Chapter 64: Who Is More of a Man

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The next day, before dawn broke, Chu Tianfeng shouldered bags of all sizes and followed behind Tang Yi and the others to Mingguang Peak.

“All right, the sun will be up soon. There’s not much time—everyone, hurry up and change into your costumes!” Tang Yi called out loudly.

Everyone responded in unison, hastily helping each other change their clothes.

“We’re filming a music video with an immortal heroes theme. The main shots will be done later in the academy’s studio, but Huangshanchong is our only outdoor location. Based on yesterday’s scouting, we plan to shoot three scenic moments at Shixian Peak and Mingguang Peak: sunrise, sunset, and midday. We’ll also be filming at the Immortal’s Farewell Bridge,” Tang Yi continued. “I’ll need you all to portray different scenes depending on the setting—either reveling in nature, showing affection, or diligently studying and training as disciples of an immortal sect.”

“Miss Tang, what role am I playing?” Chu Tianfeng looked at the men’s costume in his hands, puzzled.

At this, most of the group lowered their heads, struggling to stifle their laughter.

“That’s what you get for skipping last night’s meeting!” Tang Yi shot Chu Tianfeng a look of disdain. “Let me repeat the roles: Li Shijun and Xu Yan will play the couple, and the cameras will focus on them. The rest of you are supporting characters. Since there aren’t enough male disciples, Qian Ling will play a male disciple. Everyone, get ready quickly.”

Another background role, Chu Tianfeng sighed inwardly.

Well, a background role is fine, but why must I play a man? Did Tang Yi notice something?

“Miss Tang.” Chu Tianfeng raised his right hand high. “Out of so many people, why did you pick me to play a guy?”

“Look around—who here looks more like a man?” Tang Yi’s eyes swept over his chest with exaggerated exasperation. “No more nonsense. You’ll also help me with the reflector later.”

Jiang Ziyue could no longer hold back and burst out laughing, clutching Xu Yan.

“Sorry, she didn’t mean it,” Xu Yan’s face flushed red, clearly struggling not to laugh as well.

“It’s all right.” Chu Tianfeng shook his head, and then quoted a famous saying, “Small chest, big pride—I’m saving fabric for my country.”

With that, his crafty eyes darted toward Du Jingjing, who was doubled over with laughter.

Of course Du Jingjing understood his meaning, and her anger flared as she kicked at him.

She seriously suspected that this guy hadn’t spent last night cultivating, but had been staring at her the whole time.

Tang Yi sighed helplessly: How wonderful to be young! Then, she turned away to fiddle with her camera.

About half an hour later, the eastern sky began to pale, and the darkness receded.

“Three, two, one, action!” Tang Yi shouted.

The camera first aimed at the distant horizon, where a sea of clouds billowed and white mist rose.

The lens slowly descended, drifting over the sky and mountains before coming to rest on a pavilion.

Jiang Ziyue, dressed in a white gown, sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, serene as the Goddess of Mercy, radiating tranquil beauty.

The camera drew closer, gliding past clusters of trees and turning toward a grassy slope.

Li Shijun and Xu Yan leaned close together, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes, whispering softly.

Li Shijun gently wrapped an arm around Xu Yan, and together they walked from the grass onto a path, heading toward the distant pavilion.

“Your turn,” Tang Yi beckoned to Chu Tianfeng.

Chu Tianfeng reluctantly set down the reflector and entered the scene.

“Broom, broom!” Tang Yi whispered, pointing to a large tree nearby.

Chu Tianfeng silently cursed Tang Yi’s bad temper, but obediently went to fetch the broom lying beneath the tree.

The camera followed Li Shijun and Xu Yan’s steps, gliding forward.

By the roadside, Chu Tianfeng swept leaves; the camera darted past him as if leaping over an obstacle.

Amidst emerald foliage, the hem of a yellow dress fluttered and a sword danced—Du Jingjing, in a yellow gown, spun gracefully among the trees, her sword flashing, scattering leaves all around.

Li Shijun and Xu Yan slowly approached the pavilion; the camera rose with them, ascending from the base to the roof and up into the sky.

Just then, the east erupted with light—the brilliant red sun leapt from the sea of clouds!

The earth was bathed in gold: golden trees, golden rocks, golden buildings, golden figures—even the breeze brushing their cheeks seemed gilded.

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“Cut!” Tang Yi shouted.

Chu Tianfeng tossed aside the broom and gave it a kick.

The broom arced through the air and landed with a thud at Du Jingjing’s feet as she twirled her sword.

“Ah—!” Du Jingjing shrieked.

“Enough, the scene’s over. Who are you still dancing for?” Chu Tianfeng teased.

Lacking acting experience, Du Jingjing hadn’t registered Tang Yi’s cue. She glanced around in confusion, realizing the filming was done, but unwilling to admit it. She shot Chu Tianfeng a glare. “I just like to dance—what’s it to you?”

“All right,” Chu Tianfeng raised his hands. “Carry on!”

Afterward, they watched the sunrise for a while, then returned to the hotel for breakfast before hurrying off to the Immortal’s Farewell Bridge for more filming.

The Immortal’s Farewell Bridge consisted of two small stone arch bridges spanning three peaks. The first bridge was five or six meters across, stretching between twin peaks, where pines swayed in the wind and the valley below was lost in mist. The second bridge was smaller, a natural stone clasp joining the second peak to the third platform. The platform was surrounded by air on three sides, with a dizzying sea of clouds below, earning it the reputation: “One step to peril, every step to immortality.”

This time, most shots were posed—a matter of everyone standing in position as the camera recorded them one by one.

Du Jingjing and Jiang Ziyue stood on the second arch bridge, Du Jingjing pointing at the distant sea of clouds while Jiang Ziyue gazed longingly.

Xu Yan and Li Shijun, the “couple,” stood at the edge of the platform, their eyes still locked as they whispered softly.

Chu Tianfeng, meanwhile, found himself miserably perched on a small rock outside the platform, beneath him a bottomless abyss. He held the reflector with both hands, dutifully casting light onto Xu Yan and Li Shijun’s faces.

“It’s so beautiful!” Xu Yan couldn’t help but sigh as she looked at the horizon.

“Mmm.” Li Shijun squeezed her hand. “If you like it, I’ll bring you here every day.”

Ahem! Chu Tianfeng sneezed.

Xu Yan smiled slightly. “Qian Ling, be careful.”

Chu Tianfeng shook his head. “Thank you.”

Suddenly, a mountain breeze swept Xu Yan’s veil from her face, sending it flapping against Li Shijun.

Annoyed, Li Shijun grabbed the veil and flung it aside.

The veil floated toward the cliff’s edge.

“Ah!”

Xu Yan cried out and lunged to catch it.

But she forgot she was at the platform’s edge—the railing was very low, and the cliff yawned just beyond.

Whoosh! Xu Yan did snatch the veil, but her body toppled over the railing.

“Ah!” Xu Yan’s face went pale as she screamed.

Li Shijun was frozen with shock, forgetting to reach out and grab her.

Without thinking, Chu Tianfeng threw down the reflector and leapt after Xu Yan, diving toward her like a falling stone.

At the same time, his hands flashed through spell gestures, summoning the Windrider Art!

It all happened in a heartbeat. The others didn’t even have time to react—they could only stare as two figures plummeted.

By the time they regained their senses, both Chu Tianfeng and Xu Yan had vanished.

“Qian Ling! Xu Yan!” Tang Yi cried out in anguish, stumbling from behind the camera and rushing to the cliff’s edge.

Du Jingjing and Jiang Ziyue on the bridge snapped out of their daze and followed.

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“Xu Yan!” Jiang Ziyue sobbed.

Du Jingjing, more collected, raced to the cliff’s edge.

“Don’t panic!” Du Jingjing commanded sharply. “Go find a phone, quickly!”

“But… but…” Li Shijun’s lips trembled. What he wanted to say was that calling for help might be pointless. From this height, what other outcome could there be?

His heart was heavy.

He admitted that he’d fallen for Xu Yan at first sight. Every word she spoke, every smile, every gesture captivated and bewitched him.

He knew he’d fallen in love with this pure, kind girl. Even though he already had a beautiful girlfriend of several years, he couldn’t stop himself from loving Xu Yan.

Over the past two days, he’d confessed his feelings to Xu Yan—sometimes subtly, sometimes plainly.

But Xu Yan seemed oblivious or indifferent. Every time their eyes met, she always deftly looked away, leaving him conflicted.

He didn’t want Xu Yan to die, but facts were facts, unchangeable by human will.

“Move!” Du Jingjing, unaware of his thoughts, shoved him aside, gripping the railing and peering over the edge.

All she saw were pines and gray stone.

“It’s hopeless,” Li Shijun muttered, slumping onto the platform, eyes vacant as Tang Yi came rushing over.

“Out of the way!” Tang Yi was furious. She’d seen it all through the lens and knew Li Shijun bore great responsibility for the fall, so she was especially angry with him.

She hurried to the edge, scanning downward.

But she found nothing.

“If anything happens to Xu Yan, I’ll kill you!” Jiang Ziyue wailed as she searched their luggage for her phone. “Hello, 110?”

“Yes, this is the Huangshanchong 110 Command Center.” The operator sounded calm.

“Someone’s fallen off the cliff—come quickly!” Jiang Ziyue cried as she walked toward the platform.

Her words were so choked with tears that the operator didn’t understand. “Hello? What happened? Please repeat.”

“Our friend fell off the cliff!” Jiang Ziyue screamed.

“Hello? What did you say?” the operator asked again.

Du Jingjing, unable to stand it, snatched the phone. “Listen! We’re near the Immortal’s Farewell Bridge in the Huangshanchong Scenic Area—two people fell from the cliff!”

“Oh! Please wait. We have patrol officers in the area—they’ll arrive immediately,” the operator finally understood.

“Bring full climbing equipment—and medical personnel, if possible. Two people fell, one male and one female. Please hurry,” Du Jingjing said gravely.

“All right, please keep your phone on and don’t leave the site,” the operator instructed.

“Understood!” Du Jingjing tossed the phone back to Jiang Ziyue.

“They’ll be all right,” Jiang Ziyue said through her tears, looking up at Du Jingjing. “Senior, they’ll be okay, won’t they?”

“Maybe,” Du Jingjing sighed.

She knew what Chu Tianfeng was capable of—he could easily jump off a twenty-meter balcony, but this was different. This cliff was at least several hundred meters high!

She didn’t believe Chu Tianfeng would be unscathed, but she hoped he would survive—not for any other reason, just for the Chidiao Lake treasure.

“Don’t worry—they’ll be fine!” Tang Yi came over, eyes rimmed with tears.

She was trying to comfort Jiang Ziyue—and herself as well.