The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 53 The Ultimate Battle (44 chapters, another 10,000-word update, please vote!)
This scene depicts the powerful Sun family planning to burn down the inn and murder the imperial envoy.

Entrusted by Sun Shichang, the head of the Sun family, Wu Zhenhai, the old man with withered wood, takes action to ensure the unexpected death of the main group of people who come to investigate the major case in Jiangnan.

There's also a tribute scene here: Wu Zhenhai, at the level of a grandmaster, catches a firearm bullet with one hand, showcasing the ultimate grandmaster combat prowess.

Wu Zhenhai was defeated because he blindly believed in his own strength and underestimated the power of explosives. Lu Bing's artillery bombardment was thwarted by the ambushing explosives, which sent him to his death.

It's also related to age; even a master in his twilight years is old.

Of course, even in his final moments, Wu Zhenhai still displayed the power of a grandmaster. His internal energy connected his skin, flesh, bones, internal organs, and brain marrow in a way that resembled a puppet show, and his martial will erupted to sustain his life force.

Flesh and blood endured the onslaught of artillery fire and explosives.

However, humans have their limits, and such injuries make it difficult to survive.

Even in death, Wu Zhenhai remained murderous and exuded the aura of a grandmaster.

Shen Shandeng communicated with his team about filming arrangements.

Action director Wu Jing, who also plays Lu Bing, the martial arts choreography team, the technical support team, Chen Kun who plays Chen Mo, and Ji Chunhua who plays Wu Zhenhai.

Ji Chunhua played Duan Yanqing in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils". In his early years, he was a member of the Zhejiang Provincial Martial Arts Team. He had a fierce expression, but he was very serious about acting.

He's completely different on set from the characters he portrays on TV. He's very easygoing, often laughs on set, and is very respectful of ordinary stuntmen.

Ji Chunhua listened carefully to Shen Shandeng's instructions.

Having acted for over twenty years, he felt like a country bumpkin visiting the Grand View Garden on the set of "The Eunuch," gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience.

First of all.

Wu Zhenhai is a character unlike typical villains.

As a villain, he has a complete life story, as if he really existed in history.

Wu Zhenhai was nicknamed "Old Man of the Dead Wood" because he practiced "Kumu Gong" in his early years, which made him look old, like a dead tree. Later, he combined the strengths of many schools and created "Changchun Kurong Gong" on the basis of "Kumu Gong".

It must be said that Wu Zhenhai was a genius. The "Dry Wood Skill" was not a first-class martial art, but after his improvement, the "Eternal Spring Withering Skill" became a peerless martial art. It was also the miraculous nature of this skill that allowed him to live for 150 years.

Wu Zhenhai was born in the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, a time when he was full of vigor and vitality.

The family moved from the south to the Central Plains under Zhu Yuanzhang's large-scale migration policy.

He witnessed the turmoil of the Jingnan Campaign and followed Zhu Di on several northern expeditions during the Yongle era.

At that time, although he was just a lowly soldier, he had the heroic spirit of sealing the wolf's lair and stabilizing the world. With his amazing talent, he made great achievements and was once a royal guest.

At the age of sixty, having personally experienced the Tumu Crisis, Wu Zhenhai's personality changed drastically. He abandoned his family, went into hiding, and faked his death to escape the world.

After turning 100, out of longing for his hometown, he wandered around Jiangnan and rebuilt his family.

In recent years, at the age of 140, he felt that even with the Grandmaster realm, his lifespan was not long. He began to plan for the extension of his life and for the sake of his family, and became the revered Grandmaster of the Sun family, a powerful clan in Suzhou.

This is the first time Ji Chunhua has encountered a villain, and he has such a complete character experience.

Unlike traditional clowns, Wu Zhenhai, though a functional supporting character, possesses the demeanor of a master from beginning to end. Even on his deathbed, a master remains a master and should not be insulted.

In addition to being an actor, Ji Chunhua also worked as a martial arts instructor.

What impacted the crew of "The Eunuch" even more was Shen Shandeng's ideas about martial arts.

Using technological means, internal energy is presented in a visually intuitive way.

Unheard of!

As for the ranking of martial arts skills, Ji Chunhua only felt that it made things much more accessible. What truly shocked him was the way the physiological levels were presented.

I never knew martial arts could be done like this.

Shen Shandeng's understanding of action design is not that of traditional martial arts instruction, but rather a combination of technical team work, what we would call an interdisciplinary field.

Instead of relying solely on experience and discouraging reckless actions, we utilize scientific knowledge to first calculate and simulate the desired effect.

There are faculty and students from the School of Physical Education and the School of Exercise Biology serving as advisors, as well as those from the School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Medicine.

For some dangerous filming scenes, we first use finite element analysis to determine the load-bearing capacity of the materials, then conduct a demonstration and simulation before finally filming the actual scenes.

If it were a traditional martial arts choreography team, dangerous scenes would definitely result in injuries or even more serious accidents, but the "Du Gong" crew was able to complete the scene without any incidents.

For an actor like Ji Chunhua, who has witnessed the development of kung fu movies all along, this kind of shock is enormous.

Ji Chunhua wasn't the only one with this idea; other martial arts instructors shared similar sentiments.

"Let's rehearse one more time."

Shen Shandeng confirmed the explosive point once again. This scene involves explosions; due to his past life working in construction, safety is the bottom line.

As for the action design of "The Eunuch", Shen Shandeng was not very satisfied, compared to the amazement of others.

In his mind, the motion team should be called the "motion engineering" team.

In addition to sports biology, dynamics, mechanical engineering, and medicine, various human models are also needed, and most importantly, a computer simulation team is required.

Some motion designs are first 3D modeled and then run on the computer.

We need motion capture data analysis software that not only records motion but also analyzes key mechanical parameters in real time, compares them with theoretical models, and guides optimization.

Then auxiliary equipment is also necessary.

The wire training system, high-speed traction device, instantaneous center of gravity shift device, and dynamic balance auxiliary system allow actors to first undergo simulated training to adapt to wire work.

In addition, the props have also been scientifically enhanced. For example, the weapons have had their center of gravity distribution optimized, making the swinging more in line with the physical trajectory, and feeling more "real" and textured.

Special materials, such as high-density foam and composite materials with specific ratios, are used to simulate real weight and impact feedback, sound, and vibration, while ensuring safety.

Ideally, we would collaborate with top universities to establish laboratories and set up a special effects company.

3D character modeling is performed to create digital assets, and the more photos are taken, the more models are accumulated.

To achieve the desired effect, complex sequences can be pre-visualized directly on the computer, especially for internal energy effects. With increased use and digital assets, costs can be significantly reduced.

None of these are from the "Du Gong" (督公).

One issue is money. The production cost of "The Eunuch" was 12 million, which was not small, but it was far from enough to realize Shen Shandeng's ideas.

The other is people and time.

We need talent who can combine film and television production skills.

Even with money and people, time is still needed.

In the few months that followed, Shen Shandeng could only optimize traditional martial arts designs. His priority was ensuring the completion of the film, not exploring technology.

For example, the partners he chooses are relatively young martial arts teams with a strong ability to learn.

The same applies to technical consultants.

Even so, traditional martial arts teams initially looked down on the technical consultants, thinking they were just putting on a show and that action scenes relied on experience and intuition.

After some initial adjustment, Wu Jing helped communicate between the two sides, and everyone gradually began to work together towards a common goal.

Shen Shandeng first needs to ensure that the effects of traditional martial arts instruction and technical consultation are positive.

Ideals can only be discussed after one has survived.

As for the future, Shen Shandeng hopes to be like Cameron, making billions of RMB from a single film and driving change in the film industry.

"Okay, that's enough."

The filming of the final battle took three days and encountered some issues, but was generally completed smoothly.

Shen Shandeng was unaware of how astonishing others perceived what he considered "makeshift."

After more than ten days of work, the entire crew gained a deep understanding of Shen Shandeng's work abilities.

This young director has an absolutely terrifying amount of energy and memory.

He not only remembers everything, big and small, that happens on set, but he also has a clear grasp of the real-time progress.

At the same time, Shen Shandeng could even call out the names of the interns who bought water.

The atmosphere and achievements of the "The Eunuch" production team convinced those involved that the project was extraordinary, and Shen Shandeng's vision of creating history was becoming a reality.

The direct result was that the crew was highly motivated.

However, Shen Shandeng also has his troubles.

"Director, I have an idea. Su Xiaoxiao's opening scene was designed, could we design her curtain call as well?"

Chen Hao blinked as he asked for advice.

Even now, days later, Chen Hao still fondly remembers the opening shot; it made her look so beautiful and comfortable.

Shen Shandeng is the kind of director with a great sense of aesthetics. His costumes, props, and sets are all top-notch. In Chen Hao's mind, Shen Shandeng is comparable to Zhang Yimou.

(End of this chapter)