Chapter 323: 不可小觑天下人

Ji Yuan's easy familiarity made the young man a little reserved. After all, the man before him clearly looked learned, even wearing a jade hairpin in his hair.

"Well then, sir, please come with me. There's really nothing to worry about. Though times are tough, the nearby fishing villages are quite hospitable, especially to scholars like yourself."

Ji Yuan nodded in agreement and began walking forward with the young man.

"Yes, I'm a scholar, and your words put my mind at ease. By the way, I haven't yet had the pleasure of learning your name, young man?"

Ji Yuan's formal inquiry made the young man uncomfortable; he scratched his head as he replied.

"Oh, great sir, please don't say that. My name is nothing special. I'm just Liang Pingle."

"Ah, Young Brother Liang, 'peace and constant joy'. Your elders certainly gave you a name with beautiful meaning!"

Ji Yuan's words brought a smile to Liang Pingle's face. His grandfather had given him this name, and to have it acknowledged by a learned scholar was a source of great joy.

After their brief conversation, Ji Yuan had gained some understanding of Liang Pingle. His gaze now turned towards the distant village.

"Young Brother Liang, could you tell me, what kind of evil are you trying to exorcise? I've traveled widely and enjoy hearing about strange and unusual tales."

Liang Pingle, now walking and conversing with Ji Yuan, gradually relaxed. He even felt honored to be speaking with such a learned man. Hearing Ji Yuan's question, and knowing it wasn't taboo, he revealed everything without reservation.

"Sir, you might not know, but our coastal villages are all inhabited by fishermen. The advantage of coastal fishing is that the taxes aren't as heavy as for farming, so we fishermen generally manage to get by. However, since late last year, good catches near the coast have become very rare."

"How so? Have the fish been overfished?"

Ji Yuan asked casually.

"The ocean is boundless, and there are countless fish, shrimp, and crabs. How could they possibly be caught to exhaustion? At most, a temporary shift in the fish currents might lead to fewer catches, but it's impossible to catch no fish at all."

"Indeed."

Ji Yuan agreed, acknowledging that with the villages' current technology and population, it would be impossible to deplete the fishing resources of an entire sea area.

"So you suspect some evil influence?"

"Sir, you've hit the nail on the head. Everyone in the coastal villages for miles around feels the same way. We've long considered inviting exorcists, and several have come, but none could discern anything. Sacrifices to heaven, earth, and spirits have also proven useless."

Ji Yuan continued walking but turned his head to look at Liang Pingle.

"If you knew it was useless, why go to such great lengths this time?"

"Well, the problem hasn't been solved, has it? And the government isn't doing anything. So the elders of several villages deliberated and wondered if the previous exorcists weren't powerful enough. Even though Dingfeng Island is a landmark, it's still a long journey. Now that it's the end of the year, everyone gritted their teeth, and households from many villages pooled their money to invite a truly powerful exorcist. His magic is definitely incomparable to those who came before!"

Ji Yuan nodded, a hint of surprise on his face.

"Oh, I see. Gathering people's collective energy to enhance their vitality. This exorcist certainly has some tricks up his sleeve."

"Oh, Sir, you understand this too?"

"I've traveled extensively and witnessed many similar events. The most lively one had hundreds, even thousands, of exorcists jumping around together; it was quite a spectacle."

Ji Yuan mused about the Land and Water Dharma Assembly he had once attended, then replied casually.

"Oh, I see!"

Liang Pingle imagined the scene Ji Yuan described and thought it sounded truly lively. As he pondered, rapid footsteps approached, and several men emerged from a side path. Seeing Liang Pingle, they greeted him.

"Hey, Liang, you're here too! Who's this person next to you? I haven't seen him before!"

"Brother-in-law! Every household in the village is sending a male member, so I wanted to come too. My father will arrive a bit later. Oh, by the way, this is the venerable scholar I just met. He's traveled from afar and has witnessed similar events."

Ji Yuan cupped his hands and bowed to the newcomers.

"My name is Ji Yuan. I am a wandering scholar who has arrived here and would like to observe these rituals."

The identity of a scholar was still very useful, especially for someone like Ji Yuan, who carried himself with grace and a distinguished bearing. His age wasn't apparent from his appearance, but he was certainly not young.

The villagers didn't dare to be rude; they quickly returned his greeting and once again invited Ji Yuan to join them.

This wasn't a secret affair, and the exorcist had even mentioned that assistance from someone with an 'official' or 'scholarly' aura would be beneficial.

The man who greeted Liang Pingle was Zhang Fu, and he was far more talkative. While Ji Yuan had previously asked questions and Liang Pingle had answered, now it was Zhang Fu's turn, and he spoke volubly without any prompting from Ji Yuan.

He even clearly explained about Dingfeng Island, which Ji Yuan had incidentally wanted to ask about. Just as Ji Yuan had suspected, it was the small island where he had previously cultivated, originally called Shanjianzi Island, but now the local fishermen referred to it as Dingfeng Island.

The remaining path was short, and soon the group entered Pianwan Village. A large area on the sandy ground in front of the village had been cleared, where gongs and drums resonated loudly. Several piles of firewood were also stacked, presumably for large bonfires that night.

Ji Yuan observed from afar. Though his vision was somewhat blurry, he could make out many people circling the sandy area, occasionally shouting along with the leader. Each time they did, the gongs and drums would grow louder.

"People from all directions, gather here to raise the yang energy!"

"Raise the yang energy!"

"Raise the yang energy!"

Ji Yuan stared for a moment, then turned to see Liang Pingle and Zhang Fu, who had also received several red cloth strips from a nearby village woman.

"Uh, is there any significance to what they're doing?"

Zhang Fu handed a red cloth strip to a bewildered Ji Yuan.

"Sir, the exorcist said that tying this red cloth on your arm will ward off evil influences. Everyone over there, and on the sandy ground, is wearing them. They are currently 'rousing the yang fire'."

"'Rousing the yang fire'? Did the exorcist say that as well?"

It was a new term to Ji Yuan; he hadn't heard it before.

"Yes, these two days are for 'rousing the yang fire'. Tomorrow, after the thousand-person banquet, we'll start a torch procession from evening, forming a long line along the coast to drive away evil spirits. This will expel the evil entities that scared off the fish! And in about a month, the fish will return!"

Zhang Fu spoke with a hint of excitement on his face.

Ji Yuan nodded in sudden realization, agreeing with their palpable excitement.

"Oh, oh... I've learned something new. So that's how it works!"

"Heh heh, Sir, though you are a scholar, you surely don't know much about this kind of thing. The one we've invited is a renowned and powerful exorcist from the eastern part of Dongtao Dao. There's no evil spirit he cannot subdue!"

Ji Yuan couldn't help but smile.

"I must certainly meet him!"

"Enough talk! Sir, quickly tie on the red string and come with us to 'rouse the yang fire'! The more people, the better!"

Ji Yuan looked at the red cloth in his hand, then at Zhang Fu, Liang Pingle, and the others who already had theirs tied to their arms.

"I have to tie it too? If this red cloth is to ward off evil, shouldn't holding it in my hand also suffice?"

"Well, the exorcist didn't say anything about that."

"If he didn't say it's not allowed, then it's allowed. I'll just hold it. By the way, the exorcist is over there, isn't he?"

Ji Yuan spoke quickly, settling the matter decisively.

"He is, of course."

"Then let's go quickly!"

To partake in their thousand-person banquet, Ji Yuan naturally had to adapt to local customs. Besides, this whole affair was quite interesting, a form of entertainment. So, he followed Zhang Fu and the others to the sandy ground and soon joined the crowd.

Ji Yuan, however, merely followed along, observing casually and not joining the chants. As the group approached the firewood piles, he saw the renowned great exorcist.

He was dressed in a large, loose robe of red and yellow, adorned with yin-yang fish, bagua symbols, and various cloud patterns. On his head was a tall crown embellished with bright pearls. A treasured sword was strapped to his back, and he held a whisk, waving it around. He certainly looked the part.

Somewhat to Ji Yuan's surprise, this exorcist actually possessed circulating spiritual energy and magical power. Although it was what was referred to as "miscellaneous stream magic"—meaning not of the orthodox path, but power refined from spiritual energy through contemplation and visualization of the "heart fire"—it was power nonetheless.

Ji Yuan's bearing and attire stood out immensely among the fishermen. Many were observing him, and even the exorcist noticed him.

When Ji Yuan smiled and nodded at him, the exorcist paused briefly. Though his whisk continued to move, he nodded back at Ji Yuan in response.

The "rousing the yang fire" continued until nightfall. Fortunately, it didn't require constant walking; Ji Yuan only participated for a few rounds before accompanying Zhang Fu and the others out.

Bonfires had been lit on the sandy beach. Villagers from other areas who had come to participate in the "rousing the yang fire" now departed, awaiting tomorrow evening's thousand-person banquet and torch procession.

However, Zhang Fu, Liang Pingle, and Liang's father—who arrived later—did not leave. Zhang Fu was a native of Pianwan Village and had previously visited other villages to gather people. The Liang and Zhang families were related by marriage, so they would not be returning home that day. Naturally, Ji Yuan also stayed with the Zhang family.

They were served taro rice, steamed salted fish, and a bowl of vegetable soup. Both families, worried that Ji Yuan, as a scholar, might not be accustomed to such fare, asked about his dietary preferences several times while cooking. They only relaxed when they saw him heartily enjoying his meal at the dinner table.

In fishing villages like Pianwan Village, there hadn't been a scholar for fifteen or twenty years. Even the current village chief could barely read, which was far from Ji Yuan's level of erudition. Both families treated Ji Yuan as a distinguished guest.

In the middle of the night, Ji Yuan left the fishing village alone and went to the seashore. He scanned the tide, detecting no demonic aura near Pianwan Village, but the ocean's vastness and secrecy made it difficult to be certain. He planned to find a way to investigate thoroughly after this spectacle concluded, preferably without entering the water.

The thousand-person banquet on the second day was exceptionally lively. People from various villages brought contributions to Pianwan Village. This event wasn't confined to a single village; everyone worked together to prepare the feast, and with the New Year approaching, there was a strong sense of festivity.

During the meal, Ji Yuan noticed an unprecedented surge in the villagers' collective spirit, which peaked when nearly a thousand male villagers lined up to collect their torches.

This made Ji Yuan suddenly realize that the invited exorcist indeed possessed some skill. This change was not due to the exorcist's magical power, but rather a form of psychological suggestion and incitement.

After so many ritualistic processes, with a thousand men emboldened by food and drink, and the formation of the torch procession, everyone developed a psychological momentum. This shared energy bore a striking resemblance to the formidable aura of an army.

Ji Yuan also took a torch and joined the procession. The exorcist, holding a torch at the very front, bellowed with a voice like thunder.

"Everyone, prepare to follow! Form the long dragon procession!"

The next moment, the exorcist, torch in hand, led the way, setting off from Pianwan Village and moving along the coastline. A long line of torches, imbued with surging human vitality, snaked along the seashore.

Ji Yuan watched this scene from the middle of the procession, murmuring to himself.

"Quite interesting! One truly cannot underestimate the people of the world!"