Chapter 440: One Act of Initiative Leads to a Lifetime of Introversion

Bai Liang, like Jin Jing, wasn't a graduate of any formal acting program.

Yet his knowledge of acting, let alone ordinary formal actors, even professors at film academies might not outmatch him.

Reading is good!

Books contain golden mansions; books contain beautiful jade-like maidens.

He had truly put these two sayings into practice—fully realized them.

Though he wasn't sure how much actual effect they'd had; Bai Liang always felt that even if he hadn't read those acting books or studied them deliberately, he wouldn't have been much worse off—maybe just taken a different path.

But because he'd read so much study material, Bai Liang had, during idle moments, personally distilled a method of acting.

Of course, it was one he himself would never actually use.

Because it wasn't an ordinary method.

It was a very sinister shortcut.

If placed in a cultivation world, formal actors would be orthodox disciples, with varying talent levels; self-taught actors would be ruthless figures who carved their way out from countless scattered cultivators, relying mostly on talent and mental state; yet beyond these, there were also strange, bizarre things.

Like practitioners who swallow pills before acting, treating themselves as alchemical materials—heretical sect methods.

Whether they worked or not, Bai Liang didn't know, because he'd never used them.

At least they wouldn't kill you.

Today, this method had clearly found a perfect match.

Jin Jing, this non-formal-graduate variety-show star, had no qualms about teaming up with Bai Liang to try some tech and dirty tricks.

Even after Bai Liang gave her a brief introduction, this girl's eyes lit up with pure fire!

"Then what are we waiting for? Kids, get training!" Jin Jing nearly screamed.

"This heretical method requires external aids—don't rush. I'll have someone buy some. Wait, just order takeout—feels faster."

Bai Liang and Jin Jing excitedly rubbed their hands together, both wearing strange grins.

It made Guo Xiaosi and the two other male actors beside them feel a strange chill crawl up their spines.

Why was it so creepy?

"Lemon, chili, bitter melon, mustard, sour candy, onion…"

Weapon arsenal display~

Just seeing these things sitting there made one's eyelids twitch.

Jin Jing took a deep breath and roared: "Do it!"

But Bai Liang wouldn't let her suffer alone.

He'd proposed the method—he naturally had to "taste a hundred herbs" alongside her.

Otherwise, it'd look like he was deliberately tormenting her.

"Come on! Swallow this bitter melon—brothers in the next life!"

"Come on! Today, we taste a hundred herbs!"

After the toast, both buried their faces in the bitter melon, then twisted their faces identically.

"Holy shit."

Guo Xiaosi and the others stared, dumbfounded: Were these two really the same species as us?

Or was Bai Liang, the strongest young contender, really using these methods to act?

No wonder orthodox sects hated heretical cultivators—this was literally cheating.

Of course, it was also incredibly torturous.

Made people grimace.

As for effectiveness, it wasn't instant—otherwise why "taste a hundred herbs"?

You had to find among these things the one that best matched the character's feeling and emotion.

Fundamentally, it was like recalling similar emotional experiences during filming, only far more direct, far more brutal.

"Bro, I think bitter melon's a contender—I just felt like crying but couldn't, kinda got the vibe."

"Yeah, a bit. Keep searching—feel that bitterness rising from deep inside."

"I feel it's rising from my stomach…"

"Then keep going! Try mustard!"

"Ollie!"

"."

The commotion from these two had drawn more than just Guo Xiaosi and the others staring in shock.

Ni Ni, upon hearing the news, couldn't help wandering over; seeing Bai Liang's sinister trick, she burst into laughter.

Then she couldn't resist—she directly took on the role of "feeder."

"Let me feed you! Let me feed you!"

Back when they worked on the "Twelve Hours of Chang'an" set, Ni Ni often fed Bai Liang things.

Usually when he was gaming or lying on the sofa too lazy to move.

But feeding him such bizarre stuff? First time—she was fascinated.

Especially seeing his face twist or his body shake uncontrollably after eating—it made her laugh hard.

She couldn't help flashing an auntie smile~

Boys are handsome enough—why be so fun? She couldn't help feeling a ticklish thrill inside!

Too unfair!

Jin Jing: Watching this, her heart grew even more bitter—was this also an external stimulus of heretical methods? giegie.

Two clear tears slowly traced down her cheeks—at this moment, she felt she was already stepping into her role.

"I get it! Onion—she used onion!" Nearby others couldn't help saying.

Yes, Jin Jing had rubbed onion on her hands multiple times, just lightly brushing it over her eyelids—the feeling came instantly.

Not just tears from irritation—she took a hard bite of bitter melon, and all the mixed emotions in her heart seemed drowned in bitterness; the feeling came right then!

She gradually began to understand everything.

Bai Liang: Huh? Really works?

Ni Ni was also starting to crack, especially after watching them rehearse seriously.

She had seen this scene live in "Twelve Hours in Chang'an," knowing how long the original actress had taken to adjust.

How could it compare to Jin Jing, who forced herself into the role with such strange external methods?

Yet she actually performed it quite well.

Not outstanding, but for an actress clearly unsuited to the role to achieve this effect—it's already wildly exaggerated!

The efficiency of dark cultivators is truly outrageous!

Not just Ni Ni felt her brain tremble.

When rehearsal ended, it was time to see whether the donkey or the horse was truly strong.

For the other scenes, judge as you will, criticize as you must.

Especially the male actor who played Bai Liang's role—he was utterly cursed, every aspect dragged out for harsh criticism.

Xi Zi Ge: Destroy it.

Because even as a supporting actor, he didn't escape—it's because he played Zhu Zhanji in "The Splendor of Great Ming."

Zhou Yiwei was smarter—he picked a minor supporting role, no flaws at all.

Ni Ni was the same—her scene as Hai Tang Duo Duo had little screen time, just for participation.

You can't come here just to get scolded for promotion, right~

Xi Zi Ge is still too young.

He was fired up by a casual remark from Chen Kaige, determined to prove himself before the master director.

Yet he ended up making both Guo Xiaosi and Li Chengru agree.

But when it came to the "Twelve Hours in Chang'an" segment, all the directors didn't know how to comment.

Before the choice between life and death, humanity's vile side instantly surfaced—the heartless man embraced the sunlight outside the dungeon, coldly abandoning her to darkness within.

Watching the one she loved depart without a glance, Ding Tong, who had seemed on the verge of shattering, was abruptly awakened by cruel reality—suddenly seeing the path beneath her feet.

As tears slid down, she smiled—loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, but mostly self-derision.

Jin Jing actually portrayed this complex, escalating, and reversed emotion!

Whether she truly acted it out or not, there was definitely that flavor!

Her meteoric rise in acting skill should naturally be praised—she was indeed the best performer besides Bai Liang.

But everyone knew she had learned this dark acting method from Bai Liang, which clashed with the directors' understanding.

External aids aren't forbidden—before, actors even used eye drops when they couldn't cry.

But no one had ever seen someone rely entirely on external aids.

Is this right?!

No wonder everyone says Bai Liang is a trickster!

He used to pull stunts only outside acting, delivering shocking experiences from unexpected angles.

But in acting—his "main job"—he had always been fairly normal.

Yet this time, it felt like he seized an opportunity and pulled off something like this.

After holding back for a long time, Chen Kaige finally said: "Acting must be rooted in skill itself; external aids don't last."

"Indeed, they don't last—she can now chew bitter melon without flinching. This trick probably only works two or three times," Bai Liang said with regret.

This made Chen Kaige's eyebrow twitch—he was thinking, wait, are they developing "resistance"?

Before acting, she chews bitter melon, rubs onion juice on her hands, and even when the camera zooms to other actors, you clearly see her swallow mustard.

These are just the observed methods—there may be more undiscovered "cheats."

Fortunately, this dark technique is like drinking poison to quench thirst—once these aids lose effect, she won't resort to electric shocks to act, right?

Overall, it's more about entertainment value than practicality.

But isn't this just a variety show?

Chen Kaige: No need to take it so seriously.

Glancing at Li Chengru and Guo Xiaosi about to argue again, Director Chen smiled and said: "To shine before others, you must suffer behind the scenes. Acting well matters more than anything."

This statement was essentially an endorsement.

Who knows how much discussion this episode will spark after airing, but without doubt, as the first person to "cultivate" Bai Liang's dark acting method, Jin Jing will definitely reap massive traffic.

Indeed, after recording this episode, she came to sincerely thank Bai Liang.

Not joking around as before—her expression was genuine.

A flash of inspiration from Bai Liang gave this minor artist an unimaginable advantage—in plain terms, she leveled up!

"You're so good to her. I'm prettier than her, right? Why haven't you ever been this nice to me?"

Hearing this, Bai Liang gave Ni Ni a strange look. "You're comparing beauty with Jin Jing?"

He thought kicking the Beihai Kindergarten was already shameless—turns out, there's always someone higher: Ni Ni was comparing herself to a variety comedy actress on looks?

Meeting his gaze, Ni Ni herself felt a little embarrassed. "You've never been this nice to me. It's so sad—we're even hometown folks~"

"I didn't just teach her—the two male actors could've tried it too, but they tried once and gave up."

Ni Ni thought: "Maybe they were too embarrassed—still classically trained, wanting to rely on their own skills."

"Exactly—it's all their own choices. When I picked people, I chose the one with the least image baggage, just for show effect. Who would actually use this method in real filming?" Bai Liang waved his hand.

However, at this moment Ni Ni said:

"I want to try."

"Hm?"

Looking up into her blazing gaze, Bai Liang immediately realized she wasn't trying to test the "evil sect techniques."

She wanted to try the Harmonious Sect's techniques.

After recording the show, Ni Ni changed into a red strap dress that hugged her hips, perfectly outlining her peach-like curves.

Sitting in the car, her legs slightly crossed, the slit silk skirt slid smoothly to one side, revealing her beautiful legs.

The subtle flesh and curves she revealed made it hard to look away.

Her exposed collarbone, pale and soft, paired with the push-up bra that lifted her full bust, stirred a deep itch in the heart.

She looked like a fully bloomed peony.

So this was why she dressed like this despite the approaching snow?

Actually, Ni Ni still wore Bai Liang's coat; before getting in the car, she nearly froze to death on that short walk.

But with the car's air conditioning blowing, she had clearly "come back to life."

She lightly pressed her slightly reddened lips—whether from lingering chill or because she was "thirsty," no one could tell.

Then she pinched Bai Liang's finger~

But—

One act of initiative might bring lifelong introversion.

When she tasted the bitter melon flavor on his finger, Ni Ni instantly twisted her face, transforming from goddess to ghost in one second!

The carefully built atmosphere vanished completely.

"So bitter!"

"Who told you to lick it? Now you've tasted the bitterness, huh~"

It was indeed bitterness—Ni Ni felt her taste buds might vanish for a while.

But suddenly she grew curious: could she no longer taste any other flavor unless it was intensely stimulating?

She wanted to try.

"Bro, we're here."

"Wait a moment—she's asleep. We're not in a rush; the flight hasn't taken off yet."

Hearing this, Dapao glanced at Ni Ni, who was "asleep" on Bai Liang's lap, thought it made sense, and promptly closed the car door.

Though he didn't know if being completely covered by clothes would make her suffocate, it wasn't his concern.

Now he should summon Dou Xiao Qi to clear and check the surroundings.

To prevent any nosy paparazzi from causing trouble.

Half an hour later, Ni Ni downed an entire bottle of water in the waiting lounge.

It turned out bitter melon wasn't as terrible as she imagined.

Still, the saying "first bitter, then sweet" held some truth.

Bai Liang: Sweet?

Damn, has her taste sense really gone haywire? —

In mid-month, "Twelve Hours in Chang'an" officially premiered!

The story begins in Chang'an during the third year of Tianbao.

In the opening long shot, a slender beauty played the qin and sang the season's most popular tune, "Qingping Yue," while her maid gazed out the window and saw men pause their work, entranced by the beautiful scene above.

When the beauty sang, "Before the emperor, idle dancers in silk robes—who says their waists aren't graceful," a man became so entranced he neglected his lantern, causing it to catch fire.

Fortunately, everyone reacted quickly.

The fire was extinguished.

But the once dazzling lantern was now charred beyond repair, never regaining its former splendor.

That year, Du Fu met Li Bai; the wild poet who wrote "Occasional Verses on Returning Home" died suddenly; the peerless beauty Yang Yuhuan entered the palace, and An Lushan became military governor of Fanyang.

Beneath the golden age, danger lurked everywhere; the empire's turning point was near—corruption festered beneath prosperity, and the rebellion known to all future generations was already brewing.

Inside Chang'an, during the Lantern Festival, the Western Market buzzed with crowds; a squad of Wolf Guards disguised themselves as merchants and infiltrated the market, plotting mischief.

Li Bi, Chief of the Jing'an Office, was ordered to track the Wolf Guards, but the secret arrest plan failed—their leader, Cao Poyan, escaped.

Li Bi sent Tan Qi to the prison to bring out the condemned death-row commander, Zhang Xiaojing!

Amid the drumbeats of the watchtowers, the city stood on high alert; beneath the festival lanterns, danger lurked everywhere—the prosperity and decay of glorious Chang'an unfolded on the same canvas.

On its premiere night, Douban opened at 9.3.

Despite the news of Jia Nailiang and Li Xiao Lu's divorce, it still topped multiple trending lists.

Just the content of the first episode was enough to spark heated online discussion.

Costumes, makeup, set design, cuisine, architecture, historical institutions—all were dissected by netizens. Even a single gesture—the "chashou li" salute—and a single reply—"nuo"—became the subject of countless essays.

The one-sided massacre of the Wolf Guards by the fully armored Li Brigade sent the armor community into wild celebration.

The top-tier coordination of blades, shields, and crossbows was worthy of ancient urban special operations.

Clearly, an undeniable blockbuster TV series.

Some had even declared it would surpass "The Longest Day in Chang'an" and redefine this year's drama king.

That was a bit ridiculous.

Although the drama broke Youku's exclusive streaming records and set new highs in paid membership and user viewing time, it still clearly lacked the aura of a drama king.

Its launch impact still fell short of "The Longest Day in Chang'an," and besides, this drama was only streamed online—it hadn't even aired on terrestrial TV.

Moreover, lead actor Xi Zi Ge was slightly dragging things down; despite fan and team efforts to control comments, many still criticized his line delivery.

There's no helping it — once this drama's cast is laid out like that, Sister Xi Zi Ge is the biggest weak link.

Even with age and experience to salvage some dignity, the other leads outshine her so badly that she's destined to be roasted.

But her fans simply turn a blind eye to that kind of roasting — they just keep getting excited over there!

His first starring drama was a hit, and even Bai Liang didn't have that kind of ability back then~

Bai Liang's fans were amused watching this: "When Great Immortal first debuted, he wasn't some top-tier idol. And he still won?"

The "winning logic" of the entertainment circle?

What puzzled Bai Liang was — the show had only just premiered, so who on earth was shipping him with Unlike Ni Ni? The so-called romance line between the two of them in the drama hadn't even appeared yet.

Yet there were already plenty of people starting to ship them.

Unlike Ni Ni: Hehe~ of course it was the promo pieces I put out, baby!

It's not like stirring up a scandal — just pushing a little CP from the drama, that's hardly going too far.

As for whether to stir up a scandal, the old Unlike Ni Ni might have been very willing, but now, forget it.

Yang Tianbao already got scolded while being held down by Gulina Zha — she figures she'd be no better off if she stepped in either.

That New Jiang Mei is fierce these days. And Sister Tian Tian might very well come looking for trouble with her too.

Sister Tian Tian: You guessed right!

But she's not waiting for her to stir up a scandal before causing trouble.

She's already brewing plans to "deal with" her right now!

(End of Chapter)