Zither Emperor

Leaving Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts to head outside to do shopping was very troublesome because the college itself had a dining hall inside its campus. Even though they sold ingredients outside, the distance from the institution was at least 10 kilometers. This was when one was heading to either Milan City or to an even further village. And leaving the college from the Mixed District was not a short distance.

The eggs weren’t abundant. Although there were only four, they were arranged on the plate with their shells peeled off. The glossy white eggs appeared to be brimming with a captivating feeling. He didn’t know why, but Ye Yin Zhu suddenly felt as though the corners of his eye was becoming somewhat moist.

“Sura, come eat the eggs too!”

“Since I was a child, I didn’t like eating eggs. Only you like it. What’s so tasty about eating eggs? Anyways, I’m already full.” Sura rapidly downed his thin porridge, not even sparing those eggs a glance. He then got up to go wash his bowl.

Ye Yin Zhu only ate a single egg. The remaining three eggs he placed aside, neatly and carefully covering them with a cloth. As he turned his back to Sura, he placed the parcel into his space ring.

At this moment, an ice-cold voice suddenly echoed from the outside. “Is Ye Yin Zhu here?”

Sura was currently outside washing his bowl. “You? Why are you looking for Ye Yin Zhu?”

“I’m naturally seeking him out because of business. Ye Yin Zhu, please come out and meet with me.” The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Ye Yin Zhu subconsciously left the dormitory room and headed out.

A girl dressed in a black robe stood enchantingly outside the door of the dormitory. The other nearby students who worked part-time had already risen and were subconsciously making detours to look at her. The person who came wasn’t a stranger, but the Dark Magic division first-year student, the general of the Freshman Competition’s Dark Magic division—Yue Ming.

“Yue Ming?” Ye Yin Zhu was somewhat astonished as he looked at the beautiful girl from the Dark Magic division, standing there with her poor complexion. “What business are you seeking me for?”

Yue Ming coldly snorted. “Follow me.” Finished speaking, she turned around and walked towards the woods beside the Mixed District.

“Ye Yin Zhu, don’t go.” Sura lowered the bowl in his hand before stepping in front of Ye Yin Zhu, blocking him. “Yue Ming lost her match with you. She might want to exact revenge against you in private. Listen to what I’m saying and stay here.”

Yue Ming crooned in disdain, “Ye Yin Zhu, aren’t you very impressive. What? You still want others to come to protect you?” She didn’t deny that she’d come to find Ye Yin Zhu to exact her revenge as her eyes exuded a provocative air.

Ye Yin Zhu wrinkled his brow and lightly pulled Sura to the side, saying, “It’s alright. I’ll return as soon as possible.” Once he finished speaking, he took large strides towards Yue Ming. Although Yue Ming gave Ye Yin Zhu a hostile feeling, he discovered that Yue Ming’s aura was very unstable. It seemed that her heart was full of anxiety and restlessness.

Sura said softly, “Be careful. If she ambushes you, shout loudly. I’ll be nearby.”

Ye Yin Zhu smiled slightly and looked at Sura. “Sura, I’ll protect you from now on. I won’t allow anyone to harm you.”

Sura stared blankly. He didn’t expect that Ye Yin Zhu would say such a thing at this moment. “You’ll protect me?”

Ye Yin Zhu very earnestly nodded. “This is my promise. You’re the second person I promised this to.”

Listening to his declaration, Sura’s complexion couldn’t help but change. Second person? Then who was the first? Hai Yang? Xiang Luan? Anya? Some other beautiful woman? He naturally didn’t know that the first person to receive this promise had spent ten years together with Ye Yin Zhu as his partner.

Ye Yin Zhu followed Yue Ming and entered the woods. Nature had already entered autumn. The autumn wind caressed them as the tree leaves fell from the sky, bring a nip in the air and a touch of bleakness.

Yue Ming walked to the middle of the woods and stopped. She abruptly turned and sent Ye Yin Zhu a wrathful glare. “Ye Yin Zhu, when all is said and done, what did you do to Ming Xue?”

Ye Yin Zhu looked confused. “Are you talking about your magical beast? I didn’t do anything to her!”

Yue Ming’s eyes twinkled with glistening teardrops. “You cheater. If you didn’t do anything to her, then why has my Ming Xue been fast asleep since that match? No matter how many times I try to summon her, she hasn’t come.”

Ye Yin Zhu wrinkled his brow and said, “This, I don’t know. During the competition that day, I used my zither song in the end to withstand her attack. I suddenly became aware of her mood. She appeared very sad and seemed as if she were struggling to break away from your contract with her. Thus, all I can tell you is to treat her better from now on and take care of her. A magical beast is your partner and not a tool.”

Listening to Ye Yin Zhu, Yue Ming looked distracted. Her mood became gentler somewhat. “But, Ming Xue has never been asleep this long before. She was given to me as a birthday present by my grandfather when I was 12 years old. It’s been four years since then, and Ming Xue and I are together every day. Although she doesn’t talk, with her company, I don’t feel lonely while practicing Dark Magic. Why might she be sad? She isn’t intelligent, nor does she have emotions.”

Ye Yin Zhu shook his head and firmly said, “No, you’re wrong. On the continent, everything has emotions. Every living creature has their own life. Even if their intelligence is low, they all possess emotions. Not to mention your Ming Xue, just consider my zither. Every zither’s emotions have nothing in common with each other. In addition to their own emotions, only when you really immerse yourself into their emotions can you communicate with them and feel their mood.

“I heard Dean Nina say that your Ming Xue is a Netherworld growth-type magical beast that can mature to Rank 9. In the future, she will be a Sentient Magical Beast. How can the outside world not feel emotions? You still don’t understand her deep enough, that’s all. That day, I played a zither song called << A Chinese Ghost Story >>. Perhaps it was because this song touched her heart? Therefore, she might be feeling sorrow in her heart.”

Upon hearing Ye Yin Zhu, Yue Ming couldn’t help but ponder. Suddenly, she involuntarily exclaimed, “Don’t tell me that Ming Xue is sad because she is separated from her parents?”

Ye Yin Zhu asked, “Separated from her parents?”

Yue Ming’s pale, charming face turned slightly red. She explained, “There are few methods to obtain a magical beast. Generally speaking, the most direct method is to defeat a magical beast and obtain its acknowledgement. Plus, growth-type magical beasts are much more challenging to obtain. If they haven’t reached Rank 7 or higher, then they haven’t evolved and become a Sentient Magical Beast yet. A growth-type magical beasts’ parents will take care and protect them. When they finally attain Rank 7 in the future, that will be the most difficult time to catch them. Catching a Netherworld Spirit had cost my grandfather a considerably large amount of power as he had to draw away her parents. Once she was restrained, I could then agree to and sign a Master-Slave Contract with her.”

“How can you do that? Is there any difference between this and kidnapping?” Ye Yin Zhu glowered at Yue Ming. “You didn’t even think of it like that. What if someone stole you from your parents, how would you feel? Wouldn’t your parents be grieving? It’s not surprising that Ming Xue has a sorrowful heart. She is thinking of her distant parents! She wants to break free from your contract. So, you obtained a growth-type magical beast. How despicable.”

“You’re scolding me?” Yue Ming stupidly looked at Ye Yin Zhu. Since childhood until now, no one had ever scolded her. For a moment, she was dumbfounded.

“What’s wrong with scolding you? Are you saying that you shouldn’t be scolded for your despicable actions?” Honestly speaking, it was unlikely for Ye Yin Zhu to scold or yell at someone, but when he recalled Ming Xue’s sad appearance, his heart brimmed with extreme anger.

“Then, then what should I do? I really like Ming Xue. I even consider her as a younger sister. I can’t lose her.” Yue Ming’s eyes were still ice-cold. Only, the antisocial nature of a Dark Magic mage was gone. All that remained was anxiety.