Headless Immortal

Chapter 99 Eight Kings

Master Jueming didn't keep us in suspense.

……

Meanwhile, Miaojiang of Donglin Temple, having deciphered the profound mysteries of the Great Master before the Buddha, descended the mountain to travel in order to reach the realm of Zen. Along the way, he vanquished demons and monsters, helped the weak and oppressed, and performed good deeds. Wherever he went, evil spirits retreated, and he converted wandering ghosts and spirits.

One day, he crossed the snake path and entered a dilapidated village.

When a house is empty and no one lives there, other things will take its place. For example, the wandering ghosts of those who died far from home, timid mountain spirits, and zombies that turned into corpses because they were not properly buried in time...

At this moment, the little devil, peeking through the crack in the door, curiously sized up the monk. He was then scolded by his parents, who warned the naughty child not to provoke the monk.

Master Miaojiang did not disturb them and built a rain shelter for them himself.

As the daylight fades and dark clouds press down on the city, we sit and watch.

Wow!
Darkness descended, and the world was turned upside down.

Grand Master Miaojiang sat cross-legged under the rain shelter. In no time, his clothes were soaked through. A large group of tiny, glowing figures, about the size of a child's fist, were helping the Grand Master repair the shelter with leaves. However, the weather turned against them. A strong gust of wind blew everything away, and several mountain children were about to be blown away as well. Miaojiang reached out to protect them.

A faint light curtain illuminated his body.

The shadowy figure stood in the rain, asking, "Why didn't you use your supernatural powers from the beginning?"

Miaojiang smiled and said, "My supernatural powers are for relieving the worries and difficulties of all beings, not for my own comfort."

The dark figure approached, its massive tortoise shell shielding it from the wind and rain. It knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed, saying, "Please, Master, guide me on a path of cultivation to escape this sea of ​​suffering and reach the shore."

"The Buddha's teachings are boundless, benefactor, please study Buddhism."

……

Li Song laughed and said, "So, the Living Buddha of Taoyuan Township is a disciple of the Venerable Master Miaojiang?"

Master Jueming said, "All living beings in the world are disciples of the Buddha."

Master Chen snorted coldly, but at least he didn't say anything offensive.

"What is the realm of Zen Buddhism and the Great Master?" Cheng Yan asked, looking bewildered and curious.

The academy taught "Haoran" and "Zhenqi"... classics, history, philosophy, literature, and the Six Arts of a Gentleman. They never taught him any realm of cultivation. He actually thought that cultivating true qi and reading magical powers made him a master.

Lao Cheng quickly advised, "Children shouldn't aim too high."

Master Chen Jing waved his hand and said, "It's good that young people are curious. Knowing about higher realms can also motivate them to cultivate."

As he finished speaking, he continued, "All living beings in this world are divided into nine ranks, based on the Three Passes and Eight Sceneries, regardless of whether they have cultivated magical power. You martial artists also call it 'True Qi,' it's a different name, but essentially the same thing." He glanced at Chunlei with his long eyes: "What are the three passes of my Daoist sect's nine ranks?"

Chunlei hurriedly replied, "Mysterious feeling, taking medicine, practicing Qi."

"good."

Chen Jing nodded slightly: "The three trials for martial artists are the cultivation of the skin, the forging of the bones, and the refining of the internal organs. After passing through these three trials, true qi has a source, unlike the haphazard cultivation that only yields partial benefits. It is the foundation of an eighth-rank cultivator."

"Taoists call it: Qi cultivation; Confucianists and Taoists call it: Confucian scholar; and martial artists call it: martial man."

"The most powerful warriors at the 'Bull Realm' can possess the strength of nine bulls and two tigers."

"Nine oxen and two tigers!" Chunlei couldn't help but exclaim.

This was the first time he had heard his master talk about the training methods of martial artists. It made sense, considering he hadn't even memorized the Daoist scriptures.

Chen Jing simply smiled slightly: "As for Buddhism, there are Bhikkhus. Above Bhikkhus are Vinaya Monks, above that are Dharma Masters, and above that is Zen Buddhism."

Cheng Yan sighed, "That's between the sixth and fifth ranks! How come..."

Yang Shen tugged at Cheng Yan's arm. These things were all related to the various schools of magic, and it would be impolite to ask any more questions.

Aunt Zheng picked up the conversation, saying, "How did it come to be like this?"

Master Jueming was helpless, yet he could not break the precepts. Who would have thought that his unintentional remark would offend Master Chen?

He couldn't explain further, as it would only make things worse.

He continued, "At first, things were going well, but for some reason, the Eighth King's personality changed drastically. He used supernatural powers to keep the people under his control, opened a government office to recruit monsters, and frequently took lives. He even used silver to redeem corpses to feed his monsters. Yet his cultivation improved day by day. It seems that he was unwilling to be confined to a corner of the country and wanted to use Qingquan Temple as a foothold to try to bring Meilan County into Taoyuan Township and continue to expand his power."

"Therefore, your temple has dispatched a master to subdue the demon."

"I am ashamed." Venerable Jueming put his hands together in prayer.

Once the reason was clear, everyone understood.

Lu Xun, who had been listening intently, turned his attention back to the present moment, his mind wandering to a strange space where a line of ink-stained characters appeared before his eyes.

The skull of the "Gutless Soldier" from Peach Blossom Village

Species: Insect (crab)

Quality: Normal

Spell: Bind

Commentary: When the autumn wind blows, debt collectors and enforcers run rampant in the countryside, and are called "shrimp soldiers and crab generals".

Fight your way out!

Crushed.

[Received ashes: 1.3 taels]

The skull of the "crab-bodied soldier" from Peach Blossom Village

Species: Insects (shrimp)

Quality: Normal

Spell: Straight Thrust

Commentary: Those who wear armor, carry steel spears, and have flying beards and swaying hats are called: shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

[Living Buddha, Living Buddha...]

【kill.】

Is the land still suitable for farming?

Crushed.

[Received ashes: 3.5 taels]

Consciousness rests on the ashes.

Cremated remains: five taels

After sorting through the heads of the shrimp soldiers, crab generals, and martial artists of Peach Blossom Village, Lu Xun shifted his gaze to the main event.

The broad-mouthed beast head resembles a crocodile dragon, with fine bumps covering its skull. It is ferocious yet solemn. A fleshy growth resembling keratin bulges on its head. Gone is the coldness and lightness of the first encounter, and the chilling and commanding presence of the subsequent battle. The head of the monster Ni, with its eyes closed, floats peacefully as if asleep.

The skull of "Mr. Ni" from Taoyuan Township

Species: Salamander (also known as Eriocheir sinensis)

Quality: Rare (Green)
Trick: Blood Eyes

Spell: Personification

散手
婴啸
Commentary: Mount Shaoxian is barren of vegetation, but mostly covered in green. There is a beast there, which looks like an ox, but has a red body, a human face, and a dragon's head. It is called Yayu, and its cry is like that of an infant. It eats people.

Lu Xun didn't call the rare green-colored, sentient monster "great." To be considered a great monster, one must be like the Living Buddha of Peach Blossom Village, who can manipulate mirages to create caves and canyons, and can defeat hundreds of fully armored elite government troops head-on, fighting for a long time until they are exhausted before finally collapsing. Only such a monster can be called "great."

Can Wutong Luxun do that now?
Lu Xun shook his head slightly, saying that saying "probably not" was an overstatement.

Without thinking much, I followed the ink-splashed characters.

[Dharma Protector]

……

"cough."

A weak, labored cough escaped his throat, and his eyelids fluttered slightly. His multiple layers of eyelids, like folds turned up, revealed a pair of eyes with golden whites and black pupils. The blood and froth in his mouth were suppressed by the medicinal soup, and the room was filled with the faint, fishy smell of various herbs.

Steam filled the air, the water temperature was just right, and his arms were bound with hemp rope and splints, resting on the bluestone of the hot spring.

The toad leader was pounding medicine, while the sturgeon lay pale-faced beside him. The village doctor heated a special knife and stitched up the sturgeon's wound.

Sturgeon gritted his teeth, his head shaking incessantly, and fine beads of sweat rolled out like beans.

Only after the herbal medicine was applied did he lie down, his face covered with the newly wrapped white cloth.

The otter scout diligently washed the blood-stained cloth.

The village chief had a peeled and polished log clenched between his teeth, his face contorted from the pressure, his eyes wide open, and he was shirtless, unable to bear watching the doctor dig at the rotten flesh in his wound.

The village head helped the doctor with the treatment.

Wailing cries and faint, painful groans came from the entrance of the stone chamber, and the physician rushed to check on the one who was screaming in agony.

A low sob lingered in his ear. The Living Buddha listened. He remembered the voice. It was Ayushi, that strong man, who seemed made of iron.

"Living Buddha".

The shrimp guarding the Eighth King was both surprised and delighted, and quickly went to call the doctor.

Bah.

The doctor's shoes were wet as he rushed over, his feet slapping against the bluestone like a duck's webbed feet.

The Living Buddha glanced at the newcomer. He had a thin, long face, a fair complexion, and no beard. He wore a small blue square hat, a dark long robe, and carried a satchel on his shoulder. The satchels were filled with medicine powder and various kinds of instruments. Looking at the sharp and different iron tools, one would not think that the person in front of him was a doctor, but only a tailor.

The cloud-based doctor took his pulse.

The Living Buddha's expression was calm, and his eyes beneath the multiple eyelids were as still as a deep well; he was well aware of his injuries.

The elephant parted its mouth slightly, its speech slightly slurred due to the missing tusks: "Why haven't I seen Mr. Ni?"

Upon hearing the name Mr. Ni, the crowd fell silent. The village chief lowered his head, and the village head opened his mouth, sighed deeply, and shook his head.

Where is Mr. Ni?

A vague sense of foreboding arose in the Living Buddha's heart.

The toad leader, who was pounding medicine, also stopped. He opened his mouth wide, but before he could speak, hot tears streamed down his face. His lips trembled, and he choked out, "That day, when you, Living Buddha, fainted, Mr. Ni led us to dig through the gorge. The brothers carried the frame and left, but those people wouldn't give up. Mr. Ni covered the rear and was killed by the white-haired ape monster."

Wow!

The Living Buddha stood up from the medicinal hot spring, stepped out of the tall stone house, and his nine-foot-tall body instantly blocked out the stars and the moon.

Looking out over the distant canyon, the passageway is gone, buried under chaotic earth and rocks, leaving only gaps and faint traces, silent and still, its back to the demons and villagers.

He raised his head, his eyes reddening.

Slowly lower your head.

"Mr. Ni is dead."

clack.

Large water droplets moisten the earth.

Is it raining?

The Living Buddha wiped his nose haphazardly, unable to distinguish whether it was snot or tears, then flicked his tapir nose and said, "Bring me a bowl."

Sturgeon Warrior stopped him, saying, "The Living Buddha's injuries are severe, how can he..."

Silence. Only a huge arm wrapped in splints stretched out its massive hand.

See the Living Buddha's resolve.

The toad leader had no choice but to present a large bowl.

The Living Buddha took out a large bowl, flipped it over, and shattered the splint and bloodstains. He carefully examined the bowl, a pale green porcelain with mottled marks. In his childhood, his shell was very fragile, and the bowl was buried deep in the riverbank to serve as half of his shell. Later, he instinctively absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, gained sentience, and became a monster. He had always kept it by his side.

In the past, he opened a water palace in Xiaotuo River, a tributary of Xunyang River, and summoned demons and generals. One day, he saw the true Buddha, broke into the water palace and dismissed the demons. He came to the shore with only a bowl.

The Living Buddha solemnly raised his other arm, the oval end of which was a sharp nail piercing his palm. With a 'plop,' blood flowed down the lines of his palm.

In no time, the large bowl turned red.

His body went limp and he staggered slightly. The monsters tried to help him up, but he waved them off.

He shrugged and left, the blood churning inside the large bowl.

"Let's share it."

The toad leader's cheeks heaved, his round eyes filled with unbearable sorrow. Yet, he obeyed the Living Buddha's command, picked up the large bowl, and shared the Buddha's blood with the demons and villagers, those who were seriously injured drinking first, and those who were lightly injured drinking later.

Whether they were demons or villagers, the wounds that had been stitched up by the doctor quickly healed, the bleeding from the severed limbs stopped, and granulation tissue grew and intertwined to form scars.

Her pale face regained its rosy hue, as if she had escaped all pain, sorrow, and grief... and returned to her peak condition.

They could almost bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded.

Outside the stone house, the villagers of Taoyuan Village were packed in a dark mass. Although they had witnessed such a miracle before, they were still awestruck and thought it was a divine revelation. If there really was a Bodhisattva in the world, it must be the one standing before them.

A huge crowd knelt down and prostrated themselves, calling him the Living Buddha and chanting praises to the True King.

The Living Buddha stood there, feeling the autumn wind was very cold, and his enormous body was very tired. He sat down on the ground with a thud, interrupting the villagers' worship.

The village chief was taken aback and annoyed that he had forgotten such an important thing. He immediately stood up and said loudly, "Quickly, bring everything up."

The crowd parted to let the able-bodied men carry buckets of fish and neatly stack them in front of the Living Buddha.

Each wooden tub was as big as a bathtub, piled high with fresh fish and shrimp. The Living Buddha would grab a handful with his giant hand, open his blood-red mouth like an elephant's, and take a bite without spitting out the fish scales and bones.

In just a short while, the large barrels in front of them were mostly emptied.

The village chief and the village head exchanged a glance: "Arrest them again!"

The old fishermen who raised cormorants all rowed their small boats and drove their own cormorants off the boats. For a moment, the river was filled with the sound of fire, and the busy activity seemed to wash away the bitterness of defeat.

The recovered demons also went into the water, busy chasing away schools of fish and catching fresh seafood.

Doctor Yun stood beside the Living Buddha, gazing sadly at the shimmering, bustling water.

The Living Buddha's giant hand swept up the fresh fish like a winnowing basket, and with a single open mouth, most of it was gone. He didn't eat it carefully, just chewing it once before swallowing it down his throat and into his stomach. Seemingly still not satisfied, he opened his bloody mouth, and blood and mucus flowed down the corners of his mouth, the sounds of flesh and blood pulverizing echoing incessantly.

"Dr. Yun, go and be reincarnated."

Doctor Yun turned around in surprise and saw the Living Buddha eating heartily.

As if sensing the doubt in Doctor Yun's mind, or perhaps wanting to change the subject and prevent Doctor Yun from asking further questions, the Living Buddha continued, "When I was little, I was beaten and chased by monsters. I felt unwell and always felt that eating something would make me feel better." His gaze turned to the river, and the desolation in his voice could no longer be concealed.

Dr. Yun sighed deeply, "It's not easy to find a scapegoat."

"Easy to find."

"The Living Buddha wants to kick me out?"

“Everyone will leave,” the Living Buddha said solemnly. “This time, we can’t just get through it by eating something.”

The gentle and refined Dr. Yun was no longer the mild-mannered man he once was; instead, he revealed his true, malevolent nature and snarled, "Did Mr. Ni die in vain?"

The Living Buddha remained silent.

a long time.

He said slowly, "Is it revenge, or proceeding according to plan?"

He seemed to be asking Doctor Yun, but the doctor could hear clearly that the Living Buddha had already made up his mind.

"plan……"

Without waiting for Dr. Yun's reply, the Living Buddha answered Dr. Yun's murmured words first: "Mr. Ni, the plan you made before you passed away."

The giant hand scooped the fish and shrimp out of the bucket again, took a bite, and burst blood splattered onto the Living Buddha's face. His black and gold eyes showed no further fluctuation.

(End of this chapter)