Musical Martial Soul

Shi Yan and Di Ya Lan returned to the tree hollow.

"What happened?" Mu Yu Die asked anxiously from inside. "I heard a rumbling just now. Did a demonic beast pass by?"

Shi Yan sat down in the hollow and silently felt the abundant essence filling his acupoints. He didn't answer.

Most of the essence from the five Martial Artists had dissipated. He had absorbed only a small portion.

But one of the five had been a Human Realm expert, so even that small portion of essence surging into his body was considerable.

Still, Shi Yan was worried about when those negative forces might flare up, so he remained cautious.

Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, Di Ya Lan explained what had happened.

After hearing her explanation, Mu Yu Die's face fell. She seemed troubled. This was already a dangerous time, and now demonic beasts were running rampant. The future looked bleaker and bleaker to her.

Dawn had broken, and the sun was slowly rising. The three of them didn't go back to sleep; instead, they talked quietly in the tree hollow.

With Luo Hao and the others around before, Shi Yan hadn't had many chances to speak with the two women, and he knew little about their circumstances. Now that Luo Hao and the other two were dead, he felt he ought to learn more about them, or he might be at a disadvantage later.

"Why are the people from Dark Nether after you?" Shi Yan asked with a frown. "Are you both from the Blazing Fire Empire?"

Mu Yu Die nodded and let out a soft sigh. "It's all because of me..."

"What's going on?" Shi Yan had already known that Mu Yu Die was no ordinary person. Since she seemed willing to explain, he naturally wanted to hear the whole story.

"Sis Lan, you tell him." Mu Yu Die glanced at Di Ya Lan and sighed softly again.

"You really don't know Mu Yu Die's background?" Di Ya Lan asked in surprise, eyeing him strangely. "Even though you're from the Merchant Alliance, you must have heard of General Mu Ku of the Blazing Fire Empire, right?"

"Mu Ku? The commander of the Blazing Fire Empire's Azure Eagle Legion? The Iron-Blooded Eagle King?"

Shi Yan started in shock. After a moment, he nodded solemnly. "So she's the Iron-Blooded Eagle King's granddaughter. I understand."

Memories of the Iron-Blooded Eagle King, Mu Ku, surfaced one by one. As Shi Yan thought it over, he gradually pieced things together.

In the memories of the other Shi Yan, he knew of the Iron-Blooded Eagle King, Mu Ku. Mu Ku was the commander of the Blazing Fire Empire's Azure Eagle Legion, a Nirvana Realm expert and a powerful, iron-fisted figure in the empire.

He was famous not only in the Blazing Fire Empire, but also in the Merchant Alliance and the Divine Grace Empire.

Mu Ku commanded troops like a god. He had never been absent from the clashes between the Blazing Fire Empire and the Divine Grace Empire. On the battlefield, he was known for his ruthless cruelty; he killed without blinking, and his hands were stained with blood.

Mu Ku was cold-blooded toward outsiders and defiant even within the Blazing Fire Empire, earning the enmity of many powerful figures.

Three years ago, during a clash between the Blazing Fire Empire and the Divine Grace Empire, five Nirvana Realm Martial Artists surrounded and killed Mu Ku.

Mu Ku had offended many people during his lifetime. As soon as he died, the Mu Family was hit in turn. In just a few days, many of Mu Ku's direct relatives were executed, and the once-mighty Mu Family swiftly fell into decline.

"I've heard of the Iron-Blooded Eagle King's exploits." Shi Yan thought for a while, then nodded.

"Mu Yu Die is the Eagle King's granddaughter, and the only surviving member of the Mu Family. Dark Nether is the empire's assassin organization, and it directly took part in the massacre of the Mu Family. Mu Yu Die survived only because her Martial Soul unleashed its full power on the day of the massacre. Her Martial Soul is connected to music; the sound of her zither can kill people without leaving a trace..."

"You mean Miss Mu can kill people with her zither?"

"Yes. Mu Yu Die's music can calm someone who's gone berserk, but it can also shatter their internal organs. Dark Nether wants to take her back because its Nether Lord has recently been practicing an evil Martial Skill and often loses control of his mind. The Nether Lord fears dying from cultivation deviation, so he wants to use Mu Yu Die's music to steady his mind."

"I understand." Shi Yan nodded.

Dark Nether had directly participated in the slaughter of the Mu Family. Mu Yu Die would have loved to see every last one of its people dead. Now its Nether Lord wanted to use her to practice an evil Martial Skill, so Mu Yu Die would rather die than comply.

But Dark Nether's power in the Blazing Fire Empire was immense. She had no choice but to seek refuge in another country.

After learning about Mu Yu Die's background and identity, Shi Yan asked, "Why can't Miss Mu use her Martial Soul right now?"

"Mu Yu Die's Martial Soul is rather unusual. Whenever she activates it to go on a killing spree, several of her tendons snap like zither strings. Until they mend, her essence can't flow freely. If she recklessly circulates it, she'll be badly injured at once, and her Martial Soul will take even longer to recover."

Di Ya Lan's expression darkened. "Two months ago, just as we were about to cross the empire's border into the Gloomy Forest, people from Dark Nether caught up with us. We lost several companions, and Uncle Luo was barely holding on. Mu Yu Die had no choice but to use her Martial Soul. She killed quite a few of them, but her tendons snapped too. They still haven't healed."

"When you activate your Martial Soul, your tendons have to work with it?" Shi Yan froze, then asked in surprise, "Are you plucking zither strings, or your own tendons?"

"I can't explain it either," Mu Yu Die replied listlessly, looking rather unhappy.

"The damage to your Martial Soul..." Shi Yan frowned and pondered for a while. Then, out of nowhere, he said, "Maybe I can help."

Mu Yu Die and Di Ya Lan's eyes lit up at the same time. They stared at him intently.

"Ahem..." Shi Yan had only said it offhandedly. Under their gaze, he felt a little awkward. "Well, didn't Sis Lan awaken her Martial Soul all of a sudden? The medicinal power in my body might help with its recovery. I was thinking..."

"Don't even think about it!"

Mu Yu Die shot back fiercely, glaring at him. "Don't you dare turn that filthy idea of yours on me!"

She had seen clearly how Di Ya Lan had awakened her Martial Soul. She would rather die than give up her chastity.

"I was just saying. Don't take it seriously." Shi Yan's expression was indifferent. He looked toward the tree hollow's entrance and said, "It's almost noon, and I haven't heard the demonic beasts making a racket again. Let's get moving."

"Okay." Di Ya Lan smiled softly.

The three left the tree hollow and continued through the Gloomy Forest, with Di Ya Lan carrying Mu Yu Die on her back.

After a night of hunting, the demonic beasts seemed to have gone to rest. The three didn't encounter a single high-level beast along the way. But fresh human bones kept appearing among the trees, reminding them just how savage the beasts had been the night before.

By dusk, the essence in Shi Yan's acupoints was being purified faster and faster. Various negative forces began welling up in his heart again, bringing with them a violent urge that he couldn't suppress.

He knew Mu Yu Die's zither music could calm the negative emotions in his heart, but in the silent forest, its sound might also attract demonic beasts and the pursuers from Dark Nether.

After what had happened the last time with Di Ya Lan, Shi Yan hesitated briefly. His burning gaze roamed over her captivating body, and he made up his mind.

Night fell.

In a hidden valley, Mu Yu Die curled up among the dense branches of an ancient tree. Her face red, she clenched her teeth and glared at a thicket ten meters away.

The leaves in the thicket rustled nonstop. Faint, muffled cries drifted over in fits and starts...

"You shameless pair!" Mu Yu Die bit her lower lip and cursed under her breath.

After a long, drawn-out cry, the thicket gradually fell silent.

A few minutes later, Shi Yan and Di Ya Lan emerged from it, their clothes disheveled.

Shi Yan's steps were steady, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

Grass clung to Di Ya Lan's long hair. Her skin was faintly flushed, her beautiful eyes brimmed with spring, and a smile played on her lips.

"Miss Mu, you're still awake?" When he got closer, Shi Yan looked up and saw Mu Yu Die staring at him with disdain. He smiled nonchalantly and asked.

"Hmph!" Mu Yu Die kept a straight face and muttered, "Shameless!"

"Oh?" Shi Yan smiled, unconcerned. "Maybe we won't even see tomorrow's sun. Who cares about this sort of thing? We should enjoy ourselves while we can. Why worry so much?"

"Exactly. Maybe by this time tomorrow, we'll be three corpses. I can't afford to worry about that," Di Ya Lan said as she walked over, perfectly at ease, with only the faintest trace of embarrassment.

Their words left Mu Yu Die stunned. It seemed she, too, had remembered the danger they were in, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.

"Sis Lan, cultivate in peace. Maybe you'll make another breakthrough." Shi Yan smiled meaningfully.

"Mm, I understand." Di Ya Lan's expression brightened, and she smiled sweetly. "You really are full of surprises, you know. Hehe!"

As she spoke, Di Ya Lan climbed into the ancient tree where Mu Yu Die was perched and settled onto a branch hidden among the dense leaves. Ignoring Mu Yu Die's puzzled gaze, she began to cultivate in peace.

Shi Yan didn't climb the tree. He sat cross-legged beneath it.

Thanks to his intimacy with Di Ya Lan, all the negative emotions spilling from his acupoints had been vented. The strange power pouring from the acupoints surged mostly into his body, nourishing his Martial Soul.

Only a small portion entered Di Ya Lan with his essence, benefiting her as well.

With his eyes closed, Shi Yan felt the strange power changing the flesh and blood in his body. He slowly circulated his essence, beginning a Greater Celestial Circuit.

An hour later, Shi Yan sensed that the strange power had completely spread through his flesh and blood. He couldn't help silently activating the Petrifying Martial Soul.

At a thought, his exposed arm slowly petrified, gradually turning dark brown.

Dark brown?

Shi Yan suddenly opened his eyes, bright as stars, his face full of disbelief as he examined his arm.

Dark brown! It really was dark brown!

Shi Yan was so excited he nearly threw his head back and laughed. At that moment, he finally understood what miraculous help those strange forces had given his Martial Soul.