingqing’s mind. Qian Shanmu shined brightly like a saint. The words he said were like those of a saint. His palm waved and like the will of a saint, whistling swords and wild divine beasts appeared suddenly and charged at Ye Futian.
At this moment, the artistic conception Ye Futian felt was the strongest because this piece was targeted at him. It was as if he saw Qian Shanmu turn into a saint. The light encapsulated him. The saint’s words turned into sharp swords, racing towards him. The saint’s will turned into dragons, phoenixes, and qilins. Right now, he seemed so small he could collapse at any moment.
At this moment, many people had a misconception that Ye Futian seemed like a weak scholar. How could he go against a saint?
One word could sentence him and one thought could take his life.
But the weak student was still playing quietly. In the crazy wind and rain, he was still playing. Playing his very own music. With the sound of his music, the swords disappeared and the demon beasts destroyed. No matter how fierce the attack was, Ye Futian was unmoved. From his body and from his music, the people could see the strength in his character.
Gradually, the sounds elevated but were still stable. Little by little, it elevated and destroyed all the attacks meant for him. At the same time, he was able to maintain protection of his mind. His will remained untouched.
As Ye Futian’s music pierced through the air, people could feel it. It seemed like the weak student had grown. In the midst of the crazy rainstorm, he had matured. Scholars had the knowledge and ambitions to rule the world.
Noble will radiated from him. Ye Futian had an outstanding aura that seemed to be changing without him knowing. But he was as resolute as ever. He had an incredible spirit that dripped from him. The weak student seemed to have grown after the storms. He was finally at the center stage, challenging a character that was high above everyone else.
Some really powerful people were not affected by the music. Their thoughts flowed freely. From Ye Futian’s music, they could hear a story of experiencing the obstacles of life and growth. His music seemed to be a journey, a journey to maturity. It was a truly strange feeling but it also felt very natural.
The music was still elevated and getting more exciting. The notes had climbed a height that could break through into the heavens.
In the minds of the crowd, they could see a young man stepping into the Noble Plan and then they the growth of an emperor. Overcoming all the obstacles without fear and taking control of the world.
At this moment, the instrument playing youth no longer seemed like a weak scholar. His back straightened and he body was like that of a dragon. There seemed to be the roaring of dragons in the music. The emperor’s will broke out and took control.
Ye Futian’s spiritual energy kept destroying all the attacks. The ever-climbing notes were like an emperor’s trusty mount carrying him up. In the illusory scene, Qian Shanmu and Ye Futian were having a standoff, like a saint and an emperor.
What was music? Real music went along with an artistic conception and could bring them into the world of music.
Qian Shanmu said Ye Futian did not know music. In respects of musical attacks and technique variation, Ye Futian was indeed lacking compared to him. However, in this past year, he had a deeper comprehension of music. In terms of artistic conception, Ye Futian was confident enough not to lose.
“A Chaotic Nation” and “The World” combined for a piece. With his innate willpower, how was he going to lose? He immersed the Imperial Tactics into his music, making the artistic conception stronger. The people would just think that it was the conception brought on by the music. They wouldn’t think that it was a special method.
In the illusory scene, two large figures appeared. They looked as if they were ready to have the world beneath their feet. The will on the two figures grew stronger but the saint’s figure was like that from the beginning. And the emperor’s figure seemed to be continuously growing until it was able to break into the skies and control the world.
The vast surroundings were frozen. At this moment, everyone could feel the artistic conception hidden in the music. They felt like they were experiencing the standoff.
Ye Futian had actually gone up against Qian Shanmu using pure music.
That figure now stood straight. With the continuously climbing sounds of the instrument, his emperor intent grew even stronger.
Finally, accompanying a vibration, the saint’s figure collapsed. Qian Shanmu felt a pressing force of will crushing down.
DUANG! The zither let out a sharp noise and everyone’s gaze remained frozen on it.
The chord had snapped.
Qian Shanmu’s hands froze. Following a low moan, he spat blood, staining the zither red.
The Ancient Barren World’s number one musical sorcerer of the younger generation had lost to Ye Futian, a disciple of the Cottage, in a battle of pure music.
At this moment, Qian Shanmu remembered the words he once said to Ye Futian. You don’t know music.
If he didn’t understand music, who did?