There are indeed some tricks at play here.

The Young Man didn’t say a word. As soon as he ran out, he circled the open space twice, then faced the crowd with his mouth wide open, as if to show everyone.

There was nothing inside.

Then he took out a pitch-black pellet, mixed it with maltose, put it in his mouth, chewed it, suddenly widened his eyes, tilted his head back, and spat toward the sky.

“Boom…”

A large burst of flame blossomed in the air.

The onlookers were startled, and then this spectacular scene immediately drew a wave of exclamations and applause.

Henry Walton was also greatly surprised.

He didn’t know what that black pellet was, but even if it was some combustible substance, there didn’t seem to be any kind of ignition.

Thinking about it, Henry Walton hurried down the stairs and squeezed forward.

“Don’t push, don’t push…”

“Why are you pushing?”

“Who’s pushing me?”

“You brat…”

“Excuse me, excuse me.”

More passersby were drawn by the fire and the commotion. Plus, he had to use one hand to protect his basket and medicinal herbs, so Henry Walton had to put in quite a bit of effort before finally squeezing into the center.

“Boom!!”

Another burst of flame exploded in the sky.

The audience around was still excited and boiling with enthusiasm.

What does it mean to be “fiery and lively”?

This is it.

But the performance was already coming to an end.

“Huff…”

The Young Man seemed exhausted, panting, stopped and looked at the Middle-aged Man, then at the surrounding crowd, said nothing, and quickly bowed with hands clasped.

Immediately, there was a clinking sound.

Many people threw money into the center, or tossed some fruits and vegetables, and some even rolled eggs forward on the ground.

These days, anything counts as a tip.

But just then, an untimely voice sounded from the side:

“After watching for so long, I finally saw a trick that could be called real skill. But such a crude fire-repelling act—performing this at a temple fair is a bit of a sham, isn’t it?”

The voice was old, tinged with contempt.

Everyone turned to look. It was a plainly dressed Elder.

“And who might you be, sir…”

The Middle-aged Performer couldn’t help but bow and ask tentatively.

“Consider me a fellow in the trade.”

The Elder said with a squinting smile.

Upon hearing this, the Middle-aged Performer’s expression immediately darkened.

The other spectators were stunned for a moment, then many of them showed excited, expectant looks.

The atmosphere, already lively, became even more so.

“Although there’s a saying that those in the same trade are rivals, we came here, reported to the local magistrate, paid the fee, asked for directions, didn’t offend anyone, and didn’t steal anyone’s business.” The Middle-aged Performer thought for a moment, then cautiously said to the Elder, “Senior, what is this about…”

“You did nothing wrong. I just arrived here a step later than you. When I reported to the authorities, the officials said someone had already registered, paid the fee, and taken the good spot. I happened to have nothing to do today, so I came to have a look, and just happened to run into you.” The Elder simply stepped forward, smiling, “I thought I’d broaden my horizons and see what skills performers from other places have, but I didn’t see anything impressive.”

His tone was rather helpless, and truly seemed to mean no harm.

He even sighed after speaking:

“When people get old, they talk more. Whatever’s on their mind, they just can’t hold it in and have to speak up.”

The Middle-aged Performer’s face was uncertain. After glancing around at the crowd, he could only withdraw his hands and say, “Saying we’re not skilled enough—looks like senior has something to teach us!”

“Teach is too strong a word. Of all you performed, the only thing that caught my eye was that last fire-repelling trick. But this little one’s skill is still just at the beginner’s level.”

As soon as he finished, the Young Man who had performed earlier immediately looked around nervously, lowered his head and fiddled with his hands, not knowing what to do.

“Senior is not wrong…”

The Middle-aged Performer, who had been humble and pitiable in front of the crowd, showing the demeanor of a very approachable artist, now couldn’t help but darken his face:

“But my child is still young—a little kid, what could he know? Please don’t embarrass him, senior. As for this fire-repelling trick, Smith has practiced it for many years. Why not let senior take a look and judge the skill?”

The onlookers immediately started to cheer.

Henry Walton also became much more interested.

He saw the Middle-aged Performer also open a clay jar, take out a pitch-black pellet, add maltose, put it in his mouth and chew, while someone behind him beat a gong and drum.

“Dong-cha!”

With a clash of drum and cymbal, the Middle-aged Performer just happened to tilt his head back and, in time with the sound, spat upward.

“Boom!”

But instead of a scattered burst of flame in the sky, it was a straight pillar of fire shooting up, at least two or three zhang long.

This pillar of fire was extremely eye-catching. If you stood a bit higher, you could probably see it from several streets away. If it were nighttime, the whole county would probably see the glow.

Whether you understood the trick or were just there for the spectacle, it was clear there was real skill involved.

The Middle-aged Performer didn’t stop, and continued to spit several more times.