Chapter 519: Does It Feel Good to Be Slapped in the Face?
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The black robe slipped off while she was running, leaving only the white clothing underneath, flowing like a fairy.
The music suddenly stopped, and the screen darkened. Then it became bright again. It was the scene of Lin Nuan’s back as she walked up the cliff facing the sun. There was no music, only the sound of birds chirping in the morning.
It was the same black robe. It fell off Lin Nuan’s shoulders and revealed the white and pure garment within as well as the vibrant blood droplets slipping down from her slim and long fingers.
As the shot moved to the front, the vibrant blood kept flowing down the golden Exorcist Arrow from Lin Nuan’s heart. Her pure white garment was drenched a horrifying shade of red by the blood. The front of her pants and shoes were covered in fresh blood. Compared to the pure white of the back of her clothing, it was a contrast that made one’s scalp go numb.
Lin Nuan was standing by the cliff with her back facing the audience. She turned her head around slowly. Her facial features, which were covered with small cuts and wounds, revealed her complex feelings. There was a look of despair about them, yet at the same time, they appeared relieved. There was an elegant air about her that one couldn’t ignore. The tears on her eyelashes slipped down her face, and the screen became black once more. Even Lin Nuan herself was in a daze and had yet to recover from it!
It was like the Feng Wuluan that had appeared countless times in the book, in others’ dreams and memories, had come to life. Lin Nuan was lost in the trailer, almost unable to believe that it was her on the screen.
The most cla.s.sic scene in the book, where Feng Wuluan jumped down from the Samsara Cliff 1 , was perfectly portrayed, with no flaws at all!
After a piercing cry from the phoenix rang from her phone, Su Manman’s pitiful voice appeared again. “Immortals and demons walk different paths, you and me, our fates have long been predestined…”
The words “The Exorcist” turned from transparent to opaque and clear on the black screen.
“You exorcise demons, and I’m the one being executed…”
When Su Manman said this, the two words “The Exorcist” also appeared on her phone screen.
It was a short 30-second trailer, but it was enough to make Lin Nuan shudder with fear.
Lin Nuan had known that Director Chen was a talented director, but she hadn’t expected a mere trailer to be so impactful!
Especially that last line, “You exorcise demons, and I’m the one being executed…” It made the viewer feel terribly awful, as if there was a large rock stuck in their heart, a rock that couldn’t be s.h.i.+fted.
Lin Nuan was impressed with the expert way Su Manman delivered her lines.
Lin Nuan did give her best for the role, but she knew, if it weren’t for the impact of the music and editing, it wouldn’t have achieved such an effect.
Lin Nuan didn’t know if the original author and the fans of the original novel had seen this trailer. She was on tenterhooks, not sure if she lived up to their expectations as the previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan.
Lin Nuan had pondered over how to go about acting this role. Especially that ending scene in the trailer just now, she was even thinking about how to approach that scene in her dreams.
In the book, this last scene was describing how the celestial court had found out that the prodigal daughter of the demon king was predestined to experience a tragic romance. Should she get through it safely, no one would be her match. Hence, they sent the genial and elegant Sword Immortal Chong Luan as bait in her tragic romance, in a bid to rid the celestial court of potential future troubles for good! Therefore, Feng Wuluan led a troop of thousands and charged up to the celestial court, only to be fatally shot by her lover…
The previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan used her dignity to keep her primordial spirit from evaporating, unwilling to die under the Exorcist Arrow of the celestial court, choosing to end her life by jumping down the Samsara Cliff.
A girl like that, what thoughts would be running through her mind in her final moments? What expressions would she have on her face? Lin Nuan thought so hard about it that her head ached.
Luckily, when this scene was released, Lin Nuan, the book fan who had read the original novel countless times, was satisfied with it.
After watching the trailer, Lin Nuan’s heart was beating furiously, antic.i.p.ating the final product that would go on to show at cinemas everywhere.
At this time, Shu Xin—who previously didn’t think well of Lin Nuan and had fallen out with Director Chen when attempting to get Lin Nuan replaced—sat in front of her computer, unable to calm down long after she had watched the trailer.
She removed her gla.s.ses and closed her eyes, then rubbed her temples with both hands. Her mind was filled with Lin Nuan’s two scenes in the trailer.
Standing amidst the ma.s.sive army, Feng Wuluan exuded a majestic aura as she held a long sword in her hand and, with a fiery determination and terrifying look in her eyes, led her army to charge up to the celestial court to rescue her lover.
And as she was shot to death with the Exorcist Arrow by her lover, having realized it was all a trap set by the celestial court, that look of despair, and finally, dying in her lover’s arms with ease!
Feng Wuluan, as written by Shu Xin, was the carefree and proud daughter of the demon king. That integrity carved into her bones, she had once thought no one would be able to manifest it.
The once blurry image she had written gradually became clearer before her eyes. Shu Xin tried hard to imagine what the previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan looked like, then Lin Nuan’s pleasant facial features appeared before Shu Xin’s eyes, giving her a scare and causing her to open her eyes abruptly!
Actually, when Fu Huai’an had come out to say that Lin Nuan was his wife, Shu Xin didn’t believe it. She was an author, so she had an imagination more vivid than the average person; in her mind, she had visualized many unspeakable trades between Fu Huai’an and Lin Nuan.
However, after Shu Xin opened Weibo and saw those two posts uploaded by Fu Huai’an, she felt embarra.s.sed…
When she recalled what she posted when she fell out with Director Chen in a moment of spite, Shu Xin felt her face grow hot.
Previously someone had asked Shu Xin on Weibo why she felt that Lin Nuan wasn’t up to the task; Shu Xin replied, “Do you expect a third party to be able to properly interpret the proud and unrestrained past reincarnation of Feng Wuluan?”
Later, as expected, many people had commented below that post, questioning Shu Xin about whether it felt good to be slapped in the face. Didn’t she claim Lin Nuan was a third party? Not only was Lin Nuan proven not to be a third party, but Shu Xin ended up eating so much dog food that she felt stuffed.
To save her pride, Shu Xin acted tough and said that even if Lin Nuan wasn’t a third party, she wouldn’t be able to interpret the role of Feng Wuluan properly.
Now that the trailer had been released, even if Lin Nuan only appeared in two very short scenes, it was astounding enough.
Some nosy people had already commented on Shu Xin’s Weibo, calling her blind. How could she call such a previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan “not properly interpreted”?
Even some fans of the original novel had commented on Shu Xin’s Weibo. They were saying that, in the past, they thought that no one would be up to the task of acting the previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan. However, they didn’t expect that Lin Nuan’s interpretation would be as if the character had walked straight out of the book. She was perfect for the role, whether in terms of appearance, expression, or demeanor.
Director Chen was all the more provocative. He retweeted the official first trailer of “The Exorcist” and wrote just this one line: “Does it feel good to be slapped in the face? I’m asking you, does it feel good!”
Many busybodies who had nothing better to do retweeted this post, then tagged Shu Xin, clearly enjoying the show. They couldn’t wait for things to escalate.
Obviously, Director Chen felt good. Shu Xin’s expression, however, had darkened.
The fans of the original novel changed their stances and praised Lin Nuan for giving them the previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan that they had envisioned, saying they now looked forward to Lin Nuan’s performance in the movie.
Shu Xin picked up the phone, not sure what att.i.tude to present, to make peace with Director Chen.
This was because Shu Xin wanted to see Lin Nuan!
Shu Xin was overwhelmed by her emotions. She closed her eyes, moisture welling up in the bottom of her eyes.