Where's my cello?
Where's my big cello?
Did you guys steal my equipment?
It wasn't until the furious Huai Shi picked up the bracelet and carefully examined it that he was finally able to see the faint outline of a cello from the amber ornament on the bracelet.
So this was the surprise?
We made a specimen of your cello and placed it in amber. Are you surprised? Are you happy?
With a sliver of trust in the Music Association, Huai Shi followed the instructions on the back of the slip of paper and fastened the bracelet onto Huai Shi's arm.
It was made of four or five millimeter thick metal rings. At first glance, it looked like some kind of watch.
A square piece of amber was embedded on the back of his hand. The symbol of the Hells United Music Association was engraved on the front, but after being modified by alchemy, it was shockingly hard. It probably wouldn't shatter even if it took a direct hit from a bullet.
If Huai Shi was confident in his skills, he could even use this thing as a small shield.
Even though it looked like he was playing with an entire village, the amber could still be flipped upside down.
The position of the amber could be flipped over. After flipping over, the delicate outline of the violin would be revealed.
The slip of paper said to inject Origin Substance.
Huai Shi injected the Origin Substance.
Then, he was almost blinded by the sudden appearance of a bow.
Huai Shi subconsciously leaned back. Immediately afterwards, he saw a massive cello fly out of the amber. He hurriedly caught it.
It wasn't heavy. Rather, it was … … unexpectedly light.
For a moment, Huai Shi wasn't able to stop in time, and he almost fell backwards.
When he steadied himself and carefully examined the cello, he discovered that the temperature of the cello seemed to be exactly the same as his body temperature. More importantly, his body's sense of touch spread out as Huai Shi's four fingers touched the board.
He could feel the low rhythm of the cello's breathing.
He very quickly realized that it was his own breathing. His Origin Substance and his perception flowed through the body of the cello, and the sound of his heartbeat echoed within the cello's resonating cavity.
It was still the same familiar shape and the same feeling, but inside, it felt as if it had been reborn and had become completely different.
When Huai Shi gently pulled the strings and the first note flowed out, it was as if a thin lingering sound was dancing in the air and echoing in his body.
"Do you want to try playing?"
The old man who appeared at the door smiled and handed over a music score. "The concert hall is ready to be used at any time."
"Hmm? Doesn't it cost money? "
After Huai Shi accepted the music score, he could sense the ancient Origin Substance contained within. Without a doubt, this was a precious piece of music from the Society's collection. Huai Shi had seen the exchange price list. Every single one of them was so expensive that it made him cry.
However, every one of them had a huge attraction, causing him to grit his teeth and hover between spending money and saving money.
"This is part of my collection. It's not part of the association's collection." The manager smiled and asked, "If you don't mind having another audience, can you let me experience your performance skills?"
"Isn't performing meaningful because there's an audience?"
Huai Shi also smiled.
"Then, please excuse my rudeness."
The manager nodded and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, Huai Shi's vision blurred and he was already sitting on the stage.
The old manager had changed into formal attire and sat in the front row, looking forward to the start of the performance.
"Please begin, Mr. Huai Shi."
Then, a beam of light shone down from above Huai Shi's head, illuminating the place where he was and the music score on the shelf that moved without any wind.
— Edgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor.
"I feel like it's going to be difficult."
Huai Shi took a deep breath and calmed his mind. He stared at the music score that seemed to gradually come to life.
Subconsciously, his fingers moved.
A low and sorrowful sound of the zither burst out from his fingertips.
He didn't even read the score carefully. It was almost like he was playing it by sight. The moment his eyes saw it, his fingers reacted.
Huai Shi himself hadn't reacted yet.
Because he was so focused that he forgot himself.
It was as if his body had suddenly become empty, and he had abandoned all distracting thoughts. In this meditative state, his body began to move instinctively, and the Origin Substance began to move, smoothly playing the first part of the movement.
Then, countless phantom-like violinists slowly appeared behind him. They bowed their heads and provided an incomparably fitting accompaniment for this performance.
They followed Huai Shi's melody.
Their remnant spirits were guided by the notes of the cello and merged into the gradually vast and mighty sorrowful movement like flowing water.
"So beautiful … …"
Subconsciously, the manager leaned forward, wanting to get closer.
His two eyes were shining.
As if they were burning with flames, he was intoxicated by the melody.
Yes, that's it … … That's right … …
The old man grabbed the armrest excitedly, but he was desperately restraining himself from crushing the armrest.
This kind of melody, this kind of performance, wasn't it what he had always yearned for?
Wasn't it because he was intoxicated by the pure beauty of art that he served the association so that he could often listen to such outstanding performances?
It was too sorrowful, but also too beautiful.
This kind of melody … … no matter how many times he listened to it, he couldn't get enough of it!
Now, the low and sorrowful sound of the cello floated towards him from the stage. It was like a farewell hug, carrying a sweet sorrow as it tightly gripped his hands.
The lingering sound spread out from his bone marrow.
The sound of the cello gradually rose, rapidly rising from the reverberation. After a short pause, the low sound of a horn and the sound of a clarinet burst forth from the sorrowful lingering sound.
As a result, the reverberating sound of the cello rose again, turning into a wave that swallowed the entire concert hall.
The vast and solemn performance thus began!
Huai Shi bowed his head amidst the surging melody. His hands gripped the bow as he controlled the vast and mighty current.
Amidst the pure performance, the Origin Substance in his soul burst forth, brewing and colliding with the cello's resonating cavity. In the end, it actually formed a faint qualitative change.
This was the combination of the countless strands of vitality in his blood and the ashes of the Origin Substance.
Along with the melody, the Mountain Ghost's Sacred Mark sang a sonorous and sorrowful song.
Countless abyssal life forces were constantly changing in this sorrowful cello melody, as if they could change at will, from flowers to trees, and then from trees to vines. The cycle repeated until finally, the abyssal life forces that were originally unevenly distributed seemed to have been reconstructed.
Whether it was the quantity or the quality of each other, there were faint changes.
They precisely completed the balance in the movement, harmoniously combining with each other, forming a complete abyssal plant ecosystem.
Vigorous growth.
The Mountain Ghost's Sacred Mark was constantly extracting Huai Shi's ashes, absorbing nutrients from the darkness and death of the ghost, and the power of life sprouted.
After the cold winter passed, hundreds of flowers bloomed on the fields of spring.
He had never experienced such a harmonious feeling. Huai Shi seemed to have once again returned to the time when he was advancing, transforming into countless plants, uprooting and growing in the soil and rocks, branching and sprouting.
Regardless of whether it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter, he coldly overlooked all the sorrowful changes in the world.
He quietly gazed at the withering glory.
Until time passed, he woke up from his dream, immersed in the lingering sound.
He let out a long sigh.
After a long, long time, the sound of applause came from below the stage.
"Thank you for your performance, Mr. Huai Shi."
The manager slowly stood up and bowed to the performer on the stage. "Wonderful performance. It was worth the trip."
"I'll take this as a reward for your warm hospitality over the past few days." Huai Shi nodded reservedly. "I should be the one thanking you."
It was as if he had gone through a fierce battle. He was exhausted, and his Origin Substance was depleted.
However, his spirit was unexpectedly full.
He was bursting with energy.
Even though he hadn't played for a long time, his fingering hadn't become rusty. Now that the cello had undergone a complete transformation, he was like a fish in water. His technique had advanced by leaps and bounds.
He didn't know whether it was because he had entered an explosive period after a long period of settling down, or because he had grasped the charm of this piece of music during this period of time. The effect of his performance was even more astonishing than he had imagined.
And the feedback it brought was even more frightening.
[Cello Performance LV15]
[Sword and Blade Technique – Performance Technique LV13]
This wave of experience had given him too much. His cello performance skill, which had been dormant for a long time, had risen by more than half a level. If this had happened in the present world, Huai Shi would probably have won so many awards that his hands went numb.
Even his Sword and Blade Technique – Performance Technique had benefited greatly. It had risen to level one and a half, and was no longer the same as before.
Apart from his own comprehension, it was most likely the effect of this piece of music.
A piece of music?
A manuscript composed by a musician who had passed away. It contained the Origin Substance that had been condensed from the transformation of exquisite art, giving it an effect similar to that of a relic from the border.
Huai Shi carefully picked up the piece of music, which had already begun to turn yellow and curl up, and handed it back with both hands.
This time, he had gained too much of an advantage.
There was a limit to the number of times a piece of music could be used. After Huai Shi took the lead, its effect would probably be greatly reduced, and he would only be able to use it a few times.
The manager did not take it. He just smiled and said, "It's a piece of music that I happened to collect. It's of no use to me. After all … I'm just an audience. It can only be used in the hands of someone who truly loves it, right?"
He said, "If you feel bad about it, you can play a few more times for me next time."
"Thank you for your kindness. I'm very grateful."
Huai Shi did not refuse again. He gratefully put away the piece of music.
"You seem to have a few visitors." The manager looked back in the direction of the door. "It's inconvenient for me to disturb you for the rest of the time. I'll take my leave now."
His figure slowly dissipated.
Suddenly, Huai Shi was back in the lounge again.
There was a knock on the door.
"I didn't interrupt your performance, did I?"
Ai Qing, who was outside the door, looked at his calm appearance. "You seem to have comprehended something new?"
"It's just a little progress."
Huai Shi wanted to prop himself up, but his hands were weak. Only then did he feel weak and tired.
Ai Qing was not the only one who came. There were other guests who came with her.
When Huai Shi saw the horse-faced Ascendant leaning against the wall, he suddenly realized. "Ah, you're not that … that … that fortune-teller!"
"… Call me Tony, thank you."
Like a barber at the village entrance, the long-lost member of the Iron Cast Army shook his limp horse face. He said to Huai Shi, "I'm mainly here to be a tool this time. Please don't mind me."
"Likewise, we're all tools." Huai Shi nodded in agreement. "We're all tools. We must get along well later."
Ai Qing glanced at the two of them after they were done with their small talk. "Are you done catching up? It seems that I don't need to introduce you again. I'll give you a chance to exchange experiences later … Next, let's introduce the other helpers who came specially. "
She stepped aside, revealing the guests in the corridor.
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