189 Stage (2/2)
Snap! The boat disappeared without a trace. The school badge vibrated once again with another fifty points.
”Is there still anyone who doesn’t understand the rules?” Ye Qingxuan shook his head slowly.
In actuality, the emphasis of this trial was not the students’ grasp on aether and music scores at all, or attainment of mimicry—it was observation skills.
From the Academy, the familiar safe zone they were used to; to the Queen’s Avenue, the messy place full of commotions and changes; to the dangerous volcanic island; the students had to find the incongruous objects no matter how the environment changed, and remove them!
The seemingly joke-like trial tested a student’s eyesight, determination, and decisiveness. This way would they be able to find hidden dangers, or transform into it and become someone else’s danger. Only this way would they be able to survive in the dangerous Dark World where even gravity was unstable.
Ye Qingxuan gazed around him and continued forward steadily toward the bubbling volcano at the heart of the island. The closer he got to the volcano, the more cracks there were on the ground. Scalding steam surged from the cracks. It was the boiling sulfur hot spring.
Faint bells rang in the air after noon, signaling that the next round of changes would soon come.
”We’re running out of time?” Ye Qingxuan murmured to himself. He cast a frost ray to cool the rock under his butt and sat down with his back to the volcano without hesitation. He gazed at the ground around him.
The vast abandoned island was covered with jungles, beaches and yellow sand. A gale blew from the distant, bringing with it boiling and scalding steam that curled his hair. The lava cast a layer of fire-red glow on his white hair, as if it was burning.
He looked down at the world and murmured while cracking his knuckles, ”I should take the last chance and do something big.”
Boom! The silver ring made of instrument strings at his fingertip produced a vague sound. Strings expanded in the sky continuously, crisscrossing and erecting beside him. He raised his finger but hesitated before pressing it down. After pondering for a moment, his fingers changed slightly and guided the changes in the strings.
The crisscrossed strings began moving, all of them changing soundlessly. They became long and thin and grouped together. Three strings dissipated into dots of silver light and converged into a long violin bow in his right hand.
This was the visual mimicry of Jiu Xiao Huan Pei. It was not just the appearance that could change once fully activated. It could also adjust its structure and frequency to the level most suitable for the music score.
”My ancestors will probably be roll over in their grave if they find out that I don’t have their repertoire and use Jiu Xiao Huan Pei as a violin.” While Ye Qingxuan danced on the Ye family’s graves carelessly, his right hand rested on the strings near his neck. A melody clean as light mist sounded.
A faint and unnoticed melody sounded in the faraway echo of tidal waves, in the roaring of hot steam shooting to the sky from cracks in the earth, in the crisp pops of scalding blisters in the bubbling lava, and in the cacophonous noises that filled the island.
It floated in all directions like mist and seeped into every sound. It was small enough to be insignificant, but it was everywhere.
”What is he doing?” The confused students at the foot of the mountain looked up at the youth casually playing his violin at the peak. He looked so comfortable and calm, as if he had given up on the trial and was completely immersed in the melody.
In the cracks under their feet, scalding steam rose from the boiling hot spring. The steam hung in the air, vaguely solidifying into a long water line. The unnoticeable water line seemed to ride the melody and music notes, and spread in all directions with the vague melody.
One line, two lines…dozens of lines spread from the peak. The hot wind carried them further away. After taking advantage of the geography, Bolero’s melody resounded above the entire island.
The first measure ended and increased intensity along with the imperceptible melody. It melted into the ocean wind and tides, and seeped into every corner. The second and third measure followed immediately.
The amount and length of water lines multiplied exponentially with the start of each measure. But the melody was still mild and hidden. One could not recognize its existence, even if one listened carefully.
This long melody came silently and seeped soundlessly into every organism, hiding in every corner. It fed off of the water vapor and aether’s power and strengthened, strengthened, and strengthened…It was the sixth measure!
The sonorous melody finally broke through the disturbances of all noise. It resounded above the island and in everyone’s ears. The students raised their heads in confusion and looked in all directions. They tried to see where the melody came from, but to no avail.
But the melody sounded in everyone’s ears like a murmur. It was easy and bright, like sunlight, subconsciously guiding them into it. They could no longer differentiate between near and far.
The water vapor hung and countless perception threads rode the sea wind, floating and dancing over the island. They were like dancers with gentle moves that were heart-stoppingly beautiful. A spirited and sonorous beat was revealed in the gentle dance.
The melody lengthened and changed along with the beat, growing in intensity. Like a flood that had brewed for the entire summer and finally broke through the dam, it resounded above the entire island aggressively and quickly.
Without anyone realizing, the gentle melody intensified. It rang in everyone’s ears, projecting a bright yet strong image in their minds.
With their eyes closed, they seemed to be able to see a lovely and beautiful girl dancing wildly. She was clad in fiery red and her skirt lifted when she spun, like burning flames. She moved to the rhythm of the melody, dancing in everyone’s hearts. In the fanatic dance, the fiery red dress seemed to cover the entire island.
This had become her stage!