Chapter 104: Zhou Xingchi's Request

Beforehand, in order to bring this deranged old fellow to life in this revised version, Liu Qingshan had specially crafted a strange footwork for Zhao Liang, meant to highlight the Old Naughty One’s profound cultivation hidden beneath his playful, foolish exterior.

At that moment, seeing the tiger stride performed by Che Geng, he suddenly had another idea: let the Old Naughty One learn the Golden Wheel Dharma King’s footwork as well, to add more comic appeal to the drama.

In less than an hour, Ba Ying and Zhao Liang, who had hurried over, had both grasped the new footwork in broad outline, and the effect it created was indeed striking.

Before even Pin Shu could say anything, Kunaal was already whispering to his compatriot: “So this is the beauty of design. Such a simple change, and yet it produces something unexpectedly marvelous.”

The man he was speaking with was Samir, one of Kunaal’s four junior disciples. The other three were still in the Hong Kong production, because their looks diverged somewhat from the requirement, and in the future they would likely have to focus entirely on martial-arts choreography.

Samir nodded in agreement. “Mr. Liu brought us to this production not merely to practice flashy routines, but to absorb the unseen experience behind action design. Chinese martial arts are vast and profound; the way two different techniques are presented can change the effect tremendously!”

He was referring to the tiger stride as executed by Ba Ying versus the version Zhao Liang had copied from it. The results were worlds apart: one was imposing, fierce, and majestic with a chill of its own; the other was a cat impersonating a tiger, agile, peculiar, and delightfully funny.

By then it was already time for dinner, and in the more than hour they had made use of, the action team had already completed tomorrow’s main scene in practice.

Making the most of limited spare time, Liu Qingshan had simply done his utmost to finish the job properly. But this adjustment in the action, for the two actors, carried a very important meaning.

For Ba Ying, it was not much of an issue. His main profession was directing, and acting was more of an interest for him.

But Zhao Liang was different. He was not professionally trained, and because of his build and appearance he had been confined to the category of specialized character actors. For him, a good role was crucial to his future as an actor.

The role of the Old Naughty One had already had so many versions before it that Zhao Liang also hoped his own performance could outshine them all, making people realize how brilliant he could be as an actor.

So for this version, he had put in a tremendous amount of effort, and had more or less found his own way into understanding how to play Zhou Botong as both extremely mischievous and extremely wise, with moments that made him feel almost pitiable.

Though he could now be said to have reached a familiar ease with the role, Zhao Liang’s version of Zhou Botong had already been regarded as the portrayal that came closest to the character in Jin Yong’s novels.

Yet how to shape this version of Zhou Botong into the kind of half-hidden great wisdom cloaked in foolishness that Director Zhang had spoken of, and how to interpret it with just the right touch, had always been a problem Zhao Liang labored over in vain.

Who would have thought that, through nothing more than Liu Qingshan’s sudden flash of inspiration that day, the most reasonable comic effect for Zhou Botong would be designed so neatly?

When they left, unlike Ba Ying, who merely raised a thumb with a smile toward Liu Qingshan, Zhao Liang kept thanking him repeatedly at his side.

Without question, if tomorrow’s filming could adopt this change in full, this version of Zhou Botong would shine even more brightly, with almost no room for surprise.

One should not underestimate the filming of a single scene. If this kind of setup were carried forward consistently in the future, there was a strong chance of surpassing the previous version, after all a template would already be in place.

Liu Qingshan did not much care how others saw him, whether openly or in secret, because he had always been working hard to remain unmoved by outside interference.

With an unbeatable cheat in the form of the Super Star-Making Device, all he needed to do was proceed step by step, according to plan.

So when it came to Zhao Liang’s gratitude, he simply pointed at Che Geng. “If you want to thank anyone, thank him. Don’t let his young age fool you. The dragon-and-tiger stride he uses is more authentic than even Uncle Ping’s!”

The dragon-and-tiger stride was the starting stance of the tiger form in the Five-Animal Exercise, a way of stepping somewhat like walking with the feet turned outward, and indeed it was something Uncle Ping had never fully mastered.

Uncle Ping laughed heartily. “I never expected Gengzi to have refined the tiger form to this extent. I’ve been away from home for years and have had no idea how this child has grown. It seems I can’t go on relying on my senior status anymore!”

Che Geng was a very straightforward person. “I only have the tiger form to show for myself. Without Master’s sharp eye, I wouldn’t have realized it could be used this way!”

“Gengzi, don’t underestimate yourself. At your age, to have this kind of skill is no easy thing. Even when I was young, I was not as good as you!”

Liu Qingshan was not being modest. Che Geng was only fifteen, and the fact that in one of his family’s secret techniques he had surpassed his grandfather already spoke volumes.

But that did not mean Che Geng was far stronger than Uncle Ping. It was simply that the internal force cultivated over decades through Uncle Ping’s animal-mimicking practice was not something Che Geng could yet achieve.

Internal force, also called inner energy, was a conceptual form of energy, like output power. Naturally, it was far more profound than mere bodily strength.

Liu Qingshan himself had only reached the master level after uniting energy and strength. Master level sounded formidable, but in truth it was a completely different concept from the inner-cultivation stages described in novels.

Only after reaching this stage, and obtaining innate true force, could one cultivate onward into the innate realm. The so-called master level was merely the peak of the acquired martial artist.

At present, the quality of Uncle Ping’s internal force was only at the early stage of an advanced martial artist, on the same level as Zhen Zijian and Hong Dabao.

As for the Sword Saint Yu Chenhui, he had already reached the later stage of an advanced martial artist, infinitely close to master-level combat power. He was still at the stage of hidden strength, and there was still some distance before he could use force through qi.

Filming that night dragged on until past nine, and it was at that hour that Zhou Xingchi called.

“Boss Yang talked with me today, and the investors are basically settled. I’ve received your fax. Next is the special-effects design you need to think about.”

Clearly, Zhou Xingchi was highly enthusiastic about the film, and before the financing had even been finalized, he was already beginning preparations.

“It’s hard to explain over the phone. A lot of my scene design depends on special effects. Good effects are never about more explosions than the next person’s; they’re about creativity that people remember. I don’t expect Kung Fu to achieve epic special effects, but if we can at least make it inventive and unforgettable, I think the box office will be guaranteed.”

“Then let’s discuss it in detail when you come to Hong Kong.”

“At the moment, everything for Slaying the Wolf is ready, and we’ve already started shooting some smaller scenes. I estimate I can reach the crew in about a month. Then, after another two months or so, Slaying the Wolf should wrap up, and right after that will be our Kung Fu. In the meantime, I’ll gradually produce small sample clips of some of the special-effects shots.”

“I know all that. Have you thought about playing one of the roles? That’s actually one of the main reasons I’m looking for you.”

“Didn’t Boss Yang ask you that? He asked me something similar last night, but I don’t think there’s any need for me to appear in it.”

His answer was essentially a flat refusal. The reason did not need much elaboration: if he were to play any role, it would obviously have a tremendous impact on the image and effect of the protagonist, A Xing.

One should know that many of the fight scenes in Kung Fu were largely effects designed by computer.