The drama begins by unfolding the entire story through events that transpire in the Southern Zhao Kingdom.
After saving Ling'er and the others and escorting them back to Xiian Ling Island, Li Xiaoyao's journey starts from being a waiter in Yuhang Town, alongside the Wine Sword Immortal.
Right from the beginning, the audience is treated to an incredibly intense visual feast.
It's the battle from Li Xiaoyao's dream.
Fighting amidst clouds, the scene is incredibly realistic.
Shen Qingfeng's portrayal of Li Xiaoyao exudes a natural playfulness, and during combat, he carries an air of chivalry.
This perfectly aligns with the image of Li Xiaoyao in the hearts of the novel's fans.
Sword Qi crisscrosses, and the incantations are executed with remarkable fluidity.
Coupled with special effects that seem to be used without restraint, this sword-riding battle sequence leaves everyone thoroughly exhilarated!
"This is what special effects should be like! This is truly a battle between gods!"
"After getting used to shoddy special effects, seeing this segment completely threw me off. Can TV drama special effects really be this realistic?"
"It's not just realistic; the fight scenes also possess the aura of a divine battle. Haven't you noticed that Li Xiaoyao, standing on his sword, doesn't have that cumbersome feeling of making hand seals that other dramas have?"
"Exactly, this is how sword riding should be – graceful, elegant, and with a sense of effortless freedom."
In many dramas, flying on a sword involves the actor casually making a hand seal, and then the actor is lifted by wires attached to the sword, making it appear as if the sword is dragging the actor.
However, Xianjian is different. Xianjian truly captures the feeling of freely riding a sword, with Li Xiaoyao standing on it, everything appearing so natural.
The special effects, combined with the fight choreography, create a thoroughly satisfying battle between celestial beings!
For this filming, Su Yu allocated 70% of the budget to special effects and post-production.
This scale of special effects is absolutely capable of outshining all Xianxia dramas currently on the market.
...
Gong Family Villa.
The living room is filled with people.
They are Gong Juren's relatives, playing mahjong in the living room.
However, Gong Youcai, who usually loves playing mahjong, is nowhere to be seen.
Gong Juren, holding his phone and opening a recording app, stealthily creeps upstairs.
As soon as he reaches the top of the stairs, he almost bumps into the nanny coming down.
"Auntie Li, where is my dad?" He pats his chest and then leans close to the nanny, asking in a whisper.
"I... I don't know." Nanny Auntie Li's eyes flicker as she forces a smile.
"Is he in the screening room?" Gong Juren asks with a sly smile.
The house has a private cinema, usually where everyone watches TV and relaxes.
Earlier, when watching the promotional video for Xianjian, Gong Youcai had sworn not to watch the drama because it didn't change Lin Yueru's ending, and he had said it very firmly.
Yet, on the premiere day of Xianjian, Gong Youcai was nowhere to be found.
Gong Juren speculated that he likely wanted to watch it but, remembering his strong pronouncements, couldn't bring himself to do so, fearing ridicule from his son. Thus, he must have hidden somewhere to watch it alone in secret.
"The master isn't in the screening room," the nanny quickly explains.
"Auntie Li, you can go attend to other things. I'll find him myself," Gong Juren waves his hand.
Then, he bypasses the nanny and heads towards the screening room.
However, to his surprise, when he arrives at the screening room, there is no one there.
He then checks the study.
"Still not here?" Gong Juren is instantly puzzled. He saw his father playing mahjong in the afternoon, and they had dinner together. No one from his company came to see him, so how could he have disappeared?
Having such a large house can sometimes be a nuisance.
"Could he be in the small garden on the third floor?" Gong Juren scratches his head, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
He knows Gong Youcai sometimes goes to the small garden for tea.
He quickly goes upstairs again.
Indeed.
Inside a small pavilion in the garden, Gong Youcai is holding a tablet, engrossed and chuckling foolishly to himself.
Gong Juren quietly walks up behind him.
The screen of the tablet is showing a scene from Xianjian.
It's the part where Li Xiaoyao and his aunt are trapping cultists of the Moon Worship Sect.
"Is it good?"
"Heh heh, it's really good..."
Gong Youcai replies reflexively, then suddenly freezes. The moment he looks up and sees Gong Juren, he instinctively clutches the tablet to his chest.
"I seem to recall someone saying they wouldn't watch this drama, even if it killed them or they had to jump off the building?" Gong Juren says with a half-smile.
Gong Youcai's old face flushes red. He opens his mouth, unsure what to say, but then his expression darkens: "I heard you've got a girlfriend?"
Gong Juren is taken aback, then nods. He detects a dangerous tone in Gong Youcai's voice: "Yes... yes, I do. What's wrong?"
Gong Youcai's lips curl: "Do you want to bring her home?"
Upon hearing this, Gong Juren immediately understands he's being threatened: "You're despicable!"
"Haha, I'm a businessman. All businessmen are cunning."
"Be careful, you'll have no one to look after you when you're old."
"I have money. I can hire dozens of nannies if I want."
"Fine, you win..."
Gong Juren deflates like a pricked balloon.
He still can't outwit his own father!
"Haha, did I say I wouldn't watch Xianjian?"
"You absolutely did not!"
"Then, will you come with me to the screening room to watch Xianjian?"
"Alright, no problem!"
At the same time, Gong Youcai's hearty laughter echoes from the small garden, mingled with the sound of Gong Juren grinding his teeth.
...
The pace of the first episode of Xianjian is very fast.
By the halfway point, it has already reached Li Xiaoyao going to Xiian Ling Island to rescue Ling'er.
Gong Juren and Gong Youcai are sprawled in their private home theater, with a massive projection on the wall.
It must be said, watching TV on a large screen is truly an immersive experience.
And the million-dollar sound system makes listening to music incredibly enjoyable.
"Ling'er and Brother Xiaoyao met ten years ago."
"How come I can't recall it?"
"That's right, this way you should be able to remember. Ten years ago, Ling'er knew about Brother Xiaoyao here."
As Ling'er squats down, the background music begins.
"June Rain."
This song tells of Li Xiaoyao's love for Ling'er.
Its timely appearance instantly infects the audience with the sweetness between Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling'er.
"A rain has trapped me here.
Your indifferent expression will make me sad.
June's rain, is you who are heartless..."
Ling'er pulls Li Xiaoyao towards her elder uncle, showing him her life over the past ten years.
The two actors' scenes are filled with sweetness.
The visuals are so beautiful that they involuntarily evoke wistful smiles.
"Ling'er!! My Ling'er! My maiden heart!"
"What a cute Ling'er, this is the Ling'er I imagined!"
"A timid question to the original novel fans, was it Li Xiaoyao who rescued Ling'er and the others earlier?"
"Use your imagination boldly. This plot is very important, so we won't spoil it."
"I think it must have been Li Xiaoyao's father. Didn't it mention earlier that his father was also a great hero?"
This segment has perfectly established Zhao Ling'er's character.
She is pure and adorable, with the demeanor of a girl next door, possessing a soft cuteness imbued with an ethereal grace.