18.
The next morning, the seven members of the "Swordsman" group gathered in the designated practice room on time.
Compared to the dark charm of "Venom", the melody of "Swordsman" starts with the soul-stirring interweaving of guzheng and flute, full of the vastness of the rivers and lakes and the unrestrained and unruly spirit of the knights.
Instructor Luo Wei personally came to give guidance. He looked around at the seven students, his gaze lingering particularly on the four students from Class A: "The difficulty of this song isn't in the technique, but in the 'spirit'. You should forget your identities as modern idols and imagine yourself as a knight wielding a sword, wandering the world. Your movements should be powerful, have a sense of extension, and, most importantly, have a sense of 'spirit'."
He demonstrated a few basic movements. They seemed simple, but required the core to be tight, the lower body to be extremely stable, the arms to be stretched like flowing clouds, and the fingertips to be like swords.
Wuyou learns very quickly. He has a good foundation in dancing and strong explosive power. He can imitate the movements very well, but there is still that arrogance between his eyebrows. He does not look like a knight, but more like a young man from a famous family who is willful and reckless.
Ruan Xu was having a hard time. He was young and had a cute temperament, so he always looked a little immature when performing knight moves. He couldn't get the hang of it and was so anxious that sweat broke out on the tip of his nose.
Mi Xi stood before the mirror, eyes slightly closed, listening to the music, seemingly absorbing the melody's artistic conception. When he opened them again, his expression had changed. No longer the aloof calm of his usual self, nor the alluring hook he wore on stage, but instead... a look of a certain unrestrained determination. He made a sword-drawing gesture, arms extended, back straight. Though the movements were still awkward, a sense of effortless energy was already taking shape.
Luo Wei's eyes lit up: "Yes! Mi Xi, this is the feeling! Grab it!"
The most surprising person was Chu Qingling.
As the music began, he stood in a corner, moving slowly to the beat. His figure was naturally slender, yet his movements possessed a unique rhythm, a softness yet a firmness. Turning back, his eyes were cold and lonely, as if he were truly a swordsman practicing alone on a snowy mountaintop, untouched by dust. The slightest tremor in his fingertips seemed to radiate inner strength, perfectly embodying the concept of "body rhythm."
"Good! Chu Qingling, you're great! Your form and understanding of music are spot on!" Luo Wei praised generously, "Please tell us more about this feeling."
Chu Qingling stiffened imperceptibly when his name was suddenly called. He wasn't used to speaking in front of a crowd, especially under so many eyes. He pursed his pale lips, drooping his eyelashes, and remained silent for a few seconds.
The atmosphere in the practice room was a little quiet.
At this moment, Mi Xi walked over and stood beside Chu Qingling, gently saying, "Qingling controlled her breath really well in that freeze frame after turning around. How did she do that? I felt like my breath was a little messy when I did that."
He asked specifically and with a sincere look in his eyes, giving Chu Qingling just the right opportunity to speak without making him feel forced.
Chu Qingling glanced up at Mi Xi, whose peach-shaped eyes held an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath, ignoring the others' gazes (especially Wu You's intrigued gaze), and explained as concisely as possible: "...You need to keep your core tight. Not by holding your breath, but by focusing on this area." He gently pressed his lower abdomen. "Imagine the energy sinking into your dantian. The movement is generating power from the inside out."
As he spoke, he slowly demonstrated the movement again. His explanation was not lively, even a little dry, but combined with his precise and perfect demonstration, the effect was surprisingly good.
Mi Xi immediately tried it, and it really felt much smoother: "I see, that's how it is. Thank you."
Ruan Xu also suddenly realized and started practicing.
Wuyou rolled his eyes at Mi Xi's subtle and effective control of the situation and her precise feeding of Chu Qingling, but he had to admit that this method was effective. He snorted and silently adjusted his breathing.
With Chu Qingling's guidance and Mi Xi's direction, the group's practice began to get on track. Everyone began moving beyond simply imitating the movements and striving to find the "spirit" and "spirit" that belonged to the knight.
During the break, Mi Xi unscrewed the water bottle, walked to Chu Qingling who was still leaning against the wall alone, and handed him an unopened bottle of water.
"Drink some water." Mi Xi's voice was slightly panting after exercise, but still gentle.
Chu Qingling looked at the water he handed over, hesitated for a moment, took it, and whispered, "Thank you."
"I should be the one thanking you." Mi Xi smiled and leaned against the wall, looking at Ruan Xu who was still practicing hard and the other two team members who were correcting each other's movements. "Without you, we might have to take a lot of detours."
His compliments were direct and sincere. Chu Qingling gripped the ice-cold bottle, feeling the chill emanating from it, and something in his heart seemed to relax slightly. For the first time, he felt that perhaps, in this unfamiliar environment, it wasn't all trouble.
Meanwhile, Wu You was holding her phone, complaining to Pei Yu on the other side of the screen, "...Chinese style dancing is so hard! What's with the Qi sinking into the Dantian technique?! My lungs are about to explode!"
Pei Yu on the screen smiled softly and soothed: "Take your time, our Yoyo is the smartest."
————
The music in the practice room stopped. Everyone had just finished a set of exercises and was taking a break. Chu Qingling stood alone by the window, panting slightly, with beads of sweat on his forehead, which he wiped with a towel.
Suddenly, there was a slight "clang" sound, and the door of the practice room was pushed open hastily.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged woman wearing a smart business suit and with an anxious look on her face standing at the door - it was Chu Qingling's agent, Sister He.
"Qingling!" Sister He's voice was filled with undisguised panic, and her eyes quickly locked onto Chu Qingling by the window. "Quick, come with me to the hospital!"
The practice room instantly became quiet, and everyone looked over in confusion.
Chu Qingling paused in wiping, his cold brows slightly furrowed, and he asked in confusion: "What are we going to the hospital for?" His voice was still steady, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a subtle tension.
Sister He walked quickly to him, not caring about the other people around. She lowered her voice, but still couldn't hide her anxiety and a hint of fear: "It's...it's Shen Qingrang...Senior Shen...something happened to him!"
Shen Qingrang!
This name was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, not only causing huge waves in Chu Qingling's heart, but also causing other people in the practice room who knew this name to change their expressions instantly.
Shen Qingrang, LYRA Entertainment's undisputed top star, a star in film, television, and music, was the company's face and cash cow, and a figure countless younger generations looked up to. More importantly, he and Chu Qingling were both members of LYRA, making him Chu Qingling's direct senior.
The color drained from Chu Qingling's face instantly when he heard the words "Shen Qingrang." His usually emotionless eyes suddenly widened, filled with disbelief and shock... a hint of panic.
"What... happened to him?" Chu Qingling's voice was dry, and the fingers holding the towel were so tight that the knuckles turned white.
Sister He's eyes instantly turned red, and her voice was choked with sobs: "The specific situation is still unclear, it seems that... there was an accident on the set, and he fell off the wire... They are still rescuing him... The company is in chaos, Mr. Xie... "When she mentioned "Mr. Xie" (Xie Sui), her voice trembled violently, and it was obvious that the situation over there had become very bad.
Chu Qingling felt a buzzing in his ears, and his mind went blank. Shen Qingrang... rescue? The senior who always gently advised him at the company and shone so brightly on the stage?
He turned around abruptly, without even having time to say a word to his teammates, nor bothering to change out of his sweat-soaked training clothes. He grabbed his coat by the wall and rushed out with Sister He. His usually cool and steady steps were now a little staggering.
The door of the practice room was slammed shut, leaving the room filled with silence and astonishment.
Ruan Xu was frightened by this sudden change and asked in a low voice: "Senior Shen, Shen Qingrang...is it serious?"
Bobby and the other two team members looked at each other, shock and worry written all over their faces.
Wu You put away his usual cynical look, frowned, and whispered to Mi Xi beside him, "If something really happens to Shen Qingrang, LYRA will be completely ruined... Chu Qingling and his company will be in big trouble now."
Mi Xi remained silent, staring at the hastily closed door with a deep gaze. He recalled Chu Qingling's distraught, bloodless face moments earlier. It wasn't just out of concern for his senior, but more like... a kind of fear, a deep worry for someone (he instinctively thought of Xie Sui).
Beneath the glamorous world of the entertainment industry, hidden are so many unknown dangers and cruelties. Shen Qingrang's accident was like a wake-up call, ringing in everyone's heart.
And in dormitory 401, one bed is destined to be empty tonight.
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