Chapter 178 - Shivering from the Cold

unty in Zhongzhou, emphasizing just how barren and impoverished the region is.

However, as the saying goes, “Harsh lands breed tough people.” Cultivators born in the Eastern Wasteland naturally possess physiques that are far stronger than their counterparts. While they may not have an advantage in practicing spells compared to cultivators from other regions, they excel in body cultivation and swordsmanship.

Thus, the Xuanming Sword Sect, located in the Eastern Wasteland, has carved out a place for itself as the second-ranked sect among the top ten cultivation sects on the Xianyuan Continent, thanks to the formidable combat prowess of their swordsmen. Similarly, the body-cultivating sect occupies the fifth rank.

Unlike in other regions, the connection between cultivators and mortals is much closer in the Eastern Wasteland. Whenever mortals face natural disasters they cannot resist, cultivators step in to lend a hand.

This year, Dongli has been hit by a once-in-a-century drought. For six long months, the sun has blazed mercilessly in the sky, with no sign of clouds or rain.

The lack of rainfall has led to all crops withering, resulting in a total harvest failure. Across the land, famine looms large, corpses litter the roads, and the cries of the suffering fill the air, leaving the population in utter despair.

As the foremost sect in the Eastern Wasteland, the Xuanming Sword Sect immediately dispatched disciples to provide relief upon hearing news of the famine in Dongli. Leading this mission is the chief disciple of the Elder with the Sword, Fu Zichu, accompanied by Ye Qingxuan, the Elder’s daughter.

Fu Zichu, the eldest senior brother under the Elder with the Sword, Ling Jianfeng, has been considered a unique outlier in the Xuanming Sword Sect ever since he joined. Naturally, this doesn’t refer to his personality but to his demeanor. His refined and elegant aura stands out starkly among the sharp and aggressive swordsmen, making him a breath of fresh air.

Perhaps it’s not just within the Xuanming Sword Sect-Fu Zichu’s demeanor seems to clash with the entirety of the Eastern Wasteland. If not for the fact that he was personally brought back by the Elder with the Sword and guaranteed by Ye Yan as someone whose identity was beyond question, speculation among certain elders would have long consigned him to an early demise.

The Eastern Wasteland is an extremely insular place, and outsiders are rarely welcome.

However, the mindset of the older generation hasn’t influenced the younger cultivators much. Among the younger disciples of the Xuanming Sword Sect, Fu Zichu is immensely popular due to his unmatched strength and affable personality. In fact, his popularity even surpasses that of Pei Yuan, the eldest senior brother of the sect leader’s lineage.

“Senior brother, senior brother, hurry up! You’re always so slow!”

A young girl’s playful voice rang out from outside the bamboo house. Fu Zichu sighed helplessly, giving his luggage one final check to make sure nothing was missing. Once satisfied, he pushed open the door and stepped out.

The young man appeared to be only in his early twenties, just past the age of coming of age. His jet-black hair was tied up high with a white jade hairpiece, with a light layer cascading loosely down his back.

He was dressed in robes the same white hue as his hairpiece-clean and simple, adorned only with faint cloud patterns embroidered on the collar, sleeves, and waistband. In the sunlight, the subtle threads shimmered faintly.

Aside from this, his only accessory was a simple jade pendant hanging from his waist in the shape of a yin-yang fish.

Were it not for the ancient sword strapped to his side, anyone would mistake him for a noble young master heading out for an idle excursion. Indeed, he carried none of the sharp aura typically associated with a swordsman.

“Junior sister, sorry to keep you waiting,” he said gently.

The girl outside, who had grown slightly impatient from waiting, seemed to soften at the sound of his gentle voice. She turned her head to avoid looking at the warm smile on his face and mumbled, “You’re always so slow; it’s so annoying.”

In the brief moment she averted her gaze, she missed the doting and indulgent smile in his eyes.

“Cut!”

“Great, that was excellent. You two are really in the zone today.”

As Zhang Dong’s gravelly voice rang out, the bashful girl and the tender-eyed youth disappeared in an instant.

In just a few breaths, Qi Yue pressed her lips slightly together, closed her eyes, and opened them again, instantly transforming back into the commanding and confident aura of the popular Hua Dan she was. Qi Yue accepted the coat handed to her by her agent and draped it over her shoulders. She glanced at Chu Ziyu with a hint of admiration in her eyes. “You acted really well-there was a lot in your eyes.”

As Qi Yue spoke, Chu Ziyu also took the jacket handed to him by Chu Qianqian. Once he felt a little warmth return to his body, he smiled sheepishly and said, “You’re too kind, Qi Yue. Your skills are truly amazing. I was a little nervous earlier, but as soon as you took the lead, my tension disappeared.”

Qi Yue’s expression remained perfectly composed, showing no trace of joy at the compliment. She accepted a cup of hot beverage handed to her by her agent, took a few sips, and only when the warmth returned to her body did she reply, “You’re just inexperienced, which is why you were a bit nervous earlier. That’s a minor issue-it’ll get better after you’ve shot a few more scenes.”

“You have real talent for acting, especially with your eyes-they’re very expressive. If you enjoy acting, you should keep practicing. You’ll see good results.”

With another sip of her hot drink, Qi Yue suddenly remembered the young man standing before her. It dawned on her that he seemed to be quite good at singing as well, which might make it difficult for him to focus on acting. A trace of regret flashed in her eyes as she added, “Of course, if you’re too busy or not particularly interested, you don’t need to worry about it. I was just throwing it out there-you don’t have to take it too seriously.”

Hearing Qi Yue’s follow-up comment, Chu Ziyu’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t respond.

Everyone in the industry knew that Qi Yue had a genuine love for acting-a passion untainted by thoughts of paychecks or fame. She simply loved performing. To earn her praise of having “good talent” was no small feat. It meant she truly felt Chu Ziyu had potential in this field.

But Chu Ziyu wasn’t sure if he’d pursue acting as part of his future. Qingyi loved singing, and if Chu Ziyu wanted to ensure they stuck together and didn’t end up walking separate paths, it was best for their actions to align. That meant most of ONE’s future activities would likely focus on music.

He might not be able to dedicate himself to acting the way Qi Yue suggested.

For the first time, Chu Ziyu began seriously contemplating his future career.

The break didn’t last long, and soon, filming started up again.

Everyone was well aware that many of the scenes in Xianxia dramas required visual effects. For example, in the finished product’s scenes where characters flew on swords, the actual shooting involved the actors standing in place, their bodies posed into “flying” positions with the help of the stylist, while their feet stayed firmly on the ground.

To create the effect of their hair being swept back by the wind, several fans were set up in front of Chu Ziyu and the others. The fans were turned to their highest setting, blasting them with cold air. While the scene achieved the illusion of their hair billowing in a fierce wind as they sped through the air, everyone on set was visibly shivering from the chill.

By the time they finally managed to finish filming this “flying journey” scene, Chu Ziyu’s face had turned a noticeable shade of blue from the cold.