Chapter 280: Zixiao Palace, discussing the Dao!
Shen'en Animation is the cornerstone for Tianba Studio's expansion and continued survival, and is also one of the studio's most stable sources of income.
Because of this, Chen Ba put all his energy into the first Shen'en Animation Production Competition, contributing money and effort without any slack.
The competition lasted from January to June. Applicants came from all over the world. There were no restrictions on nationality, age, or subject matter.
The selection process is simple! From January to June, all entries that meet the criteria will appear on the event website. The voting channel will be opened in early June, and the 20 works with the most support will be selected for the final list and await the final decision of the core jury.
In addition to these 20 "audition" works, there are 10 works that are exclusively for "relationship households".
These 10 works will be jointly recommended by major animation companies, well-known animation websites, well-known animators, and the Shen'en Animation Association.
The connections are a bit too much.
Although these 10 places sound no different from those based on connections, in fact, the reason why Chen Ba reserved these 10 places is mainly for works with unpopular or niche themes.
There is no way! The early auditions were too cruel. They only looked at popularity and popularity. The audience only voted for the works they liked and would not vote for unpopular and niche works.
In other words, some unpopular and niche animations will suffer in this regard. No matter how high the quality is, or how deep and humanistic the plot is, they will most likely be eliminated.
Therefore, Chen Ba had a backup plan.
Once there is such a work, which may not be as popular or as hot as other works, but is actually of very high quality, it can enter the jury's field of vision through the back door.
There are 20 audition works + 10 recommended works, a total of 30 Shen'en animations, and finally one gold award work, five silver awards and ten excellent awards will be decided, and the rest are all shortlisted awards.
In other words, after entering the jury stage, even if you don’t win any major awards, you can still get a “nomination award” to be happy.
The finalist prize is 100,000 yuan!
Excellence Award: 500,000 yuan!
The silver prize is 1 million yuan, and the gold prize is 5 million yuan, in RMB! Half of this money will be sponsored by the Shen'en Animation Association, and the other half will be borne by Tianba Studio.
“Isn’t the gold medal too little?”
Regarding the award arrangement of this competition, Yang Dong pondered: "Isn't it a pity to only give out one gold award for those works that are equally matched?"
"You can also make double yolk eggs!"
"Besides, you think the number of gold awards is too small to meet the demand. But this competition is held once a year. One gold award a year is not a small number, right?"
to be honest.
Compared to Yang Dong's unfounded worries, Chen Ba was worried that one gold medal Shen'en animation was produced every year. Was the frequency too high?
What if one year, the output of Shen'en animation drops sharply, or the average quality is uneven, making it difficult to select a qualified gold award work, then wouldn't we have to bite the bullet and give the gold award to a work that was only worthy of the silver award in previous years? "This situation will definitely happen."
Yang Dong said confidently: "You can tell by just watching the Oscars ceremony. The quality of every Oscar Best Picture is very high, right?"
No, no, no! Although the honor of the Oscar statuette is very valuable, everyone with a discerning eye knows that some movies are "well-deserved" of the Best Picture award, while some movies are "picked out of a crowd" of Best Picture winners.
Even Hollywood's mature film industry cannot produce a high-quality film every year, let alone Shen'en Animation.
So the situation that Chen Ba is worried about is bound to happen, but this is normal and not worth worrying about.
In a certain year, Shen’en animation was very bad, and the gold award works were only at the level of the “Silver Award” or “Excellent Award” in previous years. So what! Who made the market sluggish this year and did not produce a qualified gold award work? It is impossible not to set up the gold award selection this year just because the market is not good and there are no qualified gold award works? There is no such reason. It should be set up and the gold awards should be awarded.
A mere five million, Tianba Studio can still come up with that...
“What if I can’t get it out?”
"Then we will give up the sponsorship and naming rights, and let the Shen'en Animation Association raise funds for the sponsorship themselves!"
Chen Ba waved his hand and said, "I don't want that day to come, because if that day really comes, it will mean the decline of Tianba Studio."
Logically speaking, if Tianba Studio is really in a state where it can't even come up with this money, there is no need to continue holding this competition.
Since Tianba Studio is in such a bad state, the current situation of Shen'en Animation can be imagined. What is the point of continuing to hold this competition? ...
Jiangning, Jinding Road.
At the entrance of a tea restaurant decorated in an ancient style, a sign was erected, which read: Warmly celebrate the successful holding of the First Zixiao Palace Taoism Conference in Jiangning, and welcome all Taoist friends to discuss Taoism! This line of words is so conspicuous! Passersby glanced at the sign and cast curious eyes into the restaurant.
What the hell? Discussing Dao in Zixiao Palace? Is this Zixiao Palace the same one I understand? Oh... So the name of this restaurant is Zixiao Palace. Sorry for the disrespect! Old Chen changed into a decent outfit early in the morning, picked up the game peripherals he had just picked up from his son's company - a paper fan with the words "Galaxy Emperor" printed on it, and came to the outside of Zixiao Palace.
The waiter dressed as a boy came up to Lao Chen as soon as he saw him and asked, "Great Immortal, do you have an invitation?"
"have!"
Old Chen remained calm and handed over a bright red gilded invitation. The boy took a look and said with a smile, "It turns out to be Senior [I want to hold my grandson]. Please come in. Your seat is in the first row..."
Following the boy's guidance, Lao Chen entered the banquet hall of Zixiao Palace.
The hall is decorated in a fairy-like atmosphere, and the so-called seats are not chairs or stools, but real cushions woven from cattail.
At this time, many people had come to the hall. Everyone called each other fellow Taoists and chatted happily.
Old Chen came to the first row and just found a cushion to sit down when someone poked him lightly on the shoulder.
"What's your name, fellow Daoist?"
"My surname is Chen, and my game ID is [I want to hold my grandson]!" Old Chen replied politely.
"Ah... So it's you, Senior, holding my grandson! Hello, Senior. My game ID is [I want to be Brother Ba's dog]. You can just call me Xiao Li."
The young man who greeted first was stunned when he heard the ID, his eyes full of disbelief.
[I want to hold my grandson]? This ID is very famous in "Cultivation Fantasy". As a great cultivator in the late stage of the Spiritualization Realm and also the law enforcement elder of the Refining Sect, Lao Chen is known by almost every player.
The player I Want to Hold My Grandson is a master of the game "cultivating immortals by spending money on games". It is said that the total amount of money he has spent on games has approached 10 million, making him a well-deserved top tycoon.
Moreover, unlike other super-rich players, [I Want to Hold My Grandchildren] does not take the quick karma route, nor does he become an evil cultivator. Instead, he takes the merit route like ordinary players, and honestly accumulates merit to improve his cultivation level.
As far as the players know, the purpose of spending money on the grandson is not to become stronger, but to refine equipment...
That’s right!
This senior was obsessed with refining equipment, and he spent almost all his money on purchasing various top-notch refining materials from the mall.
Moreover, he likes to give the magic weapons and instruments he refined to the right people, so he has a very high reputation in the world of cultivation and is loved and praised by everyone.
As a cultivator also at the Spiritual Transformation Stage, Xiao Li had naturally heard of Lao Chen's great reputation. Not only that, he had also received a mid-grade magic weapon from Lao Chen in the game.
But he never expected that the senior who "held his grandson" in reality was actually a middle-aged uncle. He thought that with this nickname, the senior would probably be an old grandfather with gray hair.
When Xiao Li asked why Lao Chen, who didn't look very old, had such a nickname, Lao Chen sighed.
"I just don't look old, but I'm actually over 50 years old. People of my age basically have grandchildren, but my son is the only exception. He doesn't even have a girlfriend..."
"Ah, no way?"
Xiao Li was a little surprised.
The fact that Lao Chen can spend tens of millions of dollars on gaming proves that his family is strong. His son must be a rich second-generation. How could a rich second-generation not find a girlfriend?
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
"Rich second generation?"
Hearing this, Lao Chen laughed and said, "You are wrong. I am not the first generation of entrepreneurs. My son is. He gave me the money to play games."
The son is a first-generation rich? Xiao Li was even more impressed. He didn't expect that the peer he had never met was not a second-generation rich man who was idle, but a first-generation rich man who made his fortune from scratch.
At this age, he has already started a successful business. Even his father can spend tens of millions of dollars on the game. How much money has he made? At the same time, Xiao Li is even more puzzled.
Such an awesome person should have no shortage of women around him, but how come Senior Chen said his son didn't have a girlfriend yet? "Oh, don't mention it!"
Old Chen waved his hand and said, "My son is a workaholic, and there aren't many single women in the company, so it has been delayed until now."
"The reason why I came to participate in this Zixiao Palace Dao Conference, in addition to meeting fellow Taoists, is also to see if there are any suitable girls to introduce to my son later."
"Then you've come to the right place!"
Hearing this, Xiao Li raised his eyebrows, pointed at the "female cultivators" camp next to him and whispered: "Senior, look, there are many beautiful fairies coming to the Zixiao Palace Discussion Conference today, you can pick one to be your daughter-in-law..."
"Yeah, it's quite a lot."
Old Chen looked in the direction Xiao Li pointed, then nodded with satisfaction.
Sure enough, I came to the right place! Today's Zixiao Palace Discussion Conference was set according to the "Three Thousand Guests in Zixiao Palace". Although it did not reach three thousand people, there must be more than a thousand people.
Among the more than one thousand fellow Taoists, there are at least three hundred female cultivators who came today. Most of them are not very old, and they look to be in their twenties.
Okay, okay, I have to ask for their contact information right away, then go home and give it to my son and ask him what style he likes.
“Huh!”
Old Chen, who was sizing up his future daughter-in-law, suddenly caught sight of a group of fellow Taoists dressed in black. He couldn't help but frown and asked, "Did the evil karma cultivators also get invited to today's Taoist Conference?"
"Yes, I did invite you."
Xiao Li explained, "The Lord of Zixiao Palace is kind. No matter if you are a virtuous cultivator or an evil cultivator with karma, you can all come to Zixiao Palace to listen to the teachings and discuss the Dao. Drinks are free, and you can help yourself with fruits."
"This Purple Sky Palace Master..."
Old Chen thought about it and found that this guy was really an amazing person.
The decoration of the Zixiao Palace restaurant is not simple, and the location is also good. To open such a restaurant in the central city, it must cost tens of millions.
As a result, he spent tens of millions of dollars not for the purpose of making money, but just to provide a place for fellow Taoists to discuss and preach Taoism. His generosity is admirable.
Drinks are free, fruits are available on your own, and there is no restriction on who can come, whether you are a meritorious cultivator or a karma evil cultivator. I'm afraid a lot of money has been spent on this...
There are always higher mountains than other mountains! Old Chen thought about it and realized that the boss behind the Zixiao Palace, who was not very prominent, might have financial resources comparable to his son's.
So here comes the question!
Does he have a daughter? How about introducing her to my son? A marriage of equal status is not a bad idea! Old Chen, who only wants to have grandchildren, now wants to ask everyone he sees, "Do you have a daughter? Can you introduce her to my son?"
There's no way, he's too anxious!
Every time he went to the square to find old ladies dancing, he saw that they were pushing a baby stroller, and Lao Chen was envious from the bottom of his heart.
No, there are so many female cultivators here today, and I must sell the one my son likes...
Old Chen has already thought about it.
What is the Taoism Conference at Zixiao Palace? As the name suggests, it is to invite some seniors with "high cultivation" to come on stage to tell everyone the tricks of cultivation and share some experiences and so on.
He has nothing to share! When it was his turn to go on stage, he said directly that he was here to find a wife for his son, and that as long as she became his daughter-in-law, he would give her any innate treasure or chaotic spiritual treasure.
No kidding!
The game "Xiuzhen Fantasy" is published by Tianba Studio. It is hard to say anything else, but the game has everything you need.
The premise is that he must win over his son and make him willing to be his daughter-in-law! Lao Chen thought about it and felt that it should not be a big problem. With his family's conditions and strength, which female cultivator would not be tempted? The most difficult hurdle is how to win over his son and make him nod his head to agree to this marriage! If he doesn't nod his head, even if Lao Chen arranges a heavenly marriage for him, he has to blow it! Moreover, his identity cannot be exposed! Lao Chen also knows that his son is a celebrity. Once his appearance and name are revealed, it will cause some heated discussions on the Internet.
Therefore, matchmaking also requires methods and techniques. You can’t just say “My son is Chen Ba” right away.
"Then let's do it through online dating!"
Old Chen made up his mind and decided to keep it a secret from the other party for the time being and not tell her his son's real name and appearance.
He had already prepared the following speech: "My son also plays "Xiu Zhen Fantasy" and has had a crush on you for a long time. Could you please add him as a friend so we can try to get in touch?"
(End of this chapter)