Headless Immortal

Chapter 88 Temple Keeper
The fog was very light.

pink.

The old temple is located outside Meilan County, at the eastern end of Qushui Village.

The terrain is considered high, while the adjacent dam is four or five meters lower.

Turn around and walk behind the old temple to go straight down to the dam.

The reservoir rarely dries up.

The upstream stretches deep into the dense forest, while the downstream is blocked by a sluice gate, with only a thin stream flowing down to a lower elevation, forming a small pond before rushing to the lower river.

The old temple is made up of two small tile-roofed houses, one in front and one behind.

A stick of coarsely ground incense was burning on a small mound of earth by the door.

From time to time, the clucking of chickens echoed from the henhouse, accompanied by the whimpering of the stray dogs in the kennel. The croaking of frogs rose and fell along the dam, and birds in the trees waited for the insects in the grass and woods, fluttering past before silencing their chirping.

A moth flew and landed on the lampshade of the oil lamp at the entrance of the small tile-roofed house, making a soft pattering sound.

inside the house.

The temple keeper, Huang Mu, made hand gestures, lit incense sticks, and bowed repeatedly to the statue in front of him. He placed the tall incense sticks into the incense burner and muttered incomprehensible scriptures and incantations.

After unraveling the incantation, the temple keeper Huang Lao gently closed the door, hung up an unlocked lock, and then stepped around the small tiled house behind it onto the dam.

I found a corner and squatted down.

A pair of eyes gazed at the distant ripples on the water, as if waiting for something.

If it weren't for the flickering light from the tobacco pipe, no one would have noticed that someone was huddled there.

The moon is bright.

The fog and water are connected, and when the wind blows, ripples appear.

Crash.

A figure slowly approached, stepping through the mist. He stood with his hands behind his back by the riverbank, the moonlight illuminating his pale face. His clear, refined voice resounded: "Old Huang, why did you summon me here in such a hurry?"

His blood-red eyes darted around, looking at the old man huddled in the corner, puffing out smoke with his sleeves tucked in.

The old man huddled up, puffing away at his jade cigarette holder, the swirling smoke rising like goldfish bubbling.

Hearing the wet-looking scholar's question, the old man slowly spoke after a long pause:
"It's a disaster."

The old man's voice was serious and low-pitched, sounding like the muttering of someone who had been chilled by the river for half an hour and was exhausted from the cold wind.

"A lot of people?"

"Many and strong."

Huang Mu stood up, patted the dust off his backside, and brushed away the dry grass and twigs from the sides of his sleeves: "It's not too late to stop now."

"No."

Mr. Ni shook his head and said, "Some things are beyond the control of little monsters like us."

"They want to find me, so lead them to me."

Huang Mu's cloudy eyes widened suddenly, and he said fiercely, "Who do you take me for? How could I betray the Living Buddha?"

"It's not that they're betraying the Living Buddha, it's that they're betraying me."

"you?!"

"That's right, I'll be the bait, at least we'll have some answers."

"Wait for my news." Mr. Ni looked at the moon in the sky, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

As soon as he finished speaking, he dived back into the water.

The old temple priest, Huang, stood still, his pupils trembling slightly. He let out a long sigh, feeling a pang of pity, unsure whether it was concern for the monsters or sympathy for the righteous warriors.

The Dou family deserves the most blame. If the Dou family hadn't colluded with several pawnshops to monopolize the jewelry trade, so many troubles wouldn't have arisen.

Perhaps they had already raised enough money to buy Qingquan Temple.

"Ugh."

Huang Miaozhu stood with his hands behind his back, his silhouette stretching long across the dam.

Two quarters of an hour later.

Ding dong.

Water droplets pattered against the riverbank, and a pair of blood-red beastly eyes swept across the long embankment, saying calmly, "Come out, I've already seen you."

Aside from the chirping of insects and the chorus of frogs, there were also the occasional flapping of wings by unidentified birds.

There was no other sound along the entire underground dike.

Mr. Ni nodded slightly and plunged into the water.

With a whoosh, it plunged deep into the riverbed and rushed downstream into the long river.

The animal lying in the grass and dirt mound opened its eyes.

His golden eyes burned like fire. A smile crept onto the black cat's round face.

Trying to scam him?
Ni Guai was indeed cautious, and Huang Miaozhu had also observed the surrounding environment long ago. Only after confirming that no one was around did he begin to wait. An ordinary person certainly could not have waited for half an hour.

Unfortunately, he didn't understand the cat's curiosity. From the moment he left the old temple, the cat decided to stay with him and get through this period together.

as predicted.

The old temple is indeed strange.

Lu Xun let out a low "meow," then dashed along the embankment. The shadow quickly loomed over, and two iron claws hooked onto the black cat, allowing it to soar back into the sky.

In my childhood.

Return to the yamen inn.

The oil lamp inside the room was as bright as a soybean. Under the lamp, Cheng Yan, who was holding a book, moved his gaze to the open door. There was no surprise in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Uncle Cat is back."

The one who opened the door was the three-legged old cat. The old cat nodded and jumped onto the chair.

Cheng Yan picked up the teapot and poured Uncle Cat a cup of slightly bitter, weak tea.

Lu Xun didn't drink it, but instead wet his paws.

A small notebook was placed in front of the cat, and writing materials were prepared in an instant. Cheng Yan now knew a little about Uncle Cat, so she didn't ask any further questions.

Then I saw Uncle Cat stretch out a paw and write furiously. In no time, he had written several lines of text before wiping the ink off his paw.

Cheng Yan took out the small book and looked at it. His pupils suddenly dilated, and his sword-like eyebrows almost stood up.

dong dong.

"Who?"

"Senior brother, it is I, Chengyan."

“Junior Brother Cheng…” Yang Shen opened the door.

……

The three sat together around the oil lamp.

Yang Shen put down the book in his hand, pondered for a moment, and said solemnly, "I didn't expect that someone was colluding with the monster. No wonder Chief Qian and the others have made no progress after investigating for so long. Although the Dou family and other pawnshop owners were involved, the more important thing is that someone is covering up for the monster."

"If this is true, then Senior Cat has done a great service."

Lu Xun squatted on the chair, looked at Yang Shen who was smiling and nodding, and waved his paw. He didn't think it was a great achievement, just playing to his strengths.

The written record was not embellished or altered; it described the events exactly as they were, focusing primarily on the conversation between the two.

Ma Ye said sternly, "Arrest them now?"

"A hasty move would alert the enemy."

Cheng Yan recalled Uncle Zhao's strategy and tactics in eliminating the bandits of Tuozhai and pondered, "Why don't we turn the tables on them? If Ni Guai wants to use himself as bait to kill us, we can also mobilize our troops and work together from the inside to completely eradicate the evil scourge of Meilan County."

My grandfather and several uncles participated in that battle, which was a rare great victory in recent years.

Dozens of heads were chopped off at the newly cast execution ground.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to keep it a secret."

Ma Ye's expression was solemn, but he also showed some hesitation. This matter would inevitably have to be told to many people, and Huang Miaozhu was also a member of the righteous people's group. If one of them leaked the news, it would not only cost them their lives.

He still felt that they should arrest the person first, and that they would eventually confess under severe torture.

Yang Shen was equally unsure and said, "Let's have a chat with Constable Qian instead."

Soon, Cheng Yan invited Qian Xiong to the post station.

After reading the records in the book and listening to everyone's analysis,

Qian Xiong slowly began to speak: "The art of war says: 'Use the orthodox to engage, and the unorthodox to win.' At that time, the river was plagued by bandits. There were many people and large boats. If we rashly sent troops, the bandit leader would not come out of the water fortress. Even two thousand soldiers would not be able to break through it. That's why it was necessary for Constable Zhao and others to risk their lives to lure the bandits away from the water fortress."

"These days are different."

"Now that we have located the monster's lair, we should gather our troops and wipe it out in one fell swoop."

"Catch someone."

"When will we do it?"

"Now!"

Deploying troops and generals.

Qian Xiong woke up the constables in the jail, and the group, fully armed and ready, boarded the donkey carts and oxcarts parked in front of the county government office.

The three students from Bailudong Academy stood in the first row.

The swordsman, now wearing a straw hat, sat early on the cart. He was staying at the post station and didn't need to be notified in advance.

The Taoist priest from Lushan Sect arrived late, but he did manage to get there eventually.

"Set off."

(End of this chapter)