At this moment, in a self-built courtyard in Nanchu, Kong Xuan slowly approached the incense table, waving the curling incense smoke with his hand, his face solemn and slightly frowning behind the mist. The house was quiet and empty, the incense burning vigorously - it was the best time for cultivation.

He raised his hand, took out a book and placed it on the table, frowning coldly.

The book had several elegant characters on the cover: "High School Must-Do Exercises (Physics)".

Kong Xuan rubbed his brow, picked up a pen and started writing!

He refused to believe these physics questions could stump him any further.

About five minutes later, seeing the bizarre question types, Kong Xuan felt a headache coming on. He slapped the incense table, fuming that they even dared to set traps in the questions... He wished he could immediately capture a few question-setting... no, demon-slaying monsters.

Kong Xuan gritted his teeth: "Doing exercises sharpens my killing intent, a thousand demon souls shall turn to dust!"

...Calm down.

No good.

The questions weren't finished, and he had to turn them in soon.

Taking a deep breath, Kong Xuan floated outside, deciding to go bask in the moonlight to calm himself.

...

At Yueshan Park, it seemed only Tan Xiao and Little Judge Bao could see the two exceptionally "enthusiastic" special audience members. Everyone else was captivated by the adorable little performers, taking out cameras and phones to snap photos and record videos. The official photographers also took a few close-ups.

The little performer lacked stage experience after all. Being able to sing was already not bad, but he felt apprehensive and found it strange:

Why didn't the security guards pull away those two uncles and aunties trying to climb on stage? They didn't look like they wanted to give flowers, more like the disruptive types the teachers had mentioned before.

It was very odd. Not only did the security not remove them, but the instructing teachers watching from below didn't say anything either.

There must be a reason for that, the few-year-old little tot thought.

Little Judge Bao's instructor, an actor from the Nanchu Kunqu Opera Troupe, noticed something off about the child's state upon seeing him. He wasn't backstage earlier when the face paint was applied, but adjusting the sound system.

Before going on stage, he had realized the child's makeup wasn't done properly, but it was too late by then. However, how could he have connected this old custom with the child's current condition? He simply thought the kid was nervous due to the crowd.

It wasn't unusual for children to cry or make a fuss on stage for various reasons. Sometimes it might be from just seeing a bug. At least he wasn't crying yet, only a bit off.

The audience below also heard Little Judge Bao's voice gradually starting to tremble, his steps floating, even walking further inward on the stage. Everyone similarly felt it was because he was too young and feeling tense. So the venue erupted in enthusiastic applause, from sparse to unified, all cheering on Little Judge Bao's actor.

His opening earlier had been quite spectacular, stunning everyone. One look and you could tell his foundation was very strong, just lacking in stage experience.

"You can do it!"

"The little one sings really well!"

The instructor was also making encouraging gestures at the little performer from below the stage, his mouth exaggeratedly miming the upcoming lyrics and movements. The child's parents were even more anxious for him as they filmed, muttering "relax, relax" as if their voices could reach his ears.

The whole program only selected highlights from the complete opera, so it wasn't very long. In fact, not many lyrics remained.

Encouraged by everyone, Little Judge Bao mustered his courage to take two more steps forward, striking a pose as he sang the final passage to the audience.

Right at this moment, those two strange, scrawny audience members finally clambered onto the stage and flopped down, kneeling before him, each holding up a square-shaped object in their hands.

"Oh, now that we're on stage, His Lordship doesn't seem as tall as the legends say... He's even shorter than us."

"Could it be, could this be His Lordship's young son?"

"The crescent brows can be inherited too?"

"Nevermind, let's ask first."

Agitated, many dry cracks slowly surfaced on their faces, twisting their features and reminding one of the cured meat hung up to dry at home. The stage lights were already intense, shining on their faces, their hideousness increasing with each passing second, the corners of their eyes seemingly about to rupture.

The man and woman knelt and crawled a few steps on their knees, extending their black-nailed hands, wanting to hug Little Judge Bao's knees, whimpering, "Judge Bao, is that you? Is that you?"

Little Judge Bao had just finished singing the last line then, the trailing note ending unsteadily but at least complete, earning him a full house of applause.

With the song fully concluded, he relaxed, but upon seeing the hands reaching for his costume, he could no longer hold back the fear in his heart. Plopping down on the stage, he burst into loud sobs.

To his astonishment, the audience below, including his parents and teachers, after their initial surprise at seeing him cry after finishing the song, had laughter as their first reaction. They found the child utterly adorable - holding back tears to finish singing and posing before wailing with his face upturned. Such a strong work ethic at such a tender age!

Hearing the laughter, the little performer couldn't help but cry even louder. How could they still laugh? It was so scary!

The laughter from the audience rose and fell, making things even livelier.

The little performer was too frightened to move, crying stiffly in place, not daring to leave the stage. His parents were still filming and only now preparing to go on stage to carry him off.

But before they went up, a handsome and bright youth had already swiftly shouldered a large drum with its stand, walking to their son's side. He heavily set down the drum, then single-handedly picked up the child, directly passing him to the parents from the side of the stage.

The audience below, seeing a pretty youth with the adorable Little Judge Bao dangling from his grip, short legs still flailing, all burst out laughing.

The little performer's parents took him, recognizing Tan Xiao. The teen had passed the child in a similar manner before. They smiled at him in embarrassment, "Troubling you again."

Little Judge Bao, wiping his tears, noticed that brother seemed to be... intentionally or unintentionally blocking those two monsters on stage, not letting them lunge toward the audience below. It even looked like... he was grinding their feet with the drum stand?

The perplexing situation, coupled with that brother successfully stopping them, gradually stemmed his tears. The teardrops washing over his yin-yang face had already left marks, making those beside him find it funny and cute.

At this time, the host was already announcing from the side, "Next to perform is our province's renowned band, the Zhurong Band. They will be bringing everyone a wonderful song together with the Sunset Square Dance Team and Nanchu's cultural heritage inheritor Tan Xiao. Please enjoy-"

Cheers immediately rose from the audience. It seemed quite a few present knew of the Zhurong Band.

Although they were really a bit puzzled, how could this rock band, square dancing, and intangible cultural heritage be integrated together? The Nanchu municipal government was quite creative, but would it be a bit of a mismatch?

"Judge Bao, Young Master Qingtian, where are you going!"

"Is this person doing it on purpose, blocking us?"

"Are you stupid or what, of course he can see us!"

"...Why are you calling me stupid again???"

"What are you standing there for, don't you know to go after Young Master Qingtian?"

The man and woman in funeral clothes actually started arguing, then the woman pressed down on the man and pounded him. The man weakly said he wouldn't fight with a woman. The woman snorted and said, you sick ghost actually want to fight with this fierce ghost, can you beat me?

Tan Xiao: "............"

This was only the third time Tan Xiao had seen ghosts - no, Tan Xiao suspected he had seen other ghosts, just not necessarily recognizing them, like Lin Yang's uncle.

But anyway, seeing it this time, just happening to encounter a performance, really gave him a bit of a headache. Just now he had already rushed up, but was stopped by the staff, who strangely said it wasn't time for him to go on stage yet.

Fortunately the program was quick. Just now when he stopped those two, he was also on tenterhooks. It was time to test his acting skills.

No problem, no problem, just treat it as practice, contribute to public safety, learn from the Bureau 404. Tan Xiao silently chanted in his heart.

As Mao Mao walked onto the stage, she immediately got into character, holding the microphone and warmly greeting everyone, "Hello friends from Nanchu, we're very happy to be here."

After a few familiar interactions with the audience, seeing that everyone's equipment was ready, she said, "I hope you all enjoy this next song 'Leaving Fire'!"

She kept her hand raised high, waving to the audience. After finishing, she forcefully put it down, and Tan Xiao behind her tacitly smashed a drum beat in sync.

Boom!

The two ghosts froze in unison!

Kong Xuan stood on the roof, looking up at the vast expanse of sky dotted with a few sparse stars. The three realms were once one, only later separating. He came from the upper realm, but had never seen this angle before.

When humans look up, this is the starry sky and flowing clouds they see. They want to communicate with the distant deities in the clouds.

Suddenly, a drum beat came from afar, making his heart jump and pulse slightly chaotic. He turned his head to look -

In the park, the urgent and magnificent drum beats, each one shaking the drumhead, stirring the surging of blood in the hearts of thousands, forming a resonance of souls. It seemed that at some point they had heard this sacred, deep music before, and a kind of dormant memory came rushing forth in an instant.

Was it in a previous life, or in childhood? They had all heard this soul-stirring rhythm before.

The square-dancing aunties also shook their sleeves and swayed their waists, dancing to the drum beats with a dance that looked very classical and had the charm of ancient Chu. This scene, which originally made people wonder if it would be a mismatch, instead became the most shocking performance since the opening!

The audience almost didn't dare to speak, or wanted to speak but didn't know how to describe their reaction. They just watched this scene with surging emotions.

Kong Xuan closed his eyes. He seemed to see a pair of slender fingers, gripping the drumsticks, playing on the bright red drum, crystal clear.

This was no longer the shaman's tune played just for him. His shaman said, the flower of folk art, from serving deities and nobles, had long become music of the people, to entertain the masses.

But what was anyone to do when that was his acting shaman, when the Chu shamans' drums were naturally divine.

He even saw Tan Xiao's focused gaze. Everything was far away, yet close at hand.

Even the distance between heaven and earth could be bridged, let alone a street apart.

Kong Xuan saw Tan Xiao close his eyes, immersed in the drumming. The boy's hair clung to his soft cheeks. He also quietly closed his eyes, vaguely sensing the boy's thoughts and wishes. His breath followed the wind, wrapping around the boy's hands, empowering his drumming...

......

Mao Mao raised her hand. Today she wasn't playing the keyboard, but held a six-sided pellet drum. As the prelude continued, she shook it along with the big drum. The much clearer sound mixed together, inexplicably very harmonious.

Mao Mao looked back at Tan Xiao and smiled. Actually this was Tan Xiao's idea, she only temporarily rehearsed it twice.

- "Yi and Na, place my tao drum, play the drum simply, to please my fierce ancestors."

This looks a lot like a children's toy, just with a more complex and ancient shape. In fact, such "pellet drums" were called "tao" in ancient times and were also an important ritual instrument.

The Peacock said all shaman music entertains the gods.

It's just that tao drums, like countless things once used to "entertain gods", entered thousands of households and became things to "entertain people", sounding for everyone.

That drumming, made even more rousing when amplified, caused the two quarreling ghosts to lose interest in arguing, feeling only deep fear, wanting to flee.

At this time, outside the performance, it quietly revealed its most primitive function.

At the most urgent point of the drumbeats, Zhurong Band's drums, bass, and guitar joined in unison, playing a passionate melody with the electric current, setting off the first climax of the scene.

Regardless of whether they liked them before, people couldn't help but scream, shouting out the nameless impulse that had been suppressed in their chests while listening to the drumming -

The two ghosts felt their souls were about to be shattered by the drumming and screaming, wanting to crawl off the stage.

The little Judge Bao actor standing below the stage, his crying face that had just stopped, wrinkled up again. His parents thought he was scared to tears by the music. "Haha, what's there to cry about? It sounds so good."

Tan Xiao, in that inexplicably comfortable sensation of being surrounded by wind, had already finished his prelude task. He flipped his wrist, stuck the drumsticks in the drum rack, without hesitation pressed his thumbs against his bent middle and ring fingers, index and pinky fingers raised, making a small golden blade hand seal, pointing directly at the ghosts!

"Waaah!!"

Tan Xiao originally didn't know how to control his strength well. The two ghosts were chopped and fell forward, nearly scattering their souls. They hugged each other, wailing and crying.

The small golden blade hand seal, this person, this person is the Nanchu spirit shaman!

There were always over a thousand audience members on site, and there was even an official video recording.

Everyone could see Tan Xiao's movements. Someone craned their neck to look, "What does that little handsome guy raising his hand mean?"

The Zhurong Band fans on site took a look and loudly explained to the passersby, "You don't even know this, this is a rock gesture! The metal salute!"

Saying that, they also imitated the hand gesture, raising it high, jumping and waving along with the music, feeling this was simply the most exciting live show they had ever heard.

Many people were caught up in the excitement. Even those who didn't know what was going on before joined in, raising their index and pinky fingers. The square dance team members scattered around the stage and in the audience also made the gesture. The old folks decided to be metal for a day.

Mao Mao couldn't help but laugh, feeling that the citizens of Nanchu were super cute. He made the "I love you" gesture.

Tan Xiao: "..." Oops, forgot that gesture is a bit similar to theirs.

At this time, the photographer came over for a close-up of Tan Xiao, nodding at him. Tan Xiao also hurriedly flashed a hasty smile.

Those two ghosts, upon seeing this, were completely dazed.

-- How vicious can you Nanchu people be!

Even if not everyone could achieve the same effect as Tan Xiao, having so many people make the same hand seal as the shaman, surrounding them, was enough to scare them stiff where they stood, tears of blood flowing. If ghosts could clearly distinguish, they wouldn't have mistaken even Judge Bao...

Where to go? Below it's all little golden knife seals!

Look, that shaman is still smiling, oh my god!

The two originally clamoring ghosts hugged each other again, crying: "Chu shamans on all sides!!"

...

[Based on the frequent occurrence of unnatural cases in various places after the Gengshen day, Bureau 404 is fully performing its duties, actively taking measures to create a harmonious social atmosphere for humans, demons, ghosts, spirits, and monsters to coexist, and striving to build a livable urban environment for the human race to ensure the safety and normal life of citizens.]

[First, increase efforts and make comprehensive arrangements. Bureau 404 has established a special supervision team to focus on supervising key areas of the city, promptly reporting and handling any discovered unnatural cases...]

Mu Fei tearfully finished writing the materials while working overtime, and collapsed on the office sofa, twisting open a bottle of cola.

Liu Qingquan on the other side was also busy, patiently explaining to a new monster, "No, you can't openly sell your own foot skin, even if you are a ginseng... at least don't tear it off in front of others!!"

The other party looked innocent: "But I don't want to cut my hair, this is also very nourishing, with great medicinal effects."

"It's not a question of medicinal effects." Liu Qingquan covered his face, feeling mentally exhausted.

Mu Fei looked at him sympathetically and casually opened a live streaming room of a Nanchu host.

Mu Fei had also heard songs by the Zhurong Band. Seeing the promotional poster, she knew that Tan Xiao was going to perform with them today. She was pleasantly surprised, feeling a sense of breaking dimensions.

Having finished work, she decided to click and watch. It happened to be when Tan Xiao took the stage.

Seeing that instrument resembling a phoenix bird hanging drum, Mu Fei couldn't help but feel "recalling the eventful years of the past", thinking back then at the bottom of the Chu emperor's tomb, how thrilling it was. Even the report she wrote after returning was six pages long...

But it was all worth it, because after returning, she also wrote an academic-oriented material on the exploration and reclassification of the Xiong Hui, which was also published in internal reference materials, quite valuable, hehe.

Her partner Liu Qingquan, having finished his explanation, floated over. Recognizing the screen, he said, "Oh, isn't this little shaman Tan Xiao? Why is his ritual scene so lively? As expected of the designated shaman of the Peacock God, is this catching ghosts or subduing demons?"

The little monster, who was supposed to leave, couldn't help but come over to watch upon hearing the commotion. "What sound, it sounds a bit terrifying." Even without being at the scene, it made him feel a bit of trembling.

What they saw was a close-up of Tan Xiao's upper body.

"It's not a ritual, he's performing." Mu Fei said disdainfully, "It's a live show, okay."

Just as she finished speaking, the two of them saw Tan Xiao neatly retract his drumsticks and make a little golden knife seal with both hands towards somewhere on the stage. Others may not be able to tell, but they would never mistake it.

Mu Fei: "..."

Liu Qingquan tilted his head and said, "... And you say he's not performing a ritual."

Mu Fei almost spat out a mouthful of cola. Rubbing her eyes in despair, she said, "Damn, have I been writing too many materials? How come I see Tan Xiao openly and righteously doing shaman rituals in public!"

... And no one would even suspect him!