Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

(Same as Wusong Fire Trial, Chang Zong Echo Valley)

The wind in Echo Valley is the softest melody of Chang Zong.

Da Fei walked barefoot on the bluestone slabs. Dandelions floating from the bottom of the valley landed on his round shoulders. He shook his head subconsciously, but did not dare to be distracted - he had been standing facing the valley wall for two hours. The "Sound and Rhythm Drum" on the rough stone platform was covered with a century-old animal skin and was trembling gently with his breathing, as if greeting him.

"what!"

Da Fei suddenly lowered his waist and hit the drum surface with his right fist with a strong ochre-colored force.

"Boom--" The drum sound was dull but powerful, bouncing off the valley wall in three overlapping echoes, circling three times in the valley before slowly dissipating.

But just when the echo was about to merge with his rhythmic power, the strong force suddenly rushed along his arm to his fingertips like cotton wool blown away by the wind. His fist deviated half an inch, and the second punch hit the edge of the drum with a "thump", making only a dull sound.

"Ugh……"

Da Fei retracted his fist, the muscles in his arm still twitching.

He stared at the shallow fist mark on the drum, his brows furrowed into the shape of a "川" character, and scratched the back of his head with his thick palm - this was the eighth time he had failed, and the sweat from his palm had wet a small area of ​​the drum surface.

Three months ago, when he was fighting against the Chaos Beast, he saw the monster about to pounce on the little kitten behind him, and he rushed forward in a fit of excitement, and suddenly a new power of sound burst out.

In the past, the "Shaking Mountain Drum" could at most shake the soil off the cracks in the rocks, but now it can make pebbles fall off the valley walls with a strong effort. The elder of the Chang Sect patted him on the shoulder and praised him as "a rare vocal talent in a century."

But his rhythmic power was increasing like a balloon, and his body couldn't keep up. It was like putting a thousand-mile horse saddle on a slow-moving old ox. It looked majestic, but in fact it wobbled after taking two steps.

When practicing drums these days, he always felt a tightness in his chest, as if it was stuffed with a ball of water-soaked cotton. When he tried to practice, his chest would either scatter like a dandelion, or he would rush so hard that he almost coughed. Even the most basic "echo resonance" was practiced with difficulty.

"You're strong, but your mind is in chaos?"

A clear and gentle voice floated down from the top of the valley, carrying with it the ethereal feeling unique to Echo Valley.

Da Fei looked up suddenly and saw that the "echo stone" on the valley wall that had been there for hundreds of years suddenly lit up with white light. A vague shadow slowly gathered in the light, which scared him so much that he almost knocked over the Shengyun Drum.

The shadow became clearer and clearer, and Dafei's eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, not closing for a long time. It was a burly figure, wearing a whitewashed coarse cloud-patterned robe, with a shiny animal sinew belt tied around his waist.

The giant drum in his hand was taller than Dafei. Although the sound pattern on the drum was vague, it revealed a steady power.

His face was round, with a kind smile, but his eyes were as bright as a pool of clear water, and he could see through him at a glance - wasn't this Le Yang, the first leader of the Chang Sect?

He is the legendary one who used the "Heavenly Drum" to pacify the chaos in the West!

"Le, Leyang Sect Master?"

Da Fei quickly stood up straight and wanted to bow, but the rhythmic power in his chest suddenly "gurgled" and surged up. He couldn't help but cough, cough, cough twice, and his face instantly turned red like an apple.

Le Yang's shadow floated in front of him, his eyes fell on his heaving chest, and he shook his head gently.

He lifted the huge drum and gently touched Dafei's rhyme drum with the drumhead. The sound was like a spring breeze blowing through a wheat field, warm and soft:

"Disciples of the Singing Sect, when did you forget the principle of 'using sound to reach the heart'? Just because you have too much strength, you won't let the music follow your will?"

Dafei's face turned even redder, and the tips of his ears felt hot. He tightened his grip on the drum and argued in a muffled voice:

"I, it's not that I don't know how to do it! It's just that this rhythmic force is too strong. Every time I practice it, my chest feels swollen and I can't control it..."

"Excuse!"

Le Yang's giant drum gently struck the bluestone slab, and with a crisp "dong" sound, the small stones near Da Fei's feet jumped.

"The 'heavenly pulse' of the Chang sect emphasizes 'the same origin of sound and rhyme, with power following the tone.' Do you think the more powerful the rhyme, the better?

Wrong! Rhythm is the sound, and the body is the instrument. If the instrument is not transparent, the louder the sound, the more likely it is to be damaged!

Your 'mountain-shaking drum' looks like you're hitting it with all your might, but in reality you need to use the drum surface to transmit sound, the sound pulse to guide the rhythm, and the breathing to stabilize the strength. None of these can be missing.

You, on the other hand, are only concentrating on putting all your strength into your fists. Your breathing is as chaotic as a headless fly, your vocal pulse is blocked, and the drum surface can't resonate. How can the rhythm not be dissipated? "

Da Fei clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Every word the Leyang Sect Leader said struck him like a drumstick—he'd pondered this question for days, but once he touched the drumhead and felt the urge in his chest, he couldn't help but want to pound it harder, believing that if he pushed hard enough, the drum would sound louder.

Now that the truth was revealed, he felt like a foolish young boy, holding a sledgehammer but unable to find the center of the drum. He had brute force but couldn't even understand how to beat the drum.

"Watch carefully, don't be distracted!"

Le Yang suddenly raised his hand, and the white light of the Echo Stone shot out, wrapping around the giant drum like a milky white ribbon. Da Fei's eyes widened, not daring to even blink—he clearly saw that Le Yang's rhythmic power didn't just hit the drumhead all at once, but split into three streams:

A stream of sound circles along the drum's body, casting a faint glow on the drum surface;

One goes down the throat and connects with the air in the chest;

There was also a breeze that floated into the air with the breath, as if greeting the wind in Echo Valley.

"The Zonggu method of singing emphasizes the 'three tones in one'."

Le Yang said as he demonstrated, his voice deeper but still gentle:

"The first is 'guiding the sound'. Let the rhythmic force follow the drum pattern, not clash with your vocal pulse. The second is 'fixing the sound'. Use the breath in your chest to stabilize the root, and don't let brute force disrupt the rhythm. The third is 'borrowing the sound'. When you inhale, borrow some valley wind, and when you exhale, borrow some echo. Let the surrounding rhythms help you, not fight against you."

He swung his fist suddenly and smashed the drum head. There was a long and steady "dong" sound. It did not shake the gravel to pieces like Da Fei's did. Instead, the three echoes followed the drum beat and gathered into a sound wave, gently brushing across the valley wall. Even the dandelions in the cracks of the rocks shook their heads, without any disorder.

Dafei could even feel that the echoes around him were swaying with the drum beats, as if they were providing harmony for him.

"This is what 'Shaking Mountain Drum' should be like."

Le Yang retracted his fist and looked at Da Fei:

"You, it's not that you lack rhythmic power, it's that you're too impatient. You're always thinking about becoming stronger quickly, about protecting everyone quickly, but you've forgotten the fundamental principle of the Chang Sect—'the sound follows the heart, and the person and the drum become one.'

If your foundation is not solid, no matter how strong your rhythm is, it will be empty and will backfire on you sooner or later."

Da Fei looked at the faint sound patterns on the drum surface, and his heart suddenly became bright, as if the fog in the valley had been cleared.

He recalled that when he was a child, his master taught him to practice drums, and always said, "Practice your breath first when you practice drums. Only when your breath is stable can the drums be stable." At that time, he thought his master was too nagging and was always thinking about learning powerful moves. Now he understands that his master's words were like reassurances.

He was just too anxious these days, so anxious to grasp his new power and protect his companions that he had forgotten the most basic things.

"Master, I, I understand!"

Da Fei took a deep breath and clasped his hands together. His arms were shaking from the effort.

"I was too impatient. I only thought about whether my rhythmic power was strong and forgot to practice my breathing and vocal pulse..."

Le Yang's shadow looked at him, his eyes softening a little, as if he was looking at his own junior:

"That's good to understand. The inheritance of the Chang Sect is not given to cats who are eager for quick success. The fact that you can awaken new rhythmic power shows that you have the potential to protect the Chang Sect, but to turn potential into strength, you must be calm and focused."

He raised his hand, gathered a wisp of milky white rhythmic energy at his fingertips, and gently tapped it on Dafei's chest.

Da Fei instantly felt a warm force spreading out and flowing throughout his body along his vocal meridians. The swelling and pain in his chest subsided a lot, and even the wandering rhythmic energy became more obedient, like a little animal whose fur had been stroked.

"This is the 'Echo Seal'."

Le Yang explained, “It can help you stabilize your chaotic rhythmic power, and it can also guide you to perceive the rhythm when practicing drums.

Next, you must pass two trials before you can truly inherit the Chang Sect's legacy."

Da Fei's eyes lit up and he almost jumped up:

"Trial? Sect Master, you decide! I will definitely practice hard!"

"The first level is called 'Treading on the Sound to Find the Pulse'."

Le Yang floated towards the Echo Stone. The white light on the stone split into nine strips, paving nine narrow sound paths along the bluestone slabs. Thin sound waves floated on each path.

"These nine paths correspond to the nine sound meridians in your body. Hold the drum and follow the path, using the 'Echo Seal' to guide the rhythmic energy and follow the rhythm of the sound path. Don't let the sound waves disrupt your breath, and don't let the rhythmic energy get out of control. This level is to teach you to 'control the sound', to let the rhythmic energy follow your will, not the other way around."

Da Fei looked down at the sound channel. It was so narrow that only one foot could fit. The sound waves glowed white, looking soft, but exuding a sense of formidable power. He gripped the sound drum tightly and nodded heavily:

"Disciple understands!"

"The second level is 'Drum Breaking Chaos'."

Le Yang continued, "After you pass the first level, the Echo Stone will transform into the image of me fighting against Chaos. You can use the 'Mountain Shocking Drum' to break the illusion.

This level teaches you how to use sound, controlling the power of rhythm and turning it into a true force that can protect people."

He paused, his eyes becoming serious:

"There's no rush for these two levels, but if you rush through them, not only will you fail, but you'll also be countered by your rhyme power, damaging your foundation. Do you understand?"

"I understand! I'm definitely not in a hurry!"

Da Fei nodded quickly, fearing that the sect leader would not believe him, and patted his chest, but ended up almost making himself cough.

Le Yang's shadow couldn't help but smile, and slowly became transparent:

"Okay. The trial begins now. I'll be watching you from the Echo Stone. Remember, the sound of the Chang Zong is a sound of protection, not a sound of rage. Only when the heart is steady can the sound be steady; and only when the sound is steady can the drum be steady."

As soon as the words fell, the shadow melted into the white light of the echo stone, leaving only a faint wisp of rhythmic energy lingering on Dafei's chest, like a small warm mark.

Da Fei stood there, touching the "Echo Seal" on his chest. The warm feeling made his anxious heart slowly calm down. He remembered three months ago, when the shadow of the Chaos Beast pressed down, he had only one thought in his mind:

I couldn't let it hurt Haipiao. Only then did I understand that strength isn't for flaunting, it's for protection. If I couldn't even control my own strength, how could I protect Chang Zong? How could I help Bai Tang, Wu Song, and the others?

"Only when the heart is steady can the sound be steady..."

Da Fei repeated in a low voice, holding the Shengyun Drum tightly. The warmth of the drum made him feel at ease.

He walked to the entrance of the first sound channel and stepped lightly on it with his right foot. A warm force climbed up along the sole of his foot, gently guided by the "Echo Seal" and flowed into his chest.

He took a deep breath, slowly mobilized the rhythmic energy, and let it flow slowly to his right foot in accordance with the rhythm of the "Echo Seal";

He tapped the rhyme drum in his hand lightly, and the milky white rhythmic force circled along the drum body, slowly merging with the rhythm of the sound channel.

"go!"

Da Fei let out a low cry, took a steady step forward with his right foot, and followed closely with his left foot.

He didn't walk fast, each step was firm and solid, the drum beats became smoother and smoother, the rhythm flowed in his voice like a stream, steady and smooth.

The sound waves from the sound channel brushed against his trouser legs and were gently lifted away by the rhythmic power in his body, without disrupting his breathing at all.

The wind in Echo Valley was a little stronger, blowing the corners of his clothes up, but it could not blow away the determination in his eyes.

He knew the trial was difficult, but he was not afraid - for the sake of Chang Zong, for Bai Tang and the others, and for the entire Maotu, he had to become stronger and accept this inheritance.

The "dong dong" sound of the drums, the gentle ringing of the rhythm, and Dafei's steady footsteps circled in the Echo Valley, like a silly but powerful song of protection.

…At this time in Maotu, on the Dazong Fire Platform, Wu Song was walking across the fire path with a whistle stick in hand;

On the banks of the Shenzong Palace Guarding River, Xiaoqing's dark blue rhythmic power was dancing at her fingertips.

Three rays of inherited light echoed quietly in the sky above Maotu, as if saying:

The battle to protect Cat Land is coming soon.