I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 35: Test Screening

The moment Han Qi mentioned "Senior Brother Zheng," the tall, skinny disciple beside him tensed up.

And he wasn’t the only one. The nearby senior brothers who overheard their conversation also had subtle expressions of reverence on their faces.

A rumor had begun spreading throughout the Market District—

Zheng Fa, Senior Brother Zheng, had become the Sect Leader’s disciple.

At first, most people didn’t believe it.

The rumor had originated from Master Pang’s faction, after all.

And really, could any of them be trusted? They were always making things up!

But neither Senior Sister Zhang nor Zheng Fa had come out to deny it.

Most importantly, they even claimed that their own master had suffered a loss, attempting to recruit Zheng Fa as his disciple and failing.

That part had to be true!

As a result, the rumor quickly gained traction, spreading to the point where it became an open secret among Jiushan Sect’s disciples.

Because of this, Han Qi and his two companions found themselves in a rather awkward position.

After all, in the entire Market District, only they were truly under Zheng Fa’s command.

The others had previously followed Zheng Fa’s instructions, but that was because Senior Sister Zhang had entrusted him with responsibilities.

Now, looking at the complex mix of envy and caution in the eyes of those around them, Han Qi didn’t know what to feel.

Just a short while ago, he had been wondering when the Market District would start answering to Zheng Fa.

But now?

It seemed like the entire Jiushan Sect was about to be under his name!

I just wanted to follow Senior Brother Zheng to make some money…

How did I end up becoming a key figure in the future Sect Leader’s inner circle?!

Sensing that the surrounding disciples were eyeing them curiously, Han Qi pursed his lips and quietly led his two lackeys out of the crowd.

"Senior Brother, why does it feel like everyone’s suddenly distancing themselves from us?" the tall, skinny disciple asked in a hushed voice.

"Because Senior Brother Zheng has become the Sect Leader’s disciple," Han Qi explained. "And before this, Senior Sister Zhang was always seen as the undisputed next Sect Leader of Jiushan Sect."

"…You think Senior Brother Zheng and Senior Sister Zhang will fall out?"

"…Hard to say. But this is the Sect Leader’s position we’re talking about. It’s common for senior brothers and sisters to turn on each other over it." Han Qi sighed. "Those senior brothers are probably just waiting to see which way the wind blows."

"…But shouldn’t it be obvious?"

"Obvious? What do you mean?"

"Look!"

The skinny disciple pointed ahead.

Zheng Fa was approaching the newly constructed building.

To his left was Senior Sister Zhang, the genius of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, chatting with him casually, smiling as she spoke.

To his right was Zhou Qianyuan, Master Pang’s most favored disciple, listening intently as if afraid to miss a single word.

"If this isn’t clear enough, I don’t know what is."

"……"

Under the gazes of many watching disciples, Zheng Fa entered the new theater with Senior Sister Zhang and Zhou Qianyuan.

"You mean to say that for this test screening, we won’t charge, but we’ll gather feedback from Jiushan Sect’s disciples?"

Senior Sister Zhang asked as they walked.

"Since this is our first play, there’s a chance the audience might not be used to it yet. It’s better to offer free admission," Zheng Fa explained.

Senior Sister Zhang nodded, not objecting.

Inside the new theater, the Sect Leader himself was pacing back and forth, studying the structure.

It seemed like he was evaluating how well he could use his Lodge Within the World technique here.

"Master."

Zheng Fa quickly stepped forward and bowed—he hadn’t expected the old man to actually come out of seclusion for this.

It showed just how seriously he was taking the test screening of Saving Junior Cultivator Pang Qian.

The Sect Leader nodded at the three of them and asked, "What were you discussing?"

"Senior Brother suggested that for the first screening, since the audience is made up of Jiushan Sect disciples, we don’t charge spirit stones. Instead, we’ll collect their feedback afterward."

"Collect feedback?"

"Mainly to see if there are any criticisms or areas for improvement."

"Hmm… It would be good to remember those ungrateful disciples." The Sect Leader nodded in apparent understanding.

Wait, are you planning to keep a blacklist?

"…It’s so we can revise the play based on their input." Zheng Fa hesitated before clarifying. "Since theater is a new concept, and it’s meant for a broad audience, we need to see how well it’s received and make adjustments accordingly."

This was something that would have been difficult to do in the modern world—

A single movie production cost an enormous amount of money.

Making revisions required extra funding, not to mention negotiating the schedules of actors.

But in the Xuanyi Realm, it was different.

Here, they could revise the play however they wanted!

The old man in front of them could change not just faces but entire realities with a single thought.

Zheng Fa valued the audience’s opinions for one simple reason—

He was operating in a completely different world.

Even between two countries on Earth, cultural preferences varied greatly.

At the very least, for the first few productions, Zheng Fa needed to gauge the aesthetic tastes and level of acceptance in this world.

The next night, the first test screening of Saving Junior Cultivator Pang Qian began.

To Zheng Fa’s disappointment, the turnout was sparse.

The theater had over ten thousand seats, but barely a thousand people had shown up.

"Many disciples, upon hearing that attendance wasn’t mandatory, preferred to stay home and cultivate."

Senior Sister Yuan, noticing his expression, softly reassured him, "Most Jiushan Sect disciples aren’t very fond of entertainment."

Zheng Fa nodded in understanding.

Many of Jiushan Sect’s disciples came from humble backgrounds.

During the day, they had to work for their livelihood. The only free time they had was at night, which they used for cultivation—

Even if one night’s worth of training wouldn’t make much of a difference.

But still—

It was like being in school.

You knew reading textbooks during breaks wouldn’t help much.

But when you saw your classmates doing it—

You couldn’t help but pick up a book and pretend to study, too.

It might not have been the most productive use of their brains, but at least it was good for their conscience.

Beside him, Zhou Qianyuan hesitated before speaking. "Also… I think my master forbade our faction’s disciples from attending this."

There was confusion on his face as he added, "A lot of my senior brothers actually wanted to come, but… Master’s expression was really bad when he talked about it."

"……"

This was definitely the Sect Leader’s fault!

Senior Sister Zhang and Yuan both had strange expressions, clearly having already guessed why Master Pang was acting this way.

"Senior Brother Zheng, do you know why my master is so mad?" Zhou Qianyuan, noticing their reactions, pressed on.

"Junior Brother Zhou, knowing too much isn’t good for you." Zheng Fa paused, then asked, "Do you want to head back first?"

Zhou Qianyuan nodded regretfully. "I don’t have a choice. Master specifically told me to meet him tonight for lessons—said I absolutely couldn’t skip it. I was actually thinking about sneaking in to watch…"

As they watched Zhou Qianyuan leave, a puzzled voice suddenly spoke up beside Zheng Fa.

"Why did he leave?"

Zheng Fa turned and saw the Sect Leader standing there, looking genuinely confused.

Zheng Fa said nothing—he just stared at the old man.

"What are you looking at me for?" The Sect Leader frowned. "Did he run away because I showed up?"

……

As the time for the test screening arrived, the Sect Leader flicked his sleeve.

Zheng Fa watched as ten talismans flew from his hand.

In an instant, the massive theater seemed to transform into an entirely different world.

Explosions of talisman magic, the screams of wounded cultivators, and the chaotic sounds of battle filled the air.

Many disciples, having never experienced anything like this, were instantly thrown into confusion—some even instinctively reached for their own talismans, ready to counterattack.

"It’s just an illusion. There’s no need to panic."

Senior Sister Zhang’s calm, authoritative voice rang through the theater. She had long-established prestige among the disciples.

Hearing her, the flustered audience slowly settled down and returned to their seats.

Zheng Fa let himself become immersed in the story.

He had already seen this play three times—

Once, the original version, directly from the Sect Leader.

Then, the modified version, adjusted based on his memories.

Later, after visiting the modern world, he had watched the original film again.

Upon returning, he had revised the script once more, incorporating both his own insights and the Sect Leader’s input.

Comparing the two versions, he had to admit that the original film had a more polished narrative style.

But in the end, he still felt that the Sect Leader’s version was superior.

Because the Sect Leader’s Lodge Within the World technique didn’t just create a full-immersion projection—

It went beyond that.

Inside this illusion, Zheng Fa could hear the cries of battle and see the despair on the faces of cultivators.

He could smell the metallic tang of blood on the battlefield.

He could feel the sticky warmth of fresh blood dripping onto his fingers from a wounded companion beside him.

Ever since understanding perspective in storytelling, the Sect Leader had gone all in—deliberately enhancing the immersive experience of the illusion.

This level of realism was something modern film technology was still far from achieving.

With two versions of the film fresh in his memory, this was now his fifth time experiencing the story.

And yet, he was still completely drawn in.

He only snapped out of it when the story reached its conclusion.

As the illusion faded, silence filled the theater.

No one spoke.

Zheng Fa glanced at the audience.

They remained in their seats, staring blankly, as if still trapped in the emotions of the play. Some even had tears in their eyes.

Zheng Fa gave Senior Sister Zhang a look, and she took the cue, standing up.

"The play has ended. Please exit the theater."

"If you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement, you may collect a feedback form at the entrance and write down your thoughts."

She glanced at the Sect Leader before adding, "The responses will be anonymous and completely optional."

Hearing her voice, the disciples obediently stood up and began making their way to the exit in groups.

What surprised Zheng Fa and the others was—

Almost every single disciple took a feedback form on their way out.

Not only that, but they immediately grabbed the pens provided and started filling them out on the spot.

A long line even formed at the feedback table.

This scene was far beyond what they had expected.

"That many opinions?"

Senior Sister Yuan blinked in surprise. "I thought it was great!"

By the time the last of the audience had left, the pile of feedback forms had grown so large that the table could no longer hold them all.

Senior Sister Zhang waved her hand, and the stack of paper floated toward them, neatly arranged in midair.

Senior Sister Yuan, impatient as always, grabbed one from the pile and skimmed it.

Then another.

Then she started flipping through them faster.

After a while, she looked up and found everyone else staring at her.

"No need to read the rest."

"What do you mean?"

"They all say the same thing—"

"It was too short!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!