Young master, why not become a corpse immortal?

Chapter 257 The Head Was Removed
The next morning, just as everyone was getting up and packing their things to set off, Gongxuan found Lin Jiang.

He hadn't been by Lin Jiang's side these past two days, but his complexion was noticeably more relaxed than before, and his spirits were visibly much better.

The suppression of his destiny for some time had placed a heavy burden on Gong Xuan. Since this was not a true hidden injury, even though Lin Jiang put all his effort into blowing life energy into Gong Xuan, it didn't have much effect.

"Young master, I intend to head to Qingniwa ahead of you."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jiang immediately understood what he wanted to do.

The situation at the tin-sheet factory was clearly urgent, and if the convoy went slowly, who knew what unexpected problems might arise.

Gong Xuan wanted to go there early so that he could lend a helping hand if anything unexpected happened.

Jiang Jinyue was also nearby at the time, and upon hearing Gong Xuan's words, she unconsciously tilted her head slightly.

"But is there urgent business to attend to?"

Although Lin Jiang knew the truth perfectly well, he still asked a question casually.

"First, we should pay a visit to the Prefect of Qingniwa. Many people are planning to build villages and settlements in his territory, so they should at least inform the host."

Gong Xuan's words made sense; he had also visited the governor when he went to Qingniwa last time.

Besides, staying away from Lin Jiang right now would indeed be beneficial to his health, so there's nothing wrong with doing so.

Lin Jiang nodded in agreement:

"Alright. Be careful on the road. If you encounter Lady Li, don't argue; just say a few kind words to her."

"When I encounter someone I can't afford to offend in the martial world, I always just offer New Year's greetings. If I really can't avoid them, I can only rely on these old, rheumatic legs to make a living."

Gong Xuan patted his thigh as he spoke.

After giving a few more instructions to be careful, Lin Jiang told Gong Xuan to take a few nuggets of gold and some dry food before leaving.

After pondering for a moment, Gong Xuan finally only took water and food.

In his current state, if he were to actually carry gold out of the camp, he would likely encounter misfortune and lose his money immediately.

Gong Xuan bowed and took his leave, then walked alone out of the camp.

As they reached the edge of the camp and were about to head north, they suddenly stopped.

Looking back, Jiang Jinyue had silently followed behind without anyone noticing.

"Miss Jiang, it would be best if you didn't leave the camp right now," Gong Xuan said with a smile. "Lord Li could appear at any moment, and if the two of us can't outrun him, it will be troublesome."

"We're close to the camp, so we should be fine." Jiang Jinyue looked around to make sure no one was there, then lowered her voice: "A drunkard?"

Upon hearing this, Gong Xuan sighed helplessly, "We are both fond of drinking. Last time we drank together, you were not as good as me. Why are you suddenly addressing me like this?"

"I've been feeling unsettled these past two days, and I've been speaking incoherently. Please forgive me, Daoist Master," Jiang Jinyue explained with her head bowed before turning and leaving.

Gong Xuan noticed a slight blush creeping up her ears and couldn't help but chuckle. After she had taken a few steps, he suddenly called out again:

"Miss Jiang."

"…Um?"

"Trust those around you more; encountering a new place might just be an opportunity."

When Jiang Jinyue turned around, she saw the Taoist priest humming a tune as he walked away into the distance.

These seemingly random words made her fall into deep thought.

Last night, she stepped into that dark space again and overheard several people talking.

Although the gathering appears mysterious and unpredictable, its actions are quite straightforward and clear.

Jiang Jinyue wasn't surprised that one of the people at the gathering was from Kyoto, but the "drunkard" that this person had asked sounded exactly like Gong Xuan to her.

In addition, their group happened to be heading to Qingniwa, and even their location matched, so Jiang Jinyue naturally thought of Gong Xuan.

That's why she's trying to find Gongxuan today.

But this is the reply I received.

In a sense, it can be considered an acceptance of one's own identity.

As for the eldest young master, Jiang Jinyue felt that his voice was vaguely familiar. Perhaps it was because the other party deliberately lowered his voice, and his words were filled with a muffled buzz and chaotic echoes, making it difficult to distinguish.

Jiang Jinyue rubbed her temples, deciding to put all her speculations aside.

Since I can't figure it out, I won't delve into it for now.

Even now that she knows Gong Xuan is a drunkard, she is indeed less resistant to the secret meeting.

In any case, this item can still serve as a means of communication with Gongxuan.

It should be noted that although Daxing did have methods of communication, they were mostly time-consuming and labor-intensive, and were also limited by distance.

Jiang Jinyue could not possibly be unaware of the implications of her conversation with that person in the capital during this gathering, which was as natural as a face-to-face meeting.
With this support, even across mountains and rivers, crucial intelligence can be delivered to Gong Xuan immediately.

With a long sigh, Jiang Jinyue saw Lin Jiang's face appear before her eyes.

How wonderful it would be if Wakabayashi Jiang were also at this gathering.

……

After leaving alone, Gong Xuan did not go to Qingniwa, but headed straight towards Beizhen.

After leaving that night, he contacted Tiepizi and asked about the appearance of his friend named Bu Suanzi. Tiepizi described him in detail:
"My old friend is over fifty years old, and he always dresses as a fortune teller. His temples are mostly white, and although his eyes are not large, he always wears exquisite objects brought from the East Sea. These are small trinkets made of wood and crystal, said to improve vision when worn. His most distinctive feature is the bright red cinnabar birthmark on his forehead."

Gongxuan roughly sketched out the appearance of Bu Suanzi in his mind.

Having clarified these circumstances, Gongxuan did not delay any longer and immediately embarked on his journey.

When thirsty, they would scoop up mountain spring water to drink; when hungry, they would take the dry rations brought from the caravan.

However, when he checked his pockets, he was shocked to find that the grain bag he was carrying had a hole in it.

The food inside was almost completely gone.

Weighing the tattered cloth bag in his hand, Gong Xuan sighed helplessly.

Even when life was difficult, his personal provisions always provided him with some warmth and sustenance.

Having been suppressed by Young Master Lin for so long, his fate collapsed like a tsunami the moment he left, leaving him not even a bite to eat.

Fortunately, his studies in the art of eating were not in vain; even if he could only gather wild vegetables from the mountains, it was enough to prolong his life.

After a day and a half of travel, Gongxuan arrived in Beizhen. The Taoist robe that Gongxuan had changed into earlier by the Linjiang River was now tattered and worn, as if he had just escaped from a battlefield.

He didn't care at all, simply brushing off the leaves clinging to his robe before swaggering into North Town.

When they came to Qingniwa last time, they did not enter this town. Now, Gongxuan came alone and looked around carefully. He felt that this place was more desolate than ordinary places.

Perhaps because the town lacks a core industry, the people rely solely on hunting in the surrounding mountains and forests and the occasional trading caravan from Qingniwa to make a living. With neither a thriving livelihood nor many opportunities, naturally no one is willing to stay here for long.

After entering the town, Gongxuan went straight to ask passersby about the whereabouts of the fortune teller.

"Oh, you mean the fortune teller? He hasn't shown up in a long time, and we rarely see him. We really don't know where he is."

Gongxuan inquired with several people in succession, from the sun high in the sky to the moon hanging in the heavens, but not a single person knew the whereabouts of the fortune teller.

He was filled with doubt, yet he was also at a loss as to where to look for it.

As dusk fell, they decided to find a place to spend the night.

Having no money, he could not find lodging in the town, so he started walking out of the town.

Just as I was leaving the town and pondering which two tall trees to choose for shelter, I suddenly heard a rustling sound behind me.

Just as I turned around to look back, several dark figures suddenly appeared.

These men were clearly highly skilled, instantly drawing out strangely shaped hidden weapons from their waists:
Its shape resembles an inverted bell or a hat, with a cold, sharp edge and a fine iron chain attached to its end, clearly indicating that it is a deadly weapon that can be pulled back after being thrown.

Before Gong Xuan could react, the cold, sharp blade, accompanied by the sound of iron chains tearing through the air, pierced straight into his head.

A dark shadow streaked across the air, accompanied by a tearing sound like ripping silk, and the strangely shaped iron lump suddenly slammed down on Gong Xuan's head.

The dark figure yanked hard on the chain, and with a crisp "pop," Gong Xuan's head was severed from his body.

The chains rattled as they landed steadily back in the hands of the man in black.

The man weighed the hidden weapon in his hand and snorted:

"Who exactly is this Taoist priest? Why is he suddenly here looking for someone?"

"Who cares who he is, he's already dead anyway." A voice beside him said in a very low voice, "Don't delay, find the target quickly. If we provoke the Da Yin gang, the consequences could be dire."

"Makes sense."

The man in black pulled the head out of the iron container, and it felt heavy in his hand.

"It's really heavy. Could this Taoist priest have practiced some kind of mental cultivation method?"

"Why bother with all that? He's a dead man after all."

"really."

As the three spoke, their figures gradually disappeared into the darkness.

After it had gone far away, the headless body on the ground suddenly trembled.

Gong Xuan rolled over and got up, grabbed two handfuls of wet mud from the ground, kneaded them into a round ball, and put it on his neck.

In an instant, the lump of mud transformed into a brand new head.

He blinked lightly, and the bloodstains on his body had completely disappeared.

Staring at the departing figures, Gong Xuan rubbed the ends of his hair:
"It's also related to the Great Yin Dynasty? Hiss."

Gong Xuan sensed that this matter might be a bit troublesome.

After thinking it over, Gongxuan felt that this matter was very important, so he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and folded it in half three times in his palm.

After he released his hand, a paper kite appeared in his palm.

Gong Xuan whispered a few words to the kite, then tossed it into the sky:
"Go find the young master."

The kite soared into the air, flapped its wings twice, and flew away on the wind and moonlight.

After finishing this task, Gong Xuan glanced around again to confirm the direction of the dark figures from before, and then secretly followed them.

They were also holding Gong Xuan's "head," so Gong Xuan certainly wouldn't have gone to the wrong place.

(End of this chapter)