When Sheng Jun reached the door, someone suddenly shouted, “Sheng Jun, you’re the best! Don’t mind that fool Yan Wenguang—we all support you!”
Sheng Jun turned around and found everyone looking at him. He waved his hand and walked out of the bar, still puzzled about how so many people had suddenly learned about Yan Wenguang’s situation.
Only after getting into the car and taking out his phone did he realize he had several missed calls from Sun Zhi.
That was when he discovered he had gone viral.
Online, people were everywhere recommending his songs. Young fans created super-topics and campaigned for him on charts, and for a while, his name appeared on the Hot Search lists of major platforms. Marketing accounts also listed his career history and spread it everywhere, with many netizens exclaiming that his low profile had caused them to miss out on a treasure of a singer.
“Sheng Jun is just too low-key. If only he’d participate in a few more shows.”
Soon after, Sun Zhi urgently convened a meeting and put Sheng Jun’s future development on the agenda. In addition to his concert, two well-received variety shows were arranged.
“I know you don’t like exposure, but you have to understand—times have changed. It’s no longer an era where good wine needs no bush. The shows I’ve arranged for you are relatively fair. You don’t need to cater to others; just be yourself.”
For Sheng Jun, as long as there was even a glimmer of a comeback, Sun Zhi was willing to invest resources to give him exposure. The only worry was that Sheng Jun might refuse even the resources offered.
After some thought, Sheng Jun realized he truly needed to engage with new things and couldn’t keep isolating himself in his old world. So, he agreed to Sun Zhi’s arrangements.
The next day, an even bigger surprise arrived: his idol, the undisputed rock king Sputon, extended an invitation to him.
Meanwhile, Yan Wenguang had been criticized to the point of no return. When his agent brought him to Sun Zhi to plead for mercy, they were directly driven out.
Everything felt like a dream, but after watching Yan Wenguang’s interview video, Sheng Jun knew it all had to do with one person: Qi Yuqiu had changed his fate.
At this time, Qi Yuqiu, after being forced by Old Ghost to take two gaming accounts, returned to the “Falling into Demonic Path” film set.
Everyone on set, whether crew members or actors, showed extreme reluctance toward Qi Yuqiu’s arrival. Not only was his acting unbearably bad, but he also loved to stir up hype. His presence disrupted the entire crew’s peace.
“Falling into Demonic Path” is a major IP fantasy film. Set in a world where cultivators dominate and mortals are treated as ants, the male lead is forced to join a righteous immortal sect after getting entangled in mysterious events. While uncovering his origins, he discovers that the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths is merely a setup orchestrated by his ancestor.
In the end, the male lead inherits his ancestor’s will, transitions from immortal to demonic, destroys the spiritual eyes of the world, severs the path of cultivation, and frees humanity from suffering.
The male lead in this film is top star Shen Ruilin, the female lead is popular actress Xiang Zhu, and several veteran actors play supporting roles. Even Film Emperor Liu Rui makes a guest appearance, making it a top-tier production.
Qi Yuqiu’s role is the Grandmaster Uncle of the righteous immortal sect. Though labeled as the fourth male lead, he only appears in a few scenes. However, because each of his scenes plays a crucial role in advancing the plot, he was given the title of fourth male lead.
Grandmaster Uncle is a character who cares deeply for all living beings and is not the least bit pedantic. Even after the protagonist falls Into the Devil, he does not join other righteous cultivators in trying to exterminate him. Instead, he repeatedly shows mercy and lets him escape. After learning the truth, he chooses to help the protagonist destroy the spiritual eye.
This character occupies a lofty position, transcending the mundane. He is difficult for ordinary people to portray, and if not acted well, he could come across as expressionless and become a flaw in the production.
Everyone in the crew doubted that Qi Yuqiu could do justice to this role. With his reputation for only knowing how to stir up hype and acting skills so poor that even a web drama performance could draw endless criticism, Grandmaster Uncle was likely to be ruined in his hands.
While everyone in the crew resisted Qi Yuqiu, Han Chen, the actor playing the third male lead, was secretly delighted.
His character was the head disciple of a righteous immortal sect, who deeply admired Grandmaster Uncle and imitated him in both appearance and personality. In other words, his character’s persona completely overlapped with Qi Yuqiu’s Grandmaster Uncle, and he was the copy.
Before joining the crew, Han Chen had been worried that his role would be overshadowed. But after learning that Qi Yuqiu was playing Grandmaster Uncle, he felt reassured. With Qi Yuqiu’s portrayal as a comparison, his own character would only appear more outstanding.
Moreover, even more interestingly, the actor playing Qi Yuqiu’s disciple in the drama was Sheng Yuke, who belonged to the same agency as him.
Sheng Yuke had debuted around the same time as him, and naturally, fierce competition existed between them. Han Chen’s looks were not as appealing as Sheng Yuke’s, and he had always been overshadowed. Now, this was a perfect opportunity.
He knew that Sheng Yuke had always been fond of the original novel this drama was based on. Sheng Yuke had expressed his admiration for Grandmaster Uncle more than once on Weibo and had even been willing to take on a minor role with limited screen time just to join the crew.
Before entering the crew, Han Chen had contacted paparazzi but hadn’t found the right opportunity. Now, as long as he said a few words, the hot-tempered Sheng Yuke was sure to clash with Qi Yuqiu. Once the news got out, it would be killing two birds with one stone for him.
Han Chen glanced at Sheng Yuke’s indifferent expression and walked over with a smile. “Yuke, the Grandmaster Uncle you’ve been longing for is finally about to appear. How do you feel? Excited, aren’t you?”
Sheng Yuke gave him a cold look and said nothing.
Han Chen maintained his smile but gritted his teeth in frustration. He hated Sheng Yuke’s expression the most—every time he saw it, he wanted to punch him twice. Who did he think he was, acting so aloof?
“Qi Yuqiu’s face is decent enough. I think he’s still suitable for this role. Director Chang usually doesn’t misjudge people.” Han Chen swallowed his anger and continued to provoke Sheng Yuke, afraid that his temper wouldn’t flare up enough to cause a conflict with Qi Yuqiu later.
“Does it have anything to do with you?” Sheng Yuke finally spoke.
Han Chen forced an awkward smile, but inside, he was seething with hatred. Damn Sheng Yuke!
After Han Chen fell silent, Sheng Yuke glanced irritably at the dressing room. Han Chen bringing up Grandmaster Uncle was like twisting a knife in his heart. When Qi Yuqiu left the crew a few days ago, he had thought Grandmaster Uncle would be recast. To his dismay, Qi Yuqiu had returned today!
How could someone as sleazy, obsequious, and awkward as Qi Yuqiu possibly portray the noble and transcendent image of Grandmaster Uncle?
Sheng Yuke felt that even a random passerby would look more fitting in those robes than Qi Yuqiu. He glared resentfully at the dressing room again, feeling utterly disgusted.
Not only did the rest of the crew share Chang Yan’s thoughts, but even the director himself felt the same way. Chang Yan had originally wanted to cast a veteran actor for the role of Grandmaster Uncle, but due to the original novel’s setting—where the character was described as having mastered the art of preserving youth, appearing as a stunningly beautiful young man despite being thousands of years old—and the demands of the investors, Qi Yuqiu was ultimately chosen for the part.
Qi Yuqiu’s face was certainly up to par, but his demeanor and cringe-worthy acting skills made Chang Yan feel there was no hope left. Chang Yan had already made up his mind: if things really didn’t work out, he would just tighten up the editing in post-production. After all, the role didn’t have many scenes, and as long as Qi Yuqiu could serve as a pretty vase, that would be enough.
The only worry was whether he could even carry off the costume.
In the makeup room, makeup artist Sister Li dabbed a dot of red Cinnabar between Qi Yuqiu’s brows. Staring at the white-haired, white-robed young man in the mirror, whose features were as exquisite as a painting, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
No matter how much she disliked Qi Yuqiu, she had to admit that his face was simply beautiful. The white-haired look could easily backfire on others, often making them appear old and dull with just a slight misstep.
But on Qi Yuqiu, it made him look like an immortal who had stepped out of a painting, with not a trace of incongruity. It was beyond mere handsomeness.
“Are we done?” Qi Yuqiu asked stiffly. He had been sitting motionless for nearly two hours, letting a woman dab and touch his face. It was truly embarrassing.
Sister Li snapped back to reality, her previously indifferent attitude softening instantly. “Yes, we’re done. What do you think?”
Faced with that face, she simply couldn’t help but be gentle.
Qi Yuqiu stood up, glanced at himself in the mirror, and nodded in satisfaction. “Thank you for your hard work.”
Sister Li almost squealed with delight, clutching her cheeks. She never imagined she would one day become a fan of Qi Yuqiu. For a devoted fan of good looks, betrayal came swiftly!
After Qi Yuqiu left the makeup room, several crew members couldn’t help but stare with infatuated expressions.
“So handsome, ahhh! So handsome! What do I do? I can’t bring myself to dislike him anymore!”
“An icy beauty of a master, the kind you could—ah, why didn’t I notice before how good-looking Qi Yuqiu is?”
The door to the makeup room swung open. Chang Yan, who had been explaining the scene, looked up and saw a white-haired, white-robed immortal with a red dot between his brows casting a haughty glance his way. He was instantly stunned.
Was this still the same Qi Yuqiu—stiff-faced, vacant-eyed, and only capable of dry wailing?
As Qi Yuqiu approached, the others also stared wide-eyed, awed by his presence. They unconsciously made way for him. Though they had seen all kinds of beauties, Qi Yuqiu’s face still left them in awe.
Sheng Yuke had been frozen in place ever since Qi Yuqiu stepped out. In his mind, Grandmaster Uncle was a figure in pristine white robes, with indifferent eyes and an aura of righteous majesty in every gesture.
Grandmaster Uncle had witnessed the vicissitudes of the world for thousands of years, yet still held onto his righteous heart. In Sheng Yuke’s mind, no one could perfectly portray Grandmaster Uncle—until he saw Qi Yuqiu emerge from the makeup room.
He had seen many cosplayers and even owned a full set of Grandmaster Uncle’s gear himself, but no one had ever captured even a tenth of the character’s presence. Yet, the glance Qi Yuqiu swept over him left Sheng Yuke momentarily stunned. Coldness, the weight of time, and an unwavering sense of righteousness—he realized for the first time that a single look could convey so much.
Qi Yuqiu walked up to Sheng Yuke, slightly lowered his head, and said, “Bring your master’s stool over.”
“O-okay.” Sheng Yuke instinctively stood up quickly, moving a nearby chair over. Qi Yuqiu flicked his sleeve and gave him an appreciative glance.
Sheng Yuke instinctively smiled, feeling an overwhelming joy, as if he had just been praised by a teacher in his childhood.
After realizing it, Sheng Yuke: ?
Had he been bewitched by a ghost?!
Meanwhile, Han Chen, standing to the side, darkened his expression, clenching his fists tightly. He hadn’t expected that after putting on the costume, Qi Yuqiu would seem like a completely different person, nothing like the wooden post from his previous dramas.
He took a deep breath, comforting himself: What does a good appearance matter? When it comes to acting opposite others, he’ll still be outshone and won’t be able to carry this image.
Still, preparations had to be made in advance. Han Chen glanced at Sheng Yuke and Qi Yuqiu once more, sneered, and took out his phone to send a few messages.