Chapter 29 The Dragon Opens Its Eyes
"What is 'lighting a lamp'? What kind of lamp?"
"I don't know, we'll see later."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
The villagers of Xiangjia Village present were oblivious to these things, their minds completely absorbed in the ritual.
They were very nervous when they first came on stage.
During their time in the modern world, they had obediently stayed in Qinghe Ancient Town to catch up on some common sense about modern society and hadn't had much contact with outsiders. This sacrificial ceremony was their first large-scale contact with people from the outside world.
Some were eager to try, finding it incredibly novel and even exciting, while others were terrified and even wanted to run away from the ceremony. In the end, it was Xiang Ming who stepped in and calmed them down.
“Miss Lu once said that this ceremony is extremely important to her! We have received a great favor from Miss Lu, and we must not make any mistakes at such a crucial moment and disappoint her! Do you understand?” He paused for a moment, “Furthermore, our village has not held a Lu Ban ceremony for many years. Whether everyone’s skills have improved or regressed will be revealed before the ancestral master. Instead of worrying about anything else, you should worry about this!”
After he finished speaking, all the craftsmen in Xiangjia Village quieted down.
Yes, what could they rely on when they arrived in this unfamiliar place? Wasn't it their own skills? No matter where they went, as long as it was a peaceful time, having a skill was enough to support themselves and prevent them from starving. This was the simple truth that the craftsmen believed in.
Even the powerful deity who rescued them from ancient times was interested in this.
Once this key point was understood, the previously restless atmosphere vanished abruptly. Everyone, aside from their daily work, was honing their craft even in their dreams. On the day of the festival, there was hardly any time to observe or pay attention to the outside world.
Their piety also made this ritual, which so far has not been particularly well-arranged or exquisite, solemn and sacred.
On the field.
Four craftsmen, including Xiang Dali, carried over a table. They lifted the red cloth, revealing a tall wooden lamp in front of them.
Lu Xiaoqi took a deep breath. She only knew that the Seven Star Lamp was made by craftsmen working day and night for the past few days, but she was busy purchasing items, and today was also the first time she had seen the Seven Star Lamp in its true form.
Those present shared her sentiment, finding the lamp truly beautiful.
Old Lin stroked his chin and asked her, "This is shaped like a dragon, so why is it called the Seven Star Lantern and not the Coiled Dragon Lantern?"
Lu Xiaoqi admitted frankly: "...I really don't know."
The lamp was about the height of a person, and seven coiled dragons were mounted on its stand. Their scales were lifelike, their whiskers were flowing, and each dragon had a different shape. Each dragon held a candle in its mouth and stretched out its body in seven different directions.
It was placed on the altar, and all the dragons had their eyes closed, yet everyone could still feel its domineering aura.
Xiang Ming and several veteran craftsmen stood below the stage, their eyebrows furrowing almost imperceptibly—the construction period was still too rushed, and they could only admire it from afar, not up close. If they had more time, they would definitely have done a better job!
But the onlookers were very excited, and if the volunteers hadn't stopped them, they probably would have gone over to watch.
Li Nuan quickly aimed the gimbal's camera at the light, focusing on the details.
"The craftsmanship is truly amazing, everyone!" Sixteen-Year Cicada exclaimed enthusiastically. "And this lamp is incredibly imposing. I don't know if you can feel it, but seeing it in person was absolutely stunning..."
The carpenter in the live stream suddenly spoke up: "[Host, could you raise your phone a little higher? I'd like to see the view from above.]"
He tipped the sixteen-year-old cicada 100 yuan.
Sixteen-Year Cicada was extremely excited; this was the first large donation he had received today. He had to fulfill the sponsor's request, so he looked left and right and finally found a high step not far away. He quickly scrambled up, stood on it, and held his phone high: "See that?"
[I see, thanks, brother.] I'm just a carpenter continued: [See? These seven lamps are significant. The main stem branches into seven branches, each with a coiled dragon, corresponding to the positions of the Big Dipper: Dubhe, Merak, Phecda... together they form the shape of the Big Dipper. These are Seven Star Lamps!!!]
Everyone could feel his excitement from the exclamation mark in his voice.
Wow, that's really interesting.
[Carpenter, why do we worship these seven star lamps?]
The craftsmen on the field were already bowing three times to the Seven Star Lamp. The sixteen-year-old cicada seized the opportunity to squeeze back into its good spot and then read out the comment.
I'm just a carpenter: [This is an old custom, passed down from ancient times, where the Big Dipper illuminates the workshop. But nowadays nobody uses that; they just light seven oil lamps on the ground as a formality. To be honest, I've never even seen a seven-star lamp like that!]
I'm a carpenter, and I really am a carpenter in real life. I'm over forty years old, and it took me more than ten years to become a master carpenter. Now I've gained a little reputation in the industry. I've been relatively free lately, and my only pleasure is watching short videos and live streams. He wasn't a fan of Sixteen Years Cicada, but he happened to come across a video where he was live streaming a Lu Ban ceremony, so he stayed to check it out.
Surprisingly, I actually saw something real.
After thinking for a moment, I, being a carpenter, quickly left the live stream, switched to my own WeChat group, and sent the live stream link: 【Go check it out, it's a Seven-Star Lamp! A genuine Seven-Star Lamp!】
After sending it, he quickly switched back to the live stream without even checking for a reaction.
By this time, the craftsmen had already begun lighting the lamps. He secretly congratulated himself on his quickness.
The match's faint flame was almost extinguished in the gentle breeze, but it still lingered shakily until the very end, transferring the flame from the thin stalk to the candle held in the dragon's mouth.
The firelight continued to shine, and just then the clouds obscured the sun in the sky, making the area suddenly darken, which made the sparks shine even brighter.
The mutation began at this time.
Once the firelight subsided, the coiled dragon, which had been keeping its eyes closed, suddenly opened them. It seemed to come alive, its dragon eyes majestic, its posture disdainful, as it gazed upon the craftsmen around it who were bowing and worshipping it.
The place was completely silent; even the wind had stopped.
"It opened its eyes!"
After a few seconds of silence, someone suddenly cried out in alarm. The cry was like a pebble dropped into water, creating countless ripples.
Although the dragon's eyes are painted with colored dots, they look incredibly lifelike now.
"Holy crap! Holy crap! It really opened its eyes! Did you guys see that?!" The cicada, which had been hibernating for sixteen years, opened its mouth wide and shouted excitedly into the live stream, "Did you see that? The Panlong opened its eyes!"
The surrounding area was bustling with noise.
"I saw it, it really opened its eyes."
Wow, so there really is such a thing as the finishing touch in painting a masterpiece!
"How did you do that?"
"Is there some kind of mechanism involved?"
Li Nuan's breathing quickened, and she froze the moment she opened her eyes, thankfully her hands didn't shake. After calming down, she quickly checked the video she had just opened. Great, she had accurately captured the moment the lights were turned on, and from a pretty good angle. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
A vague premonition flashed through her mind: this would be a pivotal moment in her career as a self-media creator. But not everyone is so lucky. The person next to her, also a self-media creator, was wailing in agony; he had just put down his phone and missed taking the picture.
"There are still six lamps left!" Li Nuan kindly reminded him.
"Yes, yes, yes! The rest will definitely open their eyes too." The man gave her a grateful look, then immediately prepared his phone to take a picture from the best angle.
The nearby residents who had come to join the fun were also excited, and they all took out their phones to film. In the era of short videos, anyone can become a disseminator.
The craftsmen of Xiangjia Village continued to light the lamps.
The second lamp, the third lamp... the seven lamps lit up one after another. With each lamp that lit up, the corresponding coiled dragon would open its eyes. When all the lamps were lit, the seven dragons, wrapped around the lampposts, opened their eyes and gazed at the world before them.
Watching the whole process, Li Nuan felt goosebumps rise on her skin. She felt as if the scales on these dragons were trembling, as if they would leave the lampposts at any moment, soar into the air, and wander among the clouds, transforming into real dragons.
The number of comments and bullet screen messages in the live stream increased significantly at some point. They were especially dense when the dragon opened its eyes at the end.
May the dragon protect you!
Wow, is it going to take off?
Where did my phone take me? Why am I seeing a dragon with its eyes open?
[Shocking! Where is this?]
To be honest, I got goosebumps all over. Is this really not special effects?
[As we all know, special effects aren't allowed in live streams. This must be some kind of little mechanism connected to its eyelids, right? But you can't tell at all from the surface, it's really impressive. Is it made of wood? Or is it connected to some kind of programming?]
Someone smiled contentedly at their phone; thankfully, they had been quick enough to screenshot the part of the video where the eyes were open. They simply added some music and a sensational title to the screenshot and casually posted it to their personal account.
He wasn't the only one who did this.
During the ceremony, even Ren Zhijiao and Lao Lin, who were in the best viewing spots, were stunned. Lao Lin thought he was seeing things and rubbed his eyes several times. The bank and appraisal company staff also applauded along with the crowd; everyone genuinely found it wonderful.
"This lamp...was made by these craftsmen?" Ren Zhijiao asked Lu Xiaoqi. The wood looked brand new, not even painted. "How did they manage that?"
Lu Xiaoqi clapped her hands and said, "They did make it these past few days, but I don't know exactly how they did it..."
Her voice rose several octaves with excitement. In truth, she was also somewhat bewildered and deeply regretful. She only knew the artisans had created something, but she never imagined it would be such a breathtaking piece. If she had known they were going to make such a grand spectacle, she would have invited more people. What a waste of such a memorable event!
Moreover, her ultimate move hasn't even been used yet.
While feeling heartbroken, she called out to the system, "Are you ready? Remember to time it perfectly."
System: "No one can time things better than me."
Lu Xiaoqi certainly wouldn't argue with it at this moment, and coaxed it with a smile: "That's right, you are an omnipotent system!"
On the field, seven dragon lanterns were lit, and the artisans' three bows came to an end.
"Beidou Zhaogongfang—" Yuwen Kai's voice echoed in the room. His tone still carried some of the charm he used when speaking Mandarin, which inexplicably gave it an ancient and ritualistic feel. "First bow to the ancestral master who passed on his skills, second bow to the rules that define the boundaries, and third bow to the completion of the project!"
A cup of wine was spilled onto the ground: "Welcome the Patriarch to the altar!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a slight breeze seemed to blow. Everyone present felt a sudden darkness before their eyes, as if the light had been blocked by something. Some people couldn't help but look up at the sky, only to find that the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds, but it seemed that only their area had become nearly 20-30% darker than the surrounding area.
He thought, "Maybe the clouds just happened to block my view," and then he thought the clouds were moving quite conveniently. But... they're not dark clouds, so why is it so dark? Before he could think further, he heard someone shout loudly beside him:
"Look!"
Suddenly, starlight descended from the sky, and within the starlight, the seven coiled dragons that had been hovering on the lampposts suddenly appeared as blue, glowing phantoms. These phantoms detached from the wooden dragons and rose into the air from the lampposts.
The dragon roared and took flight!
It was as if they had broken free from some kind of seal, and at the same time, a faint dragon's roar seemed to echo in the distance.
They swam and circled above the altar, one by one. Their scales trembled and their tails swayed, creating rings of starlight, as if they were truly traveling through a sea of clouds.
Some dragons even swam above the crowd, showering down starlight.
Li Nuan stood frozen in place as a dragon approached her, even playfully sinking downwards. She felt a dragon pass over her shoulder, and she dared not move. But soon, she realized she could no longer feel anything; the dragon had vanished as a phantom.
It's an illusion.
The crowd exploded as if a pot of hot oil had been poured with cold water.
"My God, what is this?!"
Am I dreaming?
"A dragon, it's a real dragon!"
Upon seeing this, Lu Xiaoqi immediately stepped forward and said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a new holographic virtual technology that our ancient town has introduced. Please don't worry, just watch with peace of mind. This performance will last for about thirty seconds."
Hearing her say that, the people in the room were relieved, but while their fear dissipated, their excitement did not diminish at all; on the contrary, it intensified.
"That's amazing! It looks so real!"
"Has holographic virtual technology developed to this level yet?"
However, it's not over yet.
In just a few seconds, the seven dragons gathered on the altar again, then slowly dissipated, turning into specks of blue starlight that cascaded down from the sky like a waterfall. As they touched the ground, ripples suddenly spread across the original blue brick floor, centered on the altar, outwards in concentric circles.
The water washed away the dust and grime, gradually transforming the original stone bricks into large, lustrous, pure blue bricks, paved with golden bricks, eventually covering the entire ceremonial ground. Then, as if a pavilion had sprung from thin air, stone foundations, white jade steps, massive wooden beams and pillars, and exquisite brackets—these luminous structures rose from the ground, ascending and converging, as if an invisible divine hand were rapidly building blocks, soon reaching the eaves, corner brackets, and glazed tile ends…
These unseen hands adorned the skeleton of the hall with layers of decorations, and in just over ten seconds, a phantom hall with a milky white halo appeared around everyone.
They had been standing in an open space, but now they were inside this magnificent hall.
If it weren't for the halo effect, everything around would seem real. Looking up, you could see the exquisite coffered ceiling, the intricate brackets, and even the delicate patterns on them. Standing on the solid gold-brick floor, it felt as if you could touch the beams, walls, and windows right there beside you...
This small hall is the "virtual experience hall" that Lu Xiaoqi extracted from the system.
The system used holographic technology to simulate the entire process of building the small temple from scratch, condensing it into just a few dozen seconds.
The cicada, hibernating for sixteen years, couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Its hand passed through the pillar beside it, creating ripples in the water. Turning to Li Nuan, it said dazedly, "Hey girl, pinch me. Am I dreaming?"
Holding the gimbal, Li Nuan murmured, "No, it's not a dream."
This mirage-like scene is indeed real; if it were posted online, probably no one would believe it... online!
Li Nuan immediately regained her senses.
Only thirty seconds! Remembering Lu Xiaoqi's words, she quickly grabbed her phone and started filming from every angle. There weren't many people like her; most of the others were immersed in this strange and magnificent transformation. By the time they came to their senses, everything around them, like the flying dragon before, had gradually turned back into the initial starlight and disappeared into the air.
The real world is gradually returning to normal.
It's like a beautiful dream that collapses rapidly, and people are unwilling to wake up, still intoxicated by this illusion. After waking up, they even feel a sense of loss.
After a long while, a sound finally rang out.
"That's it?" someone exclaimed in disappointment.
Lu Xiaoqi responded with a smile, "It's only thirty seconds."
Someone started clapping and screaming, igniting the enthusiasm of the audience, and everyone clapped enthusiastically. Some people, having witnessed such a wonderful performance, were eager to express their excitement, but ultimately, all their words could only be summed up in one sentence:
"sharp!"
"Awesome!"
Ren Zhijiao stood there, taking a deep breath, as if only in this way could she expel the surging and swelling emotions in her chest. The scenes she had just experienced were still replaying in her mind.
This time, it seems like we've really struck gold!
The crowd erupted in cheers, and some even wanted Lu Xiaoqi to play it again.
Lu Xiaoqi naturally refused: "We only plan to play it once, and we can't play it a second time in such a short time."
After hibernating for sixteen years, the cicada finally had time to check the live stream, only to find that the comments in the live stream were scrolling so fast that he couldn't even see them clearly anymore, and many messages about receiving donations popped up in the background.
He was grinning from ear to ear and started showing off: "How about it? Didn't I tell you I'd show you the world today? Pretty cool, right?"
Hearing this from the side, Li Nuan rolled her eyes in exasperation. Who was it that complained about how shabby this place was in the first place? Turning to look at the people around her, the self-media personalities who had come with her were clearly excited, completely forgetting their initial disdain.
Meanwhile, the popularity of the sixteen-year cicada's live stream also increased, and people stopped criticizing him:
This is quite an interesting story, thanks bro!
[A truly remarkable sight!]
[Holy crap, what was that? Was that some kind of special effects blockbuster? They're doing this kind of thing on live streams now?]
I think I heard someone say this is holographic virtual technology?
[That's nonsense. There's no such thing as real holographic virtual reality technology these days. Even if you go to a shopping mall to play VR, they'll put on glasses for you.]
Sixteen-Year Cicada chuckled: "I really didn't mishear. This is holographic virtual technology. If you don't believe me, I'll have someone ask you."
He went straight to Lu Xiaoqi next to him: "Ms. Lu, could you tell my fans in the live stream that they don't believe that what just happened was holographic virtual technology?"
Lu Xiaoqi certainly wouldn't refuse, and this was a great opportunity to advertise!
She said goodbye to Ren Zhijiao and the bank's assessment team, then smiled and approached the camera: "Hello everyone, I am the person in charge of the Lu Ban worship ceremony in Qinghe Ancient Town. What we just saw was indeed the holographic virtual technology developed by our company. Its characteristic is that it is very realistic and can make people feel as if they are there."
Live Stream Room:
[Hey beautiful lady! Hey streamer, step aside, let this lady have a turn.]
[Miss, please play the application again! I missed a lot of details before.]
Many people were egging them on, but some were asking serious questions:
[Manager, is this your own technology? It seems much more advanced than what's available on the market. Can it be used in other areas?]
Were those people real craftsmen? Did they make that dragon lantern?
How exactly do those dragons open their eyes?
[This technology is amazing! You can experience it without wearing glasses? And I don't see any machine assistance? Is it just the naked eye?]
Lu Xiaoqi selected a few typical answers from the rapidly scrolling comments:
"Yes, this is our own technology. Currently, it can't be applied elsewhere; it requires large underground equipment to assist." She made up a few things, since they couldn't verify it anyway. She continued, "However, right where I'm standing now, we'll be building a holographic virtual experience center—the palace you just saw. Everyone is welcome to come and experience it. Remember, Qinghe Ancient Town, Anping County, Qinghe City!"
“Those are real craftsmen; their skills have been passed down through generations. The lamps were made by them in the last few days. As for how the dragon opened its eyes, I don’t know either. If you’re interested, I can film a video of them making it…” She remembered and quickly started advertising, “You can follow our official account for Qinghe Ancient Town; we’ll update videos regularly.”
She had done live streams before and wasn't shy at all. She interacted smoothly and harmoniously with the viewers in the live stream room, successfully making many people remember the name of Qinghe Ancient Town. However, when they learned that the town hadn't even opened yet, they were all very disappointed.
"Today is supposed to be the groundbreaking ceremony!" Sixteen-year-old cicada yelled from the side, "Are you even listening to me?"
Lu Xiaoqi smiled and said, "Yes, today is actually the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of Qinghe Ancient Town. The main force behind this renovation is the craftsmen you just saw. They are all highly skilled and know many lost crafts. We guarantee that we can give everyone a truly antique ancient town. By the way, the ceremony is not over yet. Next, there will be a competition. It will be very exciting, so please don't go away!"
After enthusiastically promoting the product for a few more minutes, she finally handed the live stream back to Sixteen Years Cicada.
The craftsmen have left to prepare for the assessment later.
Upon learning that there would be a live assessment, and that the very craftsmen who made the Seven Star Lamps were participating, the onlookers began to discuss it enthusiastically. No one left; many were making phone calls to their friends and family.
"Come to Qinghe Ancient Town and see the excitement... Would I lie to you? You've asked so many questions, I'm telling you, you'd be missing out if you didn't come..."
Old Lin immediately called his students: "Come quickly, come quickly, Qinghe Ancient Town, take a taxi, we'll be there in half an hour."
He put down his phone, his excitement still lingering. He and Ren Zhijiao had only come today to see how Qinghe Ancient Town was doing, hoping that if the new management was reliable, they could try to secure internship opportunities for their students to broaden their horizons. He never expected this seemingly ordinary little scenic spot to give him such a wonderful surprise!
That's absolutely reliable!
Li Nuan looked around. In preparation for the assessment, everything on the field except for the statue of Lu Ban had been cleared away.
She thought for a moment, then decided to take advantage of the wait and start editing a short video on her phone. The scene of the dragon opening its eyes could be easily edited, filtered, and accompanied by some nice background music before it was ready to post.
The one who leaves early has the biggest advantage; she wants to make the most of every second.
Meanwhile, the craftsmen from Xiangjia Village who were to participate in the assessment were all waiting on the sidelines. This scene made their already somewhat uneasy emotions even more tense, especially those of the young craftsmen.
The youngest of the artisans awaiting the exam was only eleven years old.
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