Liu Dashao had already fallen asleep, but the crowd showed no signs of dispersing. They whispered among themselves, sharing their thoughts and experiences. Their conversation revolved around the strange events and their admiration for the young Taoist priest. Liu Dashao’s reputation had thus spread far and wide, drawing attention not only to himself but also to other figures like the Suona King and Drum Chen.
Being skilled at both playing instruments and storytelling, the Suona King and Drum Chen had often been hired for funerals in the past, during which they had encountered many strange incidents. They recounted these tales vividly, spitting and spluttering in excitement, while the listeners were captivated, naturally indulging in some exaggeration. The crowd listened in awe, occasionally bursting into laughter.
Luo Siyu naturally joined the audience. Always a good student, these kinds of topics had previously seemed irrelevant to her, but after the events of the previous night and today, she had become a firm believer. After all, these stories were fascinating and new to her. Who wouldn’t enjoy listening to fresh and authentic tales?
She asked the Suona King, “Uncle, when did Dashao start learning this? He seems pretty skilled!”
The Suona King replied, “I don’t really know. It’s not something everyone can learn. Take us, for example—we’ve studied for decades and barely scratched the surface. That kid, though, is only in his teens and already so talented. It’s true that some people make others feel jealous! Maybe he’s just naturally gifted. So, learning this requires both intelligence and talent.”
Luo Siyu said, “That’s true. Liu Dashao isn’t good at school; he’s always loafing around, with long hair like a hooligan and dressed like a bum, very lazy. I never thought he’d be good at this stuff! Haha.”
Time slipped away in laughter and conversation.
After completing the two-day religious ceremony, the funeral was set for the next morning. That night, people gathered again at the Luo family’s home, as rumors had spread that the young master would perform a magical display. As the crowd grew, Liu Dashao was about to call it a day, but everyone insisted on seeing the performance.
Liu Dashao knew that what laypeople didn’t understand was that in the past, Taoist priests didn’t perform magic shows—they conducted necessary rituals to soothe the deceased’s soul. Now that Old Master Xiang’s soul had already departed, there was no need to perform such rituals anymore, but the people didn’t know that. They were simply curious and entertained.
Unable to resist their pleas, Liu Dashao finally agreed to perform. He walked three circles around the coffin, followed by members of the Luo family. When he reached the doorway, he faced outward and declared, “Immortals, please make way and do not disturb. By the power of the celestial master, let flames scatter into light!” He then threw a handful of spirit money into the air. The paper money suddenly ignited, scattering in all directions, prompting gasps from the crowd.
He circled three more times and returned to the doorway. The Suona King played his suona in accompaniment. Liu Dashao shouted toward the sky, “The path lies in all four directions; let the immortals guide us to the suona’s call.” He tossed another handful of spirit money into the air. The paper money seemed to have a mind of its own, scattering in four directions—east, south, west, and north—soaring several meters high before converging and falling toward the northwest, igniting as they descended. Another round of astonished exclamations followed.
After three more circles around the coffin and back to the doorway, Drum Chen began beating his drum. Liu Dashao knelt down, followed by the crowd behind him. He chanted, “Nine times nine returns to one, the dust settles. By the path of immortals, may the west lead to paradise.” He then stood up and threw a handful of spirit money westward. The paper money seemed guided by invisible hands, spreading out one by one into the air, forming a path stretching over ten meters toward the west. One by one, they ignited until the farthest piece had burned. The crowd was beyond amazement—they were speechless, left only to discuss what they had seen afterward.
These rituals were originally part of the funeral rites, as guiding the deceased’s soul required appeasing the minor spirits and borrowing the path from the local land god. However, since Old Master Xiang’s soul had already departed, these rituals were now unnecessary. Liu Dashao, however, wanted to test his skills. This was a perfect opportunity because even if it failed, there would be no consequences. To his delight, the spirits and land god acknowledged his abilities, confirming that he was now a legitimate Taoist priest. He was thrilled, though he knew the spirits might not appreciate being played if they realized it. Nevertheless, the successful performance boosted Liu Dashao’s confidence. At the very least, the name of a new Taoist priest had been added to the underworld’s registry—Liu Dashao himself.
Pleased with the outcome, Liu Dashao gave instructions for the next day’s preparations before heading home to rest.
The next morning, Liu Dashao tied a freshly crowing rooster to the coffin lid. At his command, the procession began moving uphill. Everything went smoothly until they reached a wooden bridge, where Liu Dashao suddenly stopped, followed by the entire group. No one knew what had happened, and the eight pallbearers were especially frustrated, silently cursing under their breaths.
Liu Dashao, however, was in a difficult position. The local land god had blocked their path.
The land god looked like a tiny man with bark-like skin, his beard trailing all the way to his feet, making him appear even smaller. Only Liu Dashao, with his yin-yang eyes, could see him. The land god said, “You young rascal, don’t think you’re pulling one over on me by asking for the path yesterday. There’s no soul in that coffin at all. What path are you even borrowing?”
Liu Dashao thought to himself, “Why does this land god speak like a thug instead of a deity?” But he quickly realized, “Well, he is a local god.” He smiled apologetically and said, “Honorable immortal, please calm down. There was a small mishap, but I’ve already taken care of it.” He explained the situation, conveniently changing the timeline to last night.
The land god examined the coffin and found nothing amiss. After all, the young man was still doing a good deed, so he decided not to press further. However, this bridge’s land god rarely received offerings and was quite poor—otherwise, he wouldn’t have responded so quickly the previous night. Stroking his beard, the land god said, “You think you can just walk past me now that I can’t stop you, huh? Hmph!”
Liu Dashao, being quick-witted, immediately understood. He turned to Luo Ping’an and said, “Tell the people carrying the spirit money to burn some extra here at the bridge and light more incense.”
Luo Ping’an nodded in understanding and gave instructions to the others. The land god gave Liu Dashao a look that said, “At least you know how things work,” before disappearing into the small temple.
Liu Dashao shouted, “Let’s move on!” and strode forward confidently.
Luo Ping’an, following behind, asked, “Master, what just happened a moment ago?”
Liu Dashao smiled and said, “The local land god here was just collecting a toll. Once we paid, everything was fine. If you ever run into trouble in the future, you can come visit this land god. Since he accepted your offerings today, you’ve formed a good connection. I’m sure it will bring you blessings. Haha.”
Luo Ping’an was delighted and said, “Really? I’ll make sure to visit him during festivals from now on. Thank you so much!” For someone like him, receiving advice from a Taoist priest was a great honor.
They finally arrived at Old Master Luo’s burial site. The grave had already been dug and was ready for the burial at the proper time. Although Liu Dashao knew that the old man’s soul had already departed and the timing no longer mattered, he still went through the motions out of respect for tradition.
During a break, several elderly men approached Liu Dashao and asked, “Master, could you take a look at the feng shui of this place?” These elders, who had initially had little faith in Liu Dashao, had grown to respect him over the past few days.
Liu Dashao had already visited the day before to inspect the grave site and assess the feng shui. Hearing their question, he was about to respond when a group of young men nearby shouted, “Wait! Let us listen too!”
Liu Dashao smiled and said, “Fine.” He continued, “From what I see, this place is surrounded by mountains on all sides, yet each side has its own exit. The feng shui here is like a bird in a cage. But this is no ordinary bird. Look at that mountain across from us—it slopes downward like the outstretched wing of an eagle resting. This is known as an eagle drying its wings. Your village’s feng shui is similar. The bird in the cage isn’t a small one—it’s an eagle. Once it escapes the cage, the sky is vast and open.”
One elder asked, puzzled, “But many of our young people have left the village, and few have succeeded.”
Liu Dashao replied, “If it’s a bird in a cage, once it flies out, it shouldn’t look back. If it keeps thinking of returning, it won’t succeed. Imagine a bird that keeps flying back to the cage for food—how can it ever thrive in the outside world?”
Another elder nodded and said, “Master, you speak wisely. That explains why so few from our village have succeeded. It’s all due to the feng shui.”
Liu Dashao said, “Feng shui is a natural phenomenon. Different places have different feng shui, which shapes different people, giving rise to diverse languages and customs. Like your village’s feng shui, the people here are peaceful and content, living comfortably without worries, even if the world around them is small.”
The elders laughed and said, “Hearing your words, Master, has truly enlightened us. You young people should listen well—don’t stay here forever. Go out and explore. Once you leave, don’t keep thinking of returning. You are eagles, meant to soar in a wider world. You’ve seen how the girls from our village who married out have done well. Now you understand why, don’t you?”
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