Chapter 46

"Boom... Boom... Boom... Boom..." After the first drumbeat, the slow drumming began to vibrate, and even those outside the venue could hear it clearly. The sound, like a muffled thunder, made everyone's heart race, and a hard-to-describe emotion began to build up with each drumbeat.

Inside the venue, everything became completely silent, all eyes fixed on Jiang Xingchen, who was striking the large drum on stage, drawing everyone's attention. Outside, people were puzzled, wondering what could produce such a thunderous sound.

The faces of the judges changed abruptly, a hint of surprise appearing in their eyes, which gradually lit up. The unique sound of the new instrument instantly captivated them all.

The expressions of the several army commanders, however, changed dramatically. Having been through many battles, they felt something entirely different. They could sense that this sound could gradually build up one's momentum.

The soldiers in the audience, who had come to watch, were the most deeply affected. The muffled thunderous vibrations made them feel an irresistible urge to move forward. Those around them could faintly sense the dangerous aura emanating from them and instinctively kept their distance.

Mo Hongxian, Zhao Danqing, Second Brother, Fourth Brother, and Sun Sanqiang were extremely surprised, as this was the first time they had heard the drumbeats.

Mei'er finally smiled, glancing proudly at Mo Hongxian and the others.

"Form up!" The soldier at the front of the stage almost shouted the two words.

"Hey!" Six soldiers roared in unison, their voices like a bolt of lightning amidst the muffled thunder, startling the audience.

Then, the six soldiers formed a typical triangular assault formation used in the army, stomping their feet on the stage. The sound of their fish-scale armor clattered as they gripped the handles of their swords with their right hands and advanced with the drumbeat.

The audience in the front rows immediately felt a killing aura rush towards them, as if they were on a battlefield, about to charge.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..." The rhythm of the drumbeats began to quicken, and Wan Rou joined in. The two large drums sounded together, instantly doubling the volume.

The increasingly rapid drumbeats also quickened everyone's heartbeat, making their breathing more rapid.

The soldiers' steps quickened with the drumbeats, and their momentum continued to rise. A hint of madness appeared in their eyes.

The eyes of the front-row army commanders grew wider and wider, almost driven to action, clenching their fists and forcing themselves to remain restrained.

Tang Chuxue's upper body leaned slightly forward, her beautiful eyes sparkling with excitement, as if she was ready to spring forward at any moment.

Zhao Danqing, Mo Hongxian, Second Brother, and Fourth Brother felt their emotions being increasingly stirred by the drumbeats, accumulating to the point where they couldn't resist the urge to roar.

"Boom boom boom boom..." On stage, Jiang Xingchen and Wan Rou increased their hand speed, the drumbeats turning into a rolling thunder, bringing everyone's emotions to a peak. Some of the audience members even held their breath, waiting for the final release.

"Boom! Boom!" Two heavy beats, and the drumsticks in Jiang Xingchen and Wan Rou's hands suddenly stopped, the continuous thunderous drumming coming to an abrupt halt.

"Hey!" The soldier who had reached the edge of the stage roared, drawing his sword and slashing it through the air, releasing all the accumulated momentum.

Tang Chuxue, Wu Tianfeng, Chen Xuangan, and others clenched their fists and shouted in unison, "Good!"

With the sudden stop of the drumming and the soldier's full-force slash, the watching soldiers also roared in unison, creating a thunderous sound that startled everyone.

Then, a chorus of exhalations filled the venue as the previously suppressed emotions were fully released, and everyone felt an indescribable sense of relief.

"What kind of instrument is this, sounding like muffled thunder, capable of stirring people's emotions!" Most people had this thought.

The soldiers, in particular, showed looks of disbelief, as they had almost subconsciously been moved by the drumbeats.

The seven army commanders exchanged glances, their faces filled with joy and excitement, understanding each other's thoughts.

Dingbei Hou's eyes gleamed as he glanced at the position of the Seventh Army, his heart filled with joy: "Regardless of how this performance goes, with the two new instruments in Wan Rou's hands, we will definitely return with a full load!"

Behind him, Mo Hongxian muttered, "This kid is too amazing! How could he create such things..."

Second Brother, Fourth Brother, Zhao Danqing, and Sun Sanqiang all changed from their playful attitudes, becoming serious.

The most shocked were the judges from the Imperial Academy. In that short moment, they had already sensed the immense power of this instrument, a major transformation in the world of dance and music...

Just a short drumming session had already changed the audience's perception, turning their initial ridicule into anticipation: "Men performing dance and music is actually quite entertaining!"

At this moment, the happiest person was Mei'er, who looked around proudly, her head held high: "Hmph! Not laughing now, are you... That's my brother!"

On stage, Jiang Xingchen did not notice the change in the audience. He was slowly building up his emotions, as the previous drumbeats were just a warm-up.

After a brief pause, his arms fell again, and the drumming resumed, but this time it was not a gradual build-up. Instead, it was four powerful short beats.

"Boom boom boom boom... Boom boom boom boom... Boom boom boom boom..." Eight short beats in a row, each one like a flame, reigniting the audience's passion.

"Arrogance! Courage! Facing! A thousand waves!" Jiang Xingchen sang with a bold voice, each word emphasized.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, as if struck by a massive wave. The short scale, combined with the powerful drumbeats, stirred the audience's emotions, even without any accompaniment.

Everyone, including the seven army commanders, Dingbei Hou, Mo Hongxian, and others, felt a surge of courage from the depths of their hearts, a courage to face any challenge.

The judges of the Imperial Academy, as authorities, tried to suppress their own feelings and evaluate Jiang Xingchen's singing. At this moment, they realized that beauty in singing is not limited to women; men's voices can be equally beautiful, and even with just the rhythm of the drum, it can bring joy.

At the end of the first line, the soldiers shouted in unison, "Hey!"

By this time, they had sheathed their swords and stood in a row, punching the air in unison, their movements precise and powerful.

"Passion! Like the red sun's light!" The second line, like adding fuel to the fire, made the audience's blood boil again.

The six soldiers performed the common combat boxing of the army, but under the influence of the drumbeats and lyrics, it became rhythmic, each move and kick filled with explosive power, creating a strong visual impact.

The dual sensory experience immersed everyone, whether nobles, commoners, or soldiers, in the passionate song.

"Courage! Like iron! Bones! Like steel! Chests! A thousand feet wide (Roar) Eyes! A thousand miles long (Ha) I strive to be a hero!"

"Roar!"

"Be a hero!"

"Ha!"

"Strive every day!"

Between each line, the six soldiers shouted in unison. The song was catchy, with a strong rhythm, and the audience quickly caught on. By the time the gaps between the lines came, almost everyone joined in the roar, as if this was the only way to express their passion.

The roar of thousands of people almost shook the venue. The first-row Dingbei Hou and the seven army commanders turned to look back, their eyes filled with indescribable surprise and shock.

Especially the judges, who had never seen such a scene in all their years. To get the entire audience to roar together was simply mind-blowing!

Behind the stage, the other dance troupes were all drawn out. Originally, this performance by Zijin was not well-known, and the girls thought the men were just there to entertain. But now...

Xuan Fei, Lan Meng, Yun Hua, and Chen Xi, the most promising troupes, were almost driven mad with jealousy.

"Are the audience members crazy? They're cheering for such a rough song..." a girl frowned.

"Sister! But your body is moving too!"

"Eh! Really? I didn't notice!"

"Yes, just now... Ha!" The other girl shouted halfway through her sentence.

The first girl was speechless: "What is this..."

On stage, Jiang Xingchen's emotions were fully stirred. His drumsticks fell without deliberate control, guided by his sense of rhythm, landing at the most appropriate times with the best force.

Wan Rou was the most excited. All her previous worries and unease had vanished. The scene of thousands of people roaring together made her incredibly excited. This was the kind of performance the audience truly enjoyed, and every roar was a recognition of their efforts.

Her body seemed infused with boundless energy, and her drumming became more powerful, as if competing with Jiang Xingchen, neither willing to yield.

The audience's interest grew even more. As Jiang Xingchen sang, "Passionate men!" their roars grew louder.

"More radiant than the sun!"

After this line, the first half of the song ended. Jiang Xingchen's drumsticks flipped between his hands, and he stepped aside. In his memory, the transition between the two halves should have been a suona, whose high-pitched sound could further stir people's emotions. But with time constraints, he had no time to research and had to improvise a drumming interlude.

And now, it was Wan Rou's time to shine.

Almost as soon as Jiang Xingchen stepped aside, the six soldiers performing the boxing quickly moved to the sides, three on each side. Wan Rou's figure suddenly spun.