Chapter 189

Hengdian, outskirts

Yan Li wore a black-and-gold robe, hair disheveled, half-kneeling in exhaustion, fingers clawing the ground, tendons bulging, face twisted in agony.

Zeng Li, dressed in gauzy robes as Sha Man, rejoiced and shouted to Zhang Zhilin and others.

"His demonic cultivation has malfunctioned—kill him quickly!"

Zhang Zhilin as Lu Xiaofeng, Yan Kuan as Ximen Chuixue, and several other Wu Lin experts charged forward without hesitation.

"Cut! Change camera position, bring in close-up, prepare the wires."

Director Wang Xinmin called out, and Zhang Zhilin began shooting his close-ups one by one.

Basically, each one unleashes their ultimate move: Lu Xiaofeng uses Feng Wu Jiutian, Ximen Chuixue uses One Sword Comes from the West.

Gong Jiu was already formidable in the original novel, chasing Lu Xiaofeng to kill him, and as the final major villain of this drama, plus being portrayed personally by Boss Yan Li, his status was fully elevated.

In this drama, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," Ximen Chuixue isn't the strongest, but he's constantly growing, becoming stronger over time.

Gong Jiu appears only in the final episodes, forcing Ximen Chuixue to join the mob attack—he's one of the drama's absolute power ceilings.

Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue, the two top fighters, joined by several other Wu Lin experts, launched a coordinated assault.

The original script intended to include Hua Manlou and Sikong Zhaixing too, for a full protagonist team battle against Gong Jiu.

Yan Li felt it was too forced, so he kept only Ximen Chuixue from the original's arc to assist.

Even as Gong Jiu fought alone against many, he was piled with negative buffs: Sha Man used her maternal obsession to destabilize his mind, while the demonic cultivation's side effects dragged him down, until finally they killed him.

While others filmed, Yan Li prepared for makeup.

He wore colored contact lenses, eyes blazing red; his skin painted pale, bloodless; he bit a small blood pack, letting a trickle of blood slowly drip from his corner of the mouth, portraying a state of demonic cultivation gone awry.

He also hid another blood pack in his mouth, to spit blood intermittently during combat, enhancing the illusion of weakness.

After makeup was done, they practiced the choreography for the fight scenes.

Gu Long's dramas emphasize atmosphere; prolonged fights aren't good. Earlier scenes are mostly instant kills or overwhelming crushes; only a few elite duels warrant multiple rounds.

First, the original novel had several rounds of combat, fitting the plot; second, extended fights fill runtime; third, the stunt team needs work.

Lu Xiaofeng spends every day pinching swords and knives between two fingers, or Ximen Chuixue draws his sword and someone dies—Yan Li could've been the martial arts director.

The assault on Gong Jiu is the grand finale, a group battle where the weak overcome the strong, so it needed to be longer.

The drama even had Sha Man explain: Gong Jiu's demonic cultivation had malfunctioned, requiring self-harm to alleviate side effects; attacking him now was actually helping him, and in this state, he was partially immune to damage, his power amplified.

But this endurance and burst had limits—self-harm wasn't suicide—so once they endured the hardest phase, Gong Jiu weakened, and they could slowly wear him down to death.

It had the feel of an online game boss entering a rage phase two—wonder if the screenwriters got inspiration from games.

This scene was hard to fight, hard to film.

On screen, it's crisp and fast—bang, bang—but in reality, every two moves might switch camera angles; choreography had to be repeated multiple times, with close-ups added, and so on.

Yan Li was the most exhausted—he was the one being surrounded, so everyone had to practice their moves with him; his shots and movements were the most numerous.

He's played nearly a dozen roles, but this was the most complicated death he's ever portrayed.

Hmm, Sun Desheng in "Bright Sword" also took a full day to film, but it wasn't this fragmented—shot, pause, shot again.

And in that scene, he was deeply immersed—he later got lost in the role, ignoring all the trivial details, mind filled only with mounting the horse and charging.

But now, Gong Jiu falls short in many ways—filming is too fragmented, the character's emotional continuity is broken, there's little dialogue or dramatic scenes, just fighting.

They started fighting at dawn and kept going until midnight; in the drama, it's the same—the characters fought through day and night until they finally wore Gong Jiu down.

Yan Li's ornate black-and-gold robe was torn to shreds, strands of his hair cut off, the white makeup on his face rendered him unrecognizable; his mouth and chin were caked in blood, his contact lenses changed from blazing red to gray-white.

Zhang Zhilin and the others were equally battered—some spitting blood, others covered in wounds, one with a broken arm; Ximen Chuixue had gone from white-robed sword god to a filthy, tattered "flower-clad" figure.

But the suffering was only makeup—the real issue was exhaustion.

Filming from day to midnight, all heavy physical combat—even with stunt doubles helping, the actors were nearly collapsed.

Zeng Li, the female actress, couldn't keep up physically, so they had Yan Li punch her "out" early, leaving her lying nearby, gravely injured.

Honestly, this state matched the drama's brutal day-night battle perfectly—pushing through on sheer willpower, seeing who died first.

But the actors were too tired; their movements were limp—later, stunt doubles and editing had to step in.

Yan Li had the most lines, the least rest, used stunt doubles the least, yet his energy and state were the best among all actors and crew.

Some had planned—if Yan Li couldn't take it, they'd voice concerns, he'd gracefully concede, and they'd resume filming tomorrow.

But Yan Li grew more energetic with each take, lifting everyone's spirits instead.

Here was a billionaire boss, filming more and enduring more than any of them, yet he uttered not a single complaint—who could dare back down?

Fortunately, Yan Li knew his own limits—he didn't assume the entire crew was as physically monstrous as he was.

He arranged midnight snacks to reward the crew, doubled overtime pay, and gave the entire team half a day off tomorrow.

Producer Wang Decai was slightly dissatisfied—midnight snacks were fine, food boosted morale, but overtime pay and a day off—pick one.

"Boss Yan, you're too soft on your people."

Yan Li: "..."

Didn't realize old Wang had a bit of a "Wang the Skinflint" streak.

But Yan Li rose from being a lowly extra—he'd run errands for crews back in college, knew how hard actors and crew worked, so he was more understanding.

When it doesn't compromise the production, be human—don't be a beast.

If you make your staff feel alienated, constantly fearing betrayal, even if you make money, you won't enjoy it—what's the point?

Yan Li has a system—he doesn't lack opportunities to get rich—and his vision is slightly broader than most; at least he doesn't scheme to pinch coins from his employees' pockets…

…

"Lu… Xiao… Feng…"

Yan Li was stabbed from behind by Ximen Chuixue's sword, then struck in the chest by Zhang Zhilin's Lingxi Finger; he gazed at Zhang Zhilin with a desolate, unwilling expression, then closed his eyes and died.

Zhang Zhilin exhaled deeply; Yan Kuan, drawing his sword, staggered, his hands trembling.

Not just because the drama's greatest enemy was gone—but because they could finally wrap filming.

"Done for the day."

Everyone had been exhausted just moments ago, but upon hearing "done for the day," they all perked up instantly.

Yan Li changed his clothes, removed his headgear, didn't let the makeup artist remove his makeup, grabbed makeup remover and a pack of wet wipes, and left straight away.

The driver, Wu Maowen, hadn't stayed on set earlier—he'd been catching up on sleep, because today Yan Li was going to the airport, and the flight was at six a. m., so there was no need to return to the hotel.

Yan Li took a short nap in the car, arrived at the airport, and boarded a flight to Jingcheng.

This return to Jingcheng, Yan Li was attending a screening event hosted by Yi'an Organization.

To find buyers for multiple Yi'an-distributed works, including "Bright Sword" and "New Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio."

Of course, this screening event was mostly a publicity stunt—it had some effect on distribution, but most contracts had already been settled privately.

The whole point was promotion: to show how popular our dramas were, how eagerly TV stations were buying them, and to draw attention from audiences and other stations.

Simultaneously, the large-scale release of multiple TV dramas demonstrated Yi'an's powerful distribution capabilities, boosted the company's reputation, and attracted more high-quality project collaborations.

When Yan Li arrived in Jingcheng, it was still morning; unable to stomach airplane food, he found a breakfast shop to fill his stomach, then returned to Beiying Community.

Dong Xuan wasn't in class, so Yan Li took a shower and immediately collapsed into bed for a nap.

When he woke up in the afternoon, he saw Dong Xuan, wearing an apron, humming a tune as she simmered soup for him in the kitchen.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Yan Li smiled and asked: "Teacher Dong, did you miss me?"

"Yes."

Dong Xuan kissed him; they lingered for a while. Just as Yan Li was figuring out how to strip off Dong Xuan's apron without untying it, someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Me."

Guan Yue's loud voice rang out; Yan Li gritted his teeth: "You didn't tell her I was back?"

Dong Xuan's eyes shimmered; she took a breath: "I didn't. When I saw you come back, I feigned illness at noon and took half a day off. She probably came to check on me."

"Tell her to get lost."

Normally, Yan Li was happy Guan Yue clung to Dong Xuan; now he wanted her as far away as possible.

"Why the rush? I'm not running away."

Dong Xuan rolled her eyes. Guan Yue had come out of kindness to visit her; she couldn't shut the door in her face.

She tidied her clothes and went to open the door. Guan Yue stepped in, concerned: "What's wrong? Did you go to the hospital…?"

Then she saw Yan Li lounging casually in the living room and immediately understood what was going on.

Normally at this hour, Guan Yue would have claimed she forgot to turn off the gas or left her car keys in the ignition and slipped away—she'd never be such a third wheel.

But seeing Yan Li today, Guan Yue frowned and sneered: "Oh? Isn't this the ex-boyfriend?"

"Shit."

Yan Li suddenly remembered—he hadn't yet cleared the hurdle of making Dong Xuan his "ex-girlfriend."

The rightful queen had stepped aside for Fan Xiaopang; though Dong Xuan said nothing, she still had thoughts inside, and Guan Yue, her best friend, had stepped forward to champion her cause.

Of course, whether this was genuine righteous indignation or a well-rehearsed duet by the two friends, only they and the intelligence system knew.

Some things and words, if spoken directly by Dong Xuan as the party involved, might not end well.

But if nothing was said or done, Yan Li might take it lightly. So having a best friend step in to voice Dong Xuan's grievances and sacrifices subtly reminded Yan Li of the stakes, while letting Dong Xuan play the gentle, understanding role.

"..."

Thus, whether Guan Yue's sudden visit today was genuine concern or prearranged was hard to say.

Tsk, these two women spend their days at school not teaching or guiding students, but scheming over this nonsense.

Yan Li genuinely worried about the future studies of Beidian's female students...

Meanwhile, Guan Yue had already launched a verbal assault on Yan Li's behavior, while Dong Xuan gently counseled her, defending and making excuses for Yan Li.

They'd known each other since freshman year, four years of college, one year as colleagues—five years of friendship, deeply bonded, inseparable, spending more time together than with their respective boyfriends; their chemistry was obvious.

Had the intelligence system not tipped him off earlier, Yan Li might have been completely fooled by the two.

Still, though he knew the truth, Yan Li kept up the facade—looking guilty and ashamed under Guan Yue's scolding, deeply moved by Dong Xuan's generosity and tolerance.

Don't ignore the performance you're supposed to cooperate in!

If you don't play along with this script the two friends worked so hard to create, expose them, and make everyone look foolish, they'll just come up with another plan to deal with you.

It's simply unnecessary!

Let the two friends believe they've got him under control, feel satisfied their effort wasn't wasted, and Yan Li's hurdle will be cleared smoothly—everyone wins.

When a man should be smart, don't pretend to be stupid; when he should be foolish, never act cleverly.

But after dealing with Guan Yue, Yan Li picked up Dong Xuan and carried her toward the bedroom, declaring he'd properly "apologize"—he'd make sure Teacher Dong felt his full sincerity.

When Yan Li went to the pre-screening reception that evening, Dong Xuan was too weak to get out of bed.

While texting Guan Yue to review the events, she couldn't help wondering: "Do you think he figured it out?"

"Probably not."

Guan Yue thought it unlikely—they'd coordinated so well, practiced several times before, and Yan Li's expression hadn't seemed like he'd caught on.

"Maybe he just felt guilty and wanted to make up for it even more. Men, right? Apologizing means being sweet, spending money, and giving it their all."

Dong Xuan thought that made sense. Besides, though the man had been intense just now, his tone had still been gentle, his eyes full of tenderness, calling her pet name "Huanhuan" over and over—under the circumstances, she'd have given him her life.

She couldn't help blushing; her earlier anger had already dissipated somewhat.

It wasn't entirely Yan Li's fault—if that damn leak hadn't disrupted things, he wouldn't have made her his "ex-girlfriend." Besides, it was only temporary; once the storm passed, they could just drop the "ex."

As for Fan Xiaopang... forget it. Don't scare yourself. Overthinking only makes things messier.

Guan Yue also advised Dong Xuan to lighten up: Tong Dawei had his own swarm of admirers, let alone Yan Li. The key was making sure he knew his limits.

"Lao Guan, you've changed. A few years ago, you'd have been the first to urge me to break up with him."

Dong Xuan sighed. Back when Yan Li was flirting with Huang Shengyi, Guan Yue had firmly urged her to end it. Now, time had passed, and Guan Yue was telling her to turn a blind eye.

"Why waste words? If I told you to break up right now, would you?"

Dong Xuan: "……"

"See, you can't even say it. You're not breaking up, so what's the point of my advice?"

Guan Yue's voice, vexed that iron refused to become steel, came through: "Besides, on what grounds would you break up? Back then Yan Li was broke, took the bus everywhere, and after renting a room couldn't even afford to eat without mooching off your meal card—and you still stuck with him. Now the hard times are over, he's become a billionaire, and you won't break up just to make things cheap for some other vixen."

"Not breaking up, absolutely not. If that bastard dares to break up with me, I'll go to the media and expose him for seducing and then abandoning me."

Dong Xuan pressed her lips together: "You're right, not breaking up. If that dog of a man dares to grow tired of the old and crave the new, I'll buy a bottle of poison and drag him to death with me."

"Ahem."

Yan Li, who was in the middle of socializing, couldn't help but shiver, and politely declined an exclusive interview invitation from a beautiful reporter.

Mm, Dong Xuan was pretty much coaxed around, but she was still in a sensitive period. He'd go back and work on it himself—before leaving the capital, he'd wipe out this "ex-girlfriend" business……

(End of this chapter)