Headless Immortal

Chapter 140 The Ghost Fox Comes to Refine Flying Swords

late at night.

No one slept.

Shu Er stared blankly at the statue of the City God, lost in thought. He turned to look at the Yaksha and Wuchang, and sighed softly. He saw the mermaid girl curled up in a ball on a pile of dry grass.

Gong Li opened her eyes, letting her tears flow down and condense into pearls. She hopped into the haystack, rested her head on her arm, and covered her mouth with her little hand.

She had lost count of how many times she had cried. She thought she would never cry again, until today when she ate a hearty meal here, and the tears flowed like a burst dam, unstoppable.

Tap tap tap.

Pearl jumped out from the crevice and rolled to Shu'er's feet. Shu'er came to his senses and began to mend his yellow robe with needle and thread. Even without an oil lamp, he could still see clearly in the darkness, and besides, there was a fire burning in front of him, making his furry, round face glow red, so he wasn't worried about getting pricked.

"Can't sleep?"

Gong Li suddenly turned over, his thin, red lips trembling slightly: "I woke up Grandpa."

Shu Er shook his head and said with a smile, "I'm getting old, so I don't need to sleep much."

He waved the yellow robe in his hand: "The clothes have a hole, so it's good to repair them so I can wear them tomorrow."

The ears of the rat did not change shape; they were large and round, unlike a mouse's. It had big eyes, a pink nose, a split mouth revealing two front teeth, and thick, dark yellow fur.

Shu Er noticed the two long tears on Gong Li's cuffs and side ribs and said, "Let me mend them for you too."

Gong Li blushed and approached, reaching out to support himself with his sleeve. His hands were as hairy as the claws of a shriveled tree, ending in sharp, monstrous nails, while his palms were a rougher brown. He was skilled at needlework, and his mending was quite beautiful, concealing all the flaws, not even a single thread showing.

"My name is Shu Er."

"Grandpa Mouse".

Gong Li called out softly, curled up into a tiny ball with his legs drawn up to his chest, propped his face up with his hand, and said, "Grandpa Rat, please tell Uncle Taoist that I must go to Hao County."

What are you going to Hao County for?

"I don't know." Gong Li shook his head.

She wasn't quite sure why, but she had prepared for the worst. It was simply a matter of trading her own life for her parents'—one for two, a very good deal. If her parents survived, they could have more children, so it was worth it.

Shu Er suddenly said:

Now, in Hao County of Zhangzhou, there is a mountain called Juying Mountain. At the foot of the mountain is a river called Ying River. Every year, the river god of Ying River must marry a young and beautiful girl as his wife. Otherwise, he will cause storms and waves, preventing fishing boats and passenger boats from leaving their homes. The people suffer greatly and have no choice but to give the girl to him.

One or two years, seven or eight years... witches and shamans took this opportunity to amass wealth, officials and gentry colluded to seize land, and the common people had no choice but to flee, leaving the land barren and commerce no longer developed. When the imperial court learned of this, it sent a county magistrate who had passed the imperial examination to govern the river god.

Seeing the river god causing trouble, the magistrate not only did not throw the girl into the river, but also gave away the temple priests, witches and shamans in the river god's temple. After that, he built water conservancy projects to strengthen the river embankment, so no matter how much the river god stirred up trouble, he could not harm anyone.

Gong Li tilted his head and looked at Shu Er: "Grandpa Rat, do you mean I'm the girl you gave to the River God?"

"you are not."

Shu'er took out a broken compass, turned the needle to make it spin, and then said:
Seeing that he had lost his offerings, the river god became wicked and drove the Ying River to crash into Ying Mountain. It was quite persistent, crashing into the mountain day after day. Suddenly one day, a landslide occurred, and a group of tombs was swept out. Countless coffins floated down the river. It turned out that there were many tombs inside the mountain.

The most dangerous of them all is the tomb of a warrior.

He was a powerful man in life, and after death, he regained his senses in this scorching land by relying on the underground light veins. Upon awakening, he killed the river god, devoured his flesh and drank his blood, and occupied Juying Mountain, causing a drought in Zhangzhou.

"The White Lotus Sect then wanted to use this opportunity to expand the Jingshi Army and cause chaos in Jiujiang."

Shu Er pointed to the white toad lying belly up next to him and said, "You are just like him, a medicinal ingredient."

Whitey looked up at the campfire, his tongue flicking as he caught a small insect and swallowed it. When he heard the word "medicinal ingredient," he glanced at the girl with a pitiful look in his eyes. He understood that feeling all too well: being tied to a frame, a knife measuring the pieces of her body, not knowing which piece would be cut off.

Black Armor was engrossed in the story, probably because he had been a river god for some time and thought it was related to him. After hearing the story, he lost interest and opened his blood-red mouth to say, "Little girl, don't even think about it. How could the White Lotus Sect possibly let your parents go? Your parents probably also hope that you can escape."

The white man chimed in, "It's best to have your own destiny in your own hands."

“If you don’t go back, they will have a chance to live. If you go back, you’ll lose your bargaining chip, and the White Lotus Sect will have no more scruples.”

Gong Li pressed further, "What should I do?"

"Put your breath down and wait for the king's decision."

Gong Li asked in confusion, "Your Majesty?"

"Of course, it's the Water King of Jiangzhou."

"The king doesn't like to be called king, he wants to be called boss, boss Lu."

"Your Majesty is from the water, so why are you called 'land'?"

"We don't know. If you're so sure, go ask the king."

Black armor and white skin, singing in harmony.

"Old rat..."

Thump! A bump appeared on the white-skinned man's forehead. He awkwardly changed his tune and asked, "Senior, what is your background?"

"Not to mention that I saved your life, don't you even understand the importance of respecting the elderly and caring for the young?"

Shu Er, clearly not wanting to elaborate, changed the subject: "Where is the King?"

"He should be cultivating."

The white-skinned person was confused, and the black-armored person was also unclear.

The king's cultivation was neither about breathing in moonlight nor chanting incantations; it was simply profound and mysterious, which benefited these little demons.

The white-skinned, black-armored monsters were all veterans of the Xunyang River. I've never heard of any minor monster from any household making such rapid progress, as if they were riding in a carriage.

"Lord Shen is not here either."

……

Outside the City God Temple.

Lord Shen's eyes were full of concern.

Zhang Huaisu's mouth seemed to contain a piece of ice, his tiger-like eyes gleaming brightly. He said calmly, "Good stamina. We've reached the edge of Qi County, and it's at least fifty li from Meng County."

Huang Jinliang of Jiangbei Green Forest Road has the means to inform his people. Shen Lian is just an ordinary scholar. Even his righteous spirit is something he has cultivated through years of hard work. At most, it can only strengthen his body. It is unlikely that he can inform the fierce ghost.

An electric arc flashed in Zhang Huaisu's eyes as he continued, "Lord Shen, your wife is probably not human."

Shen Lian stepped in front of the woman and said, "Daoist Master, your eyes are truly discerning. My wife is indeed not human."

In fact, Shen Lian is not that old. Twenty years ago, the water ghost Shen Huo was in his prime. How could he be seventy or eighty when he was still a younger brother? He is only fifty-one years old this year. However, he looks like he is seventy or eighty years old. His forehead is dark, his white hair is withered, and his skin is dry like tree bark.

Lu Xun had already figured it out, but he didn't say anything when he was at the Shen residence, mainly because he wasn't curious. He didn't expect this 'madam' to have come all the way from Meng County and say in a deep voice, "Since you two are in love, why must you ruin someone's marriage?"

He replaced the head of the Living Buddha and transformed into a pale-faced scholar.

The Living Buddha of Taoyuan was so tall and imposing that one had to bend down to speak.

Zhang Huaisu sighed, "Humans and ghosts are on different paths. This will shorten my lifespan and bring me bad luck. I am surrounded by evil spirits and my life is not long."

The glint in his eyes gradually faded. If it were someone with his usual fiery temper, he would have dug deep to uncover the whole story and get to the bottom of it. But since Boss Lu had spoken, he'd give him face. He was obliged to help, and he couldn't very well push his luck by letting Lu Xun handle the hot potato.

The woman in the light red palace dress bowed and said, "Liu Ruhua greets the King of Jiangzhou and the Taoist priest."

She had been quite resentful of the pale-faced scholar, having already discerned that he and the rat were monsters in the mansion. However, since the remains of the Shen family had been brought back, she had no choice but to ask her husband to stay away.

Unexpectedly, the chieftain took a fancy to the scholar's horse, but her husband was a rigid man and did not want to involve the scholar.

She had no choice but to recite the life-and-death mantra to her husband, Shen Lang, so that he would memorize it and not lose his composure if something terrible happened.

"You recognize me?" Lu Xun frowned slightly. Although he did not conceal his name, he only sang it when he saved Bai Pi, so it should not be known to others.

Liu Ruhua bowed slightly and said, "The fact that Your Majesty easily took the head of the Jingshi Army commander in the county government office of Meng County, tore apart the battle formation of elite soldiers, and left triumphantly has spread throughout the heretics, strange people, ghost fox monks and Taoists in Meng County."

He stepped aside, and a white fox stared at him from behind.

Liu Ruhua continued, "I only learned about the King's deeds through others. I thank the King for saving my husband."

When I saw the pale-faced scholar again, I couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Little."

The white fox chuckled silently, then said, "Why did you sell me out like that, sister?"

He heard his grandfather, who had escaped back, tell the story of the Meng County government office. Filled with admiration and longing, he ran away from Laogang Mountain to find Liu Ruhua. A ghost and a fox followed Shen Lian's trail, just to catch a glimpse of the Jiangzhou King.

He transformed into a handsome scholar, bowed respectfully, and said, "Xin Yu greets the King of Jiangzhou and the Daoist Master."

"Oh, you're from the Xin family of Laogangshan." Zhang Huaisu suddenly realized. As a Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, he knew a lot about the monsters in the area, and Laogangshan was the Xin family. He smiled and asked, "How is the old master?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. My grandfather is in good health."

Xin Yu clasped his hands in a salute and continued, "I heard that Your Majesty responded to the call of the Senior Colonel to subdue the Corpse King of Juying Mountain, and the Old Master sent me here to assist you."

Lu Xun sized up Xin Yu. He was skilled in transformation techniques and transformed into a handsome scholar with a charming air about him. He hesitated for a moment but did not speak.

He did know that the captain had said he wanted all the heretics, strange people, monsters, witches and shamans in the territory to contribute, but he himself was not even registered and was just a temporary worker, so he couldn't make any promises.

Unexpectedly, in less than a day, his name had already become famous in Meng County, which can be considered the beginning of a legend.

He clasped his hands in a salute and said, "I am not appointed by imperial decree, so I cannot make this decision. There's no need to call me Your Majesty; just call me Boss Lu."

Xin Yu's eyes dimmed instantly, and a look of disappointment flashed across her face. Without an imperial decree, she was just a wild monster, and her words certainly couldn't be trusted.

However, he wasn't there to take the official route; he simply wanted to meet the Jiangzhou King who had broken out of the county government. Having witnessed the monster's mountain-like figure, he wasn't disappointed.

Seeing the awkward silence, Liu Ruhua said, "Years ago, I lived in Lanruo. When Shen Lang was on his way to the capital for the imperial examination, he stayed here overnight because it was getting late. There was a locust tree spirit who loved to suck people's life essence and would conjure up gold ingots and beautiful women to tempt him with beauty and wealth, but Shen Lang refused. I was in love with him and was afraid that he would encounter misfortune, so I told him to stay in a scholar's room."

“I remember now.” The old story had long been buried deep in his memory, but when his wife mentioned it again, Shen Lian immediately realized, “That’s right, that’s right. I wanted to stay there, but the scholar disagreed. He insisted on making a pact with me, saying that I couldn’t open his treasure box. We talked until late at night and then went to sleep.”

"I was awakened in the middle of the night by a shadow outside the window, terrified by a monster. But then a stream of light flew out of the treasure box with a buzzing sound, tore open the window, and returned."

"The scholar said that his flying sword had sensed the monster and wanted to eat it."

Liu Ruhua continued, "The swordsman obtained the locust tree spirit wood and then gave the treasure box to the master, saying it could ward off evil spirits."

Shen Lian said regretfully, "It's a pity we only have the box, not good iron."

"I wish to present this treasure box to the boss as a token of my gratitude for saving my life." Liu Ruhua took out a black box from her sleeve. "I prepared many gifts when I came, and my second brother selected this treasure box after looking at them."

Lu Xun said, "So it was Mr. Shen who was concerned."

He had always wanted to forge the Azure Water Gold Essence into weapons, but along the way, the blacksmiths and mechanics only said that the furnace fire was not hot enough to forge them. He never expected that the Shen family had such a connection. No wonder Shen Huo was interested in good iron.

"Thank you."

Lu Xun took the treasure box.

He increasingly felt the importance of weapons. No matter how well one's mortal body was refined, it could not withstand divine weapons. As long as the Azure Water Gold Essence was roughly refined into the shape of a weapon, it would be easy to use.

Liu Ruhua crossed her hands and said, "We, husband and wife, will take our leave now."

"So urgent?"

"Yes."

"The imperial army at the Jiangbei camp has already set off and may arrive in Meng County before noon the day after tomorrow. We need to go back and prepare as soon as possible."

"it is good."

Watching the couple leave in a hurry, the Taoist priest chuckled, "Why does she seem to be in charge, like Madam Liu is the head of the household?"

"Xin family, aren't you leaving?"

Xin Yu cupped his hands in greeting: "I have come to seek refuge with Your Majesty."

"If you don't leave, I will."

The Taoist priest clasped his hands in greeting to Lu Xun and said, "Whether I succeed or not, if you have any instructions, please speak them as soon as possible."

Lu Xun said, "I didn't give any instructions, just one request."

"any request?"

"If the Taoist priest kills the White Sect's Holy Maiden, bring her head."

"it is good!"

Seeing that even the Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain had left, Xin Yu couldn't help but mutter to himself. He said he was responding to the commandant of the High School, but they were fine staying at home. On the contrary, the more they got involved, the more trouble they would cause. Seeing that this so-called Jiangzhou Water King seemed to be just an ordinary big monster, he had no intention of following him.

"You can leave if you want."

Lu Xun was adept at listening to what was said and naturally noticed the fox's expression.

"Don't blame me, Your Majesty."

After bowing, the scholar leaped forward, and a large white fox appeared from the mist. It glanced back at the scholar, who stood there with an unperturbed expression, and then disappeared into the forest.

……

Inside the palace.

Bai Pi asked, "Where is Lord Shen?"

"gone."

"Your Majesty."

Lu Xun found the basket on the back of the official's son, opened the rice bag, and found a foot-long piece of dark iron essence inside. He opened the black treasure box, which was a hand's width and two feet long, and could easily hold the Azure Water Golden Essence. When he opened the box, he saw the inscription inside and read, "Aperture-Opening Sword Box".

After throwing the Azure Water Golden Essence into the water, Lu Xun put the sword box back into his basket, got up, walked out of the palace gate, came to the riverbank, and looked up at the sky.

Lead-like clouds lock the moon, and frost turns white to ash.

While it's peaceful, let's strengthen the magic of the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring.

(End of this chapter)