Chapter 73: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 4 Part 2
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Coincidentally, Lu Xingxing was on a voice call with someone.
The familiar voice emanating from his phone surprised Yan Shixun. “Taoist Song Yi?”
Originally scolded by his master and completely absorbed in his own thoughts, Lu Xingxing, who hadn’t paid attention to his surroundings, immediately turned his head when he heard the voice of his “enemy,” Yan Shixun, and looked behind him.
If it weren’t for Yan Shixun, how could he have been scolded by his master again!
“Is Taoist Song Yi your master?” Yan Shixun looked at Lu Xingxing’s expression and nodded knowingly. “So, why are you squatting in front of my house? You’re not convinced so you came here looking for a fight?”
Lu Xingxing, who was burning with anger, was about to blurt out “yes,” but when he saw the strong muscle lines revealed beneath Yan Shixun’s casual home attire, and thought about how Yan Shixun had chased him yesterday, rendering him completely powerless, and almost killed the evil spirit in front of him, he suddenly felt small in front of Yan Shixun. Knowing that his own strength was less than that of the evil spirit and that Yan Shixun was stronger than the evil spirit, he realized…
Lu Xingxing hesitated for a moment, and his tall figure shrunk into a ball. However, he quickly stood up straight again with a “whoosh,” trying to appear more imposing. But when he caught a glimpse of the man behind Yan Shixun, whose eyes were slightly narrowed as he looked at him, he inexplicably felt like retreating. It was as if the instinct for self-preservation was desperately pulling at him, trying to drag him out of danger.
On his first day of training, Master Uncle Ma had taught him to trust his intuition, as it was often a hint from the heavens on how to proceed. After all, while the sixty-four hexagrams might not reveal everything, the heavens had already seen through all things.
So, when Ye Li gave him a discouraging look that made him hesitate, Lu Xingxing stiffened his neck and shot a tough line at Yan Shixun, “Civilized people don’t fight! Just wait, we have a long way to go.”
After saying this, Lu Xingxing surprisingly turned around and left with a show of determination.
However, his departing figure seemed somewhat forlorn no matter how one looked at it, even suggesting a hint of fleeing.
Ye Li’s eyes darkened as he watched Lu Xingxing’s retreating figure. Who are you planning to have a long way to go with? What exactly is your plan for the future?
Could it be that he had discovered the treasure, and because it was too brilliant, others had also noticed it, and this person wanted to take his exorcist of the human world from him?
Lu Xingxing, who had already run away, suddenly stumbled over his own feet, fell heavily to the ground, and then hurriedly got up and ran again.
But this time, even from a distance, you could see the drooping shoulders of Lu Xingxing, as if he felt embarrassed about what he had just said and had taken a tumble. It was a social death.
Lu Xingxing choked up, thinking, “I want to take a train and move to another city overnight.”
Yan Shixun：“???”
He turned to Ye Li and asked inexplicably, “So what was this person here for? He was here just to intimidate me with a sentence? Or was he here to show off that his master is Taoist Song Yi?”
Ye Li withdrew his indifferent gaze from Lu Xingxing and said, “Who knows, maybe he’s just foolish.”
……
When Yan Shixun’s personal livestream was temporarily suspended and then reinstated for broadcasting, the fans became noticeably more obedient. They no longer asked mysterious questions. Even when they saw Yan Shixun about to say something that could get him banned, they frantically flooded the chat with messages to cover up the potentially problematic content from the moderators’ eyes.
Yan Shixun paid little attention to their distress. He not only ignored their pleas for him to create social media accounts but also persisted in ending his livestream once he had finished practicing and reciting scriptures for the day.
After all, he was here to help those fans who had lost their luck and needed to ward off evil spirits. He had finished reciting the scriptures and achieved his goal, so why continue broadcasting?
Fans: Other Brothers work hard to engage with their fans and pamper them. Our Brother Yan is strict with his schedule. When it’s time for me to clock out, no one can stop me. Sigh, how frustrating! Is this what a Taoist-style idol looks like?
But fortunately, the fans didn’t stay sad for too long, as the show quickly moved on to its third episode.
After the negotiations and power plays among various talent agencies during this period, Zhang Wubing finally confirmed the guest list for this episode just before the scheduled filming date.
However, contrary to the expectations of many talent agencies and outside the norm, only Rourou, who was no longer suitable for variety shows after her injury last season, and Anthony, who was eliminated in the previous season, did not voluntarily withdraw from this episode.
Even though this season, before the start of filming, they added a “Risk Disclaimer” and other contractual terms to inform all the guests that the show might encounter uncontrollable factors and dangers, and that there was a risk of injury, not a single person was willing to drop out.
——These guests have been in the entertainment industry for many years, experiencing both the highs of fame and the lows of being ignored or even treated with disdain. After finally seizing an opportunity to gain popularity, and not an empty promise at that, their fan base had grown significantly in just a few days. They were receiving various job offers and opportunities from well-regarded production teams.
All of this was thanks to this show. In such a situation, how could they possibly give up their guest spots?
However, what surprised Yan Shixun was that Song Ci, the young master who had used his conection with Zhang Wubing to get on the show last season, and who had promised to use his connections to ensure that Zhang Wubing’s show would always pass the top-level review, had decided to stay and not withdraw.
“Last time, you were scared out of your wits. Why are you willing to come this time?”
At the meeting point, Yan Shixun looked at Song Ci for a while as he approached. He made Song Ci somewhat uncomfortable with his gaze, then finally took the water bottle offered by Song Ci. He lazily smiled and asked, “Isn’t it to see ghosts? Since your last goal was already achieved, why are you here now?”
“Last time was my first time seeing a ghost, I had no experience, and I didn’t handle it well. This time, I’ll make sure to appear brave.”
Song Ci raised his chin, forcefully maintaining the appearance of a young master in front of Yan Shixun. He was nervously fumbling to disguise his anxiety when facing Yan Shixun, trying to make himself seem more confident. “Besides, didn’t you deceive me last time? You said there were no ghosts and it was all a lie. What were those things last time, then?”
“Anyway, I’m already in the program, so don’t think anyone can kick me out,” Song Ci said. After that, he quickly ran to the high-end travel bus parked on the other side, hid behind the curtains, and carefully observed from the curtain’s gap, thinking that his gaze towards Yan Shixun wouldn’t be noticed.
“Brother Yan? What’s going on with Song Ci?” Zhang Wubing, who had been discussing the program details with other new guests on the other side, noticed the conversation from afar. He thought Song Ci might be saying something to provoke Yan Shixun, so he hurried over.
“It’s nothing, that kid is just as foolish as you are.”
Yan Shixun replied with a smile. He shook the water bottle he had been holding tightly earlier, which had now turned lukewarm, and found the situation quite amusing. A hint of amusement appeared on his lips. Then, he slightly turned his head to look in the direction of Zhang Wubing, where two tall youngsters were standing. “Are those the new guests for this time?”
Zhang Wubing nodded, “After discussing with the official and Master Song from Haiyun Temple, we all agreed to keep the original format of the show intact. Master Song said that disturbing any elements before understanding why the show always ends up in dangerous places might affect our judgment. You’ll still be the tour guide. Among the two remaining guest slots, one will be filled by a member from Haiyun Temple. Master Song mentioned that this way, it will reassure the officials, and in case of any danger, this Taoist can assist you. He is a senior disciple of Master Song and hasn’t taken the vows of Taoisthood. And he has some connections in the entertainment industry, which makes him a suitable candidate.”
As they noticed Yan Shixun and Zhang Wubing’s gazes, the two men turned their heads as well.
One of the youngsters had a gentle smile and was quite polite. He nodded towards Yan Shixun. He seemed quite famous, as even Yan Shixun, who knew nothing about the entertainment industry, remembered seeing countless billboards of the man all over places like Di Die Street and Business Street.
The other person was none other than Lu Xingxing, who had crossed paths with Yan Shixun before.
Today, during the live broadcast, Lu Xingxing appeared to take things more seriously. He was wearing slightly oversized trendy clothing that still managed to complement his physique. He had put effort into his outfit, and his hair was styled.
His level of dedication seemed as if he were an actor preparing for an international award or a warrior gearing up for battle, using his clothes as a way to display his strength. It was like donning armor that boosted his confidence.
Lu Xingxing puffed out his chest confidently and made a “hmph” sound.
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing a hint of curiosity.
So, the person from Haiyun Temple joining the program is Lu Xingxing?
The eight guests for this episode had all arrived, and several of them were even early. Due to their shared experience of facing adversity in the previous episode, the returning guests appeared closer to each other than regular colleagues on a typical show. They were relaxed, chatting, joking, and discussing the farmhouse and the village they were going to visit this time.
“Family Tomb Village? Although I’m from the south, I haven’t heard of this village. Our country is indeed vast and diverse.”
The third-rate male celebrity sighed with a hint of sarcasm on the main screen and joked with everyone, “But where I come from, village names aren’t that carefully chosen. Many of them are just handed down from the past, like ‘Princess’s Tomb Village’ or ‘South Mountain Tomb Village.’ These names come from the fact that there used to be a princess buried there, or it was originally an unorganized burial site, so they just used that as the village name.”
“Oh?” Bai Shuang shuddered slightly, showing some surprise. “But building a village on top of a burial mound seems quite challenging. You’d need to clear the graves and bones before you could construct houses, and that sounds like a significant undertaking.”
The third-rate male celebrity chuckled in response, “No way! In the past, they would just fill in the burial mounds and build houses directly on top of them. And having buried bodies below often made the crops grow better.”
After going through two frightening experiences, especially one where she encountered a ghost’s possession in a villa where people had died, Bai Shuang had become scared of places connected to the deceased. Her fear was clearly visible on her face.
A fellow variety show celebrity quickly tried to defuse the situation, saying, “It’s not that serious, really. Think about it, if the people who live there aren’t afraid and are willing to use that name for their village, it means that the place is safe, and nothing significant has happened there. Otherwise, they would have changed the name due to superstitions a long time ago.”
This reassured Bai Shuang, and she started smiling again.
As for the third-rate male celebrity, he took out his phone and looked up the destination for this trip on the map app. He initially wanted to see how far it was and if it would be enough for him to take a nap. However, he accidentally noticed the topography of their destination on the map and burst into laughter.
“Family Tomb Village and Jia Village, these two villages look quite interesting. Why do they have this shape?”
On the map, a large mountain resembled a crescent moon, dividing the two villages.
Nestled within the encircling mountains was Family Tomb Village, while on the outer edge of the mountain range was Jia Village.
It almost looked like the Yin and Yang symbol the male celebrity had seen before, but due to the shadow of the mountain, only the “Yin” part, represented by black, was visible.
The male celebrity didn’t pay much attention to it, found it amusing, and casually took a screenshot to post on his social media account. It served as an announcement to his fans that he was starting a live stream for the show and a lighthearted sharing of his unexpected discovery, which he found quite interesting.
The fans also found it amusing, and the comments section was filled with laughter.
Once the guests had loaded their luggage onto the car and settled in, Zhang Wubing, full of energy, announced the official start of this episode on the main screen of the live broadcast.
“Our destination, Family Tomb Village Farmhouse!” Zhang Wubing tugged on the sleeve of Yan Shixun beside him, trying to get him to join in introducing the location to the live audience. After all, Yan Shixun was the tour guide, and he was the director.
However, Yan Shixun just glanced lazily at the main screen, made an “Oh” sound, and boarded the car.
Ye Li also got on the car, leaving only Zhang Wubing in front of the screen.
Zhang Wubing: “???”
Brother Yan! QAQ Please show a bit more energy!
But despite Zhang Wubing’s tears of wide-faced noodles in his heart, he continued to energetically introduce, “Family Tomb Village is backed by Moon Mountain and faces Moon Creek in front. It’s a great place nestled among the mountains and rivers. Because of its unique environment, it cools down earlier than the surrounding areas. Now that autumn has arrived, the leaves on the mountains are turning red. There, the audience can join the guests in picking pine nuts on the mountain, fishing in the creek, and enjoying the dreamlike scenery of red leaves falling like red clouds all over the mountains. It’s definitely a relaxing and leisurely journey.”
“Now, follow our guests and head to your destination! You’ll get to enjoy an authentic rural feast there – but here’s the catch: the guests will have to do the harvesting and firewood chopping themselves.”
Zhang Wubing made a “shh” gesture to the camera, acting mysteriously and happy, saying, “Since even Brother Yan won’t accompany me in introducing this, the poor director decided to get back at them a little. Shh… don’t tell them.”
The barrage was filled with “hahaha,” as viewers anticipated seeing the guests fumble comically just like in the previous episode at Wild Wolf Peak camping.
They were especially eager to see if Brother Yan would end up with soot all over him due to chopping firewood. Brother Yan’s reaction would surely be interesting.
Some viewers chuckled and looked forward to it in their hearts.
After Zhang Wubing finished his introduction, the main screen of the livestream was brought onto the minibus. Once the camera angles were set up for the guests, the production crew’s convoy began heading to the destination.
With the variety show celebrity on board, there were no dull moments inside the bus. He pulled out all the stops to create humor, playing games to involve all the guests.
Since the veteran guests were familiar with each other, they got along well and easily picked up on each other’s cues, preventing any awkward silences. Laughter erupted in the bus from time to time, creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere.
Especially with the addition of two new guests this time, one being the young and explosively popular “Song God” who rose to fame at a young age. The other was the renowned independent music producer Lu Xingxing, who had composed music for many historical TV dramas and movies. Due to his outstanding looks, he wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes figure. Many people in the entertainment industry were familiar with him. His fans loved him for both his appearance and talent.
With the inclusion of these two young and easygoing individuals, the guests were having a great time.
As for Yan Shixun, as usual, he found a comfortable spot at the front of the vehicle, completely ignoring the pleas and cries of fans in the barrage. He had no intention of appearing on the main screen and comfortably drifted off to sleep.
Ye Li sat beside Yan Shixun, and after he closed his eyes and fell asleep, Ye Li watched him with unblinking eyes.
Before long, Ye Li extended his hand and gently placed it on the other side of Yan Shixun’s head, preventing him from accidentally hitting the car window while sleeping.
I’m doing this because the livings are so fragile. I hope he lives many more years.
Ye Li expressionlessly thought.
On the main screen, some viewers who had checked the screenshots of the destination shared by the program’s guests from social media found it peculiar.
[Have you guys seen the screenshot of the place the guests are going to this time? It looks really strange to me. I immediately thought it resembled the Absolute Bagua diagram, but only half of it.]
[Huh? I also looked it up on the map, and it’s true. There’s a village completely surrounded by mountains. In front of it is a north-south flowing stream that separates the village from a few other villages. There are no roads nearby. Is that why the director just introduced it as Moon Mountain and Moon Creek? It’s quite picturesque.”
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