Chapter 18: Xiao Shu's Performance Was Truly Impressive
Chapter 18: Zhao Xiaoshu’s Performance Is Truly Excellent
Half an hour later, Cheng Liang received the first six episodes sent over by Director Yang Yang.
Clicking on the first episode, Cheng Liang was the first to start watching.
“Haotian World, the wheel of time turns; every thousand years, the Lord of the Underworld descends, plunging the world into utter darkness and extreme cold. All life withers—it is the Eternal Night. Between heaven and earth lies primordial energy, sensed only by a few through their will—these are the cultivators. The path of cultivation has various realms: Initial, Perception, Enlightenment, Profound Insight, Knowing Fate; among them, the most profound is the Master Wumu…”
This was the background introduction for The Nightfall.
The visuals were quite good, and Cheng Liang liked them very much.
The story background was somewhat complex, but that was not a problem.
The drama had just begun, and as the audience gradually watched, they would gain a general understanding of the world’s setting.
The story then moved to the main plot: Chen Feiyu’s Ning Que appeared at the frontier, preparing to hunt down bandits.
Filming was done on location; since The Nightfall’s early story unfolds on the frontier, the entire crew had been moved there.
Endless deserts stretched out, with real sword fights involving genuine combat.
No fake horses, no green screens—the entire shoot strived for authenticity.
However, Cheng Liang did not rate this particular scene very highly.
It was not because he thought it was bad.
On the contrary, seeing such scenes confirmed to him that Director Yang Yang was wholeheartedly committed to this production.
But in Cheng Liang’s eyes, dedication alone did not guarantee a great drama.
Nor did it necessarily secure the audience’s attention.
The episode ended quickly.
For this first episode, Cheng Liang gave it a score of 70.
Not very high, but not low either.
Yet it still fell short of his expectations.
He had read The Nightfall novel. If the quality stayed like this, he was certain the series would not flop—but it also wouldn’t become a hit. It might be a passable show, but it wouldn’t fully satisfy everyone.
He moved on to watch the second episode.
This one performed slightly better; the actors’ skills were solid, earning it a 75 at best.
One flaw remained: the protagonist’s performance was quite average.
He was not particularly striking.
Soon, Cheng Liang finished watching episodes three, four, and five.
The main character’s performance improved a bit, but only marginally. So far, the highest score Cheng Liang could give was 80.
Eighty was a respectable score, but considering the investment, the cast, and the promotional efforts behind the series, it was not the result Cheng Liang desired.
His close attention to The Nightfall wasn’t just because Tencent was an investor; more importantly, he hoped the series would establish Tencent’s self-produced dramas as a brand.
But judging by what he had seen, it hadn’t made a spectacular breakthrough.
Cheng Liang felt somewhat conflicted.
Then he gave himself a mental shake. What was he thinking?
From these five episodes, The Nightfall was already performing quite well.
Besides, it was rare for any show to explode overnight.
Even if The Nightfall didn’t become an instant sensation, it wouldn’t damage Tencent’s reputation for original productions.
Moreover, the production quality was very good, especially with the veteran actors’ captivating performances—that was already enough.
He decided to watch the sixth episode.
Though his earlier expectations had dimmed, he still wanted to see how the story developed, especially as a fan of the novel.
“Hmm…”
Unlike the previous five episodes, which were decent but didn’t fully meet his hopes, as soon as he started the sixth episode, Cheng Liang felt a refreshing spark.
Particularly when Zhao Xiaoshu appeared, Cheng Liang instantly became fully immersed.
“This Zhao Xiaoshu’s acting is truly excellent.”
“So poetic.”
“Even the protagonist has entered the groove now.”
And this was just the beginning.
As Zhao Xiaoshu and Ning Que arrived at Spring Breeze Pavilion, an even more thrilling fight scene unfolded.
Cheng Liang wondered if the actor playing Zhao Xiaoshu had martial arts training—the entire sequence flowed seamlessly.
Especially for a fantasy drama.
When Zhao Xiaoshu swung his sword backward, Cheng Liang slapped the table in excitement and stood up.
The choreography, special effects, cinematography, sound design—all were near perfect.
The sword seemed like an arrow released from a bow, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, instantly knocking down a group of gang members.
It embodied the essence of a fantasy drama.
Exaggerated, yet never gaudy.
The effects were used just right, creating a refined atmosphere.
What impressed Cheng Liang even more was the actor’s skill—he truly brought Zhao Xiaoshu to life.
“Beautiful.”
“Ah, it’s over already?”
Seeing the progress bar near the end, Cheng Liang anxiously grabbed his phone.
“Director Yang, why only six episodes? What about the rest?”
“What’s going on, Mr. Cheng?”
“I was just watching your The Nightfall, finished it. What about the remaining episodes?”
“I wish I could give them to you, but let me finish filming first.”
“Uh… alright.”
Cheng Liang felt a little awkward.
The production team had only just begun filming, and having six episodes ready so quickly was already impressive.
Moreover, the editing was excellent—it was truly a conscientious work.
“Mr. Cheng, how do you feel? Pretty intense, right?”
“Director Yang, you’re too modest. Intense? Not at all. I’d give this series a 98.”
“Ninety-eight? That high?”
“I was going to give it 100, but the earlier episodes pulled it down a bit.”
“Yes, the protagonist wasn’t fully in character at first, which was less ideal. But the later parts should be fine.”
“Exactly. After Zhao Xiaoshu appears, the whole series reaches a new level. It’s fantastic. Watching episode six felt like watching a movie.”
“Mr. Cheng, you’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not. Guess how many views our Nightfall will get on its first day?”
“Hmm…”
Upon receiving Cheng Liang’s call, Director Yang Yang was both surprised and delighted.
Such praise from Cheng Liang was a clear sign of approval.
Yet Yang Yang wasn’t certain how well the series would perform.
After some thought, he said, “I expect about 30 million views on day one.”
“I think 50 million.”
“Mr. Cheng, you’re that optimistic?”
“Ha! Let’s bet—if it breaks 50 million, Director Yang, you treat me to dinner.”
“No problem.”
Yang Yang agreed without hesitation.
If it surpassed 50 million views that day, it wouldn’t just be Cheng Liang’s dinner—it could be a feast for the entire Tencent Film team.
…
“Ping, I heard our series is going on Tencent Video soon.”
“No way, only a few episodes filmed?”
“I heard through the grapevine they might release it while still filming.”
“So that’s how it is.”
At the crew’s canteen.
Thanks to Chen Ping’s outstanding performance the night before, many actors gravitated toward his table.
Chen Ping remained humble, greeting everyone warmly.
This attitude earned the respect of his fellow actors, and soon a dozen or so gathered around him.
“Ping, your acting last night was amazing. You have to teach me some tricks someday.”
“I don’t have any tricks, just winging it.”
“If that’s winging it, then what’s the point of us acting? I believe once our drama airs, your Zhao Xiaoshu will truly stand out. Who knows, you might become a breakout star!”
“Star? That’s impossible… Zhao Xiaoshu doesn’t have many scenes. After a few more days, I’ll be saying goodbye. Brothers, let’s not get distracted by nonsense. Just focus on acting seriously. I believe every role can shine if treated earnestly.”
“Ping’s right. We’ll all look up to you as an example.”
By now, Chen Ping was fully integrated into the production team.
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P.S.: Brothers, the contract finally arrived in Shanghai. That dreadful Baishi Express took six days to deliver it—never using Baishi again. Now that the contract is signed, maybe… hehe, hehe… we should aim to occupy the top ten spots on the fan rankings. Poor Dabai could use some love.
(End of Chapter)