China Entertainment: I have been a director since 05

Because of the abundance of rumors circulating online, Lingyun Media was bombarded with inquiries.

Guan Ling was forced to issue a public response, acknowledging the incident.

In July 2013, the heatwave was so intense that it scorched every inch of the steel and concrete in Beijing.

However, even hotter than the weather was the online frenzy surrounding "Covering the Sky".

This flame, ignited by Guan Ling herself, not only swept through the entertainment industry but also, with the force of a wildfire, completely engulfed the sacred ground of online literature—7dian.com.

In the past, the competition for the 7 PM bestseller list was a fierce and cutthroat battleground.

Tang Jia San Shao's "Douluo Continent II" is unstoppable, I Eat Tomatoes' "Desolate Era" dominates the scene, Er Gen's "Seeking the Demon" is mysterious and profound, and Tian Can Tu Dou's "The Great Ruler" is just beginning to show its potential...

The names at the top of the list represent the fervor and admiration of millions of readers, and are the culmination of countless days and nights of writing.

However, all of this was completely overturned within 72 hours of Guan Ling's official announcement.

The novel "Covering the Sky," which ended on May 21st of this year but was thrust back into the spotlight due to news of a movie adaptation, is like a supreme being who has been asleep for countless ages suddenly awakening. With just a thought, it makes the entire list bow down in submission.

Its cover—a colossal bronze coffin stretching across the cold universe, dragged by nine ferocious black dragons—has an unparalleled visual impact, and with an almost domineering attitude, it firmly nails itself to the absolute top of all the bestseller lists, monthly ticket lists, recommendation lists, and click lists!

Numbers are cold, yet they are the most powerful declaration:

According to Chen Dong, the number of new subscriptions in a single day suddenly surged by about seven or eight times!
The already overwhelmed server couldn't handle the surge of traffic and started crashing and spinning for several days in a row.

When users logged in, some found they couldn't deposit money, while others found their interface was blank.
The technical team worked tirelessly through the night to try and save it, but they still couldn't stop it from crashing and malfunctioning time and time again.

Each recovery brings an even more frantic flood of data.

The monthly vote count for "Covering the Sky" is even more disheartening! The monthly vote count for "Covering the Sky" has skyrocketed, leaving the previously fiercely contested second and third place far behind. The difference is not tens of thousands, but a staggering 47 votes!

This is no longer just leading; it's a complete crushing defeat, a king looking down upon the mortal realm.

The comments section is refreshing with hundreds of messages every second. It's long since transcended simple plot discussions; it's evolved into a giant wishing well.

"Director Guan, take a look at Ye Fan! Let my brother Hu play the role!"

"I'm begging you, Honey, to play the Ruthless Emperor!"

"Pang Bo is none other than Teacher Huang Bo!"...

Countless readers transformed into "talent scouts," frantically tagging their favorite actors, hoping that Guan Ling's team could catch a glimpse of their talent.

Even more extreme, some people directly posted meticulously crafted comparison charts of the actors and short essays analyzing the characters in the book review section.

The eye of the storm is Chen Dong, but its aftershocks are stirring the hearts of the entire online writer community.

Late at night, Tang Jia San Shao finished a day of writing and leaned back wearily in his chair.

He habitually refreshed the Qidian rankings, and when he saw the precipitous lead of "Covering the Sky" in the data, his eyes were filled with complex emotions.

He opened the table of contents of "Covering the Sky," his gaze lingering on the chapter title "Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin." A bitter smile crept onto his lips as he looked at the "Douluo Continent II" document he was currently serializing on the screen and muttered to himself:

"Old Chen's concept... is grand and magnificent, reaching for the primordial universe. If only we had known this would happen, we should have been thinking not about how to sell the copyright for a good price, but about how to get a genius director like Director Guan to take notice..."

A faint, barely perceptible sense of envy and loss quietly spread through my heart.

In the writers' QQ group, avatars kept flashing.

I posted a meme of someone covering their face and having smoke coming out of their head while eating tomatoes, followed by the text:

"Brothers, I'm getting excited! Starting today, I'm adding two thousand words to every chapter! What's wrong with interstellar cultivation? What if... what if Director Guan finishes filming 'Covering the Sky' and suddenly becomes interested in our style?"

Immediately following this was a barrage of comments like "+1", "Bonus chapter", and "Tomato is awesome!"

Although it was a joke, it also conveyed a sense of urgency stimulated by a huge opportunity.

Who wouldn't want their world of words to one day be brought to the screen like that?
After updating the day's chapters, Mao Ni typed the following on his blog:

"I am genuinely happy for Chen Dong. But I admire director Guan Ling even more. Adapting text into film is never simply about transferring words to the screen."

That is to extract the soul of a world and recast it using another language—light, shadow, sound, and performance—to give it a completely new life.

This requires not just courage, but almost divine creativity.

His writing remains serene, yet it contains a profound understanding of the essence of creation and a heartfelt admiration for Guan Ling's ambition.

Meanwhile, Chen Dong, at the eye of the storm, was huddled in a corner of a somewhat noisy coffee shop he frequented in Chaoyang District, Beijing.

His phone had already been put on silent, but the screen continued to light up stubbornly and frequently.

His phone displayed missed calls from all over the country, from countless production companies, talent agencies, and even "film and television investment institutions" he had never heard of.

A cup of coffee, long since cold, sat before him, but his gaze pierced through the scratched glass window of the café, fixed on the news scrolling across the street on a huge advertising screen.

"Director Guan Ling's epic ten-part 'Covering the Sky' series is about to begin! A new era for Chinese-language cinema is about to begin!"

"Such a grand display?"

Chen Dong was speechless.

The image shows Guan Ling's composed yet commanding figure from the interview two days prior.
The background is a stunning concept image of nine dragons pulling a coffin.

Chen Dong thought that Guan Ling must have been prepared long ago and had taken advantage of the hype to increase publicity.

His fingers unconsciously rubbed the rough rim of the coffee cup, his fingertips icy cold.

Immense joy, unbelievable dizziness, and a sense of insignificance being swept up by the tide of the times intertwined.

The sentences from the book echoed repeatedly in his mind, eventually turning into a trembling sigh that only he could hear:
"A celestial realm is buried in a bronze coffin... This kind of setting, this kind of scale... Does he really dare to film it? Can he really film it?"
"I'm afraid only he could have filmed this."

Chen Dong then thought of what Guan Ling had said about the world's highest-grossing film series.

He believed Guan Ling could do it!

Immediately, an unprecedented surge of pride dispelled all doubts; his eyes blazed with fervor, and he uttered a few words with heavy emphasis:

"A true man...that's how it should be!"

Harry Potter is so amazing, isn't Rowling the role model for every online writer?
Who wouldn't want their book to be adapted into a film or television series?
This is not just envy, but also a resonance and yearning that creators feel when facing a higher dimension of creation.

Now, Chen Dong feels that retiring is enough.

……

Guan Ling had no idea that her actions almost caused Hong Mao to become a eunuch.

Otherwise, I would gladly die for it.

However, Chen Dong's complex thinking and the breadth of his knowledge are indeed unparalleled among many online writers.

I believe he wouldn't directly castrate himself like the eunuch did.

Cut off the train of thought.

At the end of July, a long-awaited downpour finally poured down, washing away the sweltering heat of the capital.

Large raindrops pounded against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the high-rise conference room in the Lingyun Media Building, blurring the bustling street scene outside. Inside, however, the atmosphere was heavy yet intense.

Guan Ling sat at the head of the long conference table, an unlit cigarette between her fingers, her eyes as unfathomable as the heavy leaden clouds outside the window.

A thick book of "Covering the Sky" setting materials lay open in front of him. On either side of the long table sat a few trusted confidants, including the core producer, casting director, and art director.

On the huge projection wall, there was a dense and intricate relationship chart of characters in the early stages of "Covering the Sky". Ye Fan, Pang Bo, Li Xiaoman, Ji Ziyue, Ruthless Emperor... these names were lit up and connected like stars.

The production manager cleared his throat, breaking the silence that was only broken by the sound of rain. His voice was exceptionally clear in the empty conference room, carrying an undeniable weight as he repeated, word by word, the ironclad rule set by Guan Ling:
Director Kwan reiterates three principles for casting:

"First, the essence of the story surpasses mere popularity. What I want is a soul that comes from the book, not a celebrity with a halo. No matter how famous someone is, if their temperament isn't right, it's out of the question."

"Second, they must be willing to sign a ten-year contract. The 'Covering the Sky' universe is not a single play, but a journey spanning ten years. Without this awareness and spirit of contract, even the most suitable candidate will be useless."

"Third, a self-destructive tempering process for the characters. Forget who they are. I want them to break themselves down, melt them down, and reshape them into the 'person' I want. If they can't endure this hardship, they should quit as soon as possible."

Every word struck the hearts of the attendees like a cold hammer. This wasn't casting; this was forging a divine weapon!
The meeting lasted for the entire afternoon.

Intense debates, repeated deliberations, comparison of actor information, and playback of past performance clips...

Under Guan Ling's scrutinizing gaze, which seemed to see into one's very soul, names were proposed and then rejected one by one.

Finally, as the torrential rain outside the window gradually subsided and a sliver of gray-white light appeared in the sky,
A blood-stained list, stained with coffee and the sweat of arguments, has been finalized.

…………

For Guan Ling, the most difficult role to choose was actually Ye Fan.

Among domestic male actors, there are really not many who can play the male lead role of Chen Dong.

Whether it's domineering or composed, these two traits can be well found in the protagonists of online novels.

However, it rarely happens in real life.

For example, Guan Ling considered both Mark Chao and Hu Ge for the role of Ye Fan.

Huang Xiaoming, immediately pass.

A ten-year contract would be easy for him, but he's a bit too old.

The reason for choosing Mark Chao is his versatility; he can portray a character who transforms from a cool, scholarly type to someone burdened with blood feuds and ruthless in his decisiveness. For example, his acting in "Monga" was quite good.
His eyes held a mixture of an indomitable spirit and the confusion and determination of someone just beginning their cultivation journey. This was the core quality that guided Ye Fan from his early days as a youth on Earth to his transformation into the Ancient Sacred Body.

Moreover, the movie "So Young" that Guangxian is currently filming is about to be released, and Guan Ling knows that the movie will be a box office hit, so taking this opportunity to sign a ten-year contract doesn't seem like a bad thing.

Hu Ge's domineering and composed demeanor isn't really suitable, but he has a large fan base and high national recognition. Guan Ling knew that after starring in "Nirvana in Fire," he would dominate the screen even further.

Taking this opportunity to communicate with Tangren and win over Brother Hu is not impossible.

Lingyun also has the financial resources.

And Tang people, most likely, wouldn't even fart.

As for the Ruthless Great Emperor, Guan Ling immediately ruled out Zhang Ziyi. She was skinny and completely lacked the overwhelming aura of a great emperor. Frankly speaking, Zhang Yuqi was a better fit.

Although Gong Er in "The Grandmaster" already proved that she was capable of interpreting the eternal obsession of "not to become an immortal, but only to wait for you to return in the mortal world".

However, she lacks that settled, madness and control, making her the perfect choice to portray this absolute and eternally powerful empress.

Guan Ling still thinks it would be best to cast Fan Bingbing in this role, since Bingbing did a lot of things that Bingbing should do yesterday.

And it's just right.

Ji Ziyue's character traits are easy to choose.
"There's a light in her eyes, not the naivety of a young girl, but the lively and clever spirit she retains after experiencing the world, a 'celestial' quality that understands the ways of the world yet remains unworldly. Beneath Ji Ziyue's quirky and clever exterior lies the pride and insight of a genius from the Ji family." This character, though not yet finalized, is someone you can use right away.

As for An Miaoyi...

Guan Ling also had her own thoughts: "An Miaoyi is ethereal and fairy-like, but ultimately lacks the 'worldly fairy aura' that Ji Ziyue possesses, which stems from her bloodline and experience." Leng Ba in 2013 was more than capable of fulfilling this role.

Guan Ling gave the role of Li Xiaoman to Liu Sisi.

This tragic character requires a stark contrast.

In the early stages, she was a cool and perfect campus goddess, but later she was possessed by the Crocodile Ancestor and transformed into a snake demon, undergoing a tremendous transformation that shattered her body and mind.

Liu Sisi previously won the hearts of the people with her cold and resilient image as Ma'ertai Ruoxi in "Scarlet Heart", and has a huge audience base and a very high appeal to the new generation of viewers.

Guan Ling was drawn to her "fragility" and untapped "dark" potential, believing that she could portray Li Xiaoman's pain and distortion as she fell from grace and struggled to the abyss with great impact.

Currently, although she plays the blind character well, she still urgently needs a transformative role that breaks through the "pure and innocent" image.

This is a perfect opportunity.

The character Pang Bo has sparked considerable discussion online.

The first person to enter Guan Ling's mind was Qiao Shan.

However, when netizens compared Huang Bo's portrayal of the cunning, humor, and loyalty of ordinary people in films like "Cow" and "Crazy Racer" with the explosive power and complexity he displayed in "Killing,"

Guan Ling herself laughed; it felt both far away and right before her eyes.

Although Huang Bo is a bit short, he is still a top-notch individual.

"In the early stages, Pang Bo was Ye Fan's best friend, a bit of a rascal, loyal and a lubricant for the team. Later, when his true identity was revealed and he merged with the bloodline of the demon god, Huang Bo could absolutely bring to life the huge contrast between the primordial ferocity hidden beneath his streetwise demeanor and the aura of a supreme ruler."

It has a bit of the feel of "Investiture of the Gods".

Moreover, his roguishness is ingrained in his bones, and his spirit is capable of supporting the primordial chaos. For such a big film, it's perfectly reasonable for Huang Bo, a top-tier actor with both national recognition and critical acclaim, to play a supporting role and support his own film.

This list was kept top secret after it was released.

In the evening, as the rain subsided, the supplies were precisely delivered to several actors.

What it triggered was a completely different yet equally intense shock.

Everyone who received the message reacted in roughly the same way.

He froze on the spot, his pupils contracting violently to the size of pinpoints.
His lips trembled, but he couldn't make a sound.

The teacup in his hand shattered on the ground with a "crack," and the scalding tea splashed onto his trouser leg without him noticing.

My temples were throbbing, and my eardrums were filled with the roaring sound of rushing blood.

He wanted to laugh out loud, but instead let out a choked gasp, his chest heaving violently as if a million butterflies were about to fly out of his throat.

All reason was shattered by this sudden ecstasy, leaving only one thought swirling wildly in my mind—is this real? How could this be?

How could it be me?
The actors who were cast were ecstatic.

The actors who haven't been cast yet are incredibly envious!
Questions like "Why didn't you choose me?" kept popping up among the cast.

But then they were met with close-range attacks from others.

"You weren't chosen because you're not good enough? You're not happy about that? Go tell Director Guan about the box office results!" (End of Chapter)