When the news about “Mr. Gu” spread, it immediately drew the attention of everyone present. People started whispering and speculating.

It wasn’t just that the person had given Li Morong such a decisive strategy, but rather that Li Mo Rong’s swift and forceful move to send Ling Weiguang to jail must have been supported by significant backing.

If it wasn’t the old master of the Li family, then who could this Mr. Gu be?

The first thought that came to mind was the Gu family branch led by Gu Zhongmao. However, Gu Zhongmao was known for his profit-driven nature and wasn’t the type to meddle in a divorce case that could offend the Ling family. Moreover, there was no such elder in his household.

Yet, some young and curious individuals recalled the mysterious figure, Mr. Gu, who had been a hot topic in the entertainment industry. They whispered jokingly, “Could it be the same Mr. Gu who, amid all the hype, sent Zhong Sheng to jail after calling him a fraud?”

The elder business figures, who had seldom paid much attention to such matters, frowned upon hearing the gossip. They commented, “Young people don’t understand much. That so-called Mr. Gu is just an unstable young man who made a scene in the entertainment industry. Old Master Li would look down on such people.”

“Yes, even though the eldest daughter of the Li family wanted to become an actress, the old master refused. She eventually became a director instead.”

“A gentleman who can sit and have tea with Old Master Li and offer guidance to Miss Morong must be a high-ranking, influential figure who is not easily seen in public, just like Old Master Li.”

But if it wasn’t the southern Gu family, then which family could it be? This question lingered in everyone’s minds after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Young people, however, were quite curious about the mysterious Mr. Gu from the entertainment industry and asked Gu Heng specifically, “Young Master Heng, if that Mr. Gu isn’t from your Gu family, do you know who the mysterious Mr. Gu from the entertainment industry is?”

Gu Heng wasn’t very familiar with Gu Chen’s situation, but he held a dismissive attitude towards the entertainment industry and its people. Furthermore, when Gu Chen had trouble with Zhong Sheng earlier, his father and elder brother had advised him not to mention Gu Chen’s identity, as it would be embarrassing. So, he replied, “I don’t know him. Our family doesn’t have anyone by that name. There are many people with the surname Gu; it’s impossible for everyone with that surname to be from our family.”

However, Gu Heng couldn’t help but think how beneficial it would be if the Mr. Gu they had just mentioned was from their own Gu family. The Gu family really needed an influential elder who could communicate effectively with Old Master Li.

…..

On a spring morning, the mountain was shrouded in a layer of mist. Gu Chen, dressed in loose white sportswear and carrying a sword, hiked up to a broad platform at the mountain’s peak to breathe in the fresh air.

Although the concentration of carbon dioxide is higher in the morning, there’s always a refreshing feeling when one starts the day early and enters the mountains. It might be because one feels relaxed and at ease.

He swiftly drew the Hongyu sword, facing the dawn light through the thin mist, and began to practice his swordplay.

Since receiving the sword, he had been practicing on Songhe Mountain for a few days. Each move and form became more fluid, and although there was no supernatural power involved, he seemed to regain his sense of the sword in every aspect.

However, today, distant noises of chatter could be heard from below the mountain. From his vantage point, he could see a group of people ascending the mountain and stopping halfway up the slope.

Thanks to his clear vision, unspoiled by electronic devices, Gu Chen could make out that they were filming.

Seeing that they had no intention of coming up to his level, Gu Chen returned his focus to his practice.

By the time he finished his entire sword routine, the sky was bright. Feeling that he had achieved his fitness goals, he sheathed his sword and took a different path down the mountain.

Meanwhile, Li Jingwei and her crew were climbing the mountain to shoot scenes. The mountain, developed by Li Tingqin for research and cultivation of endangered and rare plants, was ecologically well-preserved with numerous scenic spots.

Taking advantage of the mist, she captured some breathtaking scenes of the male and female leads.

Although the two main actors were inexperienced newcomers, they were obedient and easy to train, able to follow her direction effectively. Moreover, both young actors had a natural charm that fit the fresh, fledgling heroic spirit of the characters from the original novel.

Without Yu Miao, the progress of several scenes was moving much faster than she had anticipated, which eased some of the frustration caused by Yu Miao’s earlier behavior.

However, at this moment, she received a call from Yu Miao’s agent, Liang Lu. A sense of unease washed over her as she signaled to pause the shoot and answered the phone.

Liang Lu said, “Ms. Li, I’ve reviewed the script for Mr. Yu, and I agree with him—it needs to be revised.”

As expected, Li Jingwei responded coldly, “Sister Lu, I believe I’ve already made my stance on this clear.”

Liang Lu replied with reason, “Ms. Li, please trust us. You’re familiar with our scriptwriters; they’ve all won awards, and adapting your script, which is based on online literature, should be well within their capabilities. Moreover, you didn’t invite Mr. Yu just for a cameo, did you?”

Li Jingwei’s tone was firm: “Ms. Liang, please adhere to the terms of the contract as agreed.”

She thought to herself that, indeed, she had hired him for a cameo. The role was too mysterious and needed to be left open to interpretation. But since he was a highly popular and acclaimed actor, and given the high expectations of the fans, she had hired such a “legendary” actor to ensure the role was well portrayed.

Li Jingwei frowned as she hung up the phone, her irritation growing. She knew that as a newcomer award winner, much of her success had come from her willingness to work with new talent, but the longer she worked in the industry, the more she realized how a film was subject to numerous external influences and opinions.

As expected, she soon received a call from one of the investors. The voice on the other end said, “Xiao Li, I heard from Sister Lu that there’s a communication issue? You should show more respect to her; she’s a veteran in the industry.”

Li Jingwei took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. “I understand, but I have my own vision for this project. I need to stay true to it.”

The investor’s voice softened a bit. “I appreciate your dedication to your vision, but remember, a successful film often requires collaboration and compromise. It’s important to find a balance between your creative vision and the input of experienced professionals.”

Li Jingwei nodded, though the investor couldn’t see it. “I’ll consider it. Thank you for your advice.”

After hanging up, she took a moment to reflect. It was clear that navigating the film industry required not only creative talent but also the ability to manage various interests and expectations.

Li Jingwei said, “There are just some disagreements, and Mr. Wu, making a film isn’t about seniority. Since I am the director, the final decision rests with me.”

But Mr. Wu thought differently. He said directly, “Xiao Li, you don’t understand this. You’re still young and lack experience with IP films. An IP film profits from both the original fans and the actor’s fans, which gives the movie’s investment returns a solid base. How many fans will come to the cinema just to see Mr. Yu? If you reduce his role to a few minutes, what will his fans think?”

Li Jingwei emphasized, “Mr. Wu, I want this film to respect the tone of the original work.”

Mr. Wu dismissed this, “Can the number of original fans compare to Mr. Yu’s fans? The original work is one thing, but as long as there are original fans willing to watch the movie, that’s enough. You could even turn the script into a big male lead story. Besides, Mr. Yu has brought his own screenwriters, who are industry veterans. They’re much better than your original web novel author. And think about it, how popular is the character Mr. Yu is playing? He’s even voted by book fans as the actor who best fits the original work. Increasing this character’s screen time is exactly what the fans want to see.”

Li Jingwei: “…… The original work? Turn a character who appears only a few times into the main male lead? Why even keep the original work then? Just ask the author to rewrite it……”

Being guided by an outsider is really frustrating, but if she doesn’t seek help from her family, she truly can’t handle the investor. So she said, “Hello? Mr. Wu? What did you say, Mr. Wu? I’m filming in the mountains, and the signal is poor… I’ll call you back when I’m down the mountain. I’ll hang up now. Goodbye.” Then she decisively hung up the phone.

Li Jingwei first put her phone on silent and then said, “Let’s continue.”

However, the assistant director, looking at the monitor, said with some frustration, “Director Li, I reviewed the footage, and it seems we might need to reshoot those scenes… There appears to be someone in the background on the mountain throughout.”

“What?” Li Jingwei’s mood worsened, her brows furrowing tighter. She walked over and said, “Let me see.”

Li Jingwei replayed the video. The scenes, lighting, and actor performances were all perfect, but there was a white figure moving on the mountaintop platform in the background.

The camera assistant, looking disappointed, said, “Oh… isn’t this a disaster? The sun’s already out, and reshooting will have the wrong lighting… Should we try again tomorrow? Who knows if the weather will be as suitable then…”

Everyone present felt a bit frustrated: “How did I not notice someone earlier…”

“Actually, there was a bit of fog, and it was too far away to spot. But it’s very clear in the high-definition footage.”

“It is indeed very clear.” Li Jingwei said after watching for a while, “Can we zoom in a bit more?”

Since the main characters in this fairy tale work are all sword cultivators, she had been researching sword techniques recently and suddenly found the white figure’s movements in the footage somewhat familiar.

The assistant director zoomed in by one level.

Li Jingwei directed, “Zoom in further.”

This was a high-definition camera, and while it didn’t capture the face or specific attire, everyone could now clearly see the white figure’s actions. He was on the mountaintop…

Performing swordplay.

“Ah, this…” As the footage played, the camera assistant, somewhat shocked, covered his mouth, “Where did this person come from? Could it be that while we’re filming a fairy tale drama, a sword immortal has descended to earth?”

“He’s actually performing swordplay!”

The assistant director, who had thought they would need to reshoot, now widened his eyes in surprise.

The verdant mountains, shrouded in the morning mist, provided the backdrop for a figure in white. With the dawn light and a gentle breeze, this person moved a silver longsword with grace. The fluidity and elegance of the swordplay made him appear as if he were a drifting cloud, seemingly ready to ride the wind. The gradually brightening morning light bathed him in a mysterious glow, making him truly look like an immortal descending to earth.

Hearing their comments, the stunt team gathered around and, like the rest, stared wide-eyed.

The martial arts director couldn’t help but exclaim, “These moves are far more perfect than what I designed! They’re so smooth and intricate! I’ve gone through numerous sword manuals and studied various classical sword techniques, but I’ve never seen such a perfect swordplay!”

After viewing all the footage, the martial arts director noted that it seemed to be a complete set of sword techniques and added, “If there’s no copyright issue, we could definitely use this swordplay in our film! It’s perfect and aligns so well with the film’s tone!”

The assistant director, thinking more practically, remarked, “Regardless of who this person is, we can certainly use these shots. Adding these scenes would make the setting appear even more authentic. It really looks like a place of immortals, with someone performing swordplay on the mountaintop.”

Another person chimed in, “So who is this? The level of skill far exceeds that of our martial arts director. At this hour on the mountaintop, it seems almost unreal. Could it really be that our shoot attracted a sword immortal from the heavens?”

Li Jingwei took a deep breath to calm her excited heart. This was exactly the celestial figure she had been searching for! Although the face was unclear from the distance, the aura and demeanor of the sword immortal were perfectly embodied by this figure in white, just as she had hoped.

If she could find this person… to play the role of the celestial being, she wouldn’t have to endure the difficult and unproductive negotiations with Yu Miao!

But negotiating an exit with Yu Miao might not be agreed upon by the investors, and the penalty fees could be an issue… Sigh, she needed to find this person before addressing anything else.

She composed herself and said, “Let’s finish today’s shooting as planned. Then I’ll see if I can find out who this person is.”

Even the lead actors jokingly expressed their excitement, “Director Li, are you really planning to invite an immortal to act in the film?”

Li Jingwei rarely smiled, but she did so now, saying, “If only an immortal would descend to the mortal realm.”

This mountain was her brother’s territory, so it should be easy to find out, unless he truly was a celestial being capable of flying and vanishing.

After wrapping up the shoot, she arranged for the crew to take a car down the mountain and return to the hotel. She remembered that her elder brother had a guest house on the mountain and thought it might be a good place to inquire about the situation. If that didn’t work, she would have to ask her brother to arrange for the staff involved in the mountain’s planting projects to help her find out.

Arriving at the elegant guest house along the scenic mountain road, she pressed the doorbell.

Although she didn’t know the housekeeper, Zhang Ma, Zhang Ma recognized the family’s faces and greeted her while opening the door, saying, “Is that Miss Li? What brings you up the mountain? Come in!”

“Hello.”

Li Jingwei looked around the Songhe’s Guesthouse, finding it even more refined than the last time she visited. She had heard that her brother-in-law lived here, and it seemed her brother-in-law had a lot of taste. She wondered if her brother-in-law might know something about the situation on the mountain.

She decided to ask Zhang Ma first, “Auntie, do you know if there are any reclusive experts on this mountain who practice swordplay at the summit?”

Li Jingwei didn’t hold out much hope, but to her surprise, Zhang Ma’s eyes widened with surprise when she heard about the swordplay expert.

Zhang Ma, looking somewhat mysterious, said, “An expert? Yes, indeed. Someone goes up the mountain every day with a sword to exorcise demons and perform magical deeds. Miss Li, have you discovered this?”

Li Jingwei was momentarily stunned and a bit confused. “Exorcise demons? Could he really be… an immortal?”

But she decided to ask more first. Excitedly grabbing Zhang Ma’s arm, she quickly asked, “Auntie, do you know who he is? He’s the figure of my dreams, uh, I mean, the celestial being I’ve been longing for… I must find him!”

“Celestial being?” Zhang Ma’s expression immediately turned serious, “That won’t do. That’s your brother-in-law! Miss Li, you can’t approach it like this.”

Li Jingwei was taken aback: “Huh?”