Headless Immortal

Chapter 108 Dividing the Fruits of Victory
The nameplate of the temple has just been hung up and it needs to be changed.

There will be no more temples, monasteries, or Taoist temples in the future, but rather halls, schools, and the Meilan County branch of Bailudong Academy.

It was negotiated by Yang Shen.

He wasn't the one with the highest cultivation level or the strongest magic among them, but he had the most powerful background.

Before sitting down to talk, he'd throw punches, which was mediocre. But now that they're sitting down, he has to consider their background and use his wit, which makes him the best among them.

The reputation of the Yang family of Jiangwu was enough to intimidate them.

It's hard not to suspect that Mr. Bai Lu specially chose it.

With the land deeds now in possession of an owner, extraordinary individuals began to covet the small treasure mountain where the Living Buddha of Taoyuan had passed away.

Li Song put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine glass, chuckled, and took the initiative to speak, saying, "He promised us that we would all get a share of the treasure. Now that the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring is dead, shouldn't he keep his promise? I'm not greedy. I'll be satisfied as long as I get 20%."

Master Chen narrowed his sharp eyes and said calmly, "I want fifty percent!"

Granny Zheng curled her lips, lowered her eyes, and said calmly, "This old woman used her treasure to block the Living Buddha's golden light and helped him fight the Eighth King in close combat. She should at least get 30% of it."

Master Jueming put his hands together, raised his head which had been hanging down, opened his eyes, silently uttered "Amitabha," and then slowly spoke: "After all, Monk Hai was enlightened by my senior master. Now that he has passed away here, it is only right and proper for me to transport him back to Donglin Temple for a proper rite of passage."

This statement was quite shocking and unconventional.

Master Chen only asked for half, but Master Jueming wanted to take the whole pot. The crowd, who had previously maintained their dignified demeanor, were now arguing like street vendors quarreling in a market. Yang Shen shook his head and sighed; that was a small treasure trove, and who could resist being envious?

He looked around and saw Cheng Yan sitting to the side, and asked quietly, "Where is Senior Brother?"

Cheng Yan paused for a moment: "He's heading towards the mass grave; he should be back soon."

Yang Shen quickly instructed Cheng Yan: "Go find it."

Cheng Yan left the seat with Hui Bao.

"Ahem." Master Lü coughed lightly and said with a smile, "Have you righteous men forgotten that if this county had not dispatched troops and brought the Eight Kings of Taoyuan Township to Qingquan Temple to stop the people from looting, Baoshan would not have been able to remain there safely. The government would have had to take at least 50% of it."

He gave a wink as he spoke.

The constables, centurions, and other officials of the county government echoed their sentiments, their eyes even more drawn to the gold and jewels.

You might work hard all your life and not get as much as you get this one time. Who would want to spit out a duck that's already in their mouth?

Master Chen was unwilling to offend Magistrate Meilan, and he also planned to build a Taoist temple in Meilan County, so he did not respond in the same way he had rebuked the monk.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Master Jueming was concerned about the impact on the government because he had not done enough. So he simply murmured a Buddhist chant and did not say anything.

Li Song was a local martial artist. Seeing that no one else was taking the lead, he opened his mouth but then decided against it.

Lu Qian nodded in satisfaction. It was good that there were no ape monsters causing trouble. He took control of the situation instantly and said smugly, "In my opinion, the county government will take 50%, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism will each take 50%, Li Zhuangshi and Zheng Shenpo will each take 2.5 fen, and the remaining 10% will be left to the monsters. Of course, of the remaining 20%, one part will be used for relief and the other 10% will be given to the people of Meilan."

Distributed to the people?

It’s better to say than to sing.

It's one thing if they don't take the accumulated wealth from the pockets of the people of Taoyuan Township, but how could they possibly distribute it?

People might have complaints in their hearts, but no one actually voices them.

Granny Zheng was the first to object. She had risked her life to fight the Eight Kings of Peach Blossom Spring, so why was she only given two or five? Wasn't this bullying an old woman like her?

Instead of directly refuting him, he said sarcastically, "So you're saying the county magistrate can make the decision? Let's discuss it further before he arrives."

……

Lu Xun returned to the courtyard and put on the head of the Five Tong Mountain Lord.

Xiao Cheng's mother and grandmother were in the inner room, preparing beans for the morning. Only Lao Cheng and the middle-aged man were in the yard, and the man was changing the white cloth.

Lu Xun stepped forward, frowning, and said, "Let me see."

When Lao Cheng saw that it was Wutong Shen, he forced a smile and said, "It's alright."

Xiao Cheng's father was completely stunned and was about to shout "monster!" He recognized the snow-haired ape in front of him. They had all gone to the temple fair at noon and had witnessed the battle between the great monsters. At this moment, his mind was blank, and he never imagined that a monster would come to their house.

"Don't be afraid, this is his third uncle."

Xiao Cheng's father stared wide-eyed and murmured softly, "His third uncle?"

"uncle!"

Cheng Yan burst in, panting, and said, "They're arguing."

"what?"

Cheng Yan was out of breath. He was a martial artist who had broken through three barriers, and his panting clearly showed that he had run with all his might. Afraid of delaying the world even a little, he quickly said, "There's a fight at the county government office over treasure. Senior Brother Yang asked me to find you. He... he can't control those people."

Lu Xun shook his head slightly: "No rush."

"Grey Treasure".

Hearing that people were looking for it, the gray-haired rat hidden in Cheng Yan's hard leather pouch poked its head out. It sniffed and felt that the Wutong Mountain Lord in front of it was unusual, but it couldn't quite put its finger on what was unusual. It climbed up Cheng Yan's arm onto his shoulder and sat on his shoulder before standing up.

"Squeak."

He took a leap.

Lu Xun opened his palm and caught it.

His magical power surged and churned, and a ball of azure light gathered in his palm, covering the two-foot-tall rat standing on his hand.

Lu Xun released his grip, and the gray treasure, which was enveloped by the cyan sphere, fell to the ground.

Cheng Yan said in a panic, "Uncle..."

He thought to himself, how could Uncle Cat possibly hurt Gray Baby, so he didn't stop him. However, he was still worried because the scene looked unusual.

Calling the troops!

Grey Treasure's slender arms suddenly grew strong, and he stood upright on his dog-like legs. His pointed snout looked much rounder, his head and ears grew bigger, his nose became round, he bared his front teeth, his whiskers were combed, and his long grey tail trailed behind him. His four-foot body looked like a hunched little old man.

Not to mention Cheng Yan, Lao Cheng, who was treating the wound, and Xiao Cheng's father were both dumbfounded as they watched everything that was happening before their eyes.

If it was already astonishing that Hui Bao'er was originally 1.67 feet tall, then watching a 1.67-foot rat transform into a 4-foot rat-human was not just astonishing, but utterly shocking.

monster!
Grey Baby seemed a little unaccustomed to it, reaching out to touch her face with both hands: "How did I change...?"

He covered his mouth, his black pupils shrinking, and exclaimed in horror, "How can I talk?"

Cheng Yan opened his mouth wide: "Brother Mouse, you can talk now."

Grey Baby cheered excitedly, "I can talk now!"

He knelt on one knee and exclaimed, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Lu Xun nodded.

Cheng Yan turned and went into the inner room: "I'll go find you some clothes to wear."

Hui Bao grabbed Cheng Yan's trouser leg, shook his head, and his body quickly shrank back to the size of a big gray rat. This time, he was a proper two-foot-tall rat. He opened his mouth and said, "No need, no need, I'm fine like this. I'm still used to this. Haha, I can talk now. I'm so frustrated."

Xiao Cheng's father vigorously rubbed his face with his sun-darkened hands.

"Dad, where are you going?"

"I'm going to help your mother sift the beans." Xiao Cheng's father fled the courtyard as if he were escaping.

Even if he knew that Wutong Lu Xun was the third uncle his father had mentioned, how could he not be afraid of such a seven-foot-tall monster with a red face and green teeth standing there, especially since another monster had appeared in the blink of an eye?

Cheng Yan turned to him and asked, "Let's go, Uncle."

Lu Xun reached out and said, "Bring me a bowl."

"bowl?"

Although he didn't know what Uncle Cat wanted the bowl for, he obediently went into the inner room and found one.

The moment he stepped outside, he froze, speechless, nearly dropping his jaw in astonishment. A chill ran through him, making him shiver and his back go cold, freezing his arms and legs.

Standing in the courtyard was no longer the white-haired and white-bodied Wutong Mountain Lord, but the nine-foot-tall Taoyuan Living Buddha with round eyes and a tapir-like nose.

The Living Buddha opened his giant palm, waiting for the bowl. His black and gold demonic eyes glanced sideways at him.

Upon seeing that look, Cheng Yan felt reassured. He truly believed it was the resurrection of the Eighth King of Peach Blossom Village, but the familiar movements and eyes clearly indicated that it was 'Uncle Cat'.

He quickly handed the bowl over.

The large bowl for eating looked like a small wine cup in Lu Xun's hands.

He took the bowl, flipped his fingernail to make a cut, and used the bowl to catch the blood. Soon, a thin layer of blood glistened at the bottom of the bowl. Lu Xun handed the bowl to Lao Cheng, who was sitting in a rattan chair, and said, "Drink it."

Lao Cheng had participated in the hunting of Wutong Mountain Lord.

Despite knowing that the three-legged old cat possessed such supernatural powers, he was still utterly shocked to see the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Village standing before him.

Such powerful supernatural abilities are truly terrifying, which raises another question: Who exactly is 'he'?

Taking the large bowl and gazing at the gleaming blood, Lao Cheng knew that further investigation into who 'he' was was pointless.

He is a friend, a supporter, and the benefactor who helped them build their family; that is enough.

The old man picked up the bowl, raised his head, and drank the blood.

Gurgling.

The blood tasted sweet upon entering his mouth, without the expected fishy smell. It was smooth, like a fine wine aged in a cellar. By the time he came to his senses, he had already drunk it all.

Strangely enough, after drinking the precious blood, his wounds stopped hurting and even started to itch slightly. When he scratched them, a layer of blood peeled off, and all the wounds, deep and shallow, healed.

His thin body looked like parched land receiving rain, and his pale face became rosy and radiant.

The backaches, leg aches, and the hidden injuries in his chest no longer flared up. With tears welling in his eyes, Lao Cheng got up from the rattan chair. He thought he would never serve anyone again, but he was captivated by an unknown monster.

The giant hand gripped Lao Cheng's shoulder, preventing him from prostrating himself in worship. Living Buddha Lu Xun said, "We are friends, now and I hope we will be in the future."

At the moment the swordsman died for him, Lu Xun suddenly realized that he had been too utilitarian in his thinking, and he wished he could be more pure.

They switched back to Wutongshan Jun.

Lu Xun turned his head and said, "Let's go. I have some things I want to tell Yang Shen and the others."

Lao Cheng retrieved a cloak from Lu Xun and had several cloaks like this sewn together.

Cheng Jia was never careless towards Lu Xun.

Lu Xun put on a cloak and a Nuo mask.

Cheng Yan drove the big blue donkey from the backyard out to pull the cart.

As Cheng Yan drove off, he was in low spirits. After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke up: "Uncle, are you leaving?"

Lu Xun didn't hide anything and said frankly, "All good things must come to an end. I have my own place to go and my own things to do."

He really should leave. It's been almost three months since he arrived in the strange world, and according to his deduction, not many days should have passed in the modern world.

"Uncle, will you come back?"

"I do not know either."

Lu Xun was telling the truth. He didn't know why he had come here, nor did he know whether he would return to this world after he achieved his goal.

Even if they could return, the world flows at different speeds on both sides, so it would take at least half a year.

At that time, it was still unclear where they were.

Once he's settled things with his mother, he should go seek revenge and get his head back.

This is also an unknown.

Cheng Yan turned around and said, "Take care, Uncle Cat, until we meet again."

"Take care of yourself too, and study hard at the academy. Martial arts are still the most reliable skill in this world."

How do we say goodbye?
So be it.

Lu Xun changed the subject, saying, "Tell me, what kind of life did the Eight Kings of Peach Blossom Village live before?"

Cheng Yan clicked his tongue in amazement: "Isn't the Seventh Master running that old temple, the Master Temple? He must have been living a carefree life in the water before."

"He established his own residence and gathered up little monsters to become a river god. People would ask him for divination from time to time. I heard that some villages still have the custom of tying up young girls and throwing them into the river to be the river god's brides."

"Why give up a life like that of an immortal and insist on studying Buddhism, causing widespread resentment?"

"The masters of Donglin Temple have teachings and Buddhist doctrines, but what does he have? He only has martial arts and money. This kind of paradise is just an illusion. There is no 'Buddha' who only thinks about solving everything with money."

"Money can only arouse people's greed, it can't guide good intentions."

Lu Xun chuckled in surprise: "You've grasped it quite clearly."

Cheng Yan shrugged and said, "I was just saying that. I'm really envious of that treasure mountain. I'm just expressing my feelings based on my own situation."

While the two were chatting, they arrived at the county government office.

The constables and yamen runners dared not stop them.

The two went straight into the hall.

……

Lord Lü said proudly, "Of course I can make the decision."

clack.

A tall figure clad in a black robe and blue armor stepped into the main hall. Beneath the Nuo mask, a pair of golden demonic eyes swept over the crowd. He stretched out his furry claws and plucked off the Nuo mask, which Cheng Yan beside him caught and held in his hands.

I glimpsed Wutonglu.

Master Lü's expression immediately froze, and he gave a sullen smile.

Lu Xun said calmly, "Stop arguing."

"The total is divided into twelve parts. I will take 30%, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism will each take 10%, the county government will take 20%, the sorceress will take 10%, the military personnel will take half a 10%, the people of Meilan County will take 15%, and the remaining 10% will be given to the county government for allocation, divided into relief and disaster relief, and left for those people whose families were destroyed and who died in Taoyuan Township, as well as the wounded and dead soldiers."

Master Lü squinted his eyes: "This..."

Lu Xun approached and put his arm around Master Lü's shoulder. The two, one human and one strange, put their arms around each other's shoulders and began to whisper to each other.

The ape-like monster twitched its fangs slightly and whispered, "Twenty percent is quite a lot. There's another twenty-and-a-half percent specifically for you to win over the hearts of the people, gaining both fame and profit. In total, you can control forty-and-a-half percent. You're making a fortune."

"I've given you so much face, you won't refuse to give me face, will you?"

Old Master Lü shook his head like a rattle-drum: "No, no, no."

"I hope the county government can properly implement that 25% allocation. It's just one cent short..."

Lu Qian declared confidently, "Though the copper coin is small, it's bigger than my head!"

"Getting on track."

Lu Xun patted Lü Qian on the shoulder and said with a smile, "I like to be friends with trustworthy and intelligent people."

"Okay, that's it."

The banquet ended.

Lu Xun arranged where the 30% he had in his possession would go.

He definitely can't take it with him.

They planned to donate 15% of their investment to the academy.

He took out half of the money and gave it to Master Chen. The two worked together quite well, and he had promised to give Master Chen a share of the money.

The remaining portion was divided into five parts. Lao Cheng's family kept one part, and the rest were given to Zhao Jia in Jiujiang County.

Zhao Jia and his team are just starting out, and they need money everywhere.

As for himself, he needs to find the former underwater palace of the Eighth Prince.

(End of this chapter)