Chapter 2: The Mice Move House

With this faint light, Ning Feng took in the entire scene of the village.

Cough cough cough—cough cough cough—

What kind of days did they endure before Old Su returned, looking at these children's desolate expressions

With a creaking sound, Ning Feng nonchalantly opened the object, placed it on the ground, adjusted its direction, and sat down gracefully.

Cough, Ning Feng took out a folding stool and sat down right in front of the children, closest to them

What stands out the most are perhaps the large and bright eyes, resembling two big pearls

Uh

Except for Ning Feng, no one cast a glance in that direction

Ning Feng felt as if his mind was filled with mice, scurrying about chaotically, with all sorts of thoughts about Su Family Village, which was clearly a nest of big rats

I cannot stop; I am constantly worried that if I keep coughing, my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys will all come out

There seems to be a cough coming from the corner, but pay it no mind

Then a small child asked with a face full of excitement

Master Da Nu laughed heartily and said, Xiao Ningfeng's eyes blinked continuously, he truly thought so

Water light

Like celestial maidens scattering flowers, a multitude of ribbons descended from the sky, nearly burying Ning Feng

Did the gentleman not have a master?

Ning Feng answered very seriously, beginning to describe how the clothing of the female ghost was disheveled, how it was torn into strands that could not conceal anything at all

Under the influence of curiosity, I ignored the stern gaze of my elder sister

Ning Feng cast a glance at those children, and his lips involuntarily twitched a little

Ning Fengzuo looked to the left and then to the right, calculating in his mind, "According to the distance, this village should be near the city walls, by the riverbank. It's a pity the weather is too poor; otherwise, I would be able to see it clearly"

In this vast universe, where do the demons and monsters come from? And who has ever seen them with their own eyes?

The Great Anger Zen Master turned around and left the courtyard. Little Ningfeng had not yet wiped his drool and was still regretting that he hadn't had the chance to say he wanted two. Just then, the Great Anger Zen Master walked back in, seemingly unperturbed, holding two steaming buns in his hands

The Four Books and the Five Classics

The electric light pierced through the window, illuminating the private school for a moment, and Ning Feng clearly saw the strange expression on Su Laomou's face, while the disciples present fell silent as if frozen in fear

That aroma must be from Chen Ji, the Chen Ji located in a county a hundred miles away, with freshly steamed buns just out of the oven

That year, sir, I ascended Peach Mountain, and upon reaching the summit, I encountered a ghost

Ning Feng merely glanced and took in the appearance of the children. Nine out of ten of these children had narrow faces, skin stretched tightly over their bones, lacking the plump, round, rosy cheeks typical of other children their age, making them appear less endearing.

I have seen it

Ning Feng found it somewhat amusing and exasperating, shook his head, disregarded the old man, and with a clatter, set down the bookcase that he had been carrying on his back, lifted the cloth covering it, and reached inside.

He also does not want to appear this way; the problem is that no matter where he goes, as soon as he looks up, he will definitely see the female ghost hanging in front of him

Ah!

... ...

Ning Feng clapped his hands, the sound resembling the striking of a wooden board, and began to speak, conjuring images of demons, monsters, deities, and Buddhas. The story, rich in dreamlike colors, immediately captivated all the children, each one listening with rapt attention.

The child from Yishui immediately focused his gaze, his appearance reflecting a thirst for knowledge that could make any teacher weep with emotion, exclaiming that he truly is a "student from someone else's family"

Ning Feng is truly skilled at storytelling, narrating in a captivating and vivid manner. Whether it is Su Laomou, Su Tingyu, or the children, they are all completely engrossed in his tales

In the story, Ning Feng ascended Peach Mountain and from a distance saw a tree with a slender woman hanging from it. As for her face, that was impossible to see; can one really see the face of a hanged ghost

The thunder that had been accumulated for an unknown duration finally erupted in a torrential manner, the electric whips striking the night sky, the thunder reverberating through the earth, and for a brief moment, it was as bright as day

Ning Feng casually wrote down the words "Great Anger" and passed it around, then composed himself and said: "Having spoken of immortals and Buddhas, I shall also speak of ghosts and monsters, which are also experiences I have personally encountered"

Let's change the story.

If you don't look at the face, it is not scary at all

The water has floodedーーー

Strange...

Does the monk know what the child is thinking

The sound of water roared, and a massive wave surged forward, overwhelming everything in its path

As Ning Fengzheng spoke of the rise, a monk recited scriptures and chanted spells, invoking the Vajra to subdue demons with divine powers, while a Taoist ensured not to lose a single fraction, as a sword pellet flew from his mouth, striking from a thousand miles away...

Their little brains are not quite sufficient, and they haven't thought of much; they just feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if it resembles something else.

Her name is Tingyu

In the meantime, do not forget to take out paper and pen, writing down terms such as "monk", "Taoist", and "flying sword", and circulate them among the disciples, as it seems that this will be today's lesson.

The sound of coughing grew louder, heaven have mercy, the one who is coughing has caused the dust on the roof to fall down

Ning Feng shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, saying: "The monk does not accept, he only wants me to strike the wooden fish..."

Here, this is a ribbon

I want to tie ribbons on every tree on Taoshan Mountain

Inside the private school, only the sounds of breathing rise and fall, sometimes held in silence for a long time, or rising and falling rapidly like tense emotions

Is this to take the book

"Miss, I am honored to make your acquaintance"

The round-faced girl, aside from the initial snicker, maintained a demeanor of quiet grace and obedience. At this moment, standing before the children, her elder sisterly presence immediately emerged, causing the children to stand up one by one, clamoring to call her "teacher".

... ...

The children’s mouths were wide open, large enough to fit a small fist. To their surprise, the female ghost neither sought wealth nor lust; after following their master for quite some time, it turned out this was her true intention.

Before the children could turn the corner, Ning Feng continued with the second half of the story

With unceasing footsteps, within the brief moment when various thoughts flashed through Ning Feng's mind, a group of three entered the village.

He just wants me to strike the wooden fish

He said it casually, who would have known that the female ghost would really respond

What kind of children are these

Su Laomou was left speechless. Not only him, but even those foolish descendants he spoke of could easily discern that Ning Feng's words were undoubtedly based on true experiences

Su Laomou shrank his neck and looked at Ning Feng, waiting for his response

Are cave dwellings and houses the same thing

Ning Feng spoke without hesitation, his three words resonating with authority

He naturally rejected the unreasonable demands of the female ghost. The peach trees on Peach Mountain number at least eighty thousand, if not a hundred thousand. If one were to really do such a thing, it would be easier to simply choose a pleasing tree, kick his legs, and hang himself.

The official family's young lady loved to swing the most during her lifetime. On Peach Mountain, there were either peaches or monkeys, which she soon grew tired of. She thought of changing the tree every day to swing from, treating it as a game.

Isn't it strange? Don't you find it unattractive?

After meeting the gentleman, the children reported their names one by one, their voices sweet and chattering all at once. Ning Feng felt his head swell from the noise, but he managed to remember only the round-faced girl.

Ning Feng helplessly stopped and looked towards the source of the coughing sound: "What advice do you have, old sir?"

In typical rural circumstances, the private school is set up in the ancestral hall, with several rows of desks and chairs arranged there. It is unclear how the notification was made, but after Ning Feng entered, dozens of young boys and girls surged in, each taking their seats in their respective places

Zhuangzi is indeed not small, with buildings arranged in a scattered manner, and it has all the necessary features such as flower gardens, wells, and so on

Su Tingyu, a rather pleasant name

rumbling

Bang

Stand up

Uh

Due to the lighting, his face was obscured by shadows at this moment, making it somewhat difficult to see clearly.

He has truly encountered deities and spirits

What is the situation?

Ning Feng was about to speak further when the rain outside intensified, with raindrops pounding on the roof and splashing in the courtyard, producing a sound akin to hail.

Oh, why didn't I see Zhuangzi yesterday

When Su Laomou was struck by the thunder, he shivered as if startled. At this moment, he pressed his hand against his chest, his breath uneven, yet he did not forget to say to Haoran: "I apologize for making you laugh, sir. Although I have traveled to some places, I have read little and lack knowledge. That is to say, I have embarrassed myself in front of you, hahaha"

I don't believe it. Xiao Ning is not easily deceived at all

"Provoke him, evade him, scold him, yet the monk remains unperturbed"

A muffled sound came from the corner of the private school. Ning Feng turned his gaze towards the sound and saw Su Laomou awkwardly getting up from the ground. He had been so engrossed in watching that he had stretched his neck too far and ended up falling off the stool.

Ning Feng opened his mouth slightly, feeling a bit awkward, realizing that it was indeed inappropriate to say this to a child at this moment

Ning Feng instinctively looked up and glanced outside the door, and his eyes were momentarily dazzled.

Being busy is not an excuse, but it does not prevent Ning Feng from chatting with the female ghost.

Old Master Su coughed forcefully

Ning Feng curled his lips, his emotions so complex that it was simply indescribable. He said to the children below the private school who were listening intently: "After all this fuss, that female ghost actually just wanted me to do that, and then she could change her location every day and continue to dangle around."

Ning Feng silently nodded, as if he had heard it.

From that stunning glance, the layout of this village is indeed peculiar; it does not resemble a waterside dwelling, but rather resembles the arrangement of northern cave dwellings that have once been visited.

"Sir, what does the female ghost look like? Is she frightening?"

Ning Feng enthusiastically described to the children how the female ghost was a noble lady, how she encountered a powerful man, and how, after being humiliated, she ended up hanging herself

Old Su let out a strange cry, rolled on the spot, and with a "pop," his official robe fell off. A large gray rat person stood up, shrieking sharply.

Years have passed, yet Ning Feng still thinks of that entanglement, a surge of anger still pent up in his chest

Wait for the monk to descend

Ning Feng, feeling helpless, performed a salute and said straightforwardly: "Miss, what exactly do you want? Just say it directly."

Cough cough cough——cough cough

What is the situation?

Do not you still pay your respects to the gentleman

Xiao Ning Feng did not respond; he was busy wiping his saliva

In the blink of an eye, the tables and chairs were overturned, and dozens of mice of various sizes scurried back and forth, creating chaos in the private school.

You are thinking of the monk's bald head, which resembles that of the donkey next door

The great monk demonstrated his supernatural powers, merely to inform me that he has the ability to accomplish it

The only exception was the round-faced girl who, after the imposing presence of her elder sister was released, honestly moved a chair to sit in the front.

rumble rumble rumble

He gestured to indicate the size and then said: "Such a large wooden fish, the monk said: as long as I am willing to follow him in chanting scriptures for ten years, striking the wooden fish, no matter what worldly splendor exists, the great monk will bring it all before me."

The excited child once again defied the authority of the elder sister; did you not see how the girl Su Tingyu's face became even rounder from anger

When Ning Feng spoke these words, there seemed to be an endless sense of emotion, which was vastly different from the animated storytelling he had displayed earlier.

Patiently waiting for the children to finish their introductions, Ning Feng caught a glimpse and was surprised to see Old Su also bringing over a small stool, awkwardly perching on it with half of his bottom, and sitting down in the corner as well

Ning Feng was murmuring.

Alright, let us continue with the story

How long will this rain last

It seemed to express an overwhelming disagreement with Su Laomou's words, as a thunderous roar echoed, as if the thunder were about to pierce the heavens and the earth. Immediately after, a torrential downpour fell, dense like millions of pearls rolling down a jade plate

A master of great supernatural powers like the Great Anger Zen Master, when approached to showcase his abilities, surprisingly does not wish to accept disciples for teaching, but instead only desires to have them strike the wooden fish

All the children gasped in disbelief, staring at Ning Feng, no, at the object he was holding in his hand

It is said that ... ...

Do you want to eat Chen Ji steamed buns in the county town

He just widened his eyes, and everyone in the private school noticed something was amiss, all looking outside in unison

At the age of seven, I encountered a great monk, whose Dharma name was Da Nu...

Cough cough cough

Mr. Su's expression was peculiar as he asked, "Why don't you speak about the Four Books and Five Classics?"

scared

The atmosphere in the manor was indeed somewhat peculiar, yet the enthusiasm of the old and the young remained undiminished. They did not wish to waste a moment and directly led Ning Feng to the private school.

... ...

Later, Ning Feng realized that the performance of Master Da Nu was a demonstration of the Buddhist supernatural powers: "The Mind-Reading Ability" and "The Divine Foot Ability"

Ning Feng shook his head, smiled wryly, and said, "In this world where deities and ghosts abound, the Four Books and Five Classics are only suitable for wiping one's bottom; what is the point of studying them?"