"Wow~ How can we sit back and watch when the enemy arrives."
"Yuchi Gong's mighty reputation is known across the land, his whip never spares the enemy lightly~"
"This time I will go to the border to sweep away the invaders, I will surely kill the enemy soldiers one by one, making them flee without armor or helmet!"
Clang clang clang clang~
On the opera stage, the three people sang with enthusiasm, performing the famous Peking opera "Jingde's Madness," with the two main characters portraying the renowned Yuchi Gong and Cheng Yaojin.
Sun Yan sat together with Zhou Haidong and Chen Xijiu on a long bench, sitting quietly in the back row waiting for the opera to end.
Only then would it be appropriate to ask the three people on stage what exactly was going on here.
Embracing the mindset of making the best of the situation, Sun Yan focused on enjoying the Peking opera, which he ordinarily didn't listen to much.
Surprisingly, once fully immersed, he could feel a special charm, a testament to the rich heritage of Eastern theatrical culture.
Zhou Haidong and Chen Xijiu, however, did not share his calm mindset.
Observing the 'crowd' in front, Zhou Haidong's face suddenly changed, revealing a look of surprise at a figure in the front rows.
That person was a member of the Folklore Association who had mysteriously died a few days ago, unexpectedly appearing here as a spirit.
Zhou Haidong instinctively wanted to get up and approach, but Sun Yan held him down by the shoulder.
Seeing Sun Yan's serious expression and the warning look in his eyes, Zhou Haidong had no choice but to remain seated.
Sun Yan had read something similar in the "Mountain Chasing Manual."
Every year on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, also referred to as the Ghost Festival in Buddhism as the Ullambana Festival.
On this day, it is said that the Ghost Gate opens wide, and spirits come to the mortal world to enjoy offerings.
To settle these spirits, so that they leave willingly after the Mid-Autumn Festival, people hold events like releasing river lights, ancestor worship, soul sacrifice, and opera performances to pacify the spirits.
There are also certain taboos to observe, such as not wandering at night during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and not shouting people's names randomly, among others.
Another less-known taboo is if you encounter a stage set for opera performances at night, you should either leave immediately or remain silently seated to avoid trouble.
Although tonight wasn't the Mid-Autumn Festival, Sun Yan noticed that the three live performers on stage were entertaining a group of spirits, which reminded him of this taboo, hence preventing Zhou Haidong from approaching.
Time slowly passed, with opera after opera being performed on the stage.
Sun Yan gradually noticed a hidden pattern; following "Jingde's Madness," the three performed the Peking opera "Zhong Kui Marries His Sister," the Peking opera "Qin Qiong Selling His Horse," the Peking opera "Qin Xianglian," and the Qinqiang opera "Beheading Yan Liang."
All were famous generals and heroes. Could it be that such plays are necessary to keep the spirits at bay?
When the performer playing Guan Gong, with his red face paint, shouted loudly, finishing the last line of his song, the sound of gongs and drums on stage abruptly ceased, plunging the stage into silence.
The 'audience' all stood up and started to leave with emotionless expressions.
Seeing this, Chen Xijiu couldn't hold back any longer, sighing in relief and lowering his head, muttering, "Finally, it's over."
But before he finished speaking, a hand suddenly covered his mouth forcefully.
Chen Xijiu saw Sun Yan, with a pained expression, staring intently at him, and looking ahead again, the spirits were still seated, not leaving at all.
When he had spoken, the spirits who were watching the opera all slowly turned their heads towards the three, their pale eyes fixated, making the atmosphere unbearably oppressive.
The eyes beneath Sun Yan's mask narrowed slightly, prepared to light incense at any moment.
However, in the blink of an eye, all the spirits vanished without a trace, leaving the entire area under the stage empty.
Besides Sun Yan and the other two, there was no one else in sight.
Chen Xijiu hastily apologized in fear, "I'm sorry, really sorry for causing trouble, but I clearly saw the opera ending and dared to speak."
"You were probably confused by a spirit's deception." Sun Yan said, observing the surroundings.
Though unsure if the sudden disappearance of these spirits watching the opera would lead to any ominous results, the situation was what it was, and he had more important matters to attend to.
Sun Yan stood up and walked towards the stage, where the three performers stood, seemingly at a loss.
Clearly, the sudden dispersal of those special 'audience' had some impact on these performers.
"Good evening, gentlemen." Sun Yan stepped onto the stage, removed his mask, and greeted them politely.
"You're alive?! How did you get here?" The man playing Guan Gong scrutinized Sun Yan, then asked in surprise.
Sun Yan briefly explained their purpose of coming to Chen Family Village for exorcism.
At a time like this, we need to compare the information we each know to piece together more detailed clues.
Seeing these three people arrive here earlier than us and even perform for those ghosts, they should know quite a lot.
After hearing Sun Yan's description, the man's expression turned complex: "You shouldn't have come. This place is cursed. No one can leave here alive."
"A curse?!" Sun Yan and Zhou Haidong exchanged shocked glances.
What's all this about a curse suddenly popping up out of nowhere?
Sun Yan hurriedly asked Chen Xijiu indignantly, "What's really going on here? What aren't you telling us? It's not the time to be hiding things, just spill it."
Chen Xijiu quickly waved his hands, "Don't ask me, I really don't know. I've been in Chen Family Village for over thirty years and have never heard of any curse here. I swear!"
The man playing Guan Gong sighed deeply, "May I ask, what year was it in the outside world when you came in?"
"2024," Sun Yan quickly replied, feeling a stir in his heart.
From what the man suggests, could it be that he's not from our time? If that's the case, the situation with the Underworld in Chen Family Village is more severe than Sun Yan estimated.
"So many years have passed…" The man turned to his two companions, speaking softly.
The three of them couldn't help expressing regret.
"Guys, what's really going on with Chen Family Village? Stop being enigmatic and just explain. If we let that Evil Spirit keep wreaking havoc, more innocent lives will be lost," Zhou Haidong urged anxiously.
The man playing Guan Gong pondered for a moment before speaking: "Actually, even our understanding of Chen Family Village is limited. Years ago, a plague hit Chen Family Village, killing many. The villagers said they often saw the souls of the deceased at night and feared they held grudges and would harm the living. So, they invited our troupe for a performance for the ghosts.
But unexpectedly, the performance caused a big issue. After the show, the others left to rest, leaving the three of us to clean up. That night, a strange white mist enveloped the village, and all the roads changed. We've been unable to leave since.
To survive, the three of us perform for them every day. Fortunately, after listening, the ghosts leave without harming us."
Sun Yan hurriedly asked, "Have you come across any other living people in the village over the years?"
"Yes, a few villagers from Chen Family Village seemed to have come in from outside the fog. But they all died eventually."
Another man in costume suddenly reminded, "Oh, and you must never go to the Chen Family Village temple. There's something wrong there; it's unlucky for people."
Sun Yan was intrigued, "So the curse is related to that place, right?"
The man nodded solemnly, "Maybe. One of the villagers who survived and returned was in a state you couldn't imagine—like he encountered something terrifying."
"And what about later? Did he tell you anything?" Sun Yan continued asking.
"He kept muttering 'curse,' and we couldn't hold him back. He ran straight into the mist surrounding the village, and we never saw him again—he's probably dead."
"Curse…" Sun Yan rubbed his chin, utterly puzzled.
The vengeful spirits of the hanged, the Underworld in Chen Family Village, the temple's curse… It seemed like a simple exorcism.
But unexpectedly, Sun Yan felt an invisible net slowly enveloping them.
No one understood the true danger they faced below their eyes.
Death could come at any moment.
"We'll have to put this aside for now. The key is how to leave this place. If we don't quickly deal with that spirit and let her continue harming others in Chen Family Village, more people will die," Zhou Haidong asked the three people, "Having been here for so long, did you find any way to leave?"
The man playing Guan Gong smiled wryly, "If we had, we wouldn't be stuck here for so many years. If you insist on asking, the Chen Family Village temple might be the only option, but it's uncertain; we might never return.
That's why the three of us have stayed here all these years. Though performing for ghosts is stressful, we've remained safe. Better a bad life than a good death. We've decided not to struggle."
Sun Yan fiddled with the General Sun Mask in his hand. He wasn't sure about the man's account.
But he sure wasn't going to settle like these three, to adapt to the Underworld of Chen Family Village. Sun Yan had many things to do outside and needed to find a way to escape, to leave this place.
"What will you do?" Sun Yan asked Zhou Haidong and Chen Xijiu.
Zhou Haidong answered firmly, "We must check out the temple. Staying here isn't an option."
Chen Xijiu quickly added, "Where you go, I go."
"Alright, let's go then and not waste time," Sun Yan nodded in agreement.
Seeing their unwavering determination, the three performers hesitated, exchanging looks as if discussing something.
For many years, they hadn't met any other living souls. Now, with three people pursuing survival, an impulse stirred in them.
If there were a chance, who would want to stay in such a ghostly place?
"We'll go with you. I know the way to the temple," the man playing Guan Gong confirmed with his companions and said suddenly.