Chapter 126: Suspended

"Not at all, Director Li is actually quite straightforward," Chu Luoxi said, albeit against her better judgment. She truly didn't mind; she had long known and experienced Li Xun’s sharp tongue, and this bit of drizzle was hardly enough to cause even an itch.

Given his age, Li Xun was considered quite young among famous directors, which was why he addressed someone like Qiu Xian simply as "Old Man Qiu."

Xiao Jingxuan’s mouth twitched. He felt Chu Luoxi was being remarkably "understanding" to dare say such a thing. "That’s good then. In any case, don’t take anything he says to heart. He’s famous in the directing circle for his poisonous tongue."

"Pfft—" Chu Luoxi couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time she had heard the great idol Xiao speak ill of someone so solemnly. Fortunately, her idolization of him had long since faded, otherwise, she would certainly have been conflicted again.

Chu Luoxi was already in her stage makeup, adorned in magnificent robes and exquisite hair accessories. This brilliant smile of hers blossomed into a peerless radiance, so elegant and enchanting that it made the eyes of Xiao Jingxuan, who stood facing her, brighten considerably.

Awaiting Li Xun’s command, Chu Luoxi and Xiao Jingxuan were both fitted with wires and took their respective positions. The cameras were not yet rolling; they needed to adapt and rehearse first.

To strive for realism and visual impact, according to Li Xun’s requirements, they had to film on a real rooftop. No virtual post-production, and no fake, low-profile rooftop sets were allowed.

So-called "fake rooftops" were actually not high at all, usually only knee-high, consisting of a single roof section placed on the ground. When actors stood on them, it was more like walking a balance beam designed to look like a roof. After filming, they would use perspective tricks to make it look like a high-altitude fight.

Furthermore, since the project was a promotional video for a game, the post-production team only needed to render a breathtaking, high-altitude rooftop; the visual effects could easily be achieved virtually.

Of course, such methods often look fake. Even unprofessional, ordinary viewers can tell, which creates a sense of being misled and ultimately damages the overall impression. Even if the audience doesn't complain, it doesn't mean the impression is good; it merely means they are being understanding and tolerant.

After a few synchronized preparations, Chu Luoxi and Xiao Jingxuan were hoisted high onto the rooftop by their wires. Once both were steady, the operators didn't dare release them completely, merely loosening the tension enough to give the two actors room to move freely.

It was no laughing matter—ancient roofs were much higher than a single floor of a modern building. A real fall would be no joke, let alone the challenge of maintaining balance and performing thrilling stunts up there. The experience was intense.

The weather was on their side. As the two stood on the roof, a gentle breeze swept through, fluttering their robes and dancing through their dark hair. It added a natural, ethereal beauty that was truly striking. Although they were confronting each other, they didn't need to actually spar; to highlight the game’s skills, they only needed to perform specific movements, postures, and hand seals.

The quality of "Seeking the Way" was no mere boast. Take the skills, for example: the release methods and hand gestures for every skill of every class were distinct. It was clear that the development team held firmly to the philosophy that details determine success.

With the materials provided by "Seeking the Way," they didn't even need a martial arts choreographer; they simply followed the instructions. The key was fluidity and presence. What was being filmed lacked the final skill effects, which would be added in post-production.

High-altitude work is always difficult, and executing the pre-planned hand gestures was no simple task. First, the movements couldn't be hesitant; they required the imposing aura and boldness of a master. Yet, when filming, even with wires, the subconscious fear of being at such a height made people reluctant to move with too much range. Or, if they moved too abruptly, they would lose their balance and look awkward. What would the footage look like then?

Therefore, it wasn't that the actors didn't want to get it right in one take; even the most seasoned actors needed a bit of luck. Consistent, smooth movements were impossible, so they had to rely on post-production editing. Luckily, while the short film was five minutes long, the raw footage would be several times that length. Editing, too, is an art.

Her body swayed, and Chu Luoxi’s form lost its composure. She hung dangling in mid-air, nearly colliding with the camera lens controlled by the cinematographer, who was seated on a telescopic crane.

Xiao Jingxuan, seeing this from across the way, secretly wiped away a cold sweat, thoroughly startled.

Waiting motionlessly for the swinging to subside, Chu Luoxi sighed slightly. It had been over two years since her rebirth, and she hadn't been hung from wires like this in a very long time!

Just think about gymnasts on a balance beam. Even Olympic athletes fall, and they were on a high-altitude balance beam no wider than that. Unlike athletes who practiced the same set movements forever, they had to improvise on the spot. One can imagine how difficult it was.

Twenty minutes later, upon hearing Li Xun’s command, Chu Luoxi and Xiao Jingxuan were finally "let down." Having not done such intense work for a long time, Chu Luoxi’s energy was severely depleted. Her legs turned to jelly the moment they touched the ground, and she nearly collapsed.

As the crew helped her unfasten the gear, Xiao Jingxuan stepped forward, unobtrusively taking her from the staff's hands and signaling for Ding Ju to bring some water.

After downing two glasses of water, Chu Luoxi felt a little revived. She felt secretly frustrated—her stamina was far worse than when she was frequently working on film sets in her past life. Humans, it seemed, truly did need to be pushed to make progress.

Unaware of Chu Luoxi’s self-reproach, Li Xun was actually astonished. He hadn't expected her to persist for so long. She was supposed to be a newcomer, and apart from "Dragon Roars Under Heaven," she shouldn't have had much experience with wire work. To adapt so quickly on her first try?

Heaven knows he had prepared for endless failures, thinking he might only get Xiao Jingxuan’s parts done today.

Some actresses were truly made of water; being hung that high would make them go limp, let alone performing fluid movements. Furthermore, with limited time and abysmal stamina, it was common for such thrilling high-altitude work to require ten minutes of rest for every minute of filming. He had to admit, Chu Luoxi had truly made him look at her with new eyes.

After consuming some high-calorie snacks for a quick energy boost, Chu Luoxi found a lounge chair to rest. When the time came, she was called up to the roof again, only to come down and rest once she was exhausted. After repeating this several times, the segment was finally finished, and Chu Luoxi let out a long, relieved sigh.

It was fortunate they had finished today. Otherwise, she doubted she would be able to get back on that roof tomorrow; muscle soreness would be a real headache.

It felt as though they had been suspended all day, but the actual time spent on the roof added up to less than two hours. It was the stop-and-go nature of filming that required so much extra time to recover their strength.