The President Comes Knocking - Chapter 197 - Dong Wu

After breakfast, Chu Qianqian had to take Qingyi and Chu Ziyu to the film set. ONE’s vacation was scheduled for Sunday, meaning they still had two days until they could rest.

Last night, after driving everyone back to the villa, Xiao Liu didn’t take the Maybach with him but parked it in the villa’s garage before taking a taxi home. This morning, he returned in the nanny car, the dedicated vehicle for picking up and dropping off Chu Qianqian and the others.

Standing in front of the villa, Mu Han declined Qingyi’s request for him to stay, instead reminding Xiao Liu to pay extra attention to everyone’s safety every day.

“Don’t look so pitiful. I’m not bullying you or anything,” Mu Han said.

Qingyi’s expression remained unchanged as he blinked his innocent, wide eyes and continued, “Mu Han, why don’t you just stay here? Look at the environment; it’s pretty nice, right? There are enough rooms, plus…” He glanced at Chu Qianqian before muttering vaguely, “…it’s more convenient.”

“You kid, what’s running through your head all day?” Mu Han chuckled helplessly at Qingyi’s insinuation, shaking his head as he rejected the suggestion again. “My villa’s not far from here. It’s pretty convenient for me to come and go… Don’t give me that look. Be good, okay? I’ve got work to handle, and staying at your villa just isn’t practical.”

Mu Han’s reasoning was perfectly valid, leaving Qingyi no room to argue. He could only pout in resignation. “Alright, but you better come over frequently when you have the time. I want to eat your cooking.”

“Now that’s the main point, isn’t it?”

“Hehe.”

…

As a universally acknowledged essential element in Xianxia novels, the secret realm also appeared in Ling Xiao.

In the third year after the protagonist, Lin Su, entered the sect, became a disciple of the Elder with the Sword, and changed his name to Lin Zisu, the secret realm was opened.

The particular secret realm this time was called “Ownerless.” It opened once every fifty years, and the flow of time inside varied between five to ten times faster than the outside world, depending on the location. Because of the abundant spiritual energy within, it was not only ideal for cultivators’ cultivation but also perfect for the growth of spiritual herbs, which had long made it an object of envy for all the sects in the Eastern Wasteland.

Such a superior secret realm naturally came with strict entry restrictions. It could only accommodate a thousand individuals per opening, and the cultivation level of those entering was rigorously regulated.

“Foundation Establishment¹ or higher, Nascent Soul² or lower, and cultivators under the age of fifty may enter.”

This single rule already dissuaded many cultivators. Achieving Golden Core³ before the age of one hundred was already a mark of exceptional talent within a sect, let alone doing so before turning fifty. Consequently, most of the cultivators entering the secret realm were at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Even with the lowered requirements, the total number of qualified cultivators across all the sects barely added up to one thousand.

Since each sect had its own quota for the secret realm, if the sect didn’t have enough individuals meeting the qualifications in a given year, the sect elders would redistribute the unused spots. These would typically be allocated to cultivators who were on friendly terms with the sect.

If a cultivator who received a slot managed to survive the secret realm, they would automatically become a guest elder of the sect. Conversely, if they perished inside, it would simply be chalked up as a failed investment.

As the most prominent cultivation sect in the Eastern Wasteland, the Xuanming Sword Sect always held the largest share with a quota of 200 slots.

This year was no different. After distributing spots to other aligned sects, the Xuanming Sword Sect had around thirty spots left, all of which were assigned to rogue cultivators.

Dong Wu, the character portrayed by Lingxuan, was exactly such a cultivator.

In the novel Ling Xiao, Dong Wu was described as follows:

“He was an exceptionally unique rogue cultivator, standing there all alone, with not a single person around him within three feet. His figure was slightly lanky, dressed in simple and elegant green robes, adorned only with an intricately embroidered orchid at his chest. The flower seemed almost alive, its exquisite details shimmering faintly under the sunlight with a jade-like glow.

He himself was much like that orchid-his features extraordinarily delicate. Even Ye Qingxuan furrowed her brows and made a silent comparison, only to find that this rogue cultivator was even more strikingly beautiful than her. The only clues that proved he wasn’t a female cultivator disguised as a man were the prominent Adam’s apple on his throat and the flatness of his chest.

As if sensing Ye Qingxuan’s scrutinizing gaze, he turned around. His eyes were like frosty blades of ice under the winter moon-freezing those who met his gaze into an instant, tongue-tied silence. She stood there, mouth agape, unable to form a single word.”

When Chu Qianqian first read the book, she struggled to picture what a man more beautiful than a woman could possibly look like. After meeting Qi Yue, who would go on to portray Ye Qingxuan, it became even harder for her to imagine someone surpassing such beauty.

It wasn’t until this moment-when she saw Lingxuan’s costume for Dong Wu in person-that she truly understood the concept of “a man with feminine beauty.” Dong Wu’s character seemed made for Lingxuan in every way, from his face to his aura.

As a supporting role in Ling Xiao, Dong Wu holds a very unique position. He shares no romantic connections with the heroine; the only time he steps in to save her is because she reminds him of his younger sister, who is actually a demon spirit formed from an inky orchid.

As a demon cultivator, Dong Wu’s most distinctive traits, beyond his striking face, are his signature green robes-more specifically, the orchid embroidered on them. The orchid is part of his original form, preserved after he took human shape. Merged with other materials, it was refined into a magical robe with powerful defensive and mind-cleansing properties. Later in the novel, after Dong Wu’s death, the robe is passed on to Lin Zisu, surviving as his legacy.

To faithfully recreate the details described in the book, the film crew specifically reached out to one of the best Shu embroiderers in City B. After a week of rushed production, several of Lingxuan’s costumes were finalized, complete with the orchid embroidery. The craftsmanship truly lived up to the novel’s description of the flower as “vividly lifelike.”

“Lingxuan really captures the essence of Dong Wu so perfectly… He’s just an ideal fit for the character,” remarked one stylist admiringly.

“It honestly feels like Dong Wu has stepped right out of the book…”

Hearing the repeated praise coming from the stylists, Qingyi waved to Chu Qianqian, signaling for her to come closer. Lowering his voice, he said, “Qianqian, did you know? Lingxuan didn’t originally audition for Dong Wu. He actually auditioned for the same role as Ziyu-Fu Zichu.”

“What?” Chu Qianqian stared back at him, startled.

Hearing his name mentioned, Chu Ziyu leaned in as well, intrigued for once by their gossip.

“I heard this from someone else,” Qingyi murmured, sounding conspiratorial. “Apparently, when Lingxuan auditioned for Fu Zichu, he gave an outstanding performance. Almost all the judges, including Qin Hao, voted in favor of casting him. But it was Director Zhang who rejected him in the end.”

Even Qin Hao? Chu Ziyu frowned slightly, his lips pursed tightly. His question came out quiet but sharp, “Why?”

“Director Zhang said that Lingxuan was actually better suited to the role of Dong Wu,” Qingyi explained. Leaning in closer for secrecy, he continued, “I also heard that Lingxuan joined Ling Xiao to broaden his range as an actor and avoid being typecast after the release of his upcoming film. But Director Zhang insisted that learning how to utilize his appearance and figure out which roles suit him best was more important. And…”

Qingyi lowered his head further and dropped his voice even more. “To convince Lingxuan to take the role of Dong Wu, Director Zhang even had the script adjusted slightly. Some of Dong Wu’s storylines were expanded and changed later in the plot…”

Footnote:

1. Foundation Establishment(筑基):The initial phase in cultivation where practitioners lay the groundwork for future advancement in their spiritual journey.
2. Nascent Soul(元婴):A higher spiritual stage following the Golden Core, representing advanced maturity and spiritual prowess.
3. Golden Core(金丹):A significant stage in a cultivator’s path where they form a powerful core of energy within themselves.