by Feng Yue
“No.” Ye Qingxuan shook his head resolutely. “Not at all.”
“Really?” Bai Xi looked at him as if seeing his guilt. Pursing her lips, she rose and walked away.
“Where are you going?” Shocked, Ye Qingxuan grabbed her hand. He did not expect that his cousin would suddenly have this kind of temper and leave without warning. “Don’t be angry! I didn’t finish…sit down and we’ll talk!”
Bai Xi turned around and looked at him condescendingly. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Ye Qingxuan let go awkwardly and waved. “Why don’t you do things normally… Go, go.” Seeing her walk away, he let out a sigh, not understanding why he was so nervous.
Deep in thought, there was a commotion outside. The bustling street had become quiet without him noticing. The garrison had put the entire avenue under martial law. In the distance, an exquisite and charming carriage drove over. At the very front, cavaliers with ornate golden armor lead the way. In their path, the white snow melted into the mud under the hooves and flowed in the dirt. Then, the ground was covered by flower petals scattered by the ritualists and servants. Heavy fragrance emanated from the burning kettle and hung in the air without scattering. Under the somber ritual music, nine handsome stallions pulled the elegant wagon down the street.
A white-haired middle-aged man sat in the seat. He smiled gracefully and waved at the crowd every now and then.
Ye Qingxuan frowned. Easterners? Without a doubt, this procession came from the East. Civilians would be beheaded if they dared to use it. In addition, this opulent scale already showed signs of offending the empress.
Ye Qingxuan could see clearly that the man sitting in the center wagon was not of the dragon bloodline. There were strands of shocking black within the white hair. He was an Eastern noble and not of Deva’s blood but used a procession that even a king would not dare to use.
While he was deep in thought, the man in the slowly moving car seemed to sense him. The man looked up in Ye Qingxuan’s direction. He could see Ye Qingxuan’s face clearly through the glass. He smiled oddly and nodded.
Ye Qingxuan froze. He finally saw the design on the man’s sleeves clearly. It was the unique emblem that represented the dragon bloodline—Yunlou!
“Yunlou Qingshu?” he murmured.
-
The silent hallway seemed to be isolated from all hustle bustle. This restaurant was owned by a big figure. The Central Avenue of the Sacred City was extremely expensive and yet this restaurant had taken up an entire three-story building. The interior design and decorations were apparently on par with Burgundy’s royal palace. All guests could have a noble experience. As far as one could see, everything was in the glamorous Rococo style. In simpler terms, everything was painfully fancy.
The hall to the bathroom was so long. It seemed that only Bai Xi’s steps sounded in the silence. She walked forward quietly and quickly. Her feet fell on the ground gently but brought heavy echoes. Those footsteps seemed to brand the ground after her, resounding endlessly.
One step, two, three… Every step was like a heavy pound. The sound bounced around the hallway, solidifying the air. Immense pressure converged soundlessly. After ten steps, Bai Xi tried to take an eleventh.
Boom! Something seemed to snap and a blurry figure was revealed behind Bai Xi. He had been squeezed out of his invisible state! Now, he finally sensed the cold animosity coming from Bai Xi.
“As expected…” She turned slowly and studied the figure. “I’ve felt annoyed ever since I came out this morning. Some guy is also annoying but flies like you are a different type of annoying. How long have you been following me?”
The figure remained silent.
Soon, he could not speak if he wanted. He was merely standing there—it was already impossible to walk. Without him realizing, the rhythm of the footsteps and echoes had become a weight of thousands of kilos, pressing down on him.
Bai Xi stepped forward.
Boom! A barrier was broken. Under the heavy snap, pressure from the aether pushed the man back. It was just one step—not a bit more or less.
In the space of the immense strength, the figure finally snatched the opportunity to speak. “Hi—”
Boom! Bai Xi stepped again, cutting the man off. As if red-hot pieces of metal shoved the words back into his throat, the figure choked as his organs burned. He could not speak anymore.
It was Zhaodang!
Aggressive music theory within the pounding aether ensnared him. Not only was there outer pressure, it also forced the strength within him to resonate and plant the seed of chaos. In an instant, troubles appeared both inside and outside. It was unspeakably painful like swallowing a sword and being thrown into the sea.
“If you’re not willing to speak, then don’t,” Bai Xi said coldly. “I’ve been in a bad mood for a while. Since you’re here, then let me vent.” She walked forward again. The figure squirmed under the horrible pressure and was forced back. Now, it felt like being frozen into an ice cube… No, it was like being melted into metal.
Aggressive power rose from the seemingly eerie and cold girl. She carelessly played with his mind and body. No matter how he struggled, he could not fight back. He was wrong! He had messed up… His expression changed as he struggled, trying to escape. But he was wrapped by layers of pressure, trapped in the ‘metal.’ He was in a cage without realizing.
He was wrong. This was not Zhaodang! All his attacks prepared for Zhaodang were useless now. The music theory around him continued to change, trying to lessen the pressure around him. His beastly nature changed.
Strange auras from the aether world emerged on his body. The invisible bars were unmoved. As if they grew from his body, they changed with his breathing. Whenever he tried to fight back, a gust of power would burst from thin air and destroy his growing strength.
What was this…
He gaped at Bai Xi. He could sense countless music notes appear on her body, calling for the aether sea like a furious river. Inside her body, countless notes appeared. They formed music theory of the School of Modifications’ essence. However, it was different from the Zhaodang of Deva’s blood. This was not the ‘movement’ that pushed everything toward destruction but the other end of Modifications. It was the ‘stillness’ that caused all to freeze and stop!
Countless music theory wove together, forming a score that was dumbfounding. However, this terrifying power did not fuse into her body and form a heart of sound. Instead, it was clearly separated from her own music theory, creating something different.
Creation, activity, formation, creativity…four realms overlapped and operated together, forming a cruel alchemy array. This was the only alchemy product she had learned from Hermes…
It was Lock!
As she stepped forward, the pressure from the ‘lock’ around the man kept pushing him back, pressing him against the wall. Controlled by the Modifications score, the wall swallowed him like water. There were no damages. No one noticed either.
How was this possible?
The figure witnessed all of this, feeling a blow to his sanity. Zhaodang was like a dragon, representing utter destruction. Anything it touched would be destroyed. How could it be manipulated so finely?
Bai Xi continued advancing, pushing him completely out of the restaurant and frozen in mid-air. Then, she came out of the wall too.
They left the restaurant and entered the air above the alley. She walked on thin air but there was the sound of footsteps as if she was walking on flat land. The detailed music score had turned the air into something solid, supporting her weight in the sky.
“Your Highness, please stop!” the figure forced out. His face had become blue-purple. At the same time, the air around him shook. A subtle insect surface appeared. Under it, his body shriveled up. The skin on his back opened up. It was the beastly nature Red-White Cicada!
Like a cicada being reborn, a figure snaked out of the crack in his back. Agilely shedding his skin, he shot into the sky to fly
away. But then his expression changed. The lock followed him like a shadow. It pierced into his shell, making him cry out in pain.
And then, Zhaodang!
The pained cries stopped. Wild power swept from the invisible lock in Bai Xi’s hand, rushing into his body with the pain of burning his innards. The figure dropped onto the ground. He spat out fresh blood and convulsed, unable to move.
Now, he finally noticed the abnormality of Bai Xi’s body. There were two drastically different music theories inside her right now. One was the heart of sound that relied on her Deva’s blood—Zhaodang. The other was the alchemy array branded on her limbs and bones—the Lock!
Hermes had given Bai Xi music theory different from most other schools. It could be described as a unique way or teaching adjusted to the student.
Bai Xi’s talent was first-rate of the Deva’s blood talents. She did not need to construct music theory within her from scratch. Hermes did not plan on having his student waste time like someone common. He once said, “Zhaodang is like a flood and beast. Its aggression is rare. You do not need any more strength. You need a lock to control the beast.” He had combined music theory and alchemy to tailor a lock for Zhaodang. This allowed Bai Xi to control the unparalleled wildness.
She only needed one thought for the wild power to escape from the box and destroy what was inside the shackles! With one attack, the figure was gravely wounded and unable get up again.
“You can speak now.” Bai Xi landed soundlessly. She kicked the figure over and studied his fearful expression. “What do you want, following me like that?”
The unfamiliar man’s lips trembled but he did not reply. He just clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, waiting for death. Bai Xi furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to act, she saw a high-pitched sigh.
“Your Highness is precious. Why must you fight with an unimportant man? You will lose your dignity.” A frail figure came out of the darkness like a ghost. The comer raised his head, revealing a clean and hairless old face. His voice was sharp and high-pitched.
“I cannot believe that, in half a year, Your Highness has changed so drastically with such powerful music theories. Even I do not know your limits. If Master knows of your achievements, he must be proud.”
He paused. Studying Bai Xi, his brows furrowed slightly, seemingly in pity. “However, I dare to warn the princess that these demonic music theories may feel powerful but as time goes on, there will be many problems. Your Highness, please return to the correct path. Otherwise, you will be ridiculed if the others find out.”
Hearing this, Bai Xi looked at the man indifferently. “I don’t learn the proper things and I don’t need an old dog like you to comment on me. I remember you’re…Eunuch Wang, right? I’ve seen you in Yunlou City. Unfortunately, you weren’t so amiable back then.”
“I am honored you remember me.” Despite being called an ‘old dog,’ Eunuch Wang showed no signs of anger. He just lowered his eyes like a faithful slave. “I beg you, Your Highness, to go back.”
“Yunlou is so powerful and important. Why do they need a wild and parentless kid?” Bai Xi laughed and spat out, “Or does that rogue feel that a good daughter isn’t enough to stabilize his position and finally thought of his other one?”
“Your Highness has never been educated on manners and cultures, resulting in you saying such blasphemy against your father. This is my fault.” Eunuch Wang sighed and slapped himself lightly.
“Master has heard news of your tracks and come to the Sacred City. Please stop your tantrum. These years, Master has put his heart in the Yunlou business and had no time for relationships. He was forced to neglect you, Your Highness. After you left home, Master worried day and night over you. He is your father, after all. There are no unsolvable arguments between father and daughter. Why won’t you come home?”
Bai Xi’s expression changed slightly. In silence, no one knew what she was thinking. After a while, she nodded and smiled. “Okay, I’ll go back with you.”
Eunuch Wang’s expression changed. He took three steps back and lowered his head even more. He said helplessly, “Even if you kill me, you cannot change the master’s decision. Why can you not face reality?”
“Oh?” Bai Xi arched an eyebrow. It was unclear what she was thinking, but with a guess, his expression darkened.
“Your Highness, you must not consider immoral acts such as a father and daughter fighting each other.”
“You’ve overthinking.” Bai Xi smiled. “I’ll go with you.”
Sensing the aggressive Zhaodang power in the cage, Eunuch Wang’s expression darkened further. “Since you are still stubborn, please do not take offense…” Countless black shadows rose from his body, transforming into wraiths of the night. Then, Zhaodang whistled over!
464 Holy Cauldron
In the quiet restaurant, gentle piano music hung in the air.
Ever since Ye Qingxuan saw Yunlou Qingshu come to the Sacred City, he felt unsettled. He did not know what would happen.
While he was deep in thought, someone hobbled over on a cane and tapped the table. Ye Qingxuan looked up to see someone with a head of white hair. He was dressed in formalwear and seemed unable to walk easily. His face was serious and his eyes were strict. He looked familiar.
Handel.
Ye Qingxuan was stunned. He never thought he would meet one of the saints staying the Sacred City and one of the controllers of the Silent Authority here.
“Can I sit here?” Handel glanced at Bai Xi’s seat.
Ye Qingxuan squinted. After a pause, he shook his head and rejected him directly. “No, someone’s sitting there.”
The simple word ‘no’ had never been said to a saint before. If someone witnessed his impoliteness, his reputation would be ruined again. No one ever dared to reject a saint’s request, especially a seemingly well-intentioned one. However, Handel did not lose his temper.
He nodded. “There is still some time before she returns.”
Without waiting for Ye Qingxuan’s reaction, he sat on Bai Xi’s seat. Placing his cane to the side, he slid a document packet across the table.
“Take a look.”
“What is this?” Ye Qingxuan lifted the flap and looked at the thick stack of papers.
“Merely a contract for you.” Handel took off the copper enamel pen from his collar and placed it before Ye Qingxuan. “Sign it and you’ll become the manager of the Anglo branch of the Silent Authority. When necessary, you can use one-third of the organization’s resources. Six grandmasters will follow your orders at any time. You will only have to answer to me. This is the best treatment I can give you.”
Ye Qingxuan was stunned into silence. He had never thought that such a large piece of cake would fall from the sky and land before him with the tempting smell.
The manager of the Anglo branch of the Silent Authority…in a way, this position represented unimaginable power and richness. If he signed it, he would have six grandmasters, countless musicians, and the Silent Authority’s money and power…
Seeing his shock, satisfaction flashed through Handel’s eyes. No one could overlook the power and influence that came with this position. Musician or not, everyone on Earth knew the importance of power—and this document was the path to that power.
Ye Qingxuan seemed scared. He stared at the tempting pen but did not move. After a long while, he shook his head and sighed. “Sorry, but I will turn you down.”
The second rejection. Within a few minutes, the shockingly arrogant rejection had happened twice.
The smile stiffened on Handel’s face. “Ye Qingxuan, are you sure?” he asked quietly after a while. “I know we have had an unhappy encounter before but I hope you understand the importance of this. Once you miss this opportunity, you probably will not get a second chance in your entire life.”
Seeing him like that, Ye Qingxuan smiled and shook his head. “This must be your first time experiencing this. Who would’ve thought that the high and mighty alms would be looked
down on?”
“Are you dissatisfied by this contract?” Handel frowned. “If you have your own conditions, we can revise the specific terms. However, I do not like your clashing attitude.”
“Everyone knows that, other than a musician and noble, I was originally a scholar of ancient academia.” Ye Qingxuan smiled. He sipped at his wine and said something unrelated, “When I was reading ancient texts, I once saw a phrase. An author described a stupid woman saying, ‘at that time, she was still too young. She didn’t know that every gift given by fate had already been secretly marked with a price’.”
Ye Qingxuan set down his glass and stared deeply at Handel. “May I ask, how much do I have to pay for this gift from the skies?”
Handel studied him quietly. After a long while, he said, “Ye Qingxuan, I hope you understand that, to me, there’s nothing worth coveting on you. This position requires you to work when needed but compared to what you receive, you won’t give much.”
Ye Qingxuan nodded and asked, “For example, selling Charles to you? Or, when needed, become something you threaten Charles with? Constantine’s uncontrolled rise is probably threatening to many, right? You need something to balance his existence. I believe that before Charles agreed to become Constantine’s secretary, this contract never existed…”
“You’re overthinking.” Handel’s voice turned frigid. “Ye Qingxuan, everyone must sacrifice for this world when necessary.”
“Do you still remember what I’ve said?” Ye Qingxuan looked at him. “Charles has nothing to do with you anymore and I hope you’ll stop getting ideas about him. Mr. Handel, you are saint. You are above tens of thousands. Logically, I should respect you. However, don’t think I don’t know what you said to Charles…” His tone was calm and he said to this old man, almost indifferently, “If I have the chance, I will make you experience what he had felt.”
They were undisguised words.
The atmosphere quickly turned cold.
Handel looked at him without any anger. Instead, his eyes grew disappointed, filled with regret. “Ye Qingxuan, the Sacred City has not treated you badly. Why do you fight back against it? Or do you still think Ye Lanzhou was innocent?”
