In the singer challenge, Chu Zhi wasn't targeting anyone specifically. He was aiming to enter the top three, challenging all competitors equally. Wu Xi was eliminated simply because he received the lowest number of votes. As for the album dispute, Chu Zhi had already finalized his release date. It was Wu Xi who approached on his own, only to end up getting crushed.
But people take different sides depending on where they stand. From Wu Xi's point of view, none of this would have happened if Chu Zhi hadn't joined the show, so his grudge is understandable.
Wu Xi, dubbed by fans as the "Rock Black Tortoise Cannon," is known for his explosive, throat-tearing vocal style. His songs are raw emotional ballads, perfect for high-stakes gaming matches or intense moments of heartbreak.
After finishing his first song, Wu Xi gripped the mic stand with his left hand and took the microphone in his right. He said, "You can feel the power of rock, right? I feel it too."
"For the next song, 'Sending You to the Moon,' let's ride the vibe all the way to the moon!" he shouted.
This track is one of Wu Xi's most famous and earned him his personal best in votes during this stage performance. His high notes were smooth, the emotion on point. Determined to outshine Chu Zhi, Wu Xi went all in, giving it everything he had.
There were no boos from the crowd, proving Lin Xia was just overthinking things. Even when Wu Xi's voice cracked slightly, no one jeered. It helped that Zheng Huo had already warmed up the audience earlier. Most people were shouting along from the start. Some had been yelling so long their throats were sore.
At the opposite end of the venue, Xu Ji, Zheng Huo, and Chen Aigui watched the performance from the player's exit tunnel. All three of them genuinely hoped to see more artists fall in love with rock music.
"Wu Xi's songwriting and vocal skills are both solid," Xu Ji commented. "But he's too dependent on his state. If he's on, he's great. If not, things fall apart."
"He's too focused on technical marks, not enough flow," said Chen Aigui. "But still a great performance. Besides Old Zheng, he's the most consistent performer among the newer generation."
Chen Aigui called Wu Xi a 'junior,' not to act superior, but because he genuinely acknowledged him. By contrast, he still referred to Chu Zhi as just 'Little Chu.'
Zheng Huo didn't want to praise Wu Xi, since Wu Xi and his younger brother had public beef.
"Encore! Encore!"
"Old Wu's singing is getting better and better!"
"Of course. The Cannon might have a sharp tongue, but his skills are rock-solid."
As he left the stage to encore chants, his assistant sensibly handed him a wet towel and tissues. Wu Xi wiped the sweat from his brow.
"You were in top form," said the lead singer of Upward Gaze Band. "That final scream was pure fire, better than the studio version."
"It was just okay. Still not close to Zheng-ge's level," Wu Xi replied modestly, but the satisfied glint in his eyes betrayed his pride.
"I just wanted to show certain people what rock is. Rock isn't all chirping and chattering," he added.
Everyone in Upward Gaze knew Wu Xi had been taking jabs at Chu Zhi. It all started when Chu's new album promoted the song Suddenly Miss You with the tagline: "The most touching rock anthem for urban youth."
The song itself leaned more toward pop-rock. Naturally, promotional lines are meant to boast, but something about it set Wu Xi off. He publicly declared Chu Zhi's song wasn't even rock.
To be honest, the band thought Wu Xi was just nitpicking. Still, based on today's performance, they agreed Suddenly Miss You was no match. Wu Xi might actually teach Chu Zhi a lesson onstage.
"You're like wine, Wu-ge. Getting bolder with age, like Uncle Zheng," their lead singer said.
Being compared to Zheng Huo made Wu Xi beam. He gave some encouragement in return. "Go kill it out there. Blow that stage up."
"Art is an explosion, after all," the singer replied with a laugh, then took the stage.
The name "Upward Gaze" reportedly came from all five members lying on their backs, looking at the sky, and brainstorming. Their name symbolizes how their songs always reach toward the heavens. Unsurprisingly, their music centers on themes of friendship, passion, and victory—pretty much like a Shueisha anime.
The song they were performing tonight was even chosen as the theme for the Asian Games.
"Jiu-ge, what are you singing later?" Lin Xia asked. After seeing Wu Xi's strong performance, he felt nervous. They were performing in the opponent's home field, and the opponent had damage immunity—it didn't look good.
"A song I wrote myself. Never released before," answered Chu Zhi honestly.
"Original?" Lin Xia raised a brow. "As expected of you, Jiu-ge. Whenever you're involved, nothing ever goes quite the way people expect."
Lin Xia had prepared a hardcore rock song from his second-to-last album. It didn't go viral, but it had some recognition. Original songs, especially in an event like Rock Night, were risky. The audience wouldn't know the lyrics, so no one would sing along. And without that, the energy would drop.
Upward Gaze was followed by Liao Yiwu, Lin Xia's personal nemesis. Before stepping onstage, Liao Yiwu took off his glasses and transformed completely.
Whoa, kind of handsome. A total contrast—prim and proper offstage, then full-on metal rocker onstage.
Not that Chu Zhi would ever say that out loud. His friend standing beside him hated Liao Yiwu. And in friendship, you don't have to like the same things, but you definitely have to agree on who you dislike.
Lin Xia was up next after Liao Yiwu. Chu Zhi noticed he looked a bit tense.
"Have some water," Chu Zhi said.
"Good idea." Lin Xia accepted a water bottle from his assistant and sipped slowly. Even plain water should be drunk slowly, or it'll harm the vocal cords.
"Take your time, Chu-ge." Xiao Zhu handed over a pink thermos.
Due to past mental health issues, Niu Niu and the others had already agreed not to ban Chu Zhi from drinking. They just told him to slow down and not chug.
He unscrewed the lid. A strong aroma wafted out. Hmm? That's the scent of a connoisseur—wait, no. That's actual liquor. Way too strong to miss.
Lin Xia glanced over and saw Chu Zhi drinking alcohol, and there were goji berries floating in it.
"???" Lin Xia wanted to say something, but words couldn't capture his feelings in that moment.
"Good luck," said Chu Zhi with calm determination. Lin Xia walked onstage, still distracted by the image of berries soaked in booze, completely forgetting his nerves.
Hardcore rock and heavy metal often get confused, but there is a difference—though sometimes even pros debate it. Hardcore is looser, with intense drumlines, exaggeration, and aggression. Heavy metal is slightly less aggressive, with distorted guitars and a noisier, sharper sound. The song Chu Zhi was about to perform fell into the heavy metal category.
Back on stage, Lin Xia had a bit of a mishap. His live control wasn't quite there. Hardcore rock isn't easy—it shreds the throat if you're not built for it.
He returned to the dressing room looking downcast. Chu Zhi didn't go to comfort him. It was almost his turn.
Two more performances went by, and now it was Chu Zhi's turn.
Unlike others, he didn't step onstage right away. Instead, he had the crew bring out a gong.
Adding instruments to rock is normal. Trumpets, suonas, drums—Painflower Band even included a violin. So a gong, while unusual, didn't seem out of place.
"I haven't sung much rock before," Chu Zhi said to the mic. "But I've come to understand something about it. To me, rock is about passion. It makes your heart long for something."
"When I read Tang Dynasty history or poetry, I get that same feeling. A passion that makes my heart yearn—for the splendor of the Tang era, for its poetic grace."
"So I wrote a song inspired by those feelings. It's a Chinese-style rock piece. I named it Dreaming of Tang Dynasty."