Ling Xiaoxiao chose a lesser-known song from 2017 called “Tang Sancai.”
As the light, ethereal accompaniment began and Ling Xiaoxiao started to sing, an era from a thousand years ago slowly reemerged in everyone’s minds.
“The Tang wind is splendid, the moon shines bright upon the vast seas, a boundless clear autumn~”
“The Qin pass and the Huai willows, the sun warms Lantian, the wine of grapes~”
Dunhuang and Chang’an—two poles of vicissitude and prosperity—painted the picture of that golden age.
That was precisely Ling Xiaoxiao’s era.
The ice-patterned lotus jade, the dance of rainbow-feathered robes—the lyrics originally told of a tragic love between royal figures.
But clearly, the words resonated with Ling Xiaoxiao on a personal level.
In those days, she had roamed the mortal world holding someone’s hand. Yet not long after, left alone, she could only grow thin and weary through the passing years.
Fragrant cheeks fairer than snow just for that person’s smile, rainbow-feathered robes just for that person’s tender glance.
“Returning to old haunts, the crabapple blossoms grow thin, I long to hold your hand.”
Just like that, she sang her longing out plainly, yet with restraint.
“After the song ends and the crowd disperses, perhaps this love still remains atop that city tower, gazing upon the splendor of Tang Sancai, let this love begin anew.”
Offstage, Xue Ji could feel Ling Xiaoxiao’s heart. Parts of this song were meant for her. But it was also Ling Xiaoxiao’s way of commemorating old friends, bidding farewell to the past, and starting afresh.
Though the song was melancholy, the weight of history and the lyrical vocal style veiled that sorrow within the scenery, burying it beneath the yellow sands blown in by time itself.
A feeling of sorrow without being devastated—it was incredibly fitting for everyone about to part ways.
This single song quieted the restless atmosphere of the entire venue.
Many people, when faced with farewell, replace sorrow with wild revelry. But only they themselves know what they truly feel inside. The wilder the revelry, the deeper the anxiety.
Calming down and facing one’s emotions head-on was a far more precious experience.
This performance not only moved everyone present, but because of the live broadcast, it also captivated those watching online.
On Mount Hua, a young man was searching everywhere for a signal, finally managing to catch the live stream.
Just as he saw Ling Xiaoxiao dressed in red hanfu, the old man beside him smacked his phone right out of his hands.
The phone vanished into the clouds and mist.
“Master, what are you doing?! Without my phone, how am I supposed to watch the school anniversary show?!”
“Watch what show? Go back and train! You’ve been cultivating all this time and have barely managed to reach the Half-Step Golden Core stage, and you still have the nerve to watch shows?”
Hearing his master’s words, the youth’s mouth twitched. He’d only been training for half a year, and a Half-Step Golden Core wasn’t enough?
All he could do was shuffle back to his room, dejected, and find his spare phone. But what use was finding it? With no signal, what could he do? Better to train obediently.
Back where they had been, the old man raised his hand, and that phone flew back into his grasp.
The old man stared at Ling Xiaoxiao on the screen, a deep loathing written all over his face.
“The debt for my disciple… sooner or later, I will settle it with you… What?! How can this be?!”
…
Elsewhere, Ling Xiaoxiao’s song came to an end. Silence filled the venue.
Xue Ji was the first to applaud her. Only then did the crowd emerge from their individual thoughts, answering Ling Xiaoxiao with applause.
And the broadcast perfectly captured that moment of Xue Ji clapping.
Xue Ji flashed a peace sign at the camera, causing the livestream’s comments to explode again.
“Ten minutes. I want all the info on this woman!”
“Watch me grab my phone in one move and refine it instantly.”
“You guys can have the white-haired one, I’m taking the singing sister by storm.”
All good things must come to an end. The evening party was finally over.
But the memories of tonight would remain forever in everyone’s hearts.
Everyone gathered together, wishing each other well, saying their goodbyes to the classmates joining the special abilities corps.
“Bros, don’t forget me. Next time we meet, dinner’s on me.”
“Alright, alright, holding you to that. Let’s go grab a feast tomorrow.”
“Um, Senior, I-I-I…” The girl was too shy to get out what she wanted to say.
The senior placed his cap on her head and smiled gently. “Take care. We’ll meet again.”
Xue Ji took photos with her classmates as keepsakes, staying until the very last moment.
Ling Xiaoxiao, Shaya, and the others had all gone back earlier.
Walking through the now silent gymnasium, Xue Ji made her final farewells alone.
She unexpectedly ran into the old headmaster and her homeroom teacher, who were still there.
“Xue Ji, why haven’t you gone back yet?”
“Teacher Zhou, I’m just taking a look. I’ll leave soon,” Xue Ji answered.
“I remember you didn’t used to look like this, did you? What, let loose after the college entrance exams?”
“I guess it’s from my ability awakening. My appearance changed.”
The headmaster nodded at this and sighed. “Tell me, you kids, so young, why do you have to go waving swords and spears at those monsters?”
Headmaster Zhou’s words made the atmosphere heavy again.
Homeroom teacher Hu Yan patted Xue Ji on the shoulder, then walked away.
Just the two of them were left, looking at the now-empty stage.
The headmaster stood with his back to the stage lights, his shadow stretching long.
“Me, I may not have many years left, but I still can’t stop worrying about you all. I’m truly afraid that one day, I’ll hear that kind of news about you.”
“Student, aren’t you afraid?”
Xue Ji walked to his side, one long and one short shadow merging together.
“I am. The first time I saw those monsters, my hands wouldn’t stop trembling.”
“Death isn’t far from us. Every battle holds the possibility of losing our lives.”
“I’ve complained before, wondering why this kind of thing had to happen to me. If I were just an ordinary person, would I not have to live in such fear and anxiety?”
“However, the first time I used my power to help someone and saw their smile, my hands slowly stopped trembling.”
The staff had almost finished clearing the stage. Tonight’s revelry was like a dream, leaving no trace behind. The stage lights had dimmed.
“It’s not the power itself that caused this change. Instead, this power protected me, allowed me to protect others.”
“Are you trying to say, with great power comes great responsibility?” The headmaster seemed to see through Xue Ji’s thoughts and said this.
“No, what I want to say is simply that I will still be afraid. But knowing that someone needs me, and that there are even people walking this path with me, makes the fear in my heart no longer matter.”
“So what you mean is, you’re just thinking of banding together for warmth, nothing so profound?” The headmaster teased.
“What else?” Xue Ji replied.
The two looked at each other and laughed, sweeping away the previous gloom completely.
Moonlight spilled over them as they bid each other farewell.
