Chapter 398: Why So Silent?

"Soul Etching...?" Chen Ling asked, confused. "But my Tier 3 skill isn't that. Won't that mean I can never achieve perfect disguise?"

"Your skill is different because you are embodying yourself, whereas we embody other characters. At its core, however, our method is the same: it's all based on conviction," Mo Jiao explained seriously. "As long as it's rooted in conviction, with practice and guidance, you can achieve something similar to what we do."

"Like... foundational skills?"

"Exactly. Besides potentially allowing you to master 'perfect disguise,' singing, speaking, acting, and martial arts—each foundational skill, when infused with conviction, can undergo remarkable transformations. These are 'bonus skills' acquired through diligent practice, not granted by the Divine Path, and they cannot be taken away or sealed by any means. While these skills may not always be overwhelmingly powerful, they can sometimes prove surprisingly effective. This is our 'secret art' of the Theater God Path."

Mo Jiao paused.

"Of course, the secret art Master intends to teach you is on a higher level. However, before that, you'll need to develop a solid foundation in these basic skills."

"Bonus skills, secret arts of the Theater Path..."

Chen Ling immediately recalled his mental energy being sealed by Tan Xin's "Cease-Fire" in Aurora City, and his abilities recently locked by Joker's white ash. If he could master these foundational skills, regardless of what other powers he might gain, at least he wouldn't be helpless if he encountered such sealing abilities again.

Chen Ling nodded emphatically.

"I understand, Senior Brother. Let's begin."

Mo Jiao smiled with satisfaction, took a sip of tea, and continued,

"Junior Brother, this is your first time trying vocal training, and I'm not sure what your current skill level is. What I'll do is sing a passage, and you try your best to imitate me. I'll listen to see if you have any natural talent."

"No problem."

Mo Jiao cleared his throat and sang aloud:

"The icy wheel on the sea island just begins to turn; behold the jade rabbit, already risen in the east. As that icy wheel departs the isle, heaven and earth become exceptionally bright. The radiant moon hangs high, much like Chang'e leaving her lunar palace. I am like Chang'e leaving the lunar palace, truly like Chang'e descending from the nine heavens, serenely and coldly alighting in the Guanghan Palace, ah, in the Guanghan Palace."

After Mo Jiao finished singing, Chen Ling was still a bit bewildered. Firstly, the passage contained many words, and secondly, its winding melody demanded extremely high precision in pitch and a keen sense of rhythm.

Chen Ling silently swallowed.

Chen Ling was well aware of his own singing abilities—or lack thereof. Ever since his teacher told him he was tone-deaf as a child, he hadn't even set foot in a KTV as an adult, at most humming a few lines while wearing headphones. Now, suddenly asked to sing a passage, he couldn't help but feel a pang of dread.

"What's wrong, Junior Brother?" Mo Jiao asked with a gentle smile. "Just sing. You don't need to be professional; I'm just assessing your vocal condition."

"...Alright."

With Mo Jiao having pushed the matter, Chen Ling could only bite the bullet. Broken, faltering sounds emerged from his throat:

"The icy wheel on the sea island first... turns... see the jade rabbit... the jade rabbit early again... what rises..."

The smile on Mo Jiao's face slowly froze.

After he painstakingly finished the last word, the entire courtyard fell into a dead silence. Mo Jiao stood there, silently, his hair disheveled by the wind.

Chen Ling blinked and tentatively asked, "...Senior Brother?"

"Oh, excellent!"

Mo Jiao forced a smile. "Junior Brother, your breath control is quite good, it's just... your pitch is a bit off."

Chen Ling nodded thoughtfully. "What's next?"

Mo Jiao paced back and forth in the courtyard. After pondering seriously for a long time, he looked at Chen Ling with a hint of disbelief, as if defying fate.

"Next, we're going to work on pitch. I'll sing a note, and you try your best to sing the same note along with me, keeping our pitches aligned. Understood?"

"No problem."

Mo Jiao took a deep breath and sang a single note:

"Ah."

"Ah—" Chen Ling's note wildly fluctuated.

"..." Mo Jiao paused, then sang, "Ah."

"Ah—" Chen Ling's note plummeted.

Mo Jiao remained silent.

That afternoon.

"From now on, I will teach you the 'acting' component of the foundational skills."

Luan Mei, tall and elegant in a qipao, stood in the center of the courtyard. A gentle breeze stirred, and plum blossom petals drifted down from the wall, blanketing the ground.

Luan Mei hadn't prepared a table, chairs, or tea for Chen Ling. She simply stood there, her gaze as clear and calm as a winter lake.

She looked at Chen Ling and slowly spoke,

"'Acting' is an extremely crucial element of performance. A mature performer must be able to convey a character's personality, emotions, and inner world through their movements. To achieve this, one must first practice body posture, which includes flexibility, coordination, and a sense of rhythm..."

Hearing this, Chen Ling suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Typically, those who practice these foundational skills are children, requiring stretching and spine alignment. However, since you've already reached Tier 3, your physical conditioning shouldn't be a concern. For you, the most important thing is to master the rhythm of movements, and then learn to control your expressions and gaze."

Luan Mei opened her palm, revealing a cassette tape resting there. With a mere thought, it vanished without a trace.

The next moment, melodious music swelled from the air.

"To practice rhythm, we'll begin with dance. Follow my movements and learn gradually."

Without waiting for Chen Ling's reply, Luan Mei began to move to the music, light and graceful like a prairie breeze. Her slender form danced through the courtyard, stirring the plum blossom petals on the ground into enchanting swirls.

Chen Ling dared not speak. He could only nod silently, watching her movements and imitating them as best he could.

"Too slow."

"Too fast."

"Is your body always so stiff?"

"You missed a beat again."

Night fell.

The aroma of food wafted from the dining table. Chen Ling silently shoveled rice into his mouth, eating noticeably faster than yesterday, as if genuinely starved.

Across from him, the young man was still clutching his bowl, frantically devouring his food. Catching sight of Chen Ling having already finished most of his meal, he couldn't help but exclaim:

"It seems today's practice was quite effective. Starting tomorrow, Sixth Brother will need a bigger bowl."

"Indeed, vocal practice is one thing, but acting is quite physically demanding," the Eldest Senior Brother said with a smile. "Today, I heard music playing at Second Brother's house all afternoon; he practiced for at least four or five hours, which shows how diligent Junior Brother is. Tomorrow's martial arts training will likely be even more exhausting."

The Third Senior Brother nodded slightly. "Before I leave later, I'll get him a bigger bowl."

"Speaking of which, how much progress has Junior Brother made?" the Eldest Senior Brother mused. "Given Junior Brother's talent and effort, he shouldn't take too long to master the foundational skills, should he?"

Chen Ling's body stiffened slightly, and he quickened his pace of eating.

In contrast, Luan Mei and Mo Jiao, sitting beside him, had barely touched their food, appearing like two somber statues.

The young man raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly.

"Second Brother, Fourth Brother, why are you so quiet?"