"Ugly Monster~~~ Could you not turn on the lights~~~ Aww~~~"
The moment Ling Yun stepped through the classroom door, he heard Zhou Da's incredibly piercing, so-called "ghost-wailing" singing echoing through the room. His pitch was bad enough to make everyone in the class buy standing-room tickets overnight and flee.
Luckily, the teacher for morning self-study hadn't arrived yet. Otherwise, the dean of studies in the office downstairs would probably already have charged up with a broom.
"Zhou Da! Please! Stop using your divine powers! If you want to torture people, go torment the class next door, okay?"
"Brother Da! Emperor Ling Tian's masterpiece isn't meant to be butchered like this! Watch out, his fan club will chase you across the provinces!"
"Help! My ears!!"
The students covered their ears one after another and launched a "brutal and inhumane" condemnation of Zhou Da. It was as if, if Zhou Da sang one more line, they would collectively "eliminate evil on behalf of the people."
Frightened by the display, Zhou Da shrank his neck and hurriedly swallowed the rest of the lyrics, then made a zipping-his-mouth gesture.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, little brother Da Zi."
A rather handsome boy with an artistic air stood up. He was Zhang Letian, the class's enthusiastic arts-and-culture representative. He planned to pursue music in the future, and he genuinely had some singing chops.
"Listen up. This is what singing sounds like, and this is what noise sounds like. See the difference?"
He cleared his throat, adjusted his stance, and then leisurely sang a rendition of Ugly Monster with perfect diction and pitch.
Although he couldn't compare with Ling Yun's original performance, his pitch and rhythm were both solid, and he conveyed the emotion reasonably well.
"Great!"
"Not bad, Letian!"
"Now that's something people can listen to!"
The classroom immediately erupted in applause and cheers.
"Little brother Da Zi." Zhang Letian looked at Zhou Da with an expression that said "you're teachable," a hint of smugness in his eyes. "See the difference now? Call me master, and I might consider teaching you a couple of tricks."
"Get lost! Who's your little brother?"
Zhou Da stiffened his neck and instantly activated "protect-the-master mode."
"In this life, I, Zhou Da, acknowledge only one big brother! And that's—my Brother Yun!" He pointed at Ling Yun, who had just walked in, his tone decisive.
Zhang Letian's eyes went wide. "??? I... I meant that your singing was awful! I wasn't questioning who you acknowledged as your big brother! Brother Yun is a universally recognized big shot!"
He was utterly speechless. How had the subject somehow turned into acknowledging big brothers?
"Hmph! Everything else is just drifting cloud! My only big brother is Brother Yun!"
Zhou Da wore a solemn expression that said this was a matter of principle, as though someone had touched his core faith.
Zhang Letian held his forehead. "...Fine, fine, fine! Your big brother is the greatest! But... about the singing, did you learn anything?"
He just wanted to end this debate about "big brothers" as quickly as possible.
"Hmph! With those few tricks of yours?" Zhou Da lifted his nostrils toward the ceiling, looking down on the entire world. "Just wait! I'll let you see what true skill looks like in a moment! I'll slap that smug look right off your face!"
His eyes gleaming, he looked toward Ling Yun, who had just sat down.
"Brother Yun! You finally made it!" As if he had seen his savior, Zhou Da shot over to Ling Yun's side.
"Oh, Da Zi, spreading salvation to all through song again? I could hear those cries of anguish from way off."
Ling Yun put down his schoolbag and looked at him teasingly. "I heard your popularity in class is almost catching up to that of a biological weapon?"
"Aw, Brother Yun! They just don't know how to appreciate art!" Zhou Da automatically filtered out the teasing, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, his tone full of admiration. "That Ugly Monster you sang on the livestream last night was incredible! Our class is practically turning into your fan club's local branch!"
"Basic operation. Don't make such a fuss." Ling Yun waved his hand, looking completely indifferent.
"Brother Yun! Don't be modest!"
Zhou Da clasped his hands together, his eyes filled with pleading. "I'm desperate here! I just bragged to defend your dignity—mainly my own pride, actually! Can you really stand by and watch your most loyal Da Zi get humiliated?
"Please, Brother Yun, show them what you've got! Knock them out!" He struggled to squeeze out two drops of "crocodile tears."
Looking at Zhou Da's loyal-to-the-death—mainly too-proud-to-lose—expression, Ling Yun smiled helplessly. "All right. Since you defended your 'adoptive father' so passionately, I'll help you save face."
"Got it! Adoptive father, you're mighty!"
Zhou Da instantly came back to life. He marched over to Zhang Letian with his chest out and head high, planted his hands on his hips, and imitated Zhang Letian's earlier tone. "Little brother Letian! Open your eyes and watch closely in a moment! Watch carefully, learn carefully! See how my Brother Yun interprets this song!"
He threw Zhang Letian's own words right back at him.
Zhang Letian hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, no! Da Zi! I absolutely believe in Brother Yun's ability! What I did just now was purely... um, artistic exchange! Yes, exchange!"
He didn't want to accidentally offend this great god, Ling Yun.
"It's fine." Ling Yun stood up and smiled at Zhang Letian and the other students. "Since Da Zi is so enthusiastic and everyone's willing to support me, I'll make a fool of myself and sing a short section a cappella."
"Welcome, Brother Yun!"
"Student Ling Yun, go for it!"
The classroom instantly erupted in enthusiastic applause, several times louder than the applause Zhang Letian had received, full of anticipation.
Ling Yun made no unnecessary movements. He stood still, closed his eyes slightly to adjust his breathing, and then began to sing.
There was no accompaniment, no microphone—only pure human voice.
But when his clear, bright, magnetic, and penetrating voice rang out, the entire classroom instantly fell silent.
Every note seemed to carry magic, striking the listeners' heartstrings with perfect precision.
The feeling of arrogance hidden within the teasing and deep affection concealed beneath the self-mockery was brought to life in his performance!
Even without infusing it with spiritual power, his world-class singing technique and naturally beautiful voice were enough to crush any performance of any level.
When the song ended, the lingering notes seemed to continue circling beneath the classroom rafters.
After a brief silence came an even crazier explosion of applause and whistles, nearly tearing the roof off!
"Holy crap! That was amazing!"
"The original singer! He's absolutely the original singer walking around in human form!"
"Brother Yun really was born to be the protagonist! Brother Yun is the GOAT!"
"My ears are pregnant!"
Zhou Da smugly walked over to Zhang Letian, who was still immersed in the afterglow of the song, and bumped him with his shoulder. "Hey! Little brother Letian! Learned it yet? Hmm?"
Zhang Letian came back to his senses. Looking at Zhou Da's smug, thoroughly pleased face, he rolled his eyes helplessly.
"Learn my ass! With Brother Yun at that level, can ordinary mortals like us even hope to learn it? That's the ceiling! It's dimensional suppression! I'm convinced, completely convinced!"
He had been genuinely and thoroughly won over.
"Good that you know!"
Zhou Da's tail was practically sticking up to the heavens. He pointed his nostrils upward and said, "From now on, if you want to teach me how to sing, first weigh your own abilities. Come back when you can reach my Brother Yun's heels!"
He didn't forget to praise Ling Yun again.
Looking at Zhou Da's ridiculous display, Zhang Letian was both annoyed and amused. All he could do was nod repeatedly.
"Fine, fine, fine! Brother Da! I was wrong! I absolutely won't show off my pitiful skills in front of you again! You and your Brother Yun are both immortals. We can't afford to provoke you!"
The entire class was sent into fits of laughter by the two clowns' exchange, and the classroom filled with a lively, cheerful atmosphere.
Just then, the crisp preparatory bell for morning self-study rang out. As if by magic, it instantly quieted the noisy classroom.
Before you continue