Chapter 275: Weak and Fragile
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Ye Futian was still playing the guqin. The elevated notes dropped back down and the emperor’s will disappeared. Finally, with one last note, the music stopped.
He lifted his head slowly and looked to Qian Shanmu. Ye Futian’s clothes were white as snow, unstained by all filth. His eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky and his handsome face seemed brighter now than ever.
My time on earth has yet to end, yet my heart is in the skies. In times of storm and rain, I will turn into an emperor.
As the music ended, the vast space fell into an extreme silence. Countless pairs of eyes froze on the two figures on the battle platform. Qian Shanmu stared dumbfoundedly at the broken string on the zither as if he still couldn’t believe he had actually lost.
The Donghua Clan couldn’t believe it either. They couldn’t accept this.
Qin Mengruo was pale. Her man had lost to Ye Futian in music.
Hua Qingqing’s clear eyes stared at the handsome figure in white. From beginning to end, he never once used music to initiate an attack spell. What he did do was to use music to express an artistic conception. The unyielding growth of a young man into an emperor who controlled the world.
The conception created by his music kept getting stronger until it completely crushed Qian Shanmu. Perhaps his musical attainments couldn’t compare to Qian Shanmu, but the world he experienced through music was more expansive than that of Qian Shanmu. Even the people from the College were shocked at these results. Especially those who had verbally insulted Ye Futian before. Tangye and Su Muge felt the gazes of their fellow schoolmates and felt a rush of heat to their faces.
Yu Sheng, however, thought that this kind of result was a given. He was the only one who so blindly trusted Ye Futian. His eyes stared coldly at Tangye and said, “Was it not embarrassing enough back at the top of Mirror Mountain?”
Tang Ye’s gaze froze on Yu Sheng. His expression didn’t look too good.
“How can someone like you understand his world? You better keep your mouth shut in matters regarding him in the future,” Yu Sheng said coldly. His wild eyes looked threatening.
Tang Ye clenched his jaw. Yu Sheng was actually threatening him?
But Yu Sheng actually didn’t give a damn about his opinions. He looked away as soon as he finished saying what he had to say and completely ignored Tang Ye’s existence.
A whisper came from the large crowd, “Qian Shanmu actually lost.” Nobody knew who said that but the entire crowd immediately erupted into conversation.
Qian Shanmu, the so-called number one musical cultivator of the younger generation in the Eastern Barren Territory, had lost in a musical battle. Could he still be considered ‘number one’?
The powerful cultivators of various top powers all turned their attention to Ye Futian. Although his level of cultivation was on the lower side, it would increase sooner or later.
Another Gu Dongliu was going to be born from the Cottage.
Two genius cultivators of the Donghua Clan: Lu Nantian defeated by Gu Dongliu and Qian Shanmu lost to the hands of Ye Futian. In their rivalry with the Cottage, the Donghua Clan had been thoroughly defeated.
Ye Futian placed his guqin back into his bag. His movements were unrushed and he didn’t make any attempts to insult Qian Shanmu on his loss. Winning him in a musical battle was already the best insult. There was no need for spoken words.
“What was that piece you played?” Qian Shanmu lifted his head to ask Ye Futian.
Qian Shanmu had played “Holy Sound”, the music of saints. It was an extremely difficult piece to play. It was even harder than normal to fully reveal its artistic conception but he had done it. Despite all this, he had lost.
Ye Futian returned a look at him before he said, “It was a spur of the moment thing. I don’t know what it was.” After saying what he had to say, Ye Futian turned away and was ready to leave.
Qian Shanmu’s expression was frozen. It was obvious that he was at a loss. Ye Futian had actually said he defeated the music of saints simply with something he came up with on the top of his head.
“You won, but you don’t have to be so fake.” Qian Shanmu had to admit that Ye Futian was very knowledgeable when it came to music, but for him to say that he won with a piece he casually came up with, wasn’t Ye Futian just trying to humiliate him?
Ye Futian stopped in his tracks with a smile. “What is music? Although it can be used to battle, that music is born from spiritual attacks. True music has to do with the tones themselves. Pure and in harmony with the artistic conception. You said that I don’t understand music and you’re right, I don’t. But do you truly understand it?” He then continued on his way. Qian Shanmu was stunned.
Do you truly understand it? At this moment, Qian Shanmu questioned himself. In deep thought, he lowered his head to look at the broken chord. He seemed to have taken a real hit.
Just then, a beautiful figure walked up beside him. She could see that Qian Shanmu was struggling and questioning himself. This was her man. She didn’t want to see him like this.
“He’s just trying to get to you and put you down,” Qin Mengruo said to Qian Shanmu. “You’re better than everyone when it comes to music. If he didn’t have a ritual implement for defense, you would’ve won early on. He wouldn’t have been able to withstand your musical attacks.”
Qian Shanmu looked up at his wife. Qin Mengruo was just as beautiful as always. She was gracious and beautiful and her eyes were filled with her belief and trust in him. The two of them looked into each other’s eyes and slowly, Qian Shanmu began to recover a bit his confidence. As a prided member of the Donghua Clan, it was obvious that he had something others didn’t. Whether that something was willpower or outlook, he was incomparable.
It was just that this battle took a huge blow on him. He had lost to Ye Futian, a mere Dharma Plane cultivator, in his specialty, music. On top of that, he presented the Donghua Clan and Ye Futian, the Cottage. Just when everyone thought Qian Shanmu would be able to destroy Ye Futian, he lost. This was not something he could easily get over.
“Wait.” A voice rang out just then. Ye Futian stopped once again and turned back to look over in the direction of those from the Dongqin College.
The person who had spoken was Qin Li. Qian Shanmu’s defeat had also greatly affected the Dongqin College. If they let Ye Futian leave victorious, they wouldn’t be able to cover their losses no matter who they challenged next.
“If you’re going to keep insisting that you don’t understand music, then what are you good at?” Qin Li asked. To win against Qian Shanmu in a musical battle and still claim not to understand music. How fake. If so, then Qin Li wanted to know what Ye Futian was actually good at.
“What are you trying to do?” chuckled Ye Futian.
“Martial arts. Are you good at that?” asked Qin Li.
“I’m okay,” answered Ye Futian.
“Qin Mang,” Qin Li called out, and a person appeared by his side immediately. This person was not as built as Yu Sheng, but standing there, people had a feeling that he was really strong. His bright and piercing eyes were trained on Ye Futian like a fearsome demon beast, filled with wild energy.
Qin Mang stepped on to the martial arts platform. He was a royal descendant of the Qin Dynasty. Within his body were five dragon meridians. His gifts in martial arts were shocking. He was in the top-level Dharma Plane.
“Qin Mang, Dharma Plane, focusing in martial arts. Challenging you to a battle of martial arts. Do you accept?” Qin Li asked, observing Ye Futian.
Everyone was surprised. It was only natural that many of the top powers knew of the younger generation prodigies from the Qin Dynasty. This Qin Mang was royal blood, had five dragon meridians within, and was extremely gifted in martial arts. Plus, he was in the Dharma Plane. So, there wouldn’t be any reason for Ye Futian to use ritual implements, right?
Although it was obvious that Ye Futian’s level of cultivation was still lower than that of Qin Mang, he was still a disciple of the Cottage. He was the center of attention. Shouldn’t it be normal for him to battle someone at a higher level?
Qin Li used this point to his advantage and wanted to defeat Ye Futian through Qin Mang. It would also prove some things on his part.
“Are you sure you want to challenge me in martial arts?” Ye Futian swept a quick glance at Qin Li.
He saw the frivolous look in Ye Futian’s eyes. “Of course.”
Ye Futian smiled at him and returned to his friends from the Cottage. He handed the bad with his guqin to Yu Sheng. Then, he turned back around and headed for the martial arts battle platform.
Countless pairs of eyes followed Ye Futian as he moved. He was able to defeat Qian Shanmu in music. This meant that Ye Futian was a Mandate Sorcerer of the spirit element, but Qin Li chose to challenge him in martial arts. Qin Li claimed that Ye Futian had never proven himself. So how was he going to fair when it came to martial arts?
Stepping onto the platform, Ye Futian looked at Qin Mang. “Are you ready?” He sounded nonchalant, frivolous.
Qin Mang stared at him and answered coldly, “Yes.” As soon as he said that, a wild energy was released from him. Very faintly, the images of dragons appeared. That’s right, dragons. Not one, but five.
In the blink of an eye, Qin Mang’s aura became terrifying. The Imperial Dragon Spell was in motion. Five dragons revolved around him, roaring. He was already in the top-level Dharma Plane. Now, he had opened the five dragon meridians. His combat skills were through the roof.
Just then, a rod formed from Spiritual Qi appeared in Ye Futian’s hand. He held it calmly and the air around him became different. His aura was growing stronger and more powerful.
BOOM! The battle platform shook with a single step from Qin Mang. The dragons protected him and their roars came and went. The five dragons continued to circle. At that moment, Qin Mang lifted into the air. He looked as if he could dominate the world when a Dragon Dharma seemed to have appeared behind him. It looked like a totem.
Ye Futian moved. His body charged forward and flew up in the air. He danced and soared in the sky. His aura was still growing stronger as he headed straight for Qin Mang.
Since this was a battle of martial arts, they needed to go at this head-to-head.
ROAR! The air vibrated at the loud roar of a dragon. Qin Mang came down at Ye Futian with his dragons. This made Ye Futian look weak and fragile. But instead, the energy around him was just getting stronger.
Finally, the images of the dragons descended and headed right for Ye Futian. However, Ye Futian stopped moving and the long rod in his hand swung down on these images.
The Nine Heavenly Attacks. First attack, Genesis.
In a split second, an enormous image of a rod appeared and everyone watched as Ye Futian disappeared into the circle created by the images of the dragons. A loud noise followed. The dragons’ image split from the middle and Ye Futian’s rod landed directly on Qin Mang.
In the next moment, Qin Mang’s body flew in the direction of the group from the Dongqin College. With a loud crash, his body fell on the ground in front of Qin Li.
Weak and fragile.
Ye Futian descended, his figure blown by the wind. The long rod had already disappeared from his grasp. He took one look at Qin Li and smiled. “Is this all you guys got? Geniuses of the Qin Dynasty?”