Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

Fang Yu looked at Liu Yifei's adorable, eager-to-learn expression and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He reached out and pinched Liu Yifei's face, which was full of collagen.

It feels great in the hand.

But this time Liu Yifei didn't dodge; she just urged him with her eyes—say it quickly.

Fang Yu withdrew his hand and looked out the car window at the rapidly receding night view.

"Martial arts stories are about people."

His voice slowed down.

"It is swords and spears, the eight extraordinary meridians, the grudges and feuds of the martial world, but also the great heroes who serve their country and people."

"But ultimately, the characters are grounded in reality."

Even the most skilled martial artist has to walk step by step and fight one punch at a time.

He paused slightly and turned to look at the beautiful woman beside him.

"Fantasy martial arts are different."

"Xianxia is on top of this, with a layer of gods, demons and fantasy added on top of it."

"It has the Shu Mountain sword immortals who ride the wind on their swords and vanquish demons between heaven and earth."

"It has the divine bloodline left behind by Nuwa mending the sky, the thousand-year obsession under the Demon Locking Tower, the immortal arts of the five elements mutually generating and restraining each other, and the six realms of reincarnation that transcends the mortal world."

Liu Yifei held her breath slightly as she listened, and as Fang Yu outlined the words in her mind, it was as if a door to a completely new world had been opened in an instant.

A long sword pierces the sky, white robes are pure white, clouds surge, and there is a fairy island...

The sheer vastness and romance evoked by these words alone are enough to send shivers down the spine of any actor.

"It sounds...like an omnipotent world of gods?"

Liu Yifei murmured.

"No."

Fang Yu gently shook his head.

"No matter how dazzling the outer shell of fantasy is, its core is still 'chivalry', and its ultimate destination... will always be 'love'."

"That's its cruelest aspect."

Fang Yu looked into Liu Yifei's clear, phoenix-like eyes and said softly:

"The protagonist thought he had mastered the art of sword control, that he could summon wind and rain, move mountains and fill seas, and reach for the moon in the heavens, like an omnipotent god..."

"But only when he reaches the end of the story will he despairingly discover—"

"Faced with the vast laws of heaven and earth and predetermined destiny, even if a mortal cultivates to become an immortal, he is still as insignificant as a speck of dust."

"You possess unparalleled magical power that transcends heaven and earth, capable of saving the common people and vanquishing demons throughout the world..."

"Yet, you just can't protect the person you want to protect for a lifetime."

A moment of silence fell over the carriage.

The only sound was the wind whistling past the car window.

"Fang Yu..."

Liu Yifei's eyes were slightly red.

"Your story... it's so upsetting to listen to!"

Fang Yu was slightly taken aback, then the deep look in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by that smug, roguish smile.

"It's okay to feel uncomfortable."

"Happy endings are fairy tales for children."

"A true masterpiece is one that lets you soar through the heavens on a sword while simultaneously pulling out a massive cleaver and stabbing everyone in the heart to their death."

Liu Yifei nodded subconsciously: "It seems that's really the case."

Suddenly, she thought of an important question, narrowed her eyes slightly, and scrutinized Fang Yu.

"You're the male lead in your script."

"What about the female lead?"

Fang Yu lowered his head and met her gaze.

What do you think?

Liu Yifei couldn't help but smile, but she still deliberately kept a straight face.

"I never said I wanted to act in it. My current salary is very high. Can you afford me?"

"I can't afford it."

Fang Yu answered confidently and righteously.

"But it doesn't matter. I plan to use my stunningly beautiful face to sell my body and pay for it with my body, and completely win over the female lead."

"Pah! You filthy scoundrel!"

Liu Yifei punched him.

The carriage fell silent again.

The view outside the window gradually changed from the darkness of the suburbs to the lights of the city.

As the car approached the residential area where Liu Yifei lived, Liu Yifei, who had been staring blankly out the window, suddenly turned her head.

"Oh, right."

"What's the name of your script...?"

Fang Yu looked at the neon lights flowing outside the window.

Red, purple, gold.

The light flickered across his face through the glass.

The image of that classic novel from his previous life, which swept across the country and truly ushered in the era of Xianxia (fantasy martial arts) flashed through his mind.

A slight smile curved his lips as he slowly uttered five words.

"The Legend of Sword and Fairy"

……

The next morning.

The president's office of Xingyao Entertainment in Chaoyang District, Beijing.

On Mr. Zhang's mahogany desk was a cup of freshly brewed Da Hong Pao tea, but he didn't drink a drop.

Sister Wang sat opposite him, holding a freshly printed email in her hand, her excitement barely concealed.

"Mr. Zhang, the executive producer from Director He Zheng's team just sent over the official email."

Sister Wang quickly flipped through the notices and biographical sketches in her hand, reporting to the director:

"The main film crew is already in the final stages in Xiangshan. The scenes that the crew added for Fang Yu overnight are scheduled for this weekend. We'll go there to film for two days, and we can wrap up filming together."

"As for the role, Director He personally selected a peerless swordsman from a reclusive sect."

"There are very few lines of dialogue throughout the film; the core lies entirely in the action sequences and the expressive eyes in front of the camera."

"Director He has given instructions that as long as the person arrives on time, the action choreography team will provide one-on-one sparring, and all departments will fully cooperate with Fang Yu's rhythm."

After Sister Wang finished reporting the situation, the office was quiet for a few seconds.

She and Mr. Zhang exchanged a glance, both of them exuding a sense of reassurance.

Mr. Zhang tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice and casually asked:

"How big was the budget for Director He's martial arts film in its early stages?"

"It was publicly stated that the production cost was 400 million."

Sister Wang immediately replied:

"Publicity and marketing expenses are separate."

"The lead actor is Wu Zheng, who just won the Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers and Huabiao Awards for Best Actor, and the female lead is the Best Actress at the previous Hong Kong Film Awards."

"The production team is all He Zheng's old friends, the top group in the country."

"Um."

Mr. Zhang nodded thoughtfully, then picked up the slightly cooled Da Hong Pao tea, gently blew away the foam, and took a sip.

"A cameo role, that's great."

Sister Wang wholeheartedly agreed with this.

Fang Yu is now a top national celebrity, dominating the popularity charts, officially recognized, and has an incredibly good public image.

If an artist of this caliber takes on the lead role in their first film, the entire internet will scrutinize them with an eight-hundred-fold magnifying glass.

Even the slightest mistake in acting will be magnified infinitely.

If the box office falls short of expectations, press releases announcing "Fang Yu's myth is shattered" will be circulating across the internet the very next day.

The risk is just too great.

Those of them working behind the scenes never dream of instant success; they plan step by step.

"Director He did a very sophisticated job of going with the flow."

Mr. Zhang put down his teacup, his eyes revealing a shrewd and calculating look.

"He gave up a cameo role that wouldn't affect the main plot at all, but was absolutely brilliant, in exchange for a theme song that could directly stabilize the movie."

"Incidentally, it also gave Xiao Fang an impeccable springboard into the film and television industry."

"If the movie becomes a hit, Fang Yu's resume will directly add a top-notch masterpiece."

"If the movie's box office performance falls short of expectations, the blame will fall entirely on the lead actors and the director, and will not be placed on a cameo actor at all."

"A sure thing, no risk."

Sister Wang's mind was already racing with calculations, and she added with a smile:

"What's even more amazing is the contrast between the characters."

What is Fang Yu's public image like?

"A down-to-earth representative of a master chef of Northeastern banquets, a fierce bandit wielding a suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument), and a man who can single-handedly handle a pig for the New Year."

"Now suddenly, he's dressed in pristine white ancient costume and made to play a cold, aloof, and ruthless swordsman—"

"This extreme contrast will absolutely ignite the audience's visual senses instantly and completely broaden his acting range!"

With a wave of his hand, General Manager Zhang sealed the deal:

"Alright, it's settled then. Go and implement it!"