After taking advice, I became a top male idol.

The battle poster appeared on the big screen.

On the left is a meticulously edited silhouette of Gu Qingzhou wearing a white Zhongshan suit; on the right is a gentle profile of Zhang Xuena wearing a blue and white cheongsam.

War is imminent!

In the preparation room.

Gu Qingzhou stood up, straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and strode towards the passageway.

"Keep it up, Qingzhou!"

"The first match is all up to you!"

His teammates cheered him on, their eyes filled with anticipation.

After all, this is a great start, and whether we can boost morale depends entirely on this battle.

Lin Zhixing opened his eyes and nodded to him, "Stay calm, keep going."

Gu Qingzhou glanced at him, but didn't even respond much, and walked straight towards the passage.

In his view, this game still depends on him, the ace, to take the lead!

On stage, the lights change.

Gu Qingzhou stood in the center of the stage, the spotlight shining on him. It has to be said that as a rising star heavily promoted by Huayin, his demeanor was very steady, and his appearance immediately caused many female fans in the audience to scream.

The prelude begins with a song adapted from Ye Lan's "The Swallow Returns".

"Swallows come and go, flowers fall and bloom again..."

Gu Qingzhou demonstrated exceptional singing skills from the moment she opened her mouth.

He mastered the art of vocal transitions, transforming an originally poignant ancient-style song into one full of rhythm.

He even added an impromptu humming part during the interlude, moving his body to the rhythm and pointing his finger at the audience, maximizing the interactive element.

Although it lacks some of the ancient charm, this combination of modernity and classicism is very much to the liking of young audiences.

The atmosphere was instantly energized, with many young audience members waving glow sticks and screaming throughout.

After finishing the song, Gu Qingzhou confidently struck a pose to conclude, basking in the cheers of the entire audience.

He looked towards the instructors' table, especially at Ye Lan, hoping to receive praise.

However, Ye Lan clapped politely, her expression indifferent.

On the contrary, Old Jiang frowned slightly, seemingly not very fond of this approach of turning traditional Chinese songs into popular ones.

Zhang Xuena from Han Xuening's team chose a rearranged version of "Walking in the Rain".

"Ding-dong—"

The clear and melodious sound of the guzheng adds a touch of classical charm to the song.

Zhang Xuena's voice is clear and sweet. Although she sings with deep emotion, her stage presence and control over the atmosphere are not as flashy as Gu Qingzhou's.

After the two songs were finished, the host walked onto the stage and stood between the two.

"Both contestants sang very well, with distinct styles. One was a vibrant and energetic modern take on traditional Chinese style, while the other delivered a gentle and heartfelt traditional performance. Now, the decision is up to the judges!"

"First, let's hear the instructor's feedback!"

Li Ge was the first to pick up the microphone. "To be honest, I prefer Gu Qingzhou's arrangement. Ancient style music should evolve with the times; that vocal transition was very good, I liked it!"

Shen Ming said, "Gu Qingzhou's technique is very mature, and her handling of transitions is very delicate. Zhang Xuena's emotional expression is more direct. They each have their own merits."

Han Xuening smiled and looked at her student: "Xue Na performed very steadily today, especially the chorus, that high note was very bright, I am very satisfied."

Finally, Ye Lan commented casually, "Qingzhou's performance today was quite good, but the transitions in her voice could have been simpler."

Gu Qingzhou's face stiffened, and she quickly nodded, "Thank you for your guidance, Sister Lan."

"Okay, thank you for your insightful comments, mentors! Now, the decision is up to you, the judges!"

With a wave of the host's hand, the voting channel on the big screen opened.

"Please begin voting, 500 audience members and 50 media members!"

The numbers started jumping rapidly.

Gu Qingzhou stared intently at the screen, his palms sweating. He felt he sang better, and the audience's reaction was more enthusiastic; he should be leading by a large margin.

"3...2...1! Stop!"

At the host's command, the numbers on the big screen froze.

Final score:

Gu Qingzhou: 285 votes.

Zhang Xuena: 265 votes.

Won!

But they only won by 20 votes!

Gu Qingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, but felt somewhat annoyed.

This score was far below his expectations.

The atmosphere at the scene was so lively, how come they only won by such a small margin?

Before he could think it over, the host turned to Mr. Jiang.

"Mr. Jiang, you have 10 crucial votes in your hands. What will your choice be in this round?"

Jiang Yunshan slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the two people on the stage, and finally shook his head.

"Abstain".

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Forfeit in the very first match? This old man is too strict!

The host was also a little embarrassed. "Mr. Jiang, could you tell us the reason?"

Old Jiang said calmly, "Both of these children sang quite well. Their technique was skillful, but they lacked charm. Ancient style singing isn't just about adding a vocal flourish, nor is it about using traditional instruments."

Upon hearing this, the smiles on Gu Qingzhou and Zhang Xuena's faces froze, unsure of how to respond.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Jiang." The two could only bow and leave the stage.

Back in the preparation room, although his teammates were applauding, he was still somewhat disheartened.

"That's fantastic, Qingzhou! A great start!"

"It had to be you! It's good that you won!"

Lin Zhixing clapped his hands and sincerely said, "Congratulations."

"You only won by 20 votes, what's there to be happy about?" Gu Qingzhou sat back on the sofa, her expression not very pleasant.

He glanced at Lin Zhixing and snorted coldly, "Some people shouldn't just sit there. If they drag us down later, don't blame me for not warning you."

Lin Zhixing smiled but didn't reply.

The host continued, "The second match begins! Please welcome—"

"Li Bowen from Ye Lan's team will face off against Chen Yu from Han Xuening's team!"

Li Bowen took a deep breath, stood up, nervously straightened his performance costume, and walked onto the stage amidst the cheers of his teammates.

He is a singing and dancing idol. In order to fit the theme of "Chinese style", he specially chose a traditional Chinese style online song "Drinking Alone Under the Moon" and choreographed a dance.

However, the opponent was clearly well-prepared.

Chen Yu from Han Xuening's team clearly has a more solid foundation.

She brought a piece called "Drunken Sword".

As soon as the music started, Chen Yu, dressed in a smart outfit and holding a long sword, performed a sword dance, exuding a heroic and dashing aura that instantly captivated the audience.

Although her singing skills weren't top-notch, her serene and cool demeanor and stage presence instantly captivated the audience.

In contrast, Li Bowen put in a lot of effort in singing and dancing, but this online song seemed a bit weak on the competitive stage, and his breath control was somewhat unstable in order to keep up with the dance.

On the mentor's seat, Ye Lan's brows furrowed slightly.

During the voting process, the moment the results were announced, everyone in Ye Lan's team's preparation room felt their hearts sink.

Li Bowen: 260 votes

Chen Yu: 290 votes!

Lost!

And it was a crushing defeat!

They lost by 30 votes!

The 20-vote advantage that Gu Qingzhou had just managed to win back was instantly wiped out, and she even owed him 10 more votes!

The total score on the big screen has changed to:

Ye Lan Team: 545

Han Xuening's team: 555

10 points behind!

Li Bowen returned backstage dejectedly, his eyes red-rimmed: "I'm sorry... I didn't perform well... my breathing was off..."

"It's alright, there will be other opportunities later." Although Gu Qingzhou comforted her verbally, her expression clearly became serious.

The teammates offered encouragement, but everyone could see that the point difference was quite large.

This is only the second game!

The atmosphere on the mentors' panel became subtle.

Han Xuening turned to face Ye Lan, a victor's smile on her face, her tone tinged with smugness, "Oh, Sister Lan, you're too kind."

Ye Lan smiled faintly, "Xiaoyu is quite good, with a solid foundation. Bowen definitely needs more practice, and his mentality also needs to be refined."

Backstage in the control room, director Xia Xue captured this moment and immediately ordered the cameraman: "Close-up! Sweep the camera across the two mentors, capture that tension in their eye contact!"

The two matches have ended.

They are 10 points behind in total score.

Gu Qingzhou remained silent, clutching the mineral water bottle tightly in his hand.

He was just feeling smug about his victory, but now he realizes that this brutal competition format is far more terrifying than he imagined.

One person's mistake can ruin the whole team's efforts.

If the team behind them can't catch up, then their team... will really face the cruel fate of having two people eliminated!

Those are two spots! Who wants to leave?

But it probably won't be me... Thinking this, Gu Qingzhou glanced at the other students.

At this moment, the stage lights dimmed, plunging the entire venue into a brief period of darkness.

The host returned to the stage, his voice rousing, breaking the silence:

"The score has widened temporarily! The situation has reversed in an instant!"

"But the competition has only just begun! Can Ye Lan's team stage a comeback? Can Han Xuening's team press their advantage?"

"Next, please welcome the third group of contestants to the stage!"