Returning to the 82 Mountain Village: An Encounter with the Journey to the West Film Crew at the Beg

Director Yang turned around and saw Zhou Fangyuan. He then beckoned him to come to his side.

He said in a low, quick voice, "Fang Yuan, remember the places the fellow villager mentioned, especially 'Entangling Cloud Cliff'."

If you're in Emei and the scenery isn't quite right, or if you need a special shot with clouds and mist, this place might come in handy.

Go back and explain the location to Hong Chang in more detail.

"Okay, Director Yang, I'll go see the director as soon as he has time!" Zhou Fangyuan nodded vigorously, having made up his mind.

He returned to the car and found Liu Zhihan carefully wiping the embroidered accessories that were almost wet from the rain, which were placed on the seat, with a dry cloth.

Seeing Zhou Fangyuan return, she looked up, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief: "Brother Zhou, you're back."

I checked the item; only a little water splashed on the side, nothing got inside.

Zhou Fangyuan looked at the corners of the box that she had wiped clean and felt quite guilty.

This was something he should have been mindful of...

"I'm so sorry to have troubled you, Comrade Zhihan..." he said sincerely, with a hint of apology.

"I was so busy talking to Teacher Dai and looking at the scenery that I didn't even notice the rain coming in. Thank goodness you're so observant."

Hearing him say that, Liu Zhihan covered her mouth and smiled a little shyly, then folded the cloth neatly.

"It's just a small thing. Rain can come suddenly in the mountains, so you have to be careful."

She pushed the suitcase towards him: "Here, it's alright now."

"Thanks." Zhou Fangyuan took the box and put it away. He felt that the chill from the rain outside had been dispelled by this small gesture.

He wanted to say something more, like asking her if she was bored in the car, but he wasn't good at chatting with girls, and he felt that asking that question would seem a bit deliberate.

The car started up again and drove away from the shade. The villager stood by the roadside and waved to them.

After waving to the view outside the window, Mr. Han, who was in front, turned around.

Continuing from the conversation I had with Teacher Dai about finding locations, we talked about the funny story of how, when we were filming a certain movie, we almost turned the whole mountain upside down in order to find a suitable "dilapidated temple".

Zhou Fangyuan then followed up on the topic, and the atmosphere in the carriage became lively again.

Looking at the scenery outside the window, Old Dai sighed with emotion:

"Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles..."

The best scenery is sometimes not found in famous mountains and rivers, but in the wild places you stumble upon by chance, in the casual remarks of the locals…

Master Han perked up and shared more anecdotes about his past experiences filming in various unexpected locations, such as searching for scenes, creating props, and modifying sets.

Xiao Zhang also mentioned what happened in Lengshuijiang last time.

Liu Zhihan listened intently, occasionally whispering to Zhou Fangyuan, "Really?"

Zhou Fangyuan then added some interesting anecdotes with a smile.

Outside the car window, the mountains were fresh and clean after the rain, and a sea of ​​clouds flowed around the mountainside.

An unexpected delay caused by rain led to a visual feast.

Zhou Fangyuan looked out the window, his eyes filled with anticipation for the future. This journey to the West was indeed full of unexpected events, and every step could also hold beautiful scenery and opportunities.

He touched the canvas bag, filled with a more grounded anticipation for the upcoming Mount Emei and the more distant future.

The convoy arrived at its designated rest stop at the foot of Mount Emei as dusk fell.

Unlike the tranquility of Qingcheng Mountain and the bustling atmosphere of Qingyang Palace, Emei Mountain exudes a majestic sense of order.

The mountain gate stands tall, and although tourists are sparse, various signs and management office signs are everywhere.

The accommodation was a simple guesthouse at the foot of the mountain, with the mountains hidden in the night behind it.

After everyone settled down, Li Hongchang happened to return to the film crew and immediately convened a small meeting with several key members of the production team. Zhou Fangyuan was also called in to take notes.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

"The situation is a bit more complicated than expected," Li Hongchang said, pinching his brow.

"The scenic area management committee is very supportive, but precisely because it is a key scenic area, there are many rules."

We originally planned to take a set of exterior shots of "Fairy Mountain Cave" near Qingyin Pavilion, but due to the recent large number of tourists, the management office was concerned about safety and order.

They suggested we either reschedule or move to a more remote location with fewer tourists.

"Rescheduling is impossible! The rest of the schedule is already set." Yang Jie said decisively.

"Change locations? Did they have any specific suggestions?"

"We were given two options, and we've visited both," the colleague in charge of the initial location scouting said, spreading his hands.

"A place that is too open lacks the secluded feeling of a 'cave dwelling'."

The other one does have a natural stone cave, but the surrounding trees are too dense, making it difficult to set up a camera position, and the lighting would probably be poor.

A silence fell over the room.

If everyone goes through all that trouble to get here, it's all for nothing if they can't capture the scenery they want.

As Zhou Fangyuan listened, he suddenly remembered the fellow villager he had met on the way and "Entangling Cloud Cliff".

He hesitated for a moment, and seeing that Director Li and Director Yang were both worried about finding locations, he spoke softly:

"Director Li and Director Yang met that fellow villager while taking shelter from the rain on the road. He mentioned a place called 'Chanyun Cliff' in the nearby mountains, saying that it is often shrouded in clouds and mist, and also has ancient forests and deep pools."

I wonder... if it fits the feeling of being next to a "fairy mountain cave" with spectacular scenery? The path might be a bit difficult to navigate though.

Yang Jie immediately looked up at him: "Do you remember the exact location? How far is it from here?"

"The locals said it would take about an hour to walk up from where we took shelter from the rain, but they didn't know the exact location..."

Zhou Fangyuan tried hard to recall the direction his fellow villager had pointed and the shape of the mountain he had described.

"That's one idea too," Li Hongchang said, looking at Yang Jie.

"Director Yang, how about this? Tomorrow morning, I'll have the scouting team take two locals with them to explore the 'Cloud-Entwining Cliff' in the direction Fang Yuan mentioned."

On our side, we should also try to negotiate with the management office again to see if we can come up with a specific plan for staggered shooting times at the original locations. We can take pictures of the places that can be filmed first, and do both simultaneously.

"Okay." Yang Jie approved the suggestion, then gave Zhou Fangyuan some instructions:

"Fang Yuan, you'll go with the location scouting team tomorrow. You've met that fellow villager and remember his description of the road, so it'll be easier to tell if it's the same place when you get there."

If the road conditions are poor and dangerous, please be extra careful.

"Yes, Director Yang."

Zhou Fangyuan was thrilled. This time, it wasn't just about trusting him, but also about participating in solving the core problem.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Zhou Fangyuan, along with two experienced scouting team members and two local mountain guides that Director Li had contacted through the guesthouse, set off.

As the locals had said, the mountain road was indeed a "dirt road," and it was even more slippery after the rain.

But the two local guides walked as if on flat ground, pointing out the local names and stories of various plants and rocks along the way.

After climbing for nearly two hours, passing through an ancient forest covered with damp moss, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A steep cliff stands before us, with jagged rocks and old pine trees hanging upside down.

At this moment, wisps of milky white mist are rising from the deep valley at the bottom of the cliff, slowly swirling between the cliff face and the pine trees, as if draping the mountainside in a flowing veil.