Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Xia Liuqing led Xia He on a leisurely walk through the woods behind the village. The trees in the woods were tall and straight, mostly cypress and camphor.

"They usually cut down trees here to make Nuo masks." Xia Liuqing casually patted the trunk of an old cypress tree next to her. "Little Hemiao, do you know why only the trees in this area are best suited for making Nuo masks?"

Xia He approached a tree, reached out to touch the bark, and then closed her eyes to feel it carefully.

The trees themselves are not special, but the Qi of heaven and earth in the whole forest is exceptionally abundant and active, like an invisible stream slowly flowing through the forest.

She opened her eyes and asked in confusion, "Grandpa Xia, the trees here don't seem special at all, so why is the Qi in the forest so abundant?"

Xia Liuqing chuckled and said, "These trees are the complete opposite of us supernatural beings. Supernatural beings absorb the Qi of heaven and earth and use it for themselves. But these trees turn ordinary air into Qi and release it. And what's the result? They end up being cut down by us humans and made into masks."

Xia He tilted her head: "Grandpa Xia, why are you telling me all this?"

Xia Liuqing glanced at her, her gaze somewhat distant: "Little seedling, I hope you won't be like those trees. Sometimes in life, you have to be a little selfish."

Xia He pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Does Grandpa Xia think I've helped the little Taoist priest too much?"

Xia Liuqing laughed heartily: "I was just saying, as long as the little seedlings don't end up like this old man."

As a seasoned simp, Xia Liuqing knew all too well how powerful the "white moonlight" of youth could be. He only gave Xia He a slight reminder, hoping that Xia He would think twice and not follow in his footsteps.

Xia He smiled, her hair appearing soft in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees: "Hehe, the little Taoist taught me techniques that allow me to control my supernatural abilities, so it's only right that I help him. As for the rest... time will tell."

Xia Liuqing looked at Xia He for a while, then slowly nodded, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out, revealing a hint of relief. He didn't say anything more, only saying, "Alright, you young people can make your own decisions."

In the days that followed, Cheng Mo stayed at the ancestral hall and learned how to make Nuo masks from Lin Yongnian.

He didn't rush things. He started by identifying the wood and learning how to air-dry it, taking it one step at a time. Lin Yongnian taught him meticulously, and Cheng Mo learned with focused attention. His hand holding the carving knife was extremely steady, and his movements were precise. He followed the wood grain, and wood chips fell down in a flurry, gradually revealing the outline of a human face in the rough shape.

At the same time, Wang Zhenqiu's life was not so comfortable in An Baoqing's Nuo opera troupe.

Although he was exceptionally talented, Bishop Anban was extremely strict with his basic skills.

Balancing a bowl of water on one's head while standing in a horse stance is just the appetizer; there are also activities like walking on stilts, singing loudly in front of a water vat, and swinging a wooden knife thousands of times.

Wang Zhenqiu did learn quickly. He would often finish with a bitter face, but in the blink of an eye, he could be laughing and joking as he helped his fellow apprentices tidy up the props. His mouth could still make people angry to the point of jumping up and down, but it was impossible to hate him.

Time passed amidst the scraping sounds of carving knives and the shouts of the opera troupe.

Inside the ancestral hall, Cheng Mo completed his first Nuo mask.

It was a mask of a "wild and fierce general", rugged and ferocious, with wide-open, angry eyes.

Following Lin Yongnian's instructions, he tried to immerse himself in the carving process, imagining the fierce spirit that could dispel evil and break through obstacles.

Once the mask is shaped, a base coat is applied, and colorful patterns are painted on it, the final product is simple yet powerful, perfectly capturing both form and spirit.

Lin Yongnian took it and examined it carefully, nodding repeatedly, praising his skill as having captured three-tenths of the true essence.

Cheng Mo put down the carving knife, his fingertips still seemed to retain the warmth of the wood, and the scent of lacquer mixed with mineral pigments lingered around his nose.

He closed his eyes and quietly felt his heartbeat steady, his blood flowing gently, and his stomach and intestines moving slightly.

Unfortunately... that anticipated thrill, that warmth or coolness, still didn't appear.

For his second mask, he chose a more abstract image of "harmony between heaven and earth," with rounded lines and chaotic colors, attempting to capture the more primordial essence of Qi.

This time, he carved even slower, his breathing almost synchronized with the rhythm of the carving knife, his mind completely immersed in that vague yet grand imagination.

The mask was finished and placed by the window, where sunlight streamed through, shimmering on the wood grain.

Still...no response.

Xia He had arrived at the entrance of the ancestral hall at some point. Looking at his back as he sat quietly facing the mask, her face was full of anticipation. She asked softly, "Little Taoist, how are you feeling?"

Cheng Mo opened his eyes, turned around and smiled at her, then shook his head: "No Qi sensation at all."

He paused, stood up, stretched his shoulders and neck which were a little stiff from sitting for a long time, and walked to the window to look at the distant mountains and forests.

"However, after this trip, watching the wood gradually transform into something else, I feel as if I've become closer to these mountains and trees. I guess that's another kind of gain."

Xia He walked over, stood beside him, and earnestly comforted him, "It's okay, I'll take care of you from now on."

Cheng Mo turned his head and stared at her.

Xia He felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, her face flushed slightly, and her eyes darted around: "What's wrong?"

Cheng Mo suddenly reached out his hand.

Xia He's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned even redder, but she didn't flinch.

Cheng Mo's hand landed on her shoulder, patting it gently.

Xia He looked puzzled: "?"

Cheng Mo said calmly, "Even if I can't sense Qi, I'm still stronger than you. So don't worry, before I start going downhill, I'll definitely break your legs first, so we can both be in wheelchairs in the future, and neither of us will have to look down on the other."

Xia He: "???" She froze for two seconds, then reacted, her eyebrows furrowing. "You stinky Taoist priest! You're asking for it!!!"

Cheng Mo had already nimbly jumped back a step, chuckling, "You can't hit me, you can't hit me."

Xia He angrily chased after him, and the two of them chased each other around the worktable in the small space of the ancestral hall.

Xia Liuqing had returned at some point and was leaning against the door frame, watching the two of them making a ruckus with a complicated expression in her eyes.

His opinion of Cheng Mo rose even higher without him realizing it.

He had clearly seen the hopeful light in Cheng Mo's eyes when he had previously told Cheng Mo that making Nuo masks might be feasible.

Even though the attempt failed and expectations were dashed, Cheng Mo did not appear too frustrated or dejected; his mind remained calm.

Don't be discouraged by defeat... It's easier said than done.

He himself only gradually learned to accept it after being rejected by Jin Feng 108 times.

After the two of them had stopped playing around for a while, they stopped panting.

Xia Liuqing spoke slowly, "Young Cheng, I'm really out of options. What are you planning to do next?"

Cheng Mo turned to Lin Yongnian, his expression sincere: "Uncle Lin, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge these past few days. I have benefited greatly from it."

He took out a thick envelope and handed it to him with both hands: "This is a small token of my appreciation. It's not a reward; craftsmanship is priceless."

He paused for a moment: "Our Nuo masks are excellent, but they are not widely circulated. Now that the internet is convenient, I'm thinking that perhaps we could film some of the best ones, add the stories and intricacies of our craft, and put them on a wider platform so that more people can see them."

"Consider this money as a trial project. If you think this approach is feasible, use it to get started; if you think it's not suitable, please accept it as a small contribution to the preservation of this craft, hoping it can go further."

Lin Yongnian looked at the thick envelope and then at Cheng Mo's clear eyes, knowing that this was a young man's heartfelt gift.

He paused for a moment, then accepted the gift with both hands and said solemnly, "Brother Cheng, you're too kind. I accept this kindness on behalf of this craft."

Having repaid Lin Yongnian for his guidance, Cheng Mo faced Xia Liuqing.

The old man's kindness was far greater—

First he was beaten up, then he busied himself with coming up with ideas and even used his personal connections to get Lin Yongnian to teach him the skills.

This debt of gratitude cannot be repaid simply with money or by helping to beat up Wang Zhenqiu a few times.

Cheng Mo couldn't think of anything he could give Xia Liuqing that he needed.

He bowed deeply to Xia Liuqing: "Grandpa Xia, I will remember this kindness. In the future, if you ever need anything, no matter how far away, just say the word and I will come to help you in the best of my ability."