Chapter 46: This Act Is Truly Impeccable!

Jiangnan University, Cherry Blossom Avenue.

March 12th, the time when the early and late cherry blossoms meet, and the cherry blossoms at Jiangnan University are renowned throughout the city.

In early spring, visitors flock to admire the blossoms.

What’s even more remarkable is the presence of a rare cherry blossom variety—a green cherry tree.

Green cherries are especially uncommon, their blooming season around mid-April. When they flower, the petals are a delicate pale green, tinged with white near the stamens, resembling an elegant piece of jade from a distance. Tourists frequently pause to gaze in wonder.

Thus, Cherry Blossom Avenue has become a favorite gathering spot for young artists. Those in campus bands often hold outdoor concerts here to attract passing freshmen.

Bored and idle, Ren Qian had come here simply to join the crowd and assess the musical standards of contemporary university students.

There were strains of music!

He suddenly grew alert in a reflexive manner, recognizing the sound of a guzheng, accompanied by a male humming, though it was faint and difficult to distinguish due to the distance.

The shouts of the audience, however, were loud.

Following the sound, he found two bands performing outdoors.

In Ren Qian’s recollection, there weren’t many bands at Jiangnan University. The only famous ones were the "Landing on Mars Band," which he once led, and the "Reckless Band."

He knew the lead singer of the "Reckless Band." Among the two opposing groups on Cherry Blossom Avenue, one was indeed the "Reckless Band."

At that moment, the "Reckless Band" was performing a song. Their coordination was fairly decent; no one was off-tempo, and the lead singer hit the notes accurately.

When the song ended, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers, the commotion attracting even more bystanders.

"It’s good, but somewhat immature—there are places that sound awkward to experts," Ren Qian silently evaluated the performance.

Although Dai Quan, the lead singer, was a music major, in Ren Qian’s opinion, much in this song was quite immature—after all, Dai Quan was still a college student, lacking decades of immersion in music, so the roughness was inevitable.

Yet he and his band members were quite humble. At least, their attitude toward music was correct.

In contrast, the other band was far more arrogant.

They stood with arms crossed, casting disdainful glances at Dai Quan and his companions as they bowed and thanked the audience, sneering all the while. When the applause faded, they began to mock out loud.

"Do you really think everyone’s applauding because your band is so good? The audience is just being polite so you won’t feel embarrassed. And you bow as if you deserve it—how shameless!"

The lead singer was thin and frail, with narrow eyes and a sharp mouth, his words as biting as his expression. In his view, Dai Quan’s talent was nothing to praise, and the songs he composed were trash—how dare he show off?

"Shut up. You keep boasting, aren’t you afraid you’ll bite your own tongue? If you’re so confident, show us what you’ve got and see if the audience appreciates it!"

Dai Quan’s face darkened, but he retorted without backing down.

At this point, Ren Qian finally understood—the two bands were not simply sparring for fun, but were locked in a real, competitive rivalry.

"Show us then! Watch closely, this is our band’s original song, ‘Wukong.’ It’ll shock you!"

"Band—get ready!"

The prelude began, and the crowd fell silent, their anticipation gradually fading, as the melody wasn't particularly gripping.

“How can I describe the mist you conjure?
A dream... afraid someone... will disturb,
I remember the waterfall splashing, the old tree... green vines,

I remember the shining Milky Way, indifferent to decay,
The peaches ripened several times, the waves crashed in layers,
I remember you in the boundless sky, calling out to me...”

Ren Qian was stunned—the song performed by this band was exactly the same as the one by Tianchao Er Shan, "Wukong," lyrics unchanged word for word! The entire song focused on the romance between Wukong and Zixia Fairy, with this section reflecting scenes from Jin Hezai’s novel, "The Legend of Wukong."

“Watch me shake mountains and seas, boast my powers,
Seventy-two transformations without end,
Bold and brave, causing havoc in Heaven,
Nothing above, nothing below,
Did you laugh? Your laughter is in my heart,
Just let me be your unrivaled hero.”

The lyrics had grandeur, but the melody lacked energy, and the lead singer’s lifeless performance turned the mighty Great Sage Equal to Heaven into a hesitant mortal.

Ren Qian couldn’t hold back.

With such quality, they dared to mock Dai Quan? Although Dai Quan’s song was hardly exceptional, his voice was strong and his singing was solid, never giving a sense of a failed imitation.

“Lamenting life’s fleeting moments, like water and fallen petals,
A wave... five hundred years... of loneliness,
I’ve understood the cycle of life and death, solitary as before,
Understood karma, beginnings without end,
What’s the use of fate lost, what’s the use of the Dao gained,
Understood you in the hurried world, sending me off,
A farewell in blazing flames, trapped in a cage,
Iron balls, copper juice, Five-Finger Mountain,
Eighty-one tribulations, layer upon layer,
Looking back, all go their separate ways,
Did you cry? Your tears are in my heart,
Give me another ten thousand years... or one more minute,
Yet the Great Sage is gone without a trace,
Kindness and righteousness pass in a rush,
Battling demons, never truly victorious,
True devotion achieves nothing,
You know, don’t you? You’re still in my heart!
Everything passes into emptiness, but with you it’s different,

Riding clouds and mist... harnessing lightning and wind... too late to meet...”

Ren Qian managed to listen to the end.

It wasn’t exactly unbearable.

On one hand, the Wukong depicted in the song was nothing like the Great Sage people remember, and so lacked much of the expected grandeur. On the other, the portrayal of the romance between the Great Sage and Zixia Fairy was somewhat pale, with hints of forced sentiment, lacking the power to move the listener.

To write a song for the Great Sage Equal to Heaven without delivering absolute impact is to fail—many predecessors have already written outstanding songs, so comparisons are inevitable, and if it doesn’t measure up, the only verdict is “mediocre.”

Thus, after their song, the "Acerbic Band" received no more applause than the "Reckless Band." Yet they remained smug.

“So? Whether it’s lyrics or arrangement, your band can’t compare to ours. From now on, Jiangnan University bands are barred from any performances in University Town! You—”

The lead singer swept his gaze arrogantly over the supporters behind the "Reckless Band," many of whom were also band-playing students and competitors.

“No excuses!”

Dai Quan’s face was grim. He knew he’d lost this round and had to accept it.

But to give up their financial support and rely solely on family living expenses to pursue music was tantamount to cutting off their musical dreams.

Thinking of this, Dai Quan looked at his companions with some guilt.

……

“With just one mediocre song, you think you can block all Jiangnan University bands from earning money? That’s naive.

Since you wrote a song called ‘Wukong,’ I’ll write one too!

If my song is better than yours, your band will be barred from University Town performances from now on—how about it?”

Ren Qian’s words made the crowd part, and the provoking band looked over, their faces filled with annoyance.

Who was this person?

He dared to insult the quality of their song.

Intolerable!

“Heh, don’t make big promises and then refuse to admit defeat!”

“Did your contest just now determine a winner? No! Dai Quan’s song wasn’t great, your performance was just as mediocre. Why keep patting yourself on the back?”

Ren Qian moved in front of Dai Quan, turned to face the acerbic lead singer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. After all this time, he’d always wondered why he didn’t possess an aura of mockery, never getting a chance to show off or slap faces.

Today, he finally encountered it—and he’d decided: he would show off!

He’d do it with style, with flair, with substance, and with skill.

Ren Qian spread draft paper across the drum kit, his pen flying across the page.

Moments later, the song was finished and distributed to each member of the "Reckless Band."

“No need to say who I am, right? You have fifteen minutes. Memorize the melody, and don’t make any mistakes later.”