Chapter 120: then translation of chapter title

After the Eight Nine Mystic Skill was fully integrated and perfected, Yang Jian's strength greatly increased; he quickly defeated Gou Chen and rescued his mother and sister.

Subsequently, an incarnation of the Jade Emperor appeared, hoping Yang Jian would go to Heaven to help him.

Yang Jian naturally refused, his reason being that he did not want to be bound by Heaven and still needed to return to the mountain gate for secluded cultivation, so he took his mother and sister and left.

The final frame froze on the Jade Emperor's incarnation wearing an expression of having everything under control, and he slowly said, "Then farewell after the conferment of godhood!"

Thus, the film ends.

When the lights came up, the audience burst into applause.

The film lacks artistic merit, and its plot has some flaws; for example, the Jade Emperor's sister, who is traditionally seen as oppressed and victimized by feudal rites, comes across in the movie as unable to endure loneliness, lacking a sense of the bigger picture, and thus not very likable.

By contrast, the Tang Seng in "Lion Camel Ridge" completely overturns his previous weak image, sacrificing himself for righteousness at the critical moment, and his role in advancing the plot is far more positive and proactive.

Of course, as a popcorn movie, "Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother" is still very pleasantly surprising.

The myriad splendid and realistic special-effects fight scenes absolutely surpass those in "Lion Camel Ridge".

In many classic action films, the protagonist gets beaten up in all sorts of ways before the final showdown and simply won't die.

Western audiences lack the Chinese sense of family-country-world and saving all beings; for them, saving one's daughter, mother, or sister is the ultimate political correctness, and romance counts too.

Yang Jian's victory was somewhat hard-won, and even some critics thought the final moment relied entirely on the protagonist's halo.

Jiang Heng tidied his clothes and walked onto the stage smiling.

Therefore, for regions outside China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia—areas influenced by Chinese culture—the released version is a specially edited cut; elements too hard for Western audiences to grasp were removed, making the plot simpler and smoother, essentially a film about protecting one's sister and rescuing one's mother.

The only slight regret is the power setting: a 17-year-old Yang Jian simply cannot compare to the Sun Wukong of Journey to the West.

This film's setting is relatively more complex, especially the operations behind Gou Chen; if one is not familiar with the original Investiture of the Gods, Western teachings, or the "affinity with the West" element, it can be somewhat confusing.

As soon as these words were spoken, they evoked resonance among countless viewers.

And the distributing company, Columbia, highly approved of Jiang Heng's re-edited version.

Yao Miao first praised the film at length, then said, "Director Jiang, I've always had a doubt—or rather, it's a doubt shared by countless viewers here—why is there still no romance?"

Another big surprise of the film is that it features a total of 89 celebrity cameos; just that alone makes it worth a trip to the cinema for fans.

"Congratulations, Director Jiang, another classic work! I believe many viewers here have plenty they'd like to say to you—would you come up and chat with the audience?" said the beautiful host Yao Miao as she took the stage.

Yet, ironically, the romance element in Jiang Heng's films is almost nonexistent.

In "Lion Camel Ridge," Sun Wukong blows away the opposition; the enemy brings out a super cheat, the Buddha's ancestral scripture, while Wukong has a max-level buff—the relic earned from Tang Seng's ten lifetimes of cultivation—and still blows away the Lion Camel Ridge monster combo.

Of course, that's not a big deal.

Jiang Heng's films always max out visual effects, and the storyline is also very smooth.

When he unleashes his power, the villains can't withstand even a few blows before collapsing—this is standard procedure.

Not only domestic audiences are puzzled, but Americans too find it baffling; couldn't we add a bit more romance?

Yang Mi, who came with her classmates, was now at the venue and whispered, "I thought the female lead would be in a romance with Director Jiang, but it turns out to be his sister!"

"Ah, what a disappointment—I really wanted to see a love story!"

Yang Mi's classmate, also a fan of shipping couples, after speaking stretched her neck to look around, wanting to see how Jiang Heng would respond.

"Well, the film 'Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother' has two layers of story background: the first is Investiture of the Gods, the second is the Primordial Era; these settings are too grand, and plus we need to guarantee enough fight scenes, there's just no room for romance."

Such an answer obviously fails to satisfy, especially many female viewers.

A bespectacled girl whose attire was somewhat intellectual took the microphone handed by a staff member and asked, "Director Jiang Heng, I really like your big productions; I can say I've watched every one, and they're must-sees no matter how busy I am. As your fan, I have a great regret: I've never been able to see a moving romance in your films."

After the girl finished speaking, the venue fell silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous applause.

The filmmakers present all wore smiles, and Zhou Xingxing even pressed his lips together.

As an outstanding commercial-film actor and director, Zhou Xingxing has deconstructed many elements, but he has never deconstructed romance.

One could even say that just the right amount of romance is a key to his films' success.

Jiang Heng doesn't even use such a good "tool"—perhaps he really doesn't understand it!

On stage, Jiang Heng spoke into the microphone: "Thank you very much for your suggestion; in my future creations, I will consider increasing the romance!"

Another girl said, "Director Jiang, could you make a special-effects blockbuster with romance as its theme? The kind where the male lead, to be with the female lead, would not hesitate to oppose all the gods and buddhas in heaven?"

Jiang Heng heard this and gave an awkward smile, saying, "I'll consider it, I'll consider it!"

Today's audience seems to have zeroed in on "romance," and almost all the questions they raised are related to it.

Of course, perhaps it also has to do with the current era's background.

In 2002, "My Fair Princess" had already been filmed in two parts, and Qiong Yao was widely known to the public.

Hong Kong and Taiwan romance novels swept the mainland, influencing a generation.

At this moment, teenagers still hold beautiful fantasies about love.

Rather than twenty years later, when deep affection is seen as being a sycophant.

Jiang Heng was too deeply influenced by that era, feeling that he almost no longer has a concept of love.

Yet, with public opinion clamoring at the moment, Jiang Heng could only respond, "All right, I will consider filming a special-effects blockbuster with romance as its theme!"

As soon as he said that, the whole venue burst with surprised cheers.

It's no wonder the audience reacted this way; after all, when they initially auditioned for the female lead, and Jiang Heng himself directed and starred, many subconsciously assumed that Tang Yan would be playing his love interest.

I had already prepared to ship them, but then you told me after I arrived that they were playing siblings, and then it was all just fighting, fighting, fighting.

Watching it was satisfying, yet I still felt a bit of loss!

It was not until after eight-thirty in the evening that the entire event finally concluded.

The production crew still booked a large banquet hall at a nearby star-rated hotel, inviting guests over for drinks.

On the way, Zhou Xingxing chose to ride in the same car and said, "Hey, if you want to make a romance, if you have anything you're undecided about, I can offer you some reference!"

On the way, Zhou Xingxing chose to sit in the same car, saying, "Hey, if you want to shoot a romance and have anything you can't decide on, I can help you out!"

(End of chapter)