Mount and Blade System: Start from Pioneer Lords.

Chapter 476 Barrier
That's so wild!

This ancient dance, combined with the rugged and masculine physiques of the centaur warriors, and the soaring songs, is so wild! So unrestrained!
"It's so impactful! Dancing and singing at the same time, where did this new musical come from? I've never heard of it before. And this song, it's like it was tailor-made for the vast grasslands." Flina was so engrossed in watching that she took a moment to ask.

In Debe's musicals, dancing and singing are completely separate; singing is singing, and dancing is dancing. This is the first time I've ever seen someone sing and dance at the same time.

"This is a performance created by our High Cliff Fortress, called 'Singing and Dancing.' As for the dance and the song, the dance is tap dancing, which centaurs are born with. Few people have seen this kind of classical dance. The song, of course, is written by me." The lord shamelessly played a word game. The song was indeed copied by him, so he was not embarrassed at all.

"Centaur are both brave and skilled warriors, but I never imagined they would also be renowned dancers," Andre couldn't help but exclaim.

"Haven't you heard the saying 'superb dancing skills'? Every single one of you is an outstanding dancer and a master of martial arts." The lord smiled slightly.

Those around were astonished, never expecting the word to be interpreted in this way.

Tina covered her mouth and chuckled secretly.

Even the old-fashioned nobles on the second floor, who had originally been filled with a sense of superiority and ready to watch the joke, were now mostly speechless.

They may denigrate someone as "vulgar," but they cannot deny the powerful impact and unique charm of such a performance.

Some of the more enlightened older nobles even nodded slightly, their eyes revealing appreciation.

Meanwhile, many of the noblewomen had flushed cheeks and stared intently at the mighty, masculine centaur warriors on the stage, whispering and gossiping amongst themselves, a stark contrast to their earlier mockery of the hula dance.

As expected, the centaur warriors' performance received tremendous acclaim. While the dance alone might not have captivated these northerners, the combination with the song created a perfect synergy, like elves dancing and mermaids singing.

Although the bards' performance was still outstanding, most of the people in the audience had already seen it before, and they didn't have the same wow factor as seeing centaurs dance for the first time. So the difference in skill was obvious.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there are no losers in this unique competition." The lord suddenly appeared on the stage, and countless colorful lights shone on him, making him appear even more sacred and majestic.

These lowly soldiers were unaware of the arranged marriage, and many of them were admirers of the Knight of Deberon.

Countless people in the audience immediately cheered from the bottom of their hearts.

"Because we are all winners!" The lord spread his arms wide, his voice filled with heroic spirit.

He vanished into thin air as soon as he finished speaking, just like a fleeting moment.

The applause erupted like a long-accumulated flood suddenly bursting through a dam.

The applause was far more enthusiastic and unrestrained than that given to the bards and centaurs, and it was mixed with the spontaneous cheers of many northern men.

Many nobles, especially officers known for their bravery, were thrilled by the story.

"Li Wei?" Flina looked at Li Wei, who had disappeared from the stage, and then at the lord who had been in the private room the whole time, her face questioning.

"This is a gift from the sea goddess after I married the mermaid—the Starry Sky Twin Shadow Barrier, which can transform into another version of myself," Li Wei briefly explained.

Only the leader of Gaoyabao knew that he possessed this blessing.

The Starry Sky Twin Shadow Barrier was used to deal with those Lich Kings.

The surrounding noblemen looked on with envy, secretly marveling at how lucky this Dragon Knight was with women: an elven beauty, a mermaid princess, a black dragon queen, Princess Debe, and now even their own duchess was about to become his wife.

“I never expected that a brute like you could say something so philosophical.” Sersney was a little surprised. “And why didn’t you say more? That doesn’t fit your show-off personality.”

"Do you understand what the Pandora effect is? As long as you maintain enough distance and mystery, you can make people want to do more the more you forbid it." Li Wei tried to make these illiterate people who had not received nine years of compulsory education understand what this meant.

However, they clearly only understood the last four words and had to wholeheartedly admire the High Cliff Fortress Lord's talent for winning people's hearts.

The rabbit-woman announcer once again walked onto the stage with elegant and sexy steps, attracting countless eyes once more.

She smiled sweetly, her voice still clear and melodious:

"Thank you to the Lenir warriors from High Cliff Fortress for such a wonderful performance! It was truly exhilarating!"

She patted her ample chest and made an adorable expression of being shocked, which immediately drew another round of good-natured laughter and whistles.

"So, the two very different but equally exciting matches have come to an end." The bunny girl changed the subject, winking playfully. "According to the program schedule, the next event will be a small exchange performance. The bards of the North and High Cliff Fortress will collaborate on an impromptu show for everyone."

This segment immediately sparked great interest among the audience.

Improvisational collaboration is extremely demanding on both parties' skills, tacit understanding, and adaptability.

Everyone wanted to know how two groups with such different styles could collaborate.
"Now, please prepare yourselves for a moment, the excitement is about to begin!"

The rabbit-man announcer swayed his hips and retreated behind the curtain.

The spotlights dimmed temporarily, leaving only a small area of ​​light in the center of the stage.

The leader of the bards was now a very elegant middle-aged man. He and Gus walked to the center of the light zone.

One is elegant and composed, the other is cold and resolute, forming a stark contrast.

The bard smiled and spoke to Gus in fluent Common Continental language, while gesturing lightly with his fingers as if explaining some idea.

Gus listened attentively with his arms crossed, occasionally nodding in response.

After a brief exchange, the two seemed to have reached a consensus.

Liyoubei turned around and made a few gestures to the bards behind him.

The poets immediately understood and picked up their respective instruments—lutes, harps, flutes, and so on.

Gus returned to the Lenir warriors and quickly gave instructions in a low voice in their tribal language.

A moment later, the bard signaled to the bunny girl that everything was ready. The lights came on again.

The first note of the music was a soft, slightly melancholic melody played by bards. The gentle tune seemed to depict a tranquil yet somewhat detached atmosphere.

Gus's deep voice slowly rose, speaking in the ancient, universal language of the continent, as if he were narrating or reciting:

The winds of the wilderness blow across different grasslands; the sound of horses' hooves cannot reach the halls of humankind.

The bards sang softly in harmonious chords, like whispers in the background.

Then, the middle-aged bard stepped forward gracefully, his voice clear and captivating:

"The songs of the city cannot reach the distant hills; the poems of humankind cannot express the sentiments of other peoples."

Then, the Lenir warriors began to respond with low hums, their horses' hooves gently tapping the ground with a steady rhythm, attempting to blend with the poets' music.

The music gradually becomes richer, and the bards' magic is displayed once again. Soft light and shadow intertwine on the stage, creating blurry human and horse figures that approach and then recede from each other, symbolizing the initial probing and estrangement.

The bard's song rose a little higher, filled with questions and inquiries:
"But can the wind carry the scent of distant lands? Can songs convey the feelings between us?"

Gus's smoky voice then rang out, firm and powerful:
"The hoofbeats can be in the same rhythm! The arms can be swung in the same direction!"

Suddenly, the music rhythm changed!
The bards' performance incorporated a more lively rhythm, while the Lenir warriors' synchronized and powerful tap dance suddenly joined in, no longer purely wild, but perfectly in sync with the music's beat.

"Look! Can different hands compose a song together?" the bard sang, his lute producing magnificent arpeggios.

“Listen! Different voices, can you sing the same tune?” Gus responded, and the Lenir warriors sang a powerful chorus.

On stage, the magic of light and shadow intertwines with the ritualistic and powerful dance moves of the centaur warriors.

The bards were no longer limited to playing music; they also joined in performing. They began to imitate and learn the wild rhythms of the centaur warriors, using gestures and steps. Although their movements were a little clumsy, they were full of sincerity.

The centaur warriors are also trying to understand the melody of the music, and their movements, while powerful, incorporate more rhythm.

Music, dance, light and shadow, singing... two completely different art forms begin to merge, collide, and then burst forth with amazing sparks.

They used music and dance to vividly demonstrate the process of understanding—from initial unfamiliarity and tentative exploration, to the collision and learning in the middle, and finally to integration and resonance.

The entire opera house fell silent, everyone captivated by the impromptu yet profound collaborative performance.

It was not as independent and complete as the previous two performances, but it was all the more precious and moving because of its improvisation, collaboration and profound theme.

As the last note faded, all the performers, whether bards or Lenir warriors, greeted each other and bowed to the audience.

Thunderous applause once again resounded throughout the Maria Opera House, lasting for a long time!
This applause is for art, and even more so for the first collaborative performance between two very different races.

"Li Wei, this was an unforgettable performance." Even Freya couldn't help but exclaim.

In fact, this final performance was a spur-of-the-moment idea of ​​the lord. He approached the bards under the name of the dragon knight, and they naturally agreed, saying it was their honor.

“Actually, I also have a performance called ‘Love My Deba,’ but it’s a bit too early to perform it now, otherwise the effect would be even more amazing.” Li Wei laughed.

There are barriers between every race. The purpose of this performance was simply for Li Wei to eliminate some of the sense of estrangement between the North and High Cliff, so that both sides could feel a sense of mutual understanding.

Of course, it's unlikely that one could achieve this level of success with just one performance.

But as long as you do it, things will gradually change under the subtle influence.

As a true descendant of the Chinese nation, living in the big family of fifty-six ethnic groups, and also a lord of his own territory, Li Wei would not harbor serious discrimination against intelligent races such as elves, dwarves, and orcs.

Of course, this excludes people who are living a good life, such as black people, goblins, and harpies.

There are always some intelligent races that, despite their intelligence, are essentially no different from beasts.

……

The evening breeze was gentle, blowing on people like the soft breaths of a mistress.

Walking on the moonlit street, Li Wei thought it would be wonderful if he were accompanied by a beautiful woman, but the reality was a bald old man with exotic features.

Three days have passed since the opera house performances ended. With the disaster over and the Ring of Ice and Water falling into Livy's hands, the unusually cold weather in Gonda has also quietly come to an end.

With the sun shining brightly and the snow melting, the journey from Gaoyabao southwards was much faster, and they finally arrived in Gonda tonight.

Aisha and Tiffany, along with the two orca warrior brothers Van Gogh, all arrived. However, due to the long journey and the approaching evening, the two beauties went to bed to whisper secrets with Tina and the others, while the Van Gogh brothers returned to their camp to rest. Only Elder Donkin, the turtle man, remained full of energy and insisted on waking him up to learn about the matters concerning Gonda.

First, he went to the warehouse to see the wealth gathered by the Gondar, and then he secretly took a look at Prime Minister Debe and his group, who were properly housed in the room guarded by four orcish giants.

An old man and a young man swung their arms as they arrived at a quiet garden.

There are many gardenia trees planted along the way, and the moonlight shines down, creating a hazy atmosphere. In the middle, there is a sculpture fountain depicting a prince and his wife gazing lovingly at each other. It is undoubtedly the best place for many lovers to relieve their worries and loneliness late at night.

Unfortunately, there's only an old man and a young man here now.

"We've struck it rich, Li Wei!" Elder Tang Jin exclaimed excitedly. "I've been saying for a long time that one school in Gaoyabao is not enough. Now we can build seven or eight at once, and we can also buy learning books on the market."

Elder Tang Jin was originally a lofty person who regarded money as dirt, but the environment changed him so much—simply put, Gaoyabao was just too poor.

Even though the lord has fought so many battles and amassed the treasure of a dragon, he can only maintain operations and develop at a moderate pace in the face of the money-devouring beast that is High Cliff Fortress. He needs to be very careful in many areas.

After all, the only sources of income for High Cliff Fortress right now are iron ore, trade with the North, and maritime trade. And the latter two are just getting started. It's wishful thinking to think that it can make a lot of money in the short term.

(End of this chapter)