Chapter 878: Magic Sound Confrontation

Zhang Xuan looked at Yu Feier, who was seated beside him, seeing everyone's excitement. "Who is Master Baiyin?"

Yu Feier explained, "Master Baiyin is a Demonic Tuner specifically invited by Father from outside. It's said she's reached the peak of six-star mastery. Her music is so enchanting that just one listen can immerse you and cleanse your soul! Usually, only envoys from other empires are privileged enough to hear her perform..." Yu Feier's face was flushed with excitement.

Although a six-star Demonic Tuner on their own might hold less prestige than professions like alchemists or artifact forgers, they are highly respected in royal palaces and noble estates. Regular listening can nourish the soul, making it stronger, and also serves as a status symbol.

"It seems she's a performance-oriented Demonic Tuner!" Zhang Xuan mused, nodding to himself.

Demonic Tuners are categorized into two types: combat-oriented and performance-oriented. As a Master Teacher, Dean Jiang, who combats the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, naturally practices combat-oriented music. When such individuals play, their music evokes the clash of weapons and warhorses, carrying immense destructive power. Performance-oriented music, however, can be listened to by ordinary people and is beneficial without harm. Otherwise, if every performance caused chaos like Zhang Xuan's, there would be no need to entertain envoys from other empires; one performance would likely trigger an endless war. Since Master Baiyin performs in the imperial palace and so many young people know of her and are excited, it's clear she must be a performance-oriented tuner whose music brings joy and relaxation.

"Feier, come here!" Yu Shenqing said, a hint of displeasure on his face, seeing his daughter still chatting and laughing with Master Zhang.

"Yes, Father!" Yu Feier nodded and moved to her father's side, sitting down.

Shortly after Eunuch Luo Fu left, he returned, followed by a woman in white robes, graceful and beautiful. While slightly less stunning than Yu Feier or Luo Qiqi, she was still exceptionally beautiful, a true rarity.

Entering the hall, Master Baiyin, whose name was Bai Xuan, curtsied gracefully. Her voice was like a melodious zither, sweet and captivating, making one's heart soften.

"Impressive!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Her ability to blend her voice with her guqin's sound to produce a harmless demonic tune effect truly showed her skill.

Yu Shenqing smiled. "Master Baiyin, there's no need for formality. Today is my daughter's birthday, and we would be honored if you could play a piece to entertain everyone!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Master Baiyin nodded. She sat cross-legged to one side, and with a sweep of her hand, a guqin appeared before her.

Seeing her bring out the guqin, everyone's eyes lit up.

"This must be Master Baiyin's Eagle Feather Guqin!"

"Legend has it that her spirit beast, the Azure-tailed Eagle, died saving her. In gratitude, she crafted the strings from its tail feathers and composed a deeply sorrowful and poignant piece that breaks one's heart upon listening!"

"I've heard that too. It's said that on the day the piece was completed, cranes cried out in sorrow, which brought Master Baiyin immense fame. Countless powerful individuals in the imperial capital consider it a great honor to hear her play."

"I can't believe His Majesty invited her! This is enough for me to boast about for three days!"

"Three days? This is enough for me to boast about for three months..."

As she brought out the guqin, everyone found it hard to contain their excitement. Combat-oriented Demonic Tuners generally don't gain fame unless there's a conflict, but performance-oriented ones easily attract a large following and admirers as soon as their music begins.

Hearing the chatter, Master Baiyin smiled faintly, her slender fingers lightly plucking the strings.

*Ding-dong!*

The guqin's notes immediately filled the air, seemingly emanating from ancient times, piercing deep into one's soul. Zhang Xuan's eyes brightened. A true master reveals their skill with a single move. Although slightly less formidable than Dean Jiang, her approach was entirely different, sparking endless imagination.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

Master Baiyin's fingers glided across the strings, and the music flowed, creating an illusion for everyone in the hall. In an instant, they felt transported to a vast grassland, surrounded by countless chirping birds and the fragrant scent of blooming flowers, an utterly delightful experience. The many talented youths present couldn't help but close their eyes, their minds soaring. Even Shen Jun narrowed his eyes, lost in the music.

For a profession to have been passed down through generations, even if considered "lower-tier," it should not be underestimated. Like calligraphers and painters: at their peak, they can conjure an army of a million with a single stroke, a force even extremely powerful cultivators would struggle against.

Seeing everyone engrossed in her music, Master Baiyin smiled faintly and looked towards Zhang Xuan, who was not far away. She had received His Majesty's hidden command when she arrived: to test this young man.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

The tune shifted. While the music remained captivating and enchanting to others, a powerful spiritual pressure immediately spread out. Zhang Xuan was listening intently, intending to compare the differences between performance-oriented and combat-oriented music. Suddenly, his soul trembled; the opponent's music now carried a strong sense of provocation and aggression.

"How audacious!" As the Demonic Tuner's power circulated within his soul, the attack dissipated instantly. Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed, and he cast a sharp gaze towards her. As a seven-star Demonic Tuner himself, he naturally knew her actions were deliberate.

But... he was here for a banquet, and this was their first meeting. Why would she attack him? Could she already know he was the Dean of the Master Teacher Academy and was deliberately launching a sneak attack? Did she intend to kill him?

"It's possible," he thought. "Many have said that Hongyuan Empire isn't peaceful, and the Master Teacher Academy even went so far as to conceal information to protect my safety... Perhaps danger lurks all around!" His expression darkened.

Luo Ruoxi had mentioned that Hongyuan City was one of the connecting points between the continent and the outer realms, allowing the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe to enter at any time. The Master Teacher Academy's purpose was to suppress this nexus. Hu Yaoyao was also very cautious, even going into hiding, and then there was Wu Yangzi's experience—such a powerful expert captured by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe... Everyone spoke of Hongyuan City with such secrecy; it was likely there were many unknown secrets here. This Master Baiyin, despite her great reputation and the respect she commanded, had immediately launched a spiritual attack against him. She clearly had an agenda!

"Hmph! Unless she attacks with overwhelming raw power to crush me, trying to use Demonic Tuner music against me... she's overestimating herself!" Zhang Xuan thought, his eyes narrowing coldly. He was only at the Void-Amassing realm initial stage. If she used overwhelming raw power, he'd have no way to counter her, short of unleashing the Purple Sun Beast. But to attack him with Demonic Tuner music... she was thinking far too simply! Even Dean Jiang had become his disciple. For a mere performance-oriented Demonic Tuner to try and challenge him? It was a joke!

Without a word, Zhang Xuan, like everyone else, narrowed his eyes, feigning deep absorption in the music. With his hand, he subtly picked up an empty wine glass, then took a flask of wine and slowly poured it in.

*Gurgle!*

As the wine entered the glass, it made a sound like a mountain stream or a cascading waterfall—soft, yet it subtly intertwined with the guqin's notes, causing the aggressive music to falter.

"Hm?" Sensing that this sound perfectly interrupted the music's flow, Master Baiyin realized she had encountered a powerful expert. Her eyebrows rose, and her hand movements on the guqin changed abruptly.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong!*

The tempo quickened. Everyone instantly felt the vast grassland transform, as if thousands of horses were charging across it, raising dust, twisting dark clouds, and shaking the very earth.

"Excellent!" Having anticipated this, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly. He set the wine flask down on the table, casually picked up a chopstick, and gently tapped it against the wine glass, the flask, and the serving dishes. Although these were just ceramic items, producing monotonous sounds, the wine and dishes inside created distinct resonances.

*Ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-dong!*

Compared to the guqin, the sounds were simpler, but each tap landed precisely in the middle of her changing notes, disrupting her rhythm. If the Demonic Tuner's music were likened to ripples on water, Zhang Xuan's every tap struck the trough of a ripple. This not only interfered with her music but also forced her heart to beat according to his rhythm.

"Oh no! A master!" Only then did Master Baiyin realize the caliber of her opponent. Her pupils contracted, and her face turned pale.

A Demonic Tuner musical duel, though seemingly simple, was actually extremely dangerous. A slight misstep could lead to complete loss of cultivation, or in severe cases, even instant death. The more refined a profession, the greater the hidden lethality it could possess. Just like Master Teachers: they educate, set examples, and are amiable, but once they unleash their fury, the heavens and earth might change color, and none would dare stand in their way! Demonic music was no different. For the opponent to generate such immense power by merely tapping wine glasses and utensils with chopsticks indicated that his mastery of demonic music vastly surpassed hers, to an unimaginable degree!

In the past, encountering such a powerful expert would have led her to immediately bow in surrender and flee as far as possible. But... her provocation earlier had been too aggressive. The opponent had already struck hard, and his tapping sounds had perfectly merged with her guqin music, like a qi-based competition that could no longer be unilaterally stopped! In other words, if she stopped now, his attack would surge forth like a pent-up flood, unstoppable. At best, her years of diligently cultivated demonic music skills would be wasted; at worst, her heart would burst from her chest, and she would die on the spot!

"Damn it!" Her eyebrows shot up, no longer daring to underestimate him. She played the guqin with both hands and stood up, white steam rising from her head as the true qi within her circulated rapidly.

"Playing rough, are we? Very well, I'll indulge you!" Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed. Seeing the intensity of her music increase, Zhang Xuan, without moving, picked up another chopstick with his left hand and tapped the table in front of him.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

The table, made of special wood, produced a dull, heavy, and profound sound, like a large drum. Although he had only added one more chopstick, the attacking force immediately more than doubled. Master Baiyin was already outmatched. With Zhang Xuan adding more sounds, how could she withstand it? Her face turned pale, and she involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood, crashing into a stone pillar in the hall.

"Retreat? Can you retreat?" Zhang Xuan swiped a chopstick, and the dishes in front of him immediately rang out like ancient bells and cauldrons.

Spitting blood again, Master Baiyin's true qi surged wildly, as if she had been punched in the chest. The massive pillar behind her could no longer withstand the impact and was snapped by her collision, sending dust cascading down from the ceiling.

Dust filled the air.