A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Chapter 45 - Sea Demon

This chapter has been translated by Atlas Studios. All credits belong to them.

"Has she lost her mind? She chose an incredibly challenging song, and she wants to do it acapella?!"

Exclamations were heard all around, all expressing their shock and surprise as if they had seen a ghost. Yet, Xia Ling was calm and collected as she played with the melody of the song, moving it slowly in crescendo and then letting it dissipate once it hit the climax... She was singing her heart out, with no distractions, no anxieties, creating something that was one of a kind, untouched and perfect.

The second line followed: "A silver-haired sea demon, singing alone."

There was silence as the audience watched her entranced.

She spread out her arms and the tips of her toes drew a graceful arc on the ground as she began to dance along to her singing. She kept on singing smoothly, line after line, completely in control of the ever-changing melody ringing out beautifully in this dark space.

This was a song with a story.

On the endless night ocean, a group of pirates met a silver-haired sea demon.

They were bewitched by its beauty, surrounding it with 13 pirate ships and attempting to capture it. However, it charmed them with its singing, causing them to be lost in a world of hallucinations. They were sitting ducks and, eventually, killed off by the sea demon one by one.

This was a game of predator and prey.

The most exciting part was the final battle between the sea demon and the pirate king.

The chivalrous pirate king fought against the sea demon's voice with all of his determination. At that moment when he regained his consciousness momentarily, he found a bloodbath all around him. The silver-haired sea demon holding a dagger encrusted with precious stones was plunging it into the neck of another pirate nearby. Under the light of the shining stars, her beauty was astonishing, with a trail of blood by her lips and the bodies of the murdered pirates behind her.

The pirate king pulled out his long sword and struggled as he attacked the sea demon.

It was dragging its long, scaly tail on the deck and did not have time to escape. Seeing the pirate king walking closer and closer, its voice became more intense and dreamy, more seductive and charming.

It was a battle of life and death.

Xia Ling's voice became more and more passionate, with softness and temptation mixed in. The range of the melody line was big with waves after waves of emotion as if trying to make the audience's heart jump out of their chests. She remembered that year that she had sung this song, she had practiced the climax until she became hoarse. Pei Ziheng had asked why she was trying so hard, feeling bad for her. Yet, when he heard her sing the same part in the practice room, he was speechless for a while.

"Xiao Ling," he said after a long bout of silence. "in the world of music, you are unrivaled."

She closed her eyes and placed herself within the waves of emotions. She could even feel the bloodiness of the imagery in her very breath.

The sword of the pirate king drew nearer and nearer.

The sea demon had nowhere else to go. If she could not beat her opponent using her voice, what awaited her would be death. It was a battle for her life, a battle for her freedom, and she did not shy away from it. This was a battle that had no turning back...

"Even if her voice grows hoarse and her blood runs dry."

"Even if the sea dries up and the stars grow dim."