Ye Futian gazed at Lian Yuqing. When he'd entered the Law Rank three years ago, Lian Yuqing had been extremely proud and arrogant. When he'd defeated Yun Feng, he'd injured him with musical sorcery. This was the beginning of their conflict. At the end-of-the-year battle, Ye Futian had invited him to listen to Ukiyo and defeated him with musical sorcery.
That day, he'd seen Lian Yuqing follow him into the Guqin Valley. He'd wanted to enter Liu Kuangsheng's relic, but had been powerless. He'd felt Lian Yuqing's sadness that day. It was obviously uncomfortable for a pride to be passed over by Ye Futian.
Lian Yuqing seemed to have been cultivating in private for the past two years. However, after Ye Futian returned from Alchemy City and became first on the Law Rank, Lian Yuqing jumped out again. Jieyu had said unhappily that Lian Yuqing had declared before Sage Daozang that the Law Rank was so casual now.
Their rivalry had already been created. Clearly, Lian Yuqing hadn't moved on from it yet.
Chuckling, Ye Futian said, "Then I'll make it easy for you."
Everyone's eyes flashed at Ye Futian's words. Would they see another incredible musical sorcery battle? It would be different from two years ago. Now, Ye Futian was first on the Law Rank while Lian Yuqing was fifth. The musical battle between them would be a top fight between musical sorcery Nobles of the palace.
"Ukiyo." Many people still thought about Ukiyo, one of the top musical pieces. It was filled with emperor's intent.
Seeing that Ye Futian agreed to the battle, Lian Yuqing smiled faintly. "In that case," he said, "let me experience Ukiyo again."
Ye Futian stood up. Yu Sheng retreated to the edge of the Battle Sage Pavilion, standing quietly behind Ye Futian.
There, Ye Futian looked down at Lian Yuqing. Ukiyo? Smiling, he said, "Back then, I was a Grade Eight Noble. To prove myself in a battle of musical sorcery, I played Ukiyo. Now, you are no longer qualified to hear it."
Everyone had been hoping to hear this musical piece. When Ye Futian said that, everyone's eyes froze in his direction, staring at the figure in the air with shock.
What a slap to the face…
They gazed at Lian Yuqing. As expected, Lian Yuqing's expression was very ugly at the moment. Ye Futian had humiliated him publicly. However, this seemed to be how Ye Futian was. Just as he had said, he never had to prove anything to those who doubted him. Now, he was first on the Law Rank. Even if Lian Yuqing challenged him, he still arrogantly said that Lian Yuqing didn't deserve to hear Ukiyo.
"I will hear it," Lian Yuqing said. Then his Guqin Spirit appeared. He sat cross-legged on the ground and gradually rose up to hover in the air. His entire temperament changed. Ye Futian didn't move. He sat down on the edge of the Battle Sage Pavilion. His Guqin Spirit appeared. He seemed to be playing on the edge of a cliff. Seeing this, many people felt that it made a great picture. This was especially because Ye Futian's temperament was extraordinary. His handsome figure made many people sigh in awe. He was such an attractive person and also had unparalleled talent. No wonder he was surrounded by beauties.
When Xiang Zhiqin saw Ye Futian, she thought of how Hua Jieyu had said she'd understand one day when she'd suspected that Hua Jieyu had misjudged Ye Futian. Now, she seemed to understand.
"After Ukiyo from the battle two years ago, I've learned a new song," Lian Yuqing said. As soon as he spoke, his white fingers started strumming the instrument strings. When the music rang out, the people didn't hear a lovely song. Instead, the song made them feel depressed and heavy. The sunlight was shining down and the sky was clear. The weather was great, but when they heard the song, an artistic conception was born. Darkness enveloped the world. Black clouds swept in, covering the sky. The repressive song suppressed the entire place.
Many disciples of the Daozang Pavilion looked at Lian Yuqing. Was this the musical piece that their senior brother played? Lian Yuqing often played in the Daozang Pavilion, but they'd never heard this song before. They hadn't even heard this style before.
In the past, Lian Yuqing played songs that made people feel comfortable like bathing in the spring breeze. Even his musical sorcery had light and bright rhythms. However, this song was clearly different from the past. It was a dark style. Was this because of the battle two years ago?
At the same time that he played, Ye Futian's fingers also strummed the strings. A bright and clear sound came out. It felt powerful and fanatic to the people. It immediately brought them into Ye Futian's artistic conception. That conception was wildness. At that moment, he sat high up in the sky. Everyone in the world had to worship him.
Black clouds covered the sky. Darkness enveloped the world. All the Spiritual Qi in the world was suppressed. Ye Futian's music was also about to be suppressed. In that dark world, there seemed to be only one song.
Many long black spears seemed to appear in the artistic conception. The power of dark thunder ravaged the sky above Ye Futian's head. The swirling black clouds transformed into dark dragons. It was like the end of the world. Everything was being destroyed.
"Such repressive music. This dark artistic conception was created for destruction." Many of the disciples closed off their senses. Even still, they were still affected by it. They felt the artistic conception and could almost feel the suppressed anger within Lian Yuqing. It seemed to have melded into the music. Had the battle from two years ago really affected him this much?
Ye Futian also felt how terrifying Lian Yuqing's music was. The song went into the mood immediately. It was muffled and repressive as if it could squash him directly. The song also made one feel agitated and annoyed. It could affect their minds, making them unable to focus on playing and destroying their artistic conceptions.
Ye Futian guarded his mind and continued to play without being affected. Spiritual Qi screamed around him and the wild artistic conception continued. The air around him seemed to freeze, blocking the invasive attacks. He continued playing. His fingers sped up and the artistic conception grew stronger. It created the hallucination that Ye Futian was surrounded by an invisible force field. He was majestic and divine. People couldn't help but worship him. His musical sorcery was extremely penetrative and influential. When the artistic conception entered one's mind, they couldn't even dare to think about going against Ye Futian. It was very strange.
"The Nine-Fingered Guqin Devil." Some powerful Nobles stared at Ye Futian. The Nine-Fingered Guqin Devil Liu Kuangsheng's music was known for being wild. It could steal one's mind and trick one's hearts. It was a terrifying song. The song they heard now might be from the Nine-Fingered Guqin Devil, Liu Kuangsheng, someone from the last generation's Barren Sky Ranking.
The two continued sitting quietly and playing. The two artistic conceptions grew stronger. The defensive power around Ye Futian seemed to get ravaged and destroyed. Lian Yuqing's song was highly destructive. It could even break apart Spiritual Qi and spiritual will. It made Ye Futian feel that Lian Yuqing had purposely composed this song after the battle to target Ukiyo.
Ukiyo was known to counter all spells, but Lian Yuqing's current song was just as destructive. It was repressive and made one agitated and unable to control oneself. Faced with this kind of song, one couldn't play a powerful song according to one's thoughts if one's will wasn't strong enough.
"I can't take it," an observer said. He felt as if his spiritual will was about to be destroyed. He wanted to free himself.
"What kind of song is it?" Even Xu Que felt very uncomfortable. He guarded his mind, but he still had the urge to pull out his sword and kill someone. Xu Que was a Grade Two Noble and was very talented. Even he couldn't stand the current situation. More and more people left the space. Even Lian Yuqing's expression changed.
Ye Futian continued playing. A horrible spiritual windstorm seemed to gather in the air around him. It grew stronger and stronger. The white-clothed figure at the abyss' side seemed to be bathed in endless light. He allowed the destructive power to go wild in his mind while he remained unmoving. The artistic conception of his song grew stronger until the attacking power seemed to meld into his own song. In addition, some of the weaker people no longer looked at Ye Futian with reverence. Instead, they were a bit lost. In their eyes, Ye Futian was like a god. They felt like their minds had been infected and they'd melded into his song's will.
Lian Yuqing wanted to destroy; however, Ye Futian wanted to control. Many of the pavilion's prides were in pain. This musical sorcery battle was completely different from two years ago.
On the battleground, Lian Yuqing seemed to still have the advantage. In reality, Ye Futian's artistic conception kept enlarging and strengthening. The light he was bathed in grew brighter too. The vast world harmonized with Ye Futian's song.
Lian Yuqing's expression grew more and more uncomfortable. Of course, he felt that Ye Futian's cultivation and spiritual power was weaker than him, which was why he'd been using defense. But as time passed, his song kept strengthening while Lian Yuqing's song was getting attacked. This was the essence and artistic conception of musical sorcery.
This was not all. Lian Yuqing also felt that something even more frightening was happening. His spiritual power was getting affected; it was gradually being invaded by Ye Futian's artistic conception.
I don't believe this! Lian Yuqing cried out within. He played wildly. As if he'd given up on himself, he submerged himself completely into the song and started attacking Ye Futian as crazily as he could. His music penetrated everything and ravaged Ye Futian's spiritual will. Then it gradually grew lost. He felt his own will get corroded as he continuously lost himself.
Time passed bit by bit. Lian Yuqing continued to play. Other than music, there was no other sound in the vast space. Even Lian Yuqing's movements seemed less spirited than before. It was not only him. Even the people who were listening on the sides seemed lost. Only those with higher cultivations could still see the current situation clearly. They felt a shocking spiritual windstorm wrap around the entire space. Ye Futian sat at the edge of the abyss. He was still handsome as he played the guqin quietly. But in many people's eyes, he was no longer a disciple of the pavilion; he was like a god.
"Snap the string," Ye Futian said quietly as he played with his head lowered. As soon as he spoke, Lian Yuqing yanked his finger back. There was a crisp sound of an instrument string snapping. He grunted and blood trickled out of his mouth. However, he seemed not to feel anything at all. It was as if Ye Futian's words had been an order.
"From now on, do not touch a guqin before me. You don't deserve to," Ye Futian said indifferently, raising his head. As soon as he spoke, his finger shook powerfully. Music echoed and the artistic conception scattered.