Thus, at Sekai’s invitation, Fang Zheng joined the Light Music Club and became one of its members. After that, he also met with Komizo Yukina again.
Seeing Fang Zheng again, Komizo Yukina was clearly a bit nervous and uneasy, yet Fang Zheng casually greeted her without much concern. Even so, Komizo Yukina seemed to be acting like an old mouse seeing a cat, always keeping her distance from him... Well, that was exactly what Fang Zheng wanted.
With Fang Zheng’s joining, the Light Music Club now had four members: the vocalist Komizo Yukina, bassist Kiyora Setsuna, guitarist Fang Zheng, and drummer Saiin-ji Sekai—the missing piece was a keyboardist.
Of course, for Fang Zheng, this wasn’t really a problem. While he hadn’t been in a band before, thanks to the presence of Farron Xiuxiu and idol Kurumi in the Heavenly Dao Palace, Fang Zheng had some understanding in this area. If they couldn’t find a keyboardist, they could record a track and release it during performances.
As for Fang Zheng being the keyboardist... He chuckled, recalling how he almost got sick of playing piano back in the day; clutching a guitar for nostalgic fun was far more enjoyable. If Saiin-ji Sekai could find a keyboardist, fine, but Fang Zheng was too lazy to play keyboard again.
Incidentally, the playing skills of Kiyora Setsuna and Saiin-ji Sekai didn’t surprise Fang Zheng. He wasn’t sure if they originally had any musical skills in the game, but here he could tell that both were proficient amateurs... In short, they were good enough to have fun in a band.
Of course, if the goal were to perform at Budokan, that’s another story.
However, Saiin-ji Sekai didn’t have such unrealistic goals; her aim was very clear, to perform at the upcoming cultural festival as proof that the Light Music Club wasn’t just a name, that’s sufficient.
So in the following days, everyone mostly practiced the songs they needed to perform at the cultural festival. Komizo Yukina chose a song called "WHITE ALBUM," which was reportedly very popular a few years ago, but to Fang Zheng, it was just an ordinary love song... Anyway, as long as everyone was happy.
If this were in a Chinese school, Fang Zheng would surely make them sing "The Deep Love and Rainy Mist"...
Sora didn’t express much opinion about Fang Zheng joining the Light Music Club; however, every day after school, she would insist on going to the clubroom to wait and go home together with Fang Zheng. Although Saiin-ji Sekai tried to "invite" Sora to join, Sora maintained her attitude of ignoring everyone except Fang Zheng, thus leaving Saiin-ji Sekai’s attempts futile.
After joining the Light Music Club, Fang Zheng quickly cast aside those boring things and started to once again enjoy his high school life. After all, before his rebirth, he spent most of his high school time practicing piano, and the atmosphere at Chinese schools didn’t allow students to form bands and perform. Playing a song with a guitar at a literary gathering was already considered pretty good treatment.
As for student bands, they were things to see in animation, admiring Japan’s high school club culture. Now that he finally had the chance to "rebirth" and experience it, he had to enjoy it thoroughly.
But what Fang Zheng didn’t anticipate was that the world’s malice wasn’t limited to just that.
"Well, everyone, let’s work hard on practice today too! The cultural festival is coming up soon!"
Led by Saiin-ji Sekai, the group returned to their practice room, the second music room. Just when Saiin-ji Sekai tried to open the door, she found... that the door was locked?
"Eh? What’s going on?"
Saiin-ji Sekai pushed the door, yet it remained closed, refusing to open. However, throughout, nobody else was supposed to come to the second music room except them.
"Sekai, did you bring the key?"
Carrying her Bass, Kiyora Setsuna calmly asked. Saiin-ji Sekai, upon hearing the question, suddenly realized and tapped her forehead, then rummaged through her bag.
"Ah, wait a moment, I remember asking the teacher for a spare key... Found it."
Saiin-ji Sekai said as she retrieved a key from her bag and opened the locked door, but as soon as she pushed it open, a series of clear piano sounds came from within. Upon hearing the piano, everyone was stunned and inquisitively peered inside, seeing a girl with long black hair sitting at the piano in the second music room, playing away as if oblivious to the presence of Saiin-ji Sekai and others.
"Eh? This..."
Startled by the girl, Saiin-ji Sekai instinctively retreated out, raising her head to check the signboard outside—it was indeed the second music room. But who was this girl?
"Hey, what’s up? Why are you all standing at the door instead of going in?"
As Saiin-ji Sekai, Kiyora Setsuna, and Komizo Yukina stared at each other, Fang Zheng also arrived with his sister at the second music room’s entrance.
"Ah, classmate Haruno."
Upon seeing Fang Zheng, Saiin-ji Sekai seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"We just arrived, but there seems to be someone inside..."
"Someone?"
Fang Zheng walked to the door and glanced inside, seeing the girl practicing piano and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"What’s going on? Isn’t the second music room our practice room?"
"That’s correct, however..."
This time, Saiin-ji Sekai didn’t know what to say. Meanwhile, Fang Zheng wasn’t one to stand on ceremony; he directly knocked on the door.
"Sorry, classmate, this is our Light Music Club practice time, can you please leave?"
"... ... ... ..."
But the girl still ignored Fang Zheng as if she hadn’t heard him. At this time, Komizo Yukina lightly tugged at Fang Zheng.
"Um... Classmate Haruno, the girl seems to be a student from class H..."
"A student from class H?"
Upon hearing Komizo Yukina’s words, both Saiin-ji Sekai and Kiyora Setsuna were taken aback. Class 1-H specializes in music, and the students there are essentially elite musicians, incomparable to their casual band. Even the lively Saiin-ji Sekai had never thought of seeking help from Class 1-H, as in her mind, it was like a group of amateurs trying to recruit professionals — utterly ridiculous.
"Classmate Haruno, perhaps we should just forget about it......"
At this point, even Saiin-ji Sekai started to waver, realizing that the music-specialized students had far more legitimate reasons to use the music room than they did, but Fang Zheng clearly wasn’t buying it.
"You’ve confirmed with the teacher that the second music room is indeed the training room for our Light Music Club, haven’t you?"
"Yes......"
"Good."
Upon hearing Saiin-ji Sekai’s response, Fang Zheng said nothing more but focused on the girl seated at the piano, then knocked on the door three times.
Though these three knocks seemed ordinary, they blended into the girl’s performance like a series of noise, instantly disrupting it. With a "dong——!" sound, the girl performing at the piano immediately stopped. Expression cold, she raised her head and glared icily at Fang Zheng and the others.
"What is it?"
The girl’s voice was very low and somewhat cold, and alongside her glare, she exuded an unapproachable aloofness. An average person would probably retreat in fear, but Fang Zheng wasn’t intimidated and went straight at her.
"This is our Light Music Club’s activity room, and it’s club activity time, classmate."
In the face of Fang Zheng’s words, the girl had no intention of responding. She merely sat at the piano, intending to start playing again. However, just as she began, Fang Zheng knocked on the door once more, interrupting her performance again.
This time, the girl could no longer hold back.
"What exactly do you want?"
"It’s time for us to practice."
Fang Zheng looked back at her, unflinching.
"Please leave, classmate...... Besides, practicing here is a waste of your time anyway."
"What did you say?"
"Classmate Haruno......"
Seeing the tense atmosphere between Fang Zheng and the girl, Saiin-ji Sekai and Komizo Yukina were visibly at a loss, wanting to step in to prevent the confrontation. But Fang Zheng simply walked over to the piano and tapped on it.
"Practicing a thousand times is still just practice. Let me demonstrate to you what true piano playing is all about."
"............"
This time, the girl said nothing further. She merely looked silently at Fang Zheng, then turned to get up from her seat, grabbed her bag, and began to leave. However, Fang Zheng didn’t mind. He sat down at the piano stool and placed his hands on the keys.
The next moment, a lively and graceful piano melody emerged from Fang Zheng’s fingertips.
At the sound of this melody, the girl suddenly halted in her tracks.
As a pianist, she immediately recognized the piece Fang Zheng began to play.
It was Liszt’s "Will-o’-the-Wisp"!
As one of the most difficult piano pieces, Liszt’s "Will-o’-the-Wisp" is considered the ultimate in technical display. The brisk and nimble notes transformed into clusters of will-o’-the-wisps, dancing through the air with an eerie elegance, weaving a magnificent sonata.
Who exactly is he?
The girl widened her eyes in astonishment, turning to look at Fang Zheng seated at the piano. As a pianist, she could discern the underlying narrative in the music, likening it to a powerful and ancient undead mocking and toying with a mouse which, no matter how it struggled, couldn’t escape the undead’s grasp.
"Incredible........."
At this point, not only the girl but Saiin-ji Sekai and the others were also stunned. Though not professional musicians themselves, and not entirely understanding the extent of professional ability, what Fang Zheng had delivered was obviously impressive to them!
However, for Fang Zheng at the piano, none of this was an issue.
Despite not having a physical advantage, even before his rebirth, in the field of classical piano, he was undeniably the best in the world!
Now, Fang Zheng was here to teach this girl a lesson. Since she intended to take over their practice room, he would use his strength to show her — this is my territory, one you cannot claim.
As the piece concluded......
When Fang Zheng’s fingers left the keys, everything returned to silence once more.
Then, Fang Zheng looked up, gazing at the girl standing at the door.
"Understand now? At your level, you should go back and practice more."

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