The President Comes Knocking -

Since Qingyi and Chu Ziyu were only responsible for the teenage portions of the story, their scripts were different from the other actors. The scripts in their hands did not include the latter half of the content.

Judging by the scripts they had so far, the plot of Ling Xiao in its adaptation wasn’t significantly different from the original book. The few adjustments made were simply to make the story easier to follow. Under these circumstances, the fact that Zhang Dong went out of his way to alter the script just to let Lingxuan join the cast could only be described as a bold move.

“That Lingxuan… is he really that appealing? Enough for Zhang Dong to make such concessions for him?”

Chu Ziyu’s voice sounded perfectly composed, but Chu Qianqian took one look at him and noticed a trace of discontent on his face.

His reaction didn’t surprise Chu Qianqian at all. Knowing Chu Ziyu as she did, she understood that while he seemed even-tempered, he actually harbored a strong sense of pride. Even though the role of Fu Zichu hadn’t been taken away by Lingxuan, it was still a significant blow to Chu Ziyu’s ego.

Qingyi glanced sideways at Chu Ziyu as well, his brows furrowing slightly as he picked up on Chu Ziyu’s gloominess. He chuckled softly and shifted the topic, “That’s hard to say. We’ll only know if he’s worth Director Zhang’s effort once Lingxuan’s new film comes out.”

“Or…” Qingyi paused for a moment, casting a quick glance in Lingxuan’s direction. His eyes sparkled with a tinge of eagerness. “We might find out how good his acting is later today.”

Today, the crew was shooting a scene where the characters stepped into the secret realm.

As a Xianxia drama, much of Ling Xiao’s filming took place outdoors. Though the current season didn’t match the descriptions in the plot and much of the scenery would later be enhanced with special effects, Director Zhang had nonetheless decided to temporarily cordon off an entire area of Changyun Mountain for the shoot.

While this tactic might sound extravagant, it wasn’t as costly as it seemed. After all, it was late fall, and Changyun Mountain was in its off-season with few tourists around. Aside from the Ling Xiao film crew, there was virtually no one else in the area.

The primary purpose of securing the location was to prevent overly enthusiastic fans from disrupting the crew’s filming process.

“Ready, take action!”

After just going through a teleportation, the group of cultivators were feeling somewhat unsteady and uncomfortable, struggling to remain on their feet. Among them, only a few managed to stand relatively unaffected, almost all of them Golden Core cultivators. Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, unable to withstand the spatial pressure from the Teleportation Array, had collapsed to the ground one after another, sitting where they were to meditate and recover.

However, not all Foundation Establishment cultivators were unable to endure the strain of the Teleportation Array. Beyond Fu Zichu and the other leading Golden Core cultivators, there were two Foundation Establishment cultivators who seemed relatively unaffected. One was Lin Zisu, and the other was a cold-faced male cultivator in green robes named Dong Wu.

Before the Teleportation Array had activated, Lin Zisu had just struck up a conversation with Dong Wu. The two weren’t standing far apart, so after they arrived, their positions were similarly close. When Lin Zisu noticed that Dong Wu’s body was slightly swaying, his first instinct was to reach out and steady him. However, his gesture was met with a cold refusal.

Dodging Lin Zisu’s offered hand, Dong Wu’s expression remained unchanged. His thin lips parted slightly as he said, “There’s no need, I can manage on my own.”

His voice was like water flowing through a cold mountain spring in winter-clear and crisp, carrying no trace of warmth. It revealed no emotion whatsoever. Matching the words was his equally cold demeanor: a flawlessly sculpted but icy countenance that remained utterly stoic from beginning to end, as though it had been painted on.

Although Dong Wu’s attitude was frigid, Lin Zisu didn’t mind at all. He had always possessed an instinctive knack for reading people, almost like a wild animal. He could usually get a sense of someone’s character and their feelings toward him upon first meeting them.

While Dong Wu might seem distant and devoid of the slightest trace of warmth, he gave Lin Zisu a sense of comfort. He struck Lin Zisu as someone straightforward-what you see is what you get-pure and genuine.

Nevertheless, Lin Zisu’s indifference to Dong Wu’s attitude didn’t mean everyone else felt the same. Watching Ye Qingxuan walk over with a determined stride, Lin Zisu felt an immediate ache at the back of his skull, wishing he could avoid her altogether.

But that wasn’t an option. Even if he had the nerve, which he didn’t, his strength was nowhere near enough to evade Ye Qingxuan.

“Junior brother, how are you feeling? Dizzy at all? Do you want to sit down? I have some medicine here-do you want some?”

As Ye Qingxuan bombarded him with her rapid-fire questions, Lin Zisu felt his head start to pound. Without even thinking, he rattled off a string of responses. “No need, senior sister, I’m really fine. You don’t have to worry.”

Ever since that incident three years ago when Lin Zisu took a lash in place of Ye Qingxuan from an evil cultivator, things had slowly but noticeably changed after they entered the sect. Ye Qingxuan’s attitude toward him became different-not exactly romantic affection, but the care she showed had long exceeded what a senior sister would typically extend to her junior brother.

For most men, having this kind of attention would have been almost impossible to resist. After all, Ye Qingxuan was the only daughter of his master, the esteemed Elder with the Sword of the Xuanming Sword Sect. Her beauty, family background, and cultivation prowess were all outstanding, making her one of the most sought-after and admired women in the entire Eastern Wasteland.

But Lin Zisu was not an ordinary man. His upbringing had fostered an insatiable curiosity about the path of cultivation. After entering the sect, he poured his entire focus into cultivation, remaining entirely oblivious when it came to romantic matters-he was still, in essence, a big boy with no experience in love.

Of course, that wasn’t the main point here.

Avoiding Ye Qingxuan’s outstretched hand, Lin Zisu quickly snuck a glance at Fu Zichu. As expected, he saw the young man’s furrowed brows and sharp gaze. Lin Zisu’s eyes widened in panic, and he immediately felt as wronged as someone accused of a crime they didn’t commit. Like snow falling in June, he thought bitterly before stumbling backward a few steps in a desperate attempt to clear his name.

“Really! Senior sister, don’t you know me by now? My body is in great condition-I’m perfectly fine, really!”

Without giving Ye Qingxuan a chance to fire off another barrage of questions, Lin Zisu took a step forward and made a bold move. Walking up to Dong Wu’s side, he slung an arm around the young man’s shoulder in an overly familiar manner, as though they were lifelong friends. Guiding Dong Wu forward a few steps, Lin Zisu gave Ye Qingxuan a bright, forced smile and said, “I was just… chatting with him! Right, buddy?”

Dong Wu, for his part, had never encountered anyone quite so brazenly friendly before. His brows knit together slightly, and his lips tightened as though he were about to shake his head and deny the claim. However, when Dong Wu caught the pleading look in Lin Zisu’s eyes, something inexplicably stopped him. The words he had intended to say hovered on the tip of his tongue before he swallowed them back down.

Raising his head, Dong Wu met Ye Qingxuan’s curious and probing gaze. After a pause, he gave a small nod. “Mm.”

Ye Qingxuan knew Lin Zisu’s knack for social interactions all too well. The young man had an almost uncanny ability to strike up friendships, even with the most reserved or aloof individuals. Though she felt a stab of dissatisfaction at being so clearly rejected, she didn’t press further. With a final glance at Lin Zisu and Dong Wu, she exhaled and turned away, heading toward the group of Golden Core cultivators where Fu Zichu stood.

Lin Zisu let out a breath of relief he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Without even sparing the time to apologize to Dong Wu for dragging him into this mess, he immediately shot Fu Zichu a wide-eyed look that all but screamed, I swear I’m innocent! Lin Zisu was well aware of Fu Zichu’s feelings for Ye Qingxuan-and the last thing he wanted was to get caught in the tangle of emotions between the two of them.