"Drive! Scatter all the other villages!"
Ansheng sat on a makeshift sedan chair, his cheeks devoid of any confusion about the current situation, only filled with joy.
Scenes like this, Ansheng had witnessed countless times in his past life. It's just that back then, since he wasn't a local or married with children here, he usually sat on the sidelines watching the fun during the celebrations shared by both gods and humans.
The deities in Xia Dong, whether orthodox Taoist deities or local gods, more than 99% are cultural ancestor gods with historical prototypes to be found.
During festivals or any grand events, the local villagers of Xia Dong would visit the ancestral shrine to invite these so-called deities, who are essentially ancestors, to participate in activities spontaneously organized by the villagers.
Currently, Ansheng is riding on a sedan chair, carried by local villagers parading through the village.
After finishing the parade in the village, they'll proceed to a designated location to meet with procession teams from other villages.
Next, all the villages participating in the tea ceremony competition will carry their deities along a designated route in a life-and-death sprint, and whoever's deity arrives first gets to sit at the top of the god's platform and enjoy the head incense.
In a way, these god processions are fighting for the honor of the village, and there is a reward for winning.
Even if you lose, you still have a seat on the shrine cushion in an elegant setting.
Whenever the ancestors forgive you, you don't have to kneel in the shrine seeking forgiveness anymore.
Although it's just a procedure, technology nowadays is just too advanced.
If you're not careful, being punished to kneel in the shrine could easily become a hot topic on the social platform and lead to social death.
Whether it's the youngsters from Changxi Town or those from other villages, they're all determined and full of energy.
"Crackle snap—"
The sedan teams carrying the deities completed the lap-around-the-village ritual amidst the light and smoke of firecrackers, and by now, it was already 5 AM, when the villagers of Changxi Town arrived spirited and mighty at the predesignated gathering spot.
"This thing is still vigorous!"
During the lap around the village, Ansheng casually borrowed some props from in front of the villagers' houses, such as a chicken feather duster, one of the nemeses of naughty kids, or willow branches, as well as two broken data cables.
Willow branches paired with chicken feather dusters, beating and warding off evil spirits.
"Xiaolan, how're you feeling? Any discomfort?"
Beside, Yu Xueqing, without a hint of being out of breath, looked at the little fox on the sedan, grasping a chicken feather duster with a worried face, hesitantly asked.
With firecrackers blasting everywhere in the village and being carried the whole way in a rush, Ah Qing was genuinely worried that the little fox might become stressed.
'Ying ying ying! Master is having fun! Fox fox, today I'll take on ten at once!'
The whimpering sound of the little fox sounded like a clear and elegant phrase to Yu Xueqing after translation.
"Ah Qing, don't worry! Our group is just a plant rental, here for fun. The real intense competitions are among the young," Rain Zhenghong said with a cheerful face, comforting Ah Qing not to worry while carrying the sedan chair.
"Today anyone might topple on the street, but I'll defend Master Fox's safety with my life."
Another uncle from the same village next to Yu Zhenghong couldn't help but interject:
"That's not right. We haven't even started, and you're already preparing to give up! Who wasn't carrying the deity's statue sprinting down the road in their youth? We have experience and we're carrying lighter, why can't we win?"
The statues aren't light; even ceramic ones upwards of a hundred pounds are considered slimmed down.
Upon hearing this, Rain Zhenghong rolled his eyes.
Yes, yes, you keep talking about youth, but is everyone really so unaware of the current situation?
A few more years, and it'll be all about high blood pressure, herniated discs, bone rheumatism, presbyopia—and still refusing to admit old age, huh?
"Bold old fool! Stop whining nonsensically!"
"You guys just run ahead; leave everything else to Ansheng!"
The little fox discontentedly whimpered.
"Dad... Xiaolan said you're too negative, and it killed his mood, and he doesn't want to bless our family anymore,"
Seeing Master Fox glance and whine over at himself, the clueless Rain Zhenghong looked to his daughter as Yu Xueqing hesitantly translated for her dad.
"Damn!"
"Back in my day, with the big boss, I could sweep the street without panting. A few kilometers is nothing. Even Bolt would eat my dust!"
Stung at his soft spot by Master Fox, Rain Zhenghong's old face flushed red, blood surging up.
...
After a short rest, all the deity processions lined up at the starting point.
However,
The task of escorting the deities to the venue doesn't start based on auspicious timing.
Elders from each village began casting the [Holy Grail] to ask all the Lords if they could begin.
Upon receiving all the Lords' approval, the young men carrying the sedan chairs instantly dashed forward.
Over thirty sedan chairs crammed together, refusing to yield an inch, resembling a rugby match's kickoff clash.
"Damn! Hold your ground!"
At the start, Ansheng, close to the edge of the road, urged Rain Zhenghong and the others to squeeze inward. Only by getting onto the road could they run forward, but their starting position was too far out, causing their sedan chair to begin tipping over due to being squeezed by the crowd and sedan chairs on the road.
Ansheng hurriedly held onto the sedan chair handrails, shouting loudly to Rain Zhenghong and the others.
Originally not meant to be in the deity procession, Ah Qing discreetly extended a small hand.
In an instant, Ansheng felt a sudden surge of acceleration, and the tipping sedan chair immediately straightened up.
And as Ansheng's sedan car stood upright, the sedan chair team, which was leaning over from this side, tilted straight to the right, filled with various exclamations, even causing the right-side sedan team to topple over like a chain reaction.
One by one, beefy men lay bewildered on the ground, hurriedly supporting the toppled deity Lords.
"For Master Fox!"
Rain Zhenghong ran at the front, one hand pulling the sedan and the other clearing the people blocking his path, trying to squeeze through the bustling crowd to take off, but the progress was difficult.
"My Master Fox will open the steel gate with one swing of the sword!"
Taking advantage of the twilight yet to fully brighten, Ansheng looked around, grabbed a willow branch beside him, and directly swung it at the person intentionally blocking the way ahead.
With one swipe from Master Fox's willow branch, it sank the trousers of the obstructing person straight into the crack.
"Owww—"
Suddenly ambushed, the deliberate blocker yelped, holding his reddened buttocks, and with red eyes, turned back to see whose family was so unscrupulous, sneakily attacking his Mariana Trench.
He glared over.
The little fox stood upright on the sedan, holding a chicken feather duster, glaring back from above.
He shrunk his neck, holding his butt, nervously smiling.
Alright! Be it the other village's deities hitting, or hit on my trench... You've just kicked at nothing.
"Drive!"
Amidst the crowded throng, some people were genuinely stuck and couldn't start, but some, forcibly crammed here, employed a self-destruct strategy.
Those who ran slower started later, forcefully squeezing here to buy time for their own people.
Those who ran faster, kicked hard, and dashed toward the tea ceremony venue first.
Ansheng hit whoever he saw, whacking their pants into the trench.
"We're out!"
Rain Zhenghong squinted his eyes, disregarding anything else, using all his might to push forward; Ansheng was blocking other teams from grabbing their sedan, preventing their start.
As Rain Zhenghong pushed forward, suddenly finding emptiness in front of him, he delightfully shouted, and the seven people of the same sedan team were instantly invigorated, stepping back to gather strength, charging forward, with the front ones pulling out the sedan.
"Damn!"
Overexerting himself, Rain Zhenghong fell onto the ground in a seated position while pulling out the sedan, however, the sedan carrying Master Fox already reached the starting line.
The seven sedan bearers didn't bother with Rain Zhenghong, mustering all their strength to rush forward.
Even sitting on the sedan, Ansheng had already fastened the seatbelt, bouncing up and down, especially during turns where the sedan was nearly toppling over.
"Wait for me! I haven't even carried the sedan yet!"
Rain Zhenghong startled, hurriedly got up, frantically dashed, returning to the team.