Chapter 67 Part 1

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

This chapter is edited by Cthulhu. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 67: Mentor Evaluation, External Feedback, the Dark Side of the World (1)

The performance came to an end.

The live broadcast room of “Dazzling Stage” exploded, as if a long-restrained silence suddenly burst forth in a frenzy of comments:

“It’s very abstract and rebellious. Even though it’s just a remix and dance of ‘Candy,’ without even changing the lyrics, I guarantee that what dominated my soul for those first three minutes was definitely not just ‘Candy.'”

“My brain is trembling, and I can only feel hope and sadness. That intense feeling that penetrates to the marrow of my bones still gives me chills. Can a stage performance really achieve such a high level of empathy?”

“This is definitely pure ‘Heart Flow,’ and it’s of such high purity that even world-class idols might not achieve it twice in their careers. How else could it transcend the song’s theme itself?”

“The divinity is just emerging, and this performance has pushed the secondary rating to unprecedented heights.”

On stage, Chu Yuanqing remained immersed in memories of the past until the performance ended. Only then did she wake as if from a dream, blinking in confusion, and lightly touching the lantern pendant on her chest.

This cursed gem, which had been eroded, had already returned to its original shattered state during the recent struggle, leaving behind only a scorching heat as evidence of that magical and absurd reality.

Had the curse of the Sea of Truth actually been suppressed, and in such a ridiculous manner?

Chu Yuanqing was momentarily speechless.

Though it was reasonable that a magical girl could draw power from others’ wishes, positive will, and beautiful emotions to strengthen herself, cutting off the world’s roots directly was beyond expectations.

However, this revelation didn’t surprise her much.

The Sea of Truth is invincible – this is the world’s truth and the cost of correction.

The lantern pendant’s ability to defeat the curse’s rampage could be explained by two factors: First, she had never tried to resist before, and there was a limit to the threshold of the curse’s rampage. Second, “Dazzling Stage” was being nationally broadcast with a large audience, and when she unintentionally entered the “Heart Flow,” she unconsciously reproduced some essence of Charlotte dancing in the Land of Salt, which triggered intense feedback.

In other words, this was a unique coincidence – a miracle that couldn’t be replicated. There was no need for excessive expectations.

The virtual reality scene still remained, stretching like endless fireworks before her eyes. When Chu Yuanqing regained consciousness, she gazed dreamily at the scene, wondering if this was what those children dreamed of.

Moon, moon. From this perspective, the stage truly shone with pride.

Chu Yuanqing stopped overthinking, swallowed her mixed feelings, and temporarily pushed aside her current emotions. She tidied her dress with small hands and followed the spotlight on stage. Amidst the grandeur and thunderous applause, she bowed in gratitude and walked into the darkness.

The backstage tunnel stretched long like a dark sea.

Chu Yuanqing walked in silence, her thoughts rising and falling like tides in her heart. Without this unexpected “Heart Flow,” she might have embarrassed herself on the secondary rating stage, fainting and spitting blood.

Looking at it this way, it seemed Charlotte had accidentally saved her again.

The thought triggered her brain to instinctively recall buried memories, savoring their sweetness as they resurfaced.

The girl’s dancing figure in the Pure White Forbidden Zone was like magical light filling every sensory crevice, astonishingly vibrant.

The joke echoed in her heart like a bubbling spring: “By the way, if one day Little Qing could snatch the throne of my world’s number one idol, I will tell you everything openly and honestly, okay?”

Chu Yuanqing’s steps faltered. Her exquisite features softened, her lips moist and slightly curved like peach petals, her expression so gentle it evoked sadness.

She was clearly smiling, yet the emotions in this smile were too complex – transparent like bubbles, resembling a winter cicada entwined with nostalgia, acceptance, mourning, heaviness, and a vast, suffocating loneliness.

Chu Yuanqing thought that if she could take the throne from the world’s number one idol, she would discover all of Charlotte’s secrets – a truly worthwhile deal. Unfortunately, in this world that corrected all “mistakes” leaving only a pure white wall, the promises of a bygone era had long lost their chance of fulfillment.

Maybe Charlotte still existed in this world, but that wouldn’t be the Charlotte she knew.

Chu Yuanqing closed her eyes, just as she had for the past 17 years, cutting off the last trace of doubt in her heart. Her graceful, cold figure faded away in the narrowing dark corridor, like a kite with a broken string.

Behind her, the virtual reality scene collapsed and dispersed after she truly left, like a fortress without a soul, losing its light source. It turned into dark, powerless mist, making the once majestic stage suddenly desolate.

This scene seemed to symbolize a lonely retired savior trapped in the mud of memories. It also served as a wake-up call, making many half-hearted spectators suddenly realize that the performance was over, and the performer had left the stage.

The feedback in the live streaming room grew more intense.

Meanwhile, in Tutor Group, the four members looked at each other, momentarily speechless.

Chu Yuanqing’s performance had exceeded expectations.

This important evaluation involved judging dancing skills, singing ability, and performance level for grading. It was clear that Chu Yuanqing’s singing and dancing skills were quite ordinary, perhaps at a Grade C level. However, when she stepped onto the stage with such captivating presence, those skills became secondary.

Who could say this stage performance wasn’t top-notch? And who could argue that Chu Yuanqing wasn’t as good as others when she shone on stage like this?

A dilemma arose: Some found it hard to pinpoint exactly what made her strong, leaving the judges without a clear answer, while others insisted she was weak.

Chen Baijiu closed his eyes, feeling pulled back into a dark and suffocating world. But then he took a deep breath, experiencing a warm and comforting sensation like being in his mother’s embrace.

Hope in despair, tiny sprouts in winter, lights that never extinguish in the dark night – these were the echoes of emotions.

In those few minutes, he seemed to witness a surreal and vivid epic through elusive notes: a pure white world, the roar of sun and tides dancing together, heavy rain mixed with salt grains and volcanic ash, the gradual fall of dusk on the horizon, and the small figure that seemed to bear the weight of the world, dancing and singing to defy the elements.

Chen Baijiu couldn’t help but daydream again, gazing at the endless stream of public opinion on the live broadcast screen, like a New Year’s banquet, before coming back to his senses expressionless. Suddenly, he slapped his flushed face with both hands, falling into silent panic and breakdown.

Was this even scientific?

Though he had long known that top idols could be so extraordinary that personal will could surpass the quality of song and dance, giving the stage a true soul, such impact could only be fully felt in person – live broadcasts typically weakened its effect by ninety percent!

Yet looking at Chu Yuanqing’s performance again, on the Tutor Group side, the more emotional Luo Siling already had tears in her eyes, and the live stream room was filled with emotional outbursts, almost transcending the definition of a world-class experience.

Remember, “Candy” was just a simple sweet song. What kind of soul had Chu Yuanqing given the stage to elevate such a basic theme song to this level?

Chen Baijiu, a seasoned world-class choreographer, found himself lost in understanding the essence, unable to resist questioning his method of self-identification.

To be honest, idols were an unfamiliar field for her. The choreographer had felt strange when seeing Kirimi Miyuki on stage before, thinking that the dance of “Heart Flow” was too mystical and abstract, turning choreography into a rational and cold science.

Now, Chu Yuanqing had delivered a heavy blow, allowing her to glimpse the pinnacle of the idol field. This move was almost like a blunt declaration that at the top of the idol field, the technical aspects of dance and song had become less important.

Chen Baijiu deeply realized this for the first time and suddenly felt a sense of job insecurity. However, she soon understood that no matter how impressive and grand the event “Dazzling Stage” was, it couldn’t magically elevate the contestants’ skills. Having such an absurd live stage show in the secondary rating of a country’s region completely exceeded the concepts of “normal” and “reasonable”.