Chapter 129 - 108: The Capital City’s Star Performer is the Real Deal

Chapter 129: Chapter 108: The Capital City’s Star Performer is the Real Deal

Guan Sihai might not have made a name for himself in the Peach Garden Lineage over his lifetime, but he was incredibly experienced. He knew that with time so tight and the pressure so immense, resorting to high-pressure tactics would only be counterproductive.

As for Tie Dan, Chen Ye took personal charge of his training.

In the lounge, Chen Ye taught him line by line, meticulously correcting each and every movement.

Tie Dan, for his part, applied himself with 120,000 percent effort, studying so intensely that he would forget to eat or sleep.

Under the lamplight, he held the script, muttering the lines to himself while his hands and feet moved unconsciously, completely possessed by the role.

In just over a day, he had memorized all the lines and movements until they were second nature.

But deep down, he was still afraid.

"Brother Chen, I’m afraid that the moment I step on stage, my mind will go blank and I’ll forget all my lines..." Tie Dan’s palms were slick with nervous sweat as he voiced his deepest fear.

Chen Ye smiled at his words and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don’t worry. I’ve got your back."

Despite Chen Ye’s reassurance, Tie Dan was still anxious. Seeing this, Chen Ye didn’t say anything more and simply told him to get some rest.

Just before dawn, Tie Dan finally fell into a deep sleep on the floor of the Practice Room. At that moment, Chen Ye sang a short line from the opera.

Immediately, Chen Ye felt Tie Dan’s innermost thoughts. It was a strange sensation; even though Tie Dan was alone and deep in sleep, Chen Ye could still touch his heart’s voice through the sense granted by his Professional Talent.

’I have to perform this role well, even if it costs me my life.’

Sensing Tie Dan’s firm resolve, Chen Ye smiled. An invisible Spiritual Power then enveloped Tie Dan.

HUM!

In his sleep, Tie Dan felt his head grow heavy, and the scene before his eyes instantly changed.

It was no longer the familiar lounge, but an Ancient Battlefield strewn with corpses and rivers of blood.

The wind wailed, and the setting sun was the color of blood.

A sorrowful, unintelligible song reached his ears, coming from all directions. Every note, every line, hammered against his heart.

It was the enemy army, singing the songs of his homeland.

His soldiers had scattered.

His kingdom was lost.

Endless sorrow and despair washed over him like a tidal wave.

He had become that peerless hero who had nonetheless suffered a crushing defeat.

He saw his beloved warhorse weeping, saw the peerless beauty in his tent gazing at him, lost in a daze.

Finally, he watched with his own eyes as the woman who loved him deeply, wanting not to be a burden, drew the sword from his waist and took her own life before him with a smile on her face.

Blood stained her white robes red, and it stained his entire world red, too.

"AHHH—!"

Tie Dan let out a heart-wrenching scream and jolted awake from the Illusion Realm.

He gasped for air, his face already streaked with tears. The grief and despair of a hero at his end left him unable to calm down for a long time.

"What’s wrong?" Chen Ye asked with a smile.

"N-Nothing. I just had a nightmare," Tie Dan said, still dazed and reeling from the impact of the dream.

"Mm, rest for a bit, then get back to practicing." Chen Ye patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

Tie Dan was in a trance. He could hardly tell if it had been a dream or something he had actually experienced.

But now, with this immersive experience under his belt, when he put on the costume, painted his face, and took on the role of the Overlord, he was a completely different person.

His gaze, his bearing, the desolation and dominance in his every move—he embodied the role in both form and spirit. It was as if the Overlord had been reborn!

Guan Sihai, watching from the side, was dumbfounded, barely able to believe his eyes.

Meanwhile, Deng Ming, the manager of the Guangle Building, had been going crazy with anxiety for the past two days.

He ran over to the Qingchun Troupe eight times a day, talking until his lips were raw, trying to persuade Chen Ye to replace Tie Dan and hire a famous Martial Artist to anchor the show.

After all, this wasn’t just about Chen Ye; his own future and career were on the line.

That was why he thought Chen Ye was being completely reckless by letting Tie Dan play the Overlord.

But when he saw the figure on the stage, he froze.

The man on stage wore black Golden Armor traced with gold, a towering helmet, and held a Long Halberd. His frame was as formidable as a mountain.

Though he hadn’t spoken a word, a single glance from him was enough to project an overwhelming aura of an Overlord who looked down upon the world, unyielding even in defeat. It was so intense it was hard to breathe.

’Is... is this really that simple boy, Tie Dan?’

Deng Ming rubbed his eyes, his mouth hanging open. He was utterly speechless.

「Time flew by, and soon it was the final night before the performance, across from the Guangle Building.」

On the brightly lit new stage, Yu Fengxian was also making his final preparations.

Though narrow-minded, he was also extremely proud and disdained resorting to underhanded tricks.

The rule he lived by was to let the performance do the talking.

’I will use my greatest skill, on your territory, in front of everyone, to defeat you fair and square.’

’I will make you accept your defeat wholeheartedly.’

This, in his mind, was the mark of a true master.

Besides, in Yu Fengxian’s eyes, while this Chen Ye had some Talent—especially his stage appearance, which even he had to admit was stunning—it was a pity he was so ignorant of his own limitations.

’Daring to call himself an Immortal of the stage after less than a year in the business? Then he can’t blame me for teaching him the rules of the opera world.’

At this thought, Yu Fengxian narrowed his eyes slightly and exhaled a long breath.

He didn’t smoke or drink. To maintain his figure, he hadn’t eaten dinner in ten years, at most drinking a little ginseng tea if he got hungry.

He did it all to enjoy those moments on stage, basking in the adoration of thousands. That was why he valued his craft higher than the heavens and would not tolerate anyone trampling upon it.

Just then, Yan Xun sidled up with a fawning expression. "Boss Yu, everything is ready. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that’s all. You should get some rest too," Yu Fengxian replied perfunctorily before getting up and leaving.

Yan Xun was used to Yu Fengxian’s aloof pride and didn’t take it personally.

In truth, even if he wanted to make a fuss, he couldn’t. Behind Yu Fengxian stood the great mountain that was Prince Yu, someone he absolutely could not afford to offend.

He simply looked up at the nearby Guangle Building, his eyes filled with the glee of impending revenge.

’Chen Ye, I gave you a chance to come with me, but you didn’t know what was good for you.’

’Well now, once you’re utterly defeated and your reputation is in ruins, let’s see how you can act so high and mighty!’

Yan Xun had always been this extreme in nature. Whatever he wanted, he had to have. And if he truly couldn’t have it, he would rather destroy it with his own hands than let anyone else possess it.

「The next day, before the sun was even up, the open space between the Guangle Building and the new stage across from it was already a sea of people.」

Yan Xun had spared no expense, not only inviting reporters from all over the Sea Guardian Guard but also seating the celebrities and opera aficionados from Pingjing in the best spots.

The entire new stage was festooned with lanterns and colorful decorations, with a red carpet rolled out. It exuded an air of luxury that already overshadowed the Guangle Building in sheer presence.

As soon as 7:00 AM arrived, the sound of gongs and drums thundered through the air.

Amidst a tsunami of cheers, Yu Fengxian made his entrance.

He wore a kingfisher feather headdress and a magnificent palace gown. The moment he appeared, his graceful and dignified bearing drew a full house of applause.

And when he began to sing, his ornate and melodious voice sent a tremor through everyone’s heart.

Even Chen Ye’s most loyal fans had to admit it now: the number one *dan* actor from the Capital City truly lived up to his reputation!

Yu Fengxian portrayed Yang Guifei’s coquettishness, her pouting, her grievances, and her drunkenness to perfection.

Every movement, every glance, was so precise it was as if measured with a ruler. It was a textbook-perfect model, the absolute Peak of pure technique.

The veteran opera aficionados in the audience were mesmerized, shaking their heads in time with the music and sighing in admiration. "Now this is a real star! In a word: magnificent!"

"The stars from the Capital City are the real deal!"

As the performance reached its climax, the atmosphere in the crowd was completely ignited.

Many audience members who had been neutral, and even some of Chen Ye’s less-steadfast fans, couldn’t help but start cheering for Yu Fengxian.

The scales of victory seemed to be quietly tipping in Yu Fengxian’s favor.