Diara said angrily, "Ruffit, don't be too excessive, don't forget that you also came from here."
The one known as Ruffit was that Blue-rank Sorcerer, who looked to be in his fifties or sixties, not tall in height but with an imposing presence. The flame symbol on his chest indicated he was a Fire Attribute Sorcerer, his hands clasped behind his back, his face proud and disdainful as he said, "Indeed, I did come from here. Even now, I am still grateful for the decision I made to leave this place. Just look at yourselves, just the three of you. After all these years, you still haven't broken through to the High Green rank. I bet you haven't even reached High-rank Green. Diara, stop being stubborn, come with us to Bo Pang. Given how desperately the Bo Pang Royal Family seeks mages, you are sure to be valued."
"Praise Falan, Ruffit, to think you are still an Arcadian, have you really forgotten your roots?" Diara's voice trembled slightly. There was a time when Ruffit, standing before her, was the most promising Mage in Acadia, but now he was representing another country.
Ruffit sneered, "It seems your stubbornness hasn't changed. Doesn't your guild still have a leader who never shows himself? Call him out. If he can defeat me, we will leave immediately; otherwise, don't blame me for not being courteous."
Diara was furious, "Ruffit, don't forget, this is Acadia, not your Bo Pang. How can you be discourteous?" As she spoke, she couldn't help feeling sad; had Acadia really become a place where anyone could bully it?
Ruffit said sternly, "This time we have come to negotiate with the Arcadian Royal Family on behalf of Bo Pang. With my status as an envoy, even if I killed a few of you, I doubt the Arcadian Royal Family would dare to do anything. Or is your so-called leader just a coward afraid to accept a challenge?"
"Grandpa Qin is not a coward; I'll accept your challenge on his behalf." Just as Diara was about to explode with anger, a clear and pleasant voice came from outside the door—it was Ye Yinzhu.
The sudden voice immediately caused all the Mages in the hall to look towards the entrance, where the handsome Yin Zhu and the tall and stalwart Zi had entered.
Zi simply stood by Yin Zhu's side; at that moment, he seemed to have regained the demeanor he had back in the blue sky and sea, silent as ever.
Yin Zhu glared at Ruffit with resentment. Since birth, the only people he had contact with were his family, Zi, and Qin Shang. Qin Shang's care and instruction had been meticulous, and he had also spent the most time with Qin Shang. In Yin Zhu's heart, Qin Shang was already like family. Although he didn't quite understand what 'coward' meant, he knew it wasn't anything good.
Ruffit looked at Yin Zhu in surprise; the handsome young man in the white robe had an impressive presence as soon as he entered, especially his clear black eyes, which made a lasting impression on people.
"Am I hearing things, or are you challenging me?"
Yin Zhu nodded seriously and said, "Since Grandpa Qin is not here, I will accept your challenge on his behalf."
"Young man, who are you?" Diara asked Yin Zhu.
Yin Zhu glanced at Diara with a gentle smile, but he didn't reply; instead, he simply sat down on the ground. He knew nothing about making small talk, and his heart was consumed with rage against Ruffit. His simplicity meant he had no intention of wasting time.
To the mild surprise of the onlookers, the reddish-brown Spring Thunder Zither had already floated atop his legs.
The Spring Thunder Zither measured thirty-nine inches in length, seven inches in shoulder width, and four and a half inches at the base. Coated in reddish-brown lacquer, it featured serpentine patterns with finely detailed Flowing Water patterns. On the back above the Dragon Pond, the words 'Spring Thunder' were engraved, and below the strings, thirteen zither insignias were inlaid with white jade. It was one of the top five famous zithers of the Zither Sect, known for its pure and gentle sound. For a Divine Music Master, an instrument was his Magic Staff.
"I am going to start," said Yin Zhu as his left hand hovered above the body of the zither and his right hand lightly plucked the strings, producing a deep and rich hum. A dark red light emerged, and Yin Zhu's gaze focused intently on the strings. In an instant, all traces of fury in his expression vanished, supplanted by an elegant noble demeanor that exuded a sense of calm and equilibrium. Unfortunately, the six mages facing him barely noticed the change in his expression as they were too preoccupied with the dark red light that emanated from him.
What did the dark red Magic Power signify? Merely a lowly Red rank. Even if it had been a high Red rank, it would still be nothing more than an ordinary mage, not even at the level of an Intermediate Mage. However, the sextet of Ruffit was at least of an Advanced-rank Mage stature, not to mention that the handsome young man before them seemed to be a Divine Music Master. Observing the light emanating from Yin Zhu, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Ah, it's you. Praise Falan." Diara's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Yin Zhu's eight fingers on both hands; he immediately recognized who the boy was. However, before he could intervene, the melody of the zither had begun.
As Yin Zhu poured his spirit into the zither strings, he forgot all else in the world, or rather, ignored everything else. His inner chords blended with the ancient zither's strings, and in his mind, there were only the profound mysteries of interaction between finger and string, sound and intent, form and essence, morality and art that Qin Shang had once explained to him. He murmured, "The essence of sound responds to the profound subtleties of intent."
In an instant, the guild hall brightened, illuminated from two sources: one was the silver Magic Hexagram in the center of the hall, and the other was the seven strings of the Spring Thunder Zither on Yin Zhu's knees. The silver light burst forth in an instant, and Yin Zhu's voice, as if laden with infinite Magic Power, made the derisive gazes around him stiffen. A succession of low, melodious, and lingering zither notes wafted through the air, accompanied by the dark red light that suddenly permeated the entire hall.
The tune carried a tinge of sadness but was predominantly profound, the very piece 'Yangguan Three Stacks' that Yin Zhu had played to say farewell to his animal friends in the bamboo forest. Played with a different mindset and on a different zither, the sound produced a completely different effect. Now, the sadness was lighter, and the profundity emphasized. In an instant, everyone present felt a heavy sensation in their hearts, and even the Magic Elements in the air were affected, becoming sluggish and static.
Ruffit's eyebrows furrowed as he discovered to his surprise that the zither's melody unsettled his thoughts, even stirring his own emotions. Shocked, he thought that this young Divine Music Master was not so simple after all. Unfortunately, he did not turn back to look at his companions. Had he done so, he might have paid more heed to Yin Zhu. By this time, the two Green-rank Mages were already staring blankly, faces still holding their former laughing expressions motionless, and the three Yellow-rank Mages were even more disoriented, bodies swaying uncontrollably, clearly lost control over their own bodies.
Spirit Mages have another name—Mage Killers. It's not so easy to chant in the presence of a Spirit Mage, is it?
Ruffit's chanting had barely begun with the first note when it abruptly halted. He was horrified to find that as soon as he started to speak, his voice was interrupted by the strange melodies of the zither. Magic chanting required a specific tone to communicate with the Magic Elements in the air, drawing on one's own Magic Power to activate the forces of nature. But at that moment, it was impossible to connect with the Magic Elements, let alone complete a single chant. Even Ruffit, with his formidable spiritual power, couldn't help but panic.