The boy band competition is in full swing, with intense training and rehearsals interspersed with all sorts of fun games, allowing the contestants to have a good balance between work and rest while also preventing the audience from getting tired of watching the relatively boring training content.
As the show progresses, more and more information about Xia Zhiyi is appearing online. While fans are working hard to garner votes for their favorite contestants, they are also attracted by Xia Zhiyi's strong yet humble attitude.
A talent show actually helped Xia Zhiyi, one of the mentors, gain a lot of fans.
But this is, after all, a talent show. Even if the contestants get along relatively well through the cooperation of everyone, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and a few who are not so good at fitting in won't argue with others on the show for no reason, there will still be eliminations in the end.
As time went by, the number of people in the base gradually decreased. Gradually, everyone focused more on the competition, and everyone who remained was working hard for the last few debut spots.
Before this, Song Qi, who had survived until the third performance before being eliminated, found Xia Zhiyi after discussing with his family and successfully became her apprentice.
Yang Linlin was heartbroken when her friend was eliminated, but the next day she heard that Song Qi had successfully become an apprentice after being eliminated, and she was both happy and envious.
After that, Song Qi, as Xia Zhiyi's youngest disciple in the sect, was taken under Xia Zhiyi's wing. This was partly to help Xia Zhiyi lay a foundation for him in the early stages, and partly to create a small loophole for Song Qi to spend more time with his friends.
In other words, Song Qi transformed from a contestant into a mentor's assistant.
Everyone:...
Ugh, I'm so envious, jealous, and resentful.
Although Song Qi couldn't debut, Fu Chi visited the training base a few times, and some rumors circulated among the contestants. Everyone knew that Xia Zhiyi not only very talented but also had a super-powerful boyfriend. From every perspective, becoming her apprentice was a huge win.
As long as Song Qi doesn't cause any trouble, following Xia Zhiyi lead to a good life!
Of course, this is a rather utilitarian view. Some people simply think that it would be incredibly cool to learn all of Xia Zhiyi.
By the time the finals were held, there were only twelve people in the base besides Song Qi. Although there were many staff members, the space still felt somewhat empty.
The day before the finals, Xia Zhiyi took Song Qi for morning exercises in the small square. One by one, seven or eight contestants came over and asked if they would have the opportunity to become Xia Zhiyi's apprentices after the show ended.
Xia Zhiyi smiled gently and reassured them one by one, knowing that these contestants were actually very nervous, and that their actions might be a way to prepare for the future.
But he wouldn't agree immediately just because of that. After calming him down with a few words, he led Song Qi to a new location.
Song Qi asked, "Teacher, are there any apprentices among them that you have your eye on?"
Xia Zhiyi knew why he asked that question. Among the remaining contestants, Yang Linlin and Xu Qianmo were both close friends of Song Qi.
Xu Qianmo was alright. He was a very active person, but he knew what his goals were. He wasn't enthusiastic about learning martial arts, so he was very enthusiastic when praising Xia Zhiyi, but he never intended to ask her to learn.
Yang Linlin, perhaps because she had been rejected so many times, got a little carried away and would ask Xia Zhiyi before each competition, but Xia Zhiyi always refused.
Yang Linlin was always worried about being eliminated, but he always worked very hard, his skills were not bad, and his personality was also good. However, he always did this kind of thing before the competition to find a way out for himself, Xia Zhiyi helpless.
Song Qi had seen all of this, but today he didn't see Yang Linlin asking questions like the others, and instead became worried.
Xia Zhiyi smiled and said, "You're worried about Yang Linlin, aren't you?"
Song Qi was a little embarrassed, but still nodded honestly.
After formally becoming Xia Zhiyi's apprentice, Song Qi spent more time with her and gained a better Xia Zhiyi style. He realized that his young teacher's gentleness was genuine, not just a facade.
Xia Zhiyi: "It's a good thing he didn't come today."
Xia Zhiyi: "When Yang Linlin first came to me, it wasn't necessarily because he really wanted to learn martial arts; it was more because he lacked self-confidence. But now that the competition has progressed to this point, he has so many fans supporting him, and his test results are consistently good. As I mentioned before, he has improved a lot. His confidence has been built up, and he no longer worries about gains and losses. Naturally, he won't come to me to make himself uncomfortable anymore."
Even if I refuse gently, it's still a little uncomfortable to be rejected, don't you think?
Song Qi thought for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."
Later, Song Qi ran into Yang Linlin in the cafeteria at lunchtime and chatted with him for a few minutes. Seeing Yang Linlin's radiant face and confident, cheerful demeanor, Song Qi was completely relieved.
On the day of the finals, Xia Zhiyi, after being repeatedly begged by the director, finally agreed to perform the opening show in front of a national audience.
The reason it's called an opening show rather than an opening dance is that Xia Zhiyi's performance wasn't a dance, but actual martial arts.
When the grand and majestic background music began, the stage was still empty.
As the audience, both online and offline, were filled with a mix of doubt, anticipation, and trepidation, a figure, like a bird in flight, flew into the frame from the side and above the stage, landing gracefully with an ethereal presence, as if a celestial being had descended to earth.
In that instant, everyone instinctively held their breath.
Just as someone realized what was happening and was about to scream, they were so startled by the ethereal figure on the stage that they swallowed all their voices.
Graceful as a startled swan, lithe as a swimming dragon—that is the essence of it all.
One person, one sword, one song, without any other embellishment, Xia Zhiyi alone brought a great shock to everyone.
At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the figure on the stage, and all their attention was focused on him alone. Nothing else could attract their attention.
Once there was a beautiful woman named Gongsun, whose sword dance moved all directions. Spectators were as numerous as mountains, their faces downcast; heaven and earth seemed to sway in response...
It seems that only after reading this poem can one truly understand the feelings of people from hundreds of years ago.
After Xia Zhiyi finished his performance, he swiftly sheathed his sword, raised his eyebrows at the camera, and smiled like a spring flower in full bloom, full of vigor and spirit, as if the whole world was lit up by his smile.
It wasn't until he stepped down that everyone came to their senses.
They didn't even know when the background music that started the performance gradually stopped.
"I think I heard the sound of a sword ringing out! Ahhh, so cool! Absolutely amazing!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"I almost suffocated to death! Teacher Xia, kill me!"