Entertainment King:Extracting Skills from the Movies

No matter the reason, this development was undoubtedly a good thing. At least his effort to make an impression didn't fall flat.

As Du Sheng got into a car, he thought about Zheng Ziyan's suggestion yesterday—she told him to share any juicy news since she was still trying to secure a permanent position.

The heat from yesterday's news had already faded, but once someone had experienced trending headlines, the craving for more was hard to resist.

Du Sheng considered doing something to grab headlines again, maybe boost his reputation points a bit.

But for now, there wasn't much to work with.

As for stirring up controversy with Fan Bingbing?

That had its pros and cons.

If he had to go that route, it would be better to wait until his status was higher; otherwise, it would only backfire.

When he arrived at the Shanshui Grand Hotel, Ju Jueliang's assistant was already waiting for him.

"Are you Du Sheng? Director Ju asked me to let you know there's an audition here in three days at 9 a.m."

Seeing that Du Sheng had an excellent appearance and demeanor, and remembering how Ju had insisted on personally sending her, the assistant offered some friendly advice:

"Producer Zhang will be present, and a candidate recommended by Director Yu Min is also eyeing this role, so be well-prepared."

"I will. Thank you!"

Du Sheng accepted the script and glanced at it quickly.

When he saw the role's name, his eyes widened in surprise.

Murong Fu!?

The role they assigned him was none other than the "Southern Murong" in the legendary North Qiao Feng, South Murong duo!

This was a significant role, no less.

In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Murong Fu was a character who wove through the entire story.

How did this role fall into his hands?

Noticing his surprise, the assistant smiled and offered an explanation:

"You're probably someone the investors favored. Director Ju fought to get you this role."

If Du Sheng hadn't been good-looking, she wouldn't have bothered with this errand. But he happened to match her dream prince perfectly. Yes, she was that superficial.

"Is that so? Please thank Director Ju for me."

Du Sheng's expression turned peculiar. He found it all a bit strange.

Initially, he had only hoped for a minor role, maybe one of the Four Guards of the Royal Palace like Zhu Danchen, and certainly didn't dare aim for the Four Evildoers.

He knew his limits, after all.

Who would have expected such a dramatic turn of events?

"Investors?"

For some reason, he thought of Zhong Zhen's high-class, elegant face.

It seemed like he had made an impression in high places. He would definitely have to personally express his gratitude in the future.

After all, Murong Fu was a key character in the story. Though he didn't have much screen time, his presence was constantly felt in the dialogue.

In terms of importance, he ranked just below the main trio of Qiao Feng, Duan Yu, and Xu Zhu, as well as female leads like Wang Yuyan, Ah Zi, and Ah Zhu. His role was comparable to that of the Southern King of Dali.

But the greater the opportunity, the higher the risks—and the fiercer the competition.

Many people were undoubtedly eyeing this role.

There was even a rumor in his past life that Murong Fu's role had been pre-determined by Zhang Zhizong.

Though some things in this world had changed, it seemed this production hadn't diverged much from its original path.

Cautiously, Du Sheng asked, "Who's the actor recommended by Director Yu Min?"

The assistant thought for a moment before replying, "I think it's Qiu Qing. He played Ouyang Ke in last year's version of The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

Du Sheng tensed but wasn't surprised.

In his past life, this version of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils had gone the same way. If things hadn't changed, the role of Murong Fu would already be locked in. Even with both investors and Ju Jueliang backing him, securing the role would be tough.

After some thought, Du Sheng asked, "Is Producer Zhang personally overseeing supporting role auditions?"

As Ju's confidant, the assistant knew more than most and gave Du Sheng a pitying look.

"Yes. He arrived yesterday and is holding a meeting with the creative team tonight."

She suspected that Du Sheng had little chance of winning the role. After all, Producer Zhang had the final say, and Yu Min's recommendation likely reflected Zhang Zhizong's intentions.

Du Sheng understood the situation well. He knew Yu Min was officially considered Zhang's protégé.

Still, he didn't look disappointed. He wouldn't make the mistake of asking Ju to push for a different role. Instead, he smiled and said, "Thank you. I'll do my best."

And he truly would, no matter what it took.

Now that the opportunity had arrived, he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers.

He couldn't afford to wait, and opportunities like this were too rare.

If he succeeded, it could propel him to stardom.

Failing to fight for it would mean a lifetime of mediocrity, even with his cheat system.

Even if it meant taking drastic measures, Du Sheng was determined to give it his all.

After all, when one couldn't even secure their livelihood, worrying about ethics or collateral damage was pure nonsense.

After bidding farewell, Du Sheng waited for the bus while flipping through the script.

"Huh? It's a revised version?"

Jin Yong's novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils had undergone three major revisions with eight total edits. The ending, in particular, had been significantly altered.

The previous TV adaptations in 1982, 1990, and 1997 were all based on the earlier editions.

In those versions, Murong Fu was obsessed with restoring his kingdom, but his repeated failures and mounting despair eventually drove him insane—a tragic and pitiful end.

However, this revised version was quite different.

Murong Fu became a central figure and one of the story's main antagonists.

He even manipulated Duan Yu and Qiao Feng with cunning schemes.

The ending featured Duan Yu returning to the Lantian Jade Cave with Wang Yuyan, only to have a sudden epiphany that he didn't truly love her. Instead, he loved the imagined goddess-like figure of Wang Yuyan he had conjured in his mind. They ultimately parted ways.

Wang Yuyan, heartbroken, returned to Swallow Dock to care for her now-insane cousin.

The more Du Sheng read, the more astonished he became.

This deviation from the original plotline was striking.

He couldn't pinpoint why this change had occurred.

Could it be linked to the same societal shifts that had turned this world into the "factory of the world" earlier than expected?

Or had Jin Yong, with age and spiritual reflection, decided to take a bold new direction?

Perhaps the production team simply wanted to differentiate this adaptation from the others.

Whatever the reason, the revised version clearly favored Murong Fu.

This would translate into a stronger impression on viewers and fans, which would benefit the actor portraying him.

Du Sheng's desire for the role intensified.

This version would make Murong Fu more compelling and provide a unique opportunity to win over fans and convert that into reputation points.

After all, with three previous adaptations for comparison, the audience would be hypercritical.

The 1982 version had been memorable for its portrayal of a noble Murong Fu, though it failed to capture his arrogance and inner turmoil.

The 1990 version from Hong Kong was less familiar to Du Sheng but was criticized online for making Murong Fu too carefree, losing the weight of his ambition to restore his kingdom.

The 1997 version was widely regarded as the most classic adaptation, even overshadowing the Spring Festival Gala.

However, Zhang Guoqiang's portrayal of Murong Fu was deemed too old and failed to match the character's dashing appearance in the novel.

As for later versions, Murong Fu was often described as "handsome and refined but lacking humanity."

He was also criticized as a hypocritical villain, with some even bringing up his actor's portrayal of Ouyang Ke in The Legend of the Condor Heroes, calling his range narrow and suited only for scoundrel roles.

Now, with this revised version of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Murong Fu was reimagined as a manipulative mastermind torn between loyalty and ambition.

This meant that no m

atter who played the role, they would all start on an equal footing.

Du Sheng felt his determination solidify. He would fight for this role, no matter what it took.