by Feng Yue
Sharp cries sounded as soon as Tranquility was activated.
The color of frost spread in the sky. Icicles appeared out of thin air. Modifications formulas were carved onto the triangular icicles with an unbelievably eerie aura. It was obvious at a glance that they were piercing attacks designed for defense and protection.
Hundreds upon thousands of frozen arrows appeared in an instant, enough to turn Ye Qingxuan into a sieve. However, once they entered the silent zone, they broke apart. The coldness disappeared and they dropped onto him as snow, scattering on the ground.
The fatal shots were now as laughable as a snowball fight. Ye Qingxuan did not dare to relax though. He had already heard the mutated ‘stray’ with nine arms run over. It was as if a giant rock was rushing over. As it ran, it opened its nine hands, wanting to rip Ye Qingxuan to shreds.
Ye Qingxuan quickly raised his cane. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for this guy to reach the most suitable distance. Then he would remove Tranquility and unleash the power of Indrah’s Eye.
However, the stray seemed to receive some order. It halted abruptly and stopped in place. Then it hurriedly crawled back to its original spot. A demon created by Satan…was just like a dog.
Ye Qingxuan squinted. He could finally see the figure walking out behind it. He was hunchbacked and walked slowly. He reached out and stopped the frantic stray. Then he looked up toward Ye Qingxuan.
Ye Qingxuan could not see the face clearly due to the fog but he could sense the taunting smile.
“As expected of Avalon’s legendary character.” The man raised his hand and clapped lightly. “That was a beautiful counterattack. Decisive, unhesitating, careful, and yet with above-average decision making skills. It was not a waste in coming here.”
Ye Qingxuan looked at him coldly as he tried to guess the man’s identity. This dark musician could control demons and was well-versed in music from various schools. Ye Qingxuan did not know if the man was hiding here for him or just anyone, but the parliament had hired a troublesome—no, headache-inducing—enemy. He seemed to be at least at the Resonance level. It was rare for a Resonance level to be skilled in so many schools.
Ye Qingxuan could not defeat him. One did not even have to think to know that Ye Qingxuan could not defeat him. So what were his odds? He began calculating quickly.
“Mr. Holmes, do you not like talking?” The figure cocked his head as if waiting for a reply. “Did I disgust you with my impoliteness or do you like being called the Vengeful Spirit more?”
“You flatter me. Why don’t you just choose whatever you like?” Ye Qingxuan shrugged, pretending to be relaxed. “I don’t mind.”
“Oh? Then what if I use your abbreviation S.H? S.H., S.H., S.H…” As he sounded out this name, his eyes filled with anticipation. “This name is cute and lovely. Don’t you think we’re closer now?”
“Ha.” Ye Qingxuan’s smile was devoid of warmth. He did not understand this man. Did he want to talk? Or just kill? This confusing attitude was freaky!
“Close?” Ye Qingxuan asked. “Your way of getting close with others is unique.”
The man laughed. He said warmly, “I was just greeting you. After all, we’ve interacted for a long time. Please don’t find it strange that I had to greet you warmly. I believe you won’t mind, no?”
Ye Qingxuan sneered. “Would you apologize if I said I do mind?”
Pop! There was the sound of a water bag popping. Ye Qingxuan stared at the figure before him in blank confusion.
The moment he spoke, the dark musician had raised his hand. His fingers slashed to the side like daggers. Foul blood spewed out and the strange stray’s head flew to the sky. As the head landed with a thud, the giant body continued to spew blood like a fountain. It died the fog read. The menacing figure looked clearer in contrast.
“This stray was a gift from Hyakume from before,” the dark musician suddenly began explaining for some reason. “It’s a new breed from the Dark Mother, called ‘hymner.’ The nine hands can use holy power. They’re indestructible. Let’s skip the other features for now. It’s a rare but fine specimen, and of precious material. For a dark musician, the technology within is the true gem. They’re great to use on your mutations or to transform yourself.”
He glanced at Ye Qingxuan with a genuine expression. “Think of it was a meeting gift from me to you. Can you feel my sincerity?”
Ye Qingxuan’s eye twitched. This was too weird. What did this guy want? He asked, “Are you from the parliament?”
“Yes.” The man put a hand to his chest.
After a pause, Ye Qingxuan chuckled. “Do you all have the habit to give gifts before killing someone?”
“Normally, no. I don’t, at least.” The dark musician laughed and shrugged. “Would you believe me if I said I think highly of you?”
Ye Qingxuan nodded seriously. “Of course. For people like me, we’re as eye-catching as the sun in the darkness wherever we go. It’s not strange for you to think highly of me.”
The dark musician blanched and coughed awkwardly. He could not reply to this. In all these years, he had seen many geniuses but this was his first time meeting someone so shameless.
“To be honest,” Ye Qingxuan said, “there are too many people like you who talk in circles. Everyone has the disease of not knowing how to speak correctly. So can you stop making me think so hard? Why don’t we be honest and open?”
269 The Cost of Sixty Years
“I like being honest and open.” The dark musician nodded in agreement. “I just came on the parliament’s orders. For example, helping the Robin solve some problems. However, I feel that killing isn’t the only way to solve problems. Killing is the final solution but not always the best. Do you understand?”
“I agree greatly.” Ye Qingxuan nodded. He suddenly felt he could identify with this man. “However, I’m sorry if you want to recruit me. I don’t plan on worshipping Hyakume.”
“Hyakume isn’t the only one for dark musicians. There are many natural catastrophes. In comparison, my god is one of the stingiest. There’s a lot of work but not much money. The contract is long too. You can easily die if you’re not careful. The main work is mundane work, like being a loan shark. To be honest, anyone with a brain would avoid it.” The dark musician laughed. “So it’s okay if you aren’t willing to become a follower. You just need to become a dark musician. What do you think?”
“Hey, giving your life and future to some weird thing.” Ye Qingxuan laughed too. “Why would I jump into the abyss for no reason?”
“What’s that saying? There’s a great future in the abyss.” The dark musician’s voice was meaningful. “I can help if you’re willing to sign with any natural catastrophe. Idealistic people like you will have high goals for natural catastrophes too, right? Let me guess, the highest order…is it the Three Outer Gods? The Three Saints? The Four Living Objects? I believe people like you would be a great follower to any of them.”
“I reject.” Ye Qingxuan sighed. “I reject you, Mr. dark musician who isn’t willing to reveal his true identity. I won’t accept any natural catastrophe.”
“Then we’ll have to use the most barbaric method.” The dark musician scratched his head in frustration and sighed. “I didn’t want this.”
“There’s a question I need to ask though,” Ye Qingxuan suddenly stated.
The dark musician nodded. “Please ask.”
“Have you ever felt regret and guilt from your actions as a dark musician all these years?”
The man fell silent. After a long pause, he nodded slightly. “Mr. Holmes, a man is destined to feel guilt toward things you are powerless against. This is the original sin. No one can avoid it, other than gods.”
“Really?” Ye Qingxuan chuckled. “That’s good.”
“Huh?” The dark musician froze. He watched as the youth lifted the cane and slammed it on the ground.
Boom! The thud was heavy yet cold. A crazed melody sounded instantly. The song of hopelessn
ess filled in all directions. The black flood had come!
He could not see, could not hear, and could not feel; he was tormented. Even his sound of heart was trembling. The black river swallowed the dark musician’s mind. However, the negativity pouring out of his heart was abruptly restrained by a powerful strength.
After the short confusion, he was already clear-headed again. The moment he felt something was wrong, he instinctively put his hands together.
Crack! A sharp noise sounded, echoing through the air.
Ten thousand tons of pressure dropped from the air, smashing toward where Ye Qingxuan stood. The stone tiles were pulverized, instantly creating a crater.
However, the moment he moved, the youth had already adjusted his steel skeleton and shot forward like an arrow. He was running! This boy acted when he wanted without hesitation, acting even faster than the dark musician. He was also better at escaping than expected, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
“Hehe, what an interesting opponent.” The dark musician stared in Ye Qingxuan’s direction. He did not hurry over, but instead went to Ye Qingxuan’s original spot. He looked at the cracks on the ground. After a while, he dabbed his finger on the insignificant trace of blood.
The drop of blood moved as if it was alive. It coiled up his finger, finally swimming to his palm and pointing to the distance.
“Run, run, run quickly.” Dark musician Naberius gazed at the city shrouded in fog and chuckled. “Barbaric killing is so boring. If it’s you, this will at least become interesting, right?”
-
Ye Qingxuan fled for his life in the fog, panting for breath.
Practice marathons, practice marathons, practice marathons. “Ye Qingxuan, why didn’t you practice for marathons? Look at you now, you can’t even run,” he thought to himself.
He mocked himself in his head. Sprinting, he crossed dozens of meters in an instant and rushed deep into the darkness. His perception threads could sense that the strange dark musician was slowly but steadily following him. He needed Old Phil now but…he did not know where Old Phil was. His life depended on himself.
Boom! There was another muffled boom. The spot he was in instantly began a black wind tunnel. It sucked in everything within ten meters of the tunnel like a vacuum. Then it exploded; the air pressure shot up hundred-fold.
If Ye Qingxuan was a second later, he would be sucked into that hellish change. If he did not implode in the vacuum, he would be pressed into a meat pie.
The School of Modifications…
Immediately after, innumerable insects rushed out of the cracks in the tiles, charging toward Ye Qingxuan. His face changed and he began sprinting again. He did not want to see what would happen if he got bitten by things called by the Summoning…
The School of Summoning…
Immediately after, the ground before him began bubbling. Water demons covered in mud began climbing out continuously. Ye Qingxuan was stunned but immediately sneered and charged through them. Ripples spread through the illusion of the demons and quagmire, and the image collapsed.
The School of Illusion…
Ye Qingxuan suddenly felt dizzy. He wanted to gag as his heart pounded like a drum. The moonlight in his blood hummed; it flickered and extinguished by itself. It was hard to breathe and Ye Qingxuan spat something black out of his throat. The thing squirmed on the ground as if it was living.
It was a curse from the School of Choir!
There were thick layers of fog between them but the dark musician would not give up. It was as if Ye Qingxuan’s every move was in his control. This was the probe from the School of Revelations.
Ye Qingxuan lost control of his panic and fear. He also felt despair and the urge to go crazy, which he should not have. He swore inwardly. When did this *sshole plant the hint?
The School of Mind…
Modifications, Summoning, Illusion, Choir, Revelations, Mind…
Within a short few minutes, Ye Qingxuan had suffered attacks from the six major schools. They had been activated hurriedly but they were already enough to kill him. This d*mn guy had learned all of this! Other than the School of Abstinence, he was an expert in all six schools. How bored was he?!
“Mr. Holmes, are you scared?” The taunting voice traveled through the fog. “Are you thinking who would be bored enough to withstand the incompatibility and backlash of the different theories and forcefully learn the six schools?”
Ye Qingxuan leaned against the wall and panted without replying.
“It’s simple. It’s really because I was bored.” Naberius’ voice floated from left to right like a spirit. This was an auditory illusion. “To be honest, when I was still young sixty years ago, I was a genius. Really, I was just like you right now.”
“Ha.” Ye Qingxuan flicked a coin forward. The music note carved onto it activated an auditory illusion, creating a snicker. Then the coin was swallowed by a giant snake that reached out from the fog.
Cold sweat seeped from Ye Qingxuan’s temple. As expected, this guy had no good intentions!
-
“Seems like I made you laugh.” Naberius sighed in the fog. “I was once like you, hungry for power. I fell because of this and became a dark musician. I had no hesitation or moral torment. It was just a choice I made after deep thought. To a genius, the rules and sense that average people insist one are just jokes. Mr. Holmes, do you understand this?”
Ye Qingxuan flicked a coin and scoffed.
“Unfortunately, I was too arrogant. I thought I could trick the gods so I did something to the contract.” Naberius sighed. “I succeeded and gained some more power. I also avoided being controlled by the gods and being transformed into a demon. But unfortunately, I failed too.” He suddenly waved his hand. Wild wind blew forward under the piercing music, blowing past Ye Qingxuan. Everything in its path split apart as if hacked by an ax.
“This was Hyakume’s punishment to me. I will forever be restricted to the Resonance level. It has been sixty years! Sixty years! Sixty years is too long.
“It was long enough to make me die of boredom. I raised my music theory for all six schools to the Resonance level. It was long enough for my brother, far less talented than me, to become the king of dark musicians and fall in the hands of saints.
“Yet I am still paying for my crimes.” He paused and said in a low voice, “To be honest, taking care of you is my final mission. Once complete, I’ll be free again.”
Another coin rolled in the fog, bringing with it a mocking voice. “So were you bullsh*tting just then?”
“No, no, everything I said was the truth.” Naberius’ expression as solemn but his lips curled into a fanatic smile. “I want to trick him again! Mr. Holmes, let’s play again! Losing isn’t scary. What’s scary is if you don’t have the courage to challenge him…I’m going to use my own ways to complete my last mission. I’m going to gamble my sixty years of fury to lie to the gods again! It will pay for my sixty years of torment!”
270 Your Heart and My Heart on a String
His eyes grew wild as he spoke. “Think about it, Mr. Holmes! Isn’t tricking a god a challenge? Avalon’s Shadow is a blind spot for him. He won’t know anything that happens here. If you’re willing to work with me, we’ll definitely win! I’ll win freedom and you’ll win power! Isn’t it a double win?”
“You’re crazy.” The youth in the fog sighed. “I’m sorry. I acknowledge your pride and motivation but please allow me to reject you.” He did not use an auditory illusion this time; he spoke with his own voice. Perhaps this was respect, to some degree.
“No need to apologize.” Naberius lowered his eyes. “I should be the one to apologize. I’ll use your respect to kill you.” The aether around him swelled, ready to destroy the enemy with destructive power. However, the drop of blood that guided him suddenly began burning. It shone with a cold yet deadly light.
The blood instantly became scalding lava. The moonlight burned in his hand, sizzling, piercing through his hand, and dr
opping to the ground. A hole appeared in his palm.
Naberius instinctively tried to reconnect the broken music theory, but he discovered that his senses had been cut by that light! Confused, he looked at his hand. The flesh around the hole writhed but was unable to heal. Raising his hand to his eyes, he studied the wound.
Did the youth turn the tides? One could vaguely see his pleasantly surprised smile through the hole. It seemed that this hunt was becoming more interesting! It was so great that he could have such an enemy for his last mission!
-
The silent fog was like a dark forest. He could not see anything three steps ahead. Everything was unclear yet eerie and filled with murderous intent. This was the world’s best hunting ground.
The hunter and prey seemed to have returned to an equal starting point. They sharpened their teeth in the darkness, looked for their enemy’s flaw, and then…performed the fatal blow!
“Chirens once said that bitter fruits await during a long ascetic practice. I truly love this phrase.” Then Naberius suddenly asked loudly, “Mr. Holmes, do you read poetry?”
“Never.” The reply in the fog was short and fleeting.
And so Naberius nodded with a sense of loss. “Seems like you don’t like literature. What about life? How do you view life?”
“Sincere and priceless.”
“Well said! Life is priceless! To live, nothing counts as insulting.” Naberius chuckled as if praising him rhythmically. “Then, Mr. Holmes, I’m willing to take a step back. Are you willing to leave Avalon’s Shadow and never return?”
“Sorry, I can’t.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I knew you would reply like that.”
Naberius bent over. He took off the steel box from his waist and took the accessories out one by one. Holding them, he studied and chose the accessories. He said conversationally, “You know, you’re very famous. Many dark musicians know you.”
“Oh?”
“Regular people think you’re a dark musician. Dark musicians think that you’re not a regular person. Without a doubt, you’re rational. There aren’t many rational people but I like those types of people. We can discuss everything.” After a pause, he suddenly asked, “To be honest, you suit me. Are you interested in becoming my student? Join me. I promise you that in thirty years, you’ll be powerful enough to be top ten on the wanted list.”