Magic: Reincarnate from high-voltage electricity at the start, level up independently.

William's face remained completely unmoved upon hearing Amber's words.

He spoke in a flat tone.

"Enough talk, let's get started."

As soon as he finished speaking, his slender fingers gently pressed down on the black and white piano keys.

The first clear and resonant note suddenly exploded out.

The Sound Badge is activated instantly.

A surge of sonic magic erupted, like a massive tsunami, crashing straight towards Amber on the opposite side.

Faced with the oncoming wave of magic, Amber remained calm and showed no sign of panic.

She gently raised her arm and pulled the bow in her hand.

The melodious and soothing sound of a violin then began.

With his way, he also gave his body.

The two powerful magical forces collided instantly, creating a pressure that caused the entire arena to shake violently, with booming sounds echoing throughout.

The audience erupted in cheers and gasps of amazement.

"My God! This is a clash of this caliber right from the start! William's strength is terrifying!"

"It truly was a duel between two geniuses; this match was absolutely worth it!"

"The situation is currently evenly matched, and it's really hard to say who will ultimately emerge victorious."

The two waves of magic were locked in a fierce standoff, neither able to gain the upper hand.

During the standoff, William's piano playing became increasingly faster.

The rapid and sharp piano music resounded throughout the arena, as if a thousand troops were galloping in on the wind.

In the next instant, countless musical magics coalesced into form.

A well-equipped cavalry army suddenly appeared on the field.

The leading general raised his hand and gave the order.

The cavalry in the front ranks charged forward, heading straight for Amber.

The archers in the back row neatly drew their bows and pulled back their strings, and a rain of arrows instantly formed, locking onto the target in front.

The charging cavalry was incredibly imposing, and a dense rain of arrows blocked all escape routes.

Any other competitor in the arena would have been stunned by this terrifying scene and stood frozen in place, waiting for their doom.

The audience members shared the same thought.

Many people subconsciously took a few steps back, fearing that the iron cavalry on the stage would rush out of the arena and a hail of arrows would fly towards the audience.

Fortunately, the competition area is large enough, and the organizers had set up protective barriers in advance to firmly isolate the inside and outside of the arena, preventing any harm to innocent spectators.

In the center of the court, Amber murmured softly.

"Good timing."

She increased the speed of her bowing again, and the stirring notes suddenly soared.

A deafening roar tore through the air.

A robust demon beast, formed from the power of sound and magic, raised its head and roared furiously at the sky.

The second one, the third one...

In just a few breaths, hundreds of demonic beasts materialized, forming a fierce demonic beast legion that charged headlong into the iron cavalry.

The two armies, conjured by magic, collided instantly, unleashing a fierce battle.

Arrows rained down from the sky, densely embedding themselves in the bodies of the demonic beasts.

A small number of arrows that broke through the monster's defenses headed straight for Amber.

Just as they were about to touch her body, an invisible sonic barrier appeared out of thin air, firmly blocking all attacks, and not a single arrow could get close.

The audience watched with bated breath, and the discussions grew increasingly heated.

"I was so anxious watching this, who's going to win!"

"No doubt, William will win! Amber isn't even worthy to carry his shoes!"

"You're talking nonsense! Miss Amber is invincible; she'll definitely win!"

On the field, William slowly slowed down the pace of his piano playing.

He looked up at Amber, who was calmly facing him, his voice low and calm.

Let's end all of this.

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft, holy light shone around William.

An exquisite musical note slowly floated out of his body and hovered high in the air above the arena.

The symbols unleashed a unique and ethereal power, instantly sweeping across the entire arena.

This power is ethereal and indescribable, yet it truly permeates every corner of the City of Sound.

The melodious music reached everyone's ears, and no matter where they were on the field, they could clearly hear this sacred melody.

The entire audience was stunned and gasped in astonishment.

"What kind of power is this? It's so sacred that I can't help but want to bow down and worship it."

"Could this be the legendary fragment of the laws of music?"

"Impossible! Fragments of the laws of music can only be obtained through divine blessing! William has never received a divine gift, how could he possess such a treasure?"

An elderly man with extensive knowledge spoke up and patiently answered everyone's questions.

"You know too little."

"The world of music has existed for tens of thousands of years. From ancient times to the present, including the divine blessing brought by Alice some time ago, there have only been eighteen divine blessings in the entire world, corresponding to eighteen fragments of musical laws."

"The fragments of the law will not disappear with the death of the holder; they will be automatically sealed away, waiting for the next destined person to inherit them."

"Of the eighteen fragments, only three have a clear record of their whereabouts."

"One is with Alice, one is with Princess Doria, and the other is in the hands of the Fish King."

He paused, then continued.

"The remaining fifteen have been sealed and passed down through generations by top-tier families."

"The Wei family and the An family have each received three divine blessings in their history, while the Su family has received two. The remaining seven divine blessings all came from the ancestors of the royal Duo family."

"These families have been passed down for thousands of years without interruption, possessing profound foundations, and all fragments of the laws have always been carefully preserved by the families."

"Although William did not compose any music that would invoke divine favor, his musical talent is among the best in the world. Inheriting the family's sealed fragments of law is not difficult for him, nor will he be rejected by the fragments."

After hearing this explanation, everyone present nodded in agreement, and suddenly understood.

Someone suddenly realized what was happening and stared intently at Amber on the field.

"If that's the case, given Miss Amber's status, she must also possess fragments of the laws of sound!"

The old man nodded slightly.

"That's most likely the case."

No sooner had he finished speaking than evidence appeared on the field.

As William's fragments of law hung high in the sky, a special aura of the same origin suddenly surged from Amber's body.

An identical musical note slowly rose into the air, hovering high above the other side of the arena, facing off against William's fragments.

The laws of music are the ultimate power of the great path of music.

Even a tiny fragment contains power far exceeding that of ordinary musical magic.

In battles between opponents of the same realm, as long as the fragment of law is activated, the holder can crush opponents of the same level and possess absolute combat power suppression.

William looked at the fragments floating above Amber's head without any surprise.

He seemed to have anticipated this outcome.

The next instant, a second fragment of the Law of Sound flew out of his body and superimposed itself in the sky.

Two fragments versus one fragment.

The battle, which had been evenly matched, suddenly shifted, and Amber was at a disadvantage.

The audience members who supported Amber were instantly heartbroken.

"Oh no! Miss Amber is about to collapse!"

The audience members nearby quickly spoke up to comfort him.

"Don't panic, look how calm Miss Amber is."

"The An family has sealed away three fragments of laws; she hasn't used all her trump cards yet."

As soon as he finished speaking, Amber's body indeed stirred again.

The second fragment of the Law of Music soared into the air, instantly erasing the difference in combat power and completely turning the tide of the battle.

Amber looked up at William across from her, her tone cool and calm.

"Show all your cards and deliver the decisive blow."

As soon as she finished speaking, the third fragment of the law flew out of her body.

Three fragments hung high above William's head, their oppressive aura completely overwhelming him.

William remained calm and silently played the piano in front of him.

The third and fourth fragments of the laws of music burst forth from the sky and hovered steadily high above.

Four against three.

The dominance shifted again, with William regaining control of the game.

The entire audience erupted in chaos.

"Are you kidding me?! Four fragments of the Law??? The Wei family clearly only had three fragments!!!"

"...Could I be mistaken? When did William acquire an extra fragment?"

Among the crowd, someone quickly grasped the key point and loudly proclaimed the truth.

"The Wei family indeed only has three fragments of inheritance."

"But don't forget, William is already married to Susie. The Susie family has received two divine blessings in their ancestors' lives and holds two fragments of the law."

Everyone suddenly realized what was going on.

"So that's how it is!"

"With the God of Music Competition just around the corner, the Su family certainly won't sit idly by. As the Su family's son-in-law, William has most likely inherited fragments of the Su family's legacy, and may even have some hidden trump cards."

Everyone assumed that William still had a fifth fragment to use.

But after everyone waited for a long time, no new fragments appeared in William's body.

Time passed slowly, and the suppressive power of the four fragments of law was too terrifying.

No matter how talented or well-established Amber was, she was ultimately just one step short.

After a brief stalemate, the outcome was decided.

The terrifying power of the laws crashed down.

Amber was blasted away and crashed heavily onto the ground outside the ring.

The fierce battle has come to a complete end.

The light of the fragments of the laws of sound hanging high in the sky receded, and they all returned to the bodies of the two holders.

Amber was seriously injured and fell unconscious on the spot.

Staff immediately rushed over and took her to the hospital for treatment.

The audience was filled with sighs and murmurs.

"Miss Amber is already very powerful, but unfortunately she lacks the foundation of a single fragment of law."

"The two are almost equal in talent and background, but their opportunities and foundations are ultimately different. She deserves to lose."

In a secluded corner of the stadium plaza, Chu Ge slowly withdrew his gaze.

The scene of the collision of law fragments kept echoing in her mind.

"One, two, three... Including the one sealed inside me, there are eighteen in total."

She murmured softly, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"The fragments of the laws of music are invaluable."

Why would the God of Heavenly Music descend so many times? Is it truly just to inspire the mermaids of this world and make them love music even more?

After Amber and William's duel, only three contestants remained in this year's Music God Awards.

They are Alice, William, and Haino.

The draw for the tournament has resumed.

Chu Ge was fortunate enough to receive a bye and directly advanced to the final.

The remaining match will be between William and Heno.

The winner of this battle will face Chu Ge in the ultimate showdown to compete for the overall championship of this tournament.

The official schedule was released soon.

Two crucial matches began promptly at 2 PM.

……

Around noon, at the top-tier private hospital in Sound City.

Inside a premium single room.

Amber sat leaning against the headboard, her face pale and haggard, with faint abrasions still remaining on her body.

But she didn't care about her injuries at all.

All his attention was focused on the broken violin in his arms.

This was broken when she was blasted away in the ring.

The ward was silent, the atmosphere heavy with tension.

A moment later, a soft knock sounded on the door.

Amber slowly raised her eyes and looked at the tightly closed door.

"Please come in."

The doorknob turned gently, and the door was slowly pushed open.

A figure shrouded in a wide black robe walked in.

Upon seeing this familiar outfit, Amber's pupils flickered slightly, and she tentatively spoke.

"You are... Haino?"

The figure in black robes did not directly answer her question, but instead raised his hand to grab the brim of his hat and took off all of his black robes.

A striking blue hairstyle was exposed to the air, revealing the girl's delicate and gentle face.

The moment Amber saw who it was, she was completely stunned.

A few seconds later, her voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Duoduo...is that you? Am I dreaming?"

The girl looked at the weak Amber, her eyes filled with tenderness and heartache, and responded softly.

"It's me, An'an."

Having received a definite answer, Amber could no longer suppress her emotions.

She placed the broken violin beside the bed, and ignoring her injuries, got out of bed and hugged the girl in front of her tightly.

"It's really you."

The two embraced tightly, feeling the familiar and comforting scent emanating from each other.

The worries and anxieties that had been building up for days vanished in an instant.

After a long while, Amber slowly loosened her embrace.

She looked into Doria's eyes and asked all the questions that had been nagging at her.

"What exactly happened these past few days? Why did you transform into Haino and keep hiding?"

Only four days had passed since Doria's mysterious disappearance.

In just four short days, Amber explored almost the entire music world.

She personally traversed deep mountains and forests, hidden historical sites, and even searched countless basements of ordinary people's homes.

They hired thousands of people to search the world, but still couldn't find a trace of Doria.

She had previously suspected Hainuo's identity.

But when she first lifted the other person's black robe, she saw a completely unfamiliar face, and she had no choice but to dispel her doubts.

Doria looked at her friend, whose face was full of concern, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Her original plan was to secretly complete all the matches as Haino.

Once the Music God Grand Ceremony competition has completely ended, she will revert to her identity as Doria and keep it a secret from everyone.

But today I watched with my own eyes as Amber was seriously injured and defeated in the ring, flying out of the arena in a sorry state.

She could no longer suppress her anxiety and desperately wanted to see him.

So, taking advantage of the lunch break when everyone was on break and the hospital was least crowded, she quietly sneaked into the ward.

Now that she is facing Amber directly, she no longer intends to hide anything and has decided to reveal the whole truth.

In the time that followed, Dorria told Amber everything without reservation about her experiences after her disappearance and the changes in the Emperor Soul within her.

Amber listened quietly to the whole story before slowly speaking to confirm.

"So, the older sister residing inside you is now in a deep sleep?"

Doria nodded gently, a deep sense of loneliness and sadness welling up in her eyes.

"Um."

"My sister used up too much of her strength to help me conceal my identity and escape the pursuit."

"After this period of deep sleep, the time for her to awaken is uncertain."

"It's even possible that he'll never wake up again."

In the past, when the Emperor's soul was dormant, she could still vaguely sense its presence and know that it still existed.

But after this slumber, her senses were completely empty, and she couldn't find a trace of the Emperor's Soul at all.

She wasn't even sure if the other person still existed inside her body.

Seeing that Dorria was in low spirits, Amber quickly changed the subject to ease the oppressive atmosphere.

"The afternoon's match is about to start. What are your plans for the next part?"

She looked serious and calmly analyzed the current situation.

"Based on my assessment, William has at least five fragments of the Law of Music sealed within his body."

"Moreover, neither he nor I have been able to fully develop the power of the fragments."

"I could tell from the battle just now that William could only unleash 60% of the power of a single fragment."

"But you are different."

"With your talent, you can unleash at least 80% of the power of a single fragment."

To outsiders, she, Doria, and William all possess top-tier gold-level talent, with negligible differences in their strength.

But only Amber, who truly understood Dorria, knew.

This royal princess's musical talent is so exceptional that it is a once-in-a-millennium occurrence, far surpassing that of ordinary geniuses.

In the second round of the Sound Power assessment, Hainuo achieved a score of 99 in each category, just one step away from a perfect score.

Now that she knows the truth, Amber understands instantly.

That was simply the result of Doria deliberately letting the opponent win.

If she were to go all out, she would definitely get full marks in all six assessment metrics, easily achieving a perfect score.

Amber continued her careful analysis.

"As long as you possess four fragments of the Law of Music within you, William will definitely be no match for you in a full-force battle."

She looked directly into Doria's eyes and asked solemnly.

"Duoduo, tell me the truth."

"How many fragments of the laws of sound do you currently control?"

Doria spoke sincerely, without any attempt to conceal anything.

Not a single one.

The moment those words were spoken, Amber was completely stunned, her face filled with disbelief.

She stared at Doria's expression, making sure the other woman wasn't lying, and it took her a long time to calm down from her shock.

"The royal family has sealed away so many fragments of the laws."

"I can understand that you don't compete or fight for anything, and you don't want to inherit the family's treasured fragments."

"But what about the fragment you yourself triggered? Why is it gone too?"

Doria candidly revealed the whole truth.

"It was taken out by Father."

"My father told me this a long time ago."

"There is no such thing as a free lunch. The fragments of the laws of music may seem like supreme treasures, but the hidden dangers and costs behind them are far beyond imagination."

"So he acted ahead of time and removed the fragment from my body."

"It's not just my fragments."

"All the fragments of musical laws passed down from the royal family have been completely sealed by my father using forbidden techniques, prohibiting anyone from using them."

She looked at Amber and explained her original intention for participating in the competition.

"I participated in the Music God Awards competition this time purely to fulfill a dream, not to win."

"My father also specifically instructed me not to compete for the championship."

Amber frowned deeply after hearing these words.

If these remarks were to get out, they would definitely cause a sensation throughout the music world.

In everyone's mind, divine blessings and fragments of laws are the highest honor.

Actively abandoning or sealing the fragments would be considered blasphemy and would be condemned and scorned by the entire world.

"So you were prepared to lose to William from the very beginning?" Amber asked in a deep voice.

"More or less."

Doria looked up at the clock on the wall; it was almost time for the afternoon match to start.

She gently gave Amber her instructions.

"The match is about to start, I have to go back to the stadium."

"An'an, you should focus on recovering in the hospital and don't worry about me."

After saying that, she picked up the black robe from the ground, dressed herself properly again, and completely concealed her figure and appearance.

"Okay, be careful." Amber nodded gently and watched her turn and leave.

The ward door closed again, and the room returned to silence.

Amber slowly walked to the mirror in the bathroom.

She stood quietly in place, looking at her reflection in the mirror—pale-faced and covered in wounds.

The words Doria had just said kept echoing in my mind.

After a long while, she murmured softly.

Is there really no such thing as a free lunch...?

……

At 2 p.m., the music square was bustling with people.

After the staff member spoke, William and Haino walked slowly onto the central competition platform, one after the other.

Countless eyes below the stage were fixed on the two figures from behind, and a cacophony of excited shouts erupted from one after another.

"The long-awaited showdown is finally here! A mermaid genius versus a human prodigy!"

"William must win! We absolutely cannot let these outsiders take the championship!"

"Long live the Mermaid! William will win!!!"

The audience at the scene shouted loudly, and the live stream chat was flooded with comments.

Regardless of personal preference, everyone at this moment was unanimously hoping that William would win.

This is the musical world where mermaids have lived for generations. Music is the foundation upon which their people depend for survival, and this grand competition is the most important event on the entire continent. No mermaid wants to see the highest crown fall into the hands of a human who has come from afar.

If Haino were to reach the top, it would be an indelible humiliation for the entire music world and for all mermaids.

On the high platform, William and Haino faced each other, gazing at each other in silence. The hustle and bustle of the entire square seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier, the air was stagnant, and the atmosphere became increasingly oppressive and eerie.

But the next second, something completely unexpected happened.

William, who had been silent all along, slowly uttered three words:

"Thank you."

That one short sentence left the entire audience stunned.

A murmur arose from the audience, filled with confusion.

"Wait, is William saying this to Haino?"

"They had almost no prior interaction, so where did this gratitude come from?"

"Could it be that the two of them already knew each other privately?"

Everyone was secretly trying to decipher the deeper meaning behind those words, but no one could figure it out at all.

Not only were the audience members bewildered, but Hainuo was also filled with doubts, his mind churning with countless questions, yet he remained silent.

William offered no explanation.

He turned and walked to the piano, sat down quietly, and gently placed his ten fingers on the black and white keys.

With everything in place, the competition officially began.

A powerful and sharp piano melody suddenly erupted, its rich and strong musical magic transforming into a raging storm, carrying an overwhelming force that pressed directly towards Haino on the opposite side.

Hainuo took out the jade flute, held it to his lips, closed his eyes gently, and a melodious flute tune flowed slowly from his lips.

A magical power of music, far more powerful than the sound of the zither, rose up, but instead of clashing head-on, it transformed into wisps of breeze, gently brushing away the oncoming storm of zither music.

The first round of musical duel came to an end, with both players unharmed. However, anyone with a discerning eye could see at a glance that Haino had a clear advantage.

The audience members' tone became complicated.

"Damn it, I have to admit it, this human's musical talent is truly impressive."

"Don't rush, William just hasn't shown his true abilities yet. This is just a warm-up."

"That's right, Haino doesn't have any fragments of the Law of Music. He absolutely cannot defeat William with his own musical abilities alone."

After several rounds of back-and-forth musical refrains, William finally abandoned his casual demeanor and immersed himself fully in the performance.

A dazzling light rose from his body, and a fragment of the law of sound floated in mid-air.

The audience erupted in cheers, which soared to the heavens.

"Alright! That's the power! This match is over!"