Chinese entertainment, from radio love songs to superstars

Chapter 200: Double the “Knife”?
[In 1995, what did many young people in middle school and college like to do?
In the blink of an eye, it was already 9 years ago. When you were a student, besides saying "Have you eaten?" and "Have you finished your homework?", you would also say "Do you play Legend of Sword and Fairy?"

"Xianjian" is an affectionate name for a popular RPG game at that time, whose full name is "The Legend of Sword and Fairy".

In that era, computers were not as popular as they are now, and the sophistication of this game could not be compared with that of many current computer games. However, it attracted countless players with its wonderful plot, unique gameplay and rich Chinese traditional cultural atmosphere. This grand occasion 9 years ago was not only the charm of the game itself, but also the enthusiasm and pursuit of new things by people of that era.

Even now, there are still people who enjoy playing the "Legend of Sword and Fairy" game to relive the passion and emotion in familiar scenes and characters; or quietly listen to the "Legend of Sword and Fairy" music, letting the melodious melody take them back to the days full of fairy-hero style; or enthusiastically talk about "Legend of Sword and Fairy" and share each other's understanding and love of the plot and characters.

This game has also been continuously developing subsequent products, with the second and third generations launched one after another, continuing the classic legend.

Not only that, it has also been put on TV screens and presented to the audience in a more vivid form.

Tonight, a 9-year relationship will be placed before you.

I hereby sincerely invite all my "fellow immortals" to enjoy this charming world of Fairy Sword together and pursue the Fairy Sword feelings of those years.

——Shen Lang】

Yao Jingyi's understanding of the drama "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" came from the first blog published by Shen Lang in the test version of Sina Blog.

Since she had never played such computer games, however, she was bound to give her support since her idol had issued such an invitation letter.

Therefore, she finally chose the latter between "The Lotus Lantern" and "The Legend of Sword and Fairy".

The TV channel was locked on the Magic City Channel. It was exactly eight o'clock in the evening. Yao Jingyi stared at the screen intently with anticipation.

She couldn't help but wonder whether this drama was good or not. Liu Yifei's performance in "The Story of a Noble Family" and "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" was indeed remarkable, but at that time she played supporting roles and was led by Shen Lang. In "The Legend of Sword and Fairy", she played the leading female role, and her partner was Hu Xuan, a newcomer who had never acted before. Therefore, there was really a big question mark about the quality of this drama.

Just when her thoughts wandered a little, the theme song started playing.

In many cases, the first impression is indeed very important.

The opening credits are just like the face of a drama. "It's so good that you don't even want to skip it." This is undoubtedly a high compliment to a TV series. An excellent TV series opening credits can not only provide the audience with basic cast and crew information, but also attract the audience's attention, set the tone for the entire drama, and even play a good publicity role.

Judging from Yao Jingyi's expression, she was obviously amazed by the opening credits of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy".

First, the picture shows a mountain that reaches straight into the clouds, with a tall man standing on top of it.

Then, the camera gradually zoomed in, giving a close-up of the man, who was none other than Li Xiaoyao, played by Hu Xuan. He held a short dagger in his hand, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a crooked smile, and then threw the dagger down the mountain peak. The dagger instantly turned into a big sword, and then he leaped down, stepped firmly on the sword, and flew on the sword.

In just a few seconds of footage, one can see how handsome the protagonist is and how exquisite the special effects are.

"Although he's not as heroic as Brother Lang, he's still pretty good. I don't understand why so many game fans are scolding him online." Hu Xuan's looks and style passed the test smoothly with Yao Jingyi.

Her thoughts also represent the views of most non-game fans to a certain extent. For them, they pay more attention to the appearance of the actors and the overall feeling presented. Li Xiaoyao played by Hu Xuan has a certain appeal in image. Although it may be different from the standards of some people, it is still recognized overall.

"Hey yeah... hoo yeah... hey yeah... hey yeah..."

Suddenly, an ethereal and sad female voice was sung. The voice felt extremely clear, melodious and graceful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts and bring them into a world full of fantasy and sorrow.

"A body that has been sleeping for thousands of years

Wake up from the dead leaves
It’s the nightingale’s sad sigh
break the spell
Who sealed the forgotten sword?
Following the sound of flute and horse hooves

find you……"

Shen Lang's fascinating singing followed, and this time he brought Yao Jingyi a sense of loneliness, wandering, and emptiness, all filled with a sad mood.

Amid the beautiful singing, the wonderful emotional scenes, martial arts scenes and special effects scenes in "The Chinese Paladin" are presented with fast-cut shots.

Those affectionate, intense, or shocking scenes blend perfectly with Shen Lang's singing, as if telling touching stories and immersing her in them.

“Life is to prove

Traces of love
A greater life after fire
Kill to praise

The magnificence before destruction
The night is a wolf with deep eyes

Alone waiting for dawn."

And Sha Po Lang is one of the Zi Wei fate patterns, which is composed of three stars: Qi Sha, Po Jun and Tan Lang. People with this fate will be wandering throughout their lives, experiencing ups and downs, but they have the heroic qualities of becoming famous in one fell swoop.

The first person that came to Yao Jingyi’s mind was the protagonist Li Xiaoyao in the play. “Xiaoyao” represents a state of freedom, which means that the body is not bound by any constraints, and it also embodies the freedom of mind.

However, before she could think deeply and savor the song titled "Sha Po Lang", the plot had already begun.

[Ten years ago in the Nanzhao Kingdom, the State Master Baiyue falsely accused the Witch Queen of being a demon woman. Her name was "Lin Qing'er", but she was actually the descendant of Nuwa, whose duty was to suppress the demons and protect the people.

Not only did Moon Worship mislead the people, it also forced the emperor to kill the queen.

Although the emperor could not bear to kill his beloved woman, the bewitched people had already rushed to the demon-slaying platform and were determined to kill the queen in order to achieve the goal of exterminating demons and eliminating evil.

At this moment, the Drunken Swordsman descended from the sky on his sword and successfully rescued Qing'er.

In order to prove that the Witch Queen was a witch, Baiyue cast a spell and released the water monster in the water, causing it to attack the people.

Lin Qing'er, who was imprisoned, had to reveal her true identity and fight against the water monster.

The palace fell into chaos, and Jiu Jianxian and Li Xiaoyao took the opportunity to rescue Zhao Linger and her grandmother. 】

The first episode was only aired for four minutes, and Yao Jingyi felt a lot more at ease.

She was always worried because she had never played related games and was afraid that she would not understand the plot.

However, as things stand, there are no such obstacles.

Li Xiaoyao played by Hu Xuan, Lin Qing'er played by Sun Li, Drunken Swordsman played by Xie Junhao, and Baiyue played by Xu Jingang are all excellent in terms of appearance and acting skills.

What is more worth mentioning is the special effects. Whether it is the water monster summoned by the moon worship spell, its ferocious appearance and powerful destructive power make people feel as if they are on the scene; or the spectacular scene of the Nanzhao Kingdom being flooded, the turbulent flood swept in, bringing a strong visual impact; or Lin Qing'er appearing in the image of a human head and a snake body, the delicate and realistic special effects are amazing. Every shot tells you that this is a TV series with a large investment and production.

Yao Jingyi is 26 years old this year. She never refuses any TV drama and has watched quite a few of them. This is the first time she has seen such a high-quality fantasy drama.

At the exciting moment when Lin Qing'er was fighting the water monster, the camera suddenly changed and the scene in the opening credits appeared.

It turns out that this is a clip of Li Xiaoyao fighting against the Rakshasa ghost in his dream.

However, seeing the plot from ten years ago ended so hastily, Yao Jingyi frowned slightly.

Ten years ago, Li Xiaoyao and Drunken Swordsman rescued Zhao Linger and her grandmother in Nanzhao Kingdom, but why is Li Xiaoyao just an ordinary citizen ten years later?

Yao Jingyi couldn't help but wonder, is this sure that this is a script written by Shen Lang?
In her opinion, the plot at this moment had absolutely no logic at all.

However, only fifteen minutes had passed in the first episode. Although she had doubts in her heart, she also understood that she could not judge the entire drama based on this small plot. She decided to watch it later. If it was really not good, she would change the channel and watch "The Lotus Lantern".

In the next ten minutes, the plot mainly introduces Li Xiaoyao's life experience and his journey to Peach Blossom Island. In a TV series, the plot often determines its lower limit, while the actors determine its upper limit.

The direction of the storyline is indeed the core of a drama. If the script lacks logic, then no matter how good the actors' acting skills are, they are just interpreting an awkward plot.

As of now, Yao Jingyi is very satisfied with the performance of the actors in "The Legend of Sword and Fairy", and their appearance and acting skills are all online.

However, she was a little dissatisfied with the plot, mainly because of the confusion caused by the plot setting of "ten years ago, ten years later". This pit made her have many questions during the watching process, and she was worried that the development of the plot would be unreasonable.

Li Xiaoyao met Zhao Linger on Xianling Island. Zhao Linger recognized him as her brother Xiaoyao who saved her and her grandmother ten years ago. But Li Xiaoyao was confused. He didn't know Zhao Linger at all, and didn't remember that he had been to Nanzhao Kingdom to save her and her grandmother.

The plot holes in this plot, whether it is "amnesia" or "people with the same name but similar appearances", are not particularly novel designs, because such plots have appeared in many film and television works and seem rather old-fashioned.

If the setting is "amnesia", the audience may feel that it lacks creativity, because this kind of plot has been used many times and it is easy to cause aesthetic fatigue. Moreover, in the subsequent plot, how to reasonably restore Li Xiaoyao's memory and the development of the plot after the memory is restored require the screenwriter to have enough creativity and clever arrangements. Otherwise, it is easy for the audience to feel that the plot is dragged out and boring.

If it is a setting of "people with the same name but similar appearance", it will also make the audience feel a little far-fetched. This setting often requires more plot preparation and explanation before the audience can accept it. Moreover, if it is not handled well, it is easy for the audience to feel that the plot is confusing and the logic is not sound.

"Alas, Brother Lang is not so omnipotent after all. This script is just so-so. Don't write it next time." Yao Jingyi could already imagine what kind of accusations and criticisms against Shen Lang would be made on the Internet after today.

However, they missed the correct answer: "crossing".

That’s right, Li Xiaoyao, who saved Zhao Linger and her grandmother ten years ago, traveled from the future, but Li Xiaoyao ten years later has not experienced this event.

At this moment, Yao Jingyi was focusing on the picture. The Fairy Island in the camera, every blade of grass, every stone, every peak, every mountain and every water all exuded a fairy-like feeling. Zhao Linger brought Li Xiaoyao to Taoyuan and told him about her memories ten years ago. Those beautiful times seemed to be vivid in her mind. Then, she took Li Xiaoyao to the river.

This passage not only made her feel the beauty and mystery of the Fairy Island, but also added a touch of romance and warmth to the plot.

No, it was all shot on location, and there were not enough peach blossoms in Taoyuan, so the crew went somewhere else and bought a truckload of them for the decoration.

At this time, music started.

"A rain trapped me here
Your cold expression makes me sad

The rain in June is the ruthless you
With every little bit of pain hitting my heart

Oh, I don't believe it.
You didn't mean to leave me in the wind and rain.

Oh~ I can't bear it
I don’t want to betray you, so I can only wait silently for you to change your mind…”

The voice was still Shen Lang's. Although it was a male voice, the lyrics seemed to be singing about Zhao Linger's waiting for Li Xiaoyao.

Putting aside other things, the songs in this drama are really nice, whether it is the previous opening song or the current interlude.

There is really no need to worry about the quality of Shen Lang's songs. His music is always able to blend perfectly with the plot. Whether it is a passionate melody or a lyrical tune, it can perfectly set off the atmosphere of the plot and bring the ultimate auditory enjoyment to the audience.

In the song, Li Xiaoyao, played by Hu Xuan, is quite spiritual and youthful. He is sly but not greasy, clever but not annoying. His eyes reveal wit and bravery, and also inadvertently reveal kindness.

Zhao Linger, played by Liu Yifei, is extremely beautiful, with a face full of collagen and full of girlishness. Every movement she makes seems full of spirit, and she successfully portrays the feeling of a fairy who is otherworldly, innocent and naive.

"nice!"

As the plot gradually unfolded, Yao Jingyi slowly overlooked the "pit" dug in the previous plot. She was completely attracted by the wonderful plot, outstanding acting performances, and beautiful music.

"Brother Lang, I take back my doubts about you. You are really omnipotent. This script is very well written!"

After two episodes, she was still unsatisfied and was eager to see the subsequent plot. What kind of twists and turns will the relationship between Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Linger experience? What kind of experiences will they have in this fantasy world?
"Luckily I chose this one, otherwise I would have missed it."

She was very glad for the choice she made.

but……

Is this how it has to be?

The next morning, Yao Jingyi went to work.

As soon as her best friend Wang Rui arrived, she approached her and asked, "Did you watch The Lotus Lantern yesterday?"

Yao Jingyi shook her head subconsciously.

Wang Rui sighed immediately: "That's a pity, you missed a wonderful drama. Really, I haven't seen such a good mythological drama since the 86 version of Journey to the West."

From Wang Rui's reaction, it can be seen that "The Lotus Lantern" left a very deep impression on her.

The 86 version of "Journey to the West" is a classic mythological drama and has an unshakable position in the hearts of the audience. Wang Rui compares "The Lotus Lantern" with this drama, which shows that it has its own unique charm and brilliance in terms of plot, special effects, and actor performances.

This also made Yao Jingyi curious about "The Lotus Lantern" and she immediately asked, "Is it really that good?"

Wang Rui nodded like a chicken pecking at rice and replied, "Really, Jiao Rujun's Erlang Shen is extremely handsome, and Jin Xishan's San Shengmu is as beautiful as a fairy."

"Well, I have to catch up on the reruns when I get home from get off work today." Yao Jingyi finished speaking, and then continued, "So, you definitely didn't watch The Chinese Paladin."

Wang Rui responded: "Well, you can only choose one of the two."

Yao Jingyi added: "I watched this one, it's also great, you must watch the rerun when you get back."

In the following period of time, the two would have heated discussions about the two dramas when they met every morning or in their private free time, sharing their feelings and speculations about the plots.

However, they don’t know that if they watch both dramas together, they will be “stabbed” twice in the end.

There is no need to say much about "The Legend of Sword and Fairy". Its tragic ending has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. The heartbreaking plots and irreparable regrets make people unable to let go for a long time after watching it.

"The Lotus Lantern" originally had a happy ending in the original time and space, bringing warmth and hope to people, but here, Shen Lang added the tragic elements of "Yang Jian - Life is Long and Hateful and the Rivers Flow East", and it became a tragic ending. This change made the originally hopeful story even deeper and more tragic.

At the same time, online reviews have also just come out. Currently, the two dramas have an 80:20 split between positive and negative reviews, which is in stark contrast to the one-sided negative reviews before the broadcast.

"I'm a 9-year old fan of the Chinese Paladin game. I apologize for my previous recklessness. Hu Xuan's Li Xiaoyao and Liu Yifei's Zhao Linger are both OK. They can get at least 85 points."

"I'm telling you, it's hard to find someone who is exactly the same as you when transferring from the second dimension to the third dimension. As long as they roughly match, it's fine."

"Erlang Shen has finally made it. He finally has a drama that can compete with Monkey King. The only shortcoming is that two episodes a day is too little!"

"It's OK. After watching the first episode of The Lotus Lantern, I immediately jumped to watch the rerun of The Chinese Paladin. It's already the early morning."

"Brother Lang is still your Brother Lang! His songs are invincible!"

"The theme song "Sha Po Lang", the interlude "June Rain", and the ending song "Finally Understand" of "The Chinese Paladin", and the theme song "A Kiss for the Endless", the interlude "Liang Liang", and the ending song "Thousand Years of Tears" of "The Lotus Lantern" are all so beautiful. I hope their albums or soundtracks will be released soon!"

……

The songs in the drama have also become a hot topic of discussion. Coincidentally, Shen Lang’s first stop of the tour, the Chengdu concert, is here!

(End of this chapter)