Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Magic Zither, which was hovering in midair, seemed to have terrifying music notes dancing around it. The mighty ones of Crimson Dragon City all knew that the guqin was still actually in its dormant state. Anyone who dared to pluck the strings on the Magic Zither would invoke demonic will power that was even more terrifying, bursting with the notes at frightening force.
While there had been legendary figures in past Peach Banquets, none were able to withstand the pulses of the notes for long. As such, there was still no one capable of mastering and playing that Magic Zither.
“Who would like to have a go first?” Chi Shang looked at the crowd and asked.
Other than the ones who had gotten their hands on the Peach Invitations, the ones who came with them were also welcomed to try.
But then again, those who were tagging along were destined to remain at the sidelines.
The ones who received the invitations were the most brilliant there were to be found.
“Go up and take a shot,” Xing Kai said to Xing Qiu, who was by his side.
He knew a thing or two about the Magic Zither and knew that the instrument was a test for Xing Qiu.
“Alright.” Xing Qiu nodded and moved, coming before the Magic Zither.
Countless eyes were onto him in mere moments, including many leading figures of the royal palace on the mountain in faraway corners. They all locked their eyes on Xing Qiu.
Xing Qiu was lauded as yet another Xing Kai before the Battle of the Crimson River. He had supreme talent and would become a member of the Regional Palace.
However, he met Yu Sheng at that battle.
Since then, Xing Qiu, who had once been placed with high hopes, felt as if an insurmountable ravine was right before him at all times. Many even wondered if Xing Qiu were to meet Yu Sheng before the Battle of the Crimson River, he might not even have been able to break into Saint Plane.
Yu Sheng would have made him doubt himself.
Regardless, Xing Qiu was a competent person, nonetheless. Many wondered how far he would be able to go.
The light of the great path shimmered above his body, resonating with the world around him.
He seemed to have basked in holy light. The glittering rings of light melded with the great path of his surroundings. He then stepped out and walked towards the Magic Zither.
Demonic will rushed at him from within the Magic Zither. At that moment, Xing Qiu felt a vast demonic might had surrounded him. Everything in the world seemed to have changed. There were no longer peach flowers to be found on the mountain. He was in the world of the demon.
There was a face appearing right before him, yet it was not the face of the demon lord.
That was the face of Yu Sheng.
That demon seemed to have been something stemming from his heart.
Crack. Xing Qiu clenched his fists tight and continued to move a with a rumble, heading towards the Magic Zither. The instrument seemed to have become huge. The seven strings of the guqin, which were hovering midair, looked unnervingly clear within the demon island space.
His arm glittered all over, and rings of light circled about him. He extended his arm when he was at the strings.
The strings vibrated immediately after he plucked them with his fingers.
Extremely formidable demonic might washed all over the place instantly, roaring at the image as it moved. Xing Qiu seemed to have beheld Yu Sheng, who had taken the form of an overlord demon king, then threw a fist at him. Its raging demonic might was difficult to defend against. A tinge of coldness was seen in his eyes. He then shouted and stepped out again, keeping his body centered.
He then plucked the second string again with his finger.
Boom… An even greater, wilder force swept out. Xing Qiu’s body was sent flying.
He rose and kept his eyes forward. That Magic Zither continued to hover in midair as if nothing happened.
It was as if everything that he had been through mere moments ago had been a dream.
“Twice then.”
Many sported solemn looks. Even someone as strong as Xing Qiu had been sent flying with only having plucked two strings.
The Magic Zither was more like an instrument best used for testing the strength of one’s will instead of one being played.
If the goal was to use it to play a tune, no one around was deemed powerful enough to do so.
Xing Kai looked disappointed when he saw what happened. He knew a little about the past Peach Banquets somehow, and there was no way the likes of Xing Qiu would have gotten further than that. However, the instrument was capable of attacking the will of its player. If the player had a wavering will, they would have suffered worse under the instrument’s effects, making one think the attacks were stronger than they were and were very difficult to resist.
It seemed that Yu Sheng had a profound effect on Xing Qiu, as he had become a solid obstacle in Xing Qiu’s path to cultivation.
“Get up there,” Xing Kai then said to someone beside him—Gai Huang’s personal student, Hua Ye.
Hua Ye nodded and walked out, coming before the Magic Zither. Xing Qiu turned his eyes to Hua Ye, who became clad in the dazzling will of the great path of space, tearing apart the demonic will power rushing at him.
He slowly moved towards the instrument, coming right before the guqin that was hovering in midair.
He then pointed at the air and seemed to have grabbed hold of the string on the Magic Zither remotely before plucking it.
The sound of the guqin reverberated in an instant. However, it did not sound pleasing at all. The sound heard was that of a howl, sending rumbles throughout the space.
Golden storm of space whipped up around Hua Ye, tearing everything apart. He pointed with yet another finger, plucking the string yet again.
A demonic aura that was even more raging swept through the place. Boundless notes danced as if there was a ferocious demon intruding.
Hua Ye stepped out again with his outstretched finger plucking the third string. Hua Ye felt as if his spiritual will was being devoured, yet he did not let up. His finger stirred again, causing the fourth note to be heard.
His body was sent flying as he grunted. His steps were faltering, and he skid quite a bit on the ground before stopping, looking rather disheveled.
Hua Ye was doing much better compared to Xing Qiu.
Both of them returned. Xing Qiu lowered his head somehow. He knew what his brother was doing—Xing Kai was deliberately getting Hua Ye to stir him up.
“I reminded you last when you fought in the Battle of the Crimson River. If you’re unable to overcome that obstacle of yours on your own, you probably won’t be able to move even a step further in your training. You won’t even get to the level of True Self, let alone Renhuang Plane,” Xing Kai said to Xing Qiu.
Talent was not the only thing that mattered in cultivation, after all.
Mighty ones from all sides tried their hands one after another afterward, with the strongest of them being only able to pluck the strings five times before giving in to the pressure.
However, those who had received the Peach Invitation had yet to make their move.
Yin Tianjiao was the first among those who received the invitation to try it out. She managed to pluck the strings on the Magic Zither six times, breaking the limit seen before, earning her praises from all sides. Those who received the invitations were indeed different.
Shu Zi, daughter of Emperor Shu, basked in an extremely dazzling purple glow of lightning when she stepped out, looking overbearing as she resisted the pressure. The place howled. Devastating aura formed around her. However, she was only able to pluck six strings as well.
Duan Wuji of Emperor Dong’s Palace made his move, and he was only able to pluck six strings.
Xiang Ze, of Emperor Xiang’s Realm, made his move after that. The man who had been fighting his way up to the Peach Banquet dazzled all over when he moved. However, like those before him, he too was only able to pluck six strings, earning him the praise of many. It seemed to them that Xiang Ze was also someone who was of superb talent.
He shot a glance at Ye Futian after he was thrown back, looking rather spiteful and provocative.
No one from Ye Futian’s group made a move.
Yu Sheng shot a glance at Xiang Ze. His eyes were overbearing as he stepped forward.
He knew little of the way of the guqin, but if it was only about plucking the strings, he thought he would be able to do the same, given how others before him managed to do so.
Boom.
Demonic might rolled as he stepped out. Every single step he took caused the ground to shake. His eyes were terrifying. It was as if they had become those of demons.
He was affected when he had gotten near the Magic Zither, entering a mystical demonic space. It was as if many great demons were charging at him.
However, as someone who trained in demonic ways, a shadow of a supreme demon seemed to have manifested on him as he stepped out in overwhelming force.
He came before the instrument and played. Demonic might rolled, and howls were heard.
He continued to pluck the second string as if he felt nothing.
Demonic auras roared and howled. His eyes were cold. He then plucked the third and the fourth strings, not flinching even a bit.
The fifth string rumbled, and the place was filled with raging roars of the demons. Terrifying waves swept all over the place.
Yu Sheng stood tall like a mountain and plucked the sixth string.
He felt an irresistible demonic will power bombarding him afterward, causing his brain to rattle. However, indomitable, overbearing will seemed to appear in those eyes of his.
The wind howled, and the peach flowers all over him wilted quickly. A terrifying demonic storm appeared around Yu Sheng.
“Clang…” The seventh string rattled. There seemed to be a supreme demonic shadow appearing on the Magic Zither. Yu Sheng shouted and looked it in the eye, remaining unflinching as he did so. However, his body was nonetheless thrown back afterward, rolling on the ground as rumbles were heard. His body continued to sustain the striking force as skid marks marked the ground.
“Some power indeed.”
Many shuddered. Yu Sheng was the first to have plucked all seven strings.
However, he remained utterly incapable of genuinely mastering and playing the instrument.
Mighty ones ranked on the Regional King Ranking were indeed a cut above the others.
“There is no way anyone could master the Magic Zither just by plucking the strings alone.” A voice was heard at that moment. Everyone turned around and saw yet another who was ranked on the Regional King Ranking.
Xie Qingshan, a prince from an imperial realm, a descendant of Emperor Xie.
Xie Qingshan looked dashing. He had a lithe figure and looked supreme. He said, “That has been the case with the Peach Banquets in the past. Seven chords have always been the limit. The end was the same, even after that. How could the will of the saintly path resist the will of a demonic emperor?”
Ye Futian nodded deep down, agreeing with what Xie Qingshan said.
If one were to pluck the strings, there was no way one could be able to master the Magic Zither.
Since it was a guqin, mastering it probably required resonance in the way of the guqin.
However, it was apparently not easy to be acknowledged by the Magic Zither.
Chi Shang was a good player of the guqin, yet there was no-one in the royal palace capable of accomplishing the feat. It was obvious that he was one of those people.
“No matter, Brother Xie. Limits are meant to be broken. There has indeed been no one capable of accomplishing the feat in the past, yet that is not to say that there won’t be anyone capable of doing it in the future. Although it is known that mastering it is impossible, one can still try,” someone said at the side. The one who spoke was Pei Min, who hailed from the Sword Emperor Palace from another imperial realm, and he was currently training in the Regional King Palace.
He was also Xie Qingshan’s elder brother in training.
“You’re correct, brother. I’d like to see if you have the chance of breaking the limit of seven,” Xie Qingshan then smiled and said.
“Sure. Regardless if I succeed or not, there is indeed no harm in trying.” Pei Min smiled nonchalantly and stepped out.
Sword wills filled the air as he moved, shrouding his surroundings.
The Sword Emperor Palace was known as the number one holy land of the sword in all of Crimson Dragon Realm.
It was where Emperor Jian—the Sword Emperor—resided.
Pei Min hailed from the Sword Emperor Palace and was currently training in the Regional King Palace. He was also a figure who was on par with Xing Kai.
