Although the critical reception of *Taiyi* collapsed, its box office trend remained steady. In its first five days, it grossed nearly 65 million, followed by 8.8 million on the sixth day, 8.3 million on the seventh, and 7.9 million on the eighth. Aside from the weekend bump, the numbers dropped every day, but the decline was so gradual it resembled an arthouse film.
This strange phenomenon was driven by two factors. First, *Taiyi* commanded an immense level of online buzz; even with all the criticism, the overwhelming chatter sparked widespread curiosity.
Moreover, because the topic was trending everywhere, people who hadn't seen it yet felt compelled to buy a ticket simply so they could join the conversation with their friends.
Chapter 437