Headless Immortal

Chapter 147 Invitation to the Hundred Gods and Demons Gathering

The monstrous beast galloped forward with its hooves and claws.

The red-faced, green-toothed Lord of Wutong Mountain lowered his eyes and made way for the mermaid girl to sit sideways on the saddle. He held the girl in his arms, while his oval, rough demonic fingernails gripped the reins. He walked past the valiant general and headed towards the gap in the shield wall. The armored soldiers on both sides parted like waves, their armor clashing and making muffled sounds.

Plop, plop.

Benlei glanced at it indifferently, its hooves making a loud thud.

Black Armor and White Skin followed behind the demon beast, acting as its left and right protectors. The Toothless General swooped down from above, flipped in mid-air, and transformed into a two-foot-tall black eagle. It landed steadily as Wu Tong Lu Xun stretched out his arm, gently catching it with its iron claws. It then used its beak to preen its wing nests twice before raising its head and puffing out its chest.

The pale gray mist slowly fell, like a cloak draped over the shoulders of the Five Gods, stretching all the way to the ground before spreading out completely.

A line of monsters passed over the array of soldiers.

They went straight to the city gate.

Shu Er looked back, but could not see clearly. The group behind them had been left far behind. He turned back again and asked softly, "Your Majesty, are we just leaving like this?"

Lu Xun countered, "Otherwise what?"

Looking at Shu Er, who had walked past the black-armored, white-skinned figure to his side, Lu Xun couldn't help but chuckle. He then said with a "hiss," "This time there's no grand banquet to fill our stomachs, and I don't have anywhere to ask for an invitation."

Entering the city and leaving the city took only one night.

I just stepped out of the heavy city gate.

Shu Er said, "This old man does know a good place."

"Oh?"

Lu Xun's smile faded, and he looked at Shu Er with a half-smile, then slightly turned his eyes and glanced at Ni Pusa.

The clay bodhisattva, about a foot long, looked exactly like a large clay monk, standing in Shu Er's palm, smiling at Shu Er, and saying, "What you're talking about, sir, could it be..."

"good."

Shu Er took out a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket and handed it to Lu Xun.

Lu Xun took the invitation and opened it.

'A Gathering of a Hundred Gods and Demons at Shoushan.'

"Having heard that Ying Mountain, where you reside, has fallen, and the Corpse King intends to use the earth dragon's fire vein to refine Zhangzhou, I regret not heeding your advice beforehand. Therefore, I cordially invite you to Shou Mountain for a gathering, where all the gods and demons can discuss a grand plan to avert Zhangzhou's calamity."

Lord Peng bows in respect.

……

In front of the post station.

The burly man with a leopard-like head and piercing eyes on the red-maned horse had an extremely ugly expression. He looked into the distance, then glanced at the group of heretics and strange people, before turning his gaze away and slightly loosening his grip, letting the swords hang on his side. He seemed to be spitting out ice shards as he said, "Is the general satisfied now?"

“I…” Sui Yanshi suddenly turned around, his throat still tight with suppressed anger. Instead, the captain’s words were like thorns, making it impossible for him to spit them out or swallow them. He could only slowly open his mouth and say, “I don’t want to drive him away. The purpose of military campaigns is to minimize the variables.”

The heretics and eccentrics had strange expressions, and their odd gazes were like arrows, piercing one's heart.

"I did this for the people of Zhangzhou!"

The valiant general practically shouted these words.

He didn't know what went wrong.

It is not unreasonable to exchange a young girl's life for time and space.

The general's voice suddenly softened, and he spoke in an almost calm tone: "Back then, a giant monster in Jiangxi stirred up waves, and three prefectures were about to be submerged in mud. I led a thousand soldiers to support it, but the Hukou dike was about to burst. I knew it couldn't collapse, because if it did, the two downstream counties would immediately become lakes, and tens of thousands of people would lose their lives."

“I led my personal guards and a thousand brothers, formed a battle formation, tied them together with ropes, and resolutely jumped into the river to hold up the embankment. I knew people would die, I knew many of my men would die, and even I myself would die. I did not hesitate because we seized this opportunity and saved many people.”

"I didn't fight anyone, nor did I see any monsters. I lost 283 brothers, and their bodies were bloated beyond recognition when they were found."

Gradually, the general's voice returned to normal as he put on his helmet and said, "Honor, high praise, chivalry, heroism... you can take them, but please leave the victory behind."

His only regret was not figuring out the Jiangzhou Demon King's true intentions, thus forcing such an important fighting force away.

He must admit that he was wrong about this.

The captain tugged at the reins and said, "General, the news has already leaked. The White Sect and the Jing Shi Society will definitely surround and intercept Boss Lu. I will not travel with you."

The general of the cavalry wanted to persuade him further, but he nodded in vain: "Alright! The captain may leave."

"Wang Long, Feng Hu."

"The end will be here."

"You will take the Divine Martial Guard and follow the general north."

The two captains of the Divine Martial Guard bowed and said, "Yes, sir."

"drive!"

Gao Qingzhi rode away.

……

The horse ran very fast. Red Mane did indeed possess the bloodline of a demon, but unlike Benlei, which was a completely demonic beast, it still retained the shape of a horse, though it was very picky about its food.

It neither eats meat nor drinks blood; it needs fine grains mixed with good wine, not much, just a pot is enough.

run!

The night wind billowed his sleeves and robes. Gao Qingzhi grabbed the gourd from his waist, tilted his head back, and drank three mouthfuls before bending down to hand it to Hongyun. Hongyun took the gourd in her mouth, shook her head, and then stuck out her tongue to lick the mouth of the gourd before reluctantly throwing it back, as if to say, "Good wine, another pot."

"Gone."

Gao Qingzhi shrugged, feeling much better.

The Six Doors is a strange government office. You might call them constables, but they are different from ordinary county government offices that catch petty thieves. They are well-organized and act meticulously, like a large net covering the entire country.

But calling them soldiers doesn't quite fit. Although they are disciplined, have specialized means of communication, and a strict hierarchical system, their work involves neither conquering cities nor seizing territory; they specialize in matters of the martial world. The people and monsters of the martial world call them Xuanwei (mysterious guards) or Fanzi (foreigners).

The local officials were slightly better off because they governed the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world). The water officials had the Eagle House and the Wolf Guard, who were proper hounds, specializing in internal court affairs. They handled special cases with special measures and were known as special agents. Sometimes they would also deal with the Jianghu.

This makes him both a knight and a江湖武人 (jianghu warrior).

If you're caught between two equally unfavorable environments, you'll naturally lean towards the one that suits you best.

He was well aware of the military's reaction if he told them, which is why he advised Boss Lu not to make a fuss and to just blend in with the troops.

It's a pity that fate plays tricks on people.

That's fine too.

He simply couldn't adapt to military life, so he abandoned it and continued his life as a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) man, which would allow him to better utilize his advantages as a local military officer. As for right and wrong, everyone has their own principles, and sometimes unforeseen circumstances can reverse the situation, so it's hard to say. Therefore, it's best to talk less and do more.

work!

……

Lu Xun chuckled, “Strange, I think I heard someone calling me. It sounded like the captain’s voice.”

Shu Er said, "The captain is a member of the Earth Bureau, he wouldn't come here as a persuader." The opinions of the Jianghu monsters on the Earth Bureau's government vary, most of them have only heard of it. After all, if any monster family could actually meet the captain of the Earth Bureau and still be alive, they would at least be a good one.

"Boss Lu."

Lu Xun grabbed Ben Lei, who was still moving forward, and looked back with a hawk-like gaze and a wolf-like look, twisting his head in a half-circle: "It really is a captain."

The clatter of hooves drew rapidly closer.

"Xu."

Gao Qingzhi, who caught up, sighed deeply: "Boss Lu, I'm sorry."

"Why do you say that, Captain?"

"This disaster in Zhangzhou was not originally Lu's fault. I impulsively killed Old Man Song to relieve his pain. I heard that you killed Wan Chaohai in Meng County and barely escaped from the army."

"We chose to save all of them, rather than save one person."

"I feel so guilty that I couldn't help you stay."

Gao Qingzhi's eyebrows furrowed, and he looked guilty.

As a dignified military officer, he had his assistant kicked out of the house. Forget about merit, he might even be accused of protecting members of the White Sect. And when he thought of Lu Xun's passionate help in saving people, he felt like his heart was being torn apart.

"You flatter me, Captain," Lu Xun said dismissively.

People have to rely on themselves.

Their motives were impure to begin with, and they hadn't revealed everything earlier, so it's no wonder the general was furious.

Of course, if I had said it earlier, I probably wouldn't have been able to get a single night's sleep, and I might have had to force myself to leave. But now it's fine, and I even have a clay Buddha to help me out.

What else can be said?

Let's go.

Lu Xun waved his hand and said, "Captain, there's no need to worry. We'll meet up in Hao County."

"The journey is long and arduous, and without the protection of a large army, how can we possibly make it?" Gao Qingzhi continued, "I have already sent my captain and the Divine Martial Guards to accompany the army to Hao County." As he spoke, he picked up the long sword at his waist and patted the sword box behind him: "One man, one horse, one sword, and one blade. I hope Boss Lu will not find it insufficient."

"how come."

"However, the captain did mention the key point: we need some help on this trip to Juying Mountain."

Gao Qingzhi said, "I also have some good friends..."

Lu Xun laughed and said, "Most of the captain's friends are either government officials or chivalrous heroes. It's too slow to find them now. They might not even be able to meet up with us by the time we get to Juying Mountain."

"What should I do?"

Gao Qingzhi was immediately puzzled: where could he find a ready-made helper?

"Shoushan, vying for the Demon King, I wonder if the captain is interested."

Gao Qingzhi was even more confused.

"Competing for the Demon King?"

Lu Xun nodded and handed a red invitation with gold lettering to the captain.

The captain opened the package and looked up suddenly, repeating loudly, "Lord Peng? The master of Shoushan Mountain. I heard that he is a wood spirit who has become a demon. He lives to be two hundred years old and is also known as the Hundred-Year-Old Marquis. His strength is not to be underestimated. He is one of the three great demons of Zhangzhou. Because of his discipline, he has not been targeted by the local authorities. The government turns a blind eye to him."

"Why would he send you an invitation and address you as 'brother'?"

Lu Xun chuckled and said, "This wasn't sent to me."

"It was sent to me."

A loud, aged yet powerful voice rang out. The captain looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was the old rat wearing a yellow robe who was speaking.

The captain looked at the yellow-skinned old rat with surprise, feeling that it looked quite familiar. He remembered that it was the monster he had encountered in Zhangjiamabao last time. Later, the Taoist priest asked if the old man wanted to go with him, but he refused. He didn't expect that it was now under Boss Lu's command, but he still felt that it shouldn't be so familiar.

He cupped his hands and said, "May I ask your guidance?"

"His surname is just a pseudonym. His sand-flying and stone-moving magic is quite exquisite. He is known in the martial arts world as the Yellow Wind Rat."

The captain was taken aback, almost unable to believe it: "The master of Juying Mountain, the Yellow Wind Monster?!"

Lu Xun looked over upon hearing this. He knew Shu Er had a powerful background, but he hadn't expected it to be this powerful—the master of Juying Mountain. Oh, right, Juying Mountain is now occupied by the Corpse King of the Jingshi Society.

"It's all thanks to my friends' kindness," Shu Er said, clasping his hands in a fist and waving.

The captain asked doubtfully, "Why does it feel like the old master's breathing is unstable?"

He had no doubt about the strength of the Lord of Juying Mountain. Among the three great demons of Zhangzhou, the Yellow Wind Monster was the most powerful. If he were to protect him and then go to Shoushan to take the title of Demon King, with the demon army surrounding him, he could indeed safely go to Hao County.

But upon closer inspection, he noticed that the old rat's aura seemed a bit strange.

“He’s injured.” The clay bodhisattva took over the conversation. The foot-long clay figure jumped off Shu Er’s shoulder and landed on the ground like an inflated balloon, turning into a big monk. He put his hands together and said, “Amitabha, Captain, it has been many years since we last met.”

The captain asked in surprise, "Have we met before?"

"Five years ago, when the captain entered Xiaoshan to exterminate the demons, do you still remember a little monk who pointed the way?"

"So you're a master."

"Are you injured?" Lu Xun asked with concern.

Shu Er sighed and said, "I fought a battle with the Corpse King of Jing Shi Hui and was seriously injured. Originally, I had the same idea as Mud Bodhisattva, intending to intercept and kill the White Sect Saintess, but when I met the Great King, I found out that the White Sect Saintess was an imposter, so I did not make a move and followed the Great King all the way."

As he spoke, he cupped his hands and shook them.

It looks just like a squirrel waving its paw.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

He was indeed badly injured in that battle, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up like this, wandering around like a stray dog. He had planned to fight to the death at Zhangjiabao, but unexpectedly he met Lu Xun. He saw that Lu Xun was heading north and decided to travel with him. He discovered that Boss Lu was indeed a demonic swordsman, and his strength was beyond doubt. So he took out an invitation to the Shoushan Hundred Gods Demon Gathering.

The captain pondered, "With Elder Huang injured, the title of Demon King will likely be taken away by the Hundred-Year-Old Marquis."

Shu Er shook his head: "I won't argue."

"Mr. Huang does not contend."

The captain shifted his gaze, searching among the monsters. The black-armored one was imposing, the white-skinned one was tall, and the toothless one was fast, but none of them could compare to the Little Demon King. Only this Mud Bodhisattva was the number one monster below the Three Demons of Zhangzhou.

Suddenly a thought flashed through his mind: "Should Boss Lu go and fight for it?"

Lu Xun nodded with a smile.

The captain almost forgot that Boss Lu was also a monster, and an 'unknown' one at that. It was because Boss Lu looked so much like a human, and at the moment he was dressed as a scholar, that the captain always overlooked Boss Lu's monster identity.

Upon careful consideration, he realized that with the water control techniques of the Five Peaks Mountain Lord and the magical artifacts of the mermaid girl, they seemed to have a considerable advantage.

Lu Xun thought Gao Qingzhi was hesitant, so he said, "We are going to the world of monsters on this trip. The captain is human, so it may be inconvenient. If you feel that..."

The captain was taken aback, but instantly understood what Lu Xun meant. He quickly said, "No, no, no, that's not what I meant. I was thinking about our chances of winning. Alright, I'll risk my life to accompany you. Let's go to Shoushan and fight for this demon king."

(End of this chapter)