Ding-a-ling!
The zither began to play, where the notes earlier were just the opening of a tune.
Yet, when the music resumed, the crowd realized that the rain they were surrounded by had begun to trickle like a gentle river flowing.
A mystifying image appeared in everybody’s minds.
Just then, Hu Qingqing stood across from the crowd with her eyes wide. Her facial expression changed drastically, as she watched the sight before her in utter disbelief.
Her body began to tremble as her face grew dark and gnarly.
Her demon claws frantically strummed chords on her Copper Viper Zither, and bouts of demonic aura slithered on the instrument. Hurriedly, the aura gathered and transformed into a demonic snake.
Yet, Hu Qingqing was appalled to discover that her recital using the Copperhead Viper Zither had produced not a single sound.
As though the flowing waters were the only existence around right there and then.
Her face showed an unwillingness to concede defeat. Demonic aura then oozed out from her, forming numerous demonic snakes on the Copperhead Viper Zither.
“Ah!” Hu Qingqing snarled while she arched her head skywards, and puffed out demonic breaths.
The demonic breathes too transformed into snakes, and within a short two minutes more than a thousand of them had formed.
The demonic snakes exuded a chilling and steely demeanor, and began to attack in Tang Yinxuan’s direction.
Just then, the streams of flowing water glowed in sapphire and surged straight ahead for the snakes.
Once again, the demonic snakes were rendered defenseless. They resembled ink paintings which were watered down and swept clean, as though they had never existed.
“What’s the situation? How … How did I get immersed in another world?” Hu Qingqing shrieked in surprise. Soon after, the crowd of disciples from the Heavenly Sound Sect recovered as though they had just regained consciousness. They gazed towards the arena, looking somewhat lost.
“It’s the realm of music! Goodness, to think we’ve been dragged into a Mirage of Music!” one exclaimed.
“How is this possible? This can only be achieved if one is an Inborn expert of the Ancestral Clan. Otherwise, who’s able to …” a second doubted.
“This sound…goodness, to think Senior Sister Hu’s been totally suppressed!” the third gasped.
It was then that everyone focused their attention on the ongoing battle in the training field.
They could see Hu Qingqing strumming away at the zither like a prancing maniac, and yet they could not hear the slightest sound.
On the contrary, Tang Yinxuan rested her fingers on her zither with a look of tranquility while standing across from Hu Qingqing. In a state of serenity, she started playing, and streaks of water flowed gently down the instrument.
The snakes released by Hu Qingqing were wiped out by these gentle flows. The crowd also discovered in shock that the training field had been unknowingly submerged in blue waters. The streaks of sapphire flowed like a stream. Meandering its way over, it moved over to Hu Qingqing and began to circle, as though to envelope her.
“What’s … what’s this situation? Why can’t I hear Senior Hu’s melody? There’s only the sound of flowing water I hear. What’s going on?” a voice questioned.
“Suppression. It’s the legendary Absolute Suppression. The Copperhead Viper Zither’s been absolutely suppressed. To the point where its melody has been completely overpowered by that of another zither’s!” another explained in astonishment.
“Suppression? How’s this possible? The Copperhead Viper’s regarded as a legendary Level 9 zither!” another argued.
A look of disbelief swept over the crowd of disciples. To think that a Level 9 zither was unable to produce any notes. This …
“Inborn Spiritual Weapon. To think it’s an Inborn Spiritual Weapon!” a voice blurted out.
Meanwhile, on stage, the senior management of the Heavenly Sound Sect was startled. Even the Sect Leader stood up flabbergasted, as they all turned their eyes to the zither alongside Tang Yinxuan.
“What?” one gulped.
“How’s this possible?” another gasped in disbelief.
“A zither that’s of the Inborn Spiritual Weapon level. How’s this possible! Our entire Heavenly Sound Sect has only got one zither of the Inborn level. The Heavenly Sound Zither. To think … To think Tang Yinxuan has got one too!” the third uttered.
“If it isn’t a zither that’s classified as an Inborn Spiritual Weapon, how could it have suppressed the Copperhead Viper Zither like this?” the disciples exclaimed at the top of their lungs. Overwhelmed by shock, they stared at the zither in Tang Yinxuan’s hands with glistening eyes.
“That’s the Zither of Hao Zhong!” one of them yelled.
To which, Tang Yinxuan began playing once again. She strummed her fingers against the strings gently. In an instant, the surrounding waters flowed over in Hu Qingqing’s direction, ready to strike.
“A zither that’s classified as an Inborn Spiritual Weapon. An Inborn-level zither!” one shouted.
Hu Qingqing’s face soured when she heard Tang Yinxuan’s melody. She cringed upon seeing that the water flow was coming at her and, with a quick shift, darted for cover.
It was then that she looked down at her legs in shock.
She was horrified to discover that unbeknownst to her, her legs had been entwined by the water flow.
As though caught in a swamp, she was unable to free herself from the entanglement of the water no matter how hard she resisted.
“Such powerful binding force. Senior Hu’s losing! She’s actually losing!” someone choked.
“It’s only been under a minute, and Senior Hu’s about to be defeated!” the second voiced in shock.
“Hao Zhong. Isn’t that the Zither of Hao Zhong, the number one zither amongst the Legendary Top Ten?” the third exclaimed.
“To think it’s the Hao Zhong, the one regarded as the most powerful of all zithers. Its ranking is even above the Heavenly Sound Zither!” another added.
“Hao Zhong! To think it’s the Zither of Hao Zhong!” the last choked.
Upon hearing her words, and seeing for themselves the attack which Tang Yinxuan launched, the crowd was overwhelmed by shock.
On stage, the senior management from the Heavenly Sound Sect eyed the zither intently while it lay in front of Tang Yinxuan. “Hao Zhong, to think it’s the Hao Zhong; the Leading Zither of all!” they muttered.
A horrid look was plastered across the Vice Sect Leader’s face, while his heart ached like it had been stabbed and was dripping blood, as he watched his granddaughter cocooned in the streaks of water.
“You’ve been defeated!” Tang Yinxuan announced before she stopped strumming with her fingers. To which, the sound of flowing water disappeared.
The crowd turned their heads immediately, and saw that Hu Qingqing had been wrapped up tightly by the streaks.
And even though Hu Qingqing struggled till her face turned crimson, the wrap remained entirely unaffected.
Such is the horror of the Hao Zhong, along with its prowess!
The crowd watched on dumbfoundedly as the scene unfolded before them. Hu Qingqing had been defeated. Furthermore, the defeat had struck upon her so easily and thoroughly.
It was as though Tang Yinxuan had barely used any of her combat powers, and delivered a sweeping attack with such ease. Like an adult sparring against a child.
Yet, everyone was well aware that Tang Yinxuan owed her prowess and dominance to the formidable zither.
Zither of Hao Zhong, an Inborn Spiritual Weapon.
At the same moment, the crowd recalled the request made by Tang Yinxuan prior to the start of the competition, whereby they would compete fairly using only ordinary zithers.
Back then, everyone had mocked Tang Yinxuan for having lost her senses. They also ridiculed her for being thick-skinned by asking her competitor to use an ordinary zither instead of a formidable one, simply because she had none herself.
It appeared now that the truth was, in fact, the complete opposite.
She had in her hands an Inborn-level Zither, and had been out to compete fairly with Hu Qingqing after all.
At the thought, the faces in the crowd sizzled in red.
They had gauged the kindness and nobility of others using their own mean measures.
“How could this be? How could that chap, with nothing to his name, have gifted Tang Yinxuan with an Inborn-level zither? This can’t be. It’s impossible,” the Saint uttered as though in a daze. As he did, he focused on the zither that rested in front of Tang Yinxuan, remaining seated right behind.
