The Movie Queen's Mouth is Blessed - Chapter 16

“Yes, Master.”

Mu Wanran raised her teary eyes, casting a grateful glance at Liu Ruyan. However, a hint of disappointment unconsciously flickered in her gaze. She was always the disciple most overlooked by her master, while Liu Ruyan was the apple of her master’s eye. She couldn’t help but envy her senior sister…

She must train harder; she absolutely cannot become a disgrace to the Chaotian Sect!

Mu Wanran clenched her fists, her lips pressed tightly together, and her delicate face showed a determined expression.

“Not bad, very good.”

Director Niu’s stern face also broke into a smile. He was known for his strictness, and today, after shooting three scenes, only this small segment was done in one take, making it the most satisfying part for him.

“Li Biying, your performance was excellent; you nailed the small details perfectly. Keep up this standard, and you’ll be fine. Jiang Xiaobai, you did well too.”

He addressed the two leads of the scene.

“Director Niu, rest assured, I will continue to work hard.”

Li Biying smiled gracefully but cast an ambiguous glance at Jiang Xiaobai.

What’s going on? Wasn’t she supposed to be a talentless actress?

Li Biying was hailed as a rising star for a reason. Besides her striking looks, her acting skills were top-notch among her peers. How could she afford to put on airs if she wasn’t confident in her abilities?

She had the skills, so naturally, she could discern whether others did. Today was their first scene together, but Jiang Xiaobai’s performance surprised her.

Her exterior was cold, but the warmth and concern in her eyes slightly melted her icy demeanor. Such skill was not something a mere “flower vase” could display!

“Thank you, Director Niu, for your affirmation. I will continue to strive.”

Jiang Xiaobai also breathed a sigh of relief. No one knew how nervous she had been just now. The one with acting experience was the original owner, not her! Her palms had been sweating during the scene.

As she finished speaking, she noticed someone watching her. Following the gaze, she saw Li Biying turn her head away, whispering something to her assistant.

Jiang Xiaobai didn’t pay much attention—or rather, she didn’t have time to because the real challenge was coming up next.

It was time for a fight scene!

According to the plot, Mo Chen had been embarrassed by Wanran’s earlier performance. Coincidentally, his proud disciple Liu Ruyan arrived, so he had her spar with her fellow disciples.

Liu Ruyan’s skills were far superior to her peers, so the sparring was just a pretense; the real goal was to save face!

In xianxia, fight scenes are enhanced with special effects in post-production. But even so, the actors have to perform the moves themselves, striking flashy poses, with their robes fluttering as they are hoisted high on wires. For Jiang Xiaobai, this was all quite fascinating.

Yes, she wasn’t nervous or afraid of the challenging fight scenes that most actors dreaded. Instead, she was excited and eager!

In her original world, physical fitness was something everyone practiced from a young age. Children could already practice breathing techniques with their parents’ help by age four or five, using cultivation methods to enhance their bodies. So, even the girls weren’t weaklings.

Flying, however, required reaching a certain level of cultivation. Jiang Xiaobai, who had focused on the path of a talisman master, was different from those who pursued pure cultivation. Her cultivation level was somewhat lacking, and she hadn’t reached that stage before she was killed.

But being light as a feather and performing complex martial arts moves wasn’t difficult for her, especially since the original owner’s body had a dance background.

She was just curious about how it would feel to perform while flying with the help of equipment.

But she soon found out.

First, the action director taught her key moves, such as making her strikes look more elegant and relaxing her body.

The moment she was hoisted up, Jiang Xiaobai’s face scrunched up.

Ouch… that’s tight, and it hurts!

“Keep your expression natural… good, that’s it!”

Director Niu shouted from below.

Li Biying watched from a distance with a cold gaze. She had fight scenes earlier, but since her character was a “rookie,” almost anyone could defeat her in a move or two, so she didn’t need to be on wires.

She had acted in martial arts dramas before. She knew how difficult wirework could be for actors, especially those without experience. The hardship went without saying; sometimes, a single move had to be repeated until perfect, leaving the actor bruised and battered by the end.

Li Biying knew Jiang Xiaobai had little acting experience and, from what she remembered, had never done fight scenes before. So, this first time on wires was tough for her!

She might even end up angering Director Niu.

Thinking this, Li Biying felt a bit more at ease. She glanced at Jiang Xiaobai a few times, noticing her stiff body and unnatural expression in the air, then stopped paying attention and turned to chat with her assistant.

Jiang Xiaobai would be sparring with two male and female people, talented disciples among their peers, and significant supporting characters.

Both had relevant experience, so the action director didn’t spend much time on them but briefly reviewed the key points.

Jiang Xiaobai first fought with the female disciple, which was simple. She “defeated” her in just a few moves, clean and crisp.

The fight with the male disciple took a bit longer because he was an older senior brother, several years their senior and more skilled.

“Wow, who would’ve thought Jiang Xiaobai would pick it up so quickly!”

“Her spins are so graceful; her posture is perfect!”

“Does she have a dance background? Her moves are smooth; she doesn’t look like a beginner.”

As Jiang Xiaobai gradually got used to it, her performance became more natural, surprising the actors and crew watching on the sidelines.

Director Niu had told the action director earlier that this was her first time doing fight scenes and to teach her in detail… but Jiang Xiaobai’s performance didn’t look like that of a beginner at all!

The disciple robes Jiang Xiaobai wore were clean and made of flowing fabric, already giving off an ethereal vibe. As she flew through the air, her robes fluttered with her martial arts moves, and every strike and spin was executed with such grace that it looked like a dance, truly a feast for the eyes.

And this was just the raw footage without any editing or special effects. Imagine how stunning it would look on screen!

Li Biying paused mid-conversation and looked at Jiang Xiaobai, her expression immediately darkening.

This was completely different from the awkwardness she had anticipated!

“Sister Li, Jiang Xiaobai studied dance from a young age. She probably has a good foundation, which is why she’s doing so well.”

Assistant Liu Liu, who had been with Li Biying for a while and understood her temperament, quickly reassured her. “But no matter how good her foundation is, acting is what matters. As the story progresses, Liu Ruyan’s emotional range will become more complex. With her skills, she definitely won’t be able to handle it.”

She knew Li Biying was highly competitive and ambitious. Taking on The Legend of the Nine Heavens was her bid to claim the title of the top actress. She wouldn’t allow anyone to overshadow her!