Chapter 19: Uncle!

Entering the entertainment industry is simple, but making a name for oneself requires a combination of luck, talent, and connections.

Yu Ting possessed all three. Although he was still just a rising star, he had the background and only lacked the right opportunity to push him further. As for his acting skills, Tang Qu felt that among the rising stars, Yu Ting was quite competent. In fact, the co-actors are the best judges of one’s acting skills. When two actors get into character, if one keeps breaking character, it’s a problem. But Tang Qu felt that Yu Ting’s performance was quite natural.

Yu Ting stood in the center of the grand hall with a few other actors. His eyes revealed a mix of excitement and nervousness from being in such a prestigious place, yet it didn’t seem out of place at all.

“The Pure Profound Venerable has arrived!” a servant in the hall announced.

Tang Qu stepped into the hall, and the camera followed his movements. Normally, the set would be filled with various noises, but as Tang Qu walked in, the entire set fell silent. It was as if they had truly encountered the Pure Profound Venerable, a figure feared across the Three Realms.

A single glance from Tang Qu could send shivers down the spine of anyone he looked at, yet it was clear that the Pure Profound Venerable didn’t regard them with any importance. To put it plainly, this Pure Profound Venerable had a proud demeanor, and the countless beings of the Three Realms were insignificant in his eyes.

“Cut!”

Just as Tang Qu stood in front of the hall, Director Chen’s shout of “Cut!” snapped everyone out of their trance. But then they realized that this scene wasn’t supposed to have a cut. They all turned to look at the director.

Behind the monitor, Director Chen’s face was dark. The extras started to panic. This expression only appeared when Director Chen was extremely dissatisfied. But it was the first day of filming; surely, he wouldn’t lose his temper right away?

Tang Qu was also a bit confused by the sudden cut, but he was confident in his performance. He knew he hadn’t made any mistakes. This confidence came from his experience.

Sure enough, Director Chen picked up a megaphone and shouted in front of everyone, “Yu Ting! What are you doing?”

Yu Ting quickly turned to Director Chen, “Director, I’m sorry, I didn’t pay attention to my expression.” He had guessed it was his fault when the director called for a cut.

This scene was Yu Ting’s first encounter with the legendary Pure Profound Venerable. The character Yu Ting played was initially a small-time thug, so upon meeting such a legendary figure, he should have shown curiosity and excitement. But his expression was no different from the others in the hall—shocked and intimidated.

Director Chen had indeed called the cut because of this. He was extremely satisfied with Tang Qu’s performance, even feeling that he had chosen a genius for the role. Casting Tang Qu was the most correct decision for this film. But the more satisfied he was with Tang Qu, the more dissatisfied he was with Yu Ting’s performance. When he pushed the camera forward, it ruined the shot. The feeling he wanted wasn’t captured, and what could have been a perfect take now needed to be redone.

However, seeing Yu Ting’s sincere attitude, Director Chen’s expression softened a bit.

“Let’s prepare to shoot again.”

Tang Qu glanced in Yu Ting’s direction, and Yu Ting looked back at him, nodding apologetically.

To everyone’s surprise, the male lead turned out to be quite approachable. Tang Qu smiled slightly and returned the greeting.

Tang Qu was still dressed as the Pure Profound Venerable. Just moments ago, he had been wearing an indifferent expression, but now he had transformed into a cheerful young man. Such a stark contrast left a strong impression on everyone present.

Tang Qu’s phoenix eyes, which seemed intimidating when he was expressionless, now sparkled with warmth when he smiled, making people wish they could drown in his gaze.

Unbeknownst to Tang Qu, his simple smile had been captured by the camera.

Yu Ting was also momentarily stunned by the smile, but he quickly regained his composure this time, or else he would have been scolded again.

During the second take, Yu Ting’s expression met Director Chen’s requirements, and the scene was approved.

Next was the scene featuring the Pure Profound Venerable.

“Senior Brother, aren’t you considering taking on a disciple this time? There are many exceptionally talented individuals among this year’s candidates,” the Headmaster, seated in the main position, quietly asked Qing Xuan beside him.

The Pure Profound Venerable had handed over the position of Headmaster to his Junior Brother after their Master passed away, as he found it troublesome. Now, in terms of seniority within the Upper Realm, the Pure Profound Venerable held the highest position.

Qing Xuan glanced at his Junior Brother beside him: “No need.”

The Headmaster sighed. His Senior Brother was incredibly powerful, yet he had no interest in taking on disciples. He wanted to persuade him further, but the Pure Profound Venerable had already closed his eyes.

The Headmaster sighed again, suspecting that if it weren’t for the need to show the outside world that the Pure Profound Venerable was still alive, his Senior Brother wouldn’t have bothered attending this disciple selection ceremony at all.

Hearing that the Pure Profound Venerable wouldn’t be taking on a disciple, many Elders felt relieved. There were many talented individuals in this year’s batch, and if the Pure Profound Venerable had decided to take a disciple, there would have been no room left for them.

However, the candidates in the hall also showed expressions of disappointment. Many of them had come specifically for the Pure Profound Venerable. Although they knew that the Pure Profound Venerable had participated in four disciple selection ceremonies without ever taking on a disciple, they still held onto the slim hope that he might choose them this time.

Yu Ting, playing the male lead who had just entered the immortal sect, had only heard of the Pure Profound Venerable but wasn’t clear about his stance on taking disciples. He nudged the person next to him and whispered, “Why doesn’t the Pure Profound Venerable take on disciples?”

The person gave Yu Ting a disdainful look: “You don’t even know that? It’s because the Pure Profound Venerable doesn’t think highly of these people. He was chosen by the Upper Realm from a young age and has been cultivating there ever since. Before he was even fourteen, he was already the top figure in the Upper Realm. Don’t be fooled by the fact that he’s sitting in the highest position now—the Pure Profound Venerable is only in his early twenties. Even if he doesn’t cultivate, his power increases by leaps and bounds every day. Do you think just anyone can become his disciple?”

Yu Ting clicked his tongue in amazement. The Pure Profound Venerable was truly extraordinary. But at the same time, another thought crossed his mind: someone who had been cultivating since childhood—had he ever experienced the ups and downs of life?

“Silence!” The attendant’s voice brought the entire hall to a hush: “The disciple selection begins now. Let the Four Halls Elders choose their disciples!”

“Cut!” The first scene was finally completed. Director Chen preferred continuous takes and didn’t like to nitpick every detail. After reviewing the playback, he called out: “Approved.”

Everyone on set immediately relaxed, shifting from their formal postures to a more casual demeanor.

“Uncle!” Yu Ting’s excited voice drew Tang Qu’s gaze in his direction. At that moment, Yu Ting was jogging over to Director Chen, and the “Uncle” he was calling out to was a man wearing a mask standing beside Director Chen.

Tang Qu’s eyes unexpectedly met the man’s gaze, and for some reason, Tang Qu felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.