You're Pretending Again.

When Lu Changchun took the stage, our protagonist Ye Xuan also arrived late with his three concubines in tow.

As Lu Changchun walked onto the stage, the music started playing.

"Old Zhou, turn on the projection," he said, since Old Zhou was temporarily taking over the backstage work while Lu Changchun was on stage.

Beside Ye Xuan, a little lolita pouted, "Brother Ye Xuan, what's there to see here? Let's go back!"

"Can anyone listen to the songs this old guy is singing?"

"Ruo Xue, don't be willful," Ye Xuan chided.

The lolita, Sima Ruoxue, was Wang Ziyan's arch-nemesis. Ever since she started following Ye Xuan, she had been firmly suppressing Wang Ziyan.

Lately, for some reason, they hardly ever saw Wang Ziyan. Even when they did run into her, Wang Ziyan didn't even bother to acknowledge them, no matter how much trouble Sima Ruoxue tried to stir up with Ye Xuan. This made Sima Ruoxue feel like her efforts were fruitless, leaving her very frustrated.

"Hmph, fine!" she huffed.

The two peerless beauties beside them just smiled and shook their heads.

These two women were none other than Liu YuXin and Zhang WanLing, who Xiao Fengfeng's group had previously pursued.

As the music started playing, a projection of a landscape painting with mountains and rivers appeared behind Lu Changchun.

Next, the image changed to show Lu Changchun standing alone at the peak of a mountain, gazing into the distance with a lonely expression.

"What's this? Some kind of photography stone? How did they make something like this?"

"We're all human, so why is there such a huge gap?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, while the sect leaders and elders of the major sects thought of deeper implications.

As Lu Changchun began to sing slowly, the audience gradually quieted down.

Into the clouds, out with the wind

Bringing dust all over my body

My heart is hurt, feelings grown cold, tears all dried up

Be it sorrow or joy

Who can foretell one's fate

The Great Elder of Sky Demon Sect particularly liked this song: [Isn't this just like me?]

I've seen cold, indifferent eyes

Loved a person I was fated to be apart from

Only then did I know human feelings need not be asked about

Passion boils in my heart

Yet time has left its scars

Looking back, the sun has already set - who still cares about me?

The mountains are still mountains, the waters are still waters

Past events now seem like fading smoke

A wandering heart, now decimated

Who cares?

A hero's tears...

As Lu Changchun sang, the projections changed along with the lyrics, delivering a powerful audiovisual impact to the audience below.

The Great Elder of Sky Demon Sect was the first to stand up and applaud. The rest of the crowd followed suit with cheers and shouts of approval.

Lu Changchun's performance was outstanding. He seemed a bit wooden when just standing on stage, but his singing more than made up for it.

The song "A Hero's Tears" didn't resonate much with the younger generation, as their life experiences were still too limited. But for the older crowd, it struck a chord deep in their hearts.

Below, the disciples were buzzing with discussion: "This exchange meeting is so interesting!"

"You got that right! I can only appreciate those dances, sword dances, zither performances on a superficial level."

"Me too!"

"Same here!" Those around chimed in agreement.

"If not for fear of others looking down on me, I wouldn't even pretend to understand," someone else said.

"You don't get it either? I thought it was just me!"

"Me neither!"

"Damn, I thought I was the only one pretending. Turns out we're all the same!"

"That's not right. If none of us get it, then those who claim they do must be pretending!"

"Yes, yes! Those people just like to show off in front of us. Can't stand them!"

Similar voices rang out from various spots in the plaza.

Those who considered themselves above the rabble gnashed their teeth in resentment, but didn't dare provoke the crowd's anger.

Ye Xuan just said lightly, "What a mob." His three women unanimously agreed.

Next was Xiao Lian's performance. While not as dazzling as Lu Changchun's, she still garnered a lot of supporters.

Tang Xiaoyu took the stage: "Next, let's welcome our gentle and graceful host, Ziyan, to perform 'An Emotional Yet Heartless Person' for everyone!"

With a smile, Wang Ziyan walked onto the stage, continuously waving at the crowd.

Below, this made Sima Ruoxue grit her teeth in anger: "What's that cheap hussy so happy about? She really has no shame."

Xiao Fengfeng and his fellow junior brothers and sisters started cheering Wang Ziyan on: "Junior sister, go for it! You're the best!"

But when the projections appeared behind Wang Ziyan as she sang, everyone almost wanted to laugh.

Recalling Wang Ziyan's personality and past deeds, it became even harder for the crowd to hold it in.

Fortunately, Wang Ziyan's performance soon helped them overlook this detail.

It couldn't be helped, since her expressions were too good!

Amidst shouts and applause, Wang Ziyan pranced off the stage in high spirits.

"How was I?"

Lu Changchun and Xiao Lian both gave her a big thumbs up. Old Zhou said mildly, "Just wait until you witness what real ability is later."

Tang Xiaoyu also lavished her with generous praise. This made Wang Ziyan strut around with her nose in the clouds.

"Ziyan, hurry and go report your next act!"

"Ah, I almost forgot!" She rushed back on stage.

"Next up, enjoy the song 'Song of the Western Sea'!"

The disciples of Carefree Peak went wild, howling loudly: "Second Elder! Second Elder!"

They didn't call him Master, because Old Zhou wanted to keep some face by maintaining plausible deniability.

Old Zhou walked on stage with an air of utmost self-satisfaction, annoying Tang Xiaoyu greatly with his smug expression.

As the music started, the projection showed Liu Yu wandering along a riverbank alone under an umbrella, the picture of loneliness.

The scene then changed to a sweet moment between her and Duan Fei.

Below, Duan Fei was bragging to his junior brothers: "Look, that's me in there! Pretty handsome, eh?"

"Let me tell you..." Then he rattled on and on, boasting expansively in an exaggerated manner.

On Liu Yu's side, however, her senior sisters saw Duan Fei as the callous cad who had abandoned Liu Yu.

Along with Duan Fei's colorful narration beside them, he looked more and more like an unfaithful scumbag to them.

Mainly because Liu Yu's acting was too convincing - it made people overlook that this was just a performance. Not to mention, Duan Fei already had a bad reputation to begin with.

"Ever since you left, I've lost all tenderness..."

"Waiting here on this long snowy path, still hearing the howling cold winds..."

As soon as Old Zhou began singing, all eyes were glued onto him.

Then, Carefree Peak's disciples activated chorus mode, whipping the on-site atmosphere into a frenzy.

The projections also transformed along with the lyrics’ progression.

Backstage, Tang Xiaoyu gnashed her teeth: [Miscalculation! Didn't expect Old Zhou to still have this much skill left. My job's going down the drain today!]

As the song climaxed, the passions of the audience below burned ever higher.

Amidst the crowd's ear-piercing screams and applause, Old Zhou strutted off the stage in high arrogance.

"Xiaoyu, this is what real skill looks like. You'll have to work harder!"

Tang Xiaoyu signaled to Lu Changchun with her eyes. He instantly understood.

Tang Xiaoyu took the stage: "Next, I will perform 'Tenderness in Hand' for everyone."

Below, Tang Xiaoxue and Yu Die immediately leapt atop a prepared table, waving placards high with Xiaoyu's name on them as they shouted loudly.

Everyone's eyes fell upon the two girls. Glancing at them briefly, Qingyun Sword Sect's upper echelon turned their heads away - they knew of Tang Xiaoxue's connection to Tang Xiaoyu on stage, and thus quickly brushed it off.

Seeing Qingyun Sword Sect's lack of reaction, the other sects' leaders didn't say anything more either.

Hearing Tang Xiaoxue's voice, Chu Yanran knew it was time to take action on her end.