Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

But most importantly, Sun Shupei looked at Liu Xiang with eyes that were practically overflowing with admiration. He chatted with Liu Xiang for a long time, from acting to petting tigers, and then from petting tigers to horseback riding. The more they talked, the more they clicked, and his words were full of attempts to recruit her.

Zhang Shaolin stood to the side, smiling, but inwardly he was a little panicked. He knew Sun Shupei's temper all too well; that old rascal loved poaching talent! What if Sun Shupei took a liking to Liu Xiang and poached her to star in "Princess Pearl"? What would become of Wu Song then?

Zhang Shaolin grew increasingly anxious, wishing he could hide Liu Xiang away immediately. He leaned close to Liu Xiang and whispered a warning, his voice tinged with nervousness: "Kid, don't get too carried away chatting with him! Our 'Water Margin' is your main battlefield! Don't let him steal you away!"

Liu Xiang, both amused and exasperated, patted Zhang Shaolin on the shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry, Director Zhang, I know what I'm doing. I haven't had enough of playing Wu Song yet!"

The next day, Sun Shupei suggested going horseback riding at the horse farm, and Zhang Shaolin finally agreed, taking the crew to the nearby horse farm together.

In the horse farm, several fine horses were grazing leisurely, their manes glossy and shiny, looking exceptionally dashing. The actors from the "Princess Pearl" crew were all excited and went to choose their horses.

Su Youpeng chose a white horse, leaped onto its back with nimble movements, and galloped around, drawing cheers from the crowd. Zhou Jie was even more impressive, choosing a spirited gray steed and galloping away with dashing grace, a sight that stirred the blood of the onlookers.

Sun Shupei looked at Liu Xiang, smiled, and waved, "Liu Xiang, why don't you ride one too? Let us see your skills!"

Zhang Shaolin and Kang Honglei both looked at Liu Xiang, their eyes filled with worry. Kang Honglei leaned closer and whispered, "Liu Xiang, can you ride a horse? If not, don't force yourself. I'll just tell you you're too tired from filming and need to rest."

Zhang Shaolin nodded in agreement: "Yes, riding a horse is no joke; you can easily get injured if you fall off."

Liu Xiang took a deep breath, his decision already made. He looked at the magnificent horse before him, the system notification in his mind practically ringing out. He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and declared loudly, "I can! Of course I can! I can ride! I can ride wild horses!"

The people around were stunned when he said that.

Zhang Shaolin and Kang Honglei stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief. Although they knew that Liu Xiang had previously attended a martial arts school and practiced some fist and foot techniques, they had never heard of him being able to ride a horse!

The crew of "My Fair Princess" looked at him in surprise. Su Youpeng almost loosened his grip on the reins and asked curiously, "Brother Liu, can you really ride a horse? I didn't know that!"

Liu Xiang smiled but didn't explain. He walked to the edge of the horse farm and found the most famous spirited horse there—a completely black horse named "Black Wind." This horse was extremely fierce and most people couldn't tame it; several riders had been thrown off by it before.

The horse trainer at the stable saw him walking towards Black Wind and quickly stopped him, his face tense: "Young man, don't go near it! This horse is too fierce, it might hurt you!"

Liu Xiang patted the equestrian instructor on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Master, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He walked up to Black Wind, who immediately raised its head, let out a loud neigh, and pawed at the ground with its front hooves, looking very impatient, as if it were about to attack. The people around were startled and took a few steps back. Zhao Wei even covered her mouth, calling out worriedly, "Brother Liu, be careful!"

At this moment, Liu Xiang wasn't afraid at all. He slowly reached out and gently stroked Hei Feng's neck. The instant his hand touched Hei Feng, a clear notification sound suddenly rang in his mind:

[Congratulations, host, on unlocking a new skill—Mastery of Horse Taming Techniques]

[Skill Effect: The host instantly masters top-level equestrian skills, riding as if on flat ground, and can easily perform high-difficulty maneuvers such as galloping, jumping, and sudden stops! At the same time, the host masters top-level taming skills, and can easily tame all kinds of wild horses.]

[Unlock the next skill (0/200): Tame 200 horses]

Liu Xiang felt this was not easy, but at that moment a strange feeling spread throughout her body. Liu Xiang seemed to understand the language of horses instantly and could clearly sense Hei Feng's emotions—it was a little anxious, uneasy, and wary.

Liu Xiang leaned forward, close to Hei Feng's ear, and whispered a few words. No one knew what he said, but they saw Hei Feng's tense body slowly relax, his raised head slowly lower, and a low gurgling sound coming from his throat, as if he were being affectionate.

The equestrian instructor stared wide-eyed, muttering to himself, "My God, this is impossible. Blackwind has never been this docile before..."

Liu Xiang mounted his horse with astonishing fluidity and in one smooth motion, without even needing to pull the reins, and was firmly seated on its back. He gripped the reins, gently squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, and shouted loudly, "Giddy up!"

Black Wind immediately reared up, let out a loud neigh, and then galloped off towards the end of the racecourse!

The wind whistled past his ears, carrying the scent of fresh grass. Liu Xiang sat as steady as a mountain on horseback, clearly controlling the horse's speed and direction, sometimes galloping, sometimes stopping abruptly, sometimes pulling the reins to make the horse rear up. His movements were graceful and swift, dazzling to behold.

He could even sense Black Wind's emotional changes, knowing when it was tired and when it wanted to speed up. This feeling was so wonderful, it was as if he had become one with the horse.

Everyone present was stunned. Zhang Shaolin almost dropped his teacup, and Kang Honglei shouted excitedly, "Great! Well done! Liu Xiang is so cool!"

The crew of "My Fair Princess" were all stunned. Zhao Wei's eyes widened, and she muttered to herself, "My God, he rides so well! Even better than Zhou Jie!"

Zhou Jie couldn't help but nod, his eyes full of admiration: "Brother Liu, you have excellent skills!"

Liu Xiang rode Black Wind, circling the horse farm again and again, finally stopping in front of everyone. He dismounted with a graceful and effortless movement. Black Wind nuzzled his arm affectionately, as if it were being pampered.

The equestrian instructor rushed over, circling Liu Xiang and Hei Feng several times, excitedly saying, "Young man, you're amazing! How did you tame Hei Feng? You're practically a god!"

Liu Xiang smiled but offered no explanation.

At this moment, Sun Shupei walked over, patted Liu Xiang on the shoulder, and his admiration for her intensified, almost as if he were recruiting her: "Liu Xiang, your horsemanship is absolutely superb! How about a cameo role in our 'Princess Pearl' drama series? You'd be guaranteed to shine as a chivalrous hero!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shaolin immediately panicked and stepped in front of Liu Xiang, saying with a smile, "Director Sun, don't try to poach my talent! Liu Xiang is a core actor in our 'Water Margin' production; the crew can't do without him!"