"What? You haven't even played the Guqin once, and you're still betting with them? Are you insane?" Yang Yiyi's eyes widened in shock.
The others bent over, howling with laughter, their faces filled with disdain. They finally understood that this youth was nothing more than a colossal swindler and an idiot.
"I may not have played the Guqin, but I'll have no problem crushing these three incompetent fools," Zhang Bin said with utter confidence.
Everyone was stunned.
The three scholars, however, were so infuriated they practically shrieked with anger. They desperately wanted to tear Zhang Bin to shreds right then and there. To be called incompetent fools—with their pride and arrogance, how could they possibly tolerate such an insult?
Yang Yiyi couldn't help but ask in disbelief, "How is that possible?"
"A true genius doesn't need to practice. All they need to do is read the books, memorize the scores, and simulate it in their minds," Zhang Bin explained nonchalantly.
"You're really something. Just don't let all that boasting come back to bite you."
Yang Yiyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What an arrogant youth, truly boundless in his audacity.
Yet she could never have dreamed that the young man before her had been practicing the Guqin in the Virtual World for nearly three months. Perhaps he wasn't just boasting after all.
"Fine, fine! Today, we'll witness a natural-born genius, one who can master the Guqin without ever needing to study!" Peng Yang's face turned crimson with rage.
The faces of the other two scholars were also contorted with fury. They had met countless arrogant people in their lives, but none had ever surpassed the youth standing before them.
Lin Youlan nearly ordered Zhang Bin to be thrown out, suspecting he was only there to cause trouble. However, her refined upbringing won out, and she restrained herself. Instead, she announced the start of the selection.
One by one, people went on stage to play their pieces on the Guqin. They were indeed skilled performers, their music exceptionally moving and elegant.
Peng Yang, in particular, stood out. He played one of the ten great ancient Guqin masterpieces, "Ambush from Ten Sides."
The Guqin composition, "Ambush from Ten Sides," is based on the historic Chu-Han contention in 202 BCE China, depicting the decisive battle at Gaixia between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. The piece primarily glorifies the victor, Liu Bang, striving to portray the majestic and valiant image of his triumphant army. The entire piece is grand and imposing, filled with the grim clamor of battle and an air of slaughter. "Ambush from Ten Sides" arguably takes the art of solo Guqin performance to its pinnacle. It creates a vast, epic narrative with a single instrument, a feat that often requires a full symphony orchestra in modern music. To this day, it remains one of the most representative masterpieces in the art of Guqin performance.
Therefore, playing "Ambush from Ten Sides" well was something only an exceedingly talented expert could achieve.
Clearly, Peng Yang was such an expert.
Everyone listened in silence, as if they were witnessing an ancient battlefield, experiencing its grand and profound vision. Expressions of awe and enjoyment spread across their faces.
Yang Yiyi was also captivated, but her heart began to sink into despair. Peng Yang is indeed an exceptionally rare Guqin talent. He played so well that Chen Junheng is sure to lose and will be driven out. If I can't meet Master Lin, how will I ever sell my paintings?
Finally, Peng Yang's performance concluded.
Instantly, thunderous and overwhelmingly enthusiastic applause erupted. The crowd was truly astounded, as not a single one of them could play "Ambush from Ten Sides."
Even Lin Youlan, who had also practiced in secret, had always been hesitant and faltering, unable to play the piece with such completeness and fluidity. After all, it was an extremely difficult piece, one that was impossible to play with transcendent skill without being a master of the Guqin.
"Young Master Peng, your Zither Skills have improved again. You truly are a genius," Lin Youlan said admiringly.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Peng Yang stood up, his face brimming with self-satisfaction. His contemptuous gaze landed on Zhang Bin's face. "Kid, everyone has finished performing. It's your turn. You aren't too scared to come up, are you?"
"That's right, kid. Get up there and let us hear a performance from a 'natural genius' who can master superb Zither Skills without learning. It would be a true honor for us," Guan Shanyue added mockingly.
Wu Xingxing and the others all stared at Zhang Bin with teasing eyes.
"Can you actually do this or not? If you can't, don't go up there and embarrass yourself," Yang Yiyi said, her face a mask of doubt. Clearly, even she couldn't believe Zhang Bin could be a master of the Guqin without ever having studied it.
"How can a man ever say he can't?"
With a wicked smile, Zhang Bin strode confidently onto the stage. He shot a disdainful look at Peng Yang, who was still dawdling, reluctant to step down. "What was that garbage you were playing? It almost made me throw up."
"You..."
Peng Yang was so angry he almost coughed up blood. If he didn't know he was no match for Zhang Bin, he would have already charged forward to fight him. For a talent like him, it was the first time he'd ever heard such insulting words; he was used to endless praise.
Even Lin Youlan, sitting to the side, couldn't stand it anymore. She glared fiercely at Zhang Bin. "If you continue to spout nonsense, I'll revoke your right to perform."
Zhang Bin shrugged and gave Lin Youlan a long, meaningful look. He smiled. "Beauty, your prejudice against me runs too deep. There's an old saying: 'The sea cannot be measured with a bushel, and a person cannot be judged by their appearance.' I look forward to you changing your mind. That is the kind of beauty I can admire."
Finished speaking, he paid no more attention to Lin Youlan, whose entire body was trembling with rage, and sat down on the stool with a commanding air.
But he didn't start playing. Instead, he put on a curious expression, touching the instrument and muttering to himself, "So this is the Guqin. It's a bit different from what I imagined."
The crowd nearly fainted. Yang Yiyi felt her world spin. So he hasn't just never played a Guqin, he's never even seen one before! How is he supposed to play? Is this what they call 'playing nonsense on a Guqin'?
"If you don't know how to play, then get off the stage!" Lin Youlan said furiously. She couldn't take it anymore. What kind of person was this? He was simply a freak. In her nineteen years, she had met countless geniuses and eccentrics, but she had never seen a freak quite like this.
"Although I've never seen or played the Guqin, I am an exceptionally rare musical genius. After watching so many of you play, I can naturally play it too," Zhang Bin said with a wicked grin. "That incompetent fool just played 'Ambush from Ten Sides.' His playing was a chaotic mess that made me want to vomit, completely ruining such a famous piece. So, I will also play 'Ambush from Ten Sides' once, to let you all hear what the real 'Ambush from Ten Sides' sounds like."
"Bastard! If you play 'Ambush from Ten Sides' better than I did, I'll crawl between your legs! If not, you'll crawl between mine! Do you dare?" Peng Yang roared.