Chapter 141: Martial Arts Film Theme Song

As the only alliance to have suffered a reduction in members, this round was critical for the Stellar Alliance. Currently, they had two top-tier powerhouses: Qiu Zhen and Yue Ruoxi. Below them were Chen Yi, who had competed against Sig in the beginning, and Zhu Yiyang, who had performed in the previous round.

Qiu Zhen went without saying—he was one of the "Three Sons of Tianhe." Yue Ruoxi was a musician from Hong Kong, and the Stellar Alliance’s initial victory had been secured by her. For the alliance, this was a make-or-break match; a loss meant elimination.

Liu Xingyun looked behind him, as if asking, "Who’s going up?" The members glanced at one another, none particularly eager to step forward. The situation was clear: it was another matchup involving the loser’s bracket between the Sunflower Alliance and the Stellar Alliance. Since the start, Tang Zhichu had never chosen the Sunflower Alliance. It was a foregone conclusion that whoever stepped up would face Tang Zhichu. It was no longer a question of whether Tang Zhichu would participate; he certainly would.

The fourth episode of the music variety show had already aired. Since Tang Zhichu’s arrival, the show’s viewership figures were in a different league compared to before. Though they didn't want to admit it, they had to acknowledge his importance to the program. As long as he was there, he would likely perform in every subsequent episode. That was the most terrifying part.

Seeing everyone hesitate, Liu Xingyun felt a surge of emotion. In the four episodes aired, Tang Zhichu had produced two songs: "Drunken Chibi" and "Passing Through the Human Realm." This was a show focused on original music. Given his creative output within the show—not to mention the public discourse—even industry insiders had approached Liu Xingyun to inquire about Tang Zhichu. "Isn't he supposed to be good at playing psychological games? How is he so talented at writing songs? The strength he's displaying is a bit fierce." Liu Xingyun had simply told them to keep watching, noting that these two episodes were nothing compared to what was coming.

Seeing no movement from the Stellar Alliance, the host asked again, "Teacher Liu Xingyun, who will you be sending out for this round?"

Liu Xingyun smiled and was about to stand up himself when Zhu Yiyang tugged at his sleeve. "Teacher Liu, let me do it. You’ve already performed once..."

Liu Xingyun was surprised. He hadn't thought that far ahead; he assumed Zhu Yiyang felt that since he had already lost once, it wouldn't matter if he were eliminated now. He knew Zhu Yiyang’s background—he came from a wealthy and influential family, so elimination wouldn't affect him much; his participation was more like gilding his resume. But to send Zhu Yiyang again? Wouldn't that just make the Stellar Alliance a laughingstock?

"Nonsense. You performed last episode; you should rest this time," Liu Xingyun interrupted.

However, after Zhu Yiyang’s outburst, the others couldn't sit still. If Zhu Yiyang was willing to go up again right after a loss, and Liu Xingyun, the founder, was also ready to step up, how could they just sit there? A bizarre scene unfolded. Those who were silent a moment ago were now all volunteering.

"How about I go?" Qiu Zhen chimed in. Although facing Tang Zhichu was tricky, with everyone fighting to go, he couldn't stay silent. Immediately, someone jumped in. Zhu Yiyang shouted, "Brother Zhen is going? I think that’s great. Last time Brother Zhen set the challenge, no one dared to take it."

The group paused and looked at Qiu Zhen. Qiu Zhen glanced at Zhu Yiyang and, biting the bullet, said, "I... I'll go."

Zhu Yiyang gave him a thumbs up. "Brother Zhen is a legend."

Liu Xingyun hesitated, but since the atmosphere had reached this point, he went with the flow. "Then you go." Truth be told, Liu Xingyun was afraid. He was truly worried that if he went up, Tang Zhichu would pick him again. Tang Zhichu was too unpredictable, and he hadn't yet seen the limits of his ability. Liu Xingyun had already lost to Tang Zhichu once; even with his thick skin, he couldn't afford another defeat. He was more than happy to let Qiu Zhen step up.

Qiu Zhen wasn't sure if he really wanted to go, but given the situation, he stood up and looked at the host. "I'll go. I choose..." He hesitated for a moment before announcing, "I choose the fourth-ranked project: the theme song for Director Xu Huaijin's film, 'Night Rain in the Jianghu'!"

This was a high-value project. Xu Huaijin was arguably the greatest martial arts film director in China, and "Night Rain in the Jianghu" was his first martial arts project in a decade, drawing immense attention.

"Excellent! I grew up watching martial arts films, so I really hoped someone would pick this. Qiu Zhen from the Stellar Alliance chooses the fourth-ranked task, the theme song for 'Night Rain in the Jianghu,' with a service fee of 1.2 million! Does the winner's bracket have any challengers?" The host turned toward the Vanguard Alliance and the Wildfire Alliance.

Qiu Zhen hadn't overthought it; he simply chose the project he was most prepared for. If he couldn't outsmart them, he would have to play it hard. According to the scoring rules, the Wildfire Alliance had priority. However, everyone in the Wildfire Alliance looked toward Tang Zhichu.

Sure enough, Tang Zhichu stood up slowly and said, "We accept."

The venue erupted in an uproar. It was the Wildfire Alliance and the Stellar Alliance again; they seemed destined to clash.

"I knew it, he's definitely holding a grudge!"
"Who can you blame? Why provoke him? You try to pull teeth from a tiger, and now look—you're stuck."

Some whispered, others gloated; after all, it was better for someone else to suffer than oneself. Even Liu Xingyun felt suspicious. Damn it, was Tang Zhichu targeting them? Of the five episodes Tang Zhichu had participated in, excluding the one against He Shuyuan, the other four had all been duels between Wildfire and Stellar.

Tang Zhichu sat back down after speaking and said to Yun Miao, who was beside him, "Sister Miao, I might need your help this time."

Yun Miao was stunned and replied earnestly, "You don't need to worry about us."

Shen Jianxin also looked back at Tang Zhichu. "We know your situation; you can't avoid these challenges, but if you have to bring someone else along, you're just making it harder on yourself."

The Wildfire Alliance faced a delicate situation: the show needed Tang Zhichu, and if he performed every time, the others would just be background noise. In the eyes of Yun Miao and Shen Jianxin, Tang Zhichu asking for help was his way of avoiding that scenario—much like how Sig had asked Yun Miao to help with the operatic singing, allowing her to perform on stage. For Sig, asking for help was a tactic to win. But for Tang Zhichu, it wasn't necessarily an advantage; it could even be a burden.

Tang Zhichu shook his head. "What are you thinking? I'm sincerely asking for Sister Miao's help!"

Even so, the others didn't quite believe him. Yun Miao nodded, "Just handle it as you see fit. If you really need my help, I certainly won't refuse."

The host continued with the proceedings. Bai Xiwei didn't send her main force, choosing a commercial promotion song project instead, which put her against the Vanguard Alliance. There were no further challengers this round. After the task selection recording concluded, Tang Zhichu collected the detailed information on the film "Night Rain in the Jianghu" before returning to the dormitory.