Chapter 026: Igniting the Nine Phoenixes with "V3"!

At this moment, Zhang Lei, who was hiding among the crowd and fantasizing about his bright future, was utterly bewildered, his face turning quite unpleasant. In just a matter of ten minutes, nearly a hundred tickets had been sold at the scene, and at a price ten times higher than last night’s! The atmosphere was more electric than ever, with some people even offering exorbitant prices to buy tickets from others.

Had everyone gone mad? No, not at all. This was simply because Le Xiaotian’s prowess was overwhelming.

Reflecting on their face-to-face conversation that morning, Zhang Lei now felt a pang of shame. Though he had prepared half a million wuyuan to compensate a hundred ticket holders, in reality, he had paid less than fifty thousand. Only four people had actually returned their tickets, which were immediately snatched up at high prices, and those four now looked more regretful than he did.

It wouldn’t be long before the mere 398 tickets would be completely sold out! Le Xiaotian had actually pulled it off—demand far exceeding supply!

Was his strategy profound? One could say it was, but in hindsight, it was also so simple. Do consumers care most about price? Not really. If they did, then in all the major cities of Fama, only the cheapest sellers would survive. But is that the case? Absolutely not—nowhere in the world is it so. The same product can have different prices, and both sellers can survive. In fact, the higher-priced one might even do better.

Thus, it’s clear that consumers aren’t truly concerned with price; the real core is value. If you focus only on price, you lose.

Once you understand that people don’t truly care about price, what else matters to consumers? Integrity!

Undoubtedly, Le Xiaotian had considered this as well. He directly compensated ticket holders who arguably didn’t deserve it—the effect was self-evident.

But saying this is easy. Without keen commercial insight, unwavering faith in your own strength, a deep understanding of human nature, grand vision, wisdom, and the ability to see the whole picture—who could reach this point today? Certainly not himself.

Though Zhang Lei couldn’t speak to Le Xiaotian’s abilities in other areas, just this feat of selling high-priced tickets left him in the dust. What was the point of his university education? A waste. He was the one who had truly overestimated himself.

Letting out a long sigh, Zhang Lei looked at Le Xiaotian, the focus of everyone’s gaze, and felt a surge of admiration.

His expression soon stabilized, and he woke from his fantasy of securing the rights to a famous song. Even if he had lost that chance, selling out these high-priced tickets meant his immediate crisis was resolved. Moreover, his boss would surely take notice of him for this. Even Zhang Hao couldn’t blame him—after all, it was Le Xiaotian himself who sold the tickets.

“Heh, finally, I can get a good night’s sleep. Thank you, Le Xiaotian. I believe you’ll become a superstar, and I am now your fan.” With a light chuckle, Zhang Lei happily headed home.

After staying up all night dealing with the fallout from Le Xiaotian’s canceled performance, arguing with hundreds of thousands online, and riding the emotional rollercoaster of nearly reaching the pinnacle of his life, he was exhausted, and had gained a new perspective.

Meanwhile, two men in the crowd spoke into a phone, “Brother Hao, he’s sold out everything. Should we make a move?”

At 9 p.m., backstage at Jiufeng’s Second Recital Hall.

Dressed in a white shirt and a black suit with a fish-scale pattern, Le Xiaotian smiled, “So, how does your husband look on stage?”

Sun Yuzhen returned his smile, “Still passable, at least.”

Tugging at his jacket, Le Xiaotian grinned, “The performance is about to start. Won’t you give your husband a warm hug?”

And so, he was rewarded with a sweet embrace.

The six beautiful women nearby were still dumbfounded. Husband and wife? When did Sister Zhen get together with him? Oh no...

Soon, the host on stage outside was screaming with excitement. Compared to last night, his voice was even more animated.

Putting aside his playful demeanor, Le Xiaotian assumed a solemn expression. Last night’s performance had been abruptly canceled due to Zhang Hao’s sabotage. Tonight was the counterattack—the time for Earth’s music and dance to rise and shine!

With the confidence of a grand maestro, head held high, electric violin in hand, Le Xiaotian strode unhurriedly toward the stage.

As he emerged from backstage and appeared at the edge of the stage, the atmosphere was nothing like the night before.

Thunderous applause erupted, a tidal wave of sound. All 398 people in Jiufeng’s Second Recital Hall rose to their feet, brimming with excitement.

A conductor was taking the stage—a conductor who let his talent do the talking, who offered unconditional refunds and tenfold compensation at any time. Even the lighting engineer was working with exceptional energy tonight—twelve beams of light spinning and flashing, creating a magnificent spectacle, all converging on Le Xiaotian.

Reaching center stage, Le Xiaotian turned to face the audience—all on their feet, applauding. The hall was packed; the show was on!

With his right hand, holding the bow, pressed over his heart, he offered a flawless, natural musician’s salute.

Afterward, he tucked the violin under his chin, ready to play.

Seeing the conductor in position, the 398 audience members quickly took their seats, holding their breath in anticipation.

In moments, the recital hall fell silent.

All eyes were on Le Xiaotian, prepared for his performance, with thirty-six crystal pillars behind him.

As the hall reached complete stillness, Le Xiaotian’s pre-recorded accompaniment began to play.

He chose this method because, aside from the eighty-eight Star Gods he’d recruit in the future, no one else was qualified to accompany him.

Don’t ask why I’m so arrogant—I am the All-Star Nemesis, the Grand Maestro!

A stirring melody, soul-piercing violin notes sounded. In an instant, it was as if everyone’s souls had been jolted by electricity, their bodies trembling.

Then, with a thunderous timpani roll, a grand, sweeping atmosphere unfurled and engulfed the hall!

The performance hadn’t even formally started, but just the accompaniment made everyone feel the ticket was worth every penny—beyond worth it.

With a flurry of drums, Le Xiaotian sprang into action—he moved!

Clang! Clang clang clang! Wailing notes!

Virus—the third movement of “Pathetique” in C minor, 2/2 time, a rondo. The most brilliant and creative of Beethoven’s early works, renowned for its dramatic and beautiful melodies.

Yet, the “Beethoven—Virus” performed tonight was not Beethoven’s original; many of the modulations were omitted, replaced with elements of electronic music.

As the violin broke the bounds of classical music, accompanied by pounding drums, the audience was left stupefied—everyone was dumbfounded!

Though it felt unconventional, more than a hundred people instantly leapt to their feet, their eyes filled with rapture.

In truth, for a good musical work, the composition is only part of the equation; in the age of electronic integration, even less so. Every piece depends on the performance—that is the real soul.

The veneration for composers came from the era of written scores, but for truly powerful arrangers, composition is merely a basic skill. It’s just like how many confuse DJs with musical genres.

With a deeper understanding of the work’s background and the composer’s intent, a conductor’s mindset surpassing that of arrangers, and a broader perspective than ordinary performers, Le Xiaotian set the hall ablaze!

In just a few seconds, watching that soaring figure center stage, all 398 audience members rose again to their feet. Some even fell to their knees!

Those who understood were beside themselves with excitement and admiration—it was so difficult, truly so difficult! The immense leaps across positions, the high frequency of string crossings, the rapid overall tempo, the beauty of form—utterly insane!

Backstage, Sun Yuzhen and the six beauties exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other’s eyes.

If Le Xiaotian’s recording of “Cloud Palace Quick Music” a few days ago was superhuman, tonight was a complete transcendence!

How could he have improved so miraculously in just a few days? Or had he simply not revealed his true abilities before?

Compared to their confusion, Zhang Lei, who was now kneeling in a corner listening, was even more overwhelmed.

Having read Le Xiaotian’s introduction beforehand, he understood the performance on a deeper level than the other 398 audience members.

Virus—I’m poisoned to my very soul! Damn, it sounds incredible!

The same music, different experiences, different insights—yet all 399 listeners now knelt on the ground.

Though each person’s feelings were slightly different, their conclusion was the same—it was simply too wonderful.

Unlike traditional, esoteric pieces, this one’s fusion with lively drum rhythms made the pace exhilarating. After all, most listeners prefer pop and catchy tunes.

By retaining traditional elements, forgoing grand orchestration, blending in simpler pop ingredients, and excerpting a single movement, the audience was left utterly stunned.

In less than four minutes, they experienced a true audio-visual feast.

Every aspect—form, expression, movement, demeanor, gaze—Le Xiaotian was perfectly balanced and natural; one step more would have been ostentatious, one less, inadequate—just right.

As it was instrumental music, there were no lyrics to distract or confine the audience’s imagination, making it easier to listen with a calm heart.

With the final drumbeat, the radiant Le Xiaotian drew out the closing note.

Unlike painting or sculpture, which go from the whole to the details, music builds from the details to the whole. The first note and the last graceful ending—Le Xiaotian was completely satisfied with his performance.

After finishing, he glanced at the audience—and was stunned: “Why are you all kneeling?”

With the last note completed, all 399 listeners had constructed their own imaginative realms.

Yet, even in their satisfaction, there was a sense of longing for more.

“Maestro Xiaotian, one more piece!”

“One more piece!”

“One more piece!”

Facing such passionate pleas, Le Xiaotian smiled, “No rush—I need a break. In half an hour, I’ll play again.”