Night fell over Peach Blossom Village. The production crew was really struggling outside the gate. They had put up tents. The air in the mountains was so humid and cold. These huge mosquitoes were biting Lin Feng all the time making him scream every minutes.
Su Ye, the singer said "I am hungry." She rubbed her stomach and looked very tired.
Director Wang tried to cheer everyone up. "Teacher Huang is cooking for us " he said.
Teacher Huang had set up a stove. "Tonight we are having noodles with some ham and wild vegetables I found " he said. "It is a meal but it will do."
The smell of the food was not great. The crew was so hungry that it smelled okay to them.
Lin Feng said "It smells good" and forced a smile for the camera. "Teacher Huang is a cook " he said.
Just as they were about to eat a new smell came over the wall.
At first it smelled like bamboo. Then it smelled like rice. Finally it smelled like meat and it really got their attention.
Lin Feng stopped moving with his fork in the air. Su Yes eyes got wide. She could not help but sniff the air. Teacher Huang looked at his noodles, which now smelled bad.
The cameraman said "What is that smell?". Swallowed hard.
Inside the courtyard Chen Qing took the lid off a bamboo tube that was steaming over a fire.
The tube had Emerald Spirit Rice, which was a reward, mixed with meat from a Wild Boar King, which Blackie had hunted and some mushrooms. The smell was amazing.
The aroma went up into the air. Made a big column of steam.
The crew outside was really suffering.
Teacher Huang said "It smells like cured meat but it smells so fresh." He got up. Walked towards the wall like he was, in a trance. "This cook is very skilled " he said.
The people watching the livestream were going crazy.
* "I wish I could smell it. Looking at Su Yes face I know it is delicious."
* "Look at Lin Feng he just threw his food on the ground."
* "The hermit is eating a meal while the stars are eating bad noodles. This is not fair."
Su Ye said "Director can we ask him for some food?" She was swallowing her saliva. She did not look like the Ice Queen anymore.
Director Wang said "No we will not ask him for food. We have to be proud.". His stomach was growling loudly and he was hungry. "Just eat your noodles " he said.
The food was awful. The crew was eating their noodles while smelling the delicious food next door.
After we finished dinner the moon came up high in the sky. The mountain got really quiet except for the sounds of insects
To fill up the rest of the broadcast time Director Wang said, "Su Ye, why do not you sing a song for the people watching? You are the Queen of Pop so give us a show."
Su Ye nodded. She took out a guitar. "I will sing my song, 'The Wind in the City'."
She started strumming. Her voice was really beautiful, clear and professional. The people watching were sending her gifts in the chat.
• "Goddess!"
• "So good! A private concert!"
Halfway through her song...
Twang.
A sound came from inside the courtyard.
It was the sound of a Guqin, which's an Ancient Zither. One note, deep and resonant like a stone dropped into a deep lake.
Su Yes hand stopped moving. That one note had perfectly cut into her rhythm disrupting her flow.
Then the melody started.
It was not a pop song. It was a tune, "High Mountains and Flowing Water."
This music seemed to have magic in it unlike any version they had heard before.
As the notes flowed the wind in the trees stopped blowing. The insects stopped chirping. It was as if nature itself was holding its breath to listen.
Su Ye stopped playing her guitar. She sat there really surprised. As a musician she knew the difference. Her music was about technique. The music coming from inside was about soul.
She felt like she saw a waterfall coming down from the stars. She felt the loneliness of a thousand years and the freedom of the clouds.
Without realizing it tears started streaming down her face.
It was not her.
Lin Feng, who usually listened to K-pop was sitting quietly his annoying personality gone. Teacher Huang closed his eyes remembering his grandmother.
Then something amazing happened.
"Look at the sky!" the cameraman whispered, moving the camera up.
Birds. Hundreds of birds.
Even though it was night birds of all kinds. Sparrows, nightingales, owls. Were flying above the courtyard dancing to the rhythm of the zither. It was the phenomenon: "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix."
Inside the courtyard Chen Qing sat under the spirit tree his fingers moving on the strings. He was not playing for them. He was just practicing.
Next to him the colorful rooster, which had the Phoenix bloodline closed its eyes taking in the magic in the music its feathers glowing with a red light.
The song ended.
The birds flew away silently.
Outside the wall the crew sat in silence for a five minutes. No one said a word. The livestream chat was frozen. No one was typing everyone was just listening.
Finally Su Ye wiped her tears. She stood up walked to the gate and bowed deeply even though Chen Qing could not see her.
"I have been arrogant " she whispered. "That is what true music is like."
[Livestream Data Update] [Viewers: 15 Million (New Record)] [Hot Search #1: The God of Music in Peach Blossom Village] [Hot Search #2: Who is Chen Qing?]
Director Wang looked at the data, on his phone. His hands were shaking. He knew one thing for sure.
This show was going to be huge.. He had to get Chen Qing to sign a contract no matter what it took.