269 The Cost of Sixty Years (2/2)

If Ye Qingxuan was a second later, he would be sucked into that hellish change. If he did not implode in the vacuum, he would be pressed into a meat pie.

The School of Modifications…

Immediately after, innumerable insects rushed out of the cracks in the tiles, charging toward Ye Qingxuan. His face changed and he began sprinting again. He did not want to see what would happen if he got bitten by things called by the Summoning…

The School of Summoning…

Immediately after, the ground before him began bubbling. Water demons covered in mud began climbing out continuously. Ye Qingxuan was stunned but immediately sneered and charged through them. Ripples spread through the illusion of the demons and quagmire, and the image collapsed.

The School of Illusion…

Ye Qingxuan suddenly felt dizzy. He wanted to gag as his heart pounded like a drum. The moonlight in his blood hummed; it flickered and extinguished by itself. It was hard to breathe and Ye Qingxuan spat something black out of his throat. The thing squirmed on the ground as if it was living.

It was a curse from the School of Choir!

There were thick layers of fog between them but the dark musician would not give up. It was as if Ye Qingxuan’s every move was in his control. This was the probe from the School of Revelations.

Ye Qingxuan lost control of his panic and fear. He also felt despair and the urge to go crazy, which he should not have. He swore inwardly. When did this *sshole plant the hint?

The School of Mind…

Modifications, Summoning, Illusion, Choir, Revelations, Mind…

Within a short few minutes, Ye Qingxuan had suffered attacks from the six major schools. They had been activated hurriedly but they were already enough to kill him. This d*mn guy had learned all of this! Other than the School of Abstinence, he was an expert in all six schools. How bored was he?!

”Mr. Holmes, are you scared?” The taunting voice traveled through the fog. ”Are you thinking who would be bored enough to withstand the incompatibility and backlash of the different theories and forcefully learn the six schools?”

Ye Qingxuan leaned against the wall and panted without replying.

”It’s simple. It’s really because I was bored.” Naberius’ voice floated from left to right like a spirit. This was an auditory illusion. ”To be honest, when I was still young sixty years ago, I was a genius. Really, I was just like you right now.”

”Ha.” Ye Qingxuan flicked a coin forward. The music note carved onto it activated an auditory illusion, creating a snicker. Then the coin was swallowed by a giant snake that reached out from the fog.

Cold sweat seeped from Ye Qingxuan’s temple. As expected, this guy had no good intentions!

-

”Seems like I made you laugh.” Naberius sighed in the fog. ”I was once like you, hungry for power. I fell because of this and became a dark musician. I had no hesitation or moral torment. It was just a choice I made after deep thought. To a genius, the rules and sense that average people insist one are just jokes. Mr. Holmes, do you understand this?”

Ye Qingxuan flicked a coin and scoffed.

”Unfortunately, I was too arrogant. I thought I could trick the gods so I did something to the contract.” Naberius sighed. ”I succeeded and gained some more power. I also avoided being controlled by the gods and being transformed into a demon. But unfortunately, I failed too.” He suddenly waved his hand. Wild wind blew forward under the piercing music, blowing past Ye Qingxuan. Everything in its path split apart as if hacked by an ax.

”This was Hyakume’s punishment to me. I will forever be restricted to the Resonance level. It has been sixty years! Sixty years! Sixty years is too long.

”It was long enough to make me die of boredom. I raised my music theory for all six schools to the Resonance level. It was long enough for my brother, far less talented than me, to become the king of dark musicians and fall in the hands of saints.

”Yet I am still paying for my crimes.” He paused and said in a low voice, ”To be honest, taking care of you is my final mission. Once complete, I’ll be free again.”

Another coin rolled in the fog, bringing with it a mocking voice. ”So were you bullsh*tting just then?”

”No, no, everything I said was the truth.” Naberius’ expression as solemn but his lips curled into a fanatic smile. ”I want to trick him again! Mr. Holmes, let’s play again! Losing isn’t scary. What’s scary is if you don’t have the courage to challenge him…I’m going to use my own ways to complete my last mission. I’m going to gamble my sixty years of fury to lie to the gods again! It will pay for my sixty years of torment!”