"Let's play this amazing long take!" He Jiu wiped the sweat from his forehead and had the big screen play the film, specifically Leng Zhiwen's fight scene.
Initially, Brother Long glanced at it dismissively. However, when he saw Leng Zhiwen's backbend, sweat beaded on his forehead.
Everyone present was an expert. One look was enough to tell if the move was genuine. That clean, lightning-fast backbend, let alone for the current Brother Long, even a 20-year-old Brother Long couldn't have performed it! xxs壹贰
His bones would break!
Following that, Leng Zhiwen's seemingly simple twisting and evasive movements on the ground left Brother Long pale. Especially the final scene where Leng Zhiwen stepped onto a tree trunk and shot towards the sky, Brother Long's legs began to tremble.
Is this something a human can do?
"Marrow cleansing?" Once the video finished, Brother Long hesitated before finally uttering a term.
"One step away from blood exchange!" Leng Zhiwen said calmly. Brother Long took two steps back, his face showing a hint of reverence.
Ahem, don't think this book is heading towards a high-martial direction.
Marrow cleansing and blood exchange sound formidable, hinting at some high-martial realms. However, they are merely stages within the normal scope of Guoshu.
Guoshu is divided into internal and external schools.
Internal schools are typically practiced by Taoists or those who focus on internal energy. When cultivated to the extreme, it might allow them to live a few decades longer than ordinary people, fight a bit better, and attain mental robustness. Other than that, there's nothing supernatural about it.
Marrow cleansing and blood exchange, on the other hand, are realms of external martial arts. In essence, both refer to the cultivation of the physical body, allowing the will to control the body more smoothly and freely.
For instance, Leng Zhiwen, as she is now, has completed blood exchange. She can control her body at will to perform various movements, unleash several times the strength of an ordinary person, and channel energy into objects, and that's about it.
She cannot fly, nor can she tear apart devils with her bare hands (though some perverts might be able to), and she certainly cannot stop bullets.
Blood exchange is also about the pinnacle of external martial arts masters. Sun Lutang, Li Shutang, and Yang Luchan from the past were all at this level.
Marrow cleansing, however, refers to the mastery of one's skeletal structure, allowing for the performance of many unbelievable movements and the unleashing of immense power.
Huo Yuanjia, Bruce Lee, and Ip Man were around this level. As for Cheng Long, he was a bit lacking. At his peak, he reached the zenith of bone refinement but could never advance further. Likely, in a few more years, as he aged, his blood and qi would begin to decline, and he would never be able to touch the realm of marrow cleansing again.
Li Jie was much the same, and his subsequent injuries made it even more impossible.
[PS: This isn't meant to be sensational or fantasy. It's based on some research. Guoshu did indeed reach these heights, it's just that no one practices it anymore. However, these were achievable by ancient practitioners. The author is borrowing some realms used by other authors to vividly describe Leng Zhiwen's martial prowess.
Also, there will be no martial arts plot in the future, not even as a side quest. It will only be mentioned occasionally, so rest assured.]
"Brother Long, please look!"
"There's no need. I can't do those moves," Cheng Long said decisively before He Jiu could finish, giving him no chance.
This was a joke. These were moves that only could be achieved at the marrow cleansing stage. If Bruce Lee were reborn, perhaps. If he tried to perform them, he would only embarrass himself.
"Cut this segment. Don't include it in the official broadcast," Leng Zhiwen suddenly said. Brother Long felt a bit awkward but didn't refuse. Indeed, it was best not to air this and to cut it.
"Alright, we'll discuss it later!" He Jiu knew something was amiss. When he saw this request, he already knew there would be problems. Who knew what possessed them upstairs to make such a request.
"How about this? Mr. Leng, why don't you perform some martial arts here on stage? I believe that even if you only show a tenth of your skill, all the viewers across the country will know your martial arts are genuine!" Brother Long suddenly suggested.
"Is that possible?" He Jiu eagerly chimed in. Since that segment was gone, the editing would be missing some content. With this martial arts performance, they could at least fill some airtime!
</span> "Okay!" Leng Zhiwen pondered for a moment and then nodded. "Can I use a sword?"
"Of course, why else would Li Xiaoyao carry a sword on his back? You're carrying one too!" He Jiu said with a smile. Indeed, Leng Zhiwen had a sword on her back, the very sword Li Xiaoyao used for flying, so he naturally carried it with him at all times.
"Alright, everyone, please step aside and make some space for me!" Leng Zhiwen said. The crowd parted, and Brother Long's gaze was fixed on Leng Zhiwen, eager to witness the sword techniques of a Guoshu master who was one step away from blood exchange!
Then, a scene unfolded that left countless viewers in awe. Leng Zhiwen sharply tapped the scabbard on her back, and the long sword flew out of it. Leng Zhiwen caught it and held it in her hand.
Following that, a flurry of sword light danced. The sword, in Leng Zhiwen's hands, seemed to come alive, executing all sorts of unimaginable sword movements, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
Especially halfway through, Leng Zhiwen's hand, which was tightly gripping the sword, suddenly opened, completely releasing her control over it. However, the sword didn't fall. Instead, it moved with her hand, as if guided by an unseen force. Those nearby stared in disbelief, and the boom camera nearly crashed into Leng Zhiwen's face.
During the performance, Leng Zhiwen unceremoniously stepped on a prop from Hunan Satellite TV, leaping nearly two meters into the air. She landed as lightly as a dragonfly touching water, as if gravity had no hold on her.
Finally, Leng Zhiwen stood still and tossed the long sword high into the air. As the sword fell, it landed precisely back into its scabbard behind her. Only a crisp sword chime echoed in the studio.
From the on-site directors and the audience to Brother Long himself, everyone was stunned, their mouths agape, wide enough to fit a fist.
"Master, are you truly human? Do you still take disciples?" After more than ten seconds, the host finally recovered. He Jiu rushed forward, almost on his knees, begging to be accepted as a disciple.
"I don't take disciples!" Leng Zhiwen said dryly, a hint of a smile on her face.
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"Did you guys add special effects?" An hour later, after the filming concluded, the recorded footage was immediately sent to Director Liu. He watched the recording of Leng Zhiwen's sword dance with his mouth agape and finally asked, "Did you add special effects?"
"Director, a few of the cats in our TV station's special effects department couldn't produce effects of this caliber!" his subordinate whispered.
"..." Director Liu remained silent.
"Director, however, we can rest easy now. Leng Zhiwen truly possesses martial arts skills. Once this program airs, no one will doubt Leng Zhiwen's abilities. All doubts will be dispelled, and all negative reviews will turn into praise. Our drama will surely have explosive ratings!" the subordinate said excitedly.
"Mm, you can go out now. I need some quiet," Director Liu waved his hand, trying his best not to faint from excitement.
Soon, the subordinate left, leaving Director Liu alone to gather his thoughts. However, his mind was still consumed with how to continue striking against "Chinese Paladin."
The best method would be to cut this segment from the program recording. But if he did, fools would know he had something to hide. After all, only a fool would cut such a traffic-driving, rare-in-a-decade piece of content.
But if he didn't cut it, the ratings might skyrocket once the program aired...
"Forget it, let fate decide!" Director Liu finally gave up resisting. And then, as everyone predicted, when "Happy Camp" aired on Saturday, after being urgently produced, the mouths of people across the nation were basically stuck open, mirroring the images on the screen.
All previous doubts vanished instantly, and Leng Zhiwen's fanbase grew exponentially. Even more unbelievably, many of these new fans were over 30 years old. They flooded Leng Zhiwen's Facebook account with comments, asking if she could teach them martial arts to live a long and healthy life.
In short, with the broadcast of Leng Zhiwen's sword dance, Leng Zhiwen and "Chinese Paladin" became incredibly popular. The day after the show aired, the ratings soared to 22%, and then continued to rise until it reached 29.2%. Regrettably, it didn't break 30%, still lagging behind "Drawing the Sword" from a year prior.
Later, the average ratings for "Chinese Paladin" stabilized around 25%, with a slight decrease. The gap with "Drawing the Sword" widened further.
However, this was unavoidable. The issue with "Chinese Paladin" was that the plot and some settings leaned more towards young people. Many middle-aged and elderly viewers watched a few episodes for the martial arts but found it boring, with too much focus on romantic entanglements. They eventually gave up, far from the plot of "Drawing the Sword" which perfectly captivated audiences of all ages.
Still, these were extremely impressive numbers, essentially securing the title of this year's highest-rated drama. And Leng Zhiwen had made a stunning debut, becoming the hottest new star of the year!