Chapter 178 178 Filming

Chapter 178: Filming

Just like that, Lu Xu settled into life on the *Night Sky Observations* set.

He had already read the script over and over again. Frequent script revisions during filming were impossible for a special-effects-heavy production like *Night Sky Observations*—even minor changes meant spending money.

The first part of the script told a story called "Human Coffin."

Lu Xu played the character Wei Qingfang, a mystic who walked among mortals yet knew of the world's strange phenomena. While he possessed supernatural insight, he was not the celestial immortal of common imagination. He had no desire to become an immortal, preferring instead to traverse the world as an ordinary man—both detached from and engaged with mortal affairs.

Thus, this character had both human qualities and an air of detachment. Though he appeared youthful, he saw through human deceit and malice with unnerving clarity.

In the "Human Coffin" story, the dead could be placed in wooden, gold, or silver coffins. But according to folklore, beyond these types, there existed another kind—the human coffin. By using a living human as a coffin, one could borrow their vitality to resurrect the dead and ensure prosperity for their descendants.

Yet those chosen as human coffins would lose all vitality, leaving only death behind.

Humans, being human, should never be used as coffins. Such magic was clearly dark sorcery. Human wickedness inevitably attracted evil spirits.

"Human Coffin" was merely a prelude, introducing a far broader world of demons, spirits, and deities—the world of *Night Sky Observations*.

The screenwriter had put considerable effort into crafting this segment. Though the references seemed abundant, they were actually quite scattered. Crafting a cohesive, substantive story wasn't easy, especially for a fantasy film, where the plot could easily feel hollow. Whether focusing on small details or grand themes, the script needed to be logical and engaging.

Though not derived from orthodox mythology, this tale was a blend of folklore and rural ballads. From Lu Xu's perspective, at least, it was quite compelling.

Wei Qingfang was not a tragic hero who pitied the world and sought to save it—nor did he meet an heroic end. This set him apart from the other characters Lu Xu had portrayed.

Lu Xu had analyzed the differences between this role and his previous ones. Wei Qingfang was neither a righteous figure nor a villain, nor even an ambiguous antihero. He wasn’t quite human—he occupied a space between worlds.

Big commercial films didn't require Oscar-worthy performances, but this was a role Lu Xu had rarely encountered before. In *Night Sky Observations*, since Wei Qingfang wandered between the realms of immortals, demons, and mortals, he would ultimately have to choose—even if he didn’t want to.

Humans could be good or evil, and so could immortals and demons.

The difference between *Night Sky Observations* and Lu Xu’s previous film, *Fearless Life*, was that the latter revolved entirely around the protagonist Bai Qianshan, while *Night Sky Observations* did not. The core of the story lay in the strange and wondrous events of the human world. Wei Qingfang played a role in them, yet he couldn’t alter the inevitable tragic outcomes.

What mattered was the stories' inherent appeal.

…

Only after Lu Xu joined the director and costume designer to re-examine Wei Qingfang’s character was his final look decided.

After that, filming for *Night Sky Observations* officially began.

Screenwriter Gong Lei didn't consider Wei Qingfang particularly complex—Lu Xu’s acting skills were more than enough to handle it.

In fact, once the cast of *Night Sky Observations* was confirmed, Gong Lei felt especially reassured. Lu Xu and Li Yan were both bankable stars who delivered strong performances. Audiences would show up regardless of their performance.

Gong Lei had long worked as a screenwriter for commercial films, working with all types of directors and actors. But this was his first time collaborating with Lu Xu and Li Yan, and he recognized them as serious professionals.

Actors like these fully committed to their roles.

However… Gong Lei had also encountered actors who gave their all in art films, showcasing their skills to the fullest, only to phone it in for commercial films.

These actors weren’t bad—some were quite talented. But when it came to commercial films, they relied on their standard bag of tricks. After a cursory understanding of the character, they’d apply their usual template, never delving deeper. Once filming wrapped, they moved on.

For commercial films like *Night Sky Observations*, awards were virtually out of the question. Box office success and accolades rarely went hand in hand, so Oscar-worthy performances were saved for films that could earn them trophies.

Gong Lei suspected Lu Xu wasn’t like that. Before Lu Xu officially joined the production, Gong Lei had deliberately searched for clips of his performances—even digging up his earliest work, *My Baby, The Noble Son*. Or rather, he focused specifically on *The Noble Son*.

If Lu Xu gave his all to such an oddball project, then for other roles, he would undoubtedly give 100%.

And the facts proved that both Lu Xu and Li Yan were operating at 120%.

Once filming began, Gong Lei was left gaping.

Lu Xu nailed the character Wei Qingfang, adding layers to the role that Gong Lei had only initially envisioned in the script.

This was Lu Xu’s one-man show.

But when he shared scenes with Li Yan, Gong Lei was utterly stunned.

At the climax of the "Human Coffin" story, the evil spirits hated Wei Qingfang for exposing the truth yet recognized him as one of the most intelligent individuals in the world, endowed with spiritual power. Thus, they sought to turn him into a human coffin.

Lu Xu’s Wei Qingfang and Li Yan’s Zhang Bannu worked solo but teamed up at critical moments to resolve supernatural phenomena.

The evil spirit fixated on Wei Qingfang, who was no match for it. With the aid of previously cultivated human coffins, Wei Qingfang found himself helpless, walking the line between good and evil.

Lu Xu’s sudden shifts between normalcy and madness scared the hell out of Gong Lei.

It was as if Wei Qingfang was possessed by dozens of spirits—his deranged energy made Gong Lei afraid to even meet his eyes.

"...Did Lu Xu do field research in a psych ward?" Gong Lei blurted out in shock.

Yue Chen: "...We didn’t need method acting that extreme, did we?"

"Not at all," Gong Lei pointed behind him. "There’s a mental hospital less than two kilometers behind our set."

Yue Chen: "..."

That wasn’t exactly essential information.

Gong Lei was stunned because Lu Xu’s madness wasn’t superficial—it genuinely resembled the "possession" described in folklore.

His performance was so immersive that the bone-chilling madness evoked fear rather than laughter.

Hammy performance would have been comical.

After the madness subsided, Wei Qingfang seemed normal again—only now his friend Zhang Bannu couldn’t feel out whether it was really Wei Qingfang or a facade controlled by the evil spirit.

Wei Qingfang and Zhang Bannu began a conversation.

The latter reminisced about the past, and Wei Qingfang fielded every question flawlessly.

Zhang Bannu was sharp—he knew how to test Wei Qingfang’s authenticity. Though Wei Qingfang answered smoothly and knew every detail about himself, it should have been reassuring.

"Eleven years ago, you drew the Jiumo demon’s blood and saved the Zhou dynasty princess beneath Yun River."

"I am Wei Qingfang—that much is certain."

"If you had told me sooner, He Lingyun might still be alive."

Yet, for some reason, the crew watching their scene couldn’t shake their unease.

Wei Qingfang was still Wei Qingfang, but his vibe was off.

Upon closer observation, Lu Xu, fully immersed in his role at the center of the set, had taken on new depth.

Li Yan’s Zhang Bannu was all sharp intellect and quiet intensity.

Lu Xu’s Wei Qingfang, typically composed, now had eyes that smiled without reaching his soul.

When he focused his gaze on Zhang Bannu, it seemed as though he was uttering the most trustworthy truth in the world, yet when one met his eyes, warning bells went off uncontrollably in the minds of the onlookers.

Lu Xu and Li Yan's delivery of lines was on full display at this moment, especially the former—not only did he portray the difference between the present and former Wei Qingfang, but even his voice carried a subtle shift.

In the script, this was merely an ordinary moment of discernment, not a major crisis. Yet, whether it was Zhang Bannu's pointed questioning or Wei Qingfang's ambiguous responses, they turned this ordinary scene into a tense duel, creating an inexplicable tension.

Actors can make a script more captivating.

Gong Lei felt that this scene between Lu Xu and Li Yan was the perfect embodiment of that statement.

Wei Qingfang's various behaviors made Zhang Bannu's heart sink.

He was certain that his friend was no longer the original Wei Qingfang—Wei Qingfang had become the demon vessel, someone he pitied but had no choice but to eliminate.

On the monitor, Li Yan's words were icy, yet his eyes held reluctance, which soon turned into resolve.

In contrast, Wei Qingfang recalled their shared moments of friendship and understanding. Upon realizing Zhang Bannu intended to erase him, his eyes instantly turned sinister—not the frenzied state of when he first became a possessed vessel, but calm. Yet, how frightening he seemed did not lessen; instead, it deepened.

"Cut!"

Director Yue Chen called cut.

There was another scene to film next, one where Zhang Bannu and Wei Qingfang were pretending to fool the demon. However, because the chemistry between the two actors was so electric, Yue Chen didn’t want to introduce other actors and disrupt the mood.

The director asked the two to prepare briefly and brought forward the final scene of the script.

Wei Qingfang hadn't become a demon vessel through the demon’s influence—this was something both he and Zhang Bannu knew.

Yet, as the plot unfolded, the two had gone through many trials, and some of Wei Qingfang’s behaviors did differ from before.

Still, Zhang Bannu naturally didn’t believe he was the demon.

Finally, when everything had settled, Zhang Bannu blurted out, "Are you really Wei Qingfang?"

Wei Qingfang didn’t answer directly. Instead, he grinned mischievously and looked at him. "Guess?"

This mystery was intentionally left up to the audience. Lu Xu only needed to exude Wei Qingfang’s mystery, leaving ample room for the audience’s imagination.

This was where Lu Xu excelled.