Chapter 860: Magical Sound Duel

"White Sound Master?" Seeing everyone so excited, Zhang Xuan looked at Yu Fei'er beside him.

"White Sound Master is a magical sound master specially invited by Father from outside. It is said that she has reached the peak of six-star. Listening to her music once can make one intoxicated and have their soul baptized! Usually, only when receiving envoys from other empires does one have the privilege to listen..."

Yu Fei'er's face was also flushed with excitement.

Although a six-star magical sound master alone held a lower status than professions like alchemist or artifact smith, they were highly respected in some imperial palaces and princely mansions.

Listening frequently could nourish the soul, making it stronger and better showcasing one's status.

"Seems like a performance-type magical sound master."

Zhang Xuan nodded to himself.

Magical sound masters were divided into two types: combat and performance.

As a master teacher, Dean Jiang had to fight against the Otherworldly Demons, so he naturally cultivated combat-type music. Once played, it was full of the clang of weapons and the neighing of horses, carrying a powerful offensive capability.

Performance-type, on the other hand, could be listened to by ordinary people and was beneficial without harm.

Otherwise, if everyone were like Zhang Xuan, playing music that caused chaos everywhere, they wouldn't be able to entertain envoys from other empires. One performance would likely lead to war, a fight to the death.

This White Sound Master could perform in the imperial palace, and so many young people knew of her and were excited about her. Without a doubt, she was the performance type, and listening to her could delight the body and mind.

"Fei'er, come here!"

Seeing his daughter still chatting cheerfully with this Master Zhang, Yu Shenqing's face showed displeasure.

"Yes!"

Nodding, Yu Fei'er went to her father's side and sat down.

The old eunuch Luo Fu went out and soon returned, followed by a woman in white clothes, graceful in figure and beautiful in appearance.

Although slightly inferior to Yu Fei'er and Luo Qiqi, she was still one in a hundred.

"Magical sound master Bai Xuan pays respects to Your Majesty, the Sixth Princess, and all the distinguished talents!"

Entering the hall, White Sound Master bowed gracefully, her voice like a zither, pleasant to the ear, making one's heart soften.

"Not bad."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

She could blend her voice with the zither sound, exerting the effect of magical sound without harming others—that indeed showed some skill.

"White Sound Master, no need to be formal. Today is my daughter's birthday, and I must trouble you to play a piece to entertain everyone!"

Yu Shenqing said with a smile.

"Yes!"

White Sound Master nodded, sat cross-legged to one side, and with a flick of her hand, a zither appeared before her.

Seeing her take out the zither, everyone's eyes lit up.

"This should be White Sound Master's Eagle Feather Zither!"

"Legend has it that White Sound Master's beast pet, the Blue-tailed Eagle, died to save her. To commemorate it, she used the feathers from its tail to make the strings and personally composed a piece, clear and mournful, heart-wrenching to hear!"

"I've heard that too. It is said that on the day the piece was completed, cranes cried in lament, and White Sound Master became famous. Countless experts in the entire imperial capital feel honored to hear her play!"

"I didn't expect His Majesty to invite her. This is enough for me to boast about for three days!"

"Three days? Enough for me to boast for three months..."

...

Seeing her take out the zither, everyone could hardly contain their excitement.

Combat-type magical sound masters, unless encountering war, generally remain unknown. But performance-type, once their music is played, easily attracts people like moths to a flame.

Hearing the crowd's议论, White Sound Master smiled lightly, her slender fingers gently plucking the strings.

Ding dong!

The zither sound immediately rang out, as if coming from ancient times, piercing straight into the depths of the heart.

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

An expert reveals themselves as soon as they make a move. Although she was slightly inferior to Dean Jiang, she took a different path, leaving room for boundless imagination.

Ding dong, ding dong!

White Sound Master's fingers gently stroked, and the sound continued to flow out. In the blink of an eye, everyone in the hall felt as if they were in a vast grassland, with countless birds singing around them, the fragrance of flowers rushing to their faces, an extraordinary enjoyment.

All the talented youths present couldn't help but close their eyes, their minds wandering.

Even Shen Jun squinted, immersed in it.

A profession that can be passed down as a major one, even if lowly, should not be underestimated.

For example, a painting master, at a high level, can paint a million troops with a lift of the brush, and even some extremely powerful cultivators find it hard to contend.

Seeing everyone immersed in the music, White Sound Master smiled lightly and looked at Zhang Xuan not far away.

When she came, she had already received His Majesty's decree to test this young man.

Ding dong, ding dong!

The sound shifted.

To others' ears, the music remained enchanting, but a tremendous soul pressure immediately spread.

Zhang Xuan was listening carefully, intending to compare the difference between performance-type and combat-type music, when he felt his soul tremble—the other's music carried a strong provocation and attack.

"How dare you!"

The power of the magical sound master turned in his soul, and the opponent's attack dissipated instantly. Zhang Xuan frowned and looked over with piercing eyes.

As a seven-star magical sound master, he naturally knew that the other party had done it intentionally.

But... he had come to attend the banquet, and this was his first meeting with her. Why attack him?

Could it be... she already knew he was the dean of the Master Teacher Academy and deliberately ambushed him, wanting to kill him?

"It's possible. Many have said that Hongyuan Empire is not peaceful. The Master Teacher Academy, to protect my safety, even went so far as to conceal information... Perhaps danger lurks all around!"

His face darkened.

Luo Ruoxin had said that Hongyuan City was one of the connection points between the continent and the outside world, where Otherworldly Demons could enter at any time. The purpose of the Master Teacher Academy was to suppress this node.

Hu Yaoyao was also very cautious, even willing to hide her identity. And Wu Yangzi's experience—such a strong cultivator was captured by Otherworldly Demons... These people spoke of Hongyuan City with great reticence. It seemed there were indeed many unknown secrets here.

This White Sound Master, though famous and respected, had launched a soul pressure against him as soon as she made a move. She must have some ulterior motive!

"Hmph! Unless you use absolute strength to crush me, using magical sound against me... you're overthinking!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes turned cold.

He was only at the initial stage of Void Step realm. If she used absolute strength to crush him, aside from throwing out the Purple Sun Beast, he had no way to resist. But trying to attack him with magical sound... she was thinking too simply!

Even Dean Jiang had become his student. A performance-type magical sound master like her wanted to deal with him? Wasn't that a joke?

Without speaking, Zhang Xuan, like everyone else, squinted his eyes, pretending to be immersed in the music, while gently picking up an empty wine cup, taking a flask of wine, and slowly pouring it in.

Clatter!

The wine entering the cup sounded like a mountain stream or a brook in the hills. The sound was not loud, but it interwove with the zither music, causing the attacking melody to falter.

"Hmm?"

Sensing that this sound appeared exactly at the juncture of the music, White Sound Master knew she had encountered a strong opponent. She raised her eyebrows and abruptly changed her playing technique.

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong!

The sound quickened.

Everyone immediately felt as if thousands of troops were charging across the vast grassland, with dust swirling, dark clouds shifting, and the earth trembling.

"Well played!"

Having anticipated this, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, placed the wine flask on the table, picked up a chopstick, and gently tapped it on the wine cup, the flask, and the plates holding the dishes.

Ding!

Although these were all ceramics with monotonous sounds, the presence of wine and food produced different tones.

Ding ding dong, ding ding dong!

Compared to the zither, the sound was simpler, but each note fell precisely in the gaps of the opponent's musical changes, disrupting her rhythm.

If the magical sound master's music were compared to ripples in water, Zhang Xuan's strikes hit the troughs of the ripples, not only restraining her music but also making her heart beat according to his rhythm.

"Oh no! An expert!"

Only then did White Sound Master realize what kind of opponent she was facing. Her pupils contracted, and her face turned pale.

A magical sound duel sounds simple, but it is actually very dangerous. A slight mistake could result in total loss of cultivation, or even death on the spot.

A smiling tiger kills; the more refined the profession, the greater the hidden danger.

Take master teachers, for example. They educate and nurture, set an example, and are amiable. But once angered, heaven and earth might change color, and no one dares to stand in their way!

The same goes for magical sound.

The other party, using chopsticks to tap on cups and utensils, produced such great power, indicating that his mastery of magical sound far exceeded hers, perhaps even beyond imagination!

If it were before, encountering such a strong opponent, she would have certainly cupped her fists in surrender and fled as far as possible. But... her provocation had been too severe, and the other party had already struck ruthlessly. The tapping sounds had perfectly merged with her zither music, like a contest of true qi, and she could no longer stop unilaterally!

That is, once she stopped, the opponent's attack would surge like accumulated floodwaters, unstoppable. At best, her years of hard-earned magical sound skills would be lost; at worst, her heart would leap out of her throat, and she would die on the spot!

"Damn it!"

Raising her eyebrows, she no longer dared to underestimate him. She stood up, playing the zither with both hands. Because her true qi was circulating too rapidly, white steam rose from her head.

"Going for the kill? Fine, I'll grant your wish!"

Seeing the other's music growing fiercer, Zhang Xuan squinted his eyes. Without moving, he picked up another chopstick with his left hand and tapped it on the table before him.

Dong dong dong!

The table was made of special wood, and tapping it produced a dull sound, like a drum, heavy and deep.

Although he had only added one chopstick, the attack power immediately more than doubled.

Pfft!

White Sound Master was already no match for him. With Zhang Xuan adding another sound, how could she withstand it? Her face turned pale, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, involuntarily crashing into a stone pillar in the hall.

"Retreat? Can you retreat?"

Zhang Xuan swept his chopstick, and the plate before him emitted a sound like a bell or a tripod.

Pfft!

Spitting blood again, White Sound Master's true qi surged out wildly, as if someone had punched her in the chest. The huge pillar behind her could no longer hold, and she broke it with her body. Dust fell from the ceiling.

The floor was covered in dust.