Headless Immortal

Chapter 103 The First Signs of Ferocity
In the latter half of the banquet, the people who sat down had long lost their appetite for food and drink. The singing and dancing were no longer enjoyable, and the fine wine was like wax. Nothing made them happy, and the celebration banquet came to an abrupt end.

Everyone dispersed and returned to their rooms at the post station.

Inside the hall, only six clerks and three shifts of yamen runners remained, with the county lieutenant and county magistrate seated at the head of the table on the left and right respectively.

The county magistrate was a middle-aged scholar with a small mustache. He stroked his mustache, squinted his beady eyes, and tentatively asked with his hands clasped, "Your Excellency, are you really going to let two great monsters fight each other in the city?"

While the fighting between monsters is none of the government's business, that happens in the wilderness. If such a thing were to happen in the city, countless people would be affected.

If the number of casualties is too high, these herders will also be held accountable, ranging from losing their official positions to losing their heads.

I heard that executioners in the capital didn't feel pain when they killed people, but back then, who cared about pain?

The head constable said in a deep voice, "Why don't we just go all the way and finish this..."

"Hey."

Lei Ji sneered and said indifferently, "If you want to make a move, you can do it now. If you're not afraid of death, go ahead. I haven't lived enough yet."

These ignorant bailiffs really think that by passing the first or second checkpoints and having the strength of donkeys and horses, they can stop that snow-haired monster. They'll probably die in a single breath.

Why did he remain silent at the banquet? He knew how powerful the ape monster was.

Now he was absolutely certain that this ape was not the Five Gods; the Five Gods looked like skinny little monkeys in his presence.

The constable and yamen runner, who had been rebuked by the county constable, did not retaliate.

Lu Qian took a sip, put down his teacup, and laughed, "Who said it was inside the city?"

The county magistrate asked doubtfully, "Then..."

"Hold a grand temple fair at Qingquan Temple." Master Lü looked at the county magistrate and loudly instructed, "Mobilize the city's garrison troops to maintain order."

Then they found two constables: "Constable Qian."

Qian Xiong clasped his hands in a salute: "Your subordinate is here."

"Ideally, there should be a place that won't affect the county town, and enough space for them to maneuver."

"Yes."

Qian Xiong reluctantly accepted Master Lü's order.

"Officer Kang."

"exist."

The one who responded was the chief constable of the county government. He was five feet nine inches tall, with a bushy beard and a dark face. He had once been Lü Qian's bodyguard and had now been promoted to chief constable.

It was simply that his brother-in-law was incompetent, and without Zhao Jia to rely on, Lü Qian had no choice but to hand over the position of chief constable to someone who was truly capable, which is why he replaced him with this person.

"I want to ensure that no officials get injured during the temple fair. We need to take precautions."

"Here."

"Get ready."

"Old Chengzi, stay behind."

Only Lao Cheng remained of the county government officials.

Lao Cheng was somewhat bewildered. Although he had cultivated true qi, he was not a proper martial artist who had broken through the three barriers. In addition, he was old, frail, and injured, so he was no longer considered a master.

If we were to say who among their small group, besides Zhao Tou'er, had the best chance of cultivating true qi after passing the three trials, it would probably be Da Zhuang.

Dazhuang was a Miao man, tall and thick-skinned. Anyone else who took a punch from Wutongshen back then would be crippled or killed.

Why do I say "back then"?

This is because the current Wutong Mountain Lord is terrifyingly powerful.

As people get older, they tend to overthink. The old man suppressed his complicated thoughts and asked with his hands clasped, "I wonder what the master wants me to do?"

"Tea."

"Don't be shy, have a seat."

Lu Qian waved his hand with a smile, then sat back down and asked with a sigh, "How is Officer Zhao?"

Lao Cheng was clearly taken aback, and cautiously replied, "It's alright."

Master Lü leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said, “I come from a humble background and admire heroes the most. My purpose in becoming an official is simply to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country, and to think of the people. But social obligations are still necessary, and my salary from the court is just enough to support my family. Where would I get extra money?”

Lao Cheng didn't understand what Master Lü was trying to say, but being an old hand, he flattered him, saying, "Master Lü is an incorruptible official, truly a beacon of justice for Meilan."

Lu Qian smiled and pointed to the official hat on his head: "How much do you think this hat of mine is worth?"

"This……"

"Let's chat casually, and boldly name a number."

"I'm afraid it will cost two thousand taels of silver."

"allow!"

"Guess how much silver that monster took out?"

Lao Cheng shook his head.

Lü Qian said, "A box of gold and silver jewelry."

"Even if he offered me a hundred or two hundred taels, I wouldn't accept it. Why would I accept a whole box of them?"

Lao Cheng shook his head again.

"Because this is enough to buy my official hat in Jiujiang County."

Do you know what I mean?

Lu Qian stared at Lao Cheng with a meaningful look.

The old man frowned, stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Does the master mean that you cooperated with the monster out of necessity?"

Lu Qian's gaze relaxed slightly, and he adopted a more relaxed posture. He picked up his teacup, gulped down half a cup of tea, and then said lightly, "Therefore, this battle is relatively fairer. The imperial court will not allow licentious shrines and evil rituals, and I, this official, will not dare to go against the grain. I am so gratified to see someone take action."

Lao Cheng now fully understands what the master means; he wanted to tell his third uncle through his own words.

"My subordinate understands."

Lü Qian nodded in satisfaction: "It's good that you understand."

……

The courtyard is deep and secluded, and the side rooms are soundproof.

Lu Qian took the wine pot: "Madam, there's no need for you to do such rough work. Please sit down."

"Master, please drink less." The woman was beautiful and dignified, her brows furrowed with tenderness and concern. It was the first time she had seen her master so out of control, as if he were about to get completely drunk. She sat down and tried to hold Lü Qian's arm, but found that she couldn't stop him at all. After all, her master was a Confucian scholar who possessed magical powers.

"What do we, husband and wife, have to fear about getting drunk? Come, my wife, drink this cup. Don't think I'm drunk, I'm not drunk, I'm filled with hatred, I hate it so much! That damned bastard thinks I have no connections in the court, he coerced and bribed me, a dignified official from the Tiger List, a sixth-rank county magistrate, a scholar who has learned the power of law."

“If it didn’t control Peach Blossom Village and have so many unruly people following it, it could easily turn into a local rebellion. How could I tolerate it?”

"At today's victory banquet, Madam, you didn't see it. That arrogant ape dared to defy my authority. I wished I could give the order and chop him into mincemeat, but... I was afraid, afraid of dying. That beast is no coward. Facing so many cultivators who have refined their true qi and read their magic power, its eyes showed no emotion whatsoever, only calmness."

"let's hit!"

"The Living Buddha of Taoyuan wants to seize Qingquan Temple as a temple; does he want to become a Buddha?"

"If it can become a Buddha, then that turtle bastard will become a Buddha too."

"Yes, he was a turtle and a tortoise to begin with."

"Kill!"

"It would be best to fight to the death."

"It's only satisfying when both sides are severely injured!"

……

Station.

In the side room, Lao Cheng took out brass-colored tobacco from his sewn tobacco pouch, pressed it into the bowl, lit it with his tinderbox, and with a few flicks, the tobacco turned golden-red and quickly turned into black ash. He slowly said, "That's what the master meant. Uncle, the government won't help the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring, but it won't help you either."

"We'll help!"

Cheng Yan answered loudly.

Lao Cheng nodded in agreement. They had received great kindness from Cheng Jia. Now was the time when Sanjiao needed manpower, so how could they possibly back down?

He didn't ask Sanjiao why he did this, nor did he think of any other way or find a roundabout excuse. Just like in the army, this was a real head-on clash of strength.

Old Cheng exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "I wrote a letter to Boss Zhao, but I reckon it will take a while for it to reach him."

"If Uncle Zhao were here too, that would be great." Cheng Yan thought to himself, but also felt a pang of regret.

Far water cannot quench near thirst.

Yang Shen, with his round, harmless face, squinted and chuckled as he said, "The magistrate of Meilan County is quite the schemer. He promised both the Living Buddha of Taoyuan and my senior brother. I'm afraid he's hoping that my senior brother and the Living Buddha of Taoyuan will both suffer heavy losses so that he can reap a huge benefit."

Ma Ye asked, "Would it be better if we didn't intervene?"

"Do not."

Yang Shen shook his head and said, "If Senior Brother hadn't gotten up, it would have been best if we hadn't made a move. Now, if we don't make a move, the government will instead spread rumors that our three families, sword cultivators, sorcerers, and martial artists are all inferior to monsters, forcing us to take action and make us settle things with the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Village."

Ma Ye snorted coldly: "Officials have so many trivial matters to worry about."

It keeps changing, there's no definite answer, and no clear stance; everything is convoluted and inefficient.

“If you want to ruin something, you have to go all out. That’s why, even though Master Lü clearly intended to settle things peacefully at the banquet, he’s now making a big fuss about it.” Yang Shen came from a prominent family and had been exposed to the ways of things from a young age. However, he could only analyze the situation for everyone and couldn’t make the final decision.

Yang Shen looked at his senior ape brother, who was sitting there without saying a word.

This decision needs to be made by the senior student.

dong dong.

Upon hearing the knock on the door, everyone's expressions changed.

Eyes shifted.

Cheng Yan got up and asked, "Who is it?"

"I."

"Grandma." Cheng Yan smiled first, his hand already on the door latch, but he hesitated and turned to look at Lu Xun instead of opening it.

He opened the door only after Lu Xun nodded.

Zheng the fortune teller ignored Cheng Yan, stepped over the threshold and walked in, staring at Wu Tong Lu Xun sitting in the main seat, and asked, "Give me a straight answer, are you going to do this job or not?" The porcelain doll on the fortune teller's shoulder pouted, sat properly, and its bright eyes looked at everyone in the room.

Wu Tong Lu Xun raised his golden eyes, his fangs twitching slightly.

If he missed this opportunity, where would he find a magician who could turn stones into gold? Lu Xun couldn't help but wonder if this might be his only chance in this lifetime.

Don't be greedy, just earn 9.8 million.

At that moment, Lu Xun recalled his time practicing martial arts at the academy: "Don't think, just throw a punch."

No ravine can stand before a fierce tiger.

A cold glint flashed in his gilded demonic eyes.

"Of course!"

After sitting down, Granny Zheng began to speak: "To tell you the truth, I lost my mother when I was young, and my stepmother abused me in every way. Fortunately, my father loved me, but he also died. My stepmother wanted to sell me to a child, but I escaped with my life thanks to a big red-tailed carp that I raised when I was young. I couldn't run too far when I was young."

“My stepmother came looking for me, put on my clothes, tricked me into letting out a big carp, and killed it. I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked. In the middle of the night, I heard her calling me. The big fish had become a ghost.”

“I have been worshipping the giant fish day and night, and have gained magical power and developed supernatural abilities. I am planning that my time is coming soon and I need a large sum of money.”

"To leave it to future generations of the lake, and also to recast the golden statue of my family's Fish God."

“I have a precious mirror that can break the divine light between the eyebrows of the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring.”

Swordsman Zeng Tie glanced at Granny Zheng. He was the last person who needed to ask; no one wanted the Eighth Prince's life more than him. Ever since Lu Xun stood up at the banquet, he had decided to follow Lu Xun. He didn't need to say it; he would prove it with his actions.

Lu Xun said, "It's settled."

Cheng Yan clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Go and invite Master Chen, Li Song, and Master Jueming."

Cheng Yan was slightly surprised. He could persuade Master Chen Jing and Uncle Li, but he saw that the senior monk wanted to protect the Eighth King. Wouldn't inviting the monks cause cracks in the already unstable group? If they were persuaded by the monks again, they would be back to the passive situation they were in before. So he asked doubtfully, "Uncle, should we invite Master Jueming?"

"please."

"He may not come, but I cannot refuse to invite him." Lu Xun understood that he wanted to make this happen openly and honestly, and he wouldn't force Master Jueming if he disagreed. Just as their appearance represented Bailudong Academy, Master Jueming's departure from the mountain gate represented Donglin Temple.

If something is out in the open, you always have to save face.

"Go."

"Yes."

……

In my childhood.

Master Chen arrived as scheduled with his disciples, nodded, and took their seats.

Li Song followed closely behind.

Surprisingly, Master Jueming also arrived. He remained silent from the moment he sat down, pondering how to persuade the ape monster to give up killing the Eight Great Kings.

In truth, he didn't think the ape monster could succeed. Even though the ape monster showed considerable strength in that battle, it was only because he had exhausted the Eight Kings' magic power beforehand, and then it was attacked by multiple people, which allowed the ape monster to gain an advantage.

When it comes to one-on-one combat, the ape monster is definitely no match for the Eight Great Kings.

I did some quick calculations and found that the Eight Great Kings belong to the Water element, while the Inner Li trigram belongs to the Fire element, indicating a balance between Water and Fire.

The ape-like monster with white fur and golden eyes is a manifestation of the essence of metal, capable of controlling water and driving mist, with metal and water complementing each other.

'Senior Uncle, what exactly do you mean?'

"What should I do, disciple?" Master Jueming clasped his hands in bewilderment. Many demons and monsters had died at his hands, and he had never saved a single one. In the past, he had defined them according to the precepts and the distinction between good and evil, and he would not let go of any evildoer. But this time, he could not find any basis for his judgment.

Chen Jing smiled and said, "The Living Buddha of Taoyuan is not easy to kill. What are your thoughts?"

Lu Xun said, "If we could replicate that day..."

"Heh." Li Song laughed first: "The danger of that day was such that if it happened again, we would all be dead. Even if we got the money, we wouldn't be alive to spend it. We can only bolster your morale and prevent the little monsters from ruining the battle. To put it bluntly, if you can win, we'll help you; if you can't win, we'll listen to the government."

"you!"

The swordsman standing next to Lu Xun pressed down on his sword.

Lu Xun waved his hand to indicate that Zeng Tie didn't need to be angry. He didn't get angry and nodded, saying, "Okay."

Turning to Chen Jing, he asked, "What does the Daoist priest want?"

Chen Jingdao: "Qingquan Temple."

"If you, Taoist priest, go all out to help me kill the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring, I will gladly offer you the land deed of Qingquan Temple."

Yang Shen and Ma Ye exchanged a glance.

Seeing that his senior brother hadn't voiced his doubts, Ma Ye remained silent as well. Touching Lu Xun's authority now could very well cause this fragile alliance to crumble. He couldn't do that.

Seeing Chen Jing's hesitation, Lu Xun changed the subject: "Daoist, you will cover for me and prevent other minor demons from interfering in the battle. After I kill the Eighth King, I will also offer you a sum of gold and silver that is enough to choose another place."

Chen Jing glanced at the silent Master Jueming and Li Song, who was unwilling to suffer any loss. He then looked at the sorceress and the Confucian scholars from Bailudong Academy. Back then, they had worked together to save the Eighth Prince. Now, they were only superficially united, and each of them had their own ulterior motives. Perhaps the best outcome would be mutual destruction.

Why listen to the ape monster's promise when you get there? You can get the land deed for Qingquan Temple yourself.

He agreed, saying, "That's fine too."

Lu Xun cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and asked, "Does Master Chen have a good method to break the tortoise shell?"

Chen Jing said, "To break its spell, we need to prepare a lot of things."

(End of this chapter)