Translator: MoonWhisperer, TWIP | Editor: TWIP
It seemed that there was information leaking from somewhere in between!
“Attack!”
One of the black-clothed people shouted, and the two hundred people charged toward Du Xiao Li’s party of ten or so people.
The mounted members of Water Moon Paradise simultaneously began playing the instruments they held in their hands. However, because their Sound Arts weren’t powerful, it was somewhat difficult for them to deal with this many opponents. Nevertheless, they still managed to stop the opponents from coming within 10 meters or so of their protective circle, preventing them from getting even one step closer.
Beiling Yi Cheng was somewhat stunned upon once again seeing Sound Arts being used to kill.
“This is the fourth level of Sound Arts-using sound to kill,” Fairy Shui Qing said to Du Xiao Li.
At the first level of Sound Arts, one could influence the mood of the surrounding people, like when Du Xiao Li blew the flute to soothe Hu Yi Jian previously. Upon reaching the higher realm of the first level, one would be able to influence the mood of animals.
At the second level, one could control animals and get them to attack humans. Simultaneously, it would also be possible to injure other humans somewhat.
At the third level, the power of the sound produced by the musical instruments would have the ability to kill humans directly. However, the amount of power was still not that great at this stage, so the attacks would only be able to focus on one or two targets.
At the fourth level, it was the ability to kill a group of people. The magnitude of its power would depend on how low or high the user’s rank was within the level.
At the fifth level, the power would be amplified, and the number of people that could be killed simultaneously would increase. Additionally, the user would be able to easily control the actions of other people.
These were all abilities that Du Xiao Li had already mastered at present. All of the higher ranks used the fifth level as a foundation for expansions of power, and upon reaching an even higher realm, it wouldn’t be an issue to control more than a thousand people simultaneously.
However, Fairy Shui Qing assumed that Du Xiao Li’s Sound Arts was still within the first two levels. After all, Du Xiao Li didn’t have a teacher and had only been relying on self-study. One’s progression in Sound Arts would be comparatively slower without guidance. Moreover, Du Xiao Li had been training in the Sound Arts for only a short period of time, unlike these members of Water Moon Paradise that Fairy Shui Qing brought along. They had been studying Sound Arts for close to ten years, with some having studied for even longer than that. Yet until now, they had merely reached the third level. Even Fairy Shui Qing, who was acclaimed to be Water Moon Paradise’s most gifted member, had slowly and gradually worked her way up to the fourth level, first interacting with Sound Arts at the age of five until her current age of 20.
The first batch of black-clothed people was completely blocked off. Regardless, the person who had given out the order waved his hand once more, and another batch of dozens of people rushed over. Besieged by the hundreds of people, the members of Water Moon Paradise were already at their limits.
Seeing this, Fairy Shui Qing placed her own flute by her mouth and started playing it. At this moment, the beautiful notes of the flute became the embodiment of fatal curse-talismans (1), reaping the lives of the black-clothed people into her sack.
The sight of those black-clothed people, who were all well trained, gave Du Xiao Li a familiar vibe like she’d seen them somewhere before. Then she suddenly remembered that when she had also encountered a situation like this when she entered the capital with Imperial Tutor Meng’s family. Those imperial bodyguards who protected Imperial Tutor Meng had given her a similar vibe.
The ones who sent these assassins out to kill her were from the palace!
Indeed, it was because they were these sort of people that they had the power to send so many people over.
“Oh–“
The members of Water Moon Paradise had exhausted too much internal strength, yet they still forced themselves to continue using Sound Arts. Consequently, they suffered a backlash from the musical instruments, and quite a few of them had blood leaking out of their mouths. After a long while, even Fairy Shui Qing felt somewhat strained.
“Miss Du, the two of you should leave first. We’ll handle things here.” Fairy Shui Qing had no choice but to allow Du Xiao Li to leave as the opposing party was simply too great in number.
After such great difficulty, Water Moon Paradise had finally found a person who could play the Phoenix Flute. How could they allow her to die prematurely at this point?!
When Du Xiao Li saw they were doing their utmost to protect her, she sighed inwardly and spurred her horse to go over to Fairy Shui Qing’s side. Then she said, “Lend me your flute.”
Fairy Shui Qing turned her head and saw Du Xiao Li’s bright eyes. Seeing the confidence in them, Fairy Shui Qing’s anxious heart calmed down instantly, and she passed her flute over to Du Xiao Li.
Du Xiao Li took hold of the flute and gently caressed it several times. Soon after, she covered the flute holes with her fingers, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She then reopened her eyes to reveal a cold and murderous gaze. Watching the group of black-clothed people charge over incessantly, Du Xiao Li placed the flute by her lips and began to play it.
The first note flew out from the flute, and Fairy Shui Qing’s body suddenly shook. With a face full of disbelief, she looked toward Du Xiao Li. She was unexpectedly sensing a power greater than her own from Du Xiao Li’s flute notes.
“This… This is the fifth level…”
For Sound Arts, there was a huge dividing line between the fourth and fifth levels. In Du Xiao Li’s words, the fourth level was like a machine gun in her previous world. Whereas, the fifth level was like a mightily powerful bomb, making it simply too easy of a feat to destroy an entire area with an explosion.
Du Xiao Li’s fingers were moving extremely quickly, and the force of each note went straight toward the opponents. Although she was attacking a group, the power she displayed was several times greater than Fairy Shui Qing’s. The black-clothed people rushing over at the front of the group all lost their lives in an instant.
When the rescued members of Moon Water Paradise heard such a powerful flute sound, they all turned back to look in amazement. Then when they saw that the person playing the flute was Du Xiao Li, they were stunned.
Fairy Shui Qing waved her hand at these people. She seemed to be telling them that with Du Xiao Li around, it would only be a matter of time before the opposing party was eliminated.
“Senior Sister, this is…”
Faced with the shock in everyone’s eyes, Fairy Shui Qing nodded. Soon after, she stopped speaking and just watched Du Xiao Li use the sounds of the flute to kill the opponents before them one by
one.
Compared to the members of Water Moon Paradise, the opposing black-clothed people were even more astonished. They had never imagined that Du Xiao Li would not only know martial arts but Water Moon Paradise’s Sound Arts as well! After all, everyone in the martial arts world and the Imperial Court knew that aside from members of Water Moon Paradise, there was no one who knew Sound Arts.
However, how could she be a member of Water Moon Paradise?!
References
1.1 – They curse the target to have an early death.
