"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
A round of applause rang out in the open space in front of a Taoist temple.
Besides some of the staff from The Legend of Dugu crew, there were also a few tourists visiting the temple.
They had spontaneously formed a circle. At its center, Zhang Yang swung a staff with impressive force. His movements were broad and powerful yet endlessly varied, full of imposing might.
Only Nazha stood quietly among the crowd, watching Zhang Yang. Her eyes seemed to see something beyond him, and she fell into thought.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Yang flicked his wrist and put away the long staff with a flourish.
Director Lin Feng immediately asked the people beside him, "Did you get that on camera?"
When Zhang Yang had said he wanted to show off his staff work, Lin Feng hadn't thought much of it.
Anyone who practiced martial arts knew the saying, "Fists fear the young, staffs fear the old."
It meant that young people, with their abundant energy and stamina, usually had greater endurance than the middle-aged and elderly, giving them a physical advantage. As people aged, their unarmed fighting skills gradually weakened.
By contrast, when using weapons like staffs, experienced older people had the advantage, because the longer they practiced, the more experience they gained.
Zhang Yang was so young. Even if he knew how to use a staff, how good could he be?
But when Lin Feng saw him in action, he realized how shallow his judgment had been and immediately told the camera crew to record it.
"We got it, but it was too sudden. The footage probably won't look great," the cameraman admitted.
Lin Feng's brows knitted into a deep frown as he lamented the missed opportunity.
Zhang Yang walked over with the staff in hand. He wiped away his sweat with a tissue Nazha had passed him. "Brother Lin, were you hoping to use that footage of me with the staff?"
"Yeah. We could cut it into a scene of you practicing martial arts, so the audience can see how skilled Song Zu is." Lin Feng didn't hold back his praise. "In terms of technique, I think Song Zu wasn't as good as you when he was your age."
"You're flattering me." Zhang Yang hurriedly waved his hands. "He started from nothing and became a founding master. I can't compare."
Although he really could compare now, it was all thanks to his cheat, and he wouldn't let it go to his head.
Of course, the cheat was part of him too, so he wouldn't sell himself short.
"If you think it'll work, Brother Lin, we can find a time and place to shoot it again." Zhang Yang weighed the long staff in his hand. "This is just an ordinary staff. Song Zu used the Coiled Dragon Staff. If we want to do it right, we shouldn't let the audience spot the difference."
"You're right." Lin Feng admired Zhang Yang's professionalism and said approvingly, "I'll have the prop team prepare a Coiled Dragon Staff. We can use it in the next few fight scenes. For today, you can use Grand Ancestor's Long Fist."
The meaning was clear: he agreed to let Zhang Yang redesign the fight scenes, replacing the sword and spear with fists and staff.
"I'm good with that." Having achieved his goal, Zhang Yang had no objections.
After he'd performed a set with the staff, the props and camera crews had already arranged everything.
The makeup artist, Sister Sun, had finished Nazha's makeup too. To save time, she'd given her a simple updo. She'd combed Nazha's hair up to the crown, divided it into several sections, then twisted them into a bun. It showed off Nazha's delicate features beautifully.
The hairstyle had been fashionable from the Tang dynasty through the Qing dynasty, so there was no risk of anachronism. It also softened Nazha's exotic look, making her seem more mixed-race.
Some degree of mixed heritage was perfectly normal in China after the Northern and Southern dynasties and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, so it wouldn't take viewers out of the story.
Sister Sun's makeup skills really were impressive. She'd volunteered to join Lin Feng's crew.
Zhang Yang couldn't help thinking that the little red envelope he'd given her the other day hadn't gone to waste.
Another hour passed, and Zhang Yang's makeup was done too. He headed outside the temple.
The few extras Lin Feng had hired were very experienced. They'd already finished acting out the scene where the bandits sat around the campfire chatting. As soon as Zhang Yang arrived, they could start filming the hero-rescues-beauty scene.
"The young lady's awake. Just in time to enjoy the pleasures of this world."
The actor playing the skinny bandit leered as he crouched down and started to undo Nazha's clothes.
"Mmm! Mmm!"
It was Nazha's first time acting, and her mind went completely blank.
But as the man moved to attack her, she instinctively recalled what had happened to Zhao Jingniang.
She completely forgot that she was acting. She shook her head frantically, her eyes full of pleading.
"Whoa, that look..."
Lin Feng thought, That's incredible.
Cai Yinong from Tangren Films really had a sharp eye. She'd discovered two promising newcomers in one go—Zhang Yang and Nazha, a pair of Wolong and Fengchu, both good-looking, talented, and capable.
"Heh heh."
Nazha's gaze stirred something in the extra playing the bandit, and he felt a flicker of real desire.
But just then, the props team broke open the window and sent a staff flying in. Its tip was wrapped in long cloth, and it struck the extra in the chest.
Pulled backward by a prop wire, the extra bit into the blood capsule in his mouth and immediately spat out a mouthful of fake blood.
Nazha's eyes widened in surprise. Then she saw Zhang Yang jump into the room through the broken window.
He was tall and fit, with a stern expression, bright eyes, and an air of confidence.
That face overlapped with the one in her memory!
In that instant, she was certain that the previous night hadn't been a dream.
Everything had felt too real. If she hadn't seen the future, then she must have been Zhao Jingniang in her previous life.
The tea of forgetfulness must have tasted awful. She must have taken only a few sips, leaving her with the most important memories.
Zhang Yang's build matched the man in her memories too. He looked so much like him!
It made sense that he was so young yet so skilled at boxing and staff techniques.
So were she and Zhang Yang destined to continue their past-life romance!?
Nazha's heart raced as her imagination ran wild.
"Who's there?!"
A sudden shout rang out in front of them.
Zhang Yang didn't reply. He entered the hall and fought a group of stunt performers playing bandits.
He performed Grand Ancestor's Long Fist with fluid ease. His movements were powerful and fast without sacrificing grace, and he quickly took down all the bandits.
Zhang Yang returned to the back of the hall and helped Nazha outside the temple, then brought her to the carriage.
"Thank you for saving me, sir." Nazha gazed intently at Zhang Yang.
She did a wonderful job portraying a woman who wanted to repay her hero by offering herself to him.
"It was nothing. I did what was right." Zhang Yang returned her salute with a fist-and-palm salute, then asked, "May I ask your name and where you're from? I can escort you home."
Hearing that, Nazha slipped into Zhao Jingniang's perspective and thought of her murdered parents. Tears welled in her eyes. "My name is Jingniang. My father's surname was Zhao. My parents..."
As Nazha recounted her story, Zhang Yang learned of her ordeal.
When he learned she was from Puzhou, he pondered for a moment before saying, "Miss Zhao, since fate brought me to your rescue, I'll escort you back to Puzhou."
"But it wouldn't be proper for a man and woman to travel alone together. My surname is Zhao as well. Why don't we call each other brother and sister? That way, traveling together won't harm your reputation."
Nazha had no objections and gratefully agreed.
She climbed into the carriage, and Zhang Yang took the reins. They headed north.
"Cut!"
Lin Feng shouted with satisfaction.
In his mind, he was practically yelling, "Cut! Cut! Cut!"
Zhang Yang and Nazha had acted so well that anyone would have thought Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Jingniang themselves had come to life.
For two newcomers to deliver such a performance was truly a rare gift. They'd been blessed with talent.
The shoot had gone so smoothly that scenes originally scheduled to take one or two days had been wrapped up in just half a day.
Lin Feng didn't move on to shoot the later scenes early. After lunch, he simply announced that everyone had the rest of the day off and that filming would resume tomorrow.
The staff cheered at the prospect of paid time off.
Zhang Yang wasn't so lucky. Lin Feng called him over to help design the fight scenes.
But before they got started, Zhang Yang borrowed a car and planned to take Nazha back to her hotel first.
"Brother Yang."
In the hotel parking lot, Nazha walked over to the driver's side and gently tapped on the window.
"Hmm?" Zhang Yang looked up.
"I believe in past lives too." Nazha's beautiful eyes shimmered.
"Oh?" Zhang Yang looked confused, as if he didn't understand why Nazha was saying this.
Is this girl about to confess to me?
Is Dream Entry really that intense?
"You'll understand someday."
Nazha smiled sweetly at Zhang Yang, then turned and walked away.
Her hair fluttered in the breeze, and her beauty shone.
Zhang Yang: "..."
Was she flirting with him?
Before you continue