Headless Immortal

Chapter 146 Night Trial of the Dead: A Guide to the Future

General Sui Yanshi, true to his name, looked like a rock. He untied the water bag from his waist while on horseback and took several large gulps. His movements were exceptionally rough, even somewhat crude. Water soaked his short beard, and he wiped his mouth with a carefree grin before tossing the water bag to Gao Qingzhi.

Gao Qingzhi took the cup but didn't drink it. His expression was serious. His horse, Hongyun, seemed to sense its master's mood as well, and its hooves didn't move an inch. Its bright eyes reflected the torchlight.

Behind each of the two scholars stood a mechanical puppet, arms crossed, looking like they were watching a show with indifference. They were just extremely curious about the great monster. The abbot had told them to follow the rules when they arrived, and that it would be best to meet up with their senior brother when they got to Juying Mountain. They were not to act rashly, so they didn't say anything.

The clay bodhisattva was certainly remarkable, but this great demon was even more formidable.

Just as they relaxed, the general of the expeditionary force arrived at the post station with his troops. In the blink of an eye, the long street was completely surrounded, and the atmosphere changed from lighthearted to serious, with a hint of coldness in the air.

Niu Datong was about to ask for the money back when an arm grabbed him. He turned his head and saw that it was Su Xing's older brother.

The sorcerer in colorful robes shook his head slightly, wiping yellow mud from his ears and nostrils. A thin young man brought over a wooden basin, and a spirited woman handed him a handkerchief, waiting for the sorcerer to clean his face.

The Divine Martial Guards of the Earth Division looked at each other, the Wind Chaser lowered his head, the Insect Catcher turned his head... but they were all clearly arrayed, standing tacitly behind the Senior Captain.

Lu Xun changed into the appearance of a scholar and, not wanting to put the captain in a difficult position, was about to speak when he saw the captain raise his hand.

Gao Qingzhi crossed his hands and said, "This matter is confidential, please forgive me, General."

He could explain it slowly, but this clearly handed the initiative over to Sui Yanshi. Whether to release or keep, kill or save, it all depended on the other party. According to his guess, General Sui would eliminate the hidden danger.

General Sui's bulging eyes narrowed, his chest hunched, and a surge of qi rose around him as he said, "I am a fifth-rank official, and you are a sixth-rank official. I am in charge of all matters concerning this battalion. What secrets could I not know? If the garrison commander were here, I would have no objections. Do you have your official seal?"

This question stumped Gao Qingzhi, as his title of centurion had not yet been awarded, and even if it were, it would not be as prestigious as Sui Yanshi's.

Furthermore, the fact that there were no official seals from superiors made it completely illogical, even if the matter was truly confidential, and it was impossible to convince General Sui to leave.

Gao Qingzhi frowned and said, "General, may I speak to you in private?"

Sui Yanshi flung his spear into the ground, his face grim. "Captain, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit." He had made his point clear, appealing to both reason and emotion, but Gao Qingzhi remained stubbornly unmoved. So, Sui Yanshi decided to be ruthless. He immediately raised his spear and shouted, "You say they stole your heads and military merits?"

Niu Datong was caught off guard and his momentum immediately deflated. He stammered, "It's a misunderstanding."

The wandering eyes found a grip and quickly pointed at the clay Buddha in Shu Er's hand: "General, it's all his fault. He possessed my elder brother and bewitched us into doing such evil things."

"Take it."

The soldiers stepped forward to lock up the clay Buddha.

As they approached, a pale figure blocked their path. The pale-faced scholar said calmly, "General, this is a prisoner I have captured. Whether to kill him or persuade him to surrender, you should ask my opinion first."

The trembling clay bodhisattva exhaled a breath of stale air.

Shu Er shook his head helplessly. Having spent countless years in the martial world, he could tell that this was not a simple question and answer.

Thinking of this, Shu Er looked at Lu Xun.

Lu Xun remained calm and composed, looking past the two soldiers at the valiant cavalry general.

The two soldiers did not make another move.

If it were an ordinary person blocking their way, they could easily shove them aside. However, they had just witnessed the red-faced, blue-toothed monster transform into this scholar. Therefore, the two dared not act rashly and turned to look for a backer, wanting to see what the general thought before making a decision.

Sui Yanshi's brows furrowed as if weapons were clashing, but his tone softened: "Just ask questions."

The idea of ​​a monster being born to save the world sounds unbelievable. But judging by actions, not intentions, this king has indeed done something truly remarkable.

Lu Xun said, "General, please ask."

Sui Yanshi turned his head and gestured. An old official riding a yellow horse stepped out from the cavalry behind him. The old official made a hand seal and asked the Mud Bodhisattva what business he had come for. As he asked the question, he pointed his finger, and a pale yellow light enveloped the Mud Bodhisattva. The Mud Bodhisattva neither dodged nor flinched, but simply endured it.

The clay Buddha puffed out its chest and shouted, "Save Zhangzhou!"

The old official frowned, even opening his narrowed hawk-like eyes. After a long while, he finally said, "The truth."

There was an uproar.

The heretics whispered among themselves, while the Divine Martial Guards exchanged bewildered glances. Even though the Yellow-skinned Rat had just saved the Mud Bodhisattva, everyone assumed that the Yellow-skinned Rat was just making empty promises to give the great demon a way out.

If the old official's methods were correct, then there are many things to ponder here.

"quiet!"

Sui Yanshi frowned deeply.

The old official asked a few more questions, and the clay bodhisattva answered generously, appearing completely righteous and awe-inspiring. Just as he was about to ask something else, the pale yellow light attached to the clay bodhisattva gradually disappeared, clearly indicating that the effect of his magic had worn off. The old official did not ask any more questions.

Not to mention the captain, even Lu Xun turned around in surprise. He had indeed spared Mud Bodhisattva's life out of respect for Shu Er, but he hadn't expected it to be just as Shu Er had said.

The Mud Bodhisattva was indeed telling the truth, but he completely avoided mentioning the young woman. He never shifted the blame to Gong Li, but instead focused on describing the drought in Zhangzhou, saying that even his mud pit had dropped in water level, and that he had to come out of the mountains to save Zhangzhou, which was also to save himself, hence his arrival here.

As for the purpose, it's very simple: to save Zhangzhou.

The old official, pulling on the reins, hung his head dejectedly and muttered, "This humble official is incompetent."

Sui Yanshi raised his hand to stop the old official from blaming himself and asked Niu Datong three times: "You said they stole your heads."

Even the simple-minded Niu Datong could sense the implications and shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, sir, I won't accuse you anymore, I won't accuse you anymore." Just now he could still use the Mud Bodhisattva as a weapon, but now that he couldn't get anything out of the Mud Bodhisattva, Sui Yanshi still wouldn't give up. Wasn't he trying to use them brothers as a stepping stone?

He was unwilling to be the vanguard.

Sui Yanshi is now in a dilemma. If he gives up now, it will surely damage morale. He will definitely lose the initiative in this cooperation between the local government and the military camp. He must admit defeat, admit the secret, and follow Gao Qingzhi's orders: "Since you have reported to the authorities, how can you say you will not report it?"

The spirited woman continued, "But... how do we tell if they're ours or theirs?"

Sui Yanshi waved his hand calmly: "Please, Master, make your move."

A black horse emerged from the cavalry, entirely black, with a gray-robed Taoist priest sitting on it. His attire resembled both Taoist robes and a long robe, but overall, it was Taoist in nature.

This person had a square face, with gray hair tied up with a crown, a hooked nose, and triangular eyes. He should have had a harsh appearance, but his thick eyebrows and lips softened the sharpness and created a sense of harmony.

"Judging from this person's appearance, if he weren't in the military, he would definitely be a notorious heretic," Mud Bodhisattva whispered to Shu Er.

Sui Yanshi said, "Yan Gaogong is from Maoshan."

The gray-haired Taoist dismounted, his whisk lying quietly in his arm. Wearing a pair of Kui Xing boots, he took five or six steps and walked up to Lu Xun. After a brief look, he cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, King of Jiangzhou."

Lu Xun remained expressionless and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Daoist Master."

Yan Gaogong withdrew his gaze and said, "Please remove one of the heads."

"Black armor, white skin, just pick one and give it to him."

Black Armor excitedly approached and pulled a skull from the string of skulls hanging from his waist.

He had been wronged for so long, so if this Maoshan monk really had the means to prove his innocence, he would naturally be happy. So he quickly offered his head and muttered, "What's there to investigate?"

Yan Gaogong picked up the head and examined it carefully. He judged that the person had been dead for quite some time. There was no blood dripping from it; the severed area was a waxy red with specks of white residue. The face was deathly pale, the eyes were tightly closed, and the lips were bloodless, slightly parted, revealing neat teeth. Yan Gaogong said, "After a person dies, the celestial soul returns to heaven, the terrestrial soul enters the earth, and the human soul lingers around the corpse and grave. It is not difficult to call the soul back, but most are in a daze, rarely retaining any consciousness, mainly because the seven spirits are incomplete."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Gaogong pulled out the jade pendant from his neck with his right hand. It was a pale blue jade pendant in the shape of a round sky and a square earth. He bit his finger, pressed the jade pendant against his forehead, and chanted a long string of incantations. The incantations were unclear, but they could be vaguely heard: "Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Shade, Devouring Thief, Non-Poison, Eliminating Filth, Stinky Lung, Gathering!"

"Soul return, soul return!"

As the milky white light converged, the head suddenly opened its eyes and shouted, "Kill!"

The man was stunned, seemingly still in shock. He instinctively flailed his body but found it futile. Looking down, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he stared blankly for a long time before exclaiming, "I...I'm dead?"

Yan Gaogong asked, "That's right. I summoned you to wake up to ask you who cut off your head."

The man pondered for a moment and said, "I attended Wan Chaohai's banquet, and at the banquet..."

His gaze suddenly shifted, staring intently at the pale-faced scholar, and he roared, "It was you! You killed Wan Chaohai!" Blood tears streamed from his eyes as he laughed loudly, "Well done!"

"After I died, my body was dumped in the moat. It was...it was him who cut off my head." The severed head stared at the black-armored man.

Black Armor said happily, "Look, I didn't steal them. These should have been ours. My king killed Wan Chaohai." Seeing the king's gaze sweep over, Black Armor quickly shut up.

Sui Yanshi said, "Now that the first case is solved, it's time to solve the second one."

Yan Gaogong walked up to Wuya and said, "Please hand over these two heads to this humble Taoist." The clerk at the county post station had made it clear that these two had taken advantage of the chaos to attack, so to get anything out of them, we obviously had to start with them.

Toothless's expression suddenly changed; he didn't really understand why the atmosphere had become so tense.

He was a demon, indifferent to human joys and sorrows, but he could always discern the truth. If those two heads were to speak, it would be trouble for them.

Eagle Eyes looked at Lu Xun.

Lu Xun nodded: "Give it to him."

Anyone who's been to court knows that destroying evidence in court can be considered irrefutable proof. Now that they're trying to interrogate a dead man at night, even if he crushes both heads, given General Xiaoji's temperament, he'll still dig to the bottom of things.

Yan Gaogong took the two heads and performed the same technique again.

The man with the straw hat and iron claws suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, "This is bad!"

He was still immersed in the battle just now. The elusive Toothless was hiding in the wind and launched a series of sword strikes. He instinctively wanted to touch his neck, but with only a head, how could he touch it?

He couldn't help but scream, "I'm done for!"

Yan Gaogong manipulated the jade pendant and asked directly, "What are you doing here? What is your relationship with that girl?"

The man with the straw hat and iron claws turned his head and chuckled, "Red flowers, green leaves, and white lotus roots. A grand meeting was held at the Jubao Tower on Yugu Mountain. The young master of the Red Sect questioned the Holy Maiden of the White Sect for losing the medicinal ingredient and demanded that she hand over the leadership of Zhangzhou. Later, a Taoist priest summoned heavenly lightning to shatter the mirage. It is said that whoever can capture the 'medicinal ingredient' will enjoy wealth, honor, and magical powers, and can choose any blessed land. I never thought that my Iron Claw Blue Eagle of Jinpeng Fort would fall into the hands of a monster."

Even if it resembles an eagle, it is no longer an eagle; General Toothless is no longer what it used to be.

Yan Gaogong then asked, "What is a medicinal guide?"

Iron Claw Blue Eagle said, "I heard that the Master of Zhangzhou needs a medicinal ingredient to refine his divine skill. I don't think the Master of Zhangzhou will succeed, but he can easily destroy Zhangzhou."

The blue eagle's lively gaze gradually faded.

Yan Gaogong returned the two heads to Wuya, mounted his horse, and returned to the cavalry.

Sui Yanshi stared intently at Gong Li with his bear-like eyes and said in a deep voice, "Since she is a member of the White Lotus Sect, she should be killed to avoid endless troubles in the future."

With a whoosh, the serpent-tailed spear rose from the ground, stirring up a swirling mound of earth. A large hand gripped the spear shaft, pointing it diagonally at the mermaid girl among the monsters.

"she……"

"Captain, protecting the White Lotus Sect is a heinous crime of treason."

One sentence left Gao Qing speechless, but he didn't stop, just about to speak.

"She didn't teach for nothing."

A clear and cheerful voice came from the pale-faced scholar; the speaker was none other than Lu Xun. Lu Xun stepped forward, blocking the girl's path, his head held high but showing no intention of looking up at her.

Sui Yanshi asked again, "Then who is she?"

Lu Xun replied, "An ordinary person."

With his spear held horizontally, Sui Yanshi said, "I don't think she's ordinary."

As Sui Yanshi raised his spear, the cavalry formed ranks, and the military formation moved accordingly. Rows of large shields formed a wall, and halberds and spears pointed diagonally into the air like a forest. The entire street was crowded with soldiers.

Lu Xun looked back and said, "She is indeed a bit unusual. Compared to ordinary people, she is in a much worse situation."

Gong Li couldn't help but shed tears.

clack.

The pearl fell to the ground.

"Mermaids".

Sui Yanshi overheard the subtle conversations coming from the group of strange people behind him, and then looked at the pale-faced scholar. If this Jiangzhou Water King hadn't killed Wan Chaohai, the army wouldn't have been able to capture Meng County so easily. He wasn't confident he could keep the man, so he compromised and said, "Hand her over, and I won't take her life."

The scholar stepped onto the saddle and, as he flipped onto the back of the thunderbolt, transformed into a monstrous monster with a red face and green teeth.

His dark blue armor made him look like a great general, his snow-white hair fluttering in the breeze. His golden, demonic eyes glanced at Sui Yanshi and he said indifferently, "No need."

They scooped up the communist fodder in one go.

Wu Tonglu Xun said, "Please make way, General."

General Sui, feeling a surge of anger, asked, "Are you leaving?"

Wutong Lu Xun, perched on the back of the demon beast, twitched his green teeth slightly: "Those who follow different paths cannot work together."

"If the general wants to fight, I'll gladly oblige."

General Sui opened his mouth, but seeing the Demon King's resolute decision, he raised his hand and said, "Make way."

Boom.

The army cleared a gap in the path.

Lu Xun struck Ben Lei in the abdomen.

Benlei strolled away leisurely, followed by those in black armor and white leather.

The tooth flapped its wings and flew in the sky, while the ear-shaped clay bodhisattva followed.

(End of this chapter)