Chapter 301: Trials on Zhongnanshan

Zhongnanshan, also known as Taiyi Mountain, is located in Qin Province of the Long Kingdom, nestled in the midsection of the Qinling Mountains and just south of the ancient city of Chang’an. It is the birthplace of many sayings, such as ‘Longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountain’ and ‘Zhongnanshan Shortcut’.

It is also one of the renowned Taoist mountains of the Long Kingdom.

Many eminent Taoist practitioners have retreated to Zhongnanshan, spawning various Taoist sects. Even now, numerous reclusive cultivators still reside on the mountain.

“Eight thousand for one night? If what’s being circulated online is true, the price isn’t that high!”

A brief pause.

A man said this.

“I agree—it’s not expensive!”

Immediately after, another man beside him continued the conversation.

It can’t be helped; those who chose a secluded life on Zhongnanshan were once among the affluent elite. To them, eight thousand really isn’t a big deal.

“So what now? Should we give it a try?”

Coming back to focus.

Their leader added, “We must try it for sure, but a few days won’t do any good. I’m thinking we need at least a six-month trial!”

A man next to him remarked, “Six months as a starting point? Isn’t that overkill?”

“Not by much! And if after a longer period nothing changes, we’ll just come back.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, someone offered his opinion.

“Alright! I’ll contact a few more Taoist friends to see if we can gather twenty. With twenty people, we can reach out to Mingsha City and book an entire Ancient Building Courtyard.”

The leader calculated for a moment and nodded, “Sounds good! But we have to act fast—there are plenty of recluses on the mountain, and many may have thought of doing the same.”

“Yes!”

With that, one of them immediately pulled out his mobile phone.

The Long Kingdom is vast and rich—people of all kinds are everywhere.

The ‘cultivators’ on Zhongnanshan make up only a small portion; one thing is certain: even if Zhu Qiang hikes the prices at the Fudi guesthouse several times over, it won’t deter those who disregard money.

Mingsha Fudi guesthouse will never run out of visitors!

After discussions over Mingsha City’s sky-high guesthouse prices, the focus soon shifted to the International Magic Competition—especially the Long Kingdom Magic Association.

At eight in the evening,

inside the Ancient Building Courtyard at Mingsha Ge, Xie Feiyang glared angrily at the three contestants yet to perform.

“Mingsha City is so arrogant! They think that winning a small-scale magic contest makes them invincible. In reality, only champions of medium or large magic contests carry true weight. So you must deliver an outstanding performance and show Mingsha City that we’re no pushovers!”

By the way,

after You Gong’s performance yesterday, he was nearly ecstatic.

Though he never directly connected with You Gong, that moment proved two things: You Gong’s act not only showcased the Long Kingdom’s traditional Guocai magic but also helped resolve the issue of two of his team’s magicians having their tricks exposed.

As leader of the Long Kingdom delegation, he took great pride in the accolades—even receiving numerous media interviews after the contest.

However, just when he planned to meet with You Gong to arrange the upcoming contest properly, intending to develop You Gong as a seed talent for the Magic Association, Mingsha City unexpectedly said it wasn’t necessary. They told him to focus only on his own team.

This infuriated Xie Feiyang! That very night, he called his direct supervisor and, embellishing the details, lambasted Mingsha City for their behavior and for their contestants’ lack of discipline. To his dismay, his supervisor not only failed to support him but also instructed him to mind only his own contestants and steer clear of Mingsha City’s affairs.

Unable to accept this, Xie Feiyang resolved that his team must perform so well tomorrow as to surpass You Gong’s act, letting him have his revenge. “President, tomorrow’s performance will be flawless! So far, none of our three magic acts have leaked online, and I expect nothing will tomorrow.”

At that, a middle-aged man spoke up.

His name is Dai Chao, one of the contestants in the medium magic category.

“So, you all need to deliver! You’re the fifth to perform; before you is H Country’s contestant, Park Dong-hee, whose skills are only slightly above average. As for You Gong, he’s scheduled last, so his impact on you will be minimal!”

Xie Feiyang nodded in agreement.

Dai Chao’s medium magic act, a grand transformation trick, differs from past versions by incorporating high-tech elements, making it appear even more fantastical and mesmerizing.

“President, rest assured—I have arranged the venue this afternoon.”

“Mm.”

“Ma Qian, you’re next. Tomorrow, you won’t be spectating. Head straight to the mid-mountain and set up the stage.”

After a brief pause, Xie Feiyang continued, “Alright!”

And so, after lengthy preparations, everyone returned to their rooms. Even later, many continued refining their magic acts until they all arrived at Mingsha Ge at nine in the morning the next day.

At that moment,

the plaza in front of Mingsha City was packed to capacity.

Besides the ticket-holding audience, all the judges and live broadcast teams were in position, waiting for the contest to begin.

“When will You Gong take the stage in Mingsha City? I can’t wait!”

This question became the most frequently asked among the audience, as they were eager to see what magic You Gong had in store.

“Excited for You Gong?”

Seated Xie Feiyang, hearing the audience’s cheers from behind, felt increasingly uneasy.

“Dai Chao, make sure you stay steady!”

Then,

he patted the contestant’s shoulder once more.

“Mm!”

Perhaps because yesterday’s performance of ‘Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers’ was so breathtaking, the first three medium magic acts of the main contest hardly made an impression—the judges’ scores were rather average.

Soon, the host stepped onto the stage again, announcing, “Next up is the contestant from H Country, Park Dong-hee, whose act is titled ‘Through the Canvas!'”

“Through the Canvas?”

Relief washed over Xie Feiyang at the sound of the name.

After all, ‘Through the Canvas’ is a familiar trick in the world of magic; many magicians have tried it before.

“Dai Chao, this is your chance. This act isn’t much different from the traditional Guocai magic number ‘Fish Swimming in Pictorial Land!'”

Ma Qian echoed, “Mm!”

Over the next few minutes, as Xie Feiyang had expected, the performance unfolded in a very traditional manner. Park Dong-hee graced the stage, introduced himself, and then pulled out a curtain roughly seven to eight meters in length!

The curtain featured a dozen or so figures—a princess, mice, and other characters—all drawn from Dino Park. If everything went as planned, Park Dong-hee would soon perform a series of actions, causing one of the figures to gradually vanish and then reappear in real life.

Ma Qian guessed correctly.

Park Dong-hee raised his magic wand and pointed at the final figure on the curtain—a crone! It appeared he intended for the old hag to vanish from the painting and materialize in real life.

“Honorable judges and dear audience, prepare to witness a miracle!” he announced.

With that, Park Dong-hee performed a few symbolic gestures, and then, with a single motion toward the curtain, a cloud of smoke erupted onto the stage.

“Ah!” In the very next moment, an astonishing scene unfolded, drawing gasps from the audience and judges alike.

“Wha—!”

Not only did the judges react, but Xie Feiyang and Ma Qian also instinctively stood up.

Above the smoke, an image of a crone emerged. More surprisingly, she did not have the boastful appearance of a broom-wielding figure from the curtain; instead, the crone was bound by iron chains,

and then she knelt in the direction of Mingsha City’s Xianxia Zone, emitting a sharp, pained cry.

“Please, have mercy. Don’t lock me up—I’m not a demon.”

The apparition was so vivid it seemed like an actual performance.

“Ah!” The image above the smoke lingered for several dozen seconds. With a piercing scream, it shot toward Mingsha City’s Demon-Locking Tower, and the smoke and light quickly dissipated.

When the judges and audience looked again,

the crone’s image on the curtain had completely vanished, and the stage slowly returned to calm. The entire act was executed without a single flaw.

Wow!

After a brief moment of stunned silence,

the audience and judges burst into rapturous applause.

“Bravo!”

“This magic design is simply outstanding—it even connects with Mingsha City’s Demon-Locking Tower. The creativity is unbelievable!”

“Exactly! Dino Park’s witch being confined within Mingsha City’s Demon-Locking Tower—hahaha!”

“I must say, H Country’s magicians really have some serious skills.”

“Not only are they talented, but they also show strong support for Mingsha City!”

“Champion!”

Little did anyone know that while the audience and judges were erupting in praise, Park Dong-hee on stage had already slipped into a daze.

Down below, Cui Xiaozhong looked utterly bewildered.