Xie Feiran on stage was still confused, but the barrage on the screen was already laughing uncontrollably.
[Xingyun really never disappoints; they truly have the ability to turn a talent show into a comedy program.]
[Hahahahaha, cooking, sewing, blacksmithing I can accept, but alchemy? Is this kid having a chuunibyou moment?]
[Even chuunibyou is cute—who cares when he looks this adorable?]
[Damn, he really looks like the missing Xie Feiran from Tina Continent, down to the name and appearance.]
At this moment, Yu Xiutao, the Queen of Song sitting at the judges’ panel, spoke up to ease the atmosphere: “Next, please begin your talent performance. We are all very strict here.”
After saying this, Yu Xiutao winked at the camera, showing a gentle and harmless expression.
But those who knew her well understood that her standards for music were extremely high.
If Xie Feiran’s singing was off, a harsh critique from this mentor awaited him.
All eyes immediately focused on Xie Feiran, who calmly took out the Leiya Qin he had brought.
This Leiya Qin had ten strings and was very compact. Xie Feiran held it just right in his hands.
[What kind of instrument is that?]
[That’s a Leiya Qin, not commonly seen domestically. It’s an ancient Western bard’s accompaniment instrument.]
[Wait, no backing track?]
[Oh my god, he’s going to sing and play.]
This show had full open mics—no autotune, no sound editing—everything was presented live and raw. If the vocal skills were bad, it would be social suicide.
The lights in the venue dimmed, leaving a single spotlight on Xie Feiran.
The white-clad youth holding the Qin looked like an angel, as if wings might sprout any moment.
Queen of Song Yu Xiutao leaned back lightly in her chair, casually awaiting the boy’s performance.
To be honest, she had little hope for a talent show trainee’s singing ability.
People like Song Qiusheng, whose latest single even topped music charts, felt like an insult to those who earnestly pursued music.
If it weren’t for the huge amount Polar Bear Video paid, she wouldn’t be sitting here listening to noise.
Just as Yu Xiutao was thinking about what score to give Xie Feiran, he gently plucked the strings.
The notes were mellow and warm, with a long-lasting overtone, carrying a calming power.
In an instant, the irritation in Yu Xiutao’s heart was soothed.
Her gaze fixed on the youth, no longer indifferent but looking at him like a fellow musician.
The brief prelude of a dozen seconds ended quickly, and when Xie Feiran sang the first syllable, everyone’s hearts were tightly gripped.
The boy’s clear and round voice flowed through the microphone like a breeze over water, carrying a coolness that dispelled the listeners’ restlessness.
As the song progressed, everyone’s souls seemed bathed in holy light, fully healed.
At the climax, Xie Feiran’s voice soared, as if the world’s forgiveness and blessings were being granted, comforting every soul present.
[So beautiful, I feel so much calmer now.]
[Listening to him sing, life doesn’t seem so hard, and it feels precious.]
[Mom, I see an angel beneath the holy light!]
[Please share the lyrics’ meaning! My English is trash.]
Xie Feiran was singing a hymn to the Light God called Blessing of a Thousand Years, a blessing bestowed upon all living beings by the Light God.
The song was short, just over a minute, but when Xie Feiran’s fingers stopped plucking, many were left wanting more.
Yu Xiutao hummed the tune openly, clearly showing her deep fondness for the piece.
“You’re wonderful,” Yu Xiutao praised the youth standing before her.
“Could you tell me the name of this song?”
Xie Feiran put down the Leiya Qin hanging from his chest and earnestly replied, “Blessing of a Thousand Years. It’s a hymn.”
Yu Xiutao smiled at this and said, “I declare this the best song I’ve heard all year. I’m giving you an S.”
Afterwards, she looked at Xie Feiran again and said, “If you don’t want to do a boy group, you can come join my music company.”
As soon as she said this, the barrage exploded.
[Oh my god, he actually got an invitation from Teacher Yu!]
[Can I expect Blessing of a Thousand Years to be produced and released by Teacher Yu’s company?]
[I’m so jealous. Even if he doesn’t join a boy group or debut, this is worth it.]
After Yu Xiutao finished, Yun Ziyuan took over, looking at Xie Feiran: “Your singing gets an S from me, but if you want to do a boy group, it’s not just singing that counts—you need dancing too. If I don’t see your dancing in the next public performance, I will take back this S.”
Xie Feiran nodded.
Debuting as a center in real life was too hard—singing and dancing both.
It was simpler in the game, where all he had to do was deal damage.
“Next, let’s hear Teacher Ning’s feedback.”
After Yun Ziyuan finished grading, the camera switched to Ning Chuyu.
This woman, nearing fifty but still radiant, looked at Xie Feiran and said, “Your performance was perfect—flawless.”
She smiled gently, brushing some stray hair behind her ear.
“Xiutao is a singer, Ziyuan is a boy group idol—they only focus on your singing and dancing.”
“But I noticed the perfect arc of your fingers on the strings—not contrived, but natural. The way you slightly bow your head is also very beautiful. Your posture is like a jade tree in the courtyard,” Ning Chuyu said, resting her head on her hand.
“You’re born to show your best side to the camera.”
[No wonder I said every move of Xie Feiran is so beautiful.]
[Empress Ning really has sharp eyes.]
[I knew he looked like a noble.]
Under the camera, Xie Feiran smiled at Ning Chuyu with a touch of warmth and composure.
After finishing her comments, Ning Chuyu continued, “Your eyes are beautiful too, like glazed autumn waters. Using them to express emotions will surely make many empathize with you. Have you ever thought about acting? Historical dramas would suit you perfectly. The entertainment industry needs fresh faces—only a few keep recycling the same ones, especially when they lack distinctiveness.”
As Ning Chuyu finished, the barrage exploded with laughter.
[Empress Ning knows our pain. The world has suffered ugly historical idols for too long!]
[Haha, low EQ: You look ugly in historical dramas. High EQ: You just lack characteristics in historical dramas.]
[Brother Feiran, forget the boy group. Go act and save our eyes.]
[Empress Ning cares for us—knows to find good-looking new actors for dramas.]
“I’ll consider it,” Xie Feiran said, looking at Ning Chuyu.
Ning Chuyu nodded and promptly wrote an S on the card.
In the Polar Bear Video youth talent show, three contestants had already earned S grades by the opening.
[Three S grades right at the start—imagine the pressure on the others.]
[This is too much. I suspect Xie Feiran is autotuned.]
[No autotune—that’s live.]
[Then he must be lip-syncing.]
The barrage once again erupted into debate, but the lip-sync and autotune claims were quickly shut down.
At this point, Xie Feiran had already left the stage, and the camera shifted focus to the other contestants.
The ongoing online arguments were no longer about Xie Feiran.
After Xie Feiran’s stunning debut, the other contestants felt immense pressure because his performance had raised the judges’ scoring standard.
What might have earned them an A could now only get a B.
Unsurprisingly, the following few either danced offbeat or sang out of tune, some even cracked their voices. Even Shenghua Entertainment’s highly capable trainees made small mistakes.
By the later stage, the three judges gradually lowered their expectations, and the contestants’ scores slowly improved.
It was then that Ye Ansheng took the stage. He chose a foreign boy group song, with difficult choreography requiring strong stamina.
The song’s high-energy melody and colorful lighting made for an impressive visual.
Though challenging, Ye Ansheng performed well.
The wild song contrasted sharply with his obedient appearance, leaving a strong impression—though his breath faltered a little at the end.
The three judges were very satisfied, awarding Ye Ansheng one S and two A grades, earning him an A-level dorm room.
After Ye Ansheng’s performance, the barrage spammed again.
[Is this the hilarious Xingyun Entertainment’s artist? I’m taking off my tinted glasses now.]
[Compared to Xingyun, Shenghua looks kind of mediocre.]
[Where did Xingyun dig up these two treasures?]
Ye Ansheng sat down beside Xie Feiran after leaving the stage and said, “I thought I could get two S’s.”
He wiped sweat from his brow.
“Train a bit harder and maybe you will,” Xie Feiran nodded.
“Gotta work on stamina,” Ye Ansheng smiled.
It wasn’t until 10 p.m. that the Polar Bear live talent show officially ended. The mentors and the hundred trainees were all exhausted.
Only Xie Feiran leisurely took his room card and headed to the S-level dorm he had earned to rest.
When handing over the card, a staff member reminded him, “Because this is a live show, the rooms have 24-hour surveillance. Whatever you do will be seen by viewers, and the footage will be uploaded to your exclusive Polar Bear live channel as highlights to keep the show’s popularity.”
Normally, someone would be upset knowing they’re watched nationwide 24/7, but Xie Feiran just nodded indifferently.
Hadn’t he been watched by millions of players doing all sorts of things?
This was nothing to him.
The staff breathed a sigh of relief, and Polar Bear also released the live room numbers for contestants who scored B or above at the end of the broadcast.
With that, the show ended, and two trending topics about Xie Feiran soared.
＃Tina Continent’s Missing Character＃
＃Xie Feiran, The Voice That Heals Souls＃
Meanwhile, elsewhere, popular idol Song Qiusheng, after finishing a magazine shoot, opened Weibo. He thought he’d see hot trending topics about himself as a talent show mentor on Fruit Platform, but instead he was buried under others.
Checking the ratings for the talent shows on Polar Bear and Fruit platforms, the difference was night and day. Unless Fruit had other tricks, it was clearly floundering.
Song Qiusheng frowned. For someone with his popularity, exposure was key.
He pulled out his phone and called his manager—he wanted to be a mentor on the Polar Bear show.
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