Chapter 129: To think you would covet my old body! Ugh! You are despicable! (Seeking subscriptions and monthly votes!)

At the audition site.

Cui Ling fell into silence as she looked at the elderly man before her, his face etched with wrinkles and his silver hair gleaming under the midday sun.

Although she was a veteran agent for singing and dancing artists, working within an environment like Huaqi Culture had given her a sharp eye. In truth, the sheer, commanding presence the old man had projected while acting out his "annoying person" routine earlier had given her a profound understanding of what real acting looked like.

However, facing such a frail, elderly man who claimed he wanted to be an all-around artist and venture into singing and dancing, she found it somewhat amusing.

In the Chinese entertainment industry, singing and dancing artists were a scarce resource. Over the last decade, whether considering groups or soloists, there were really only two people with any true name recognition: the male artist Zhu Bishi and the female artist Cai Zhuolin. They were the only two worth mentioning in the domestic scene.

Why were they so scarce? Because being a singing and dancing artist required both raw talent and immense willpower. A five-minute performance on stage could represent months of grueling effort in the practice room. What did that require? Energy. Passion. And enough time.

Huaqi Culture had its own "Star Factory" and had incubated several singing and dancing artists. As one of the mentors there, Cui Ling had to admit she hadn't seen a single promising seed yet. Looking at Li Shixin’s thin, frail frame beneath his white shirt, she shook her head helplessly.

"Old man, are you sure? You really want to try?"

Li Shixin looked at Cui Ling’s complicated expression and smiled. "I do."

"Listen, sir. I saw your acting earlier, and I admit you are excellent. But as a music and dance agent, I will not give you any extra points for your performance in the acting portion. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

Seeing Li Shixin nod without hesitation, Cui Ling dropped her complex expression, her face turning stern.

"Fine. Since you insist, let’s begin. I won't make it difficult for you. Pick any track from this list and show me what you've got." She handed over a list of audition tracks.

Li Shixin scanned the list briefly and quickly grasped the situation. Most of the tracks were high-energy hits, and the choreography wasn't overly flashy or technical. However, they all shared one common requirement: balance.

"Balance" was something of a metaphysical concept in dance. Why did practice rooms have floor-to-ceiling mirrors? Not for dancers to check if they had gained weight, but to ensure every movement was precise and showcased the most aesthetically pleasing side of the dancer. There were many dances that ordinary people would watch and think, "I could learn that," but when they actually tried, they would find themselves questioning reality. In short, it was because they lacked "balance."

After scanning the list, Li Shixin returned it. "The third one, please."

Cui Ling frowned as she looked at the third track: Zhu Bishi’s "Fist of Fury."

"Are you sure?"

"Fist of Fury" was Zhu Bishi’s signature song. Zhu Bishi was once known as the "King of Dance in Asia," and the live choreography for this song had earned him significant acclaim. The moves were simple, but the requirement for "balance" was extreme. Many professional trainees couldn't master it even after months of practice. The choreography demanded a balance of fierce, masculine vitality and precise, controlled execution; otherwise, it would look like a chaotic mess. Most companies used this track as a litmus test for male performers. If you could dance this well, your foundation was solid.

Li Shixin nodded. Back in his previous life, when he was a trainee, he had practiced this song to pass agency evaluations. He still had that much confidence.

But this old body...

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his last piece of "Peak Performance" chewing gum. He thought about it, realized it was a waste to use a whole piece for just one dance, bit off a third, and popped it into his mouth.

Good grief! The young artists waiting for their auditions were stunned by the way he consumed the gum. *Old man, was that really necessary for a piece of gum?!*

"Ahem," Liu Cuishan, seeing Li Shixin’s posture, chuckled dryly. "Mr. Li, I have some gum in my pocket. Would you like a piece?"

Li Shixin raised an eyebrow and shook his head. *Young man, it’s not that I look down on you, but save that minty gum for when you run into Jia Ling at the zoo.*

As a potent surge of "Red Bull" energy blossomed in his mouth, Li Shixin stood up. "Can we begin?"

Cui Ling looked at his frail frame, shook her head slightly, and nodded to the staff.

"I wanna know, if you can make it!"
"U gotta know, don't doubt your own skills!"

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

As the first note of the dynamic intro to "Fist of Fury" rang out, he moved!

The next moment, those who had been waiting to watch a spectacle had their jaws drop!

The man who had been walking with a heavy, elderly gait just moments ago now unfolded his body in perfect rhythm with the music. Every movement was precise, filled with explosive power, yet it never felt forced. It was as if every note was meant to trigger exactly that movement!

Seeing Li Shixin clutching his chest and performing powerful, undulating dance moves with his thin torso, Cui Ling’s eyes widened, and she involuntarily covered her mouth.

"My God..."

Fueled by the surging music and his peak physical state, Li Shixin entered a state of total self-forgetfulness. In that moment, he even forgot he was an old man... It was a long-lost feeling; it couldn't have been more exhilarating!

He felt that way, and so did everyone else. Everyone present, watching the gray-bearded old man dancing passionately on the stage, feeling the waves of masculine vitality radiating from him, felt a sense of confusion and disbelief. This was a spirit! An otherworldly creature wearing the skin of an old man!

Soon, the song ended. After such a passionate performance, even Li Shixin, in his peak state, couldn't help but pant. Facing the silence in the audition hall, he caught his breath and looked up.

"Teacher, was that okay?"

At this point, Cui Ling was already in tears. She wiped her face, but instead of answering him, she gestured to the young artists waiting under the windows. "Which of you are trainees from the Star Factory?"

Eight young people raised their hands.

"Come here. Stand next to the old man."

The eight of them walked to the stage as instructed, casting looks of awe at Li Shixin.

Cui Ling took another deep look at Li Shixin and parted her lips. "Sir, I have a presumptuous request. I don't know if you would agree."

"What is it?" Li Shixin frowned.

"Could you... take off your shirt?"

Upon hearing this request, Li Shixin’s old face darkened. *You naughty girl. I gave my all and sacrificed a third of a piece of gum to perform for you, and you’re coveting my body! Bah! How shameless!*

"If I take off my shirt, do I pass?" he asked immediately.

*Holy crap!*

The group of young artists waiting for their auditions were instantly thrown into chaos. *You asked that way too naturally! Just what have you been through?!*