Zither Emperor

Chapter 18 – Zither Calls Ming Xue (III)

—————————————————

Ye Yin Zhu faintly said, “I also don’t know what you should do. If you really are fond of her, then you should allow her to go back. Allow her to return to a happy life with her parents thus no longer restricting her freedom. Take my words however you’d like. I’m leaving.” Once he finished speaking, he didn’t look back as he began walking over to the dormitories.

“Wait.” Yue Ming quickly stepped forward and pulled at Ye Yin Zhu’s sleeve. “You, you can’t leave without first helping me wake up Ming Xue. If, if she really wants to return to her parents’ side then I’ll allow her to go back.” After she said this, she seemed to have used up all of her body’s strength. Her eyes brimmed with reluctance, but they also held determination. This allowed Ye Yin Zhu to finally see her good and honest heart.

Looking at Yue Ming’s anxious appearance, Ye Yin Zhu’s heart softened slightly. “I really don’t know how to wake Ming Xue. From what I heard, isn’t your grandfather the president of Milan’s Magic Guild? Could it be that he also doesn’t have an answer?”

Yue Ming nodded and explained, “Grandfather said he also couldn’t fix it. He also doesn’t know why Ming Xue is immersed in such a deep sleep. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come looking for you. Grandfather told me that since this happened during a fair match, he wouldn’t help me. Thus, I had to come look for you to solve the issue.”

Although he’d never met Yue Ming’s grandfather, Ye Yin Zhu gained some respect for him. When he thought of how Yue Ming’s grandfather actually broke up Ming Xue’s family in order to make his granddaughter happy, this speck of good sentiment was obliterated completely.

“So, you don’t have a way for Ming Xue to hear external sounds?”

“Kind of. When I summon her, it is equivalent to opening a channel of communication to this world.”

Ye Yin Zhu said, “Open the channel then, and I’ll use my zither music to test if I can wake her. If it doesn’t work, there is nothing else I can do. You must remember what you just said, however, and allow Ming Xue to return home.”

Sitting down cross-legged, he released the Moon and Tides’ Clear Brilliance from his space ring. He placed it horizontally atop his knees as the yearning Yue Ming nodded at his hint. Although he wasn’t certain, he had a vague idea that his zither music had some special connection to Ming Xue.

Yue Ming materialized something in the air above her right hand. Brilliant rays of yellow magic was instantly discharged as a dark-blue magic Six-Pointed Star appeared out of nowhere. “Appear, my partner, Ming Xue.”

Ice-cold magic fluctuated, but Ming Xue didn’t appear in front of Yue Ming. At this moment, Ye Yin Zhu’s eight fingers were already moving swiftly and rhythmically, deep and low humming zither notes sorrowfully emerging. The song began, and an elegant overtone made someone feel as if entering rippling jade curls of smoke and mist. The deep emotions within the gentle and distant zither music drifted towards that dark-blue magic Six-Pointed Star due to Ye Yin Zhu’s meticulous control.

This song, << >>, required the use of the eight major consummate skills of zither music. This song could be classified as a pleasant type of song. Through the resonance of spiritual power and music, it caused emotions and music to blend and it influenced the opponent, causing them to become solemn and emotional against their will. Ye Yin Zhu intentionally chose this song after integrating with Ming Xue’s Netherworld Spirit magical beast characteristics.

Pleasant sounding tones of nature dispersed, slow then quick, scattering at different tempos. Through the light and quick overtones, a feeling of countless changes was produced. Even if the zither song’s target to influence wasn’t Yue Ming, she couldn’t keep control of herself while listening to this song, << Mist and Clouds over Xiaoxiang >>. She thought to herself in her heart, ‘Maybe my loss to him during the match wasn’t a matter of luck. His zither song is rich with inspiration and it seems like his spiritual magic is very strong. And he’s only a “Red Rank!”’

Ye Yin Zhu was already completely immersed within the zither song. The zither strings and his heartstrings trembled simultaneously. Yue Ming anxiously waited, but there was still no activity whatsoever from that dark-blue Six-Pointed Star. Opening this communication channel for a short while wasn’t a problem, but it continued to consume her magic power. If her magic power was depleted before Ming Xue appeared, then what could she do…

<< Mist and Clouds over Xiaoxiang >> finished, and a quarter of Yue Ming’s magic power had been depleted. She unwillingly let go of the dark-blue Six-Pointed Star. From beginning to end, Ming Xue hadn’t appeared.

“It didn’t work?” Yue Ming looked at Ye Yin Zhu, her eyes brimming with a disappointed light.

Ye Yin Zhu smiled slightly, shook his head, and said, “Stop worrying. Although I didn’t wake up Ming Xue, I already know what’s the matter. You should be happy for Ming Xue.”

Yue Ming stared blankly. “Happy? What’s going on with Ming Xue?”

Ye Yin Zhu elaborated. “Perhaps because she was provoked by my song << A Chinese Ghost Story >> the other day, Ming Xue had begun evolving since she’s a growth-type magical beast. The sudden evolution caused her body to be incompletely formed, however, so she needs some time to rest. This will allow her to successfully complete her evolution.”

Yue Ming’s heart was moved. She recalled the final conclusion of the fight that day. Ming Xue’s body did seem to have grown slightly. Hearing Ye Yin Zhu’s explanation, she couldn’t help but relax significantly. “If it’s really like this, then that’s very good. Except, your zither music can cause a magical beast to evolve? According to my grandfather’s teachings, Ming Xue should’ve taken at least a year to evolve to Rank 5!”

Ye Yin Zhu faked a smile and said, “I also don’t know why it’s this way. Perhaps it’s a coincidence. Well, I must leave.”

“Ye Yin Zhu.” Yue Ming called out to him, her eyes displaying some embarrassment.

“What’s up?”

Yue Ming sighed. “Please don’t tell anyone about the matter I requested of you today, okay? Especially those words you’d told me. I promise you, as soon as Ming Xue wakes up, I will send her off to her parents’ side during this year’s institution’s vacation. But, nobody in my family can know of this matter. Grandfather would absolutely not approve.”

Ye Yin Zhu smiled, a smile that naturally came from his heart. He nodded towards Yue Ming and said, “I won’t tell anyone. If Ming Xue knows that you’re agreeing to allow her to return home, she will be very happy.”

Yue Ming looked like she was gathering a lot of courage. “Ye Yin Zhu, when that moment comes, can you come with me to return Ming Xue? I, I never traveled to the upper reaches of the continent, so I…” She was somewhat internally afraid, and felt embarrassed as she straightforwardly asked him.

Previously, Ye Yin Zhu had deeply hurt her feelings. Although she practiced Dark Magic, she still had the heart of a maiden. Her purity and kindheartedness allowed Ye Yin Zhu to wake her and make her understand Ming Xue’s situation. Since her childhood to the present day, the majority of her time was spent practicing magic, causing her to now have a revelation. She and Ye Yin Zhu were very similar in this way. At this moment, the lesson Ye Yin Zhu taught her already made her consider him as her teacher.

“Okay. This is a good deed, so I’ll definitely help you.” Ye Yin Zhu promised without the slightest hesitation.

When Ye Yin Zhu returned to the dormitory, he discovered that there were three visitors. Because the work-study dormitory was rather small, all three visitors were waiting outside the door. Sura had already left.

“Ye Yin Zhu, where did you disappear to?” Nina seemed to be a bit impatient. Hai Yang and Xiang Luan stood behind her. All of their gazes were, at this moment, focused on Ye Yin Zhu.

“Grandma Nina, why did you come here? Just a moment ago, a fellow student and I were chatting for a while. Did something happen for you to come here?” Ye Yin Zhu hurriedly stepped forward, his gaze sweeping past the two girls in the back before falling upon the Dean.

Nina hummed and said, “Tidy up your things and follow me. I arranged a good dormitory for you.”

“Eh? Grandma Nina, there’s no need. I live very well here.” Ye Yin Zhu didn’t evade the matter. Although the work-study dormitories weren’t very big, he felt very happy living together with Sura. Especially since Sura took care of him and gave him a warmth that made him very content.