"That would be great. If there are any problems at home, I'll have to trouble Master Ning Wei to take a look." Having a master as a neighbor, even for just a few days, was an opportunity not to be missed.
Uncle Meng couldn't casually agree on Ning Wei's behalf. He could only force a silly smile, making no commitment.
Ning Wei's eyes darted around, and then she stood up and said to her neighbor, "If there's a need, I'll naturally help without hesitation."
The neighbor was satisfied. A few minutes later, he immediately brought over a plate of fruit.
Uncle Meng initially wanted to refuse, but the neighbor said, "This is for Master Ning Wei to try. It's just household stuff, not worth much."
Since the neighbor had put it that way, Uncle Meng couldn't refuse anymore.
After accepting the fruit, they exchanged a few pleasantries, and the neighbor excused himself to go cook.
Aunt Meng also took her group of young helpers into the kitchen. There wasn't much else to do in the small town, so meals were very regular. They usually started eating at six o'clock, which also allowed them to enjoy the distant sunset.
Ning Wei and Li Ye never helped in the kitchen. Aunt Meng was puzzled but only mentioned it to Uncle Meng in private.
Regardless, someone was always helping in the kitchen. Moreover, Ning Wei was a ghost-catching master, so her status in the group was undoubtedly high, making it normal for her not to do these small tasks.
When the Yu family's corpse had risen, Uncle Meng happened to be in the kitchen. Later, he followed the crowd out to ask for help from Ci Yun. In fact, he didn't have the mental capacity to see who was dealing with the corpse in the courtyard at that moment.
So, when many people later claimed it was Ning Wei, he hadn't personally witnessed her abilities.
He only figured that whoever had dealt with the reanimated corpse couldn't be too incompetent.
Everyone was busy in the kitchen, and even Mei Nan was helping to pick vegetables from the backyard.
Only Uncle Meng, Li Ye, and Ning Wei remained in the courtyard.
Uncle Meng and Mei Nan could converse happily because they were around the same age, and Mei Nan, being a teacher, was naturally very talkative.
As for Ning Wei and Li Ye, one was a young man who had never spoken much, and the other was a special ghost-catching master. Uncle Meng felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, constantly drinking water to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.
Just as he decided to go help in the kitchen, Ning Wei suddenly spoke, "Uncle Meng."
"Yes!" Uncle Meng answered instinctively.
The neighbor had just spoken to Ning Wei specifically, hoping she could help if anything came up.
It was this remark that aroused Ning Wei's suspicion.
Logically, ordinary people wouldn't encounter such things, so how could they proactively contact a ghost-catching master beforehand?
In some places, people even disliked dealing with ghost-catching masters because they were constantly interacting with ghosts and might carry bad luck that could affect their own fortune.
This town was truly different. First, Yu Jiansheng had taken a liking to Ning Wei's skills and invited her to stay and oversee the funeral. Then, the enthusiastic Uncle Meng was willing to host their group of eight. The most surprising thing was the neighbor's attitude, which made Ning Wei's mind wander.
"Does this town often have hauntings?" Ning Wei asked directly, her words as straightforward as her actions.
Uncle Meng looked surprised and then replied, "No, it doesn't."
Seeing that no one else was in the courtyard, Ning Wei continued, "I heard there's a very effective mountain god temple in town, is that right?"
Who in this town didn't know about this mountain god temple? Even people from neighboring towns would specifically come to pray there.
Uncle Meng was a talkative person, and since Ning Wei had initiated the conversation, he naturally didn't hold back, chatting with her at length.
He answered whatever Ning Wei asked, providing very detailed information.
During this time, Li Ye sipped his tea, glancing at Ning Wei with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
According to Uncle Meng's introduction, the mountain god temple had a significant history, dating back almost a hundred years. Even the town's name was related to that mountain god.
Legend had it that a hundred years ago, the town was suddenly hit by a flood. The small stream outside, where people usually washed clothes, was the culprit.
The heavy rain didn't stop, turning the small stream into a large river, which instantly submerged the small bridge. The river then swelled into a vast expanse and surged directly into the town.
To survive, everyone took shelter on high ground.
The highest point in the town was that large mountain. Everyone, with their families in tow, climbed upwards.
The flood wasn't going to spare anyone in the town. As people climbed, the water level slowly rose.
The large raindrops hit their bodies, but they no longer felt the pain, their minds consumed by a single thought: survival!
Some people who fell behind were directly swallowed by the rushing water, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind.
Cries of grief filled the air. Some of the older people immediately knelt on the ground, pleading with the mountain god to save them, willing to trade their own lives for the safety of their families.
The elders had always believed in the mountain god, offering incense at the temple on the first and fifteenth day of each month. Thus, in their moment of desperation, they turned to the mountain god for help.
Everyone had lost hope, entrusting all their aspirations to something that might not even exist.
But a miraculous event occurred. As everyone knelt and prayed, a large white snake emerged from the mountains and immediately plunged into the water.
The splash it created rose several meters high, and its scales shimmered like jewels.
With the appearance of the white snake, everyone noticed that the heavy rain had stopped, and sunlight began to break through, bringing life back to the earth.
The sunlight was blinding, but it couldn't compare to the brilliance of the white eyes.
"The mountain god has appeared!"
"The mountain god has shown his divine power!"
"Mountain god, please save us!"
In that moment, all sorts of exclamations were heard.
However, although the rain had stopped, the flood had not receded.
The floodwaters had already reached halfway up the mountain. If they rose any further, everyone would surely drown.
At this point, the elderly woman who had first offered her life in exchange for her family's safety looked at the white snake, which was still faintly visible in the river, and shouted, "Mountain god! This old woman is willing to sacrifice myself. I beg the great mountain god to show mercy and give others a way to live!"
After saying these words, the old woman broke free from her family's grasp and jumped directly into the water.
With a "plop," a life came to an end.
Everyone, forgetting their grief, witnessed a miracle.
After the old woman's sacrifice, the floodwaters visibly receded by about a meter.
The head of the white snake was half-exposed above the water, its pale pink forked tongue occasionally flicking out. Its eyes seemed to hold many unspoken words.
Its body was submerged, making it impossible to discern its true size.