Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Cold Gleam of a Sword Illuminates Nineteen Provinces (Part Two)

The music grew more intense. Lin Qihua took a deep breath, lifted his head, spread his arms, and, with a voice raised two keys higher, continued to sing the chorus.
"Dilililidilililidenda."
On stage, the director Han Jialin gestured, and the cameraman quickly pulled the shot back, capturing the entire stage and audience. Thousands of lights converged upon Lin Qihua; he stood with his head held high and arms outstretched, singing with abandon. The audience below was in a frenzy, swaying to the rhythm, many unable to contain their emotions as tears of excitement streamed down their faces.
"Let us drink this cup of wine
A true man’s heart is vast as the sea
Having experienced the myriad faces of life, the warmth and cold of the world
This smile remains warm and pure"
Returning to a deeper tone, Lin Qihua sang the last line, lowered his head, pressing it against the microphone, holding his posture until the music faded away.
Applause burst forth from the audience, a tribute to the singer for delivering such a moving song. Once, it was you; once, it was oneself—those youthful days, those times of chasing dreams. Sometimes, nostalgia is a strange thing; it always stirs the most sensitive parts of the human heart, making people helplessly and irresistibly emotional. This is the human heart—something everyone inevitably possesses and does not wish to avoid.
"Once, It Was You" awakened the nostalgia in every soul. Once, you believed that with that sword of youth and a pure conscience, you could convince yourself never to betray your ideals. On the loneliest, tear-filled nights, even when you mocked your own foolishness, you would still draw your sword from your breast, to sting yourself, to remind yourself to press forward with courage.
Lin Qihua released the microphone, smiled and bowed to the audience, waving in gratitude for their support. The applause only grew more fervent, refusing to subside, forcing Lin Qihua to bow deeply again before things gradually calmed. Yet even after sitting down, their hearts could not settle—the power of nostalgia, truly a dangerous thing.

At the very least, the fourth performer felt a bit awkward. Wen Weizhe, a singer from Fragrant Harbor, was a talented vocalist, yet the audience’s emotions had not recovered; their minds still lingered on their former selves and the memories of past years. Naturally, their response was more subdued, leaving Wen Weizhe with a wry smile, but he could only try his best to finish his song. Even if brilliance had come before him, this was still his stage; to sing with all his heart was enough. What mattered the result, after all?
In the audience, Shen Manni and Ma Xiaoqian sat among the crowd. From the moment Lin Qihua began to sing, Ma Xiaoqian forgot everything around her; her eyes were fixed on Lin Qihua’s radiant figure on stage. She listened as he commanded the stage, stirred the audience’s emotions, poured out his recollections of days gone by. Even though it was not the first time she had heard him sing this song, at this moment, Ma Xiaoqian’s heart was moved involuntarily.
Watching Lin Qihua shine on stage, Ma Xiaoqian suddenly felt a vast distance from him. Was it an illusion? She had already entered his life, become his assistant, seen him every day—yet why did she feel so far away from him, as if the gap would only grow, never to be bridged?
"Xiaoqian, what’s wrong?" Shen Manni, brimming with satisfaction as she watched the whole audience applaud her artist, turned to see tears streaming down Ma Xiaoqian’s face.
"It’s nothing." Ma Xiaoqian wiped her tears with a tissue, but found she could not stop crying. Something inside her was surging and brewing, making her weep uncontrollably.
"Is it because you’re moved? Yes, it’s truly touching—even I feel like crying," Shen Manni comforted her. "That’s the effect of a live performance; it’s always more stirring."
"I understand." Ma Xiaoqian wiped her eyes. Was it really just being moved? Yes—and no. Perhaps there was something else mixed in.
When the fourth singer finished, the host dropped a bombshell: time for commercials. Both the audience at the venue and at home relaxed a little, discussing the first four performances.
"Guan Shengjie is strong, and with the host’s support, he’s basically secured his spot."
"Agreed. The second girl is beautiful and talented, but a bit nervous—her performance was slightly off. Overall, a wonderful discovery. Wei Bole’s eye for talent is truly sharp."
"Speaking of Wei Bole, you have to admire him. Who is this third singer, Lin Qihua? Let me give you the background: from ‘Huayi,’ a third-tier singer, terminated his contract a year ago and dropped to fifth-tier, singing in bars—specifically the now-famous ‘Tang Dynasty’ bar, where he released a series of popular singles. He’s the original singer of ‘Little Luck,’ with downloads in the millions. In September, he made his formal comeback, and in October, stepped onto the stage of ‘Singer.’ Wei Bole really has guts—he dug up someone with no stage experience for a year, and had the courage to do it. Most importantly, Lin Qihua delivered such a spectacular performance. I’m floored."

"Say what you will—when this singer opened his mouth, I had chills. What kind of song is this? It sang right into my heart. It was like replaying the film of my youth—unbeatable, tonight’s greatest surprise, hands down."
"Look at these lyrics: ‘Whenever I’m upset, I look at the sea alone, always thinking of friends walking beside me. How many are still healing their wounds? Let us drink this cup of wine, a true man’s heart is vast as the sea, having experienced the myriad faces of life, the warmth and cold of the world—this smile remains warm and pure.’ Such nostalgia, such courage—after suffering all hardships, returning finally to pure sentiment; it truly captures the feelings of youth after facing life’s many joys and sorrows."
The audience buzzed with discussion; online, the debate was also heated. It only quieted when the show resumed, but the emotions stirred within their hearts did not subside. Tonight, many were destined for sleeplessness; tomorrow, some would become the center of attention.
Leaving the stage, on the way back to the dressing room, Su Jianhao was still visibly excited—thrilled by Lin Qihua’s performance, even more excited to have drawn such a singer as his partner. The topic was endless.
What is a topic? It means attention, popularity—for artists and hosts alike, it’s something everyone pursues relentlessly.
Lin Qihua’s own mood was slow to calm. This song was not merely a performance, but an expression and release of countless emotions within him. So many feelings churned in his heart, and finally, he had succeeded in making his comeback on this stage.
Sword energy sweeps thirty thousand miles; a single blade’s light chills nineteen provinces.