A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

Chen Yao stared blankly at Chen Shouyi, who was performing a ritual not far from the film crew.

Before dawn, the Song Dynasty-style buildings in the Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden were shrouded in a bluish-gray morning mist, their upturned eaves resembling silhouettes cut from an ink painting.

The offering table has been set up in the open space outside shed number 16.

Chen Yao knew there was a ceremony to start the filming today. She originally thought it was just a formality, with a few sticks of incense lit, some paper money burned, and everyone taking turns to pray for peace of mind.

But after just one look, she realized how wrong she was.

The offering table was placed directly in front of the shed door, with a red velvet cloth at the bottom, an incense burner in the center, and a perpetually burning candle on each side. The candle flames swayed slightly in the morning breeze, but none of them went out.

The offerings were neatly arranged, including fresh fruit, tea, and vegetarian snacks. There was no roast suckling pig, which is common on film sets, and everything was clean and tidy.

A square yellow cloth, about ten feet in size, was spread on the ground in front of the table. The directions of the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces were drawn on it with cinnabar. When the morning light shone on it, the cinnabar faintly shone with a dark red luster, like a fire that had been burning for a very long time, gathering its last bit of warmth into the fabric.

In front of the offering table, Chen Shouyi stood with his back to her.

It's 3:45 AM.

This was the time Chen Shouyi had set for the opening ceremony. The main cast and crew arrived at 7:00 AM, and the media were only allowed in after 7:00 AM.

He scheduled the time so early to avoid the crowds.

Chen Shouyi stood three steps in front of the offering table.

He was wearing a purple Taoist robe, but his demeanor was completely different from when he was in casual clothes last night.

The morning light slanted in from the east side of the shed area, falling on him and making his Taoist robe appear slightly bluish. The cuffs fluttered in the wind, rolling up and falling back down.

He did not act immediately.

He stood there, left hand holding a compass, right hand hanging naturally at his side, eyes closed. His breathing was very slow, so slow that his chest barely rose or fell.

The surrounding air seemed to slow down as well.

Shouzhuo's gaze fell on his master, and he didn't dare to breathe loudly.

He had followed his master for more than two years and had witnessed many religious ceremonies, but this time was different. The aura emanating from his master was heavier than ever before.

Then Chen Shouyi opened his eyes.

He reached out with his right hand and took three sticks of incense from the offering table, then gently brushed the ends of the incense with his left hand.

There is no fire.

But the incense stick emitted wisps of smoke.

At first, it was a thin wisp, then it grew thicker and thicker, spiraling upwards until it wove into three straight columns of smoke.

A refreshing fragrance filled the air. Chen Shouyi held the incense in both hands, raised it to his forehead, and bowed three times.

As he straightened up, he inserted three incense sticks into the incense burner. The smoke rose along the incense sticks, spread out in mid-air, and was then pulled by the morning breeze into a pale blue color.

Then Chen Shouyi picked up the peach wood sword.

The moment his hand gripped the sword hilt, his entire being shifted from extreme stillness to a state of imminent motion.

As the first step was taken, with the left foot in front, the fine dust on the ground was slightly raised and then gently settled when the ball of the foot landed.

Without pausing, he followed with his right foot, taking a half-step to the side, shifting his center of gravity accordingly, and the hem of his Taoist robe drew an arc.

Step two, step three, step four.

The pace quickened, but each step was placed with such precision that it was as if a piece were being placed on an invisible chessboard.

The left foot is on the Zhen position, the right foot is on the Li position, the toes of the foot pass through the Kun position when turning around, and the whole body passes through the Xun position when moving forward.

Those in the know can tell that he is standing on the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

Even those who don't understand it can see that this set of steps has an indescribable beauty.

It's not that the dancing is beautiful, it's that... it's beautiful as it should be.

Not a single movement is superfluous, and not a single pause is deliberate.

The steps became faster and faster, and the peach wood sword moved accordingly.

The sword tip flicked upwards, drawing an arc in the air. Where the sword passed, the green smoke was cut in two and rolled to the sides.

Chen Shouyi twisted his wrist, and the tip of his sword followed with a horizontal slash, then a straight thrust, a diagonal parry, and a reverse sweep...

The faint sound of a sword cutting through the air could be heard. He made a sword incantation with his left hand, his fingertips pointing to the sky, and began to chant.

"The Supreme Star, ever-responsive. It expels evil spirits and binds demons, protecting life and safeguarding the body."

The sound reached the ears of everyone present clearly.

"Wisdom is clear and bright, the mind is at peace. The three souls are eternal, and the spirit is never lost."

Chen Shouyi's steps did not stop, nor did his sword.

But the sword's momentum changed, from sharp and swift to gentle, with the tip of the sword drawing circle after circle in the air, large circles nested within smaller circles, layer upon layer.

The wisp of smoke, drawn by the sword tip, did not disperse but instead swirled in a circular path, like an invisible ribbon wrapped around the sword.

"Clouds move and rain falls, all things are born. The Dao's energy endures, and the Heavenly Venerable bestows boundless blessings."

The tip of the sword suddenly flicked upwards.

The flames of the three incense sticks flickered simultaneously, and the three flames shot up a little higher at the same moment, before falling back down at the same time.

Chen Shouyi sheathed his sword, the peach wood sword drawing a full arc in front of him before finally resting at his side, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

His left hand slowly lowered the sword gesture, his heels came together, and only the cuffs of his Taoist robe were still swaying slightly.

The wisps of smoke gathered again, swirling around Chen Shouyi. He lowered his head slightly and recited:

"Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"

The surroundings were so quiet it was as if everyone had forgotten to breathe.

Shouzhuo was the first to come to his senses. He shook the magic bell in his hand, and the clear sound of the bell broke the silence.

He stepped forward, took the peach wood sword from Chen Shouyi, and wiped the blade with a white cloth that had been prepared beforehand, his movements practiced.

The others were still frozen in place. Guo Hu stood at the very front, his mouth agape.

He learned the guiding technique from Shouzhuo, and not only did his shoulders feel more relaxed, but he also slept like a log at night. He woke up this morning feeling full of energy, thinking he had already witnessed the Taoist priest's skills.

But what we just discussed was on a completely different level.

He wasn't unfamiliar with Taoist rituals; they were common in Hong Kong movies. They'd scatter yellow paper, brandish a peach wood sword, mutter some incantations, and then shout, "Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"

He had seen it all since he was a child and always thought it was just a formality.

until today.

The incense was lit by itself, the sword carried the smoke, and the flames jumped up at the same time.

None of it could be explained by "making movies".

Guo Hu nudged Shou Zhuo beside him with his elbow, his voice extremely low, as if afraid of disturbing something:

"Master Shouzhuo."

Shouzhuo was sheathing his sword when he looked up at him.

"Your master..." Guo Hu swallowed hard, "could he be a real immortal?"

Shouzhuo paused for a moment. He glanced at Guo Hu, then at his master who was adjusting his cuffs not far away, his expression somewhat subtle.

He hesitated for several seconds before finally blurting out, "My master's cultivation is profound, beyond our comprehension."

Guo Hu's mouth gaped open even wider after hearing this.

Standing next to Guo Hu, Zhao Mingyuan's expression gradually shifted from shock to a smug and triumphant look.

With his hands behind his back, chest puffed out, and chin slightly raised, he looked just like a peacock with its tail feathers spread.

"Didn't I tell you?"

Zhao Mingyuan's voice rose uncontrollably, "Master Qingquan is someone I specially invited from the capital. You all thought I spent 300,000 on the head of Zifu Temple back then."

Li Xianchang stood beside him, his eyes still fixed on Chen Shouyi's back, muttering, "Not expensive, not expensive at all."

"Three hundred thousand?" Wu Song peeked out from behind. "Director Zhao, you got your money's worth. I've been in the industry for so many years and I've never seen anything like this before."

"Of course." Zhao Mingyuan puffed out his chest an inch higher. "The Taoist priest is very famous in the capital's circles. So many people are lining up to invite him."

Old Zhou stood at the back of the crowd, completely absorbed in watching.

He worked as a production assistant for seven or eight years, worked with at least twenty or thirty production crews, and witnessed countless opening ceremonies.

Burning incense, praying to gods, and setting off firecrackers are all pretty much the same. But what he did today, he can brag about for a year.

Zhou Zheng also came over at some point and patted Zhao Mingyuan on the shoulder: "Brother Zhao, you'd better make proper offerings to this Taoist priest."

"You don't need to tell me that." Zhao Mingyuan's smile almost reached his ears.

Under the eaves not far away, Lin Yufen and Li Guoli stood side by side. Behind them were several directors from different unit groups: Gao Linbao, Xu Huikang, and Yu Cuihua.

The three of them had come early to familiarize themselves with the film set, but they didn't expect to run into this mess.

Xu Huikang's gaze followed Chen Shouyi's retreating figure. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

Yu Cuihua was the youngest, and her expression was the most undisguised, clearly showing a blank look on her face, as if she didn't know where she was or who she was.

Lin Yufen remained silent for a while before turning to Li Guoli: "Producer Li, what do you think?"

Li Guoli's gaze remained fixed on Chen Shouyi as he solemnly said, "I've seen many rituals for starting a business. Most of them are just formalities, burning incense, praying to the gods, and hoping for good luck."

He paused for a moment.

"This one today—" he said, looking at Chen Shouyi's retreating figure, "is different."

Lin Yufen nodded. She was a seasoned veteran and had seen it all.

But she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes—the imposing aura she exuded just now, the wisps of smoke rising from the sword, and the three flames dancing simultaneously.

She turned to the photographer beside her and waved: "Did you take the picture?"

The photographer nodded quickly and pointed to the red light on the machine: "It was recorded from beginning to end."

Just as Lin Yufen was about to say something, Zhao Mingyuan came running over.

"Director, um—" Zhao Mingyuan rubbed his hands, looking a little troubled, "The Taoist priest isn't one of our actors. Even if we film it, it's not good to release the movie."

Lin Yufen frowned; that was the truth.

Footage taken by the production team at the opening ceremony could theoretically be used in behind-the-scenes footage or promotional videos, but that would require shots of the actors and main cast.

The Taoist priest was hired from outside; there was neither a contract nor authorization, so the footage cannot be used casually.

"What a pity," Gao Linbao sighed from the side. "This scene would definitely trend on social media if it were released."

"It's more than just trending on social media," Xu Huikang chimed in. "People who didn't know better would think they were filming a movie."

Yu Cuihua snapped out of her daze and nudged Zhao Mingyuan: "Old Zhao, aren't you familiar with the Taoist priest? Why don't you go and talk to him? Ask if he can grant you authorization, even if it costs some money."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Zhao Mingyuan.

Zhao Mingyuan felt incredibly comfortable being stared at by those pairs of eyes.

The Taoist priest was invited by him, and now the whole group knows that he is capable. He has gained a lot of face.

But he kept a straight face and didn't dare to say anything definitive.

"I'll give it a try, I'll give it a try." Zhao Mingyuan paused deliberately. "The Taoist priest is a man of principle, I can't guarantee whether it will work or not."

Lin Yufen nodded: "Go ahead, but be polite."

Zhao Mingyuan responded and turned to walk towards the offering table. After taking a few steps, he turned back and added:

"Director, you must keep that video recording safe, just in case it works."

Xu Huikang jogged a few steps forward to catch up with Zhao Mingyuan and asked in a low voice:

"Director Zhao, could you ask Master Wen if he'd be willing to play a role in our group? Even a cameo would be great. With his charisma, even just a few shots would be a bonus."

Zhao Mingyuan felt comfortable being addressed as "Director Zhao," but he still wore a troubled expression.

"Well... the Daoist is a person of solitary cultivation, he might not be willing. But—I'll give it a try. I'll give it a try, haha."

Chen Yao stood still, without moving an inch.

From the moment Chen Shouyi moved, her gaze never left him.

Chen Yao suddenly felt her heart skip a beat.

It wasn't because it was beautiful, but because she had seen it with her own eyes just now.

This person is not faking it, not acting, and not one of those so-called masters who put on airs and try to be mysterious.

He stood there, with no barrier between himself and the heavens and the earth.

The wind passed by him, the light fell on him, and the incense burned between his fingers; everything seemed so natural.

He is real.

"What are you looking at so intently?"

A hand reached out from behind and gently patted her shoulder.