Headless Immortal

Chapter 129 Green Claws and Thunder, Rat Master
After leaving the banquet, surrounded by soldiers, they walked towards the back hall, passed through the long hall and horse hall, and arrived at the stables.

Horse manure, mixed with the smell of fermenting grain, spread out like mercury.

The stables were made of relatively thin wooden planks, which allowed for better ventilation. A half-person-high stone wall served as the foundation, supporting the planks above.

The new lord of Zhangjiabao introduced with a smile: "Zhangjiabao has a total of 800 households, and every household raises horses."

"Among them are a thousand fine horses, two thousand inferior horses, and twenty top-quality breeding horses. Every year, three hundred military horses need to be delivered to the Jiangbei Camp. The total number of stables in the entire fort is more than the number of houses."

"please."

The fortress chief, Zhang Chuanwen, gestured for them to proceed and led the way.

The fine horses tied to the stables on both sides stared at the group of people who had arrived. Most of them looked sickly and lacked energy, probably because they had caught a fever due to the hot weather and were recovering.

"Is Lord Gao's red-maned horse a prized steed with demonic blood?"

Gao Qingzhi was observing when he heard the fortress lord ask a question, and he nodded and said, "That's right, it would be a fine steed even if it were taken to Jiangning Prefecture."

Speaking of his steed, Gao Qingzhi said with great pride: "Back then, when I was following General Lu in the north, I found a little foal in Hongshan. Later, a horse expert said it had the potential to be a thoroughbred."

Zhang Chuanwen himself was Matthew, a specialist in judging horses. He noticed the red-maned horse at a glance and said with a smile, "May I ask Lord Gao to leave some seeds for his precious horse? Please rest assured, there are mild medicinal herbs in the fortress that will not harm its essence, nor will they delay your journey."

"no problem."

Passing through the long stables, you are greeted by a valley where grass grows tall and birds sing.

The setting sun spreads its crimson clouds, creating a thousand layers of rosy light.

The horses grazed quietly with their heads bowed.

It turned out that the horses tied up in the stable were all sick, while these vigorous and spirited horses were completely unaffected.

The entire valley is surrounded by grasslands, and Zhangjiabao is situated right in front of the pass, enclosing it. No wonder that thousands of horses can be raised in a place like Xunyang River where there is not much arable land.

Zhang Chuanwen gathered his inner energy and let out a long roar: "Roar!"

The sound was like that of a strange beast or a tiger, and it didn't sound like something a human could make.

The horses raised their heads warily, no longer lowering their heads to graze, but instead gathered into a torrent and marched towards Zhang Chuanwen.

"It's embarrassing."

Zhang Chuanwen said, "The Horse King's Roar can quickly summon the herd of horses, but that strange beast won't come out..."

Before he could finish speaking, a streak of blue lightning shot out from the forest. It was tall and strong, with flowing mane and a long neigh. The herd of horses, which had been converging from the stream into a long river, all stopped in their tracks.

"coming!"

Gao Qingzhi exclaimed, "What a magnificent steed!"

If Lu Xun hadn't spoken up, he would have wanted to try to subdue him.

The young warriors in armor are eager to try their hand at martial arts.

As a military general who yearns for the battlefield, who wouldn't want to have a mythical beast mount? Not only can it charge into battle, but it can also save lives in critical moments, making it the perfect choice whether fighting or escaping.

Zhang Chuanwu said, half complaining and half anxiously, "Brother."

How could we so easily give away our prized steed?

Zhang Chuanwen was about to refuse the traditional martial arts attempt.

Lu Xun said, "Go ahead and give it a try. Anyone who wants it can give it a try."

"You said it yourself, don't regret it." Zhang Chuanwu laughed and cupped his hands in a fist salute. As the only martial artist in the family, he didn't want to spend his whole life as a horse groom in Zhangjiabao like his father, nor did he want to learn horse judging skills like his older brother, which had no future.

In fact, Chuanwu could understand his father.

That's how it's been all my life. No matter how well I raise horses, it's not as good as having real power. The imperial court can't give him these things, so my father turned to bandits, hoping to gain extraordinary power from them, and perhaps even wealth and honor.

However, he had no intention of seeking revenge; defeat was defeat, and he accepted his loss.

Such a reckless gamble—if you die, don't bring shame upon your family.

"Maybe it was all a charade put on by my father and elder brother," Chuanwu thought with a sneer, not giving it much thought. He just thought to himself, "Father, I will turn Zhangjiabao from a horse farm into a military town."

He took off his helmet and handed it to his elder brother, then tore off his armor. Zhang Chuanwu put a rope in his left hand, grabbed a lingzhi mushroom with his right, and slowly approached the strange beast.

Zhang Huaisu asked with slight surprise, "Fellow Daoist, aren't you worried?"

Lu Xun had no intention of possessing the strange beast: "I just want to buy two ordinary horses."

While everyone was chatting, Zhang Chuanwu had already ensnared the blue beast. However, before he could even mount it, the beast raised its hooves and easily kicked Zhang Chuanwu away, dragging the lasso as it ran wildly until Zhang Chuanwu was covered in wounds. Then, it shook its head and its single horn cut the rope.

"Bring out the second young master."

Two soldiers ran over and dragged Zhang Chuanwu back.

The strange beast didn't leave; it stood a hundred paces away from the group, chewing on the Ganoderma lucidum.

Seeing that no one was moving, Lu Xun turned to the side and asked, "Captain, aren't you going to give it a try?"

Gao Qingzhi looked on with envy, then shook his head and said, "No, my Hongyun also has demon blood, it's no worse."

Where is the Taoist priest?

Zhang Huaisu opened his Taoist robe, took out a few taels of loose silver, and chuckled twice: "This Taoist priest is short of money."

The swordsman was extremely envious, but his injuries were too severe.

Seeing that the captain and the Taoist priest were giving him face, the wealthy man was lost in thought with his hands in his pockets, and the swordsman was dejected, Lu Xun stopped refusing and walked towards the strange beast.

The strange beast also approached the scholar.

The man and the beast were about five or six steps apart. As they got closer, Lu Xun carefully examined the monster in front of him.

It was about eight feet tall, with a single horn, a blue mane, and a broad face like a bull's head. It snorted and revealed sharp teeth. It looked exceptionally robust, with scales beneath its fur. Its hooves were a combination of a tiger's and a horse's, and it dragged a long beast tail.

With a sweep of the long hair, the heat dissipated completely.

'If only there were still spots available for the general selection.'

Lu Xun thought to himself.

He had already realized that this was a monster that had gained sentience.

The demonic beast held its head high, its azure eyes lowered, and it was still chewing the lingzhi in its mouth, slowing down slightly, but it did not take the pale-faced scholar seriously at all.

Seeing the scholar arrive empty-handed, the bird flew into a rage and raised its hooves to shove the scholar aside.

thump.

Lu Xun's shoulders slumped and he tilted to the side, but his body still managed to support him.

Upon seeing that the scholar had not fallen, the monster immediately raised its other hoof and kicked him squarely in the chest.

boom.

The pale-faced scholar's skin cracked as if made of paper, and a seven-foot-tall monster raised its claws to block the beast's hooves.

A strange light and ferocity flashed in the beast's blue eyes. Its scales and mane shimmered with light, and the strength of its hooves even surpassed that of the tiger head that Lu Xun had obtained. Even the true form of 'Mr. Ni' could not withstand it.

Head transplant.

With a flash of white light, Wutong Lu Xun had already flipped onto the horse's back, his legs clamping around the horse's belly, his iron claws encircling the monster's neck.

The monster roared and charged into the forest.

"Your Majesty!"

The toothless creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a human cried out in alarm, took two steps, and transformed into a black night hawk in mid-air before plunging into the forest.

Zhang Chuanwen had never seen Lu Xun use the power of a great demon. He had heard from the high-ranking officer that the scholar had saved them. He figured the high-ranking officer wouldn't stoop to lying.

He had some doubts when he first met the scholar, but now he had no doubts at all.

That turned out to be a great demon that had descended to the human world.

"This……"

"Don't worry, he can handle it." The captain said confidently. Rumble.

Trees collapsed in the mountains, and soil and rocks crumbled, raising clouds and dust.

In my childhood.

A scholar riding a demonic beast galloped over.

After getting off, Lu Xun crossed his arms and said, "It really is a divine steed." He then took out his basket, took out gold and silver jewelry, and said, "A divine steed is priceless, but these are all I have on me."

"No, no, it's a gift for our benefactor." Zhang Chuanwen quickly waved his hand and took the opportunity to say, "If our benefactor agrees, let the strange beast leave some seeds."

He smiled and explained, "In previous years, it often entered the herd to search for mares, but it would kill them before they could give birth."

Zhang Chuanwen knew, of course, that this was a divine steed and a strange beast, but keeping it in his possession would waste fodder and prevent it from breeding, so it was better to let someone else take it away.

Leave some foals behind before taking them away. Wild horses are hard to tame, but foals are definitely easier to tame. With this batch of stallions, Zhang's Stable will surely flourish.

As Lu Xun stuffed the gold and silver into Zhang Chuanwen's hand, he agreed, "Okay."

……

into the night.

Lu Xun was writing a letter at his desk.

He described the drought in Zhangzhou, Jiangbei, and mentioned the emergence of a zombie king in Hao County, as well as the actions of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.

Given Longhu Mountain's enthusiasm, it's possible they, like the Lushan School, want to spread their teachings northward. The academy must not miss this opportunity.

Seal the letter with wax, put it in a bamboo tube, and tie it to the toothless eagle's leg.

He instructed, "Send it to the headmaster."

"Keep an eye out for those in black armor and white skin on the road. If they don't work and just run away, I'll strip them of their spots."

A masterful command can create a spirit, and he is currently short of manpower. Even Wutong Mountain Lord dares not charge into the ranks head-on. If he were surrounded by hundreds of fully armored soldiers, he would be riddled with arrows.

"How is Xiao Cheng?"

"All is well, Grey Treasure's strength is also quite good."

"That's good." Lu Xun smiled, feeling as if he had watched a child grow up.

With a treasure-hunting rat like Grey Treasure by Cheng Yan's side, he can avoid misfortune and seek treasures, which is quite a good opportunity. Even if he doesn't achieve anything great, he will definitely have extraordinary cultivation.

"Go, be careful on the road."

"Yes."

The toothless creature nodded, flapped its wings, and flew away.

Compared to the leisurely life at the academy, Toothless felt closer to the king and wanted to stay by his side, even if it was just as a messenger.

The evening breeze gently caressed the lampshade, and the flame flickered.

Lu Xun stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, gazing at the sky, concentrating intently as he meditated to absorb the moonlight and restore his magical power.

……

Silent all night.

The Taoist priest went ahead, saying he was going to track down the White Sect demoness.

In order not to delay the journey, Hongyun and Benlei were sent to breed at dusk. They went excitedly, but returned dejected. Fortunately, Zhang Chuanwen prepared the concentrated feed, and they were full of energy by the morning.

Lu Xun got up early and packed his bags, carefully placing the urn under the rice bag.

The lord of the fortress prepared food, dried meat, and water bags for them, and even specially provided a saddle for 'Benlei'. Benlei was the demon horse that Lu Xun had subdued, and this time it wasn't named after its color.

He stepped onto the horse using the stirrups.

The two men rode their horses out of Zhangjiabao.

Gao Qingzhi, sitting on the red mane, cupped his hands and said, "Boss Lu, be careful in everything. I will have Hai Dongqing contact you. Wait for my news, don't worry."

Seemingly fearing that Lu Xun might rely on his superior skills to charge into battle, he added earnestly, "Military battles are not martial arts games; war is dangerous and perilous."

He tossed a token to Lu Xun, saying, "This is a token from a local official. It can mobilize a few soldiers. Keep it for protection."

Lu Xun caught the waist tag and noticed that the front and back were different from the one hanging on Gao Qingzhi's waist. His tag had the character "地司" on the front and was blank on the back.

“I understand,” Lu Xun said, crossing his arms as he rode the Thunder Horse.

"drive!"

Gao Qingzhi spurred his horse toward the official road, dust billowing and greenery swirling around him, the bear-like man disappearing at the end of the road.

Watching the captain leave, Lu Xun patted the basket on his back: "Let's go, we're going to Meng County."

The oil-paper umbrella bounced.

With a slight tap on Benlei's abdomen, Benlei immediately understood and was about to run away when he heard shouts from behind.

"Wait, Your Majesty, wait a moment, this old man..."

Lu Xun grabbed the reins, which displeased Ben Lei. Ben Lei wrinkled its nose and sneezed, but it still obediently stomped its feet and did not carry Lu Xun away.

Looking to the side, another fast horse galloped out from Zhangjiabao, carrying an old man who looked like a wealthy man. He was one of the bodyguards that the old lord of the fort had summoned to protect the White Sect's holy maiden at the banquet.

Lu Xun remembered the old master, this should also be a monster, its fluffy tail couldn't be hidden.

Tick-tock.

As the horses approached, the wealthy man clasped his hands in a salute and said, "This old man is also going to Meng County. I wonder if I could travel with Your Majesty?"

The old man's horse quickly lowered its head, looking like a wronged child and not daring to go forward.

Benlei glanced at him, and the horse was so frightened that it took two or three steps back.

Lu Xun squinted at the old master and said indifferently, "It's no trouble to give you a ride, but you should at least show your appreciation."

Considering the other party's pure spirit and the arduous cultivation he had undergone, Lu Xun had no intention of taking action to capture his head.

Good people aren't killed, and good monsters certainly aren't killed either; it's just that there's a probing element in his words. This old man isn't looking for the Taoist priest or the military officer, but specifically for me; it's probably not as simple as just passing by.

The old master showed no sign of distress at being extorted; instead, he beamed with joy and presented a half-broken compass with his hairy paws as if offering a treasure: "This is an heirloom of my family, a magical artifact that can clearly predict good and bad fortune."

Lu Xun reached out and grabbed it, looked at it, and then threw it back to the old master, saying, "Keep it for yourself."

The old squire caught the compass, burped, and his head suddenly transformed into a fluffy, light brown body with long, large ears, a small, decorative nose, and large, round, clear black and white eyes.

The rabbit had a small snout and a set of white teeth. It chuckled and said, "The transformation spell can't be maintained anymore."

Lu Xun asked in surprise, "You can transform into a human?"

The old man quickly shook his head and said, "I dare not call it transformation; this is just a common transformation technique."

Finally, he added, "We're not home yet."

Lu Xun nodded slightly. It seemed to be a transformation technique similar to Mr. Ni's. It looked like he had turned into a human, but in reality, he was only imitating the human appearance. His inner self was still a demon.

"This old man's surname is Shu'er. I don't know how Your Majesty should address me."

"My surname is Lu, just call me Boss Lu."

Shu Er bowed with his hands clasped behind his back and called out, "Boss Lu."

"drive."

Lu Xun spurred his horse onto the path, slowing Ben Lei down.

At the same time, he focused his mind on the strange space and examined the newly acquired head.

Shuer put on a straw hat and a mask to cover his hairy face, letting the horses follow.

(End of this chapter)