Chapter 191 - Soul Ensnaring Zither (1/2)

Sometime later, Yuan followed Fei Yuyan and approached the guards with her.

”Welcome, Fairy Fei.” The guards immediately recognized her beautiful appearance.

”It's been a while, you two. I would like to go inside with a friend today,” Fei Yuyan said to them.

The guards turned to look at Yuan's masked face, but since he was wearing the Dragon Essence Temple's uniforms, they didn't bother to question his identity.

”I understand. You have an hour instead.”

The guards then opened the door until there was just enough room for one of them to walk inside.

Once they were inside, the guards closed the heavy doors shut.

”Do you come here often?” Yuan asked her after they entered this empty but spacious room.

”No, I've only been here three times since the last competition,” Fei Yuyan shook her head.

”Anyway, come look at this.”

Fei Yuyan suddenly grabbed Yuan's hands and dragged him towards the center of the room where a large white blanket was covering a round table alongside something else.

”What do you think is underneath the blanket?” Fei Yuyan asked him after casually releasing his hand.

Yuan looked at the familiar-looking shape and said, ”Is it a zither?”

Fei Yuyan nodded with a smile, ”Correct!”

She then removed the blanket and said, ”This is the Soul Ensnaring Zither!”

”Soul Ensnaring Zither? What an ominous name…” Yuan mumbled as his gaze examined the black zither that had glistening strings like it was made out of clear crystals!

”What are you talking about? It's a wonderful name! Legend says this zither can trap both human and magical beasts' souls with its music— that is if you can play it!” Fei Yuyan said.

”What do you mean 'if you can play it'?” Yuan asked her.

Fei Yuyan did not immediately answer his question and instead took a seat in front of the zither.

”It'll be easier for me to show you instead of explaining it.”

After taking a deep breath, she placed her fingers onto the string and began playing the zither.

However, to Yuan's surprise, the music notes coming from the zither were completely different from what he'd expected, and it sounded somewhat suppressed and muffled, almost like Fei Yuyan was playing the zither underwater or something.

How can a perfect-looking zither play such a weird sound? Even the strings on the zither were shaking normally when moved so such a sound shouldn't be possible. It didn't make any sense at all, and this is his first time seeing such a thing.

”Do you understand now?” Fei Yuyan stopped playing a few moments later and looked at Yuan.

However, Yuan shook his head and said, ”I'm even more confused now. I don't see anything wrong with the zither.”

”That's because this zither is 'cursed',” Fei Yuyan said, and she continued, ”This zither used to be played by the Zither Goddess before she left it here and left for the upper heavens, and not a single zither expert has been able to play it properly since then.”

”What about the other zither that was used by her? Is that one also like this?” Yuan couldn't help but ask.

”No, that one can be played properly. It's just this one that's unwilling to let others play.” Fei Yuyan sighed.

”How does that even work, though? Does the zither have a consciousness of its own? Like Soul Weapons.”