He’s here.
He’s here.
He really came.
“School of the Flame” premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on iQIYI.

Watch the young lady Xie Xiang take up arms in her brother’s stead, hand-in-hand with her boyfriend from August Frame, as they enact the “so tempting” phenomenon.

“School of the Flame” tells the story of Xie Xiang, who takes her brother’s place in the military and disguises herself as a man to enroll at the Army Academy. There, she becomes classmates with the carefree rich heir Gu Yanzhen and the calm, level-headed Shen Junshan. Together, they thwart their enemies’ plots, find love, fulfill their patriotic aspirations, and discover their true calling in life.

Since its official announcement, the series has garnered intense attention from both industry insiders and fans, quickly becoming a flagship project for iQIYI. Behind this widespread interest lies the exceptional production strengths that set “Liehuo Junxiao” apart.

1. A powerful alliance

HuanYu Film & TV and the Zhu Brothers are both among the industry’s hottest production companies. With “The Flame of Youth,” they have once again joined forces to write a stirring new chapter, drawing intense attention from within the industry.

2. The cast and crew of “Story of Yanxi Palace” have reunited once again.

The series is helmed by Hui Kaidong, the director of “Story of Yanxi Palace.” His artistic mastery and meticulous craftsmanship have only heightened anticipation for the premiere of “School of Warriors.”

3. Novel subject matter

“School of the Burning Flame” has stood out during the summer season—when modern youth dramas and period costume series are in abundance—thanks to its distinctive portrayal of military life in the Republican era.

4. The Yao Lan couple rekindles their past romance.

After “The Imperial Coroner,” Bai Lu and Xu Kai are teaming up once again, much to the eager anticipation of their fans.

“School of Fire” was meticulously crafted by the Zhu brothers, from sound design and subtitles to the DIT workflow and final color grading.

To stir the audience’s emotions and enhance their viewing experience, the Zhu brothers’ sound team conducted thorough research and meticulous production across environmental sounds, special effects, dialogue, and foley. “Authentically recreating the sounds of wartime” is the guiding principle of the Zhu brothers’ sound team.

The early stages of the military academy serve as the setting where the male and female protagonists first meet and come to know one another, with their bickering yet endearing dynamic forming the dominant tone. Accordingly, the background sound design is upbeat, light‑hearted, and brimming with the vibrancy of youth. Take, for instance, the scene in which Gu Yanfen exposes Xie Xiang’s disguise as a man; the Zhu brothers’ sound team further deepens the duo’s playful, antagonistic‑yet‑affectionate pairing by carefully aligning the soundstage with the visuals and dialogue.

Following Japan’s troop buildup in Northeast China, the film features an abundance of war scenes. Given the complexity of such sequences—where gunfire, military movements, actors’ dialogue, explosions, hand-to-hand combat, and aircraft all converge within a single setting—the production places immense demands on the sound team’s expertise. Drawing on meticulous attention to detail, the Zhu‑style sound artists enhance the atmosphere by crafting the sonic signature of bullets leaving the barrel, carefully modulating the volume and spatial depth of marching footsteps, and meticulously assembling and arranging audio elements like aircraft bombing sounds. These efforts create a tense, high‑octane ambiance, authentically recreating the chaos of battle and immersing viewers in the action while propelling the narrative forward. At the same time, through precise synchronization of dialogue, visuals, and sound—and with painstakingly nuanced design—they bring the protagonist’s character to life, underscoring themes of fervent patriotism and unwavering dedication.

The Zhu brothers’ subtitle team has always adhered to a commitment to excellence, striving for subtlety and refinement to fully capture the essence of the original work. While staying true to both the fans and the script, they have repeatedly read Xiaoxiang Dong’er’s novels, meticulously revising and cross‑checking the dialogue to ensure perfect harmony between text and visuals. Through their professional, meticulous subtitling, they help viewers better grasp the plot and immerse themselves more deeply in the story.

The DIT team plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth production of a film crew. The Zhu brothers boast a professional, reliable DIT service team that provides robust technical support on the set of “Fire School” and handles deliverables and feedback for color grading, sound, visual effects, and other post‑production elements.

During the post-production of “School of Thunder,” the Zhu brothers coordinated across all departments, striving for perfection. Through meticulous work on sound, subtitles, DIT, and other stages, they crafted the characters’ personalities, reflected the historical context, and provided an additional “stage” for the characters’ fates and the story’s progression.

In the bonus segment, our editor takes you on a tour of the military academy in its entirety: the 20,000-square-meter Jiangwu Hall, painstakingly constructed on location over four months by more than 800 artisans. With its unique blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, it’s so stunning it’ll leave you gasping!

Finally, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Teacher Yu and President Yang for their unwavering support and guidance over the past decade. It is thanks to your trust and encouragement that we have had the privilege of collaborating time and again—on projects ranging from “Beauty’s Rivalry” and the “Palace” series to “Story of Yanxi Palace,” “The Legend of Hao Lan,” and now the period drama “Rise of a Princess.” The Zhu Brothers are deeply honored to have witnessed, alongside you, the birth of one classic work after another, and to have contributed to the continued growth of China’s film and television industry. We look forward to even closer and more fruitful collaborations with HuanYu Pictures in the years to come!