Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

As the two approached, they discovered a dozen round tables set up in the open space at the alley entrance. The tables were covered with bright red plastic sheets, and the bowls and chopsticks were neatly arranged. Several women wearing aprons were bustling about serving dishes, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of food.

Xia He was stunned, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

She grabbed a man who was watching the commotion with amusement and pointed at the tables: "Sir, isn't this a protected historical site? How... how can they hold a banquet like this?"

The man could tell from Xia He's appearance that she was a tourist from out of town, and explained with a smile.

"Young lady, you're here for tourism, right? There are still many long-time residents here! Neighbors have weddings or funerals, they just set up a few tables in front of their homes to keep things lively, it's no problem! Isn't the point of preserving cultural relics to maintain this vibrant atmosphere?"

Xia He said "Oh," and scratched her cheek a little embarrassedly.

This doesn't seem quite like the "cultural relic protection" enclosed by railings that she imagined, at least not like the one in the Forbidden City.

Cheng Mo tugged at her arm: "Stop spacing out, let's go inside and take a look."

"Huh?" Xia He snapped out of her daze. "Go in? You know this family?"

Cheng Mo shook his head, turned to the man from before, and politely asked, "Brother, do you know the host of today's banquet?"

"Yes, I know him. He's Old Chen, he's lived around here his whole life!"

The older man was very enthusiastic: "But it doesn't matter if you know him or not. His grandfather is turning 100 today, and they're having a three-day feast! It's all about celebration. If you happen to be passing by, just come in, say hello, and you can sit down and have a meal!"

Xia He's eyes lit up immediately, and she asked, "No need to give money as a gift?"

The eldest brother laughed heartily: "Hey! What's the point of giving a gift! The host said that living to a hundred is a blessing, and the more you share this blessing, the more there is! Everyone who comes is a guest, and the more people there are, the happier the old man will be!"

Xia He's slight embarrassment vanished instantly. She grabbed Cheng Mo's sleeve and exclaimed excitedly, "Let's go! Hurry up! There won't be any seats left if we're late!"

Cheng Mo stumbled as she pulled him: "Don't rush, can't you see everyone is queuing up and not pushing their way in?"

Xia He looked around and saw that, as expected, although there were many people and it was lively, everyone was smiling and waiting for the person in charge to make arrangements, and everything was in good order.

Many neighbors around her gave her kind smiles when they saw her anxious appearance.

Xia He blushed slightly, quickly let go of Cheng Mo's hand, and stood properly next to him.

Soon, they understood the meaning of "flowing banquet".

As soon as one group finished eating, helpers quickly cleared away the dishes and wiped the table clean. In the blink of an eye, a new set of dishes was laid out, and the waiting guests naturally sat around it.

The chopsticks kept moving, the voices never ceased, and the feast truly flowed on like a continuous stream.

Once she started eating, Xia He completely let go of her inhibitions. The braised pork belly was soft and tender, the steamed pork with rice flour was savory and fragrant, and the twice-cooked pork had just the right amount of wok hei (wok aroma). Her chopsticks danced rapidly as she ate, her cheeks bulging and her eyes squinting with satisfaction.

Just as they were engrossed in their meal, Xia He noticed that Cheng Mo wasn't eating much, and asked curiously, "Little Taoist, why aren't you eating? Is it not to your liking?"

"I'm eating." Cheng Mo picked up a piece of green vegetable, but his gaze was more focused on the empty space next to the table.

There, a Nuo opera troupe is making preparations.

At this moment, the Nuo opera "Eight Immortals Celebrate Longevity" officially begins.

The Eight Immortals, wearing wooden masks, appeared one by one.

Tieguai Li's mask is dark and rugged, and he holds a gourd; Han Zhongli's mask is round and smiling, with his chest and belly exposed; Zhang Guolao rides a donkey backwards, and his mask is kind and gentle; He Xiangu's mask is elegant and beautiful, and she holds a lotus flower.

Lü Dongbin carries a sword, Han Xiangzi plays the flute, Lan Caihe carries a flower basket, and Cao Guojiu holds a jade tablet.

Although the masks are mottled with color, the carving is lifelike. To the beat of simple gongs and drums, the "Eight Immortals" walk around the field with ancient steps, bowing to the centenarian sitting on the grand master's chair.

Finally, He Xiangu presented a plate of dough-sculpted longevity peaches with utmost respect.

The old man smiled broadly, his eyes barely visible, and nodded repeatedly.

After this skill, the even more eye-catching "climbing the mountain of knives" begins.

A twelve-meter-high ladder of knives stood in the center of the field. The ladder was supported by two thick bamboo pillars, with thirty-six steel knives tied horizontally in the middle, all with their blades facing upwards, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

A nun priest, shirtless with a red cloth tied around his waist, first burned incense and prayed in front of the ladder of knives, then with a low shout, stepped barefoot directly onto the bottom blade!

The entire room fell silent instantly.

The Nuo master used both hands and feet, gripping the back of the blade with both hands and firmly stepping on the blade with the soles of his feet, climbing upwards step by step. His movements were extremely steady, with his entire body weight pressing on the thin blade. His skin was in contact with the steel, yet there was not a single scratch.

Halfway up, he even performed a dangerous upside-down maneuver on the ladder of knives, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

Finally, he successfully reached the summit, standing on the highest knife rack. He took out handfuls of red-dyed "longevity rice" from his pocket and scattered them in all directions. He then hung a red silk cloth at the top of the ladder and shouted with all his might:

May your happiness be as boundless as the Eastern Sea and your longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountain pine! Congratulations to Grandpa Chen on reaching the age of 100! May you enjoy good health and long life forever!

"good!!!"

The cheers were deafening, and everyone clapped enthusiastically.

Cheng Mo and Xia He also cheered loudly along with the crowd.

Just then, Cheng Mo caught a glimpse of an old man on the outskirts of the crowd, wearing a wrinkled white shirt, black shorts, cloth shoes, and an old baseball cap.

The old man had white hair and beard, but what was most striking about him were his eyes—his pupils were a deep black, with almost no white showing, yet his gaze had an inexplicable penetrating power as he quietly looked toward the direction of the mountain of knives.

Cheng Mo had a sudden thought and was about to walk in that direction when he suddenly heard a commotion from the other side.

"Dad! What are you doing!"

A middle-aged man, looking embarrassed, pulled an elderly man with gray hair and a wrinkled face next to him.

The old man was shakily holding a plastic bag, trying his best to stuff the bowl of braised pork belly on the table into it.

The old man continued working slowly, saying, "Keep it for my son to take back... My son loves this the most..."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's embarrassment instantly turned into emotion, his eyes reddened, and his voice choked with sobs: "Dad..."

He stopped interfering, but carefully protected the old man, while nodding apologetically to the guests who were watching.

Everyone expressed their understanding, their eyes filled with warmth.

Cheng Mo withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the spot where the old man in the baseball cap had been standing, but he had vanished without a trace.

Feeling a pang of emotion, he sat down again and ate his food in silence, as if the conversation and laughter at the table had become distant.

After this round of banquets ended, Cheng Mo and Xia He left their seats and stood at the edge of the crowd to continue watching.

The final ceremony began. All the Nuo opera performers faced the birthday celebrant and bowed in unison. The dancing Nuo lion stepped forward again, picked up a real peach from its mouth, and respectfully placed it on the old man's lap.

The elderly monk presiding over the ceremony held a ritual bell and chanted incantations, including an ancient and profound "Longevity Mantra".

After the incantation was completed, the actors reached out and removed the Nuo masks from their faces.

The moment the masks were removed, the senses of "divine" aura surrounding them vanished instantly, and their eyes quickly returned to the peace of ordinary people, carrying a hint of weariness and relaxation.

And his demeanor changed abruptly, from an executor who communicated heaven and earth on stage to a familiar face among the neighbors.

Cheng Mo's gaze was deep and mysterious; this was Nuo—

Wearing a mask, one becomes a god; removing the mask, one becomes a human. Even ordinary people can sense the aura of a god.

At the edge of the open space, the birthday celebrant was helped to his feet by his family to receive everyone's blessings.

His face was beaming with a pure and contented smile as he repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting to all directions.

The crowd gradually dispersed, the noise settling into a satisfied aftertaste.

Xia He also pulled Cheng Mo along with the crowd.