Chapter 132: Arrival in the Magic Capital

Outside the Yandu Airport.

Su Tong was preparing to fly to the Demon Capital with Lin Yin to participate in the blind audition recording for "The Voice of Great Qin," and Yang Feifei and others had come to see them off.

Yang Feifei had originally wanted to go along, but with several powerful families watching closely, Sister Yaya had advised against it to avoid suspicion, lest the opposing side find some excuse to claim the Yang family was violating regulations.

"There are also newcomers supported by the Shi and Wang families participating in The Voice. You don't need to be polite if you run into them. However, Lin Yin, after you pass the blind auditions, you will need to stay behind for training with the mentors. Once Su Tong returns, you'll need to be careful on your own," Yang Feifei said, adopting the tone of an older sister as she gave her instructions.

After the blind audition recording was finished, Su Tong would return to Yandu the next day; he had a great deal to attend to. Lin Yin, however, had a weaker foundation and needed to remain for the mentor-led training.

Lin Yin was accompanied by an agent from Qin Huang, a lady in her thirties. Su Tong, on the other hand, was a lone wolf; Zhang Xin was busy establishing her own studio while continuing to work for him, and she was far too occupied to accompany him. She had already tendered her resignation, though the handover of her duties was not yet complete.

"Don't worry, Sister Yinyin isn't as hot-tempered or naive as you are," Su Tong said, pulling Lin Yin toward the departure hall.

Yang Feifei gritted her teeth, feeling another surge of anger. That little brat—why did she get so worked up whenever she was around him?

After a flight of over two hours, the plane landed at the Demon Capital's Honghong Airport.

"Xiao Tong, what exactly is inside that head of yours?" Lin Yin asked, patting Su Tong’s head. On the flight, Su Tong had written another song. After disembarking, he used his phone to photograph the sheet music and lyrics, and even recorded an a cappella clip to send to Yang Feifei.

"Climbing?
The speed pushes me back against the seat,
The blurred city slowly flies out of my sight.
Breathing?
A reminder of the proof that I am alive.
The plane is resisting the earth,
I am resisting you.
Far from the ground,
Approaching an altitude of thirty thousand feet,
Longing is like gravity clinging to my body,
Pulling tears that never stop falling.
Escaping you?
I hide beneath the clouds at thirty thousand feet...
Every time I pass through the assault of turbulence,
I lean tightly against the seatback,
Thinking I am still holding you in my arms..."

" 'Thirty Thousand Feet'... this little kid actually has a bit of a conscience," Yang Feifei thought back in Yandu. Seeing the song, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Was this a confession? She pondered it for a moment. Of course not—the little brat had been acting a lot lately, and even if he confessed to her face with deep affection, she wouldn't believe him. Still, whether she believed it or not, Yang Feifei was touched.

In the Demon Capital, while riding in a taxi, Lin Yin pouted and grumbled, "Xiao Tong, I’m jealous."

Su Tong waved his hand dismissively. "We’re all acting here; your acting skills are still a bit behind mine, so don't put on a show."

Who says performers don't have genuine feelings? Lin Yin was unhappy but said nothing more. Perhaps every actor's initial dream is to become famous and make a fortune, but the ethics of acting clearly state that an excellent actor must first possess a great heart. Acting is meant to interpret the true essence of an excellent work, not merely to chase roles and fame. Of course, that’s just the theory—much like textbooks teaching children to study hard and improve every day to serve their country in the future, even though many end up leaving the country to serve others.

The flight had arrived at noon. After checking into their hotel and eating lunch, Su Tong and Lin Yin rushed to the recording site for *The Voice*. There was a dress rehearsal in the afternoon. The songs the blind audition contestants would sing and the arrangements had already been finalized, and the band was long since familiar with them. If any contestant was dissatisfied with the band’s accompaniment, they could adjust it on the spot; the contestant was king, and the band would follow any instructions without objection.

Lin Yin was singing a song by one of the mentors titled "Flower, Yet Not a Flower." It was a pop song, intimate and catchy. But Su Tong had helped Lin Yin rearrange it, infusing the whole piece with a rich, traditional Chinese flair. Of course, in this world, it was the Great Qin Empire, so it should be called "Great Qin Style."

"Xiao Tong, do you think I’ll be okay singing this?" Lin Yin was very anxious.

Su Tong said confidently, "Don't worry, even if the production team doesn't give a signal, a mentor will turn for you."

Mentors and blind audition contestants generally do not meet beforehand. Although the production team reaches agreements with some contestants, the secrecy protocol remains. However, if no mentor has turned for a pre-selected contestant by the final thirty seconds, the production team will secretly inform a mentor. The informed mentor will then turn at the very last moment. Once the mentors arrive at the production set, they are often not truly in control; if the producers want to interfere, they have no choice but to comply.

Su Tong and Lin Yin were led by staff to familiarize themselves with the venue. Looking at the sound systems, the equipment, and the band—wow, it was incredibly high-end. It was truly worthy of being the most outstanding music and dance talent show in the Great Qin of today. With high ratings, advertising sponsorship money flowed in like a river; the profits from a single episode were enough to feed some of the production staff for a lifetime.

After filling out forms and familiarizing themselves with the venue and rules, it was Lin Yin’s turn to rehearse. Lin Yin had a background in performance, so she could act, but standing on such a large stage to sing for the first time made her a bit nervous. Su Tong gave her a thumbs-up from the audience, and Lin Yin immediately felt much calmer.

"Rain falls on the water towns of the south, the Awakening of Insects in the boudoir.
Youth fades, beauty withers. The flowers of yesteryear, the person of today.
From eighteen to twenty-eight, you have already left..."

The heavy, modern, tragic love song had been rearranged by Su Tong into a super-refreshing, traditional style. The sorrow became subtle, yet it penetrated deeper into the marrow. This style did not yet exist in this world; most songs were either covers of foreign tracks or followed an international route. Su Tong felt speechless—this was their own country, after all. Every country and every nation has its own culture. If you force a northerner to eat chili peppers, or force a southern girl who loves spicy food to eat bland meals, it would be a miracle if they didn't curse you out.

"What an amazing song."
"It feels completely different from the original, and even the lyrics have been changed."
"A true traditional-style song. This contestant is too powerful; to be able to change 'Flower, Yet Not a Flower' into another version—compared to this, the original lacks a certain level."
"There are hidden talents everywhere. It used to be contestants coming from grassroots backgrounds, but now all these music conservatories and monsters are rushing to this show; we have no way out."

Some of the contestants waiting for rehearsals were both surprised and frustrated. They were surprised because it was indeed a song that drew endless praise, with a rich Great Qin flair and mostly using traditional instruments. They were frustrated because the competition was too strong—how could they possibly compete?

"Not bad, you almost moved me to tears," Su Tong said as Lin Yin stepped off the stage, giving her a light hug.

"It’s completely different from singing in the studio. I love this kind of stage," Lin Yin said excitedly, like a child. Of course it was different; Su Tong had experienced the atmosphere of a concert with tens of thousands of people in the system—that was what you called "hype."

"Hello, my name is Xu Yanwei. It was a pleasure to hear such a good song," a petite girl with a very curvaceous figure walked up to Su Tong and Lin Yin.