Chapter 90

Chapter 90

He Yunxiao, who had made some progress in the first semester of his senior year, also frowned and said, "I worked so hard, but I ended up on the same level as the insects."

Li Hao roared at his rival, spraying saliva, "Stop showing off that you can hit the first-tier university score in front of us, ahhh!"

He Yunxiao patted Li Hao and his group on the shoulders, speaking earnestly, "It's fine, worst case, you can repeat the year next year."

Li Hao thought He Yunxiao's words were terrible comfort. With everything so chaotic now, who knows what the new college entrance exam might test next year? What if they test ghost-catching?

Zhou Yi, the only potential Tsinghua or Peking University candidate in the town's high school, watched them chat, not quite able to understand their pain.

Hmm, he just didn’t understand why exams could be overshadowed by an insect.

As they laughed, the car drove into Nan Nuo Village. Zhou Yi asked the driver to drop him off at his house first, then pointed ahead and said, "Drive ahead about seven or eight hundred meters, Chengde Medical Hall is on the left."

Soon they arrived at Chengde Medical Hall. He Yunxiao got out of the car and looked around. He had seen these scenes many times in live streams, but this was the first time he saw them in person.

'Dad, you’re here! I’ve missed you so much!'

'Hi, Uncle He!'

Two snakes quickly slithered out of the medical hall, excitedly climbing up He Yunxiao’s legs. He Yunxiao picked up Xi Xi and held her in his arms, "Xi Xi, haha, you’ve grown a little. My daughter is so well-behaved."

He Yunxiao looked down at the little white snake still clinging to his legs, looking up at him excitedly. He wasn’t sure if the little white snake had bathed after crawling on the ground.

Seeing it so excited, He Yunxiao had no choice but to casually pat the little white snake’s head.

Li Hao deliberately said, "Dragon King of the Well, look how half-hearted your Uncle He is."

The little white snake excitedly crawled around his leg, 'Uncle He actually touched me! Uncle He’s changed his opinion of me, right?'

Li Hao: "..."

Damn, the son-in-law’s got a thick skin.

The group carried gifts and walked into Chengde Medical Hall. Chen Zhao's eyes lit up as he stepped forward to help take the gift boxes, "You didn’t need to bring gifts just to visit."

"Dr. Wu is in the backyard helping Zhong Wu butcher a pig."

He also noticed the two snakes suddenly sniffing something and darting out, so he followed.

He Yunxiao and the others walked into the backyard and saw that a fat pig had already been slaughtered. The pig’s hair had just been removed, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.

The specially invited butcher took out his toolkit and pulled out a brand-new knife to cut open the pig’s body.

Wu Su was drenched in sweat. Riding the pig had terrified him. All the young men, including him, were useless, so they gave in and called in a professional.

Wu Su glanced at the knife and asked, "Brother Luo, is this knife new? Where’s your old one?"

In the butchering business, you need to use a familiar knife, regularly sharpened, to ensure the pig dies quickly, reducing its suffering.

Wu Heng knew this because such knives, having slaughtered countless animals, carried a killing aura and were imbued with yin energy, making them more efficient with use.

Just like a new knife needs ninety percent of the force to cut off a pig’s head, while an old knife only needs seventy percent.

Butcher Luo looked nervous, "I don’t know. My set of knives suddenly vanished a couple of days ago. I couldn’t find them no matter how hard I looked."

"But don’t worry, Wu Su, this new knife will work just as well. Trust me, I’ll make sure every part is cut properly."

Upon hearing this, Wu Su immediately said, "Losing that knife is serious business. Could it have been stolen by someone with ill intentions? It could even cost someone their life. The New Year is just around the corner; let's not cause any trouble."

Luo the butcher, while continuing to carve the pork, nodded and said, "Young... Wu Heng, you're right. I've been really worried about something happening these past few days. I've searched my house and the slaughterhouse but couldn't find it. I was even considering calling the cops."

Wu Heng, who was helping to collect the pork nearby, glanced at Luo the butcher and suddenly said, "Uncle Luo, hold off on searching the slaughterhouse for the knife for the next few days."

Wu Heng dipped his finger in the still-warm pig's blood and drew a talisman on the old cloth bag that held the set of knives. "When the time comes, carry this cloth bag with you when you go out to look for it."

Luo the butcher was taken aback, then remembered the live broadcasts from Chengde Medical Hall and nodded repeatedly, "Alright, alright, I'll go look for the old knife as soon as I finish processing these pigs."

Wu Heng didn't say anything more, but this incident made Luo the butcher feel a bit uneasy.

"Dr. Wu, we’ve arrived," He Yunxiao waited for them to finish before stepping forward to greet them.

Wu Su recognized He Yunxiao, the young master from the neighboring He Family. Seeing how worn out they looked from traveling, he couldn't help but feel sympathy. Shi Xuan had traveled over three thousand kilometers to study, while they could only take a plane.

Wu Su told Wu Heng to go out and welcome their friends while he and Old Luo continued to carve the pork.

Wu Heng stood up and glanced at Su Dayi, who was hiding not far away, staring at the pork and swallowing her saliva. "Dad, be careful not to let the dog eat it; not even a drop of pig's blood should go to her."

Su Dayi’s eyes lit up—she wasn’t a dog! What kind of dog was a canine?

"No foxes either."

Su Dayi: "..."

-

He Yunxiao mentioned they’d taken off today and tomorrow, plus the weekend, so it was convenient to return. Therefore, Shi Xuan was still at school today.

Eugene was grinning from ear to ear and repeatedly said, "Good, good, making more friends is good. There’s a spare room on the third floor; I'll go up and tidy it up for you to stay."

He Yunxiao, holding Xi Xi, tasted the local specialty snacks brought by Eugene and asked, "Dr. Wu, what’s the deal with the zombie teacher at your town's middle school..."

Before He Yunxiao could finish his question, a gruff-looking man barged in, dragging a girl who was wearing the uniform of the town's middle school.

"Dr. Wu, did you teach my kid some trick?" the man shouted directly.

Immediately, the passing tourists and villagers sensed something was wrong. The man’s booming voice didn’t sound too friendly, and they weren't sure if it was a medical dispute. Some villagers went to notify the village's security team.

"What’s she up to? My daughter came home and refused to do her homework, insisting on digging up the mud under the stone in front of our main hall. What’s she trying to do?"

After asking this, the man noticed the strange expressions on the people around him, and some tourists were recording at the entrance with their phones. The middle-aged man's face turned red, and he hurriedly said, "Dr. Wu, I’m just loud by nature; I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to ask for an explanation."

The girl stumbled over her words and couldn’t explain, only saying it could help Teacher Zhou.

As villagers, they took such things more seriously. The main hall, or the bright room, held significant meaning for a family. Major life and death rituals were held there, and it was considered the gathering place of the family's yang energy. Thus, even a handful of dirt from its entrance mattered, and as the male head of the household, he had to inquire.

The girl couldn't explain clearly, only knowing that Dr. Wu said it could help Teacher Zhou. She didn’t bother asking if there were any downsides, driven purely by enthusiasm. She even boldly said that since Dr. Wu hadn't mentioned any drawbacks, there must be none.

Just to be safe, the man brought his daughter over to ask.

Wu Heng nodded and said, "Taking a handful of mud from the entrance of your main hall does indeed have an impact."

"In ancient times, respecting a teacher required offering a gift of dried meat; this handful of mud serves that purpose."

"This dirt is officially tied to Teacher Zhou’s name, and from now on, during festivals, you must offer her paper money," Wu Heng paused, then smiled, "Of course, in the future, she will also protect and bless you in the underworld."

The protective role of deceased relatives and friends in the underworld is also significant. Many people who narrowly escape danger in the mortal world have deceased relatives and friends pleading for help and seeking connections below, providing assistance.

The man understood; it was like... finding a senior to protect his child, somewhat like acknowledging a godfather or godmother. It didn’t sound half bad.

"Whether it works or not isn’t up to me—it’s up to the heavens."

Having the students bring soil from their homes was meant to show the heavens Teacher Zhou’s teaching and nurturing merits—more direct than writing and burning a petition.

Wu Heng could’ve just dug up soil from Chengde Medical Hall’s entrance after consulting the heavens, but he had a reason for asking the students for soil from their homes.

With how things are now, high school and college students are the most likely to be targeted. Having them do this earns them a bit of merit. Even a little merit can lessen the harm from evil spirits. They help each other, and this is what Zhou Fenghua would have hoped to see.

"Alright, I’ll go grab a hoe," the man said, understanding right away.

Seeing everyone confused, he explained, "There’s a stone path in front of my house. I’ll have to dig up the first stone to get to the dirt!"

So, tourists saw students carrying clumps of dirt to the Nuo God Temple. They bowed to the gods, burned incense, and placed the dirt clumps on the altar, making the tourists around them whisper and wonder.

The Nuo God Temple sits by the Nuo River. With the cold winter wind blowing, wouldn’t a little clump of dirt dry out?

The students didn’t even think to add water to keep the dirt clumps moist.

"Are these dirt clumps offerings? You can’t eat them," a tourist said, posting on Weibo.

The friend thought for a moment and said, "Since it’s for the dead, it’s fine if it’s not edible—it’s just absorbing the scent."

Chengde Medical Hall Topic

-

"The news broke: in Wu Heng’s latest clinic, over a dozen bodies were taken from the town’s middle school—all reportedly living corpses. The parents’ world fell apart."

"I heard gu worms lay eggs through saliva, so the students might have eggs in them—just not hatched yet. That teacher wasn’t the only one. You think other schools might have them too?"

"I heard those living corpses aced their exams. Damn, the worms must be smart! My grades aren’t college-worthy—does that mean the worms are smarter than me? We’re screwed!"

"No more demands—just let me have one last good New Year. If I die next year, so be it. I’m done."

"To the person above: even after death, you could end up a slave ghost..."

"Grandpa, help me! Can’t live right, can’t die right. This world’s a total mess!"

It was night, and outside the middle school, the principal sat on the ground, tears streaming, unable to accept, "So many students—over a dozen—just gone."

They were real people!

The world’s sudden changes might seem epic in history books, but for regular people, it’s a lifetime of suffering.

Most teachers, aside from a few bad apples, have their own high ideals.

"I’ve reported it. Tomorrow, we’ll get the students vaccinated," the principal said, wiping his tears.

He then looked at Zhou Fenghua and said, "Teacher Zhou, thank you. Without you, it would’ve been a disaster."

Some colleagues present looked at Zhou Fenghua with mixed feelings. She had essentially saved the entire school. In the afterlife, she should feel better.

The principal took a deep breath and said, "Teacher Zhou, I heard your attachment prevents you from leaving the school. It’s okay... you can continue to work here. I’ll have the finance department send your salary in spirit money."

"You might not be able to teach English anymore. How about handling the school’s unclean stuff instead? I’ll go see Dr. Wu first thing tomorrow to get you some exorcism medicine, as long as it doesn’t affect the students’ health."

The other teachers also thought it was a good idea. Since they could feel the changes in the world and couldn’t resist, they might as well protect themselves under these circumstances. They couldn’t guarantee other evil spirits, but with Teacher Zhou, who they knew well, there was no problem.

Zhou Fenghua, who had unresolved grievances after her death, felt moved upon hearing the principal's concession.

Wang Jun also apologized sincerely, saying, "Teacher Zhou, you've worked hard today, but for the safety of the school and everyone, we will cremate your remains overnight."

Due to special approval, it was estimated that the cremation was already underway.

Zhou Fenghua was a young girl, though born in the eighteen villages of the Nuo River, she did not have the traditional belief of being buried after death. She was okay with cremation.

Wang Jun added, "We still have to go back and work overtime."

They returned to their unit, accompanied by a master of the arcane, to interrogate the student ghost. It seemed there was more than one ghost spreading gu worms in the school, and they needed to catch them all quickly!

And that so-called internet addiction correction school, where instructors could electrocute students to death, must be completely shut down.

-

The principal personally accompanied Zhou Fenghua to the South Nuo Village. The principal was shocked to see Zhou Fenghua appearing just like a living person in the sunlight.

Apart from being invisible and not consuming human food, she wasn't much different from a living person!

"Don't go to Chengde Medical Hall, everyone has gone to the Nuo Temple, even Dr. Wu has gone," a villager helpfully told the principal.

Hearing that Wu Heng had gone, it was likely empty at Chengde Medical Hall now. The principal and Zhou Fenghua decided to head towards the Nuo Temple.

As a ghost, she should naturally fear temples, except for yin emissaries. Yet, Zhou Fenghua felt more at ease and comfortable the closer she got.

Tourists crowded around the Nuo Temple, and some influencers, chasing views, went live.

A tourist vividly described, "It's a miracle; the clay balls offered last night are still moist! They are exactly the same as yesterday."

At that moment, Wu Heng, clad in traditional ceremonial garb, knelt on a cushion holding incense, with a large group of people led by the village chiefs behind him.

Wu Heng looked at the incense in his hand, with the left one lower and the right two higher, and gave a slight smile.

This signified approval.

Perhaps this was not only due to Zhou Fenghua's merits in teaching but also because she had helped the principal search for living corpses throughout the school yesterday, thereby saving the entire school community. This counted as her posthumous merit, and merits accumulate.

Wu Heng turned and said, "Everyone, please leave and close the doors. Teacher Zhou, come inside."

Zhou Fenghua, puzzled, could only step over the threshold into the temple. The temple doors closed simultaneously, and her ethereal form looked at the two deities, her legs giving way as she knelt before the cushion.

Wu Heng picked up the clay balls, which had an excellent texture. After a night, they had not dried out but had reached an ideal consistency, with not a single impurity, as if filtered.

At this moment, the clay balls would soften with an extra drop of well water and crack with one less, indeed far superior to the clay used for Liu Ziyang's prosthetic ears and teeth.

Wu Heng gathered all the clay balls together, divided them into six pieces of varying sizes, and began to mold them.

Zhou Fenghua knelt beside him, watched, puzzled as Wu Heng shaped the clay dolls. 'Dr. Wu, what are these clay dolls for...'

"This is you. You'll reside in this from now on?"

Zhou Fenghua: '...What?'

Zhou Fenghua looked up at the deities before her and suddenly realized something. Her unresolved grievances caused her emotions to surge. Could it be... could it be...

Wu Heng first assembled the head, arms, legs, and torso, then used the charred incense sticks to carve and refine the small clay figure, giving it facial features and detailed fingers and toes.

Wu Heng took the red candle burning on the altar and carefully dripped the vibrant red wax onto the eyes, completing the final touch.

Wu Heng took out a small red paper figure with Zhou Fenghua's birth details from his pocket, pulled a hair to attach the paper figure to the clay figure.

"Thankfully, the heavens took pity and used clay instead of paper."

Wu Heng glanced at Zhou Fenghua, who was both excited and confused, and gently waved her over.

Zhou Fenghua’s spirit drifted toward the clay figure in Wu Heng’s hands. When she came to and opened her eyes, she was still in the Nuo Temple, but something felt different.

She lightly touched her wrist and felt warmth.

Zhou Fenghua stared at her shadow on the ground, her voice shaking. "I have a shadow? I’m... alive?"

Wu Heng explained, "Not fully alive, but think of it as a premium version of Nezha’s lotus root body. Later, I’ll make you a soul-stabilizing potion. After drinking it, you’ll fully adjust to this body."

Zhou Fenghua moved her limbs, and the discomfort from her decaying body was gone. It felt as though she had full control over her body.

Seeing her joy, Wu Heng reminded her, "Teacher Zhou, when the exam results come out, you’ll leave this world. I hope by then, your lingering attachments will be completely resolved."

"I understand, I understand. I just want to see my first students leave the township for good."

After seeing the world, they can choose their own paths.

Zhou Fenghua knelt on the prayer mat and bowed deeply to the deities. Why her? Why was she granted this mercy, even if only for six months?

"The Nuo Goddess gave you this robe. Wear it as your burial shroud when you die."

As Wu Heng stood up from the prayer mat, he called out to those outside, "Come in."

The temple doors burst open, and the Village Chief, villagers, and tourists poured in. Those who couldn’t get in used selfie sticks to take photos and videos.

Someone exclaimed, "Wait, wasn’t it just Dr. Wu in here? This teacher... is she alive?"

Earlier, Wu Heng had closed the doors and windows, and with people everywhere, no one could’ve snuck in. The temple wasn’t large enough for someone to have been hiding inside either.

"Wait, wasn’t that clay the students’ offering? Offerings are food, right? Where’s the clay, and who’s this person?"

Zhou Dagui touched his granddaughter’s arm. She was warm, and he saw her breath in the cold air.

"That’s something only a living person could do!"

"Wu... Xiaoheng!" Zhou Dagui, overjoyed and leaning on Zhou Yi, shouted.

It had to be Wu Heng. It just had to be.

Wu Heng smiled and shook his head, "It wasn’t me. Any skilled master could’ve done this. It was..."

Wu Heng pointed his index finger upwards.

Masters can house spirits in paper figures, but his way was just more official.

The Village Chief of Wu Miao Village cried out, "It was the Nuo Gods!"

To the villagers of the Nuo River’s eighteen villages, the Nuo Gods were their heaven, their heavenly lord.

The Village Chiefs of the eighteen villages all grabbed incense, knelt on the mats, and offered it to the Nuo Gods. The villagers behind them quickly formed a line.

"Teaching’s that great? The pay isn’t much," a villager muttered outside.

The villager’s wife immediately grabbed his ear and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting here? If wealth could earn the Nuo Gods’ protection, the richest people would all be great benefactors."

"Education really is valuable. Even the heavens agree," said a townsman, moved by the scene, who’d once wanted his kids to quit school and run a guesthouse.

Perhaps the income of this profession is not particularly high nowadays, but teaching, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts are indeed considered virtuous deeds in the mortal world.

"Teacher Zhou!" A group of students waiting outside shouted with tears of excitement.

Teacher Zhou has truly returned.

No longer fearing that her ghostly presence would bring illness to the students or make her an outcast at school, everything returned to normal.

The students cried as they stepped forward to hug Zhou Fenghua one by one, never thinking they would have the chance to hug Teacher Zhou again.

Zhou Dagui was deeply moved by this scene.

This is a child blessed by the heavens, a member of the Zhou family. Although Wu Heng had whispered that her lingering attachment meant she only had half a year left, the moment Zhou Fenghua walked out of the Nuoshen Temple (a sacred place in local folklore) alive, it spoke volumes.

It was divine recognition, the highest honor.

After discussing with the elders of the Zhou family, Zhou Dagui said, "Fenghua, we will choose an auspicious day to open the central gate of the Zhou family ancestral hall and enshrine your memorial tablet."

Zhou Dagui paused and then directly announced, "From now on, during family sacrifices, all members of the Zhou family will offer incense to you first, except for the ancestors who sacrificed in the Anti-Japanese War."