ebookland Chapter 186 Immortal Stage
Chapter 186 Immortal Stage
"Chu Xianxian, why are you trembling?"
Before going on stage, Zhong Wu slightly turned his head and glanced sideways at Chu Xianxian beside him.
Backstage, the lights were dim, and there were many shadowy figures around. The rest of the crew were making final adjustments.
Chu Xianxian stiffly raised his arm. The prop master was beside him, making final adjustments to the portable microphone clipped to his waist.
Chu Xianxian was so nervous that her eyes almost glazed over, but she still tried to remain calm and retorted, "What...what are you saying? I...I'm not shaking!"
Zhong Wu's gaze slowly moved down Chu Xianxian's body and saw his two legs trembling like leaves.
Zhong Wu: ...
The prop master, who was focused on his work, couldn't help but chuckle softly behind Chu Xianxian's defiant words.
Chu Xianxian immediately realized that the props teacher was definitely laughing at her. Her ears turned red, but she stubbornly said, "I'm not nervous!"
As soon as he said those words, he felt somewhat unsure of his own words, unsure whether he was saying them to others in an attempt to save face or to give himself some psychological comfort.
This was the first time Chu Xianxian had ever faced such a large scene. He had heard that there were more than 10,000 spectators outside today. Just thinking about having to face so many heads made his heart pound.
Although the number of viewers in the live stream was even greater than the number of people in the audience today, the virtual feeling of being separated by a screen and the real feeling of facing the audience in person are two completely different concepts.
He was afraid that he wouldn't do a good job, that he would embarrass "Asking Immortals" and drag the crew down.
Chu Xianxian looked around at the people around her.
Wearing the robes of a martial monk, Zhong Wu looked as calm and composed as an old monk in meditation.
Needless to say, Zhang Yu is now dressed up as Ye Shang from the drama, wearing a pair of refined glasses, with a cold and deep expression that reveals no emotion whatsoever.
The rest of the crew were busy in the distance, too far to see clearly.
The two of them didn't seem nervous at all; it was as if he was the only one who was nervous.
Chu Xianxian finally couldn't help but break down and complain: "Why aren't you two nervous at all?"
Zhong Wu was actually nervous. As a martial arts actor, he never imagined that he would not only appear on the screen, but also stand under such a dazzling spotlight.
However, through his long experience, he had long been accustomed to hiding his emotions and would not easily reveal them.
Zhang Yu was meditating facing the wall at this moment, an essential step for him before getting into character. This way, he could quickly immerse himself in the role.
Upon hearing Chu Xianxian's question, Zhang Yu turned his head and looked down at Chu Xianxian.
Chu Xianxian froze for a moment, then shivered.
He inexplicably recalled the details of acting with Zhang Yu. Every time he acted with Zhang Yu, he would be inexplicably drawn into the scene.
At that moment, Chu Xianxian met Zhang Yu's familiar gaze again, and her heart skipped a beat.
That's right, that's exactly the look Ye Shang has in his eyes—the kind of disdainful look he gives to ants and trash!
Could Zhang Yu already be getting into character by now?
This guy is a monster!
Zhang Yu wasn't really nervous; in fact, he was more worried about not being able to perfectly portray the character on stage.
Seeing Chu Xianxian's nervous expression, Zhang Yu remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Just be yourself."
How can Chu Xianxian, a newcomer, be cast as the male lead?
One very important reason is that his image is really a good match for the male lead. As long as he plays himself, he can portray the character with seven or eight tenths of the same appearance.
Chu Xianxian was stunned for a moment, and was moved by Zhang Yu's words.
For a moment, he wasn't so nervous anymore, and he silently encouraged himself: I can do it! I'll just be myself!
Just then, the stage manager shouted loudly from a short distance away: "The cast of 'Asking the Immortals' is ready. They will be on stage in three minutes."
Zhong Wu stepped forward and patted Chu Xianxian on the shoulder: "Don't overthink it, just perform normally."
Chu Xianxian nodded vigorously.
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As the stage lights dimmed, the host raised his AR-sensing wristband and announced, "Everyone can open the special mini-program, and each audience member will become a participant in this virtual and real feast!"
After the host left the stage, the stage suddenly went dark.
Suddenly, a beam of cold light descended from the sky, and a young swordsman appeared in the middle of the beam of light.
The giant screen behind them lit up simultaneously, and a youthful face appeared on the big screen behind them—it was Chu Xianxian.
At this moment, his eyes were closed, his fine eyelashes trembled slightly, and his breathing was heavy.
The hem of their clothes fluttered in the virtual snowstorm.
The sound of wind and snow gradually rises in the background, along with the faint chanting of Buddhist hymns, as if someone is murmuring in a low voice: "Below you lies a bottomless ice cliff."
In an instant, the virtual snowfield spread across the real stage at an astonishing speed.
Exclamations of surprise rose and fell from the audience seats. The stage effects on everyone's phones were being updated in real time, the images were so realistic that they were completely superimposed on the stage.
Snow-capped mountains rise abruptly from the ground, and a biting wind howls past, carrying snowflakes.
Standing atop the snow-capped mountain, Chu Xianxian suddenly opened his eyes. The young swordsman's gaze was resolute as he gripped the fan handle at his waist, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip on the gilded fan ribs.
He took a deep breath and slowly uttered his line: "Open the golden fan."
When the words "Golden Fan Opens" were exhaled amidst white mist, a metallic vibration reverberated precisely from the surround sound system at the four corners of the venue.
As the folding fan unfolds, other characters also arrive across the snow, each character's appearance accompanied by exquisite AR effects.
The AR effects were also simultaneously shown to online viewers, resulting in a geometric increase in the number of comments in the official live stream:
——“666”
"I need all the information about this fan-wielding guy in three minutes!!"
"Help! Snowflakes are actually falling onto my phone screen!"
The final shot focuses on Zhang Yu's face, his gaze deep as he looks at the camera: "In Ye Shang's game of chess, there are no dead ends."
Zhang Yu's incredibly handsome face instantly filled the entire screen, and coupled with this classic line from the original work, the atmosphere at the scene was instantly ignited to a boiling point, with screams and shouts deafening.
The official live stream chat was instantly flooded with messages:
——“Ye Entropy as Entropy”
"He adjusted his glasses with his ring finger, which matches the obsessive-compulsive disorder setting in the original work!"
"Aaaaaah! Octopus teacher, please do a radio drama!"
The hashtag "#AskingImmortals" and its holographic cinematic stage have also begun to quietly climb the trending searches.
In the past, many production teams have used actors to perform roles for promotional purposes, but none have ever achieved such a stunning and realistic scene that breaks down the barriers between dimensions and brings an unprecedented visual impact to the audience.
Below the stage, Han Qing's fingernails dug deeply into his palms, and the dynamic light and shadow on the stage cast distorted reflections in his pupils.
Why does the cast of "Asking the Immortals" have a separate performance time?
Even if there was such a thing, why didn't I hear a word about it beforehand?
If we had known they were prepared in this way, we would have taken corresponding countermeasures.
But it's too late to do anything now.
This unprecedented, phenomenal performance will undoubtedly generate enormous publicity, setting it apart from all other films released during the same period.
The gasps of amazement from the audience were the best proof of this.
Their carefully planned publicity tactics become utterly powerless in the face of such a performance, and they might even be posted online for comparison.
Thinking about the possibilities that might arise, large patches of sweat appeared on Han Qing's back.
After the performance ended, the special effects on the stage gradually disappeared.
The actors gradually came out of character.
The host came back on stage and warmly invited director Xu Min to join them.
Xu Min, beaming, jogged onto the stage.
Xu Min was very satisfied with the actors' performances.
Even though I've seen the rehearsals countless times, I'm still amazed by this performance.
The entire team put in a lot of effort for this stage performance in order to better promote the film.
At this moment, Chu Xianxian's nervousness had completely disappeared, replaced by excitement.
While he was giving a passionate performance on stage, he vaguely heard someone calling his name from below the stage.
Unable to contain his joy, Chu Xianxian waved happily in that direction.
He didn't expect that his fans would actually come all the way to support him.
Although they are new actors, that doesn't mean they lack popularity.
She had already built up a certain fan base during her previous live streams, and then she went through a massive online voting campaign in order to star in the movie, which attracted a large number of new fans.
These new actors are far more popular than expected.
Among them, Zhang Yu has the most fans.
Zhang Yu was originally an artist heavily promoted by Day and Night Entertainment. When she starred in a web series, she gained many fans with her outstanding acting skills.
There were quite a few fans who came to support him today, and they shouted Zhang Yu's name loudly from the audience.
The performance sparked a heated discussion online.
The popularity of terms related to "Asking Immortals" continued to rise, gradually surpassing that of terms related to "Dragon Scale Code".
The comments below are a complete celebration for fans of the original work and fans of the characters' appearances:
"Original novel fans are crying their eyes out! The Ice Cliff Questioning Heart scene has actually been recreated using holography!"
"I never expected the actors chosen by the audience to be such perfect fits for the original characters! Everyone's appearance is just right! Is this what casting without capital intervention looks like? I love it! I'll pay for this ticket!"
"Holographic water mist + AR effects, the technology is amazing! It's like it's blown my head off, a truly divine performance! Is there a screen recording? I want to watch it a hundred times."
"I thought they weren't coming to the summit, but they prepared such a big surprise! 'Asking Immortals' is awesome, and Day and Night Entertainment is awesome."
"Didn't anyone notice their outfits? They all look custom-made, each one reflecting the character's personality. They look so good!"
"Ah, Zhongwu's body is so good! If you're going to show skin, do it openly. The monk's muscles are practically overflowing the screen! The guy next door bought ten trending topics just for showing off his abs. He's making a fool of himself."
—"I suggest that the Chinese entertainment industry follow this approach and reject PPT-style performances."
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on site.
The host asked Xu Min curiously, "How did you come up with the idea of creating such a stage?"
"Just kidding, it's to show off our special effects skills."
Xu Min first joked with a smile, then her expression turned serious as she said earnestly:
"The main reason is that these young people deserve to be seen. We welcome everyone to come to the cinema on July 1st to support us. The special effects in the main film will not disappoint you and will be even more exciting. Finally, we would like to thank Mr. Bai for securing this opportunity for us."
Looking at Xu Min's smug smile on stage, Han Qing felt his temples throbbing and his head starting to ache.
He reached out and tugged at his slightly tight tie, sighing, "Senior brother is indeed skilled."
He underestimated Xu Min, and he also underestimated "Asking the Immortals".
He actually saw what he called "star potential" in those fledgling new actors.
"Astrological signs" is a term used to describe someone's potential to become famous.
It's a strange feeling; with some people, you only need one glance to know they're destined for stardom.
Although these new actors have very "new" faces, they all have distinctive features, the kind of faces that you can remember at a glance.
Especially that one named "Zhang Yu".
There's a reason why he was placed last; the main course is always served last, and his appearance is simply too outstanding.
A strong sense of unease rose within Han Qing, a feeling that the situation was heading in a way that was worse than he had anticipated.
After a moment's thought, he immediately dialed the phone and quickly ordered, "Contact PR immediately to prepare a press release, emphasizing our special effects and strong cast. Also, notify the online trolls to relentlessly attack those new actors for having no box office appeal."
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Backstage dressing room.
Song Jin stared intently at the constantly refreshing data on his phone screen, his face growing increasingly gloomy and unpleasant.
The popularity of related search terms for "Asking the Immortals" has soared, completely leaving "Dragon Scale Code" behind.
His recently purchased trending topics about abs have been losing popularity.
That's fine.
The search terms for the new actors in "Asking Immortals" are also constantly rising, and are even gradually surpassing his search term in popularity.
He, a top star in the entertainment industry, was actually overshadowed by a group of new actors!
Enraged, he slammed his phone onto the sofa, yelling, "What the hell is this holographic stage?"
The mirror in the dressing room reflected his distorted face.
"What the hell! You dare compare yourself to me?"
The commotion startled the other staff members in the backstage dressing room.
But they quickly came to their senses.
The assistants and makeup artists in the dressing room were all from Song Jin's team. They had been with Song Jin for a long time and knew his true character. Judging from this, it was clear that this top star, who cultivated a "gentle and warm man" persona, had gone crazy again.
They dared not provoke him at this critical juncture, so they all held their breath and stood motionless.
Only the agent reacted quickly, hurriedly speaking up to comfort him: "Song Jin, calm down first."
"Calm down?" Song Jin retorted, his face full of resentment. "How can I calm down? They've already pushed me too far! What exactly is going on with 'Asking the Immortals'? Didn't Han Qing confidently say he could handle it?"
The agent has been working in the entertainment industry for many years and has far more experience than Song Jin. He has previously managed many top stars.
Although he often felt helpless dealing with an artist like Song Jin, fortunately, Song Jin listened to him fairly well on a daily basis because of his seniority.
At this moment, he also saw things more clearly than Song Jin.
In such an important occasion as the Entertainment Summit, every minute and second is incredibly precious.
The fact that the organizers specifically allocated a separate time slot for "Asking the Immortals" speaks volumes about the strength of Day and Night Entertainment behind it.
He had been keeping an eye on Day and Night Entertainment. Although it hadn't been established for long, it had achieved remarkable results, and several of his old friends in the industry had switched jobs there.
I originally thought that Day and Night Entertainment was just a company with strong capital, but I didn't expect that it could actually shake the organizers of the entertainment summit. This is something that ordinary capital cannot do.
Their original benchmarking plan may need to be revised...
The novel "Asking Immortals" and the forces behind it are likely entities they cannot afford to offend.