Chapter 70 Fierce Competition

The song was titled "Dragon Soaring Across the Nine Provinces."

At the sight of this name, the guests’ eyes all shone with excitement.

It was an excellent title.

After all, the "Nine Provinces" was another name for the great nation, and this happened to be the Year of the Dragon.

So just from the title alone, it already had a winning edge by dozens of votes.

One had to admit, Xu Zhenzhen was indeed talented. Her singing was powerful and grand; though she was a woman, her voice was full of explosive strength.

The lyrics were also well-written, with not a single line of flattery. Instead, they recounted the hardship the nation had once endured, and its remarkable development in recent years.

The theme was apt and meaningful.

"No wonder it's Lin Dao'an—his skill is evident from the very first note."

"Lin Dao'an excels at this sort of song. Rumor has it this piece was originally written for diva Zhou Wan."

"What a pity. If Zhou Wan had sung it, the effect would have been even better."

In the livestream chat, viewers were buzzing with discussion. The number of people watching had reached an astonishing thirty million and was still climbing.

Once the song ended, the audience began to vote. Each guest exuded a powerful presence as they pressed the voting device before them.

Soon, the big screen revealed the results.

523 votes!

Seeing this number, Xu Zhenzhen actually breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face.

Though the votes had just passed the halfway mark, she was currently in first place, ahead of several pop kings and queens.

"The highest score so far!"

"Lin Dao'an's songs are as strong as ever!"

"If only Zhou Wan had sung it—she could have reached 600 votes!"

"Achieving 600 votes in this setting is no small feat!"

Xu Zhenzhen's manager, Sister Hong, was also very satisfied with this result.

She sat directly in front of Zhou Wan, and glanced back at her with a hint of disdain in her eyes.

Her look seemed to say: See? This is the consequence of not cherishing your opportunities. If you had sung this song, you’d have taken first place for sure.

And that would have secured a spot on the satellite TV Spring Festival Gala.

Perhaps next year, you could even make it onto the national Spring Festival Gala!

Zhou Wan’s expression was blank; Ning Cai, seated beside her, said nothing either.

As time passed, the competition reached a fever pitch.

There was no shortage of talent in the Chinese music industry; many singers now showcased their impressive vocal skills and stage presence.

But these judges were no ordinary audience—they had extremely strict standards for lyrics and composition, so the scores remained modest.

Only two or three contestants had managed to garner over half the votes.

"Next, let’s welcome contestant number thirty-one!" the host announced.

Number thirty-one was Liu Ruyun.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Liu Ruyun quickly composed her state of mind and stepped onto the center of the stage.

Standing there, looking down at the sea of distinguished guests in black suits, she finally understood what true pressure felt like.

These were a thousand high-ranking officials; just their collective presence was overwhelming.

And with all eyes fixed on her, the sense of oppression was beyond words.

Liu Ruyun even found it hard to breathe.

She clasped her right hand behind her back, tightening and relaxing it repeatedly to calm herself.

"Honored guests, I am Liu Ruyun from Red Queen Entertainment," she announced.

The big screen displayed the title of her song—"Past, Present, Future."

Many guests perked up with interest at the name.

It was an inventive title; now they wondered if the lyrics would impress them as well.

As Liu Ruyun began to sing, her gentle and sweet voice filled the hall.

All eyes were glued to the screen, reading the lyrics as they appeared.

Though Wu Shaodong was known for love songs, this showed he could write in other styles as well—a master’s touch was unmistakable.

The lyrics were profound, the melody enchanting.

As Liu Ruyun’s voice unfolded the song, several guests found themselves utterly enthralled.

"Liu Ruyun performed beautifully!"

"Her breath control is steady—she truly deserves her status as a top-tier singer. She’s not far from the diva’s throne!"

"Liu Ruyun is outstanding!"

The livestream scrolled with a flurry of comments.

When the song ended, Liu Ruyun felt she had delivered a flawless performance. She stood quietly, awaiting the judges’ verdict.

Soon, the votes were revealed.

588 votes!

Seeing this, Liu Ruyun was overjoyed.

She bowed deeply in gratitude, thoroughly satisfied with her result.

"Liu Ruyun was very steady—excellent!" Chen Feng thought to himself in the audience. "If there isn’t an exceptional song after this, her first place is basically secured!"

"This song is of a very high standard, and Liu Ruyun’s performance was solid—she’s got first place locked down!"

"Leaving Shen Xian was the right choice for Liu Ruyun. Where else could she have gotten a song of such quality?"

"Why bring up Shen Xian? He’s just a fame-chaser—it’s right that he was blacklisted by the Big Four!"

"If Shen Xian dares show his face again, I’ll be the first to curse him out!"

Liu Ruyun’s fans were abuzz, sparing no effort in belittling Shen Xian.

Shen Xian, however, paid no attention to the competition’s progress. He was busy enjoying local delicacies with Qingqing at the scenic resort.

Nanzhou Amusement Park was vast, and Ten Thousand Buddha Lake was the largest inland lake across three provinces, dotted with solitary islands.

The area boasted not only islands but also many ancient temples, traces of history still preserved.

This was the first time Shen Xian had ever taken an interest in exploring.

Qingqing sat upon his shoulders, marveling at everything around her.

At this moment, Shen Xian felt utterly relaxed. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he sensed that Qingqing had the power to heal him.

"Daddy, look!" Qingqing pointed into the distance.

There, atop the highest peak in the scenic area, stood a famous temple: Jinshan Temple.

From its heights, one could take in the entirety of Ten Thousand Buddha Lake.

The incense there was always abundant. Now that it was part of the resort, the crowds had only grown.

On the steps leading to Jinshan Temple, a long line of people waited—some event was clearly underway.

"Jinshan Temple is holding an event! Anyone who writes a couplet that satisfies the monks can win a consecrated gold-bead bracelet!"

"Pure gold—worth hundreds of thousands!"

"Lots of people are joining in for fun. Let’s go see too!"

"They say that at six o’clock this afternoon, Miss Qian, the heiress of Kunpeng Capital, will be there to cut the ribbon!"

Many people spoke excitedly.

This, after all, was a way for the resort to attract visitors and boost its reputation.

"I want to see!" Qingqing exclaimed.

"Alright!" Shen Xian set her down, then picked her up in his arms and started up the steps toward Jinshan Temple.

Along the way, many people studied flyers in their hands, muttering as they walked.

Shen Xian picked one off the ground, brushing away the dust.

"Jinshan Temple urgently seeks a perfectly matched couplet—must fit the atmosphere. If chosen, you’ll win a string of gold prayer beads!"

"Solitary Mountain Temple urgently seeks a couplet—if selected, the prize is a jade Buddha worth a million!"

"Magpie Bridge Temple seeks a poem as a spiritual treasure for the temple, relating to love and marriage. If chosen, you’ll receive a red thread of fate."

Within the scenic area, there were temples and Taoist shrines alike. Since it had just opened, they were using this method to draw attention.

One had to admit, it was proving very effective.

"I want this one, and this, and this!" Qingqing pointed at the pictures of gold beads and jade Buddhas on the flyer.

Shen Xian laughed heartily. "Alright, I’ll get them all for you!"