Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: The Old Beggar
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Chen Shi had a poor impression of Monk Wuchen. The monk was worldly and snobbish, polite to Li Tianqing because of his prominent family background but dismissive toward common folk.
Yet, when the monk stepped in to save him at a critical moment, repaying a debt of gratitude despite his bias, it revealed another side to Wuchen beyond his favoritism.
Clear on恩怨—that made him a real man.
Chen Shi praised him inwardly, picked up the broken bowl from the ground. There was still a mouthful of water at the bottom, barely covering it.
"Grandma Jiang, I'll take you away."
Chen Shi held the broken bowl in his hand.
He slipped away from the area without a sound.
After he left, many border army soldiers rushed over. Seeing corpses strewn everywhere, they were startled. When they spotted Deputy General Xia Luoying's body, they were utterly shocked.
Xia Luoying wasn't just a deputy general; he was also General Xia Chuli's son. His death here would surely unleash the general's thunderous wrath!
Even more critically, Min River Granny was nowhere to be found!
She was rations for the Thirteen Great Families!
Capturing Min River Granny could feed the Thirteen Great Families for days!
Losing her would enrage those lords, leading to many deaths!
Moments later, the guerrilla general, garrison commanders, and company leaders hurried to the scene. Most were Xia family men. Seeing Xia Luoying's body on the ground, they flew into a rage. "Who did this?"
No one spoke.
Officials from the Gongzhou prefecture yamen—the vice prefect, judge, and clerks—also rushed over. Shocked by the sight, they dared not speak.
"Send word to the General at once!" The guerrilla general turned and left.
General Xia was at a banquet, where everyone was toasting and laughing. The guerrilla general hurried in, whispered a few words in his ear, and the general's face changed. Ignoring etiquette, he stood abruptly and rushed off.
The other officials at the table saw this and set down their cups, following him.
They arrived before Xia Luoying's body, their faces grim.
"Great Wheel Wisdom King's Golden Light Curse!"
General Xia examined the corpse, slowly straightened up, and looked toward Great Prosperity Zen Temple. In a deep voice, he said, "The supreme golden body technique of Great State-Protecting Temple, the pinnacle of this era."
Everyone's hearts chilled. Master Kuzhu had already turned demonic—had he escaped the temple to kill?
If it was Kuzhu, why bother striking?
They thought, one glance from Kuzhu, and Xia Luoying would turn into a mushroom.
"Without Min River Granny, what do we eat these next few days?"
Governor Yan frowned slightly, pondering how long Red Mountain Lady could feed the Thirteen Great Families, when he suddenly saw several soldiers frantically scratching their heads, as if their scalps itched terribly.
Governor Yan watched them scratch, and felt his own scalp start to itch.
Suddenly, popping sounds came from those soldiers' heads. A string of small mushrooms burst right out of their scalps!
The soldiers screamed, yanking at the mushrooms, only to tear off bloody chunks of scalp.
"They've been infected!"
Inspector Zhang cried out, immediately slashing out with a palm. Flames erupted from his hand, reducing the soldiers to ashes!
Governor Yan felt an unbearable itch on his head but forced himself not to scratch. "General Xia, my condolences. I have matters to attend to—I'll head back first!"
He hurried away. At the corner, he finally scratched his head and plucked out a small mushroom!
Governor Yan's face changed slightly. He quietly pulled it off.
Just then, clamor arose from the Min River bank. Governor Yan went over and saw border troops chasing people with mushrooms sprouting from their heads.
His heart pounded. If I'm infected, surely the other officials are too. They might have been infected but pulled off their head mushrooms in secret!
He returned to the Yan residence and walked down a corridor. Turning a corner, he heard sobbing. Outside the Yan residence, several retainers and maids knelt on the ground before a large pit, dirt piled nearby, with someone overseeing the execution.
"What's going on?"
Governor Yan asked.
The steward quickly replied, "Master, these few were infected—mushrooms grew on their heads. Madam said to execute them, to prevent spreading it to others."
An order rang out. The retainers and maids' heads fell into the pit, their bodies toppling forward after.
The steward waved, shoving dirt into the pit to bury the corpses.
Governor Yan's face grew grave. He went to the inner courtyard to see Madam. She was dressing, her charm still lingering. Peering through the window, Governor Yan saw her pluck a tiny mushroom from between her hairpins in the mirror.
Governor Yan coughed. Madam hastily tossed the mushroom into a corner and smiled. "Master's back?"
"Yes, I'm back."
Governor Yan smiled, approaching his wife.
Would anyone pick the mushrooms off their heads and fry them up to eat?
A thought popped into his mind. Wonder if they're poisonous? If we eat the ones growing on ourselves—self-produced and self-consumed—could we survive?
Demonic Transformation, Day Sixteen.
Even a divine descent realm powerhouse like Governor Yan was affected, showing signs of mushroomization.
Meanwhile, Chen Shi carried the broken bowl, racing toward Red Mountain Hall. He dodged all sorts of large and small mushrooms along the way. Nearing the hall, he finally relaxed and slowed his pace.
Then, a lazy voice drifted into his ears.
"Spare some alms, good sir."
Chen Shi looked over in surprise. An old beggar sat on the stone steps by the left gate, leaning against the doorframe. He held a broken bowl in one hand and a dog-chasing stick in the other, shaking the bowl at Chen Shi. "Starved for years, sir—spare a sip of soup."
Chen Shi also held a broken bowl.
The old beggar glanced at it— even more broken than his own—and blinked in surprise, laughing. "You're Chen Shi? Old Beggar, here to beg a little from Young Master Chen."
Chen Shi grew wary. He raised the bowl, index finger aimed at the taotie pattern on the bottom. "You know me, senior? What exactly do you want?"
His finger pressed on the great maw of the Taotie Devouring Heaven Talisman, ready to wipe it away and release Min River Granny at any moment.
The old beggar shook his bowl and grinned. "I want Young Master Chen!"
Chen Shi felt the surrounding heaven and earth shake with the old beggar's bowl. His face changed. He immediately smeared away the taotie's mouth. Water swirled roaring out of his bowl. Min River Granny sat atop the spinning water, swinging her staff down hard on the old beggar's head!
Whoosh!
Min River Granny vanished. Chen Shi saw himself atop a massive black fish's head, with Min River Granny beside him— an old woman with her head wrapped in white cloth, leaning on her staff.
The giant fish had a black carp body and a dragon head, swimming in the sea. Waves crashed fiercely one after another, battering the great carp-dragon and making its body sway.
Chen Shi looked around. The sea stretched endlessly, no shore in sight.
Then, a colossal face appeared in the sky, parting the clouds. It was the old beggar's visage.
"Water-Fire Tempering Art, death and rebirth—Five Lakes Loose Immortal is indeed formidable!"
The old beggar gazed down at Chen Shi on the sea, smiling in satisfaction. "No need to search far—fortune comes without effort. Never thought this demonic transformation would yield such an unexpected prize!"
Chen Shi's heart sank. He called out loudly, "Senior, you're a loose immortal? I'm one too. We're all loose immortals—how can you strike at a fellow practitioner?"
The old beggar laughed. "Loose immortals seek only the Great Dao, unbound and free. Anyone can be a fellow, yet no one truly is."
A dog's bark rang out then.
The old beggar looked surprised. A black dog burst from Red Mountain Hall, barking ferociously at him.
"This dog's impressive—it's actually trying to alter my perception!"
The old beggar marveled at Blackie Pot, praising, "Haven't had dog meat in ages. Tonight, a fine meal."
Yu Tiancheng, Li Tianqing, Master Lu, Master Xiao, and a group of talisman masters and instructors rushed out of Red Mountain Hall to aid Chen Shi. Seeing Blackie Pot barking madly at the old beggar, they were all astonished.
The old beggar paid it no mind, shaking his dog-chasing bamboo stick to shoo Blackie Pot aside. With a fawning smile, he extended his bowl. "Sirs, spare some food!"
Li Tianqing said, "Wait a moment, elder!"
He hurried back into Red Mountain Hall, cut a piece of fish, and put it in the bowl.
The old beggar glanced at him in surprise and chuckled. "You're a good soul."
"For your kindness, I'll spare your lives."
He walked toward Great Prosperity Zen Temple, musing, "Captured the corpse-disassembled immortal of Water-Fire Tempering—unraveled the secrets of eternal life. Once the other loose immortals deal with this demon, I'll have plenty to discuss at the gathering!"
Blackie Pot lunged suddenly, snapping at the old beggar's pant leg.
The old beggar flicked his bamboo stick lightly. Blackie Pot yelped and tumbled a dozen feet away.
Li Tianqing and the others charged forward. Yu Tiancheng, transformed into a burly rabbit, led the way, Red Mountain Lady on his shoulder. The little girl in red shouted, "Beat the stinking beggar dead!"
The old beggar laughed. "So you refuse mercy."
With that, he shook his bowl. The world spun, and everyone plunged into the water with splashes.
Chen Shi stood on Min River Granny's true form's head, looking up. One by one, figures fell from the sky into the sea. He urged the giant fish to swim swiftly, rescuing them aboard.
Everyone was bewildered and uneasy.
Li Tianqing called out, "Senior, I'm a loose immortal too! We're all fellow travelers of the jianghu—why not show mercy?"
Chen Shi cut him off, shaking his head. "Loose immortals act on whim, unbound by good or evil, custom or shame—nothing of the mortal world restrains them."
The old beggar's voice boomed, laughing heartily. "Chen Shi, spot on. Good and evil, right and wrong, rites and morals—they're chains the world imposes on the strong. We loose immortals pursue unfettered freedom, the Great Dao of liberty—how could we let such trifles bind us?"
Everyone was helpless.
The old beggar carried his bowl, leaning on his bamboo stick, chuckling as he headed to Great Prosperity Zen Temple. At a street corner, he bumped headlong into an old woman.
She staggered from the impact but laughed. "The beggar's got some strength."
The old beggar felt his soul jolt, his spirit shooting out of his body and flung from Gongzhou City!
Shocked, his body empty, he finally saw the old woman clearly and cried, "It's Granny Sha! Fellow loose immortal, why ambush me?"
He knew her cultivation wasn't high, but her soul arts were profound. She'd gotten the drop on him, blasting his spirit away. Mere flesh couldn't match her. He tried to stall.
His spirit steadied and flew back!
At that moment, nine tails reached toward the sky, swaying lightly. The old beggar's spirit plummeted into the Nine Heavens, layers of worlds unfolding before him!
He sped forth, thousands of miles in an instant, yet couldn't escape the Nine Heavens.
"Old woman, you have accomplices!"
The old beggar shook his bowl, but before he could draw Granny Sha in, a massive azure sheep charged from the side—taller than a man. Its sharp horns slammed into his back.
The old beggar flew, twisting in midair. Looking back, the azure sheep galloped through the air, catching up. Its horns hooked, flipping him skyward!
His heart lurched. "Five Lakes Loose Immortal's two troublesome brothers ambushed me!"
Granny Sha caught the falling bowl, carefully righting it to avoid breaking.
The azure sheep and the dragon-bearded brute leaned in, peering into the bowl.
Granny Sha rapped each on the head, signaling silence.
The three slipped away quietly.
Granny Sha waved from afar. The bowl suddenly tipped, spilling its water.
Inside, Chen Shi and the others felt the sea pouring out, waters draining madly. Even Min River Granny couldn't hold steady, swept out with the flood.
Their vision blurred. The roaring sea vanished abruptly, dumping them—along with the black carp-dragon—onto the street. They slid dozens of feet before stopping.
Bewildered, the group stared.
Yu Tiancheng's giant rabbit form leaped up, kicking the bowl flying. It clanged but remained intact, unbroken.
Suddenly, the bowl shot off and vanished.
Chen Shi dashed into a nearby house, grabbed a porcelain bowl, swiftly drew the Taotie Devouring Heaven Talisman, filled it with water, and shone it on Min River Granny.
She lay gasping on the ground, mouth agape, on the verge of suffocation.
Taken into the bowl, she became a little black fish, swimming about.
Chen Shi exhaled in relief. Blackie Pot nudged him, barking softly twice. Chen Shi nodded faintly, whispering, "Must've been Granny Sha. I heard the beggar yell 'Granny Sha.'"
"Strange—Granny Sha isn't my godmother. Why's she here in Gongzhou too?"
He was puzzled.
"But with the loose immortals' gathering imminent, this old beggar being one means others are in the city too. They won't hold back from striking at that demon seed."
Chen Shi breathed easier, thinking.
"The Ghost God Domain will surely fall. All we need to do is survive until then."
But...
He felt perplexed. Why do these loose immortals all seem like bad people?
Is Grandpa not a good man either? he wondered.
The old beggar tumbled through the air, crashing into a mushroom thicket.
The Nine Heavens faded. His spirit whistled back, merging into his body.
He sprang up, hands empty, furious. "Where's my bowl? Damn thieves—even stole Old Beggar's bowl!"
Before him, the golden body Buddha rose. A massive mushroom cap loomed overhead from its head. Beneath the cap, popping sounds rang out as eyes sprouted, gazing down at him.
The old beggar swallowed hard, throat bobbing. Murmuring, "I meant for the other loose immortals to deal with this demon. That old hag and Five Lakes' bratty brothers ambushed me, trying to pit me against it in a bloodbath. I was flung here by a collision..."
The golden body Buddha raised a massive foot, stomping down heavily. Its voice boomed: "...Foolish mortals, why not ascend to bliss together?"
End of chapter.