This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 214 The Other Side of the Show
"Oh wow oh wow~~~"

At dawn, as the rooster crowed and the sky brightened, a magnificent rooster crowed towards the east on the ring mountain of Hidden Immortal Valley. Its voice was extremely penetrating, yet it did not make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Just hearing this cry can make some people who are asleep feel the natural revival of their body's energy.

After a night of high excitement, Zhou Xianglin was somewhat exhausted, but upon hearing the rooster crow, the spiritual energy that had been flowing into his body became active and actively merged into his body, instantly invigorating him.

"It's dawn. Director Zhou, are you going to see your old friends?"

Zhuang Lin said with a smile, "Although the directing team was quite awe-inspiring back then, Zhou Xianglin, as the chief director, had at least one private conversation with almost every actor. You could call them old friends, not to mention that there were also some etiquette instructors and other people with whom we had closer relationships in the valley."
-
Although Hidden Immortal Valley has undergone some changes, the general layout of the main residential area has remained unchanged, except that some buildings have been moved to other places.

Zhou Xianglin walked along the road as if it were his first time there, looking around with curiosity and anticipation, more like a child than an old man, until he finally ran into an acquaintance.

"Are you Director Zhou?"

An early-rising woman carrying a wooden basin went out to wash clothes and saw Zhou Xianglin walking on the road in the valley. Only then did she see Zhuang Lin and Liu Hongyu behind him.

"You, you're the etiquette instructor. I remember you. Your name is... your name is Huang, Huang."

"Huang Qiaozhen!"

"Yes, yes, I was looking for you when I was filming a period drama, but I couldn't find you. I didn't expect you to be here too!"

The woman smiled, put down the wooden basin, and bowed in Zhou Xianglin's direction.

"I was just thinking that Mr. Koyasu would definitely bring you back in the future, and sure enough, he did!"

The woman no longer displayed the trepidation and timidity she had shown when meeting the famous director years ago; her smile revealed genuine joy.

After that, almost everyone Zhou Xianglin encountered in the valley was like this: some were moved, some were happy, but there was no fear or even surprise. They all spoke to Zhou Xianglin warmly, like old friends he hadn't seen for many years, and invited him to their homes.

Many years have passed since the end of Project Breakthrough, but the ancient charm of Hidden Immortal Valley remains undiminished, or rather, it has been completely integrated into life, and even more so, it has the tranquility and kindness of a paradise on earth.
-
At noon, in Qiantang City, the staff of the Spring Festival West Lake Gala program team were almost frantic.

A man wearing a white down jacket, along with several hotel staff members, first went to Zhou Xianglin's suite, then retrieved the hotel's surveillance footage, and only then made a phone call.

"Hello, the hotel isn't there. We've checked, we've checked everything, Director Zhou didn't come back last night!"

"Hey, what are you all doing? Didn't anyone keep an eye on Director Zhou last night? He's already so old, even if he's in good health, he's not a young man anymore! Yes, yes, I was wrong too, let's find someone first!"

"Call the police! Call the police now! What do you mean 24 hours? This is Director Zhou, he was hired by Qiantang City!"

After making the call, the man rushed out of the hotel with his men. They bumped into Zhou Xianglin, who was walking back from outside, with Liu Hongyu, who had changed into modern winter clothes, by his side.

Both were slightly taken aback when they met outside the hotel, and then the man in the white down jacket reacted first.

"Director Zhou? Where have you been! Do you know how worried we are!"

"In a hurry? What's the rush? We rehearsed until midnight last night, and now you're not letting the actors sleep in? You're planning to start filming right away?"

"No, Director Zhou, we're worried about you!"

Zhou Xianglin smiled as he looked at the nervous man. Although the people around him were sometimes unreliable, they were all dependable and hardworking.

Liu Hongyu listened with amusement, while Zhou Xianglin smiled and pointed to the side.

"Are you afraid that an old man like me will be kidnapped or abducted? Do you think the head of the Liu Group is so rich that he has to resort to kidnapping an old man like me to extort money!"

"Uncle Zhou, why are you dragging me into this!"

"Not because of you?"

"Okay, okay, you're absolutely right!"

Liu Hongyu made a few jokes to try and reconnect with the person he had neglected over the years.

The man in the white down jacket and the others around him subconsciously looked at the person next to Zhou Xianglin. This person was tall and upright, wearing a woolen hat, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes.

This is actually the person in charge of the Liu Group?

"Are you Mr. Liu?"

"Ha, is there anyone who dares to impersonate me in front of Uncle Zhou?"

In the midst of the joke, all the misunderstandings were naturally cleared up, and of course, there was no need to call the police again, nor could the work of the day be delayed.

However, Zhou Xianglin's focus had changed. He came back to avoid people misunderstanding that he had disappeared, but most of his mind was already immersed in the "big show" that Zhuang Lin had mentioned.

That day, Zhuang Lin and Liu Hongyu reappeared beside Zhou Xianglin, this time in modern clothes instead of their period costumes. Everyone knew about Director Zhou's relationship with the former president of the Liu Group, so no one was surprised that Liu Hongyu was coming to see him.

Zhou Xianglin displayed unparalleled enthusiasm for his work, and his mental state was completely different, perhaps surpassing the highest point he had reached in all his years in the industry.

While arranging various matters for the West Lake gala, he also spent most of his time with Zhuang Lin and Liu Hongyu, making the most of the time to understand the current situation and familiarize himself with the entire plan. This is a director's basic quality.
-
It was already the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year was palpable. People in Qiantang City seemed to have relaxed, except for those who needed to perform in the grand program.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xianglin, Zhuang Lin, and others were discussing the details.

"At least the tone needs to be set quickly. Everything is interconnected, and we need to understand the overall situation as soon as possible in order to arrange the program. Now that the Xuan Turtle has been born and the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations has obtained a lot of valuable information, we need to arrange for them to verify some of its authenticity!"

Liu Hongyu thought this way and said this way. Zhou Xianglin, who should have been equally anxious, shook his head slightly at this moment.

"This is already a series of shocks, and people need time to digest it. Sometimes the plot is too profound and too fast-paced, so the 'audience' can't understand it and it's difficult to maintain a consistent emotional engagement!"

"But without sufficient validation and stimulation, politicians are prone to losing patience."

Zhou Xianglin smiled at Liu Hongyu.

"The initial stimulation was enough. There are politicians and statesmen, and you have to believe that there are people in Da Yan who can see the long term! However, we can create some outdoor footage. I'm also very interested in making some short educational videos about demons and monsters!"

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Xianglin said.

"At the level of politicians, or rather, at the level of the Great Yan, what they really care about in this grand drama is a sense of participation!"

Zhuang Lin, who had been pondering the matter, suddenly looked at Zhou Xianglin, who then continued speaking.

"The prerequisite for participation is necessary understanding, self-judgment, and vision for the future. As ordinary individuals, we may all feel powerless, but the Great Yan as a whole needs a sense of participation. I think this is one of the purposes that Master Zhuang originally aimed to achieve."

Zhuang Lin nodded slightly at Zhou Xianglin's words, but he hadn't actually thought about it that thoroughly. He just knew that the Great Yan Dynasty in the Dharma-ending Age was also very important, since it needed to ascend to immortality in this world.

"To gain a sense of participation, one also needs a certain degree of control, at least the control of factual information, and a sense of identification with one's future destiny and the direction of one's struggle. Master Zhuang also did this very well!"

"However, participation should not be empty or superficial. Trust based on facts should be based on seeing and hearing, but it should not be about getting an immediate answer!"

Zhou Xianglin laughed as he spoke.

"If you were to make a movie and include a mystery-solving plot, would you reveal the answer directly, or leave enough room for the audience's imagination?"

Liu Hongyu's eyes lit up when he heard this.

"I think it should be the latter, right? After guessing, imagining, exploring, and even doubting the self that came before, it's all a psychological change. And when the answer is finally discovered and verifies the initial guess, it will make the belief even stronger, so we can't be too hasty!"

As he spoke, Zhou Xianglin looked at Zhuang Lin and said very seriously.

"Master Zhuang, simply fostering a sense of participation and identification here isn't enough. Have you considered going a little deeper? Ultimately, this grand spectacle is meant to unite us all, isn't it?"

Zhuang Lin understood Zhou Xianglin's meaning, but this was something that couldn't be rushed.

"Actually, I still need to confirm some things. Only after I get the answers will I have a clearer direction."

"what's up?"

Zhou Xianglin asked directly, and Liu Hongyu also looked at Zhuang Lin, with the former adding a comment.

"Even though I, as the director, may not be able to direct all the actors, at least they shouldn't keep things from me, right?"

Zhuang Lin thought for a moment before speaking.

"We'll see when we reach the Five-Colored Divine Mountain!"

Five-Colored Divine Mountain. Zhou Xianglin frowned slightly. This was the first time he had heard this term since yesterday.

"Very important?"

"Very important!"

As he spoke, Zhuang Lin smiled and looked at Zhou Xianglin.

"So maybe we also need to take care of the other show!"

"The show on the other side?"

Zhou Xianglin was slightly taken aback, not yet realizing what the other side was, while Zhuang Lin's thoughts had already drifted to the Taihang Mountains and the True Dao Sect.

(End of this chapter)