Headless Immortal

Chapter 143 The Three Religions Gather Treasures Amidst Thunderclaps

Yugu Mountain.

Jubaolou is the largest restaurant in Qijiang City, located west of the river and east of the land route. Originally a wasteland, it was bought by a wealthy official and gradually became a transit point for salt merchants and shipping guilds. The Whale Gang branch controlled the docks, and at one point it surpassed Qixian County to become the second largest city after Haoxian County.

The building has three floors, painted red and carved with large red lanterns that go from large to small and then back to large, forming a red ribbon that extends to the long bridge, illuminating the painted boats. The red and green colors intertwine and float on the river surface, seemingly unaffected by the drought.

Inside the building, a sour tune was being sung on the stage, and the storyteller was talking with great enthusiasm, spitting as he slammed his gavel on the table.

Pedestrians strolled along the corridor, including nobles adorned in gold and silver, and merchants dressed in silk. While chatting and laughing, their hands were not idle, with women on their left and right, their gauze dresses revealing their fair chests and smooth ankles.

A suspended staircase, about ten feet wide, forked in mid-air and hung on the second floor. Pushing open the vertical door, one would find rows of square tables, which were not full but nearly full. One of the men, who looked like a night watchman, stood up, frowned, and said, "It's too noisy. Why did you choose such a place?"

"Fellow Daoist, you need not pay them any mind." The tall, round, white, and chubby man, who seemed to be seven feet tall, raised his hand with a grin. Each of his five radish-like fingers was adorned with a gold and jade ring, forming an arc. With a wave of his hand, the guests on the second floor vanished instantly.

"The Mirage Playboy truly lives up to his name," the figure guiding the lamp, whose light source was blocked, praised with a smile.

"please."

The three of them went downstairs one after another, and the merchants who had been watching the play in the hall also disappeared, leaving only empty seats. They each found a seat, but before they could sit down, a dark figure flew down from the third floor. Under the bright candlelight on the top of the building, it had a bird's head and a human body, covered in iron feathers. It was the Human-faced Owl.

The green-skinned yaksha landed along with the human-faced owl.

The two strange figures stood solemnly guarding an empty seat.

Soon, more and more 'people' came down the stairs, and people filed in through the open gate. They were neither bandits nor soldiers; they wore colorful clothes, Taoist robes, and tight-fitting clothes... in rags.

A group of fierce-looking warriors carrying swords sat around a table, while an old man with withered skin leaned on a cane.

The burly man with the head of a wild boar had his chest exposed, revealing a large patch of black hair. His enormous buttocks made the seat creak. The robe he wore looked like it had been taken from some Taoist priest and didn't fit him properly, as if it were a cloak that couldn't cover his belly.

The leopard-headed monster rested its chin on its hand.

The alluring woman, with her voluptuous figure and graceful gait, quietly sat down and began to comb her nails.

The grey swallow flapped its wings, and a mouse dressed in an official's robe stepped off its back. Its figure, less than three inches long, rapidly grew larger with each step, looking like a little old man.

When the old mouse sat down, all the demons, ghosts, and monsters rose to greet him, and the old mouse smiled and waved.

The same treatment was given to a squinty-eyed monk, who didn't seem to be made of flesh and blood.

The wealthy man asked, "Where are the Holy Maidens, my two protectors?"

Behind him were eight burly men in blue robes, each wielding a sword.

The owl glanced sideways and saw a woman in white gauze reclining on the previously empty chair. Her delicate hands held a pure white jade cup, and the snow-white felt beneath her made her resemble a white lotus flower. She seemed to be deep in thought, or perhaps she had been waiting for them all along.

"The White Sect's Holy Maiden has quite the airs." Another red-haired young man sneered, behind him were six martial artists dressed in red outfits, all wearing iron masks.

With a whoosh, the young master flicked open the folding fan in his hand, on which was written a flamboyant character 'Hong'.

The wealthy old man smiled and defused the situation, saying, "Red flowers, green leaves, and white lotus roots—the three religions were originally one family."

The red-haired young master said calmly, "Having lost the medicinal ingredient, I think the Holy Maiden of the White Vein is nothing special. Without this medicine, Jing Shilang won't be able to cultivate the divine skill, and the chaos in Zhangzhou will be resolved. At that time, let's see who will help you manage the situation in the southeast. That old scoundrel Zhu Xianzhen is not someone to be trifled with."

"If you ask me, we should relinquish our leadership as soon as possible."

The saintess glanced left and right with her phoenix eyes.

The human-faced owl lowered its brows, and the sea yaksha pondered. It shouldn't be possible for the news of her losing the mermaid girl to have leaked out; it must be these two monsters who caused the problem.

Even if they didn't have enemies who shared other lineages, they would definitely report the matter to the old men in the sect.

"it is good."

The red-haired young man was about to say something when he suddenly paused, stunned.

Then, the White Sect's Holy Maiden took out a token made of red, blue, and white gold and placed it on the table in front of her. She parted her lips slightly and said, "This humble woman is willing to hand over the Zhangzhou command."

The red-haired young man and the wealthy old man exchanged a glance.

This tricolor cast token is no ordinary object; it is a magical artifact in itself and can command heretics, demons, and monsters from the three families of Zhangzhou Dao. Possessing it is equivalent to becoming a powerful leader in one region, and one can use this opportunity to seek personal gain.

They never expected the White Sect's saintess to hand her over so easily.

The wealthy man cupped his hands and asked, "I wonder who has gotten their hands on the medicinal ingredient?"

For the White Sect's Holy Maiden to relinquish such power, she must be an extremely formidable opponent.

"Longhu Mountain, Zhang Huaisu".

The whole house was in an uproar.

The saint added, "It's nothing to mention."

"what?"

Questions about heretics, strange people, and monsters.

One of the beggars, dressed in a patched Taoist robe, gripped his wine cup tightly, bared his teeth, and gulped down a cup. Upon closer inspection, his tiger-like eyes shone brightly; he was none other than the Taoist priest who had left the City God Temple. He had borrowed the guardian deity from his uncle and retrieved his own magic weapon; he was now at his peak.

Beside the Taoist priest stood a burly man with a boar's head. The boar-like monster sniffed in surprise, then covered his still snotty nose and said, "Why do you smell so bad? Which family are you from? I've never seen you before."

"Following the old demon."

"Old demon, oh, Old demon's monsters really stink."

The discussion, turning into a noisy buzzing, entered my ears. The old mouse in official robes, who had come stepping on sparrows, said, "I heard that a monster cut off the head of the chieftain Wan Chaohai in Meng County, and then charged all the way through the battle formation. Even the Holy Maiden couldn't stop him. Could the Holy Maiden be talking about him?"

"Wan Chaohai is renowned in Jiangbei, but his actual strength..."

"Don't forget, Wan Chaohai is a silver-armored corpse, and his strength ranks among the top in our group."

"That monster killed Commander Wan and stole the medicinal ingredient when the two protectors and Wan Chaohai joined forces."

They were initially unaware of the existence of the medicinal ingredient, but upon seeing the Red and Green sects make it clear, they realized that the widespread rumor that Jing Shilang needed the blood of the White Sect's holy maiden was false.

The saintess nodded and said, "That's right, he is the King of the Water Mansion in Jiangzhou, known as Boss Lu."

"Demon King?!"

"How could that be? If it were a powerful demon king, even the Holy Maiden wouldn't be able to escape."

"At most, he's a great demon, not even a minor demon king."

Other people's voices reached the ears of the robust boar monster, but he sneered and said, "Old man, don't be foolish and listen to him talk so easily. That monster was able to break through the encirclement of five hundred iron corpse warriors and thousands of soldiers, and even killed Wan Chaohai in the middle of the army's formation. He's not a monster at all."

"They're courting death, don't get involved," the boar monster whispered a warning.

The disheveled Taoist priest abruptly changed the subject, asking, "Your robe looks just like mine. Did you eat a Taoist priest?"

The wild boar monster's round eyes widened, and suddenly it looked sad. It sighed deeply and said, "This is my wish."

The slovenly Taoist priest grabbed the boar monster's shoulder and said, "Do you see that door?"

The wild boar monster nodded.

The Taoist priest pointed to the door and said, "Go through the door now."

Before the boar-like Taoist could ask any more questions, he saw the slovenly Taoist's Yin-Yang Sword flash with lightning arcs at his waist. Then, a purplish-black talisman was held in the Taoist's hand. He made hand seals with his left and right hands and chanted incantations: "Supreme Jade Purity King, ruling over the thirty-six heavens, universally transforming the nine heavens, taking form in the ten directions..." The boar-like Taoist hurriedly got up and walked towards the back door.

"Pig Eight Nine, why are you leaving first..."

The wild boar-like Taoist priest exclaimed in alarm, "Nine..."

Leopard Warrior asked in surprise, "Nine?"

The Taoist priest suddenly stood up, drew his Purple-Green Thunder Sword, and a burst of electric arcs shot out as it pierced the purplish-black talisman.

"Heavenly Venerable of Universal Thunder and Lightning of the Nine Heavens, may your command be made swiftly!"

"run!"

Boom.

A bolt of divine purple lightning descended from the clouds and struck the Treasure Pavilion squarely. The illusion of the mirage was instantly punctured like a bubble, and arcs of lightning and flames intertwined in the deep mountains and forests.

The Taoist priest leaped out of the sea of ​​fire: "Zhang Huaisu of Longhu Mountain is here! You demoness, where do you think you're going!"

"Where are the guardian deities?"

Three figures shimmering with golden light formed an array in mid-air, unleashing arcs of lightning.

……

Boom.

Dense dark clouds brought bursts of thunder, and arcs of lightning flashed and connected, illuminating the earth in white and making the snow-white feathers of Wutong Mountain gleam.

Qingya moved slightly, about to mention the mermaid girl, when the captain raised his hand to stop him, saying, "This is not the place to talk."

With so many people around, even though the Iron Corpse Warriors and the defeated soldiers of the Jingshi Army have been dealt with, who knows if there are any spies from the Jingshi Society among these civilians? Moreover, most of the civilians who voluntarily followed the rebels were members of the Jingshi Society, so it was even more inappropriate to say anything more here.

Lu Xun also noticed the local people.

What started as mere panic has now turned into a variety of reactions: some are weeping over the corpses, some are clutching their family members and valuables, some are wailing in anguish, and some are kneeling in prayer...

As Lu Xun's gaze swept over them, they all knelt down with a thud.

It sounds unbelievable that a monster could save someone, but it actually happened.

Lu Xun's heart sank, and he asked, "What about them?"

The captain looked over, then slowly withdrew his gaze and said, "They will be screened first and then repatriated, but as long as they are not high-ranking members of the Jing Shi Hui, their lives will not be in danger."

"Benefactor."

The scholar, holding his baby doll, tried to get closer to his wife, but Benlei snorted, clearly showing his repulsion.

"My benefactor, do you still remember me? We met outside the city, and you even gave me some meat soup." Cheng Xiang stared blankly at Lu Xun on the back of the monster, full of hope.

Lu Xun nodded and said, "It's you."

"I'll arrange it," the captain said with a smile.

He noticed a hint of concern in Lu Xun's eyes, and figured that this scholar must have some connection with the Jing Shi Association. But so what? As long as the rebels were killed, that was enough. He shouldn't be too harsh on these confused people. He believed that after experiencing such a great upheaval, they would understand.

"Let's go."

The two rode their horses towards the south of the city.

Meng County has just been taken back, and there is a lot to do. As a captain, he certainly can't avoid taking it easy, so he works on horseback.

Secondly, the local government office in Meng County had to be reorganized, those officials had to be found, and those whose fates were unknown had to be registered and reported again.

You mean a big fish?

"The mermaid girl Gong Li..." Lu Xun didn't hide it from Gao Qingzhi. He told him that after attending the banquet, he and Zhang Huaisu joined forces to snatch the medicinal ingredient from the White Sect's Holy Maiden. It was now with him, but because he had too many little monsters under his command, it was not convenient to bring it into the city, so it was staying outside the city.

The captain was clearly stunned, and after a long while, he sighed, "If it weren't for you, the White Sect would probably have succeeded."

It's no wonder Zhao Jia admires Boss Lu so much. His strength is one aspect, but more importantly, he acts generously, is bold yet meticulous, doesn't resort to underhanded tactics, and doesn't play mind games with his own people. In short, he's to Zhao Jia's liking, and working with him is a real pleasure.

He even thought that he should recommend Boss Lu to the commander so that he could become the local military officer.

Lu Xun asked doubtfully, "How should we settle them?"

He couldn't keep carrying people around forever. The news hadn't spread yet, but once the White Sect's Holy Maiden told Jing Shi Jun, all the heretics, monsters, and ghosts would be watching him closely. It wasn't that he was afraid, but if he couldn't take care of himself and Gong Li fell into Jing Shi Jun's hands, then all their efforts would have been in vain.

"What do you think?"

"It would be best if she were looked after by your local commander, or if she were protected by the army."

Lu Xun pondered for a moment and said, "I think your general is quite capable. If we can have him protect us, the chances of the Jingshi Gang snatching people will be even lower."

“Not good.” The captain shook his head and said quite seriously, “I know their code of conduct. Everything is aimed at victory. If we hand over the people, they will not choose to protect them but will instead… eliminate any future troubles.”

As he spoke, the captain made a gesture as if he were about to strike with his sword.

Lu Xun frowned. "It shouldn't be that bad, right?"

The captain said, "Don't disbelieve me. If things get any worse, he might kill you, and you might protect him. It would be even more troublesome if a conflict broke out. It's better to keep the news a secret."

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Lu Xun didn’t argue. Since the captain said that, he must have expected it. If he insisted on letting that general know, the army might actually kill the mermaid girl to eliminate the potential danger of using her as a medicinal ingredient for Jing Shilang, just as the captain said.

Lu Xun asked with concern, "What's wrong with Little Grey? I think the message delivered last night was by a strange falcon."

"I'm tired, but it's nothing."

"I'll have Little Grey pass on the method for finding General Toothless to the other gyrfalcons. You'd better have Toothless change the location of his excrement. The Earth God's Office not only doesn't reject monsters, but it will also register them."

As he spoke, Gao Qingzhi took out a thick book, waved it, and continued, "It's better not to be on the list." After saying that, he put the book back into his pocket.

He will not register Lu Xun.

When are we going to Juying Mountain?

"It's estimated to be within ten days."

"it is good."

The two started talking about the mermaid girl, skipping the small talk.

The captain was summoned away by the clerk, while Lu Xun urged Benlei towards the city gates; he had to go and meet Shuer and the others.

They charged up to the high ground.

The black-armored and white-skinned men were bored. Shu Er held an oil-paper umbrella and carried a basket on her back. The girl gazed at the misty rain in the distance and turned around after hearing the sound of horses' hooves.

The world seemed to be shrouded in a gray haze, like thick ink diluted by a light rain, spilled onto the ground.

"Let's go into town."

(End of this chapter)