Chapter 32: Could he really tell?
When Fairy Fan on stage uttered that inquiry, the cultivators in the audience all flinched slightly.
“Leaving midway?”
“Fairy Fan is singing; who would be so ungrateful as to leave halfway?”
“Who could be so unappreciative?”
“After listening to Fairy Fan’s song, I feel as if my long-stagnant cultivation level is about to break through. Who would be foolish enough to miss such an opportunity?”
“Hmph, utterly incomprehensible!”
“You can tell Fairy Fan is already angry.”
“Hehe, no need to guess. It’s definitely someone trying to attract Fairy Fan’s attention by such a stunt—truly shameless.”
...
Noticing Fairy Fan’s gaze seemed fixed directly on her, Jiang Wan turned her head to glance at Wang Chu sitting beside her. She twitched the corner of her mouth, thinking:
“Could the ‘young master’ Fairy Fan mentioned be none other than Wang Chu sitting next to me?”
Just as her suspicion grew, Wang Chu suddenly stood up from his seat, answering her question with his action:
“Hehe, just going out for some fresh air.”
In an ordinary setting, this excuse might not seem too problematic.
But given the current situation, the words could only be described as arrogant and rude.
Fairy Fan’s singing was so beautiful, even imbued with the Daoist rhythms of heaven and earth. To leave midway just to get some fresh air?
Was Fairy Fan’s song really so unpleasant?
“Who is this brat? So reckless and ignorant!”
“Seems like a coffin seller from Ling City.”
“Hehe, I thought he had some background, but turns out he’s just a coffin salesman.”
“People like him shouldn’t be allowed into the Drunken Heaven Pavilion!”
“Exactly, he doesn’t deserve to listen to Fairy Fan’s immortal voice.”
...
Upon hearing Wang Chu’s reason, Fairy Fan’s anger only deepened.
“Young master, is my rendition of ‘Red Dust Inn’ really that unpleasant?”
Wang Chu shook his head:
“Not at all, but there are some flaws that make it uncomfortable for me to listen to.”
Flaws!?
Works created by the sect leader are unique and flawless—how could there be any flaws?
This man was clearly spouting nonsense!
Fairy Fan’s gaze turned icy:
“What flaws? Young master, please do tell.”
The audience murmured with quiet laughter:
“Hahaha, if he can actually point them out, I’d be surprised.”
“Honestly, I admire his courage. Every piece from the Sound Sect is a classic, and every fairy who performs does so perfectly. For someone to claim flaws in the Sound Sect’s performance is utterly ridiculous!”
“Well, Ling City is a small place—a frog in a well with narrow vision. He probably wants Fairy Fan to notice him, so saying this is somewhat understandable.”
...
Facing Fairy Fan’s piercing gaze and the crowd’s ridicule,
Wang Chu remained calm, narrowing his eyes as he spoke honestly:
“First, I feel your singing lacks a certain human touch. It’s pleasant but not moving; it doesn’t touch me.”
He paused slightly, then continued:
“Second, this song would be better with the accompaniment of an erhu.”
Hearing Wang Chu actually list two flaws, the cultivators disdained him, laughing scornfully.
“Hahaha, lacking human touch? Is this a song meant for mere mortals?”
“No erhu accompaniment? Why not say no flute accompaniment too? If you can’t explain, don’t force faults.”
“Let him go up and sing, I bet he wouldn’t utter a single note—just talk big from the sidelines.”
...
Unlike the others, Fairy Fan was somewhat surprised upon hearing Wang Chu’s critiques, no longer dismissive.
Because one of the flaws he mentioned was indeed true.
That flaw was the absence of erhu accompaniment.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t really a flaw but a deliberate choice made by her master, Nangong Minghui.
When her master first sang “Red Dust Inn,” the mysterious and unparalleled sect leader—an unparalleled genius—accompanied her with an erhu.
That performance stirred winds and clouds across ten thousand miles, summoned nine heavenly tribulations, and even dragons and phoenixes circled the skies for a long time—a true celestial masterpiece.
Soon after, the sect leader went into secluded cultivation, not emerging for over a century.
To honor this mysterious leader, her master Nangong Minghui decreed that when the Sound Sect performed this song across the continent, no erhu accompaniment was allowed.
Decades had passed since this rule was implemented.
Only core disciples and connoisseurs of the Sound Sect knew the song originally included erhu accompaniment.
Ordinary disciples and the general public would never notice.
Yet now, the calm-faced man in the audience had recognized it.
Was his musical sense exceptionally keen? Had he read related texts? Or was it a lucky guess?
Fairy Fan could not yet determine.
So after Wang Chu spoke, she fell silent.
Long moments later, she asked again:
“Young master, how did you discern this?”
Her reaction stunned the cultivators.
After hearing Wang Chu’s criticism, wasn’t she supposed to be angry and dismissive?
Why... was she asking how he knew?
“Hey, judging by what Fairy Fan said, it sounds like this guy might be right?”
“Impossible, absolutely impossible!”
“This coffin seller couldn’t possibly know.”
“Fairy Fan is just being modest. Without proof, she won’t jump to conclusions.”
...
Amid the audience’s doubts and whispers, Wang Chu replied:
“Oh, I once casually played this song on the erhu, so I feel it can’t be without it. The first flaw is just my personal impression.”
Hearing this, Fairy Fan nodded, her eyes filled with curiosity tinged with skepticism.
“Young master, could you please perform a piece here so I may hear it?”
She stepped down from the stage, walking toward Wang Chu as she said:
“Since you’ve said so, I truly wish to hear how the song sounds with erhu accompaniment.”
...