Chapter 055: How a Legendary Music Performance Is Forged

You're not boosting their morale; you're sending them to their deaths.

As soon as Le Xiaotian spoke, thousands of agents stiffened in attention. Though they had been dissatisfied with the earlier display before the battle, Qin Bufan was, after all, a general—who would dare complain? Yet Le Xiaotian exuded such audacity, openly rebuking the general without hesitation. Could it be that this Star Soul was the premier secret unit of the Royal Fama?

At that moment, Bi Muyang shouted, "How dare you! Do you even know who you're speaking to?"

Watching his goddess Chen Fang join Le Xiaotian, he recalled his humiliation at the Blue Moon Hotel three days ago, and his displeasure only deepened.

But Qin Bufan glared at him, signaling him to be silent. After conveying his message with a glance, Qin Bufan turned to speak: "Le Xiaotian, I know you have musical talent, but do you truly understand what it means to conduct an orchestra?"

Lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, Le Xiaotian merely smiled, saying nothing.

As tension thickened in the air, he finally spoke: "Ying Dengbo and Zhang Hao chose a simple ensemble piece, 'At All Costs,' which requires no conductor—its strength lies in numbers and a popular rhythm."

Flicking the ash, Le Xiaotian's gaze sharpened. "But what about you? From the composition alone, 'Burning' could easily overpower 'At All Costs,' for this is no longer an era that chases mere volume. Yet you failed to display its strengths; you forgot the support of two billion Fama behind us. What these warriors performed was nothing but empty show. Without musical soul, how can they rouse their fighting spirit? How can they avoid death?"

The agents felt a chill in their hearts. Indeed, earlier, Zhang Hao's side had tens of thousands pounding the drums, creating an overwhelming atmosphere. Their own side, by contrast, had just over fifty in a dual-wind orchestra. Though the music wasn't louder, this method of not competing on volume seemed to agree with Le Xiaotian's words. 'Burning' lacked soul; their morale was anything but high.

Faced with Le Xiaotian's severe reproach, Qin Bufan felt his dignity wounded. "People say your Brother Xiaotian has some talent, but loves to boast. You haven't even seen me conduct—what gives you the right to judge?"

Le Xiaotian clutched his stomach, laughing wildly. "Ha, ha, oh, my stomach hurts."

After his laughter faded, he shook his head in disappointment. "Harmony, counterpoint, form, orchestration—these four pillars of conducting, you understand none. Acute hearing, precise rhythm, extraordinary musical sense, healthy physique, and steadfast will—these are the basic requirements for any conductor, and you don't even meet the standard. With my hearing, do I need to see your performance to know its quality? How utterly laughable!"

Listening to Le Xiaotian's speech, everyone was left bewildered and dazed.

They held conductor as a profession in high esteem, almost a sacred reverence. Quick hands and feet rely on the mind. A film’s quality depends on the director. Football’s excellence depends on the coach. Winning battles comes down to command. The fate of the nation rests with the empress. The movement of the stars depends on...

Origin—the universe’s nine attributes, one of which is like vibration; all things share the same origin, and everything has its conductor.

The highest achievement of Hongkun Heaven’s philosophy is the extremely profound 'water', and the ultimate truth of the universe is the Law of Heavenly Sound Conducting.

Thus, these agents yearned for the truth. Their defeat—was it their own inability, or was the conductor at fault?

With the same personnel, an ordinary conductor can only bring out existing strength, while a super conductor multiplies it tenfold, a hundredfold.

Facing skepticism, Qin Bufan remained calm. "We soldiers despise empty talk. If you’ve got the skill, you conduct."

Excellent, that was the very challenge he’d been waiting for!

Le Xiaotian’s eyebrows rose, his spirit ablaze. "I’ll show you exactly how a divine musical performance that inspires morale is forged. I’ll let you understand in depth what a truly terrifying master conductor looks like!"

Clang!

Le Xiaotian’s words rang out, forceful and resonant, as if the air itself vibrated in response. The atmosphere shifted instantly; everyone felt their hearts pound. Was he simply boasting?

He glanced at Qin Bufan and Bi Muyang, then swept his gaze over the thousands of agents, a smile playing on his lips.

Then, turning to Chen Fang with gentle affection, he said, "Come, Xiaofang, let me take you for a seafood feast."

Her delicate body trembled slightly, and regaining her composure, Chen Fang got into the car.

He started the engine, stirring up a cloud of white sand, and Le Xiaotian drove off with Chen Fang, leaving a baffled crowd of agents behind.

Once the car disappeared beyond the horizon, murmurs began to circulate.

"Damn, so Ziyang isn’t a soldier, but a star conductor!"

"But who is he, anyway? Haven’t had time to keep up with celebrities lately."

"Ah, whoever he is, I just want to survive this battle."

"Shh, keep your voice down, or the general will make you regret it."

Elsewhere, Qin Bufan led Bi Muyang toward the command center built over the past three days.

Once they were out of earshot of others, Bi Muyang anxiously asked, "Uncle, why did you suggest letting Le Xiaotian conduct?"

Looking calmly at his nephew, Qin Bufan replied kindly, "Le Xiaotian is arrogant; I’m setting a trap for him. With his current celebrity status, I could have him executed on the spot. But in these sensitive times, I’ll let him disgrace himself. Does he think he can just conduct? What right does he have to meddle in military affairs? He won’t pass the first test."

The general’s female adjutant added, "Major, you needn’t worry. Le Xiaotian has musical talent, but at best he’s a decent musician, perhaps a music producer. Conducting is different; he doesn’t even meet the threshold, and it’s nothing like publishing music online."

Bi Muyang nodded in agreement. Indeed, for a conductor, the difficulty lies in lacking an orchestra to lead. No music or dance academy has the resources to let conducting students direct hundreds daily. Most rely on imagination and practice on pianos with wide ranges. For someone like Le Xiaotian, only twenty-three, real conducting experience simply doesn’t exist.

Especially to achieve excellence in conducting—without twenty years of hard work, one is but a third-rate conductor.

Feeling reassured, Bi Muyang sensed happiness beckoning him. Le Xiaotian, you’ve brought this on yourself. Chen Fang, you’re mine!