Free Web NovelChapter 429: Chapter 43: You Have Found the Path to Death
But the start of the War of Liberation shattered this balance. Eilvette had taken most of the Tuners to the front lines at the City in the Lake to serve as the backbone of the defense. As a result, the number of Tuners stationed in the capital was extremely low, creating a severe power vacuum. Faced with the Wind Law Queen’s unyielding attitude, they were completely helpless.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty has made so many personnel changes?"
After briefly familiarizing himself with the Royal Court’s recent situation, Eilvette’s brow furrowed tightly.
"The core of the Royal Court... is it entirely composed of female officials now...?"
Under normal circumstances, the Grand Law Officer wouldn’t have found anything amiss. After all, the Elf Royal Family had always been matriarchal. If the Little Queen enjoyed being surrounded by thoughtful older sisters, then replacing her entire retinue with them would be perfectly normal.
’What’s wrong with girls helping girls?’
But with a variable like Westheid in the picture, things took on a different flavor. As far as Eilvette knew, every single one of these female officials was Duke Qinghui’s damn lover!
’Damn it, has the Wind Law Palace become Duke Qinghui’s personal harem?’
"Since when... did the Royal Court become Duke Qinghui’s echo chamber?"
Eilvette commented with a cold snort.
"My lord, it has indeed gone too far. Since you left, Duke Qinghui’s tyrannical influence in the Royal Court has grown by the day,"
The Tuners were clearly also dissatisfied with this situation. They looked to Eilvette, ready to follow him at a moment’s notice, regardless of any regulations.
"No. Since the law has been established, it must be obeyed until it is rescinded."
Eilvette, who valued rules, did not use his special authority to force his way into the Wind Law Palace with his men. No matter how much he personally objected, laws and traditions could not be broken.
Thus, he entered the Wind Law Palace alone, heading straight for the node at the Eternal Spring Well.
The moment he reached the node, Eilvette’s swift, decisive steps came to a halt. He stared into the distance in astonishment.
There, upon a high ground and surrounded by a crowd, the golden-haired Elf Lolita had her arms spread wide in rapture, like the conductor of a grand orchestra, her arms waving ceaselessly.
An invisible wind echoed between the gardens and the valley, causing the sea of ornate flowers to bloom and wither. The babbling streams sometimes sped up, sometimes flowed in reverse. Hundreds upon thousands of great stones slowly levitated, pulled by a chaotic gravitational force.
"Ten Thousand Wind Melodies..."
Eilvette’s eyes widened as he stared blankly at the scene before him.
In ancient times, the Land of Thousand Lakes was a torn and chaotic region. With one hand, Emperor Qianlu established the Ceremony, and with the other, he danced with ten thousand winds, filling the chasms of the windless lands, evaporating the swamps, moving mountains, and reversing time and space...
In essence, all Melodies extend from the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies. This was a true path of the gods—one that mortals could neither create nor interfere with. Only the most compatible individual would be granted the title of King of Wind Law by the Divine Ancestor, allowing them to appropriately utilize the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies.
Although the Grand Law Officer himself could achieve similar feats by manipulating the nodes, he did so through his profound mastery of a high Tier. But Ailorus? She hadn’t even reached the Hero Tier!
To be able to do all this must be due to the power of the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies!
With an excited heart, Eilvette bounded up the high ground, taking two steps at a time. Just then, Ailorus finished her practice, ceased her Tuning movements, and turned to look at the Grand Law Officer.
A rare, excited flush appeared on Eilvette’s otherwise stern and severe face.
"Your Majesty! Your control over the Melody is already quite remarkable! You’re nearly at the level of a proper Tuner."
Westheid, his hands clasped behind his back, nodded and said, "To be precise, she has already reached it."
He was far more aware of Ailorus’s progress than Eilvette was.
As for why, it was because he had already freeloaded it through his Heart and Soul’s Gift!
The Elf Lolita didn’t have many Talents or Specialties to begin with. Westheid had been grinding her affection level for a while and had already gotten everything he could. Only the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies had been out of his reach, for a simple reason—Ailorus hadn’t known it herself.
Thus, the moment the Wind Law Queen mastered it, Westheid received a notification simultaneously.
[The web of love you have woven has borne fruit.]
[You have shared the Talent "Ten Thousand Wind Melodies" from "Aelorus Jade".]
[Ten Thousand Wind Melodies]
[Ten thousand winds bring all things, and all things invite ten thousand winds.]
[This is the overture and finale played by Emperor Qianlu in the windless lands. The Grand Ensemble cycles eternally, turning without cease. So too does the Wind Law, coursing through the Land of Thousand Lakes to harmonize and unite the Ten Thousand Races.]
[While in the Land of Thousand Lakes and Melody, you unlock the Wind Law Power. This is a manifestation of the Emperor’s Divinity.]
Westheid was extremely satisfied with having freeloaded this Talent. It wasn’t because of how much his combat power had increased. On the contrary, if judged solely on combat potential, Ten Thousand Wind Melodies wouldn’t even be considered T0.
Its general applicability was simply too poor. It only worked within the area covered by the Thousand Laws Ceremony. Outside that area, it was as good as a blank slate. What was the difference between it and In Purity?
’A Talent that isn’t universally applicable is inherently inferior!’
However, the true value of the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies was that Westheid could use this divine path to study the Thousand Laws Ceremony. Afterward, whether by transplanting or replicating it, he could create his own "Qinghui Ceremony." At that point, the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies would transform, perhaps becoming a new form of Power.
This was the foundation for ascending to godhood. Its value was self-evident.
"Lord Eilvette, welcome back to the Royal Court. The stability of the front lines is greatly thanks to your efforts."
Ailorus placed her hands one over the other in front of her stomach. Though a small lolita, her posture was dignified and elegant, befitting her status as queen.
"It was merely my duty."
Brushing off his own merits, Eilvette’s greatest concern at the moment was Ailorus’s mastery of the Melody.
"Your Majesty, when did you master the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies? To advance on the path of a Tuner, with your aptitude, it should have taken at least ten years."
Eilvette had long since gauged Ailorus’s comprehension. Not every King of Wind Law was exceptionally gifted. In fact, geniuses were the minority. Simply being compatible with the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies was the greatest Talent of all; to ask the Divine Ancestor for more would be too greedy.
The Elf Lolita clapped her hands and said:
"It was with West’s help! If it weren’t for his adjustments and summaries, I never would have been able to figure out such a complicated node."
"Wait, you shared the authority over the Grand Ensemble with Duke Qinghui?"
Eilvette was now too preoccupied to even wonder why Westheid knew the Tuning Methods of the Path of Resonance. His eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Westheid and Ailorus.
"Your Majesty, the Thousand Laws Ceremony is a crucial foundation of the Royal Court! How could you share it with an outsider!"
Hearing this, Ailorus lowered her gaze slightly and said, "But West is my fiancé. Since we will be husband and wife, how can he be called an outsider? I’ve heard that in the Imperial, married couples can even share their wealth."
"No, that is not what a political marriage means, Your Majesty. You have completely misunderstood."
Eilvette had agreed to the political marriage at the Little Queen’s request purely because he wanted to borrow more of Duke Qinghui’s power, not because he actually wanted to gift-wrap the Thousand Laws Royal Court and hand it over to him!
Seeing his own queen so shamelessly devoted, the Grand Law Officer felt his blood pressure rising. He unconsciously ground his teeth.
Just then, Ailorus added fuel to the fire:
"West put a lot of effort into cracking this node. Lord Eilvette, could you transfer the authority for the other nodes directly to me? It would make things easier for all of us."
If it were just Ailorus herself tinkering with it, Eilvette might have actually opened up the permissions for the sake of the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies, handing over all the nodes under his control. But to let Westheid mess around with the secrets of the Grand Ensemble... no, absolutely not.
Eilvette pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I was thinking... Your Majesty, perhaps the matter of the political marriage warrants reconsideration."
Before, the goal of the marriage was to establish a closer connection with Duke Qinghui and request more of his power. But with a King of Wind Law who had mastered the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies, the situation was completely different.
The Thousand Laws Royal Court might not need outside help anymore.
The smile on the Elf Lolita’s face froze. She tilted her head and asked:
"I must have misheard. Lord Eilvette, what did you say?"
"What I mean is, perhaps you no longer have any need to marry Duke Qinghui... In fact, it would be best if you didn’t."
The words had barely left his mouth. Never mind how dark Ailorus’s expression became; Westheid’s joy was practically written all over his face.
’You’ve chosen the path to your own doom!’
