Chapter 120: Still Gradually Rising

She gazed at the leading man before her, kneeling in the midst of a snowstorm atop the mountain, his breath emerging in frosty clouds.

"He's quite handsome," she mused. Compared to the foreign male leads in those goddess dramas, this homegrown heartthrob suited her tastes far better.

Just then, the camera shifted—snow and wind raged all the more fiercely as the male lead, still kneeling, looked up towards the distance.

There, a figure slowly emerged: clad in a white dress, barefoot, her flawless, pale feet treading upon the snow as if she were impervious to the cold.

Step by measured step, she approached, and the audience, seeing through the eyes of the male lead, watched the striking contrast of her black and white silhouette.

Her hair, black as cascading silk, fluttered in the wind. In that instant, they glimpsed her face—exquisite, as though born of snow itself. Her eyes were even more so; though it was clear she wore no makeup, myriad colors shimmered within them.

At the deepest heart of those colors lay a snowy white. She regarded the kneeling man with an unchanging expression.

Her red lips parted lightly: "Do you know what price must be paid by those who behold me?"

Not a trace of performance marred her gaze or her movements; she seemed to be Qian Xuan herself.

This was Yun Fu’s portrayal of Qian Xuan.

In the first episode, she appeared for only ten seconds, yet those ten seconds were enough to seize the viewers’ attention.

What followed was the male lead offering up years from his life in exchange for taking Qian Xuan down the mountain to save someone.

The episode ended and the closing theme played. Chen Xiaoli hadn't quite processed what she’d seen when her mother’s voice rang out.

"What show is this? It's so much better than the previous one." Her mother seemed intrigued, no longer sleepy, sitting up to watch the screen intently.

Chen Xiaoli wanted to argue, but she realized that in terms of set design, acting, and details, there was nothing at all to criticize.

She quietly swallowed her retort and began watching the second episode.

In this one, the female lead appeared, but Chen Xiaoli found that once her gaze landed on Qian Xuan, she couldn’t tear it away.

This was a beautiful, powerful, and complex character, portrayed to perfection.

Her mother, who rarely praised celebrities, even remarked, "The actress playing Qian Xuan is quite good, and she’s very pretty. Honestly, she suits the lead male better."

Thus, a wave of unconventional pairings was born among viewers.

This reaction was not unique to Chen Xiaoli.

More and more comments appeared online.

[Just quietly saying, please don’t attack me, but I think 'Soaring Phoenix' is really good—the plot is tight, the characters are compelling, and the scenes feel authentic. I really like it.]

[Why would anyone attack you? I think it’s great too, especially Qian Xuan. Ahhh, she’s exactly how I pictured her when I read the novel!]

[u1s1, even though I’m a fan of Xi Rou’er, I honestly couldn’t help but switch from 'Speed World' to 'Soaring Phoenix' after half an hour. It’s not that the acting is bad; it just feels like something’s missing.]

[It lacks a certain spark. Just look at Yun Fu as Qian Xuan—her eyes act, too. Every time I meet her gaze, I feel as if she’s pulling me into the world of 'Soaring Phoenix.']

[I feel the same way, but I’m afraid to say it out loud—I don’t want the fans to come after me. I just really love this kind of romantic martial arts drama; it’s so beautiful.]

—

At the premiere, Qiao An couldn’t stop checking the ratings.

At first, 'Speed World' seemed to rocket skyward, breaking past 1 percent viewership at launch and crushing all competitors in the same time slot.

'Soaring Phoenix' started at only 0.2, and the mocking jeers poured in.

The cast group chat fell silent.

Everyone’s spirits plummeted.

Qiao An glanced at Yun Fu, who sat calmly beside her playing video games, unruffled as ever. Qiao An suspected that even if the sky were to fall, Yun Fu would wear that same serene expression.

Xi Rou’er’s assistant brought her the latest news: “Rou’er, our ratings are still climbing! I told you, any show you star in always tops the charts.”

Xi Rou’er smiled, finally feeling a weight lifted from her chest.

Watching her own face on the television, her smile grew wider.

[Host, you must keep up the good work~]

[Don’t worry. With you as my system, how could I possibly lose to an ordinary person?]

[But you need to keep progressing on your targets as well.]

Thinking of her final conquest, Xi Rou’er frowned slightly. But it didn’t matter; she was sure she could win over Gu Haoyuan.

No man had ever escaped the palm of her hand.

The drama continued to unfold, and after half an hour, everything began to change.

The ratings for 'Soaring Phoenix' began to soar, breaking past 1 percent, with a steady upward trend.

Meanwhile, after its first episode, 'Speed World' saw its ratings plummet, dropping from nearly 2 to 1.5, then finally settling at 1.

That was by no means a low number—but beside it, 'Soaring Phoenix' was still rising.

Xi Rou’er’s face changed dramatically. She shot up from her chair. “What’s going on?! Didn’t I tell you to buy more online buzz?!”