Zither Emperor

Chapter 23 – Eternal Substitute Puppet (III)

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Sura stiffened, staring into Ye Yin Zhu’s eyes with his own lifeless ones. ‘He, he actually gave me a divine item.’

He lightly shook his head. “No, I can’t accept this. Although I don’t know why Dean Nina treats you so well, she had given this divine item to you. This is yours. As a mage, you need it more than me. An Eternal Substitute Puppet can only be used by one master. Since this divine item only recognizes one master, it is a low level divine item. Its usefulness, however, is unlike any other divine item. Its sole ability is immunity against any and all physical attacks, even dou qi-filled attacks.” Walking up to Ye Yin Zhu, he extended the amethyst human sculpture once again, handing it over.

“Sura, aren’t we friends?” Ye Yin Zhu asked, frowning.

“Of course we are friends,” Sura replied without any hesitation.

“So, between friends, what is yours is mine, and what is mine is yours. How can I retake my gift? Don’t tell me you think our friendship is not as precious as a divine item?” Ye Yin Zhu’s voice held a trace of anger. A malicious look even began to form within his clear eyes.

“But— ownership of the Eternal Substitute Puppet cannot be changed. If the master dies, it disappears. In the history of the continent, the Eternal Substitute Puppet has only appeared thrice. Among these, two of its masters have already died. In other words, this is the last one! Its value is priceless.”

Ye Yin Zhu didn’t speak. His eyes already regained their tranquility, but the tranquility held an iciness. Rising up, he indifferently said, “I need to go. Sura, I hope that when I return, it will already have recognized its master.” After he said these words, he patted Sura’s slender shoulders before turning around and leaving the room.

Sura stared blankly into space. This was the first time he had seen Ye Yin Zhu display such an expression since they’d met. He knew he had already hurt Yin Zhu. Translucent tears flowed down his cheeks. “Yin Zhu, do you really think I’m that important? You fool, you really are a fool.” Looking at the amethyst human sculpture in his hand, he suddenly discovered that this incomparably precious divine item was worthless to him. At least, in comparison to his relationship with Ye Yin Zhu, this was merely an item, nothing more.

Wiping away his tears, Sura smiled. His smile was very sweet as both his hands clasped the amethyst human sculpture. He looked as though he held his and Ye Yin Zhu’s affections within his hands. Now he knew he had already obtained the most precious thing in the world. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he bit his finger, a drop of scarlet blood dripping onto the amethyst human sculpture.

It absorbed the drop of blood like a sponge, leaving no trace behind. A faint violet halo of light formed beneath the human sculpture, extending in the blink of an eye to the size of a regular human. Gradually, the human sculpture began to change. The amethyst sculpture was alive. The violet halo of right unceasingly extended as a figure began forming.

The clear, sparkling amethyst human sculpture changed into a slim and slender figure. Its chest slightly swelled, and delicate facial features quietly took shape. A blush appeared on Sura’s face. His blood had been the bridge between him and the Eternal Substitute Puppet. In that faint violet halo of light, the amethyst human sculpture began to grow in size. Just like Zi and Ye Yin Zhu’s bodies that time, it began to merge with Sura’s body.

Standing on the trail outside the villa, Ye Yin Zhu looked back at his villa residence. He said to himself, “Sura, don’t make me disappointed. If our friendship can be weighed with items, then is it truly friendship?”

Stretching out his hand, he looked at the slip of paper within his palm. The slip held an address. Looking back at his residence, he soared into the sky. With a few dou qi-concentrated jumps, he disappeared past the end of the trail.

✶

The Summon division; as an integral part of the Magic Department, its student dormitory conditions were also excellent. The disparity between them and the individual members of the Divine Music division with their small villas, however, was large. Only those powerful or wealthy enough among the students could have their own residence here. Ma Liang was evidently of the former.

At this moment, Ma Liang’s brows were furrowed as he lay on his bed. His head felt very sore. It wasn’t because of excessive magic use during the afternoon; it was because of Summon division Dean Vieri, who felt extremely vexed at Ma Liang and had stayed since the afternoon, had only just left a moment ago. He was somewhat glad, however, that the Six Components of the Silver Dragon, apart from the Silver Dragon blood, had already recognized him as their master. Otherwise, Vieri might have seized them as compensation for the loss of his Eternal Substitute Puppet.

“Ma Liang, I have arrived.” A clear voice rang from outside the dormitory, rousing Ma Liang from his thoughts. He hastily sat up and left his bed.

“Elder Brother Ye? Quickly, come in.”

Ye Yin Zhu ducked and entered. On the slip of paper Ma Liang had given him earlier today on the training field was the exact address to this dormitory.

Ma Liang’s body trembled slightly as he pulled out a chair. He earnestly said, “Elder Brother Ye, I truly need to thank you for today. I heard that if you hadn’t blocked that attack… I’m afraid that your friend would have killed me. I originally believed I could control the Silver Dragon. Who would have imagined it would ultimately go berserk? Luckily, the heavens favor you. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t have known how to deal with the aftermath.”

Ye Yin Zhu smiled and said, “It’s hard to avoid mishaps in a competition. It’s already over. You can just call me Yin Zhu.”

Looking at him, Ma Liang smiled as well. He suddenly found this Zither Sect disciple to be even more adorable than he had imagined. He simply couldn’t hold a grudge.

Ma Liang walked to the window and looked outside. He then turned around and whispered, “Yin Zhu, I really didn’t expect to meet you at the Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts. If my assumption is correct, you are definitely the disciple of Patriarch Qin. Only Patriarch Qin could have instructed you to become such a remarkable expert.”

Ye Yin Zhu laughed. “What kind of master am I? That day, I barely entered the Courageous Zither Heart Realm during that match with Nesta. You are stronger than me. If not for the Life Guardian blocking your attack earlier today, I would have lost.”

Ma Liang bitterly smiled. “I also didn’t use my own power. Everyone has magic items. Your Life Guardian just happens to be under your control while I can only use a Silver Dragon. Well, let’s end the pleasantries. Did Patriarch Qin allow you to come here?”

Ye Yin Zhu nodded.

Ma Liang pensively said, “If that’s so, then the institution will have had disciples of three of our Eight Eastern Dragon Sects. Yin Zhu, you must be a bit more careful from now on. Although I don’t know why the President covered up the matter of you skipping ranks, you might not have this kind of fortune in the future. As a member of the Eight Eastern Dragon Sects, no matter what, from now on you must be more careful.”

Ye Yin Zhu looked at him in surprise. “Why? Are you telling me our Eight Eastern Dragon Sects are shameful?”

A cold light flashed through Ma Liang’s eyes. “Of course not. Our strength is currently not enough, however, and we are still far from being able to contend against Blue Dias Seven Pagoda. As a result, we can only endure silently. If not, we would be arrested for heresy; it would be impossible for us to return alive from that.”

Ye Yin Zhu frowned and said, “I don’t understand the relationship between us and the Blue Dias Seven Pagoda.”

Ma Liang stared at him in amazement. “You don’t know? Don’t tell me Patriarch Qin hadn’t told you about the matters concerning our Eight Eastern Dragon Sects?”

Ye Yin Zhu blankly shook his head, explaining, “Grandfather Qin never told me anything! He only told me to hide my strength from others as much as possible. He didn’t want our Zither Sect secrets to be revealed, that’s all.”