PCJ – Chapter 418 Another Powerful Challenger Appears

“Jiaohua, can you teach me your Meishan magic?” Zhang Yuanbao asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He had just witnessed Zhang Jiaohua unleash a thunderbolt at Luoa Ridge, turning a fearsome giant turtle into a charred mess before it dove back into Luoa Pond, too frightened to reappear. The display was so impressive that any kid watching would be awestruck.

“My Taoist master explicitly told me I can’t casually teach magic. If you want to learn it, you have to formally become my disciple,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

“So, I have to acknowledge you as my master to learn?” Zhang Yuanbao questioned.

“Absolutely. Without that formality, it would be impossible to teach you. Even teaching you the Meishan Foundation Stance was already pushing the boundaries. Magic requires the invocation of ancestral spirits. If I teach you without the proper rituals, those spirits won’t respond to me anymore. That would be a betrayal of my master and ancestors,” Zhang Jiaohua said sternly.

“Can your Meishan magic grant immortality?” Zhang Yuanbao asked hesitantly.

“I wish it could make me immortal! Do you remember the old man who visited me at school last time? He was a Meishan water master. Do you think a water master can live forever?” Zhang Jiaohua retorted.

“So even a Meishan water master can fall ill?” Zhang Yuanbao’s face showed his disappointment.

“Of course. A water master isn’t a god. No matter how strong someone is, nobody is immune to illness. Don’t you agree?” Zhang Yuanbao nodded in understanding.

“Then forget it. If it can’t grant immortality, what’s the point? Besides, if I acknowledge you as my master, wouldn’t you become the same seniority as my dad? No way, no way. I’d rather not learn it. If I don’t, I stay your older brother. But if I do, I’ll be your disciple. The price is too high!” Zhang Yuanbao quickly calculated the consequences and abandoned the idea entirely.

The film crew had been in Meizi’ao Village for quite some time, and the novelty of their presence had worn off for the locals. Everyone went back to their usual routines, except for a few idle kids who still enjoyed watching the filming. Director Lin Jianming and his team, however, were growing anxious. The actors had tight schedules, but the filming was delayed due to issues with the location. Luoa Pond, where they intended to shoot, was still not ready. Originally, they thought it would only take a few days to set up, but now the situation seemed uncertain, with no definitive timeline for completion.

“This waiting isn’t sustainable,” said Assistant Director Yang Lizong in a hushed voice to Lin Jianming.

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Lin replied. “But who dares to offend Boss He or Boss Long? If we upset them, how will we survive in this industry? They’ve been generous with funding and never interfered with our work. Investors like them are rare,” Lin admitted, though his tone betrayed his frustration.

“They seem overly obsessed with this location scouting. Honestly, Luoa Pond isn’t even the best spot in Meizi’ao. I found a much better location,” Yang proposed.

“Where?” Lin Jianming’s curiosity was piqued, surprised that Yang had been scouting alternatives during the downtime.

“Behind Meizi’ao Village, there’s a place called ‘Back Mountain.’ The scenery is fantastic, with peach trees and a lot of monkeys. With a bit of set dressing, it could look perfect for filming. I’m sure it wouldn’t be any worse than Luoa Pond,” Yang suggested.

“That won’t work. The investors specified in the contract that the scenes must be filmed at their chosen location. At first, I thought they just wanted product placement, but I didn’t expect them to insist on a specific site like Luoa Pond,” Lin replied, having considered this possibility before.

“But couldn’t we negotiate with them? Maybe we could shoot some minor scenes at Back Mountain to save time and then move back to Luoa Pond when it’s ready,” Yang pressed on.

Lin Jianming found the suggestion tempting. “I’ll talk to the two bosses.”

When Lin approached He Shouye, the investor warmly welcomed him.

“Director Lin, I apologize for the delays caused by us. To make up for it, I’ll provide additional funding to compensate the crew for their losses,” He Shouye said cheerfully, though he avoided addressing Lin’s suggestion about filming at Back Mountain.

Lin brought it up directly, “Boss He, how about this: the main plot of The Great Tomb Saga will still be shot at Luoa Ridge, as planned. But to stay on schedule, we’d like to film some minor scenes at Back Mountain first. What do you think?”

He Shouye glanced at Lin, his expression unreadable. “Not great. When we invested in this film, it was because we believed in the script’s potential. We’re willing to spend money to create a masterpiece. Even minor scenes should be meticulously crafted. If it’s not important, why shoot it at all?”

Long Wuyi chimed in bluntly, “Director Lin, you’re a renowned director in the industry. We invested in you because we trust your talent. But you need to respect us as investors. If you change our plans, it’s disrespectful. And disrespecting us means you’re no friend of ours. I’m generous to my friends, but to enemies… you know how it goes.”

Lin Jianming, despite his fame, dared not cross these two influential figures, who had connections in both legitimate and underworld circles. Offending them could spell the end of his career.

“Relax, Director Lin. We’ll resolve the Luoa Pond issue in a few days. Just wait a little longer,” He Shouye reassured him with a smile.

After Lin left, Long Wuyi sneered, “He really thinks he’s someone important. Investing in him is his good fortune, yet he dares to challenge us?”

He Shouye laughed. “Let it go. For now, we still need him. Once this is settled, we can explore that cave. But Xie Yunliu’s friends are no pushovers. We’ll need to keep a close eye on them.”

Meanwhile, Xie Yunliu’s reinforcements had arrived at Meizi’ao and went straight to Luoa Ridge.

“How does this place look?” Bai Daxian asked Wang Zhenren, pointing at Luoa Ridge.

“Judging by the feng shui, this should be a place of rising fortune. However, the dragon vein here seems sealed, causing the flow of energy to stagnate. Instead of prosperity, it exudes a malevolent aura. This place is dangerous,” Wang Zhenren remarked cryptically, leaving their guide Zhou Baojin utterly baffled.

Even Chen Jing, who was silent but emanated an intimidating presence, couldn’t fully grasp the conversation.

“And how do you plan to deal with that turtle in Luoa Pond?” Bai Daxian inquired.

“We need proper preparations. I’m not like Xie Yunliu, rushing in recklessly,” Wang Zhenren replied.

“Do you mean setting up a formation to lure the turtle in before taking it down?” Bai Daxian immediately caught on.

As they conversed, Wang Zhenren suddenly looked up toward the hillside, where a few children were watching. They seemed like ordinary farm kids, but something about them felt off.

“What is it?” Bai Daxian asked.

“Nothing,” Wang Zhenren muttered, though he couldn’t shake the sensation of being observed.

The children watching from above were none other than Zhang Jiaohua and his friends. Realizing Wang Zhenren’s power, Zhang Jiaohua quickly withdrew his spiritual presence, blending in as just another village boy.

“Jiaohua, are these people also here to deal with that turtle? City folks are weird—why do they like eating turtles so much? They don’t even taste as good as pork. Speaking of which, when are you going to slaughter one of your wild boars?” Zhang Yuanbao asked, rubbing his grumbling stomach.

“All you think about is eating. Be careful, or you’ll turn into a pig,” the mute boy teased.

Zhang Jiaohua kicked Yuanbao lightly on the rear. “If we kill the boars, who will till the tea fields?”

Yuanbao, rubbing his backside, wisely stayed silent.

“What do you think? Can those Taoists defeat the turtle this time?” the mute boy asked.

“No idea. Since they dared to come, they must have some skill,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

“What kind of ability is that? They’re just here to die. Even if they manage to kill the turtle, what’s the point? If the gatekeeper is this powerful, imagine how much more terrifying whatever’s inside must be. Jiaohua, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You better prepare yourself. Luoa Ridge is not as simple as it looks,” Chen Crazy suddenly appeared behind them.

“I’m not worried at all. It’s your daughter who’s going there to film,” Zhang Jiaohua rolled his eyes.

Now it was Chen Crazy’s turn to panic. “Right, Chenchen is supposed to shoot scenes there! What am I going to do?”

“You figure it out. By the way, Chen Crazy, I heard from the people on the other side of the mountain that your old wife has finally tamed you completely. Not planning to go wandering anymore?” Zhang Jiaohua laughed.

“You kids don’t understand anything! What old wife? Chen Fang has always been my wife!” Chen Crazy hurriedly rushed home.