Chapter 280: Crisis and Tradition in Mingsha City

But whether Mingsha City will eventually secure a nomination remains uncertain! The online community is already buzzing about it! With public pressure mounting, those in charge might reconsider soon.

After a pause, Cui Fangshan spoke again.

Current public opinion should never be underestimated—it can even change the course of critical decisions, especially on issues like this.

“It’s not just the netizens who don’t get it; I don’t understand either.”

He Ruozhou nodded in agreement.

“Alright, since Mingsha City has taken on the magic competition, they must have their reasons, so we won’t argue any further! Meanwhile, it’s time to notify the other provincial satellite channels about our upcoming project—our ancient costume light comedy in collaboration with Haofang Culture, set to launch at the end of March. Let’s hope they don’t complain about clashing schedules later on.”

A brief moment of silence followed.

Cui Fangshan waved his hand dismissively.

After all, they’re merely leaders of a provincial satellite channel; their words don’t carry much weight on some matters.

“Understood, Leader!”

Admittedly, for Cui Fangshan to rise to the level of a provincial channel leader, he’s got some serious skills.

On a domestic forum, a post sparked a flurry of discussions.

“Why? I just want to know why! If Mingsha City weren’t involved this time, Long Kingdom’s reputation would be on the line. Now, you let Mingsha City host the magic competition, yet they don’t even get the host privileges—it seems they’re just expected to provide a venue!”

“Exactly!”

“In my opinion, if it’s merely about providing a venue, why not choose one of those large stadiums? Why pick Mingsha City?”

“Knowing Mingsha City’s style, they’ll likely rebuild the venue with great care, which will require a hefty investment.”

“Is someone purposely trying to drain Mingsha City’s resources?”

“That’s entirely possible!”

“No way—we should tag the relevant departments so those leaders can see public opinion. Even if Mingsha City doesn’t host the opening ceremony, they should at least be granted a competitive spot!”

“Agreed. We don’t want it to reach a point where Long Kingdom’s traditional magicians can’t hold their own against the Western ones, and then remember Mingsha City.”

“Heh, isn’t the Wan Gong Sedan Chair a perfect example? Jinlong Ancient City was a complete mess, yet in the end, it was Mingsha City’s Wan Gong Sedan Chair that saved the day.”

“This magic competition isn’t just an exhibition—if Mingsha City isn’t granted a competitive spot, no matter what they do, they won’t make the cut!”

“I want to know right now how we can relay this to the higher-ups.”

“If we don’t grant Mingsha City a spot, everyone will boycott this so-called magic competition.”

“Exactly, boycott it!”

After several projects, Mingsha City has amassed a huge, loyal following—especially after the Cultural Expo, which brought in a wave of dedicated supporters.

In their eyes, Mingsha City has become the symbol of Long Kingdom’s traditional culture, giving them the confidence to stand up to foreign netizens on international platforms.

Consequently, as the debate heated up, these netizens grew increasingly radical—posting threads across platforms and even making complaint calls.

United in numbers, they demanded change! By 8 p.m., a trending topic titled ‘Mingsha City Seeks Glory for the Nation but Faces Unfair Treatment’ had shot into the top ten. With more and more comments from netizens and the public, it looked set to claim the top spot.

Yan City, within the Second Ring.

At 10 p.m., the Ancient Architecture Institute’s office still had its lights on.

At this moment,

Li Jue was in his office, continuing a phone call.

“Leader, weren’t we going to bar Mingsha City from competing? Why the sudden change? With the festival approaching and Xiao Xu saying there’s a mountain of work ahead—not to mention Mingsha Academy starting its recruitment—we’re already swamped.”

After a brief pause, Li Jue continued.

“There’s no helping it—Mingsha City’s popularity is too high. This issue is already trending, and many netizens are calling for a boycott. Do you really think it’s acceptable to keep them out of the competition?”

The next moment, a resigned voice answered from the other end of the line.

“But Mingsha City still has to build a competition venue and select its contestants—can they really handle all that in time? What if the talent they choose isn’t up to par?”

After a moment of hesitation, Li Jue added.

To be honest, when he first heard that the higher-ups planned to leverage the magic competition to promote the Zhu You Technique, he thought the whole idea was sketchy.

Although the leaders have their reasoning, how can the host city be banned from competing?

Moreover, this competition, hastily arranged through an application from the International Magic Organization, pits Long Kingdom’s traditional magic against Western modern illusions—and now it’s even trending.

“No worries. We’re not expecting Mingsha City to represent Long Kingdom’s traditional art—just that they aren’t too subpar. The key seeded contestants are the other five competitors.”

Soon, another voice came through.

“Leader… um…”

Li Jue hesitated.

Even though the higher-ups think any contestant from Mingsha City will suffice, netizens disagree—after all, stepping into the competition hall means representing Long Kingdom’s traditional magic.

“The higher-ups are fully aware of the details! I heard that the Mingsha City high-speed rail station project has cleared all processes and will break ground next spring. And it’s being fast-tracked—construction will proceed quickly! So, in the end, taking on responsibilities in a pinch and facing a few setbacks isn’t all that bad.”

After a pause, the voice on the phone spoke again.

“Taking on a crisis isn’t necessarily a bad thing?”

Li Jue paused.

He had to admit—the statement had merit. He often chatted with Dong Liping, so he knew just how hard it is to get a high-speed rail station approved. Mingsha City’s special treatment on this matter shows that the higher-ups hold the city in high regard.

Otherwise, following the usual procedures, it would take at least a decade before construction could begin! “Alright, I’ll inform Xiao Xu then!”

After a long silence, Li Jue said nothing further.

There was no other way—Mingsha City is lacking in many areas, such as an airport. Perhaps after successfully hosting this magic competition, they could secure further policy support.

“Alright, the relevant department will officially announce it soon!”

“Understood, Leader!”

Time flew by, and soon it was the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, early morning.

On a small town street in the deep mountains at the southwest edge of Long Kingdom, people busy buying New Year goods added a growing festive air to the scene. In the northeastern corner at the end of the town stood a Daoist temple! In stark contrast to the lively street, the temple looked deserted, and although it covered a considerable area, many parts were dilapidated and on the verge of collapse without repairs.

“Master, how about we move to a new place next year?”

In front of the temple, a young Daoist priest glanced at the main hall and then at the elderly priest beside him.

The elderly priest, with his long beard and an air of transcendence, seemed every bit the immortal. The only incongruity was that he clutched a mobile phone in his hands behind his back.

“Move? You dare! This place was passed down by our Patriarch.”

Upon hearing this,

the elderly priest glared fiercely.

“But our temple is tucked away in the deep mountains with minimal incense! Relying solely on alms, renovating the main hall—or even just fixing a wall—is a struggle. In my opinion, we’d be better off emulating Daoist Master Cangshan. Just look at him—”

Scolded, the young priest shrank his neck, yet his complaints continued.

“Daoist Master Cangshan? He’s who he is, and we’re who we are. Do you think a temple can be repaired just like that? That would require—hold on, it’s fine if you don’t mention Master Cangshan. Now that you mention him, I’ve actually just thought of something!”

The elderly priest had intended to chide further, but then a sudden idea lit up his face.