Chapter 166: Under Mount Shimen

Desolate mountains, quiet night, bright moonlight, someone set up a stage to sing opera.

At first, the voices of the performers were inevitably a little trembling.

But they didn't stop.

Dozens of wide benches were placed below. In the eyes of the Daoists from Mount Yishan who came from afar, they seemed to be empty, but in a blink of an eye, it seemed that some people were already sitting there.

Fortunately, there were still some empty seats.

Many Daoists were very sure that the people singing on the stage were living people. They had heard of this form of singing opera. Only Little Xiao Shimei had never heard of it, and she looked confused, but she followed her senior brothers and sat down.

They wanted to find someone to ask for directions, at least find a place to stay, even if it was a ancestral hall or a village temple, it would be better than sleeping in the wilderness. However, people were performing with all their heart and strength, and there were audiences below, so they really couldn't go on stage to disturb them. That would be impolite.

So they had to find an empty seat and sit down to wait.

As soon as they approached and sat down, they could clearly feel that the voices of the performers, which had finally returned to normal, became trembling again.

And it was shaking more violently than before.

Even the blowing and beating sounds were chaotic.

In their hearts, they immediately knew that the other party had misunderstood, but it was not good to leave again.

Lanterns were lit on the stage, but not below the stage.

The lanterns illuminated the first few rows, but several Daoists sat in the last few rows, so they were hidden in the moonlight.

In the eyes of the people on the stage, they were singing ghost and god operas in this desolate village night. This place didn't have many people walking even during the day, but at night, some figures came and sat in the darkest place while they were singing, looking like they were watching them sing. How could they not be afraid?

There was even a "person" under the stage who seemed to love opera. Borrowing the moonlight and the faint light of the lanterns, he saw him shaking his head and singing along.

"Don't stop! There are audiences, we must perform better!"

The low voice of a middle-aged man came from the backstage, the volume was just right, mixed in the blowing and beating opera music, and the people under the stage couldn't hear it at all.

This is the rule for thousands of years.

"What are you afraid of? Don't be afraid! We are here to sing songs and perform plays for them. Since ancient times, let alone ghosts and gods, even the barbarians who deserve to be cut into thousands of pieces came, and they didn't make things difficult for us actors!"

The people on the stage listened silently, not stopping at all.

That's the truth.

The opera was accepted, how could it stop?

Once a song starts, no matter what, it must be finished. Whether it is windy or rainy, whether there is anyone listening, it must have a beginning and an end.

In an instant, the blowing and beating sounds became even stronger.

The performers devoted themselves more attentively.

Their state gradually rose, and they forgot their fear.

The opera troupe here is also famously particular about singing, reciting, doing, and fighting, and has many high-platform martial arts that require hard work.

For example, single-leg kicking, fork-leg kicking, knife doors, flying forks, etc., are all extremely thrilling. When performing high-platform martial arts, they flip over I don't know how many tables, as if flying over eaves and walking on walls is not a problem.

The people on the stage didn't fool around at all.

The people and ghosts under the stage gradually listened carefully.

Even Little Xiao Shimei held her chest and sword with both hands, staring at the stage with a focused face, her eyes shining, very focused.

Even when Lin Jue turned his head to look around, even the other strangers beside him were watching extremely attentively. Even if some had dull expressions, they were unwilling to look away.

Entertainment in this era is still too little.

So much so that whenever a wealthy family in the mountain village funded an opera troupe to sing in the open air, people from ten miles and eight villages heard about it, and they were really willing to walk two hours of mountain road to join in the fun. After watching, they walked two hours of mountain road back, and still felt beautiful in their hearts.

Because this opportunity is really too rare.

I didn't expect that it would be the same after becoming a ghost.

Lin Jue didn't feel anything, just turned his head left and right, constantly examining these ghosts.

I didn't expect that there could be so many ghosts of all sizes in this small place, and even demons turned into animals, stopping in the darkness in the distance, and also came to join in the fun.

Seeing that most of these ghosts were sallow and thin, men, women, old and young, it was not clear in the dark night, and I didn't know when they died. It's just that they didn't go to the underworld, nor did they naturally dissipate...

I'm afraid that the underworld and the human world are not running smoothly, which is why this is the case.

Lin Jue pondered like this.

But a long time passed, and the people on the stage didn't come down, let alone come to talk to them, and they didn't even leave the opera stage.

Lin Jue slowly became a little sleepy.

At first, he felt that they sang quite well, the performance was quite wonderful, and the blowing and beating made people energetic, but after a long time, after getting used to this continuous sound, it seemed to have the effect of helping sleep.

Fuyao sat at his feet.

Lin Jue gently patted its head, and seeing it turn its head, he said to it: "I'll take a nap first, remember to wake me up if anything happens."

"Ying~"

The fox answered simply.

Lin Jue sat on the ground and closed his eyes to rest.

But unexpectedly, nothing happened all night.

Overnight, the people on the stage never came down, never stopped, and the original audience under the stage never disturbed the stage at all. Both sides seemed to tacitly abide by this ancient rule.

Actually, where are there any written rules?

It's nothing more than the four words of putting yourself in someone else's shoes.

By the time Lin Jue woke up, it was already early the next morning. The sky was already dim, and red light shone through.

The benches around were already empty, the wild beasts in the mountains behind were gone, only a few performers who were still wearing opera costumes and had hoarse voices stood aside, talking to Second Third Third Shixiong with lingering fear.

"The Daoists really scared us..."

The opera troupe was really startled when they started last night.

Singing operas for ghosts and gods in the middle of the night, and people came to sit below while singing, that's all. It was hard to calm down and sing normally, but found that the sky was about to dawn, and they didn't leave!

It wasn't until the rooster crowed and the sky dawned that they saw clearly that the people sitting below were a group of Daoists.

This matter is enough to be told as a joke to others.

"Forgive us, forgive us. We also got lost by accident and had nowhere to go. We wanted to ask for directions, but you were focused on performing and had no time to take care of others. The road was slippery at night, and there was fog in the mountains, and the ground was wet and cold, and we had nowhere to go, so we had to sit here. At least there was a bench to sit on." Second Third Third Shixiong had to bow his hands repeatedly, "It was also because the road was boring, and we coveted your performance."

"So that's how it is."

The head of the opera troupe breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked at them with respectful eyes, bowed and said:

"The Daoists are also bold. In the middle of the night, we were singing here, and there was no one, but you dared to come and sit and listen. You must have Dao practice."

"Aren't you all singing on the stage all night?" Seventh Third Third Shixiong said beside Second Third Third Shixiong.

"That's different. We ourselves accepted the job of singing for ghosts and gods. Even if there is no one below, we have to sing here all night. On the contrary, having people scared us."

"Then how do you know..."

Seventh Third Third Shixiong smiled and said to them: "There is no one else except us below?"

The opera troupe was stunned.

Couldn't help but turn their heads and look at Seventh Third Third Shixiong.

Seventh Third Third Shixiong also looked at them, respecting their hard work and the short-lived joy they brought to the ghosts and gods without fooling around all night, so he bowed to them.

There was no need to ask anymore.

The opera troupe was stunned, and also raised their hands, and both sides bowed to each other.

After putting down their hands, Seventh Third Third Shixiong asked: "Why do you sing opera in the middle of the night in this wilderness?"

"We were invited by a wealthy family in Shimen Village to sing opera here and invite the ghosts and gods in the mountains to watch." The head of the opera troupe said, "It is said that a strange child was born in their family, who often walked in his sleep. Some time ago, he didn't come back after walking. Now the child is not only stupid, but almost out of breath."

"Shimen Village..."

Seventh Third Third Shixiong murmured, and asked curiously: "What does this have to do with you singing opera here?"

"It's that the Yan family invited a teacher to see it, saying that the child's soul walked far away and couldn't be called back. Then the teacher gave them an idea to invite an opera troupe to sing an opera for the ghosts and gods, saying that after these ghosts and gods watch the opera, they will naturally help find it after receiving the friendship."

"So that's how it is."

"We don't know if there are really ghosts and gods coming, and we don't know if it's useful. Anyway, we came to perform after receiving the money. It has been like this for thousands of years. We actors have a cheap life, and we are not afraid of anything."

"The head of the troupe must not say that." Seventh Third Third Shixiong became serious when he heard this, and bowed and said, "You famous actors have deep skills, are dedicated and professional. All the audiences last night were satisfied. And these wandering souls have been drifting in the mountains for I don't know how long, and I don't know how much bitterness is in their hearts. How can you not be a merit to bring them joy and relieve their bitterness?"

When the head of the opera troupe heard him call them "famous actors", he felt ashamed and wanted to wave his hand to decline, but when he heard the back, he couldn't help asking:

"Is... is it true? Are the ghosts and gods really satisfied?"

"Naturally."

Actors are originally cheap, but mortals and little ghosts all have hearts. At this time, everyone couldn't help but show some relief and pride. Facing these Daoists, they became more respectful.

"Where are the Daoists going?"

"We are looking for Mount Shimen. This place is really too remote. We are new here, so we inevitably lost our way."

"Mount Shimen? This place is indeed remote. If the Daoists say other places, we may not know, but if you say Mount Shimen..." The head of the troupe said, turning around and pointing to the deep mountains in the distance, "That is Mount Shimen. There are also four or five villages under the mountain. Although remote, there is a lot of land."

Everyone looked in that direction.

I saw a piece of green mountain already revealed in front, and under the green mountain, there seemed to be fields, and houses hidden in the morning fog and dense forest.

The lower half of the green mountain is a forest, lush and green, and the upper half is half-hidden in the morning fog, vaguely visible as a stone mountain. There is a cave in the middle of the stone mountain, looking like a door from a distance, and the clouds and mist add to the ethereal, like an immortal door.

"So that's how it is."

Fourth Third Third Shixiong couldn't help but murmur.

If he had known that Mount Shimen was so easy to identify, he should have asked his friend to fly to the sky to find it earlier.

"We were invited by the Yan family in Shimen Village under Mount Shimen. We are just going back to report and get the money, and we can also take the Daoists there." The head of the troupe said, "The Daoists must have skills. That family is already exhausted for the sake of their descendants, and they will definitely welcome the Daoists. At worst, there is breakfast to eat."

"Respect is better than obedience."

Many Daoists followed him.

The mountain road in the early morning was covered with dew. Walking between them, they inevitably rubbed against the spring grass, and their shoes and clothes were wet, and they carried fine sand. This mountain village was thus imprinted in their hearts.

Lin Jue looked around as he walked.

This place is really remote, and that Mount Shimen in front is really big. Even after walking nearly two miles, he could vaguely see the village hidden in the dense forest, and the size and distance of Mount Shimen seemed to have not changed. The air not only had the smell of mud, flowers, and dew, but also had fresh spiritual energy.

It is a good place for secluded practice.

There is no doubt that this place is most suitable for Fourth Third Third Shixiong.

If he lived here, that big mountain would be a natural paradise and hunting ground for his friends, and this remote place would be just right for him and his friends to practice.

It's just that being remote has advantages and disadvantages—

If you are missing something, it is inconvenient to buy and prepare it.

If you can have a good relationship with the people under the mountain, it will be much easier.

I heard that this is a newly built mountain god temple, which should also be built by the villages under the mountain. It is just right to ask the head of the troupe to point the way, so as to inform the villagers that the Daoist who manages the temple has come.

After walking for two quarters of an hour, they passed through the fields and entered the forest.

The road under their feet turned into a small alley in the village.

At this time, it was morning, the time for cooking, and the cooking smoke rose and sank in the dense forest, adding a touch of tranquility to the village.

The opera troupe and the Daoists walked in the sound of chickens and dogs.

The villagers all cast surprised glances.

The opera troupe took them into the host's house, met the Yan family, and the head of the opera troupe first said that they had finished singing the opera, and then talked about what happened last night, and then introduced the Daoists from Mount Yishan to them. ===== CHAPTER 167 =====