Yama Rising

Chapter 351: Inaugural Launch of an Armament (3)

Clashing iron and bloodshed were synonymous with war, while battlefields saw endless tussles between life and death, and a permanent departure of those who were defeated. It was merciless, and completely devoid of human emotion.

Chang Yuchun’s throat tightened up. The emotions buried in the depths of his heart were roiling together with the music, like an active volcano that was ready to erupt at the moment’s notice. He was reminded of the grand battle which led to the defeat of the Yuan capital, where countless unsung heroes fought bravely, spilling copious amounts of blood, both theirs and their enemy’s. Despite the towering walls that protected the capital, everyone on his side fought with vigor, because they knew that this was the final battle that would topple the Mongol Yuan empire.

He could recall the vast formation of catapults and trebuchets arrayed against the capital, hurling massive stones that crashed into the walls and fell to the ground like the heavy drum beats in the music. Countless troops rushed up the tattered walls, clashing courageously against its garrison. The capital was prosperous, because it represented the wealth of the Cathayan bloodline that had been wrested from them by the Yuan empire. Arrows rained down like a swarm of locusts, while soldiers flooded every corner of the battlefield, stepping and fighting over the corpses of those who went before them.

And when the most magnificent section of the music started to play, Chang Yuchun’s eyes snapped open, almost as though he saw… the gates of the capital finally being breached. Countless allied banners led the charge into the inner sanctum of Yan capital with valiant battle cries as the tides of war finally leaned in their favour. Victory was nigh!

Back then… wasn’t I called a national hero of the people?

His throat felt parched and sore. And he was by no means the only one experiencing these emotions. Just then, the music roared into its climax, like a cataclysmic eruption that blew straight past the sea of clouds, with molten lava trickling slowly down the broken rivers, washing away their roiling emotions in an instant. Their blood boiled as they basked in the music with bated breaths.

Dead silence.

It was Liu Yu.

“Haa--...” Liu Yu shut his eyes and massaged his temples. His heart… was surprisingly pumped up as a result of this single majestic tune. More than anything, he felt conflicted and confused, because this was something that he had never experienced before!

He was no longer fixated on postulating about what QIn Ye was trying to do. Instead, what replaced his initial fixation was now an intent curiosity of what the next piece to be played was going to be like. He wanted to relive the kind of feeling he got from the music earlier… especially since he was briefly reminded of the legendary, magnificent sight of his own banner flying high over most of Cathay’s lands.

Qin Ye stood on the second floor stage, while Wang Chenghao stood right next to him. Qin Ye tapped his fingers gently against the guard rails. He was certain that the adrenal glands of all the feudal officials below were already soaring, because he, too, felt exactly the same thing. He was filled with a sense of rash impulsiveness, as though he wanted to do something.

What he was doing now was akin to stacking firewood.

For instance… he would allow them the opportunity to lose their sanity over the New Tigerform Battle Armor. After all, something like that… might just spell the difference of a billion Yin spirit stones in price!

Three minutes later, another conductor stood up and bowed deeply to the audience.

They were expectant. Even though they had time and again reminded themselves that something was up with the sequence of events tonight, and even turned their mind to the fact that Qin Ye may well be looking to unsheathe his sword over the course of the night… this was undoubtedly still a blade that they had never seen before.

When had they ever seen a blade as soft as this?

There was none.

There was also none.

The conductor raised his hands, and then swung it down with a powerful motion.

Unlike ‘Victory’, ‘Star Sky’ exploded with an intense rush of music right from the beginning, almost as though it picked up from where ‘Victory’ left off.

Boom boom boom! Every note played seemed to tug at the nerves of the twelve envoys. If the earlier piece was merely an appetizer, then the present piece could truly be called the apex of the night! The feudal officials gasped and watched with bated breath, indulging in electrifying ecstasy of music as it sent a current of pleasure washing right through their hearts.

Everything appeared surreal, so much so that he could no longer distinguish reality from the vivid memories that were being drawn out. He could even hear the sound of the endless waves of stomping hooves rushing in like a torrential tide. It was almost as though he had been brought right back to the glory days at the peak of his military campaign.

The imagery of clanging irons was nothing compared to the valiant rush of ten thousand horses in formation, just like the time when he led his Iron Stupa into the Central Plains of Cathay. But, just then, the piece flourished into a lyrical refrain that carried deep undertones of stifling sorrow. It was almost as though the piece were foreshadowing the ephemeral glories of the Mongol Empire. It was almost as though the facade of their prosperity were being torn away, revealing the deep, blinding wounds that lay within.

As they continued to immerse themselves in the marvelous tunes, a new flute-like instrument took over the descant parts of the orchestral piece, each note perfectly articulated. It was played in such harmony to the piece that it seemed to flow naturally, barely noticeable to the untrained ears. However, Chaghan heard each note of it with pristine clarity. The wistful cries of the flute represented the cries of the woman waiting for him back in the golden tent. It was the last smile which he had ever seen in life. His thoughts drew far and distant, almost as though he were drifting through the endless galaxies of stars in the skies.

The splendid waves of the piece washed over them repeatedly, signifying the grand crescendo into the climax of the song. It stirred their emotions so much that they simply wanted to cry out with great bravado. The lyrical tunes caused their blood to boil with strength and vigor. It even pricked directly at their hearts, agitating it with a ticklish yet painful sensation as the glorious climax of the song charged over like a vast array of chariots!

It was almost as though he were venting every bit of that stifling feeling in his heart.

He wanted to do something about it. He needed to do something about it! He needed change!

But the third piece didn’t even give them a chance for a breather.

Exodus.

None of the twelve envoys were weaklings.

Ban Dingyuan was known for administrating the Western Regions. This was exactly what earned him his place as one of the twelve envoys.

The Western Region… is a place that is close to my heart. Who could’ve thought that I would one day hear their music in death, and in Hell to boot?

The piece wasn’t as forceful as the previous two songs. But, like the two songs before, it sent waves of goosebumps creeping across the skins of the audience. He saw the thirty-six valiant warriors who had ridden with him to the Western Regions in the past. One by one, these thirty-six people slaughtered their way through the Western Regions, taking down various strongholds for the glory of the Cathayan empire.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be reminded of these things.

He, too, felt the innate urge to do something right now. Raise a sword and sing at the top of my voice? Perhaps… but… that wouldn’t seem to satisfy this thirst of mine.

Dang!!

“Not bad.” A hoarse voice rang out, followed closely by a green light that shot right onto the stage. The pianist took a look at it, only to realize that there was a sparkling piece of emerald glistening on the stage, without a single trace of impurity on it.

Good music touches the soul.

They could no longer recall the reason for which they were here. More importantly, they had already shelved at the back of their minds the fact that… they were still in the lands of the new Hell. In fact, they had already long forgotten the mental notes to be prepared and guarded against any tricks that Qin Ye was to pull. Three consecutive feverish songs had stirred their souls so much that they were suddenly filled with intense patriotism. It tugged hard at their heartstrings and caused them to recall the glory days of their lives which they had long forgotten now.

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