31 Sound in the Moonligh (2/2)

In the red bordering towns, shouting was not even allowed. People could only whisper. The red was known as the silence zone. Those who had not been to the border and beyond could not understand that kind of suffering and fear.

Although the dark ages had ended only three hundred years ago, the riots caused by aether destroyed numerous cities and villages. Nowadays, catastrophes had become a nightmare inside the heart of every human.

Thus the areas where humans lived would inevitably have churches; not only for spiritual beliefs, but also because during the constructions of the churches, a special technology was used to dilute the density of aether, to ensure security within the area.

Because the musicians controlled the means to communicate with, and control aether, they were respected and feared. In order to develop and advance their skills, musicians had also paid a large price.

It was said that a hundred years ago, in order to communicate easily with aether, all schools had chosen to establish academies at the border; however, the death and accident rates were too high. Some schools had gradually migrated back to the inland so that at least then students would not have their head busted open due to a wrong syllable read, or half of their body cut off by a vortex of aether.

From ancient times until now, becoming a musician had been a dangerous business, and the difficulty to enter was also second to none. Ye Qingxuan was thinking, ”Ten days to learn a rune, isn't that a little too difficult to do?”

-

It was late at night on Luther Street, on an empty public carriage platform. It had been years, but it was just how Ye Qingxuan had remembered. Once night fell, there would be few pedestrians, but the lights were bright, and there also a bench to lie down on. The summer night temperatures would not freeze anyone, and the wind was still tolerable.

This was midtown, so it was pretty safe. As long as you did not look like a bum, the police would not drive you away. Instead of sharing rotten shacks with the beggars, this was a good place to stay on the streets.

It was easy for Ye to read the notes. Although he had memorized the contents of the notes on the way to London, he still wanted to read through them one more time. The ”extraction” of the School of Modifications had been the first that Ye eliminated as a possibility to learn

The level of sensitivity required to handle to aether was too high. With Ye Qingxuan as unaware as a blind man, even if he was successful, he would only be turned into a mummy by the uncontrollable runes.

The ”beastly nature” from the School of the Summoning had the clearest notes in the book but sounded like a beast roaring when recited. The six basic syllables simply could not be connected together, and Ye Qingxuan just could not grasp the emphasis.

The 'peace' from the School of Abstinence seemed to be the easiest to learn, but there were dozens of basic syllables! Therefore, the difficulty level of entering the School of Abstinence was the highest among all the seven schools. Ye Qingxuan really had no confidence in his own talent.

With no choice, he had to try one by one.

”First, take a deep breath ...” Ye Qingxuan sat on the bench, chewing on the last bit of dry food. Under the streetlight, he read the book, ”Relax the throat muscles, feel the lung expanding, and then slowly exhale, tongue slightly touch the teeth...”

According to these little tricks in the book, he tried the syllable ”ξ” but felt like someone was stabbing him.

Of course, the aether ball did not respond.

He smacked his lips, feeling like something was wrong. The young man tried again with hope. This time he did not feel like he was being stabbed, but like a group of ducks quacking together.

The ball still had no reaction.

Ye Qingxuan took a deep breath and comforted himself, ”Must be because I'm not sincere. Sincere, sincere, and concentrate.”

Old Phil was lying on the bench, leering at the idiot, then soon looked away and continued sleeping.

”Oh, oh...no, it is not right.” Ye murmured to himself.

”Yeah, oh? Still no reaction...”

”Oh, oh, oh ...”

In this long summer night, Ye Qingxuan had wasted a full three hours only to realize that perhaps this syllable just did not agree with him. Perhaps another syllable would be better.

But the aether ball had proved him wrong with more silence. Another syllable would not make a difference.

”Oh, oh, oh!”

”Oh...”

Despite Ye Qingxuan's various attempts, the aether ball still had no response. In the end, with a sore throat, Ye Qingxuan could not help throwing the book on the ground. ”What's the matter? What is wrong!”

Ye Qingxuan glared at the aether ball but no matter how hard he stared, the crystal ball remained still, with no response at all.

”Is it broken?”

He shook it, want to be sure, and at that moment, the aether ball lit up.

”Ok?!”

Like the light of fireflies, the aether ball started flashing vaguely then and extinguished, like silver dust was floating in the liquid. Then numerous flashes appeared like stars, flashing in rotation with no specific pattern, illuminating Ye Qingxuan's stunned face.

”What's is this?” He looked in surprise at his surroundings, and a strange smell came though the wind.

A faint laughter came from afar.

Something was coming.