Headless Immortal

Chapter 131 Strengthening, Strengthening, Strengthening
"Your Majesty, you were not here, so you have no idea how much I was bullied."

"That white-skinned fellow insisted on becoming the new king, but I refused to obey him. General Eagle left, so I had no choice but to leave. I went down the river and was almost killed by the monsters along the way. I finally found a small lake that no monsters occupied, built a nest there, and didn't dare to eat any meat, let alone people."

Black Armor hugged Lu Xun's leg and wailed, like a wandering child who had found someone to rely on.

It's a pity that crocodiles have such a difficult life.

He thought he could go anywhere with his ability to stir up trouble, so after parting ways with Bai Pi, he wandered aimlessly in the river. Unexpectedly, he was beaten badly in Xunyang River and fled all the way here. He almost died in the lake. He barely survived and made some noise by burning incense, but then a monster from the dry land appeared.

If you receive offerings, you have to do something.

How to do?
Kill it.

I was almost eaten alive by a lizard.

If the king hadn't come here, he would have lost his life as a crocodile.

"What are you crying for!"

Lu Xun put his arm around Hei Jia's head, looked at the torn wounds on Hei Jia's body, and waved to the clerk, saying, "Bring the basket over."

On his way here, he found the basket in the way and unable to display his skills, so he tossed it to the clerk. Just then, the oil-paper umbrella fluttered, and the ethereal water ghost, Mr. Shen, approached, holding the umbrella.

Lu Xun opened the top rice bag, took out a porcelain jar filled with soil, reached in and grabbed the water bag hidden inside, unscrewed the wax seal and handed it to Hei Jia, saying, "Drink."

Without a word, the man in black armor tilted his head back and started chugging.

The bleeding from the wounds on his body stopped immediately, and new skin sprouted from the white flesh, replacing the broken scales. The new skin was just a little darker and darker than the original, making him look like a spotted puppy.

Lu Xun glanced at the village chief: "Do you have a pot?"

The village chief nodded: "Yes."

"Cooking snake."

"Use a big pot."

We can't let the readily available food go to waste.

They set up a stove and piled firewood, then carried out the large iron pot used for the village ritual. The village's butcher and cook wielded a spatula shaped like an iron shovel.

Living by the mountains and rivers, we usually eat wild game and fish. This is the first time we've eaten a monster. We'll deal with it the same way and wash the lizard clean in the nearby Qinghe River.

Several large pots simmered until dusk.

The villagers of Kaoshantun were busy as bees.

Celebrating the regaining of water resources.

Every household took out their benches and formed a long line around the bonfire stove. The village's folk artists sang bawdy songs. In the early morning, the adults laughed so hard they were doubled over, and the little children chased and played, their eyes fixed on the steaming pot.

The stone trough was piled high with entrails and offal. The strange beast Benlei buried its head and arched up, its sharp teeth easily tearing apart the diaphragm and muscle tissue, eating with gusto. Xilu snorted, its dissatisfaction completely dissipated. The outside world was not as good as Matang, but there were monster entrails to eat, which would increase its cultivation.

With a gentle flick of its tail, it sent the attracted cowflies aside, and after eating and drinking its fill, it disappeared into the mountains and forests.

Lu Xun sat down at the table and opened the wine jug in front of him. Not many people in the village brewed wine; most of it was piled up here.

He doesn't like drinking alcohol and has no particular desires for food. His only requirement is to be able to eat his fill. If he could eat anything, he probably wouldn't even bother eating.

There's no other way; you need to be well-fed to have the energy.

The official picked up a piece of snake meat, his mouth greasy with oil, and asked in bewilderment, "Your Majesty, this old man passed through Liuzhou Road and saw a post station on a hillside. It's a notorious black shop that specializes in selling human flesh. I've often heard from outsiders in the martial arts world that on Liuzhou Road and Luanshi Slope, the fat ones are made into beef, and the lean ones are used to fill the river."

Lu Xun, who had just picked up his wine glass, shifted his gaze.

Then the official continued, "The king is a monster, and it's normal for him to eat monsters. Why doesn't he eat people? And why does he demand that his little monsters not eat people either?"

Lu Xun didn't keep them in suspense and explained, "Without rules, there can be no order. Only by drawing a red line can orders be obeyed and prohibitions be enforced."

Like the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring, if one indulges or even condones the little demons under his command eating people, those little demons will find different ways to eat them. At first, they eat the most vicious and wicked, then they eat the most wicked and evil, and when that's not so much left, they will eat people who do slightly evil, until eventually they kill and eat people for even the smallest things.

The bottom line is repeatedly crossed by desire.

Shu Er suddenly realized, "Your Majesty uses military force to subdue demons."

Seeing that Shu Er seemed to have realized something, Lu Xun couldn't help but feel strange. This reason was indeed the main one. Secondly, he came from a modern world where morality had not collapsed and was even very high. He did not want to be tainted by the habits of those madmen, so he restrained the little monsters under his command in this way. Unexpectedly, the little monsters actually listened to him quite well.

It must be thanks to his superb skill in "summoning generals" that the little monsters he summoned all followed him, the great king.

The old man's eyes flashed with surprise: "I've seen bandits and government troops in Liangzhou. When the government troops besieged the city, the bandits had no choice but to fight to the death. I didn't expect them to actually break through. They were all under General Li's command, known for being lax in battle and ruthless in looting. When the bandits charged, they only thought about saving their lives and didn't dare to fight back."

"Anyway, as long as you follow along and build up your momentum, you can plunder gold and silver treasures on your own without needing to earn battle merits."

“Our General Di from the Jiangbei camp is different.”

"The army is known for its strict discipline, which forbids harassing the people. Only those who make meritorious contributions in battle can be rewarded with wealth and treasures, instead of plundering. In this way, the army's fighting strength can be maintained."

Lu Xun stared at the magistrate with a strange expression. The magistrate now seemed less like a magistrate and more like a strategist.

But he really didn't mean it that way. He just felt that it couldn't be done that way, and he also demanded that his little monsters not do it. Anyone who crossed the line would be killed, and he would never repeat the mistakes of the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Spring.

Mr. Shen, the Water Ghost, asked in surprise, "Are you referring to Li Zhongdong's troops from Liangzhou, sir?"

Shu Er nodded slightly.

"Liangzhou is quite far from our Liangjiang region. You're not from Jiujiang, are you, sir?"

Shu Er shook his head and said nothing more.

Seeing that the clerk didn't want to talk about it, Mr. Shen didn't ask any further.

Who doesn't have secrets?

Furthermore, since Boss Lu hadn't spoken, he, a drowned ghost, couldn't say much. If the master was really in trouble, he couldn't possibly agree on behalf of the boss. So he simply kept quiet, focusing on the pots and pans in front of him as he ate the snake meat and took a sip of the cloudy wine from Kaoshantun.

into the night.

After the banquet, the villagers of Kaoshantun went home. Lu Xun and his group stayed in a temporary wooden house. The carpenters in the village were skilled, and with the dry weather in early summer, it wasn't cold at night.

Benlei strolled down from the mountain, swaying with every step, yawned, and then lay down to sleep.

The bright moon flies in the clouds, and the misty white sand is sprinkled on the lake.

The man in black armor, who was lying on the shore, suddenly looked up and saw the pale-faced scholar standing in front of him. He lowered his voice and called out, "Your Majesty."

Lu Xun nodded slightly.

Head transplant.

The pale-faced scholar transformed and grew to a height of ten feet, his enormous body, resembling a small mountain, standing on the riverbank.

The oval-shaped tortoise shell resembled a city wall. It had round eyes, sharp teeth, an elephant's mouth, and a tapir's nose. Its thousand-layered eyelids slowly lifted, revealing two pairs of black and gold demonic pupils. Its giant hands, larger than a winnowing basket, parted the surface of the water.

Black Armor showed no sign of surprise and got up to stand guard on the shore.

Having not been in the water for a long time, the Living Buddha Lu Xun felt the refreshing sensation of the water flowing over his body and exclaimed that this was now his true reliance.

Borrowing the bright moon.

[Should the skull of the Living Buddha of Taoyuan Township, known as the "Eight Great Kings," be reinforced?]

"Enhance." [Spell: Conversion (Beginner)] → [Spell: Conversion (Master)]

In the past, he would have been somewhat resistant to this kind of magic that could conjure up soldiers and generals. But ever since he became so skilled at 'conjuring generals' that the spirits he conjured could take on half-human form, speak, and cultivate, he began to have some expectations for this kind of magic. The conversion and advancement of these spirits could add more little monsters to his collection.

Reserve four ounces for unforeseen circumstances; after using one enhancement, there are four more left.

Lu Xun looked at the illusory text that appeared before him, which was blue and white. Even if the enhancement was applied to the turtle treasure and the hard texture, the remaining two enhancements could still produce two amazing spells.

"strengthen."

[Spell: Hardened (Beginner)] → [Spell: Hardened (Master)]

Although I had some suspicions, I was also hoping for a miraculous spell to appear, one that actually enhanced the hardness of the body.

After the hardened material was brought into the room, he did feel that his skin was tougher.

Lu Xun stretched out his sharp claws and slashed across the back of his hand. It used to be easy to tear, but now only a white mark was left, with a few beads of blood oozing out.

"strengthen."

[Spell: Cannon Fist (Advanced)] → [Spell: Cannon Fist (Masterful)]

[Gained supernatural power: Xingyi through the magic skill: Cannon Fist (Masterful)]

【Form and Meaning】

Type: Supernatural Power

Effect: Slightly increases the flow of energy (+4%)

Commentary: My strength is not the greatest, yet I was able to lift the Yu King's Cauldron. Why? Because my power originates from a single point, rising from the ground and exploding in my dantian, using this force to strike even into the netherworld. —King Wu of Qin: Ying Dang

Lu Xun suddenly threw a punch, and the calm river surged several feet, creating an open space in front of him, preventing the water from getting close. The Xingyi Shentong technique enhanced his strength, allowing his already superb Cannon Fist to reach a new level.

Now he is confident that he can beat the 'Snake' to death on the ground without dragging it into the reservoir.

The cracking sound was like splitting a mountain and splitting rocks.

A pair of large eyes stared intently at the tall figure standing proudly in the river. Just as they were engrossed in watching, someone suddenly tapped their shoulder, startling them. Turning around, they saw the smiling water ghost.

Shen Huo asked jokingly, "What are you spying on so late at night, sir?"

Shu Er pressed his ear against the wall and patted his chest, saying, "Oh dear, Mr. Shen, don't you know that ghosts can scare demons to death?"

Mr. Shen withdrew his hand and said, "The gentleman is too cowardly. Besides, I didn't stretch out my tongue..."

As he spoke, he reached out and pulled out his tongue, making a face as if blood was flowing from all seven orifices. As he approached, he looked out through the crack and heard the strange noise.

Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Boss Lu, who was about ten feet tall.

The clerk also squeezed in, exclaiming in astonishment, "Is this really Boss Lu?"

Mr. Shen lowered his head and said, "Of course, didn't you hear the captain say that Boss Lu is the Thousand Transformations God? He can transform into a scholar or a monster, and any appearance is normal for him."

That's... a complete idiot!

Are they at the same level?

Shu'er originally thought that the white ape demon was Boss Lu's most presentable disguise, but now that she saw the tall living Buddha, she realized that there are always higher mountains to climb.

The terrifying punch created a vacuum in the river.

No wonder Boss Lu wasn't intimidated by the Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain at all.

Lu Xun ignored the thoughts of the monster and the ghost; he was very satisfied with the superb cannon fist technique.

"strengthen."

[Spell: Turtle Treasure (Beginner)] → [Spell: Turtle Treasure (Master)]

Frowning in annoyance, he thought he was so lucky this time that he could enhance three superb spells without needing other spells as a stepping stone. But he didn't expect that his luck would slip back down so soon after the surprise. It seems that he really has to accept that his luck is just average. Fortunately, his baby turtle is not bad either.

The Turtle Treasure is a natural gem on his forehead that can emit a precious light and can identify antiques and rare objects in the world. As for whether it is effective against illusions and charms, he doesn't know. He hasn't encountered any monsters of that type yet. That twin-sword fox didn't rely on charms but on verbal provocation.

"strengthen."

[Spell: Conversion (Mastery)] → [Spell: Conversion (Transcendence)]

[Gained supernatural power through magic: enlightenment (mastery)]: wisdom

【intelligent】

Type: Supernatural Power

Effect: Slightly increases the blessings on the practitioner's spiritual practice (+4%).

Commentary: The journey is difficult, fraught with demons. This humble monk has a copy of the Heart Sutra, which I offer to you. Reciting it deeply will surely bring blessings of spiritual power and wisdom. —Sandalwood Merit Buddha: Xuanzang (Tang Dynasty)

Lu Xun suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils flashing with a precious light that subsided into a black-gold color. He seemed to sense the movement of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Looking down, he saw specks of light floating in the river.

The light converged towards the bottom of the water, and then everything around us went completely dark. No color could be seen anymore, only light!

Lu Xun plunged into the river, chasing the light spots between heaven and earth.

The points of light converged into a vein of light in the distance, like a stream flowing in the darkness. He opened his eyes wide and looked ahead along the stream, where a great river was rushing about, whether underground or in the sky, he couldn't tell.

Just as Lu Xun was engrossed in watching, he unconsciously took a step forward, as if he were about to be sucked into the river of light.

A majestic and terrifying voice resounded from the void.

It was as if the tide was crashing against the rocky shore, or as if an ancient bell was ringing with a strange, ancient sound.

"Who dares to spy on the pulse of Poyang Lake!"

The surrounding darkness shattered instantly.

Lu Xun suddenly woke up. The ocean formed by the light slowly disappeared. He thought he had swum a long way, but when he turned around, he found that he was still standing in the river, having only taken one more step than before.

He suddenly turned around and looked at the man in black armor on the bank, asking, "Have you seen a river?"

Black Armor scratched his head and pointed to the small river at Lu Xun's feet, saying, "Your Majesty, isn't the river right here?"

"It's not this river, it's a long river formed from condensed light, ending at a vast, boundless ocean..."

Lu Xun knew that the black-armored man hadn't seen it.

He closed his eyes and tried to follow the convergence of the light points, but the light was not bright. Perhaps it was some great opportunity, but judging from the sound, it was best not to provoke it.

Lu Xun originally had a sense of superiority over the ancient world, after all, he came from the modern world. He never expected to encounter such bizarre and wonderful things in the blink of an eye. It seemed that there was some terrifying existence guarding the rivers, lakes and seas formed by the convergence of light.

"Come."

Lu Xun walked ashore and waved to the man in black armor.

The man in black armor approached, puzzled: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

Lu Xun said, "Let me see if the generals can be combined with the transformation."

(End of this chapter)