Auditioning for Yin Zhiping

Only after losing the role of Yin Zhiping did Shen Qi realize how miserable he felt.

The Demon Dao Sage Lord was a villain who appeared in just one episode of a thirty-episode drama before getting killed off.

The plot was especially melodramatic, too.

It was unlikely to bring him much attention after it aired.

Ji Wuming was even worse: a poor soul who appeared in only three episodes of an eighty-episode series.

The production budget was less than half that of Legend of the White Snake.

Shen Qi seemed to have opportunities coming his way, but they were castles in the air. He saw no real chance of becoming famous.

Other people could lie low for eight or ten years, waiting for their moment.

Shen Qi couldn't!

His family was in desperate straits...

The third person to audition came out. He had probably done even worse than the second.

He hadn't lasted three minutes.

It looked as though he hadn't even finished introducing himself.

He had probably cracked under the pressure.

Fortunately, Shen Qi had weathered too many storms to give up before the verdict came in.

The fourth candidate stayed a little longer.

But his expression wasn't much better when he came out.

"Shen Qi... come in!"

A little later, an assistant came out to call him in for his audition.

Shen Qi stood and followed him inside.

At last—it was his turn!

His chances looked slim, but Shen Qi wasn't about to throw in the towel.

Quite the opposite. He was going all in!

He treated this audition as a chance to test himself and gain experience.

At his audition for the Demon Dao Sage Lord, the director hadn't even planned to let him try. An offhand remark from Liu Tao had given him the chance.

He had been the only actor auditioning then.

The audition for My Own Swordsman hadn't been particularly formal either.

That production had been willing to take just about anyone.

If you had a little ability and came cheap enough, they could always find you a part.

Zhang Yi had failed his audition because he'd wanted to play Lü Xiucai.

Today was Shen Qi's first proper audition for a major production.

He introduced himself, explained his understanding of the character, and then began the performance...

Several days had passed since he'd received the audition time and location.

Naturally, Shen Qi was prepared.

The real focus was the performance. The production took it seriously enough to arrange for Liu Naiyi to read opposite him.

Shen Qi knew him.

Liu Naiyi had appeared in the drama One Metre of Sunshine, which was where Shen Qi had gotten his online handle.

In The Return of the Condor Heroes, Liu Naiyi was apparently playing another villain, Zhao Zhijing.

The scene was simple: Zhao Zhijing discovered Yin Zhiping's feelings for Little Dragon Maiden, exposed his secret, and drove him to furious embarrassment.

Since Shen Qi had decided to go all in, he didn't hold back the Magic Book. He drew directly on Xu Yajun's performance.

He had managed to record it only twice the day before.

Xu Yajun was about the best he could currently record under normal conditions.

He left his last resort, Guo Da, untouched.

"Well, Junior Brother Yin!" Liu Naiyi chuckled. "Feeling disappointed?"

"Heh. What do you mean, Senior Brother?"

Surprise flashed across Shen Qi's face before he masked it with composure.

"A fair lady is what a gentleman seeks. When he cannot win her, he longs for her day and night, tossing and turning without end!"

As Liu Naiyi delivered his lines, Shen Qi reacted to each one.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand..." He shook his head and continued the scene. "It's getting late. I should take my leave!"

He turned to go, but Liu Naiyi burst out laughing behind him.

"Do you really not understand? Fine. I'll report this to Uncle-Master Qiu and have him investigate!"

"Investigate what?"

Shen Qi's expression finally changed.

"You've broken our rules and violated a grave precept of the Quanzhen Order. Let's see how you remain the leading disciple of the third generation..."

"What grave precept have I violated?!"

"The fourth precept of the Quanzhen Order—the prohibition against lust!"

"You!"

"Our order is devoted to cultivating mind and character. With thoughts like yours, haven't you violated the precept against lust?"

"Zhao Zhijing, that's nonsense! I know you resent me for becoming the leading disciple. You want the position yourself—you even want to lead the whole order. That's why you've made up these lies to slander me. Hmph! You claim to know what I'm thinking?"

Calm gave way to anger across Shen Qi's face. The production had chosen this scene to see how well the actors handled dialogue, especially the emotional shifts.

Shen Qi's performance wasn't flawless, but it had certainly exceeded the casting team's expectations.

The casting team for The Return of the Condor Heroes had five members: martial arts director and director Zhao Jian; assistant director and casting director Zhao Guangbin; screenwriter Lang Xuefeng; producer Lü Haixia; and Huang Hua from the makeup team.

Shen Qi knew only Zhao Jian.

Zhao Jian had co-directed Lotus Lantern with Yu Mingsheng, handling the fight scenes.

Shen Qi had spent more than a week on the Lotus Lantern set, so he'd seen Zhao Jian often.

Whether Zhao Jian knew him was another matter.

Judging by Zhao Jian's behavior, Shen Qi doubted he remembered an extra who'd worn a mask all day.

In fact, Zhao Jian had recognized him long ago.

Shen Qi was an extra whose looks could rival Jiao Enjun's and who had made several actresses on set develop crushes on him.

Zhao Jian wasn't blind. How could he have missed that?

The directors had even made raunchy jokes over drinks about Shen Qi and the actresses.

After Shen Qi finished, the audition team began entering their assessments on his audition form.

All five would give their opinions.

If none of them objected, they could cast the role on the spot.

If they disagreed, or if several actors had auditioned well, they wouldn't announce a decision immediately.

Within one to seven days, they would notify the actors through their agencies or contact them directly to say whether they'd been cast or invited to another round.

Shen Qi had already sensed that something was off.

If Zhao Hongfei really had the role of Yin Zhiping sewn up, the team would surely have cut Shen Qi's audition short.

But at least fifteen minutes had passed since he'd entered.

"Yin Zhiping later confesses to his crime and even dies shielding Little Dragon Maiden from a sword. Do you see that as an attempt to redeem him, or as his inevitable end?"

Lang Xuefeng glanced at the others' scores, then put the question to Shen Qi.

"I don't think it's redemption. He can't be redeemed. Nothing he does can make up for his crime. From the day he committed it, he lives under two kinds of torment."

"Oh? What are they?"

Actors only needed to perform well, not be philosophers. Lang Xuefeng's question was really a bonus test.

"First, guilt toward Little Dragon Maiden. Second, remorse for betraying his faith. He doesn't dare confess because he's afraid to face her and afraid of ruining the Quanzhen Order's reputation. But keeping it hidden tortures him every day."

Shen Qi had spent the past several days studying The Return of the Condor Heroes and Yin Zhiping. This question was well within what he'd prepared for.

"So you mean it's a release?"

"Yes. When Little Dragon Maiden finally tries to kill him, he actually feels relieved. At last he can confess his crime and pay for it with his life. Taking the sword for her isn't a heroic rescue. It's the first time he dares to face the consequences through his actions. It's the one thing he can do about his crime that's worthy of a Quanzhen disciple..."

Shen Qi was a teacher; he knew how to express himself.

Lang Xuefeng nodded repeatedly as he listened.

Yin Zhiping was a deeply conflicted character.

If an actor didn't understand him and the director didn't pay attention, it would be easy to turn him into a one-note villain.

"Playing someone like Yin Zhiping could have a considerable negative impact on your acting career. How do you feel about that?"

Assistant director and casting director Zhao Guangbin approached it from another angle.

This was the sort of role that could earn an actor real-life abuse.

Once you'd played him, audiences would see your face in other shows and remember what you'd done to Little Dragon Maiden.

They'd just want you dead!

Granny Rong and An Jiahe were similar.

Even when the former played a good person, audiences still expected her to pull out a needle and stab someone.

Someone had even slapped the latter in real life and told him to stop beating his wife.

Yin Zhiping was no better.

The role was like a sugar coating wrapped around...

Shit!

If an actor recoiled from the role, it would be hard for him to play it well.

"I think I'd be all right with it. A character with such complicated humanity is a chance to work on my acting. Whether the audience sympathizes with him or hates him, it means the character has come to life."

Shen Qi didn't thump his chest and declare he wasn't afraid.

He focused on the opportunity.

Besides that opportunity, who would be especially eager to play Yin Zhiping?

"How are you with fight scenes?"

Seeing that the others had no further questions, Zhao Jian gave Shen Qi another chance to show what he could do.

If his fight scenes were up to standard too, they could settle the casting.

They could decide right there, without making him wait for a call.