Ye Qingxuan woke up from his nightmare.
He climbed up from the iron bed, sweating profusely.
Right in front of him, a bloody conch was suspended above a white palm.
The weirdly delicate conch has fine textures on it, and those textures are like a huge chapter formed by tiny notes.
In the closed quiet room, there was only the sound of the young man breathing, and there was a faint echo as the wind blew through the conch.
The echo was like someone whispering softly in the ear, telling an unspeakable dark secret. Listening to it, you can't help but be immersed in it with all your heart and mind.
"Failed again?"
On the chair, Laura played with the conch, not surprised: "You need to get used to it."
Ye Qingxuan was stunned for a long time.
"I had a nightmare."
"Of course. I told you to be prepared. It won't give you good dreams and restful sleep."
In her hand, the conch-shaped beacon released a glistening blood light, illuminating her cheek, adding charm and magic to that quiet and mysterious side face, making people even more fascinated.
This is one of the powers of beacons.
It is the crystallization of countless despair and madness, and is inherently connected to the Shadow of Avalon.
It will convey the voice from the darkness to the world.
Although it has lost the ability to open blood channels, with a little polish, it is definitely a rare and perfect instrument.
Using this as a medium, it can project people's consciousness into the dark side of Avalon and into the nightmares of others, and use this to explore and experiment.
It's just that the pressure is a bit too much.
"Can't you hold it anymore?" Laura said lightly: "It seems that your endurance needs to be tempered."
Ye Qingxuan turned a deaf ear and just recalled the dream in a daze.
"Whose dream did I just dream about?"
"It could belong to anyone. You are just a passerby in the dream, don't indulge, otherwise you will go insane and die sooner or later."
"I'm just sad."
Ye Qingxuan raised his finger and wiped the water from the corner of his eyes: "Pause for a while, I want to take a rest."
Laura threw a handkerchief into his arms:
"I'll give you five minutes."
…
…
several days ago.
Under the ancient house, in the dark room, frost swept across.
Ye Qingxuan fell into suffocation.
Pale frost appeared from under the feet and extended upwards along the calves. The frozen blood turned into ice edges and penetrated from the body.
Thousands of blood-frost blades tore apart his body bit by bit, pushing his will into the endless darkness.
Until finally, he woke up from his sleep with a scream and found himself lying on the floor, unharmed.
It's like nothing happened just now.
In front of him, Laura lay on a chair, looking down at his embarrassed appearance with a mocking expression.
In her hands, the silver flute spun deftly, exuding a dissipating aftertaste.
"I've said it before, there should be some limits to overestimating one's abilities."
Laura said calmly: "Even if it's just out of anger, would you be better off betting on a place with a better chance of winning?"
Ye Qingxuan straightened up with difficulty, sat on the ground, rubbed his face, dispelled the drowsiness in his mind, and gritted his teeth:
"Come again!"
"Okay, I'll be with you anytime."
Laura picked up the teapot lightly and refilled herself a cup. The black tea was filled with faint heat and exuded a delicate fragrance.
He didn't look defensive at all.
collapse!
Ye Qingxuan's fingers pressed down, and the Nine Heavens Ring Pendant trembled, but then stopped abruptly.
He was stunned for a moment, and instinctively wanted to retreat, but he couldn't move. He only felt unbearably hot.
The blood seemed to be boiling, and the hot breath emerged from the chest and turned into flames.
The flames burned him into an empty shell, then erupted from his features and dissipated into the air.
He turned into a pile of ashes, scattered in the wind, and disappeared without a trace.
But the next moment, he opened his eyes in horror.
In front of him, Laura was still holding the teapot. The black tea in the cup had not yet been filled, and the bright red color contained the fragrance of roses.
"Want a drink?"
Laura asked softly, putting the warm tea cup into his hand, her voice became gentle and concerned: "You will feel better after drinking it."
Ye Qingxuan lowered his head, looked at the tea in the cup, raised his head, drank it all, put the cup on the ground, and gritted his teeth:
"Come again!"
Laura shook her head and sighed: “I don’t know whether to live or die.”
The sound of the rope being tightened came from the darkness behind the boy.
Ye Qingxuan suddenly turned around, only to see the burly man with a ferocious face covering his head with linen.
In an instant, his vision blurred, and there was an extra rope around his neck. Through the linen, he could vaguely see the light of the setting sun.
"Hang him! Hang him!"
An angry crowd shouted: "Hang this damn sinner!"
Immediately afterwards, the wooden board under his feet opened, causing his body to fall suddenly. But the entangled noose strangled his neck and pulled upwards suddenly.
Bang.
Maybe it was the sound of a broken cervical spine
Then came the long suffocation...
When Ye Qingxuan opened his eyes again, he almost forgot how to breathe.
"continue?"
Laura smiled happily.
Ye Qingxuan almost didn't have the energy to grit his teeth.
"continue."
…
By the time he woke up for the last time, it was daylight.
Amidst the chirping of birds in the early morning, in the living room of the ancient house, he was wearing a butler's dress, half-kneeling in front of Laura, reciting poems with great enthusiasm that would make even a bard blush.
And my whole body ached.
…
"What's wrong with me?"
He looked around blankly and found that the entire living room was as clean as if it had been washed, and the floor was so bright that his own shadow could be reflected.
Laura smiled and said nothing.
Beside him, the Rat King handed him a crystal prism and showed him the recorded video.
Under the moonlight, the young man was intoxicated and sang loudly. He took off his clothes and ran around the house. Then he fetched water and chopped firewood, washed pots and dishes, and then tidied up the entire ancient house tirelessly.
In the end, he put on the uniform of a butler and was called around like a loyal dog. He diligently served the noble Miss Laura, serving tea and water with meticulous attention to detail...
After Ye Qingxuan finished reading, he just felt weak. He sat down on the chair and shook his head: "I give up and won't fight."
"Oh? That would be a shame."
Laura tasted the breakfast made by Ye Qingxuan and nodded with satisfaction: "The breakfast you made tastes good, and I plan to let you make another lunch."
"Are you so short of cooks here?"
"How did you say that?"
Laura thought for a moment, then smiled elegantly and charmingly: "—I'm happy to."
This damn woman…
Ye Qingxuan glared at him and cursed secretly in his stomach.
"Sooner or later I want you to rub your shoulders and legs for me, play the harp and sing a little tune..."
As if she had the ability to read minds, Laura read out what was on his mind.
"Should I praise you for your lofty ambitions or for the mud that can't hold up the wall?" She looked at Ye Qingxuan who looked embarrassed and shook her head with pity:
"Don't you even dare to think about something too extreme?"
At this point, she paused meaningfully, and an ambiguous smile appeared on her fair and charming cheeks, which made people's hearts feel warm.
“…”
Ye Qingxuan clarified his thoughts, killed all the thoughts in his mind, and did not dare to think about it again.
This story tells us that we should never think of strange things in front of a musician from the mind-centered faction, because we don’t know when we will be spied on.
But what the hell!
When she was still a professor, she controlled the situation no matter how she fought. She could fight whenever she wanted and run away whenever she wanted. As a result, after she revealed her true identity, she turned out to be deflated...
This is unreasonable!
"Are you giving up now?"
Laura asked, "I thought the same trick wouldn't work on you the second time. It really scared me to death."
She patted her chest exaggeratedly and pretended to be relieved.
"Stop taking pictures. Your breasts are so small. What if I don't take pictures?" Ye Qingxuan retorted, "You just beat me. What's there to be proud of?"
"However, I am very happy to win against the black musician Holmes."
Laura shook her head pretending to be regretful, "It's a pity that you are a soft-footed shrimp. You have been suppressed and beaten by me one-sidedly. I really can't take it seriously."
Ye Qingxuan almost spit out a mouthful of old blood.
"You are a fourth-level musician who is at least resonance level. You are at least one level higher than me. Two levels, okay? And I can't use any equipment here. If you can't win like this, what kind of musician are you? Huh? Why don't you just settle down and be the eldest lady of a wealthy family?"
"Is it?"
Laura chuckled: "If I tell you that from beginning to end, I have just been promoted to the musician level, only one level higher than you, and I have not used any heart sounds or other powers... Would you think this is Is it your own problem?"
“…”
Ye Qingxuan was stunned, recalling the process of the duel between the two, and at the end, he frowned: "—Are you kidding?"
What answered him was the flash of an etheric ball.
In Laura's hand, an ether ball embedded with gold wire and jade released a flash of light, looming.
This is the simplest way for musicians to determine the rank of each other. They can map their own spirits into the etheric ball and determine their superiority through the etheric ball's elite sensing ability.
The nine levels of musicians are different, and the signs are not exactly the same depending on the faction. But it is completely sufficient as a basic reference.
But now, Ye Qingxuan fell into shock.
"what 's wrong?"
…
…
In the etheric sphere, light shines.
The light flickered and erratic, like a candle in the wind. Not even Ye Qingxuan.
And it is rapidly declining, falling to the entry-level apprentice level, even worse than it is, which can only be said to be better than nothing.
Simply jaw-dropping.
"what 's wrong?"
Ye Qingxuan pressed a finger on the ether ball, and after making sure that Laura was not cheating, he fell into a daze.
Now she is really worse than an apprentice!
"It's very simple."
Laura said calmly, "If your Chapter of Fate was defeated, you would be like this."
"impossible!"
Ye Qingxuan retorted decisively.
…
On the road to being a musician, the "obstacle of knowledge" that blocks 99% of musicians and keeps them stuck at the musician level for life is just the first hurdle.
What follows is a series of tests.
If you are sailing against the current, if you don't advance, you will retreat. This road will only become narrower and narrower, and become more dangerous as you go. Because sooner or later you will walk into the darkness that no one has ever explored before, walking alone.
Resonance level, interference level, distortion level...
Each level is a chasm that requires massive resources and secret rituals to break through, until finally, this road comes to an end.
So far, this is the limit of human beings.
Ahead are cliffs and dark abyss.
Only a unique musician can break through the abyss, forge his own "scepter", and become a saint!
These people are all shockingly powerful and stunningly talented.
And what they rely on to break through the abyss is the power brewed in their own souls - the "Chapter of Destiny"!
It is a piece of music sublimated from the musician's heart and will. It is unique and represents the musician's heart and soul.
Will, ideas, and core are all included.
Once it is defeated, it is not just the music that is defeated, but the musician himself, including his life and mind, all the essence.
This represents the subversion of reason and the negation of personality.
Mental breakdown is just the beginning, and then the whole person will die from the backlash of the Chapter of Fate.
There is no cure, no cure.
For hundreds of years, musicians have tried one after another to break through this barrier, but in the end, they and their "Chapter of Destiny" were destroyed together.
Countless people have left behind negative teaching materials, all of which serve as lessons for the future.
If Laura's Chapter of Fate was really defeated, then all Ye Qingxuan would have in front of him now was a cold tombstone.
Not long ago, Ye Qingxuan just saw a living example - the royal musician: Claude.
Just being defeated by the heart sound, he instantly became disabled. If he didn't go to a doctor from the Psalm Faction, his life would be in danger.
What's more, the chapter of destiny that encompasses everything
"Stop fooling me, Moriarty!"
Ye Qingxuan looked into her eyes and said coldly: "After the Chapter of Fate is defeated, the best case scenario is death from madness."
Laura smiled.
"It's normal for you to have doubts..."
She said lightly, but Ye Qingxuan only felt that his eyes were blurry, and she grabbed the collar and pulled it in front of him, and he had no time to react.
He saw Laura’s pale face and gloomy eyes.
There was a faint blood color in her pupils, and the violent blood color was like a flame, burning her reason day and night. She is always on the verge of madness.
Immediately afterwards, strands of cyan blood vessels emerged from the white cheeks, looking ferocious and fragile, as if they would fall apart at the slightest touch.
"Death from madness?"
She smiled, her smile was cold and twisted, showing no grace or elegance at all:
"-How far do you think I am from being a lunatic like I am now?!"
Ye Qingxuan was silent.
Maybe this is the real her
Tortured day and night by the backlash of the Chapter of Fate, his mind and body were on the verge of collapse anytime and anywhere.
On this tightrope, there is death on the left, madness on the right, and an abyss beneath the feet.
There is only a thin line between them and her.
In the long silence, Ye Qingxuan took the lead in removing his eyes and admitting defeat:
"Feel sorry."
"It's okay, I forgive you."
Laura slowly released her palms and adjusted his clothes, her eyes became gentle.
"Don't worry, you are the only companion I have left in this world - no matter what you do wrong, I will forgive you."
Ye Qingxuan was silent.
"Are you curious, how did I survive?"
Laura sat back on her original chair, picked up the black tea mixed with potion and took a sip, her trembling fingers finally stabilized.
"Don't forget, I am different from ordinary humans. The talent of the Moon Spirit prevented me from dying on the spot."
She smiled, showing slightly sharp canine teeth: "To be honest, I have never been so grateful for my demon blood. In order to survive, I signed a contract with the Blue Moon. But my strength can never return to its original level. I can only rely on the constant fluctuations of the moon phase, which is strong and weak. Up to now, my old injuries have not healed, and most of my strength can only be used to maintain my sanity. Don't you think it's funny? Ye Qingxuan. When I was at my strongest, I was only one step away from the scepter level, but now sometimes I am as weak as a child. For example, now... you can strangle me to death with your hand."
She raised her chin and exposed her neck to the boy. Her neck was long and white, as if she could hold it with one hand.
Just tighten it slowly and she'll be dead.
So simple.
"How's it going? Are you excited?"
Laura showed a provocative smile.
Ye Qingxuan did not look, but asked softly: "Is it because of my father that you were injured?"
Laura was silent.
After a long time, she sighed softly: "That is a thing of the past."
…
…
"As you know, I have the blood of the Moon Spirit and was born the son of a demon. This is my original sin.
My original name is very long, you can shorten it to 'Moriarty'. Instead, Laura became a pseudonym later on.
My father was killed before I was born.
My mother was a human being. The musician thought she was forced by her father and did not realize that she was pregnant, so he sent her back to the human world.
Later, there was me.
When I was three years old, my mother died. I was taken away by the elders of the clan and returned to the clan. I stayed there for a long time and then came out again.
Later, I became your father's student. Since a person with demon blood has become the heir of the demon's natural enemy, the Purifying Moon... it sounds like a ridiculous joke.
For this reason, I broke with my tribe and planned a battle so that they thought I had been killed.
From then on, no one except the teacher knew that I was a moon spirit.
After a while, the teacher got married and I went out to travel.
When I came back, I found that everything had changed, the teacher had disappeared, and you and your mother had been exiled to the border.
At that time, all I could think about was finding out the truth, but in the end, I was reduced to this. He can only change his appearance, quietly return to Avalon, and re-investigate what happened back then.
Until now, not much has been found out. All I know is that he has some kind of relationship with the Shadow of Avalon. "
There was a long silence.
"...finished?"
Ye Qingxuan was confused.
"It's over." Laura nodded: "It's that simple. How can there be so many complicated past events to talk about?"
"But it's too simple." The young man frowned slightly: "It always makes people a little suspicious."
"Do you think I'm lying?"
"It's not too much of a lie, but there's something you're not telling me that's true."
Ye Qingxuan shook his head: "How did you and my father meet? Why did my father accept you as a student? What did you find out? And, who defeated your Chapter of Fate? You didn't say any of these things, don't Classify them into insignificant past events. And... "
He looked at Laura with a strange look.
"You have a crush on him?"
“…”
Laura was stunned and looked angry.
Ye Qingxuan nodded clearly, "It seems that he has taken a liking to him."
"That was one of the many mistakes I made."
Laura looked away and looked for a reason for herself: "Superstitious power is a creed engraved in the blood of demons. What's more, I was still young at the time..."
Ye Qingxuan was speechless and didn't want to dwell on this embarrassing matter, so he could only change the subject: "Have you found anything from the House of Representatives after so many years? I only know that he taught in the college back then."
"That's right."
Laura's face softened slightly, "Later, he worked for the Royal Academy, but the Royal Academy does not have his files. The files of his employment are in Arkham Asylum."
"Where?"
Ye Qingxuan's expression became gloomy: "He is involved in the taboo technology of human body modification?"
"It used to be a secret branch of the Royal Academy, specializing in studying the habits and structure of demons, with the intention of understanding the nature of natural disasters. Later, he was transferred. That department was also abandoned by the Royal Academy, and human body modification was there What happened after that. And I can never find his whereabouts again."
Laura sighed regretfully, "You should know that for a while, he was away from home all year round."
"Where did he go?"
"I don't know." Laura's eyes were cold, "But there is no doubt that it was the place where he died."
Ye Qingxuan shook his head and corrected: "He is still alive."
"he died."
Laura's voice rose and her eyes were complicated: "Ye Qingxuan, accept the reality, I saw him with my own eyes..."
"He's alive, I can feel it."
Ye Qingxuan repeated it again, with a firm expression: "This is not a refusal to accept reality, nor is it a delusion. All I can say is: he must still be alive, living in a corner of this world."
Laura was silent for a long time and asked softly:
"you sure?"
"For me, the only benefit of dragon blood is perhaps the 'reception between blood vessels'. When I entered the apprentice level, I felt the resonance between him and me. So, don't worry, Laura. Sooner or later, I will go and find him out with my own hands."
"Find it out?"
She felt like something was wrong, "Then what?"
"Then?"
Ye Qingxuan smiled, pinched his knuckles, and looked forward to it.
"-Hit him first and then talk."