Zither Emperor

Zi creased his brow. “Gift? I don’t need a gift.”

Ye Yin Zhu smiled. “Although I don’t know if you can use it, I feel you will definitely like it. Only, you need to be careful! It is very big.” As he said this, he raised his left hand. His space ring flashed with brilliant rays of light as an incomparably large dark-blue radiance materialized before the two of them.

An immense bulk slowly toppled over, and Ye Yin Zhu cried out in alarm. Zi stepped forward and used both hands to forcibly hold up the object that was on the verge of falling over, slowly placing it on the ground.

Zi’s gaze didn’t separate from it. Ye Yin Zhu had materialized a sword from his space ring, the very same large Amethyst Sword he had obtained from the Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts treasury.

Ye Yin Zhu couldn’t conceal his shock. Although he knew Zi’s strength was tremendous, he didn’t anticipate Zi being able to hold this sword with only his two hands and still be able to steadily place it on the ground. Although it appeared to require some strenuous effort, he had still accomplished it in the end. When he’d first found this sword, Ye Yin Zhu had tried to move it, yet it wouldn’t budge at all, even with dou qi .

“Amethyst, this is actually Amethyst.” Zi’s voice was full of excitement. Both his hands slowly caressed the large Amethyst Sword’s blade. His resolved eyes were glistening with tears, and his body was even trembling.

“Zi, are you alright? Unfortunately, it’s truly humongous. I remember when you bought that sword from last time.” As he said this, Ye Yin Zhu couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. Although Amethyst was a sword, it was also excessively heavy. Even though Zi could be considered tall for a human, in front of Amethyst he was miniscule. His palm wasn’t even able to completely grasp the sword hilt.

“Yin Zhu, thank you.” Zi stood up, turning around to face Ye Yin Zhu. Yin Zhu was amazed to discover two trails of tears on Zi’s face.

Zi cried. Zi actually cried because of the sword.

“Zi, what’s wrong?”

Zi shook his head, his ice-cold face unexpectedly displaying a trace of a smile. “I am extremely happy. Yin Zhu, this sword is very important to me, but I can’t tell you why. How did you get it?”

Ye Yin Zhu nodded and said, “Of course. I obtained it when I became the champion of the Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts’s Freshman Competition. This is one of my prizes. When I saw it in the treasury, I immediately felt it was very peculiar. In particular, when I touched the blade, I could feel its prestige and familiarity. Its decorative design had then changed, forming the word, ‘Amethyst.’ Others were unable to sense anything like this. Upon seeing it, I thought of you for some unknown reason. Thus, I picked it with the intention of gifting it to you. It’s a pity I only have the space ring Elder Sister Anya gave me. This is a humongous sword, how are you going to hold it?”

Zi smiled. This time, he looked up at the sky and smiled. It seemed like all the pent-up frustrations in his heart had been completely resolved. He somewhat crazily shouted towards the sky, “The Will of the Heavens! It is certainly the Will of the Heavens that has delivered the Amethyst Sword to my side. Yin Zhu, do you know why you felt a familiar feeling when you touched it? It’s because you have my aura. Due to the Equal Life Contract, you have my power.”

Ye Yin Zhu suddenly understood. “So you’re saying that my recent increase in strength and the violet crystal that appeared on my shoulder just a few moments ago both originate from your power? Zi, can you tell me the history of this sword? I know you have many secrets. Of course, if it is inconvenient to speak of, then forget it.”

Zi shook his head and said, “The changes occurring in your body is indeed because of our contract. Similarly, I also obtained benefits from you. My power raised your defense and strength and, well, some other things you can’t know of.

“I can tell you, however, that this Amethyst Sword belonged to my deceased grandfather. It had been lost for many years. You have found it and gifted it to me; you are my benefactor. Also…” He broke off his speech and reached out to grasp Ye Yin Zhu’s shoulder. He said seriously, “Yin Zhu, I know you have a lot of questions you want to ask me. Wait until you enter the Violet Rank; then, I will tell you everything. You need to know that I am your brother. We are brothers for all of eternity, satisfied?”

In the end, Zi didn’t explain the history of the Amethyst Sword. Zi was excited upon gaining the large Amethyst Sword, which already made him content. He looked like Sura when he obtained the Eternal Substitute Puppet as well as Angel’s Sigh.

Zi took large strides towards the large Amethyst Sword’s transient blade. Extending his right hand, he slashed his palm against the edge of the blade. Blood immediately flowed down. Zi’s gaze was completely scorching. As though he was unaware of the pain, he caressed the large Amethyst Sword’s decorative design with his palm. The changes began at the decorative design as he slowly stroked along the veined pattern, allowing his bloody hand to entirely taint the decorative design.

Ye Yin Zhu clearly saw the violet hue of Zi’s dripping blood.

“Zi, your blood is flowing.”

“That’s not important.” Zi still continued his actions, his gaze becoming very dedicated. The previous icy expression had become a burning fire upon seeing the large Amethyst Sword.

The large Amethyst Sword was humongous, yet Zi was meticulously painting it with his blood, not letting any of it drip outside of the veined pattern. His faint violet blood blended with the sword blade’s veined pattern, which was actually being absorbed by the blade. The dark-blue color of the large Amethyst Sword began to change gradually. Bright violet light slowly emerged from the sword blade, and the domineering feeling Ye Yin Zhu once sensed appeared again. Not only that, it became even clearer.

As his blood drained out, Zi’s complexion waned more and more, but his expression was extremely focused. So even though Ye Yin Zhu asked him to stop continuing several times, he was rebuffed.

When that faint violet blood finally covered the last of the veins, the large Amethyst Sword at last exposed its true colors. The humongous sword blade seemed to be a chunk of sculpted amethyst crystal with a penetrating violet light within that brimmed with murderous spirit and violet tyranny. Sunlight shone down on the circulating violet light. At this very moment, although it laid on the ground and seemed to become the center of the world.

Zi was conspicuously weak. This was the first time Ye Yin Zhu had seen him so weak. He even staggered when he stood up. Ye Yin Zhu took the initiative and assisted him in standing. At this very moment, however, Ye Yin Zhu saw that the condition of Zi’s body and Zi’s dazzlingly bright eyes were as different as night and day.

Zi recited a deep incantation, the intonation very strange. Profound yet simple, it wasn’t any language Ye Yin Zhu recognized. It sounded very extraordinary. Zi’s intonation was very harmonious and beautiful, and a layer of violet light emitted from Zi’s body. Gracefully circulating above the large Amethyst Sword, it was just like the bond between he and Zi that allowed them to communicate mentally.

Meanwhile, Zi’s chanting became increasingly rushed. The violet light he emitted became richer and more powerful, and a bizarre scene appeared. The incomparably heavy and originally durable large Amethyst Sword unexpectedly seemed indistinct. It suddenly transformed into a ball of energy and traveled along the connection of light to Zi, unexpectedly merging bit by bit into Zi’s body.